|
Post by Cuz05 on Dec 28, 2013 20:00:11 GMT
Correct. Short on personality tbf, no bells and whistles, just well put together. Functional, economical and ticks all the boxes that need ticking. Actually a very well regarded car in its class. The 1.4 engine is a plus for my wife but I miss the 2.0 we had before it....
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Dec 28, 2013 20:27:58 GMT
Correct. Short on personality tbf, no bells and whistles, just well put together. Functional, economical and ticks all the boxes that need ticking. Actually a very well regarded car in its class. The 1.4 engine is a plus for my wife but I miss the 2.0 we had before it.... So long as it drives nice... Not everything needs to be balls-fast or styled by an Italian on a bender.
|
|
|
Post by Cuz05 on Dec 28, 2013 20:57:04 GMT
Does drive well as it goes. Designed by those pragmatic Czechs (under the aegis of those efficient Germans). You know how an excellent referee can go unnoticed in a game? It's like that.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 14:52:36 GMT
Well, it is with sad news that I have to state this. Some idiot pulled into my lane and I could not stop fast enough. My right front end is trashed on my car. Freakin sucks, just can't keep anything nice anymore. I am very skeptical of being able to get the same bumper and headlights again. This means that I will probably end of having a stock bumper and headlights put back on. Hopefully I can get the estimate people to put this kind of information to use and hopefully get something I am happy with. I doubt it though.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 15:39:45 GMT
eBay UK is great for breaking parts, especially on older cars such as your focus.
Most places I know will post to states, and then all you'd do is get it fitted and colour matched & resprayed.
I did that with my last car and it wasn't hard at all.
(That's IF they don't write off the vehicle. If you had them declared on your policy as modified or aftermarket parts then you should get compensation)
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 2, 2014 15:45:55 GMT
Well, it is with sad news that I have to state this. Some idiot pulled into my lane and I could not stop fast enough. My right front end is trashed on my car. Freakin sucks, just can't keep anything nice anymore. I am very skeptical of being able to get the same bumper and headlights again. This means that I will probably end of having a stock bumper and headlights put back on. Hopefully I can get the estimate people to put this kind of information to use and hopefully get something I am happy with. I doubt it though. FWIW, depending on your coverage, it is not at all unheard of to receive comparable aftermarket replacements for installed parts... provided you have receipts or can otherwise reasonably prove you had those things. There are different types of policies though, talk it over with your agent. I know how it is with rare parts, but hopefully you can at least get something close to replacement value for whatever is next.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2014 18:35:37 GMT
I was looking up the site I got mine from and I can no longer find the exact bumper I have but I did find an improved replacement, and I think it is cheaper than what I had at the time. You European guys probably know the name Rieger and they make a very nice front bumper for my Focus and he has them for around $354. Only problem is shipping, it isn't costly but last time I did it, it had to be delivered to an international airport. The headlights are practically brand new and they are $340. I have records of all of this through the website so as far as proof, it is in the pudding. I am fully covered so no issues there.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2014 1:38:34 GMT
Being a younger driver, I got a hand me down stock Gray 2002 Toyota Camry SE 140,000k from my dad. No mods at all except for floormats. When I get older (feels wierd saying that) I would like the 2015 Subaru WRX /STi. The Camry get everything at a C grade. Driving 7, back seat 7, ride 7, trunk room 9. It's enough for now but I could do with an improvement. Having not driven much else, this thing feels good but I am looking forward to a new ride. Got no pics cause I got no smartphone or good camera.
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 8, 2014 1:56:40 GMT
Being a younger driver, I got a hand me down stock Gray 2002 Toyota Camry SE 140,000k from my dad. No mods at all except for floormats. When I get older (feels wierd saying that) I would like the 2015 Subaru WRX /STi. The Camry get everything at a C grade. Driving 7, back seat 7, ride 7, trunk room 9. It's enough for now but I could do with an improvement. Having not driven much else, this thing feels good but I am looking forward to a new ride. Got no pics cause I got no smartphone or good camera. Nothing wrong with a camry man... I've had a couple myself. That's on the short list of beaters I'm in the market for. Decent car. Do a lot of homework first before deciding on a turbocharged Subaru. Some terms you might want to search include "subaru ringland piston". I have my reservations about newer drivers buying those things right away, and that's without getting into the "that's a lot of performance for a new driver" thing. Unless the 2015 gets the FA20 instead of an EJ25 and the pistons get a refresh, which hasn't happened in over 20 years, I dunno... Don't get me wrong, I love Subaru's enough to be on the leadership team for the local Subaru club with 100 person cruises every year, but there are some mechanical realities that make it a questionable recommendation for newer drivers. That said, if you decide to go that route, take a good hard look at the WRX instead of the STi unless you're planning on properly tracking it. WRX is 85% of the crazy you get in an STi while being 50% more comfortable. If you need the additional 15% performance you're "missing" on public roads, you're driving like an asshat.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2014 3:23:26 GMT
I've done some research about my dream car. (I have a love for affordable little pocket rockets) The 2015 WRX has an FA20 turbo motor which I believe has solved the piston problem. It does not matter anyways as I definitely would not be able to afford a brand new one yet. I have been thinking on the WRX but hey, as an enthusiast, gotta have the ridiculous spoiler on the back. There is not going to be a hatch sadly so I am probably going to stick to a used sedan WRX in a few years depending on problems that possible develop.
