i have been hooked on these since the first time i saw Possum Bourne flying sideways on a narrow dirt road at 200kph in one. mind blown. a bucket list car.
The interior is Qualityplastick, IT`S NOT horrible, THEY actually last, this car is BIG inside in terms of outer measures, yesterday I had my offroadbike in the baggage( open whith used my head ), it swollowes your skies. THIS car is made for a purpose, it´s fast light, roomy, nice to ride short, long.... every trip in, and it´s made for Backroads, gravel snow.... EVERYTHING. No car is near this one, also in terms of design !!!!! 🌟🇯🇵🥇❤️ So just BUY, don´listen to the cars fault from this guy 🤣, his good to be youg and american thoug 🤣 TK 🇳🇴
@@Justin_Jnado depends on how good they are when you buy it I had issues with rust due to it being a Canadian car. Also constant things failing as it is like 20 years old so things are bound to fail after years and years of use. Just thought I add I was the second owner and the car only had 25k when I bought it even at its low mileage things are bound to happen.
@@michaelyoung4602 I recently got one for 2500 and it has 350000kms on engine only thing wrong was wear and tear on car like struts n suspension steering and wheels but car was service at Subaru dealership all the way till 200000 and tbh it runs perfect it’s all stock and it’s a actually really good on fuel if you don’t always change gears at high revs it’s pretty good
Having owned a GC8 WRX for the last 5 years I will say they are definitley worth buying while they are still around. They are SUPER light weight compared to modern turbo saloons. You just cannot find a 4 door, AWD turbo car less than 1250kg these days, more like 1600-1800kg now. So even with 250-280bhp they feel like a 350bhp modern car.
@@MacSalad__ if i were you the number one thing is that it's been carefully maintained bc at almost 30 years old it will be a headache otherwise, unless you're in for a big project. you'll find that some of these are the most clapped cars somehow still on the road & just abused at every opportunity. check anything rubber for any cracking, all the hoses, shifter bushing, suspension parts. see if the fluids are clean and at the correct levels to get an idea of how it was treated. start it cold & make sure it fully warms up to 180 while testing. of course do the usual turbo checking, fluids, get the codes read to make sure they weren't cleared. be wary of performance mods especially the poverty goofball ones like intakes. wouldn't buy one of these to save money, go into it fully expecting it to be an ongoing maintenance project. if it feels like it was loved and you were down to keep that up i'd go for it. the way a lot of these are treated it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a blown one and replace the drivetrain yourself for the peace of mind.
I think I speak for every 90s Wrx owner when I say thank god this car had almost no electronics, the raw feeling and as you said "analog" experience is just unmatched. Everytime I turn the key my knees start shivering from exitement. No car gives me that.
I owned something similar, a ‘92 RS turbo Liberty. Had it for over 20 years. Sold it with 498,000kms on it . The most fantastic car I’ve ever owned, and I’m now 76.! 😁👌🏻
I’ve had two of these (2.5 rs not STI) and I’m still driving my second one. Unfortunately their numbers are dwindling in the US and it’s almost impossible to find clean ones. Even the ones I’ve had are rusted and dinged up. But they are incredibly fun to drive and I can absolutely throw it into corners without worry.
I’m really REALLY hoping subaru comes out with an awd coupe with similar styling to the gc8 as a throwback to their best car ever. I would probably buy 3 of them 😩
You can still import a immaculate example if not its north of £10000 in the uk. Still remember driving out the gararge in my red 95 wrx,i could of had a nice bmw 8years younger. The impreza puts a smile on your face,tuned up exhaust and through 2nd 3rd nothing like it,'bang for ya buck'.
@@ReDriven That would be a comparison video for the ages. Honda Integra DC2 Type R vs Subaru Impreza WRX the two that always punched above their weight class.
