ccrien

Glad someone asked since I didn't have a clue either -didn't want to ask in presence of all these experts on here - Saw one of these in Tescos the other week and looked interesting. Expect they were designed for The Aussie desrts and the like (or just for the image)? Hope they filled the back end with a big fuel tank before heading to the outback!

Congratulations and all the best.

Thanks again Don, I hadn't looked at the links. You mean the whole rear windows and boot lip opens up? Squint and its bit like a Vauxhall calibra Needs fair bit more ground clearance for UK roads. More likely to see this one on circuits than forests. not sure that's ideal but may be way things are going. Sorry, still undecided, colour and badges are great, front a bit square and mustang-esque, needs to grow on me, Or actually get a bit smaller /nimbler.

What if its really a HATCH. Ha ha. Can't tell from those angles.

Just a thought. Assuming this comes off. Based on experience last 10 Years travelling from Wigtownshire/Galloway to SE Northumberland on Sundays every few weekends: The roads are really empty until about 11 am. You should try to fit in a few country lanes on way down or before going to Twynholm. By lunchtime there's the Sunday drivers. Depends what sort of roads you like, The. A75 from Around Creetown to Gatehouse is good flowing and fast, The A712 from Newton Stewart to New Galloway is good and there's loads little unclassified or C roads over the moors behind Gatehouse and heading North or round to Creetown etc (look on map for Rusco) If your coming down from Glasgow, the road from Girvan to Newton is OK. The road from Ringford to New Galloway is tight and twisty but Ok if dry. Watch the A75 for cameras. Mobile vans park up regular between Gretna and Gatehouse. Hand held any time, even 2 in the morning- out for the Irish lorries. Best to send a lead "scout car" out on A 75 but fine on the lanes. WIll try to make it there myself but might just pop in for half hour if this comes off on 12th May. Family and other genuine commitments but will be Good to meet up with you folks. If ? I get across this weekend will try to pop in and mention possible SIDC visit. Got a trailer load of logs to take over so it,ll be the forester this weekend,along with wellies for me, grandson(And better half). Never mind, summers on its way - -

Well said about a bit of respect. Whatever ones view (or prejudices) at the moment, In a few years time ANY Impreza will be preferable to the alternatives. As for hatches in general, mainstream maybe, but surely not a 4 WD hatch. Whether WRX. , STI or not!

The snakehead down pipe comment reminds me of 15years ago I had a Daihatsu Sportrak for towing the boat (Forester is 200% better on sand). Great little revvy 1600 engine and I bought a fantastic 4 into 2 into 1 manifold and headers from AUstralia to replace the cast iron manifold and single down pipe. Not to do with noisy exhausts but what the hell!

Down our way it seems there are local campaigns every so often when residents complain to police, guess its mostly the kids in corsas and the like, so they are out to make a targeted mark, so to speak, to fix a specific problem and show the resident taxpayers a presence. Not aware of anything more sinister than that.

Thanks, Got I pad last week and that highlighted how slow our Internet connection was, so since Thursday had Orange resetting the Internet connection and monitoring speed /noise. Thought my line w as totally kaput since but odd SIDC was the only site that wouldn't load up at all. Great to see the site back up and line also much better now. Amazin how much you feel in the dark without the SIDC site !

hi, Never been anything organised before but every year I have run up and seems every third or fourth car parked up on spectator stages is an impreza so thought nearer the day might post something up to see if a few folks want to run up together even if we then go our own way once there? Will see what my arrangements are nearer the time if interested?

Have look at Scottish scoobies section, there's a good list of rally events posted up under events tab, and a few up at otter bun and borders

Not aware of any meets but having a run up to The border stages rally at Byrnes or Hawick and maybe Jedburgh on 23rd march if You're interested tagging along. Don't know what time yet and may be restricted a bit by family commitments ie taking toddler grandson!

not aware of anything but will be at the Brick and Steel rally, up at Byrness spectator stage on 23rd March, just maybe a few SIDC cars could park up if others goin up ??

pull up the boot carpet and check the rear bumper nuts inside the boot are tight, theres 4 all together, on the rear skin, 2 each side sort of either side of the no. plate but up above a bit (hope that makes sense). Cant miss them,13 or 14 mm gold nuts. Were just a tiny little bit loose on mine when got the car and were readily letting in water that ran off the boot.

