That’s my daily driver. Tuned at 340Bhp with a decent suspension kit and STi Brembos it is so much fun. On the downside the exhaust is way too loud and you get a headache after a motorway drive and the fuel consumption is atrocious even if you stay under 3000rpm. It’s also a cheap way to get into motorsports without braking the bank
I'm running an 02 WRX bugeye wagon and i love it. I bought it some years ago and 6 months later the engine failed... i hunted around and it turned out CHEAPER to replace the bottom end ej205 engine with a stronger ej207 STI engine! So i went in that direction.... bottom end ej207 with reconditioned OEM cylinder heads... Cosworth head gaskets and ARP studs. all new water lines, STI 550cc injectors, exedy clutch, replaced engine mounts and gbox mount with hardrace items... bunch of other stuff. Nothing crzy power wise - probably 280-290 at 1.1bar boost. Then i replaced suspension with BC coilovers and i swapped the oem calipers and disks for D2 6 pot front and 4 pot rear with 356mm discs all round. The brakes swap is by FAR my single best modification to the car. Its not as light as ppl think because of the 4wd system and its a wagon so more metal - the D2 brake swap is probably about £3.5k of money but its worth EVERY penny! Even just doing the front is a major game changer in braking confidence. I can troll the hell off sooooo many other cars.... most stuff is faster in a straight line as we climb up the speeds, but then we get to twisty roads and i can literally bully them as their brakes start to fade after a few corners and you see them slowing down earlier or going wide on roads, and i'm sat on their back like an annoying hornet - its hilarious hehehe! fuel economy isn't great as stated but you dont own one of these for that - my mileage is quite low per year so i'm lucky but a 2nd cheaper runner is advised. A heads up... the metal water lines that run around the engine are a bit notorious for perishing and rusting and clogging up over the years... replace them if you plan to rebuild. Also if you find the one on the top of the block is leaking which they are prone to do, replace with a NEW one and use NISSAN gasket seal (the red stuff) to seal it in place! otherwise you'll be back in there again swearing. and as stated in this video - i personally prefer the look of the wagon especially wide arched it looks ace! These are going to be sought after cars soon enough
Thank you for your video. I own a 04 2L sport wagon with a only a few necessary mods including slotted brakes, Sti turbo, larger inter cooler and short shifter. Your dead right, it’s a blast to drive and sure it uses a bit more fuel than maybe others do, but it’s all you need to feel like your are in a drivers’ performance car that’s made to hug the road and corner like soldiers in a marching parade! Cheers.
Thanks for the review, ive always loved scoobies and im finally at the stage in my life that i can get one. Currently looking for a 2.0 WRX estate because ive got dogs too the practicality would be great. Many drawbacks through research but if i dont buy one soon i think il regret it for the rest of my life!
Nice review mate! i have a 2002 wrx wagon bought 6 months back when i was 20 for what you get its a great package. insurance is cheap believe it or not around £650 for the year! depends where you live it will vary. the performance is great for all weathers and i believe the wagon does 60 in sub 5.8 but different forums will tell you otherwise. Its a super practical car iv put some roof bars onto with a bike mount and in the summer i will be throwing kayaks on top too. yeah the mpg isn't the best but my last fill up i did 25mpg 260 miles 50l mixed driving no motorways what is considered good for a scooby. I believe STI are better known for dumping fuel out like its a fashion statement aha. Anyway great review keep it up!
Cool review! Looking at a Bugeye Wagon soon, not looking forward to the fuel economy if I get it either, but this is the price you pay for such special cars I guess! :)
I've Turbo Subaru's and the fuel consumption is great... Well for me it is as I'm used to running a 4.7 V8 Jeep, so to be fair I consider anything over 15mpg as decent. Can't beat the sound and feel of an old scooby, proper drivers car!
Awesome review! I own a 2005 Outback Sport SE, so I don't have that turbo, but it's still super peppy! And yeah, the MPG is awful for such a small car, I get about 22 city :')
I was actually looking at one of these since the sti goes for silly money. Problem was soon as I start looking at them that's when fuel prices start shooting up really quick which put me off especially coming from a diesel. It's not like you can drive these sensibly it wants you to drive it hard
Great video, I have just bought a 2007 Hawkeye wagon with PPP and it’s great fun. If you don’t wring it’s next everywhere you take i get 300 miles from a tank of 99 octane for £80….I mean it’s still pricey but worth it for all of the reasons stated in this video 👍
Really nice review. I'm considering a 330i instead. I love the sound of the Subaru, the turbo and the 4 wheel drive. But if the fuel economy is that bad... I don't think it's wise to daily it.
