Considering a scooby, when did they get a 6 speed box?

Soldato
Joined
31 Jul 2004
Posts
13,787
Location
Surrey
Just that really, considering getting an STi/WRX or similar but I do a lot of motorway miles and I've become a bit attached to the 6th gear in my Focus ST.

When did they introduce that the the impreza? Forget budget etc I just want to know what year or models I should be looking at. Clearly a 6th gear isn't the be all and end all but there's a lot of choice out there with scoobys so I may as well be picky.
 
the one to have is the 2005 model STI that came with increased rear track and DCCD - something previously only given to imports.

This is a 2003 "blobeye" model with Original alloys

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1897297.htm

In terms of spotting this from the later models, as standard the car will have had the same alloys as above, however a lot will have had the alloys changed at some point because they arent that attractive. However, this car is mechanically very similar to the previous model - the bugeye. Which looks like this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1843745.htm

Underneath, the two are very similar (notice also the same alloys), so unless your budget can stretch to the 2005 model which looks like this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1907945.htm

That one belongs to Gurdas on here but has Speedline Turini wheels fitted. This one has the standard wheels

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1426402.htm

These are a different fitment to the previous alloys due to the changes to the rear track etc.. so if the car has these alloys then it will be the revised model with DCCD. Also, note the rear arch has a plastic extension piece stuck on it. If you cant afford a 2005, then you may as well save yourself some cash and get a Bugeye if cash is tight.

Beware of older models (2003,2004 etc..) that have changed the alloys like this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1807948.htm (Prodrive PFF7s, available from the factory in the accessories brochure)
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1851439.htm (Prodrive P-WRC, again available from the subaru dealer)
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1855124.htm (Prodrive P-WRC in gold, again available from subaru dealer)

The wheels look similar - but they arent the same as the factory ones above.

Now, the next model after that is called the Hawkeye which came in about 2006 and looked like this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1865161.htm

This used a 2.5L engine instead of a 2.0 and this is best avoided. There are storys all over the internet about the engines failing, and to boot they changed the standard exhaust so it lost that classic subaru burble you hear so often !

If you can stretch to it, the JDM imports of the hawkeye had the same 2.0L 4 found in previous models, and this engine being exclusive to the JDM models is highly tunable, and very very strong. its also got a couple of unique features too - a twin scroll turbo will make 1 bar boost 900rpm earlier than UK models so makes it much more responsive.

Jap imports would be the Spec C like this

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1612159.htm

also Spec C type RA, but as you can see they are pricey.

As far as i'm aware all STIs from the bugeye onwards had 6 speed gearboxes.

As Scooby says, all the WRX have a 5 speed box.
 
Last edited:
I would say you're our new scooby information point, but this:

This used a 2.5L engine instead of a 2.0 and this is best avoided. There are storys all over the internet about the engines failing, and to boot they changed the factory headers so it lost that classic subaru burble you hear so often !

Is tosh. :) The UK models have never had equal length manifolds, they all have retained the unequal burble exhaust manifolds. They've just been massively silenced in the exhaust.

Only the JDM models have had equal length manifolds.

@OP - The STi's are the only cars with the 6 speed boxes. As stated by MrLOL, available from the bugeye STi.
 
I'd read the headers bit from somebody else, saying he'd changed the exhaust on his hawkeye back to unequal to get the noise back.

Obviously all he was doing was fitting an aftermarket exhaust, and removing the silencing. Cheers for that.
 
Yeah for some strange reason a lot of people think it! I don't think the manifold differs at all across the UK models ? Could be wrong on that, but I know for sure they're all unequal length. :)
 
[FnG]magnolia;17078815 said:
I don't know about the UK models but the JDM's are equal length manifolds.

its obviously some misconception thats about as to why the 2.5 STI sounds drastically different from all the older 2.0 models.
 
Apart from the alloys you can also easily spot the later DCCD/wider track model from the earlier blobeye's as they have a stuck on arch extension around the rear wheel area :) The interior console also changed from MY05+ I believe..
 
Last edited:
So to get back on track I need a proper sti, anything from the bugeye?

nice as those last couple are my budget is probably up to about £10k although I would rather go a little lower, I don't have a lot to put in after I've sold or traded in my 93k mile 56 plate ST2.
 
if you've got 10k to spend your much better off getting a 2005.

If you dont want to spend 10k and would much rather spend less, save yourself some money and go for the bugeye if you can stand the looks.
 
Listen to the man, I couldn't stand a bugeye myself but a MY05 is a much better proposition.

The interior alone is a much nicer place to be, relatively speaking of course.

Alternatively you could buy a MY03 and chuck a load of money at it and turn it into a MY05 but what sort of looney would do something like that ;)
 
Back
Top Bottom