Been on a few test drives

[Macca 1]

Ok, i'll admit ive been looking around at other cars. Just feel its time for a change.

Saw a Mk2 VR6 advertised for £2200 and suddenly the prospect of owning a Mk2 again, with all that extra power under the bonnet seemed very very appealing, so i eagerly drove up to london to have a look.

Guy selling it seemed a nice bloke, but having been told car was in good condition apart from dodgy rear boot, i was pretty shocked at the condition of the thing: Youd have thought someone who spent all the money on a FULL Vr conversion (5k) would put it in a half decent car.

Went for a test drive anyhow, got onto duel carriageway, and i readied myself for the kick in the back,....... and it felt just like my Mk3.

He let me have a go and it was maybe slightly quicker, but having heard people rave about Mk2 VRs, i was very disappointed. At the end of the day its the same engine, so i suppose i expected too much!

It did handle better though, but in a straight line not much difference.

So test drive no. 2:

Subaru Impreza Classic WRX

As soon as i sat in it i knew this was a very different animal. Standard apart from a big bore exhaust (so about 250hp i think), the flat 4 sounds even better when you're behind the wheel!

I gingerly drove it out of the garage and warmed it up for a few minutes, but already it felt so well planted and 'sure footed'.

finally plucked up the courage to give it some welly, put the foot down....... hmmm, pretty quick..... then..WHAM!! %-6 CHRIST that'll be the turbo then!!!! it was SAVAGE! !amazed !amazed

I was only on country lanes so i didnt get to test the 90mph+ performance of it, where people say the 4wd starts to hamper performance, nor did i really thrash it round the corners and test the handling properly, but i was ready to buy it there and then on getting back to the garage.

Hed offered me a good price on my VR even considering id told him about clutch slippage and ive got the money saved up.

Getting back in the VR wasnt a dissappointment as such, just felt very different: more refined, much quieter and more leisurely, but still with a nice increase in pace when you wanted, but without that willingness to just tear up the road ahead.

Had i found ANYWHERE that would insure me on the car, i would probably be going back to buy it today; as it is, nowhere seems to be touching under 25s on imports.

What do u lot think of scoobies? what else in the price range should i look at?

I think i know what my next car is going to be though, sorry guys

[ Edited ]

[binliner 0]

scooby sounds like fun... what is the price range?

[tandino 1]

I thought the classic import WRX's were 280 brake ?! - probably why it felt quick then....

Tbh i think the dynamic abilities of the Scooby are great but i would never have one no matter how good they are to drive.

I hate the image and the fact they all seem to be driven by ignorant twats

Not really a fair comparison to a VR6 though in terms of power output - compare it to a blown VR6 - now your talking

[Macca 1]

Price range is up to 5-6k.

SCing or turboing the VR is of course the other option, but im thinking id rather change the whole car for the money. Id need to drive one really

The spec of imprezas is confusing, but the one i drove was an early WRX, which have 240-250bhp, later ones were increased to 280bhp, with the STi versions having 280 also but higher spec in other ways eg. lighter, quickshift gearbox.

Ive also started looking at skylines (GTS) and nissan 300zx, different sorts of car to the scooby, dont know if anyone has any experience of these cars?

Whatever i go for i doubt it'll be till im 25 next year as insurance looks to be a real problem before then.

[acf8181 0]

ok, i came soo close to buying a scooby once, but it was just slightly out my price range.

avoid pre '97 versions, they're not very reliable and aren't that nice. plus they only have single pot brakes (well, the wrx may have different ones). all WRX's were imports until the big-eyed shape AFAIK.

i'd recommend tryin to find a '97 to '99 (different grill and interior to earlier ones) normal turbo for that money, they're the mega reliable ones, but don't mod any scoob or it will break loads.

i drove a bug eyed one and a '99 turbo...the older one was mental, it is such a confidence inspiring car from the second you drive it. there not much lag, and the bulk of the bhp came in at 2000rpm.

[ Edited Fri Nov 12 2004, 02:06PM ]

[CHRISVR6 0]

I agree with tandino the image is not good on them, and the flat four is sound until you start playing with her, the imports are 280 brake or more as the power figures in japan have to be 280 to get passed there laws i think, so its probably pushing out more than that, as the supe TT is 280bhp but realistic is 320 bhp for the imported version (GZ or RZ). They are nice but totally different to the golf, not an every day car IMO. good for corners thou. Get a P1 then your talking

[Guest Olly_K]

i like scoobs, and almost got one before i got the S4. Great value for money, great fun too. But i didnt find anywhere willing to insure me either until i was 25. Oddly enough i got insured on the S4 though. But their top end lets them down though...... (is that because of a 2l lump ? or what ?), i dont think its the 4WD, the S4 is 4WD and i've had that up to 155 (race track, obviously)

must get that limiter removed

[ Edited Fri Nov 12 2004, 05:38PM ]

[Guest Olly_K]

all WRX's were imports until the big-eyed shape AFAIK.

I think thats right mate.......although i thought you could get wrx's here, but 4 door models only. If it was a 3-door wrx then it's an import.

but i could be talking bollocks

[Eat this 2]

the original uk scoobs r apparently only 208 bhp the wrx r all imports the new "normal" ones r about 220bhp i think then uv got sti wrx etc etc etc its worse than bloody porsche lol

[acf8181 0]

i'm pretty sure the '97'99 normal ones are 220bhp.

i have a feeling that scoobs are like vr6's though, usually kick out more than standard.

[Eat this 2]

yeh probably im not 100% sure of the numbers anyway

[Desire68 0]

Don't do it!!!!!