The 330i is a really great car as well but can have annoying BMW problems but if you drive it sensibly you definitely get better economy than the Subaru. Japanese cars often burn more fuel but tend to be a lot more reliable that being said Subaru do have a bit of a reputation with head gaskets aha
Strange - my 02 WRX Wagon has Cruise Control. Maybe that was just an option that the original purchaser did not select. But it was available, and it does void the problem explained.
Good review that….I used to own one of these and they r great cars, the one you’ve got there is an SL model which r quite rare now and the exhaust is non standard so it may have PPP which takes it to 265bhp, also my front brake callipers needed refurbing so that could possibly be why your brakes didn’t feel that sharp?….I’ve subbed ya channel 👍
I really want a wrx wagon if you find one thats not rotten and pre 2006 2.0 your sorted i own a 2001 Subaru Forester s turbo manual i looked at a 1997 uk 2000 2002 bugeye and a 2005 blob wagon all 3 were rotten . Paid £1500 for the forester full years ticket tho ive spent £1500 on it and the rear turrets are holed may need too sell i. September
how many miles you guys think with no mods on the engine. Basic maintenanceof course with a suspension and brakes. How reliable you think it'll last if I were to buy one with 60000 mi? (Honda guy) Using it as a daily driver.
Subarus have mixed reputation on reliability, some are great some not so much. Supposedly the earlier ej20 is more reliable but I would say Honda is often a more reliable engine. But no mods will definitely help longevity
Hello, thank you very much for this review! I own a 2005 Wagon for a while now and I was wondering (for comparing). When would you say the boost starts kicking in? How long does it last? How sudden is the change in power/speed when it comes on? My car's peek seems to be between 4K and 5.5K, which really is short and until it climbs to 4K it really feels meh. Especially in 3 gear and up.
When driving this car we found the boost came on around 3k rpm with nice power all the way up to the redline. When loaded up below 2.5k rpm we did find it is a little sluggish but more than adequate for cruising.
Had a sti sold it for an Evo years ago now looking at them as need an estate car. Couple of questions to refresh my memory is the clutch stiff and is the fuel economy better than another one of my old cars Mazda Rx8 ?
Would love to try and Evo! the clutch can be a little stiff if you are in traffic for a while but once moving dont really feel it. We are yet to drive an RX8 however based on experience in an RX7 they are even worse than the Subaru by quite some margin. I would say that the Subaru gets around 20-25mpg and the RX from 10-20-mpg depending if you are on a run.
Definitely agree about autos, would have to be a Manual. Would argue overall a manual 330i is better to use everyday but would rather take WRX to a track
That’s my daily driver. Tuned at 340Bhp with a decent suspension kit and STi Brembos it is so much fun. On the downside the exhaust is way too loud and you get a headache after a motorway drive and the fuel consumption is atrocious even if you stay under 3000rpm. It’s also a cheap way to get into motorsports without braking the bank
That sounds pretty damn awesome! Subaru's are very cool cars and quite rare to see in the UK. That Subaru you've got must very quick!
What surprises me is that you've caught the absolute esence of the model so darn fast.
Well done!
I'm running an 02 WRX bugeye wagon and i love it. I bought it some years ago and 6 months later the engine failed... i hunted around and it turned out CHEAPER to replace the bottom end ej205 engine with a stronger ej207 STI engine! So i went in that direction.... bottom end ej207 with reconditioned OEM cylinder heads... Cosworth head gaskets and ARP studs. all new water lines, STI 550cc injectors, exedy clutch, replaced engine mounts and gbox mount with hardrace items... bunch of other stuff. Nothing crzy power wise - probably 280-290 at 1.1bar boost.
Then i replaced suspension with BC coilovers and i swapped the oem calipers and disks for D2 6 pot front and 4 pot rear with 356mm discs all round. The brakes swap is by FAR my single best modification to the car. Its not as light as ppl think because of the 4wd system and its a wagon so more metal - the D2 brake swap is probably about £3.5k of money but its worth EVERY penny! Even just doing the front is a major game changer in braking confidence.
