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If one car could be said to have spawned an entire motoring cult, it's probably the Subaru Impreza Turbo. No, it wasn't the first four-wheel drive sports car, but it has legitimate claims on being the greatest. Since its introduction to the UK in 1994, the Turbo spawned a whole host of go-faster editions, and has subsequently metamorphosed into the WRX variants. Many thought the rush for this most prolific of Japanese evo-cars would die down after the early sales boom of the mid nineties but years later, turbocharged Imprezas are still hot tickets. There are some used examples about that by now have fallen into the wrong hands. Here's how to steer clear of these rogues.
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What you get
The first Impreza Turbo models now appear surprisingly crude things compared with their more sophisticated offspring but still serve up the basic formula of rapid fun, surprising practicality, excellent reliability and rather substandard interiors. The dull grey plastics and often uninspiring seating trims made it obvious why the special edition models found such ready takers although Subaru smartened the Series 1 models up towards the end of their lives with high level rear wings and two-tone bucket seats.
As with so many 'evolutionary' models, the Series 2 Impreza range emerges as a better car, although perhaps not quite so exciting as the previous model. It certainly feels a more mature proposition. The interior does at least appear to be built to a far more acceptable standard of quality. The seats will feel slightly narrow for some tastes, but offer great support. In the WRX variant, the leather-trimmed Momo steering wheel and drilled aluminium pedal set certainly complete the sporting picture. The fascia has been livened up with splashes of silver and chrome, and the effect, whilst unlikely to give Audi sleepless nights, is a vast improvement on the old model. Some details still grate, however. The cupholders jam in their slots and there's some untidy finishing, but the interior no longer feels like a cheap and cheerful Korean shopping hatch. All Imprezas are surprisingly practical propositions given their explosive performance. The five-door wagon is especially well suited to trail driving/ski resort duties.
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What to look for
This can be something of a minefield as there are few early cars around that are in an unmolested state, many of them having had essential basic servicing neglected. Look for crash damage and check the condition of the turbocharger. White smoke from the exhaust can herald big bills. Check the owner thoroughly. Do they know much about the car's history? Are they willing to let you thrash the car from cold? You'll also need to find out whether you're looking at a UK car or a grey import. Cars imported from Japan are often prone to rust and there are some very tatty looking models about. Look for kerbed alloys, spongy brakes, worn clutches, sizzled tyres and hamfisted performance upgrades.
Parts are expensive, so tread carefully. If you're looking at an RB5 or a UK300, remember that there were two versions, one with a flashy bodykit and a bog standard 215bhp, the other with a flashy bodykit and a wickedly non-standard engine upgrade. Don't make the mistake of bidding upgrade money for the standard version. You can try to convince a seller that his upgraded car is only worth the same as 'this one you've seen here in the FreeAds' but Impreza owners are, by and large, an informed bunch.
The fact that the Impreza regularly comes at or near the pinnacle of the J D Power surveys is testament to its almost metronomic reliability. Jump from an Audi S3 into an Impreza Turbo or WRX and your first impression would be that the Impreza would be lucky to last all the way to the bottom of your drive, but the Subaru trounces the Audi in terms of actual reliability. The cheap fascia plastics and the exposed wiring in the boot may look like corner cutting, but the bits that matter have had millions of yen of development budget thrown at them.
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Replacement parts
(2.0 WRX approx.) Subaru parts have a deserved reputation for being expensive. A clutch assembly is around £200. Front brake pads are around £80, and a new alternator is over £400 new. A headlamp is £240 while a cam belt is just over £100. Even a humble fuel filter is £33.
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On the road
The WRX doesn't feel anything like as vivid as the old Impreza Turbo. With the same power, 70kg of extra weight to haul around and a turbo response tuned for torque rather than explosive mid-range punch, this may not be surprising. Like so many other aspects of this latest model, however, if you give it time you'll come round to its reasoning. Take the steering for example. It doesn't possess anything like the feedback of the previous car's but when hammering along a narrow, rutted B-road, you'll be able to carry far more speed with far more composure, as the wheel will now feel calm, direct and perfectly weighted. A standard WRX model can despatch the sprint to 60mph in 5.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 143mph for the saloon and 140 for the estate. The brakes have been improved over the old Turbo, with ventilated discs all round giving an impressively fade-free performance. If you really want to cover ground fast, look for the RB5 or the P1.
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Overall
The Impreza is a cult car for good reason. Fast, reliable and as tough as old boots, and entire industry has sprung up offering accessories, performance extras and styling addenda for the Impreza. As long as you pick a car that hasn't been horribly cowboyed, you should find a used Impreza a fast track to the sort of motoring fun you thought was a thing of the past. Although it's not a cheap car to run, a used Impreza Turbo or WRX is surprisingly practical and can often be sold to a sceptical other half on the basis that that practicality and Subaru's consistent high placing in JD Power surveys. Cult cars usually come with considerable caveats. Not so the Impreza.
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