Having sold my Unimog and most of my race car, i had been mulling over what car to buy next for months. Ive owned pretty much every car i liked the idea of within the budgets i can afford over the years and I have been wanting a car i can finally keep and cherish. Having had over 100 cars in 10 years and everything 80's and 90's sky rocketing in price it was time to find a keeper.
I has a few on my short list including Mk1/Mk2 Escorts, Manta and various other cars, but with much though i'd probably not keep any of them. So i turned back to the class Impreza as i have owned 6 previously and always felt comfortable buying another. Prices have gone crazy on these too with people asking £4000-£5000 for rusty UK turbos and Type RA's heading north of £10,000 it was now or never to source one at a reasonable price before they head out of reach for me.
Of course anyone with an RA or STi RA wanted strong money in the UK. I was offered good condition STi RA's for £22k-£25k and cars that need lots of work for around £12k. It seemed importing a car was the only reasonable option so i turned to a company i had used before to import a Skyline around 5 years ago, BHP Imports.
They charge an admin fee to help find a car and we quickly found a 1995 STi Type RA V2 due to hit the auctions. I can not believe how few cars go through the auction of this age now, there can't be many left in Japan. The auction listing was translated and i gave them a top bid ready for the auction. I was very pleased to find the car finished almost 450,000 yen under my budget for the car purchase. I paid my fees and shipping and now we wait a few days for the pre shipping images, i should get about 50 before it goes on the boat.
Being a 26year old car now I'm not expecting utter perfection from this car, but hopefully its good enough to warrant keeping and looking after. It has just 60,000 miles since new, an average of just 2,300miles per year! Its a one owner car and just 852 were made. For those that don't know the STI RA was the car you purchased if you wanted to go rallying in your Subaru. Its the lightweight model with things like winding windows instead of electric. They weigh around 1200kg which isn't a lot for a car with an AWD system. They also had a variable centre diff, forged internals, lower ratio gearbox as well as 5th injector and ice cold water spray for the intercooler.
In my eyes, short of forking out £250,000 on a 22b, this is the ultimate spec Impreza. Its due Mid January i hope but I will update here with the pics when I'm sent them pre shipping. BHP Imports clear undercoat and detail the car upon arrival in the UK and also service it prior to collection. I Will likely have the cambelt done when it arrive followed by clear body protection to future proof the paint.
Here are the grainy pics from the auction house for the moment. Its pretty much stock aside from a boost controller and turbo timer as far as I'm aware at the moment.
I has a few on my short list including Mk1/Mk2 Escorts, Manta and various other cars, but with much though i'd probably not keep any of them. So i turned back to the class Impreza as i have owned 6 previously and always felt comfortable buying another. Prices have gone crazy on these too with people asking £4000-£5000 for rusty UK turbos and Type RA's heading north of £10,000 it was now or never to source one at a reasonable price before they head out of reach for me.
Of course anyone with an RA or STi RA wanted strong money in the UK. I was offered good condition STi RA's for £22k-£25k and cars that need lots of work for around £12k. It seemed importing a car was the only reasonable option so i turned to a company i had used before to import a Skyline around 5 years ago, BHP Imports.
They charge an admin fee to help find a car and we quickly found a 1995 STi Type RA V2 due to hit the auctions. I can not believe how few cars go through the auction of this age now, there can't be many left in Japan. The auction listing was translated and i gave them a top bid ready for the auction. I was very pleased to find the car finished almost 450,000 yen under my budget for the car purchase. I paid my fees and shipping and now we wait a few days for the pre shipping images, i should get about 50 before it goes on the boat.
Being a 26year old car now I'm not expecting utter perfection from this car, but hopefully its good enough to warrant keeping and looking after. It has just 60,000 miles since new, an average of just 2,300miles per year! Its a one owner car and just 852 were made. For those that don't know the STI RA was the car you purchased if you wanted to go rallying in your Subaru. Its the lightweight model with things like winding windows instead of electric. They weigh around 1200kg which isn't a lot for a car with an AWD system. They also had a variable centre diff, forged internals, lower ratio gearbox as well as 5th injector and ice cold water spray for the intercooler.
In my eyes, short of forking out £250,000 on a 22b, this is the ultimate spec Impreza. Its due Mid January i hope but I will update here with the pics when I'm sent them pre shipping. BHP Imports clear undercoat and detail the car upon arrival in the UK and also service it prior to collection. I Will likely have the cambelt done when it arrive followed by clear body protection to future proof the paint.
Here are the grainy pics from the auction house for the moment. Its pretty much stock aside from a boost controller and turbo timer as far as I'm aware at the moment.
Bookmarked.
Weird that the forum isn't showing your properly cool, quick and interesting car, much love