I can troll the hell off sooooo many other cars.... most stuff is faster in a straight line as we climb up the speeds, but then we get to twisty roads and i can literally bully them as their brakes start to fade after a few corners and you see them slowing down earlier or going wide on roads, and i'm sat on their back like an annoying hornet - its hilarious hehehe!
fuel economy isn't great as stated but you dont own one of these for that - my mileage is quite low per year so i'm lucky but a 2nd cheaper runner is advised.
A heads up... the metal water lines that run around the engine are a bit notorious for perishing and rusting and clogging up over the years... replace them if you plan to rebuild. Also if you find the one on the top of the block is leaking which they are prone to do, replace with a NEW one and use NISSAN gasket seal (the red stuff) to seal it in place! otherwise you'll be back in there again swearing.
and as stated in this video - i personally prefer the look of the wagon especially wide arched it looks ace! These are going to be sought after cars soon enough
Sounds like an awesome car, glad you’re enjoying it so much! Would love to get the Honda to a stage like that as some point if we have the budget!
I daily mine, and it never gets old its an awesome car.
Mine also has Cruise Control which is a great upside
Thank you for your video. I own a 04 2L sport wagon with a only a few necessary mods including slotted brakes, Sti turbo, larger inter cooler and short shifter. Your dead right, it’s a blast to drive and sure it uses a bit more fuel than maybe others do, but it’s all you need to feel like your are in a drivers’ performance car that’s made to hug the road and corner like soldiers in a marching parade! Cheers.
Thank you for watching! Seems these cars have a great following, should end up being a classic!
Thanks for an honest review. I love my wagon even more now. These things are super fun to drive here in the states.
Thanks for the review, ive always loved scoobies and im finally at the stage in my life that i can get one. Currently looking for a 2.0 WRX estate because ive got dogs too the practicality would be great. Many drawbacks through research but if i dont buy one soon i think il regret it for the rest of my life!
Yep they are great cars, as long as they stay reliable! If they don’t repair can be costly!
I have one the same, I love the fact it looks much like a family car but the engine certainly packs a punch 🙂👍
I totally agree!
Nice review mate! i have a 2002 wrx wagon bought 6 months back when i was 20 for what you get its a great package. insurance is cheap believe it or not around £650 for the year! depends where you live it will vary. the performance is great for all weathers and i believe the wagon does 60 in sub 5.8 but different forums will tell you otherwise. Its a super practical car iv put some roof bars onto with a bike mount and in the summer i will be throwing kayaks on top too. yeah the mpg isn't the best but my last fill up i did 25mpg 260 miles 50l mixed driving no motorways what is considered good for a scooby. I believe STI are better known for dumping fuel out like its a fashion statement aha. Anyway great review keep it up!
Thanks, yh fuel economy is the only proper con other than they do everything else pretty darn and the comfort really surprised me
Cool review! Looking at a Bugeye Wagon soon, not looking forward to the fuel economy if I get it either, but this is the price you pay for such special cars I guess! :)
I think the bugeyes are very retro and cool as well. Well if you don't use it every day its not so much of an issue!
@@HudRodAutomotive i daily drive an 04 tS. Love the car to death
I've Turbo Subaru's and the fuel consumption is great... Well for me it is as I'm used to running a 4.7 V8 Jeep, so to be fair I consider anything over 15mpg as decent.
Can't beat the sound and feel of an old scooby, proper drivers car!
Agreed. Very refreshing to drive in this modern day and age! Old school turbo lag
Great video! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do!
Awesome review! I own a 2005 Outback Sport SE, so I don't have that turbo, but it's still super peppy! And yeah, the MPG is awful for such a small car, I get about 22 city :')
I was actually looking at one of these since the sti goes for silly money. Problem was soon as I start looking at them that's when fuel prices start shooting up really quick which put me off especially coming from a diesel. It's not like you can drive these sensibly it wants you to drive it hard
Great video, I have just bought a 2007 Hawkeye wagon with PPP and it’s great fun. If you don’t wring it’s next everywhere you take i get 300 miles from a tank of 99 octane for £80….I mean it’s still pricey but worth it for all of the reasons stated in this video 👍
Agreed. Really great car to drive and one you could take anywhere and have fun on every road you were on!