Good vid, would also add that the centre dash lid is prone to cracking and isn’t cheap to replace (around $300 AUD if you can find one), and parts are keeping up there. I own 2 GC8s and you can’t just duck down to the wreckers anymore to pick up parts readily like you could maybe 5 years ago. It’s a good idea if you do go with the GC8 to get to know your local Subaru or GC8 specialist wreckers and tuners as they can normally point you in the right direction. It definitely does feel like the cult of Subaru sometimes with how enthusiastic people are with these cars :)
Agreed mate, it's always good to keep stock of parts and network around, gc8s are a pain in the arse - with so many model variations, overlap productions, etc It can be a real burden to keep these things 100% Like yourself, a mate and I have a rather growing stock pile of early model gc8/gf8 and liberty parts
Oh mate you're exactly right and we know. The car in the vid took a solid couple of years to track down as so many others were riddled with accident damage. Also, thanks so much for watching.
@@ReDriven All good man,l was looking for one impossible unless I was willing to pay a copias amount.Long story short liberty gt ej20x 1owner leather,rims lowered flying under the radar.
I've had my GC8 WRX for 20 years, and she still puts a smile on my dial EVERY time I turn the key, as things wore out, I upgraded and warmed her over a bit, I've done track days, LOVE it for Hill climbs..all round FUN car ...it'll be with me til the day I hang up my car keys.....I'll be the old man at the lights with the burble going on :)
It took me 2 years to find my pre-loved, low km MY99 GC8, but it was worth the wait. I couldn't imagine driving it as a daily, but it's such a fun car to get in on the weekends and I think if you look after them, they'll do right by you.
A family member has a 97 STI RA V3 Limited 156/555. I can confirm, in stock condition and well maintained there are no reliability issues. Knocking, gasket issues and gearbox problems are common if abused. If buying one check ecu, oxygen sensors and replace all bushes, seals and pipe work on turbo. Loves 3 to 7k on rev range
Love my gc8 wagon, 461k kms and still running amazing, definitely needs paint work and has had an accident though... a restoration like on rrc's channel is due for sure!
Original engine? My 4 door is at 170 and I’m worried about it but damn you are driving that thing like crazy, what have you had to do so far to keep it going, transmission, cvs, engine etc
Original engine? My 4 door is at 170 and I’m worried about it but damn you are driving that thing like crazy, what have you had to do so far to keep it going, transmission, cvs, engine etc
@@Lplaterwrx My GC7 ran for 240k KM and it's still going strong dude!! Original engine, just replaced a few regular maintenance items from time to time, but it never let me down. Transmission and Engine full stock, no modifications, everything good to go
@@chinad34th I’m a subie enthusiast and all but I don’t believe in subie reliability I always do a full major service, cooling system upgrade and oil temp, pressure and water temp in all of my rexs, in my gc8 I’ve done all that and I’m doing the same to my gd wrx soon to be my new daily and the gc8 will be retired to weekend car I love subies and daily them but I always rebuild the motor at 200k and always buy a subie with less than 150k on it
My son and I bought a type RA 1997 last year with only 70000k on it and we also have a 2005 Club Spec Evo 8. Both give us goose bumps everytime we get close and when we start them, it feels unreal. I always have a millisecond of unreasltic fear that we're going to use up all the rumble and loose it foreve! Then I realise thats not a thing and I breath again 😂
I had a similar era (1993) Liberty RS Turbo Wagon which was 9/10 as fast but way more refined, practical and with more stable handling. But i still got a hard on for the rex.
I have one and the MAF (Mass air flow) Sensor is also one thing not to cheap out on. For my model a 1998 one (The one with unpainted door handles) it costed a whopping 455 euros just for the part. The other Gc8 models probably have one that cost about 199 or something. In both cases failure of a MAF sensor can make the car run lean (With no prior signs) and only way you find out without an aftermarket sensor is when your on the side of the road with a hole in your piston. So in a way i don't agree with the holes in the dash because if there is an air fuel ratio sensor on there you should buy it instead of walking away. And there is one more reason to why they disappear and that is rust. Otherwise lovely car it stole my heart when i sat in the passenger seat even.
just checked carsales & marketplace recently here in Melb, and these are still going for at least > $25k! didn't realise how much people loved these cars so much. I should check out a wrx from the 2010's instead as they would be in better condition. , hate the look of the new 2022 model!
