Lenny Warren

I'd go for the Pro-R, made by Pipercross but not oiled, so MAF friendly. I'm sure the Pipercross version IS oiled.

Cheers guys, just glad I had it checked, imagine if I hadn't? The first thing I could have known was when the engine went BOOM!!!

LATEST UPDATE: Ok, the garage phoned me and said they had a lambda sensor for me, and I picked it up today. They told me they had sent another car to the auto electrician/mechanic that they use, (they are sales only, small garage) with a known faulty lambda sensor and it came back worse than mine, same way of mimicking the charge light but this time they had cut wires as they bodged it. I'm actually glad they only used Blu-Tac on mine. They assure me they have "dealt" with the auto electrician/mechanic and he will no longer be getting work from them. (Hopefully because he has two broken knee-caps!) I have to accept what they say, I believe them on this. Whether my mention of Trading Standards or the fact I am a Press Photographer with contacts throughout the media made any difference I don't know. Also the fact that I knew what I was talking about and made it plain what had happened and what was needed to resolve the matter probably helped. I'm a good judge of character and sitting face to face with the salesman today I'm happy with where we are at. There's no damage done to the car, I'm delighted with the car overall, and happy to accept a lambda sensor, fit it and move on. Case closed as far as I'm concerned. Hopefully others have read this and it has made them more wary of things, and hopefully the dealer has learnt to deal with proper auto electricians/mechanics, and hopefully it saves others from being screwed. Who knows if anything will change, but one thing is still the same, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

A sensor is £120, a bulb, two bits of wire and a bit of blu tac are pennies. If you know what you are doing, could do it in 20 mins. shows up as a front lambda sensor...

UPDATE: I realise that the garage will try to wheedle out of this, but I spoke to them today. Told them what I had found and my engineer was preparing a report and had advised me to pass it straight to trading standards. Said I was very unhappy etc. etc. and made it clear that I wouldn't be mucked about. The garage are saying its the auto electrician, and will give them the benefit of the doubt on that. The salesman asked what I wanted him to do, and I said I wanted a front lambda sensor, supply and fit by MY garage. He says he'll get back to me after he speaks to his boss. We'll see what they come up with, although I've made it clear that I know cars and I know what will happen if I'm not happy. I'm a Press Photographer so I may phone all my motoring editor contacts...

Hi guys, I'm feeling kinda chuffed, but also pretty hacked off tonight. I'm chuffed as Andy Forrest made a great job of mapping my car, but I had been hacked off about my ongoing disabled check engine light saga. To sum up, I bought the car in July from Forsyth Street Cars in Chapelhall, yes I know, shouldn't have done, but the car seemed straight and I really liked it. When I viewed the car there was a Check Engine Light showing, part of the sale was that they would sort whatever was causing the light. Anyway, I picked up the car and the CEL was extinguished, told it was a sensor. Fair enough I thought. The CEL lit with ignition, then went out. All fine I thought. A few weeks ago I went to Andy Forrest for a remap, right away he noticed that the car had a faulty front lambda sensor, but the CEL wasn't showing. We also pulled a MAF which should have thrown a CEL but it didn't. Andy advised me that someone had bypassed the CEL. He checked around the ECU, no sign of tampering. Anyway, the car chucked it's fuel pump mid mapping, so we had to postpone the map. In the meantime I go the fuel pump replaced and asked my garage to check for CEL bypass dicking about with. They couldn't find anything obvious, nothing looked as if it had been messed with. I ordered up a WiFi OBDII reader and confirmed that the lambda sensor was still faulty. My garage were going to have a longer look at car, let their auto electrician track it down, but tonight I decided to change the dashboard lights to LEDs and when I removed the dash pod, what did I see? Just peeping out from one of the bulb holders was a wire, when I removed the plastic back to the pod to expose the circuit board, it all became clear... The two wires were held under the bayonet for one of the lights, which light? Yup, the charge light... The wires led up the circuit board and through to the clocks. Time to strip the pod further... The two wires led up to the plastic surround for the CEL, soldered to a small bulb which was fed through a melted hole (solder iron I reckon) in the side of the plastic that surrounds the CEL bulb. The bulb was held in place with Blu-Tac and the original CEL bulb was masked out with Blu-Tac... So, the original CEL was masked out, the new bulb was in effect mimicking the charge light so that when I turned on the ignition it lit, and went out when I started the car. Andy noticed that the CEL was brighter than it should have been, which was due to a brighter bulb being used. So, the problem is now sorted, the bypass removed and I now have a permanent CEL illuminated, but I'll get the front lambda sensor replaced and the light will go out. I'm really angry that they screwed me like this but they have been palming me off. I'll phone the garage again tomorrow just to let them know that I know exactly what they did, I'll mention trading standards but sure they would want the garage to have the chance to put it right. I wouldn't trust this garage to empty the ash trays never mind fit a lambda sensor so I reckon I'll have to forget it. I'll have the lambda sensor done by people I trust.. I'm glad though that I tracked it down, found it and fixed it myself. Gave me quite a buzz. So there you have it, NEVER EVER deal with Forsyth Street Cars in Chapelhall....

