If you are going to have a quick Merc just be aware of servicing costs. Very expensive!

depends if you get ur fast merc serviced at mercedes.

A couple of bad decisions there sonner and your lucky either guy didn't knock the hell out of you.

With regard to bad driving and owners club stickers, I have some shocking driving from a fabia around here sporting a briskoda sticker, anyone can be guilty of bad driving.

I have to say I'd not want a Imprezza due to the image. Obviously there's plenty of decent people driving them, but there seems a disproportionate amount of

the tight v-neck t-shirt and white trousers and a small beanie even in the summer sort of driver

That drive aggressively all the time.

I'd be looking at some of the other suggestions (Merc, given the choice), but then again, I'm almost 20 years older than the OP, so my criteria will be different.

My mate had a P1 scobby tuned to around 330bhp and various extras.......loved it...BUT HATED the fuel consumpion....23mpg average.....and the gearbox rebuild (there is a weak part in them which needs modifying).......and he finaly had to get rid as it would have needed an engine rebuild/new head gaskets etc.......

...Now he drives a Suzuki Swift (top model) with better mpg (40ish mpg)....better made interior....cheaper insurance....he can leave it on the street with out worring about it.......etc., etc., ......

I had an Impreza Series McRae many years ago, back then they just about the most sought after car on sale, long waiting lists for a new one and second hand examples selling for more than the new list price. Mine sold for £15k at 5 years old. In the early 90's the Scooby stood alone for the money, nothing came close and Colin McRae and Richard Burns made the cars iconic.

Today there are many choices and because older cars have fallen into the hands of the chavs the image has been severly tarnished.

Running costs are severe, I averaged low 20's mpg and teens mpg over a tankfull was possible if you wanted to play. My third service cost £1224.

Awesome cars to drive but would I buy one now? No, I think there are much better options today.

Cheers

Lee

A mate of mine when the bug eye came out lost 21 grand in a year on a new one Awesome car , just Awesome depreciation

My mate had a P1 scobby tuned to around 330bhp and various extras.......loved it...BUT HATED the fuel consumpion....23mpg average.....and the gearbox rebuild (there is a weak part in them which needs modifying).......and he finaly had to get rid as it would have needed an engine rebuild/new head gaskets etc.......

...Now he drives a Suzuki Swift (top model) with better mpg (40ish mpg)....better made interior....cheaper insurance....he can leave it on the street with out worring about it.......etc., etc., ......

A few years ago I'd have said try a Mazda 3 MPS.

Where the Subarus fail these days is the lack of any real progress with their petrol engines. They really need a direct injection petrol to be able to get the MPG up to less than wage crippling. Whether they can manage this effectively with a short stroke big bore engine is the question.

J.