I am lucky enough to be the second owner of a GF8 MY98 (April) here in Japan. It is a total joy to drive. The WRX prices are going bananas here in Japan, hence why I couldn't afford to buy an Sti one...I have been cherry picking Sti parts off the interwebs and upgrading where I can. Modifying the handling and brakes transformed the car from awesome to amazing! I got Sti front tower (like yours) and front & rear sway bars, V6 Type R Front 4 pots and vented discs, Sti Intercooler, Zero Sports intake pipe and a Sti Short Shifter. No need to add more HP as it has plenty of torque to get you a speeding ticket in seconds...I had my first ever track experience with it over Summer and here's the video if anyone is interested. I plan to export it to AUS when I am done over here and keep it till the end of days. Cheers. ua-cam.com/video/92byG1oUtWM/v-deo.html
Club spec evo 4 GC8 owner here. The custard/canary/beige or yellow one... lol 180kms on the clock, just drove it from Sydney to QLD and it was beyond perfect. Immaculate drive and she never misses a beat. Now 181kms hahaha BULLET PROOF! Don't listen to the haters! MODS - Process West TM, coils, exhaust, sway bars etc etc but sti swapped engine, 6 speed and the rest.
it is not overrated, it is rare that we don't even have it here in usa, and just last year, we can start import any vehicle that is older than 25 years old into US, and now just start to show up some wrx or EVO V here, sometime a GTR if you are lucky to get one, and the price of those cars are woohooo, over 50K USD easily.
The quality of these vedios and the sheets I found I thought this channel had at least 500k+ subs 😅 how do they only have a couple hundred subs 😳 madness
Again, thanks man, hugely appreciated. We've only been live for a few weeks and keep slogging away hoping to get that subscriber count up man, hopefully one day!
i owned a 1998 (with a wooden steering wheel), 2001 and 2003 Wrx and the 1998 was the best by far..back then i had an opportunity to buy a 2000 2door STI for $35000 ..kick myself every time i think about it :((
Same here, we had JDM Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon which was running 555.5bhp, it was crazy car and still miss that car then we got JDM Subaru Impreza STi Hawkeye which is okay but still is not good as was our wagon Around 2014-2015 we had chance get 22B for £29k, trust me till now I regret that we didn't bought that 22b Older JDM GC8 now are appreciate value so much, good 2 door RA now fetch crazy money, few years back you could have it under £6k for good one
Bought mine for $12k three years ago with 135k on the clock. It's up to 165k now as it's a daily driver and I've had a couple of things to replace a couple of things (radiator, clutch) but otherwise it's the best thing I've ever bought and it still brings a smile to my face everytime I drive it. Just love it!
@@WhoopEaterz good condition, low mileage ones here in Aus are asking $20-30k at the bare min. Depends where you live and how much you can bargain with the previous owner.
@@jayem8164 nah, these are turning into collector items, and covid has made all the used cars go up in value. Dude got a bargain before covid and the supply issues. check out marketplace or carsales and see how much people are asking for used GC8's now.
Hmmmm don't know what to think in regards to your opinion on them but hey we all know their a great car and yeah, I've got 3 RAs 97,98,99, keybis to longevity is use appropriate oil and additive for kms engine has done, don't go off specs after 100,000kms, maintain cambelt pulleys and most of all the tensioner, cool video though man respect
the best looking wrx is definitely the GC8 i have a 03 blobeye wagon - the ideal mix of the gd gen's reliability, newer tech incl. VVT, able to get the samller 3 spoke steering wheel, and practically with the boot space i love these old WRXs and i really don't understand why, even the interiors i prefer to newer cars
pretty similar mods too - MCA comfort coilovers (try them, brands like Tein cannot even begin to compare), conservative 17psi tune /w intake and exhaust i really reckon the comfort oriented coilovers suit the car well because they maintain that ability to drive too quickly over poor surfaces
There's a used Subaru in my country that cost like 10.5k (7750$ USD), with less price being 8.8k (6500$ USD). Thinking of saving up money for it cause Subaru is a beautiful car with a satisfying engine sound.
Just recently purchased a GF8 and I couldn’t love it more. It is my daily driver too. I traded the 5 speed transmission for a 6 speed and it has made so much difference. It’s just a wonderful car. Love the video!