Not really mate,if you need to get it out of your system then do it but you'll be back.

I had what is probably the best classic shape you can buy ,if you like the P1 then this is what the UK based the P1 on,The WRX STi Version 6 Type-R V-Ltd No 0520 with drivers adjustabl diff lock,intercooler water spray converted to a 2.5 by Scooby Clinic in Chesterfield and safly pushing close to 400bhp.

Then there is the bad bits.If you read the Scoobynet forum,you'll find that the engins are ALLWAYS blowing up and one of the causes is due to the abnormally tricky oil change that is very often ignored by garages!You just simply can't drop the oil and filter and replace with a fresh set,there is far more to it than that,the service level intervals are short and expencive,running costs are expencive,the cars are VERY desirable to the wrong crowd and more insurance Co's are refusing to insure them now or charging silly prices for a premium!

Deffinately get it out of your system(I did!!!) but do loads of research and take somone with you who owns one.Personally i'd stay away from dealers unless buying brand new and get used to the Scoobynet forum,it's a massive forum full of all that your gonna need!

I'm just glad that i've been there and done that and i hope that i can be of some help after going through it myself.

If i only learned one thing after returning back to VR6 ownership it was this,"You never REALLY know what you've got till it's GONE" and i'm glad that i got a 2nd chance to appreciate it!!

Don't let me put you off,just cover all your bases befor you get in to it!!

Mike.

[Eat this 2]

talkin of service intervals have u seen the new 400 bhp evo i think its 3k service interval!!!!! what makes me think it wont be reliable lol

[Desire68 0]

Yeah,i get the Lancer register club mag and the FQ-400 is on the front cover and featured this quarter,car is mental but you'd have to service it every time you drive it Lol!!

Mike.

[antera309 3]

I own a scooby. It's a 2001 (Bugeye) WRX. UK Model, so has "just" 225BHP. I've had it three weeks now.

It's a very different beast to the VR6. The Scooby's handling is (sorry guys) far superior to the VR, but the power delivery is not as smooth - turbo lag is very noticable and you have to play with the gearstick a lot to get the best out of it.

The engine noise is equally entertaining. The flat-4 makes a very distinctive, throaty sound, although the stock intake and exhaust on the Bugeye mask it a little. Fit a cone filter and a 'zorst to this baby and you wouldn't need a stereo.

In terms of Point-to-Point speed on the UK's wet roads, I reckon I'd struggle to find something to match the Scooby for twice what I paid for it. An Audi S4 perhaps, but that's about it.

Its a devastatingly effective car as standard. Spend a couple of Grand modding it, and you could go 911-baiting with confidence.

Now the bad bit. This car drinks. No, it REALLY drinks. We're talking George Best in Happy Hour here. I tried driving like my Gran for a week and still only got 22mpg. Ouch!. And then there's the Insurance. This was 50% more than I was paying for my VR, and it's a UK car. Insuring an import costs even more, I'm told.

I'm told they go through clutches like popcorn too.

So would I recommend the Scooby?. Yes, but as a short-term ownership proposition only (unless it's gonna be just a weekend car).

It's just one of those cars that any serious petrolhead has to own at some point in their lives, alongside the Mitsubishi Evo, Porsche 911 and (of course) the Golf VR6.

:-)

[ Edited Fri Nov 12 2004, 07:24PM ]

[Eat this 2]

id rather bung a charger arb suspension and brakes on a vr tbh

[antera309 3]

A chipped Scooby vs. a Supercharged VR would be an interesting contest, no doubt about it.

Track day, anyone? ;-)

[VR6Pete 1,455]

I wasted a scooby on the way to the RR day..... ingham was in my VR too as a witness

Pete

[Eat this 2]

[RALA 0]

I've always fancied a Scooby, but two mates and an uncle had one. After seeing their bills from the garage, think not. Unless you can afford one in warranty I would steer clear. Servicing alone is bloody fortune. They are good fun though

[antera309 3]

.....abnormally tricky oil change that is very often ignored by garages!You just simply can't drop the oil and filter and replace with a fresh set' date='there is far more to it than that.....[/quote']

I'm interested to hear about your experiences here, Mike.

I've read the posts on Scoobynet about the oil change procedure. Oiling the new filter and dry-cranking the engine for a few seconds before starting are sensible precautions on any performance engine, but removing the spark plugs seems a bit excessive....

[ Edited Sat Nov 13 2004, 03:37AM ]

[acf8181 0]

mike - you had engine probs with yours didn't you? i was told (bya scooby tuner actually) that tuning them was a bad idea as they become fragile, but a '97 as standard is pretty bomb proof. surely this would explain why yours wasn't reliable?

antera - hows the balance, i heard versions without the adjustable centre diff had a lot of understeer? i can confirm they're mental in the wet...tried keeping up with one in the wet and although i managed it, he wasn't pushing that hard and i was driving the wheels off the vr, getting to the quite funny angles! lol

[antera309 3]

The tendency is towards understeer, the standard suspension is softer than that on a classic scoob.

Push on and the understeer gives way to a nice 4-wheel drift..

If it's tail happy action you're after, then the version with the lockable diff model is the way to go. Is this available in the newer shape, or just the classic?

[ Edited Sat Nov 13 2004, 10:59AM ]

[acf8181 0]

from what i understand its only available on WR1's (which are '04 model) and the latest verson of the WRX STi Type-UK (the to be '05 model).

but thne mike appears to suggest his had it, but that was an import.

[antera309 3]

Yep, I'm pretty sure some of the rarer Jap imports (Classic shape) had it too, but I may be wrong.