To P1 or not to P1, that is the question !?

Sh3rlock

Sh3rlock

Sh3rlock

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Evening.

Recently I've been looking to change my car and after a solid year of saving and driving round a crappy MK3 golf gti, I am thinking of buying an Impreza P1.

Ever since I passed my test, it has been the car I've always said I'll own one day. The thing is, I live in such a remote town and am looking at travelling at least 100 miles to look at one so before i spend some money, I am after abit of advice.

Basically, what are they like to own, servicing/running costs and any common faults ?

Thanks in advance.
 
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Awesome, awesome cars. Was looking at these before I got the Evo.

Very quick, quite cheap too these days, look awesome too.
Longer service interval than the evo.

Reasons why I didn't get one:

  • The map is dodgy from the factory as it were, mapped for 100 RON apparently so they will need remapping if they haven't been already - most should have.
  • Relatively high failure rate for the engines. May be attributed to the map, and I believe cylinder 3 is a little too close to the turbo. Regardless the engines weren't reliable enough for me.
  • Whilst I love the looks of the classic scoob, and still reckon its probably the best looking one, it does look dated.
  • Lower tuning ceiling from stock than an evo.

As per these sort of cars, they are crap on fuel and will cost more to run than other cars. Insurance is dear.

Depends what sort of person you are. I always wanted my evo, and I got it.
 
i have no technical knowledge of the imprezas, only my own view that they look and sound awesome!

I suppose the best way to look at it would be what are your alternatives?

Pretty sure they cost a fair bit to run though, especially fuel!
 
Thanks for the feedback so far, just what im after.

Fuel and insurance isn't a problem, I've owned a few high power cars so i know the fuel related hardships !

TBH, options isn't something I've thought about. I've eventually got enough money and I want to get the car I've fantasised over for a good part of my life. I just want to be sure im making the right decision.
 
The P1 is a rebranded STI V5 Type R which Prodrive imported over from Japan.
Prodrive never remapped the engine for UK fuel, which is why so many of their engines failed.
Some owners had the foresight to remap them themselves, but most didnt, which is why you will see a lot of them with engine rebuilds. If I was buying one Id be looking for one with a fresh or recent engine rebuild.
 
panthro said:
The P1 is a rebranded STI V5 Type R which Prodrive imported over from Japan.
Prodrive never remapped the engine for UK fuel, which is why so many of their engines failed.
Some owners had the foresight to remap them themselves, but most didnt, which is why you will see a lot of them with engine rebuilds. If I was buying one Id be looking for one with a fresh or recent engine rebuild.
Click to expand...

Taken into consideration, Thanks !
 
panthro said:
The P1 is a rebranded STI V5 Type R which Prodrive imported over from Japan.
Prodrive never remapped the engine for UK fuel, which is why so many of their engines failed.
Some owners had the foresight to remap them themselves, but most didnt, which is why you will see a lot of them with engine rebuilds. If I was buying one Id be looking for one with a fresh or recent engine rebuild.
Click to expand...

Mostly right, Prodrive did modify part of the map to allow more knock/det protection, and added broquets in the fuel tank, but yes essentially they are still mapped for 100 octane Japanese fuel.

I had one (and also an STI 5 Type R), the P1 was a more usable road car than the pure STI 5 in my opinion as it wasn't quite as track oriented. You can get a Tek2 or Tek3 remap for these for about £700 IIRC (that's how much mine was). I think the going rate for a full engine rebuild is approx £3k from somewhere like API Engines.

My suggestion would be to get over to the P1 Owners Club forum and have a look there, theres a vast amount of info if you search for it, and also members sell there cars there - if you buy one fron an enthusiast there's probably more chance that they were sympathetic to its needs than just a random owner.

http://www.p1woc.co.uk/
 
We've got pretty close to the facts in the above posts. Really needs to be a remapped car because said broquettes were always a bit of an iffy solution and with the age these cars are now they won't be doing agreat deal I wouldn't have thought. Definitely preferrable to get one thats had a rebuild or one that is so mint/low mileage/untouched that you can get it and remap straight away and possibly avoid the virtually unevitable rebuild wih these cars.

To answer your questions:

Great car to own...looks great. many people still say that the Sti v5 on which its based is the better/purer car but personal taste - you should probably try both.

Servicing/running costs - Medium to High I would have thought. Needs quality fuel and good oil regularly. Rubber will be expensive. Insurance will be high. Major services with belts are steep so are clutch upgrades. In essence - not cheap and not a car to run on a shoestring budget ;)

Common faults - as has been discussed - engines letting go is the big one and many many P1s have suffered from this. Oil starvation on cyl 3 is a major culprit as well as theories on the fuel/mapping issue.

This is a car to be driven the way it was intended to be but not one for those without several g put away for the potential major bills that could crop up.

I'd have one :)
 
I can hardly believe a company with the reputation of Prodrive would even consider putting snake oil products into the fuel tank. I am honestly quite shocked.
 
If you search through the good old days of Scoobynet, you'll find lots of talk on the subject.

Either way, if its been mapped you might be in luck. If its been rebuilt check it was mapped as well as it may happen again.

That said there are some on over 100K on the OE build so its not definate but very possible.

A P1 is an expensive STI V5 but as said a bit better suited to UK roads. I had a Type RA with the same ratios as the V6 STI RA and it was a PITA on anything other than short trips. You could always buy a Type R for 3 or 4K less than the P1 and have a UK 5th fitted to the box for £1K. That would tempt me. Or 6 speed but then given the weight the engine would need 340+ to negate the weight increase.

Another thing to consider is that a good P1 is going to be around £8K. A V5/6 STI is 6K and maybe lower if the owner needs a quick sale. Thats a big difference.

There is also the fact that at 8K your well into Bugeye Prodrive STI money and in 03 Blobeye STI money. There are only very small mechanical difference between a bug and blob STI and personally I think the Prodrive Bugs look better than the blobs. Theres also an 05 blob for 9K on Pistonheads and 05 got DCCD-A and wider rear track as standard.

IMO, if your using day to day I would consider a new age car. If its a weekender then the P1. Miles makes a big difference to re-sale value on special edtions.
 
plus its going to be getting on for 10 years old now. things like bushes are going to be becoming consumables now. id be worried about synchros in the gearbox blah blah blah

id only consider one if it was cheap because its going to cost you money
 
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