I was really going to get one at the time, but insurance was just too high nout wrong with "blaggin" a test drive it's a mans right of passage to do so!! lol

I put my name down for the 48 hour test drive they did a little while ago. They rung me up and asked a load of questions and then said no!! That really pi$$ed me off, I was a current Subaru customer and had cotemplated buying an STi at the time. That was the start of a slippery slope between me and Subaru I'm afraid.

IIRC the MY06 was designed by an ex Alfa designer - can you tell???

Well if they don't give test drives, I don't see how they ever acquire new customers :(

Well if they don't give test drives, I don't see how they ever acquire new customers :(

They probably thought they already had me - They do seem to rest on their laurals a bit.

They probably thought they already had me - They do seem to rest on their laurals a bit.

Subaru are not the only ones that do that! peugeot are just as good at ignoring their current customers though once you leave them they send you no end of rubbish trying to make you buy another car!

I find sending it back to the dealer with "I'd rather slash my wrists than buy another c**p car off you" usually stops it for awhile

That amused me too - posts saying "we own an icon" and "I wouldn't have a VAG car they're too common" followed by "the Scoob was an icon in the 90s like the Quattros and RSs in the 70s and 80s" ... er... :rubchin:

20 years ago if you drove a Suburu you would have had a haybale and a collie called Shep in the back.

I'll start you off with a few :P

Classic - Akin to the MK1 if you like.

BugEye - 2001 to 2003 with the so called Bug Eye headlights.

Scooby's are often quoted as MY - Model Year.

PPP - Prodrive Performance Pack.

STi - SUBARU TECNICA INTERNATIONAL' date=' the AMG of the Scooby world.[url']http://www.subaru-sti.co.jp/e/outline.html[/url]

Some Special Editions that I can remember of the top of my head (There are loads) -

UK300

RB5

WR1

Don't forget "lose them in the twisties"

I'm begining to wonder if some of these guys picked up the wrong prescription at the chemist...

However I was never happy because I always wanted that wow factor....being able to drive something that makes me equaly as happy driving it as other people seeing it.

Seeing Subarus doesn't make me happy. I see loads of them everyday. Normally my reaction is "Not another one", not "OH WOW! An Impreza! What an utterly fantastic car! I'm soooooooo happy..."

You're only on this planet once.......(some of you I don't think are even on this planet) and if it costs me a fortune just to be truly happy in one aspect then i'll pay double. You say a seat can give you he same pleasure......I doubt that very much because we can try to own the "fastest" car but there is always someone out there with one faster.

Now that bit i just can't understand at all. Something along the lines of "You can't enjoy a Seat because there'll always be someone with a faster car". Surely the same thing applies to everyone who's not tooling around in a McLaren F1 or something similar? And this guy thinks we're not on this planet...

I'd love to know what goes through the minds of car designers. We go through these waves of fashion where they all copy each other' date=' each new idea more gross than the last.

...

What pointless design fad will be next?

...

[/quote']

Take your pick:-

"Bearded chin" - new Audis

"Basking shark" - typified by the Peugeot 407

Both cringe-makingly ugly...

ben, noticed on your dyno that your car made 280bhp fly but 'only' 180bhp at the wheel, my 4x4 apparently made 180 at the wheels with 'only' 226bhp at the fly

i find most imprezza drivers think they are the greatest drivers and own the fastest car on the road and act like they weren't really trying when beaten

think they are the greatest drivers and own the fastest[/b'] car on the road and act like they weren't really trying when beaten

Now why does that statement conjure up images of drivers of a certain little warm diesel hatchback?

Chris

Take your pick:-

"Bearded chin" - new Audis

"Basking shark" - typified by the Peugeot 407

Both cringe-makingly ugly...

Ah - bearded chins - yes the latest VAG foible. The new Passat has a similar thing - drove one yesterday - yuk! :(

Quite like "basking shark" the thing that lets down the 407 for me, is the rear end. The frong has quite a Ferrari-esque look to it to me.

Now why does that statement conjure up images of drivers of a certain little warm diesel hatchback?