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 8, 2014 6:10:33 GMT
I've done some research about my dream car. (I have a love for affordable little pocket rockets) The 2015 WRX has an FA20 turbo motor which I believe has solved the piston problem. I'm not sure anyone has ripped apart the WRX yet to find out. That said, the FA20 in the BRZ is proving to be ridiculously stout. Crawford claims to be pushing 600 through it, which is dubious if you know anything about their prior claims. Full Blown's prototype BRZ was down here for MAP's Proving Grounds this year. That thing is nasty. Exact power figures aside, people are squeezing way more out of that block with stock internals than you could ever epxect to pull off with an EJ anything, including the 2.2T in the old LGT's. Stock, high compression NA pistons even... Says you... This is the '07 STi I had before my LGT. Essentially swapped it to a "limited" trim. Wingless, leather interior, etc. P&L had a go with the engine and exhaust... Swapping an STi trunk on a WRX is pretty common, because the STi folks get tired of the... uh... "attention". So if that's what you're after, don't waste $10k on it...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2014 2:34:46 GMT
Subaru WRX STi : Still an EJ.
|
|
|
Post by T0lly on Jan 15, 2014 14:18:39 GMT
Subaru WRX STi : Still an EJ. Sweet, I have been wanting an STi. I can't decide whether to get a WRX or another bike. what is an EJ?
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 15, 2014 16:48:08 GMT
Subaru WRX STi : Still an EJ. Sweet, I have been wanting an STi. I can't decide whether to get a WRX or another bike. what is an EJ? EJ is a series of motors that hasn't really changed in over 20 years, is prone to piston and ringland failure, and is generally inefficient, and is in every WRX and STi up until this year where the WRX got a turbo variant of the new FA20. What it means is barring some substantial difference on the internals design, the new STi is going to have the exact same engine issues as always.
|
|
|
Post by T0lly on Jan 15, 2014 16:55:31 GMT
Ah, interesting. It must not be too bad they still sell out around here.
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 15, 2014 19:25:30 GMT
Ah, interesting. It must not be too bad they still sell out around here. Lots of things with major known issues still sell well. It's still a whole lot of car for the money. Used WRX's and STi's are getting cheap enough that it has become the new civic/integra. So there's that too...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2014 2:24:14 GMT
Subaru WRX STi : Still an EJ. Sweet, I have been wanting an STi. I can't decide whether to get a WRX or another bike. what is an EJ? Get the WRX. Better fuel economy, new engine (hopefully more reliable), and has a six speed finally.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2014 18:18:13 GMT
I have been thinking recently about getting another vehicle. My mind is steering towards either a new Challenger or an old Muscle car to fix up.
|
|
|
Post by ToBContinued08 on Jan 18, 2014 4:23:42 GMT
Got my newish ride today. 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4- 146,000 miles for $1,000. Needs some work but all in all, hell of a deal. Inline 6 Cylinder, has 2 10' subs in the rear space with AMP and XM Radio Unit. Runs like a champ.Now needs a fresh coat of paint, 3.5 inch lift, 33' tires, brush guard w/ winch, spare roof rack tire, KC trail lights. All in good time. lol
|
|
|
Post by T0lly on Jan 18, 2014 13:41:17 GMT
That is a nice Grand Chero. It needs camo paint and an exo-cage to be awesome.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2014 15:08:32 GMT
Can't go wrong with a good Grand Cherokee, just make sure the front end is good. A lot of people never put their 4x4's into 4 wheel drive and it can screw them up. It sounds like you know about though so it is all good.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2014 21:38:30 GMT
Question for you WRX STi guru's. There is an 05 here in town for sale with 65k miles on it. It looks to be in very good shape. Asking 21k for it. Anything I should look at for problems?