Hello, the GOLF´s Weigt is 252 Kg heavier than mine Subaru ( That is 3,36 more people in the car ). Sorry Mister, YOU have to learn Your Math before Giving Wrong information. Be more presise, Remember : These are PERFORMANCE CARS !!! This is only PROFESSIONAL advice TK🇳🇴
German cars are heavy, jewlery, and made for "girls2, This is a "boyracer"., if it rattles too much, it´s owned by people who don´t took care of it !!! The fuel economy is GOOD for these kind of cars. Hallo man Make a new video of this MASTEWRPICE of a car, U don´t know nothing, or U are fan of thos"hitlercars "🤣 TK🇳🇴
My first wrx is 2004 GD, and when I drove the GC I find the chasis flex too much. I say style maybe better in the GC, but when it comes to performance newer is better.
The only thing I hate about owning mine is after 20 years of ownership, factory parts are almost non existent. Whenever I call the stealership up, I'm probably going to be told the part is discontinued and then I have two options. Modify it my way or try to score one from Japan. That is usually costly so I have been making parts for mine for years
Unmolested... it's crazy it's a world wide problem, people just beat these cars and I'm not saying you can't vermont sports car and others know what they are doing but most people who drive these cars don't
Thanks for that great video. These things are nuts. I had an MY99 that I bought new, sold that after 2 years and bought an MY98 that I modded and kept for 9 years. Sold it in 2010 after I removed the VF22, exhaust, AVCR and Power FC. I missed it so much that, well, I’ve just bought it back again a few days ago! Still has the ALK, strut brace, sway bar and Apexi Power Intake that I put in it. The first drive home brought all the memories flooding back about just how capable these things are even in fairly stock form. Have a few jobs to do on it, fix the mirror switch that doesn’t work, find new remotes, install new head unit, remove the disconnected boot cd 12 stacker that I put in it in 2001, attend to the low fuel light that’s not working and get a new pod filter on it. Other than that she’s still looking great. ❤
I always wanted 1, even now I still do. But I drove an 04 Forester XT and was a little disappointed with it. Felt it lacked personality and engine seemed a bit boring in anything other than mid range. Still I am keen to drive a GC8 just to see what they are like and I like the GF8 wagons also.
They’re great, I owned a MY00 took it too MRT in Sydney and a few $$$ later and I had 350hp and ran 11.5s all day long and drove it to work every day 👌
Beautiful vehicle. Take me back to the late 90s/early 00s. I wonder what the record on replacement gearboxes, as I'm sure they were made out of glass. Can you find and review a Nissan Pulsar GTIR please? And a Toyota Avalon And a Mitsubishi 300 And a Nissa Exa And a Toyota Sera And a Mazda MX6 And a Sirion GTI And a Honda Prelude And a Mitsubishi GTO/3000GT And a Mitsubishi FTO And a Nissan 300ZX And a Nissan NX And a Ford Cougar And a Ford Ka And a Mitsubishi Galant And a Civic Del Sol And a Ford Capri And a Mazda MX3 And a Celica GT4 And a Chrysler Crossfire And a AU Falcon And a VN Commodore Please 🍻
I definitely subscribed. This review was both thorough and to the point, information was well presented and I got an answer to every question I needed. I'll be watching your content for sure
When we shot this there were a few available for 1500 to 3000, actually a great mate of mine bought one for $2k. But that was long before COVID and before the prices went very north.
The only thing I dislike about the gc8 is I don’t own one. I do however have a 2019 WRX .... and I am not even a single dad.... just a dad who has done the family SUV thing and wanted a bit of fun.... great channel, great format... just a great refreshing presentation... keep it up 👍🏻
I remember the insurance premium was through the roof back in the day. Similar priced cars were around $400-600 to insure, this thing cost $2500!. Is it still the case?
So you review your own car, *THIS CAR* , pretend like its not yours and now you are selling it? I knew this was a bit scammy with old mate saying "you should pick one up....."
Love my 2 door GC8 97 STi TypeR, it has no toys or driver aids, or very much in the way of safety. It does have electric windows, what else do you need :) It smells of fuel, oil and blown gasses, noisy, bumpy and driving faster than 60mph and it’s a noise fest. It’s a car with so much more character than any of the newer mobile coffins on the road today.
