Hello John, got a new mota.. Again...

[johnfelstead]

You get away and they suck you right back in again!

I've been without a car since selling my STi5 RA Ltd back at the start of December and pondering all sorts of ideas on what to buy, i wanted a change after 2.5 years and needed something more suited to long journeys. I was within a few minutes of buying a supercharged Porsche 928 but just couldn't go for it in the end (for lots of reasons, that was a frustrating one just getting a test drive sorted), then i pondered on a Honda S2000, then an RX8, then a 350Z and finally i came to the conclusion i couldn't find anything better for what i want than a new age Impreza.

So I've been looking for a couple of weeks to find one i would be happy to live with, that was a bit longer legged for long journeys, yet still sprightly when i wanted it to be, but in a budget i can afford which wouldn't break the bank in these far from certain times.

So, my 4th Subaru is a wide track JDM Blobeye STi9 in black, so far so good.

This one is staying standard. (when did i last say that! )

[Slooby]

Pics!

[johnfelstead]

I'll take some tomorrow Tim.

[Slooby]

Nick some from the for sale thread

[shaunee]

ROFLOL @ John.

Cracking choice imo.

Exhaust, Panel Filter, Remap and jobs a goodun.

360bhp that can be thrashed day in day out and you would never need to open the bonnet.

[johnfelstead]

Thats the hope Shaun, I'm happy to stay with the stock exhaust, it's all very civilised and certainly not lacking in spool right now!

First jobs are to give it a good service and check over the brakes, new plugs and filter, oil etc then see what I've got to play with. Hopefully it all checks out OK without anything much needing doing, the brakes are a bit dead but i think it's got some cheap pads in there.

It handles brilliantly, very surprised how stiffly damped and sprung it is, it's on the 235 RE070's which seem good, a little tramliney but you get that with the RE070's, i quite like how positive it is on those though.

I'm going to have to watch the speed a bit, it doesn't feel as fast for the same speed as my RA did, you are quite insulated from the speed in this car.

[pat]

certainly not lacking in spool right now!

Can it achieve full boost at 2700 RPM ? If not, at least you know what you CAN achieve by removing the butt plug that is cleverly disguised as a cat

it doesn't feel as fast for the same speed as my RA did

Even 100 doesn't feel as "quick" as 70 does in a Classic... get used to it rapidly, or your license may suffer

Hope you enjoy it John, of the New Age cars it's certainly the most entertaining... you have chosen well Old Bean

Cheers,

Pat.

[Liz]

Sounds loverly John, although I prefer the Hawkeye styling

[RichardB]

Hey John, welcome back

[Simon_]

nice one John!

[jameswrx]

When you say 'wide track' is that standard?

No mods... Hmm

[Kenny.S]

Good Choice John, not exactly pipe and slippers though is it

The wide track is standard on that car, they increased the rear track late 2004 i think.

[shaunee]

Yep from MY05 model onwards iirc.

[johnfelstead]

Thanks chaps, i gave up on the pipe and slippers, I'm not quite there yet although this is heading in that direction after the RA

Yep, MY05 (built from late 2004) is when the wide track came in, easiest way to tell is look for the extensions to the rear arches. They improved the DCCD-A at the same time with the addition of a yaw sensor and steering position sensor to add to the previous generations G sensor, I'll have to spend a bit of time seeing how good that works in the real world compared to the previous version which i always found produced understeer in Auto mode. It's nice to have the quickrack still too, which i thought i wouldn't get on my next car, so thats a nice bonus with the JDM version.

The Hawkeye has grown on me now Liz, but i like the blobeye a bit more, i think as a whole car shape it works better. Neither is going to win any styling awards though.

I love the defi dash clocks, they are very nice. The seats are better in the RA Ltd i think, these ones arnt as supportive or adjustable, but I'll get used to that when I've played with the position a bit more.

[shaunee]

The DCCD is no where as aggresive as your Type R. Whether that is to do with the mapping of the controller or the diffs, I have no idea.

[STIV3]

And i thought you were going to take the leap and get over to the Bright Side and sample the world of Porsche.

Sounds a nice car John. Been thinking of the Estate version as a tow car or a Legacy.

Graham.

[neil...]

I personally know the car JF has bought, very nice...

[John Stevenson]

Originally posted by STIV3:
And i thought you were going to take the leap and get over to the Bright Side and sample the world of Porsche.

Sounds a nice car John. Been thinking of the Estate version as a tow car or a Legacy.

Graham.

Graham, My Impreza is a better tow car than my Legacy, though I guess you'll be dragging somthing somewhat lighter than I do !

---john---

[STIV3]

I hope it will be light John.
No more pies or Xmas cake for me...

Do you EVER get to the end of these race cars?

Wife likes the idea of an Impreza estate tow car!

[johnfelstead]

It is very nice, the only thing i really don't like is the way the radio is fitted, it's got a hideous Japanese thing in it that doesn't fit properly. So I'll get another centre console cover (they cut it to fit the radio) then maybe find a normal DIN fit radio/cd player and fit a PSI3 monitor in the free DIN slot.

Found out today whilst fitting my locking wheel nuts the wheel brace and pouch is missing, good job i found out now and not when i needed it.