Been a couple of times to the DC museum. Its small but has a load of stuff and some good cars crammed in. A lady called Linda runs the diner now, good snacks and the prices dont rip you off. A guy called Chris has loads of info and is a good "guide"if hes there for the museum. Like I say, its not big but fills in an hour or so, then good grub if you like. Real pity about Lindsay (DCs sister) passing away too soon though, she seemed a nice person all round. Plenty good roads around there as well, not least the A75 from Twynholm to Creetown, if you get a quiet spell avoiding the Irish ferry trucks. PS museum isnt open in winter- about mid/end March it usually opens up again.

Take care Beefoss, you might bump into my lad out there.

How far North of the toon, I am about 15 miles? welcome to SIDC

The Comma red 5 year longlife red antifreeze is fine- about 20 pds for 5 litres, you need about 3.5 litres of this diluted 50/50 with water and its done for 5 years. I started using Chevron 5W/30 synthetic from Costcos in 20 litre drums a few years ago in non turbo forester and impreza, if you know anyone with a Costco card that can get it for you (assuming theres one nearby) its only about 43 pds for 20 litres so cheap enough to change twice a year or every 5K or so. Forester has done 120K plus miles and doesnt burn any oil even this thin 5W30. But as above, any decent 5/30 or 10/40 will be fine, dont believe all the marketing stuff, just change the oil regularly.

Agree with the suggestion to get a Hayward and Scott system catalyst back - BUT if the flanges on the cat joint have gone, still leaves you with a problem for the cat. quote might be 1200 full system quote from dealers but its more than likely they will then have to replace the 2 sensors in the cat since they dont easily come out - and dealer prices add another 400-450 or more for these. All from experience a couple years ago when I paid 1700 pds (yes 1700pds ! ! big mistake but if it lasts 8 years again then it averages out over time if I keep the car that long and may well do- - look on the positive side!) for full system apart from the headers (thats cat, sensors, centre section and rear box) and that was with 10% SIDC discount from my "local" Subaru dealer. Hayward and scott advertise cat back SS systems for non turbo impreza (and forester) for about 400 pds. Import car parts may be able to do sensors for about 150 each. first thing to do is see if the cat will live a bit longer, if it does you save a fortune- or if flanges have gone on the cat/exhaust joint. Another option is try a breakers for a cat complete with sensors? Seen sports and unequal length headers with integral cat but think they were near a grand so not cheap at all. Let us know what you end up doing and what the cost is.

Great photo, where did you get the light pods from Raiden? Hmmm, I wonder??

just a blip of bad weather up here and probably worse up in Aberchirder, once the roads are unfrozen again, sure your F1s will be OK.

2 years ago with new Bridgestones couldnt barely pull away up street on the deep snow when rears got into the ruts- just crawled along sideways with rears spinning and fronts just pointing and doin nowt, and took anything up to 50 yards for rears to climb over the ruts and straighten up, when it would start to gain some traction. Since the forester just got on with it, with Michelin road tyres, I decided to buy some Nokian WRA3 winter tyres for the impreza after a bit of research. Absolutely amazing on snow/slush/ black ice - traction and braking especially and just climbs over ruts and ploughs through snow and slush. Good on cold roads as well. Honestly, think the tyres make more difference than owt else- was really disappointed in the impreza with RE050s in snow or slush - dangerous even. Ready for anything now.

probably psychological more than reality, but I tried to keep a near full tank when its snow/slush, feels like the extra weight on the back wheels keeps the rears from following the ruts- suspect that once the rears are in a rut thats when theyre more likely to spin? although with winter tyres fitted the last 2 winters, never really had the problem at all, then again relatively little power in the non turbo!

Try Amazon and buy a US Haynes manual that covers the the Forester and Legacy. They are 2.5 litre over there rather than 2.0 but the manual covers the non turbo as well as turbo, and between the forester (suspension, engine, fluid capacities etc ) and legacy (some of the trim etc) sections, and alongside your GX handbook for spark plug and other details (but try PFR6B platinum plugs in the GX that last up to 60K instead of standard plugs) you can cover just about the whole of the impreza GX. Used my manual loads on my 2003 forester and 2005 Impreza GX - but watch out for subtle differences in sensors etc. Not aware of any manual specific to the non turbo impreza and Im cautious of internet manual downloads/ CDs after a previous purchase didnt work at all. If youve got a specific query though, join up SIDC and ask- plenty of help available here.