Heya Julie. Firstly, thank you for the compliment, we do really appreciate it. We do a fair bit of research before shooting these and both Jim and I know of many owners that are still on their original gearboxes and head gaskets that have had zero issues. It's no coincidence that these WRX's are basically unmodified and driven by more mature owners and while the gearboxes are the first thing to go if modified heavily and driven in anger regularly, if respected, they do show great longevity. I have a friend that has a 97 WRX, has well over 300,000kms on it and is now his hill climb car. Still on the original box and the engine has run faultlessly. He is deep in his 60's, has never launched it aggressively and it's holding up extremely well.
This guy is showing you how to buy a perfectly immaculate 25 year old performance car. I don't think that's reasonable unless your willing to pay as much or even more as a brand new wrx
Mine is a daily driver with 390000+, yes over 390thosuand on the clock, retains its factor speed limiter and will still turn heads at shows, and is a joy to drive everyday. Best money I ever spend to buy one after years of having very crappy cars. If one came up again that were affordable, it'd be mine!
Nice review, I've owned a 99 WRX for 19 years and it's still running better than ever. No longer a daily for the last 9 years and the only mods are a 3in TBE and tune with only 155kw atw. Woke the car up and made it much better to drive from the huge increase in torque. I'm interested to hear what brand coilovers you have and if you would recommend them for a weekender. Cheers
Hi Fred. Thanks for watching, commenting and the kind words. The coilers are Tein Flex Z and I'll be honest, I wish they were more compliant. They're incredible on smooth roads but around here, they can be too firm.
Really bad video. I wanted to know engine cleches, body problems and such specific for this car, the first 8 minutes is info about any second hand car.
@@cieldhanda7469 one i had was heavily modified so it wasnt very reliable, if its stock and well taken care of it should be reliable. Try to get service/maintenance records.
if they never been modified they can go pretty far. i own a 99 gc8 wrx with a cool 310 000km on it, and a 96 gf8 wrx with "just" 280 000km. both run great :-) both are turbo and both have modified exhausts. ive put on 60 000km on the gc8 and i only had to change the IACV
Here's an idea. What about importing a 2 door Impreza RS body shell from the US and putting WRX running gear and interior in it? Maybe some pumped guards while you're at it?
I first purchased my 2002 GDA bugeye WRX new in 2003 and sold it in 2008, I purchased it back in 2015 from the then third owner, he spent 9K rebuilding the engine to STI spec with forged pistons, rods and forged steel crank but the car was sill bog stock standard. 3 weeks ago it was dyno tested after a new turbo, ECU and other work, 201.6 Kw and 350.4 NM at the wheels, This car still looks bog standard and is a GTI killer sleeper
My GC8 makes 250hp with bolts and a tune, a lot things you said in this video triggered me because they were true
Firstly, congrats on owning a GC8! Secondly, thanks for agreeing with me! Thirdly, thanks so much for watching and commenting, really appreciate it.
@@ReDrivendude I m going to buy a 1998 Subaru STI
i have been hooked on these since the first time i saw Possum Bourne flying sideways on a narrow dirt road at 200kph in one. mind blown. a bucket list car.
The interior is Qualityplastick, IT`S NOT horrible, THEY actually last, this car is BIG inside in terms of outer measures, yesterday I had my offroadbike in the baggage( open whith used my head ), it swollowes your skies. THIS car is made for a purpose, it´s fast light, roomy, nice to ride short, long.... every trip in, and it´s made for Backroads, gravel snow.... EVERYTHING. No car is near this one, also in terms of design !!!!! 🌟🇯🇵🥇❤️
So just BUY, don´listen to the cars fault from this guy 🤣, his good to be youg and american thoug 🤣
TK 🇳🇴
Great review. Would love to own one of these.
Thanks Rod! - AK
Far from perfect indeed but I loved mine 🙏 just a money pit....
Cheers for watching and commenting mate, appreciate it!
Can I ask what the money pit is on the car? Looking to purchase :(
@@Justin_Jnado Just watch the video from 7:17 mate!
@@Justin_Jnado depends on how good they are when you buy it I had issues with rust due to it being a Canadian car. Also constant things failing as it is like 20 years old so things are bound to fail after years and years of use. Just thought I add I was the second owner and the car only had 25k when I bought it even at its low mileage things are bound to happen.
