[rallynut]

i have been looking for a impreza RS for a little under a year now and everyone that i find anywhere near cincinnati, ohio is ragged out, beat and junk. i have drove three now and love them, i am a convert from the honda camp, sold a civic hatchback after owning it for only 2 months. just though ther wasn't enough to it to try to make it fast. but the impreza is quick, agile and a blast right out of the box, with plenty of room to improve as well.

what to buy, its either travel around the us trying to find a good one for a reasonable price, or buying a 2002. i dig the 99-01 sedans the most and have set that as my goal but if i can't find one soon i will be forced to buy new

would love some info

thanks

 

[10th Warrior]

not sure what kind of information your after, so its kind of hard to provide it. the two things i have to say though are 1) sedans were 00+, 98-99 were only coupes, and 2) the car is very rare, so finding one locally might be difficult. in the four years SOA sold "GC8" RS's, i think the total unit count is somewhere around 13k-14k. sedans only make up a few thousand of that. and its the kind of car that attracts abusive owners :devil:

 

[rallynut]

let me be more specific. are there any major changes between the pre 2002 and the 2002. are there any advantages, or disadvantages to either one. it would be much easier to just purchase a 2002 than to continue shopping for a well cared for, non-abused used one. i really need the sedan for the expected family, if you know what i mean.

thanks for your reply

 

[horatio102]

let me be more specific. are there any major changes between the pre 2002 and the 2002. are there any advantages, or disadvantages to either one. it would be much easier to just purchase a 2002 than to continue shopping for a well cared for, non-abused used one. i really need the sedan for the expected family, if you know what i mean.

thanks for your reply

Well.... might seem obvious, but the entire car changed.

Advantages:
The new car is a lot stiffer.
Headlight bulbs are carried by more gas stations (but you still have to hunt... only a good place to buy if your lights burn out at night when Fred Meyer is closed)

Disadvantages:
Different suspension bits, not as many replacements yet.
No sunroof.
No rear LSD.
Maybe no close-ratio gearbox.
No nifty hood scoop/vents for future turbo kit.
Heavier wheels?
Heavier car.
Stupid plastic skid plate makes oil changes more irritating.

 

[horatio102]

Oh.
Advantage:
Trunk pass-through/armrest in rear seat.
Middle seat shoulder strap seatbelt.
Basically the same car as the WRX, so there will be a LOT of new parts as people get their production spun up.

Disadvantages:
Altezza style tail lamps.

 

[10th Warrior]

the new wheels have smaller width, which will screw you if you plan on auto-xing in a stock class. other then that, i think horatio came up with a pretty comprehensive list. the big things are the car is several hundred pounds heavier and has no LSD.

 

[rallynut]

thanks for your insight. i really prefer the 2000-2001 sedans over the 2002. what is the weight on the older models. any other information out there.

thanks again folks

 

[10th Warrior]

28xx lbs. i forget the exact figure, but they only way 5 lbs more then the coupes.

 

[Wizard of O.Z.]

Have you checked Autotrader, i found a Red MYOO with what is said to be 8,500 miles for 13,700. New Albany.

00 SUBARU IMPREZA RS, fully loaded, still smells new, 8500 miles, assembled title, never been wrecked, $13,700 OBO; (614)855-2165 or (614)575-8997 NEW ALBANY

Just what's an assembled title?

 

[rallynut]

Wizard,

you are going to have to clue me in on the MY and GC8 stuff. i will assume that MY is model year and that GC8 is a vin# designation for a 2.5RS. yeah, the one in ohio for sale is a little sketchy. i would love to buy it but it has a replacement title and vin code and that doesn't make me very comfortable. i spoke with the ohio dmv, which could offer me no answer to what an assemble title is, other than that it must be a kit car, you know fiberglass body on a beetle chassis or something like that. it looks great, sounds like a great deal, and i know what it is, but the fact that it does not use the factory vin on the car or the title really bothers me and the state of KY can't tell me what would happen if i would try to transfer it.

still interested?!

man, what should somebody have to pay for a used car anyway, i check them out on edmund's and kelley's blue book, but man these things are outrageously over priced. i could get a new one cheaper but i am fixated on the older body style.

 

[10th Warrior]

MY=Model Year
GC8=VIN for old body style WRX, but has come to refer to the old body style in general. my car, for example, is a GM6, and i believe the sedans are GM8.

 

[2Point5RS]

1st letter:
G = Subaru G Line

2nd letter:
M = 2Door Coupe
C = 4Door Sedan
F = Sport Wagon

3rd letter:
4 = 2.2L
6 = 2.5L
8 = 2.0L

4th letter:
2 = Brighton
3 = L
7 = RS
8 = Outback

5th letter:
5 = Manual type seatbelt and SRS Airbags

 

[JZ oo7]

Disadvantages: Altezza style tail lamps.

:lol: LMAO

who cares, it's the GD owners problem! haha!

jz

 

[JZ oo7]

98s are DOHC

99 to 01 is SOHC

98 and 99 has a MAF sensor for the intake
00-01 is MAP instead of MAF. MAP is more intake friendly

and i believe all 00-01 have rear LSD.

jz

 

[rallynut]

JZ

So is the DOHC more upgradeable, or more stock horsepower or what?

Thanks for the info

 

[JZ oo7]

sorry, i'm not a car geek, but i know the 98s rev a little bit higher

jz

 

[DoorKnob]

Hello,

GC8 weights
coupe = 2820
sedan = 2825

The SOHC engine has a much broader torque curve. It is much more powerful (in stock form) than the DOHC even though they're rated nearly identically.

Also, the '99 RSs are very sensitive to intake modifications. Many people have had problems with the MAF, and it's expensive to fix. '98 and the '00-'01 don't have this problem.

'00-'01 are the only ones that have a rear lsd, criuse control is standard, bigger gas tank (up 4 gallons to 15.9, many don't know this one)

'01 fake carbon fibre interior pieces and CD player standard

'98 have a different front bumper, DOHC engine

'99 the newer version 5 style front bumper and SOHC engine become standard on RS

 

[rallynut]

okay my head is spinning now...so the sohc is better, the map is better, and the sedan only adds like 5 pounds. was the carbon fibre dash kit factory standard on the '01, and could it be removed. i have seen it and its just not my thing.

broader torque band is always welcome.

sounds like i am narrowing it down to a '00 sedan or a '02 rs.

anymore feedback is always welcome.

 

[Wizard of O.Z.]

Rallynut- Yeah i'd steer clear of that car then, it maybe a L in a RS skin. I'll keep my eye out for a used RS around here in LEX. I've not seen alot of them in my area on the road even.

 

[RS25.com]

Never buy anything with a weird title. Period. It could be a factory lemon, a wreck, cut in half, stolen, who knows... not worth the headache when the engine falls out!