Really nice review. I'm considering a 330i instead. I love the sound of the Subaru, the turbo and the 4 wheel drive. But if the fuel economy is that bad... I don't think it's wise to daily it.
The 330i is a really great car as well but can have annoying BMW problems but if you drive it sensibly you definitely get better economy than the Subaru. Japanese cars often burn more fuel but tend to be a lot more reliable that being said Subaru do have a bit of a reputation with head gaskets aha
Puts foot down says it's fast then says it drinks petrol 🤣 brilliant review never the less
Well isnt that what they car real world economy ahaha :). Thanks very much for your comment.
Strange - my 02 WRX Wagon has Cruise Control. Maybe that was just an option that the original purchaser did not select. But it was available, and it does void the problem explained.
Was yours a Japanese delivered car?
@@HudRodAutomotive Don't think so, but highly doubt it.
Good review that….I used to own one of these and they r great cars, the one you’ve got there is an SL model which r quite rare now and the exhaust is non standard so it may have PPP which takes it to 265bhp, also my front brake callipers needed refurbing so that could possibly be why your brakes didn’t feel that sharp?….I’ve subbed ya channel 👍
That may be the case, or it just had pretty tired brakes on at the time. Great car nonetheless
WAGON MAFIA.. also fuel consumption wise you get decent mpg if you're not railing it.....
Yh it definitely gets worse when pushing it however I was still struggling to get good mpg on the motorway cruising, in comparison a 330i for example
@@HudRodAutomotive Fair enough I own this exact car with a couple bolt-ons and still see decent mpg.. But it's mainly Smiles per gallon
I really want a wrx wagon if you find one thats not rotten and pre 2006 2.0 your sorted i own a 2001 Subaru Forester s turbo manual i looked at a 1997 uk 2000 2002 bugeye and a 2005 blob wagon all 3 were rotten . Paid £1500 for the forester full years ticket tho ive spent £1500 on it and the rear turrets are holed may need too sell i. September
Some day, some day we will do a Subaru build as they are good fun!
I really want one now! 😅. Still relatively cheap too!
They really are great cars if you don't mind the fuel consumption!
@@HudRodAutomotive I just bought a 90s Impreza 2000 with a Prodrive Performance Pack...will be really good on fuel! 🤣
how many miles you guys think with no mods on the engine. Basic maintenanceof course with a suspension and brakes. How reliable you think it'll last if I were to buy one with 60000 mi? (Honda guy) Using it as a daily driver.
Subarus have mixed reputation on reliability, some are great some not so much. Supposedly the earlier ej20 is more reliable but I would say Honda is often a more reliable engine. But no mods will definitely help longevity
Hello, thank you very much for this review! I own a 2005 Wagon for a while now and I was wondering (for comparing). When would you say the boost starts kicking in? How long does it last? How sudden is the change in power/speed when it comes on? My car's peek seems to be between 4K and 5.5K, which really is short and until it climbs to 4K it really feels meh. Especially in 3 gear and up.
When driving this car we found the boost came on around 3k rpm with nice power all the way up to the redline. When loaded up below 2.5k rpm we did find it is a little sluggish but more than adequate for cruising.
@@HudRodAutomotive Odd. I wonder why mine only starts going at 4K. Was it bone stock?
Did they come with cruise control in the uk I can’t find any online that do ?
I’m not a 100% sure but being cable throttle I doubt it
very pretty!
Thank you! 😊
Had a sti sold it for an Evo years ago now looking at them as need an estate car. Couple of questions to refresh my memory is the clutch stiff and is the fuel economy better than another one of my old cars Mazda Rx8 ?
Would love to try and Evo! the clutch can be a little stiff if you are in traffic for a while but once moving dont really feel it. We are yet to drive an RX8 however based on experience in an RX7 they are even worse than the Subaru by quite some margin. I would say that the Subaru gets around 20-25mpg and the RX from 10-20-mpg depending if you are on a run.
The 330i is worse if automatic. The wrx is better if you don’t boost it and heavy foot.
Definitely agree about autos, would have to be a Manual. Would argue overall a manual 330i is better to use everyday but would rather take WRX to a track
engin 2.0 or 2.5 sir
2.0