@@michaelyoung4602 I recently got one for 2500 and it has 350000kms on engine only thing wrong was wear and tear on car like struts n suspension steering and wheels but car was service at Subaru dealership all the way till 200000 and tbh it runs perfect it’s all stock and it’s a actually really good on fuel if you don’t always change gears at high revs it’s pretty good
Would your recommend putting airbags and slamming it ? I’m not planing to do no crazy mods just making it to 300hp and airbags that’s it
Did that really happen in98
Yep! - AK
Having owned a GC8 WRX for the last 5 years I will say they are definitley worth buying while they are still around. They are SUPER light weight compared to modern turbo saloons. You just cannot find a 4 door, AWD turbo car less than 1250kg these days, more like 1600-1800kg now. So even with 250-280bhp they feel like a 350bhp modern car.
Just got one for $9k (Aussie dollars). In good nick i am super happy, already been offered 17k, nope, gonna hang onto it!
@@neth77 Great cars ! i own a Type RA bought it in 2001 , I'll never sell it.
@@DaveCheshire can i buy it
I’m looking at a non STI in my town what should I be asking ? And should I be looking out for
@@MacSalad__ if i were you the number one thing is that it's been carefully maintained bc at almost 30 years old it will be a headache otherwise, unless you're in for a big project. you'll find that some of these are the most clapped cars somehow still on the road & just abused at every opportunity. check anything rubber for any cracking, all the hoses, shifter bushing, suspension parts. see if the fluids are clean and at the correct levels to get an idea of how it was treated. start it cold & make sure it fully warms up to 180 while testing. of course do the usual turbo checking, fluids, get the codes read to make sure they weren't cleared. be wary of performance mods especially the poverty goofball ones like intakes. wouldn't buy one of these to save money, go into it fully expecting it to be an ongoing maintenance project. if it feels like it was loved and you were down to keep that up i'd go for it. the way a lot of these are treated it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a blown one and replace the drivetrain yourself for the peace of mind.
I think I speak for every 90s Wrx owner when I say thank god this car had almost no electronics, the raw feeling and as you said "analog" experience is just unmatched. Everytime I turn the key my knees start shivering from exitement. No car gives me that.
Hey! The electric windows!! Well they always failed so I guess that didn't count haha
My friend left the window open during a storm now the central locking doesn't work XDD@@goofymcadams
Ive owned mine for over 18 years. New cars disgust me with their lack of feeling and all the useless tech in them now days
@@goofymcadamsIts those damn Nissan switches! 😂 I already had to replace both of mine in the past 20 years of owning one
I owned something similar, a ‘92 RS turbo Liberty. Had it for over 20 years. Sold it with 498,000kms on it . The most fantastic car I’ve ever owned, and I’m now 76.! 😁👌🏻
I’ve had two of these (2.5 rs not STI) and I’m still driving my second one. Unfortunately their numbers are dwindling in the US and it’s almost impossible to find clean ones. Even the ones I’ve had are rusted and dinged up. But they are incredibly fun to drive and I can absolutely throw it into corners without worry.
I’m really REALLY hoping subaru comes out with an awd coupe with similar styling to the gc8 as a throwback to their best car ever. I would probably buy 3 of them 😩
@@ZoomerAdvice 100% mate. - AK
You can still import a immaculate example if not its north of £10000 in the uk. Still remember driving out the gararge in my red 95 wrx,i could of had a nice bmw 8years younger. The impreza puts a smile on your face,tuned up exhaust and through 2nd 3rd nothing like it,'bang for ya buck'.
Less around means prices go up
These cars excel in the turns. Light, nimble, and sufficient power. Awesome cars
The Subaru Impreza and Honda Integra are two of my favorite 90's cars ever. Stole my heart instantly.
You'll hate me for this mate. That WRX is actually my car and I used to have a mint condition white DC2R. I'm sorry.
@@ReDriven You got great taste mate 💪
@@ReDriven That would be a comparison video for the ages. Honda Integra DC2 Type R vs Subaru Impreza WRX the two that always punched above their weight class.
@@SilverScarletSpider Cheers man!
@@SilverScarletSpider Well, I know the guy that bought mine, let me see what I can arrange.