Gorgeous looking motor...

I was quite impressed with the mpg, although I reckon the 6 speed box helps and to be honest most of my run was off boost. Saying that, it drove well at a steady 70 all the way. She pulls beautifully for those faster overtaking truck manoevures on the A9. When she comes on boost and you're pushing it she sounds gorgeous. Also, it was a pleasure on the twistier roads in Sutherland, just what she was built for. I have to say, I did a bit of motorsport in my youth, had my fair share of fast cars but I've fallen in love with this blob. The sound is unique, nothing quite like it... In fact, stopped at Tesco in Inverness and as I got out the car I heard the unmistakeable sound of a flat 4 boxer burble. Yup, it was a gorgous UK300. It really is such a distinctive sound. I'm addicted guys....

Anyway, thats the car had it's full service. All fluids and filters changed, engine, gearbox and diffs. Timing belt replaced and adjuster, all brakes stripped, 4 wheel alignment done. Tracker fitted and everything all checked. Clean bill of health from my mechanic. I'm up in Orkney for the weekend, part work part pleasure. Mmmm... you think I took my diesel Beemer which makes more sense? Nah, decided to give the Scooby a decent run. Well, it was amazing, standard 70mph run up the A9 etc. with the odd blast past trucks. I just love this car, superb. The roads from Inverness up to the ferry by John O'Groats were superb as usual, but even better in the Scooby. Fuel economy has been much better than I thought, I've not been driving like my hair is on fire but occasional bouts of dropping the boot mixed in with off boost sensible. Also with 3 adults, a dog and a boot full of filming gear, got 30.2mpg

Cheers Barry, will check. It's a steep learning curve on my first Scooby.

Don't think so, I'm not doing the work, my garage (independent) are doing work. Although to be honest not sure where covers should be underneath.

The car is mid way through it's full service and timing belt change. Weirdly, it had a small oil leak from, wait for it, the oil filter. It looks like the filter has corroded at the end which worries me that it hasn't had an oil change for a long time. Groan.... The oil seemed ok, weird one... Or are Subara oil filters prone to this? Never seen this before. Also, looks like it's been de-catted, so once all the servicing has been done I reckon I'll have it remapped just to make sure all ok...

I see what you mean now about the air intake, will try to get new clips and screws.

Sorry, I was thinking of the turbo intercooler air intake. Where is the air intake snorkel, never noticed? I'll get a good pic of exhaust. It's now in my trusted garage for it's full service, timing belt etc. etc.

Cheers Mark, Yes, will be getting the paintwork sorted properly soon. Also the wheels need a refurb. (is it true it's better not to powder coat STi wheels, too brittle?) They told me the air intake was off to be painted. I had it at Cooper Brothers in Newmains today for new tyre valves and balance, also alignment. front o's was feathered, front n's was multi plugged and damaged internally after being driven flat. Had two new tyres on the front and balanced up nicely. Alignment was an issue as the rear equivalent of a track rod end ???? was seized both ends. Need to replace the bush and bolts, will get that done tomorrow when it's having timing belt and service. You recognise the back box? Is that just a removable baffle? Also Coopers thought it had a sports cat fitted, or does an Sti have that as standard??? Chers, Lenny