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 22, 2014 22:34:02 GMT
Question for you WRX STi guru's. There is an 05 here in town for sale with 65k miles on it. It looks to be in very good shape. Asking 21k for it. Anything I should look at for problems? That's a lot more than I'd be looking for in an 8 year old STi ... By about 50%. You're a few grand away from an off-the-lot 2013 WRX at that point. First things first... modifications. If it has any, be extremely wary. You're looking for aftermarket blow off valves, exhaust, intercooler, air intake, couplers, turbo, suspension, gauges, etc. If it has any of those things then any offers I make would be contingent upon a third party presale inspection. Good service records are also critical. You're looking at a somewhat finnicky car that REQUIRES the owner to stay on top of maintenance or run a pretty high risk of causing damage. Tuning is also a consideration if it has any kind of intake, forced induction or engine mods. Subaru's are very sensitive to even swapping the intake. If it has mods and no documentation/evidence of being tuned, just walk away. Head gaskets and ringlands/pistons are the usual suspects to look for. Get a leakdown test accordingly, preferably wet (as you should with any used turbo subaru, IMO). Next up would be turbo health. Have it pulled and examined for shaft play. Do a boost/vacuum leak test. Then check the struts for issues, I believe that year STi uses inverted struts which causes lubrication issues over time (legacy's are more my bag). Also check to see what the fluids look/smell like in the transmission and rear diff. 4th and 5th gear synchro's are known to show unusual wear due to the somewhat odd ratios (user error because the rhythm of the shifts changes). Clutch/transmission operation in general is something to look for. 80-100k you're looking at some not-so-cheap maintenance items. Water pump, idler pulley, timing belt, etc. Head gaskets, while not officially in the service schedule, really need to be checked around the same time. Radiators are also known to start failing around then depending on your region. If you buy it, right off the bat you'll want to do a fresh oil change and fresh fluid in the transmission and rear diff. I recommend extra-s or motul. Though any decent full synthetic works. I like Rotella T6 for oil in forced induction platforms. Oil recommendations cause holy wars though, fair warning... So, short answer: Factor in a few hours of time at your friendly neighborhood subaru mechanic before purchase. There's some stuff that needs looking at.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2014 23:21:31 GMT
Hrm, sounds like more work than being worth it. As for the value, that is standard blue book for that car, actually about 2 grand under.
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 23, 2014 0:07:15 GMT
Hrm, sounds like more work than being worth it. As for the value, that is standard blue book for that car, actually about 2 grand under. Never trust kbb. Banks use NADA to determine loan to value ratios. That's the one that counts. I don't know where kbb gets there stuff because it has a pretty tenuous relationship with actual sale prices, though of course everyone likes those numbers better when they're pricing... Or just start searching around craigslist. You don't have to believe me or a book or anything. Go see what they cost. I'd say take a look at NASIOC and iwsti if you haven't already. Fair warning, NASIOC is a silly place.
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 28, 2014 2:32:49 GMT
So uhhh... This is the type of ridiculous you SHOULD be looking for out of a used STi in the low-mid $20k's. Note this guy is local and I have been in and around this car quite a bit. Oddly enough, I'm on my way to drop off some parts to Ron Soliman in about 20 minutes... Granted, it's "just" a WRX and it's an '04 instead of an '05. That said... This car is terrifying. It dyno'd around 550whp on RS Motors' Mustang dyno at one of our club dyno days. For reference, a stock STi dynos around 240 on the same setup... www.ebay.com/itm/Subaru-Impreza-WRX-2004-subaru-impreza-wrx-1-owner-stroked-2-35-l-60-mm-turbo-550-whp-27-k-miles-wrb-/111263987263?forcerrptr=true&hash=item19e7d9b63f&item=111263987263&pt=US_Cars_TrucksStuff like that is all over the place. $21k+ can buy A WHOLE LOT of used STI/WRX. This thing can, has and will eat STi's for lunch all day long, with 27k miles on it, built by an aerospace engineer.... I'm not sure what his actual reserve is, but I know what he tried to outright sell it for previously. Bottom line, you can do a lot better for that kind of ching.
|
|
|
Post by surlyoldmanmn on Jan 29, 2014 2:20:28 GMT
Got her back from RS Motors. New clutch & flywheel. Got ahold of some RaceComp Engineering black series bilsteins, paired those with swift springs and swapped out the KWv3 coilovers. Whiteline roll center kit is in. Rear camber correction kit is going to have to wait, it's going to be a huge pain in the ass, the bushings look fine and I might as well wait until I have some better LCA's to go in. Had Ron Soliman do a general once over on the engine including compression test/etc. All healthy. Pinged Jeff Forss to get aligned... Now begins the prolonged test of willpower and self control while I break in the clutch.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2014 1:15:47 GMT
cars in the avi :] 04 sti @ 156k miles. love this thing to death but its most definitely a high maintenance girl. ive had it a little over a yr and a half and ive already had the head gasket and clutch go :/ i did manage to pick it up bone stock for 10 g's and ive kept it that way save for some cosmetic nonsense
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2014 2:48:21 GMT
I drive an '05 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS. Not very exciting, but she gets the job done. I'm determined to get her up to 100k before I retire her.. 20k to go!
Was into Hondas when I was younger.. had a '93 Integra, '99 Civic, & an '02 RSX which I really enjoyed.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2014 14:18:30 GMT
A Kawasaki Vulcan "Mean Streak" is one of the things I drive.
|
|