Chris

Chris what are you trying to say, you mean my warm little diesel hatchback isn't the fastest car in the world? :eek:

ben' date=' noticed on your dyno that your car made 280bhp fly but 'only' 180bhp at the wheel, my 4x4 apparently made 180 at the wheels with 'only' 226bhp at the fly

i find most imprezza drivers think they are the greatest drivers and own [b']the fastest[/b] car on the road and act like they weren't really trying when beaten

hey bengie

Yeh you are quite right - the impreza has huge transmission losses.

Much more than haldex based cars afaik.

That being said, my last scooby was bloody quick.

Im under no (dis)illusions that if i happened across it now in my fabia, rolling or otherwise, (at pretty much any speed) that i would come out on top. It wouldnt happen, unless the person driving my scoob was a moron!

It was bloody quick, and thats not just subjective. the last 0-60 run I did in it was just over 4.5s

But as Ive said before, the thing for me was the handling - I spent a grand a powerstation just sorting the handling before I did any power upgrades. I have never driven a car with so much grip and predictable response as it did after the changes. They transformed the car so it literally felt like a go kart. SO MUCH FUN, and SO quick through the bends. I would lose my bottle way sooner than the car would ever approach its limits.

What did your torque curve look like btw?

That's the thing about the scooby - it handles like it's on rails, esp. in the wet it's virtually unbeatable. (and no, a Furby wouldnt stay with it, not a hope)

So you all got rid of them because of pure running costs, or unreliability as well? So surprised that you all had the apparently endless funds required to run Scoobys, but dropped so far down the ladder when the time came to change. Surely there must be a middle ground somwhere?

WW - youd be surprised at how poor the stock config is when you compare it with whats achievable....the changes I made litterally transformed the car, and as you say its not too shabby to start off with...

So you all got rid of them because of pure running costs, or unreliability as well? So surprised that you all had the apparently endless funds required to run Scoobys, but dropped so far down the ladder when the time came to change. Surely there must be a middle ground somwhere?

as in a previous post, they are very solid blocks, and very reliable cars unless you drive like a tool and treat them badly

PS the basic flat four block famed by the impreza is extremely robust.

You have to drive like an idiot to break it. Unfortunately many people do drive that way' date=' and dont let their cars (turbos) cool down after spirited runs, dont make sure oil levels are correct, run imports on standard unleaded with no additive etc etc.

[/quote']

I changed out of financial necessity - to help pay off debts longer terms, but shorter term to help with care bills for my Gran.

It was the fuel bills and servicing bills (30,000 miles a year) that did it really.

If I didnt have to change I almost certainly wouldnt have.

That being said Im having great fun driving the fabia - first FWD car Ive had in a while, and my first ever diesel - it requires a completely different driving style, and Im enjoying that change.

Im not one to harp on about what ive lost. Change happens. Id prefer to concentrate on what Ive gained, and I truly am thoroughly enjoying my days of skoda ownership thus far

PS: I definitely dont see it as a drop down the ladder in some aspects

For example, the Fabia is built WAY better than any scoob Ive ever been in

Nick, reliablity problems aren't really an issue. I know some people have blow an engine but I feel that's down to user abuse rather than the engine/car!

Running Costs, possible car jackings and the ever growning c*** image would be my guess why people sell up.

the other apsect to repliability is through tuning. If you tune beyond the limits of your engine then you will do damage. This is an aspect that is independent of which car you are tuning. Go too far and you are in trouble, especially if you dont take care of things like remaps, or at th every leatss guages to detect knock etc.

Also the WRX is not as good a platfor to start tuning from as it uses cast pistons as opposed to forged ones on the STIs

Now why does that statement conjure up images of drivers of a certain little warm diesel hatchback?

Chris

Time to lock the thread before it gets nasty again!

Time to lock the thread before it gets nasty again!

I don't think that it's getting nasty, that's Chris's sense of humour :P

I don't think that it's getting nasty, that's Chris's sense of humour :P

Indeed chris always gives good banter, as a fabia driver I replied tounge in cheek to his comment. I know he was joking about

Good thing too, cos us Furby boys'd wipe the floor with him and his Scooby chums :rofl:

Especially in the twisties!