I just rewatched the video and had a good laugh realizing that this car was yours when you complimented your own gorgeous rims 😂
Shhhhhhhhh
Good vid, would also add that the centre dash lid is prone to cracking and isn’t cheap to replace (around $300 AUD if you can find one), and parts are keeping up there. I own 2 GC8s and you can’t just duck down to the wreckers anymore to pick up parts readily like you could maybe 5 years ago. It’s a good idea if you do go with the GC8 to get to know your local Subaru or GC8 specialist wreckers and tuners as they can normally point you in the right direction. It definitely does feel like the cult of Subaru sometimes with how enthusiastic people are with these cars :)
Oh Frank I wished we had added that. Great advice! And mate thanks for watching and commenting.
Agreed mate, it's always good to keep stock of parts and network around, gc8s are a pain in the arse - with so many model variations, overlap productions, etc
It can be a real burden to keep these things 100%
Like yourself, a mate and I have a rather growing stock pile of early model gc8/gf8 and liberty parts
@@goingforadds I'll be sure to get in touch if I need anything.
Actually you can get them from any wreckers, just get them out of foresters they're the same. Any 97-03ish foz will have the same thing
the dash lid is easy to find, I have 4 of them, I go to wreckers and check out NA or turbo SF5 Foresters even NA GC8's
M8 good luck finding one that hasn't had a hit or 2, you'll be doing a lot of walking away.
Oh mate you're exactly right and we know. The car in the vid took a solid couple of years to track down as so many others were riddled with accident damage. Also, thanks so much for watching.
@@ReDriven All good man,l was looking for one impossible unless I was willing to pay a copias amount.Long story short liberty gt ej20x 1owner leather,rims lowered flying under the radar.
@@crogunson3446 Great choice mate. A Liberty GT is high on our list of "want to review" cars.
I've had my GC8 WRX for 20 years, and she still puts a smile on my dial EVERY time I turn the key, as things wore out, I upgraded and warmed her over a bit, I've done track days, LOVE it for Hill climbs..all round FUN car ...it'll be with me til the day I hang up my car keys.....I'll be the old man at the lights with the burble going on :)
Me too bro 😂
It took me 2 years to find my pre-loved, low km MY99 GC8, but it was worth the wait. I couldn't imagine driving it as a daily, but it's such a fun car to get in on the weekends and I think if you look after them, they'll do right by you.
Mate we completely agree! Congrats too
If you understand the gc8 platform then there's really nothing you can hate about the car because the whole car has a purpose...
I own a 280hp 1999 GC8, its in my opinion the best looking and driving car ever made
How has it kept up ?
A family member has a 97 STI RA V3 Limited 156/555. I can confirm, in stock condition and well maintained there are no reliability issues. Knocking, gasket issues and gearbox problems are common if abused. If buying one check ecu, oxygen sensors and replace all bushes, seals and pipe work on turbo. Loves 3 to 7k on rev range
I have a V1 Type RA , Great cars 👍
Love my gc8 wagon, 461k kms and still running amazing, definitely needs paint work and has had an accident though... a restoration like on rrc's channel is due for sure!
Love this mate!
Original engine? My 4 door is at 170 and I’m worried about it but damn you are driving that thing like crazy, what have you had to do so far to keep it going, transmission, cvs, engine etc
Original engine? My 4 door is at 170 and I’m worried about it but damn you are driving that thing like crazy, what have you had to do so far to keep it going, transmission, cvs, engine etc
@@Lplaterwrx My GC7 ran for 240k KM and it's still going strong dude!! Original engine, just replaced a few regular maintenance items from time to time, but it never let me down. Transmission and Engine full stock, no modifications, everything good to go
@@chinad34th I’m a subie enthusiast and all but I don’t believe in subie reliability I always do a full major service, cooling system upgrade and oil temp, pressure and water temp in all of my rexs, in my gc8 I’ve done all that and I’m doing the same to my gd wrx soon to be my new daily and the gc8 will be retired to weekend car I love subies and daily them but I always rebuild the motor at 200k and always buy a subie with less than 150k on it
This generation of Subarus is what made me fall in love with them especially the sound
My son and I bought a type RA 1997 last year with only 70000k on it and we also have a 2005 Club Spec Evo 8. Both give us goose bumps everytime we get close and when we start them, it feels unreal. I always have a millisecond of unreasltic fear that we're going to use up all the rumble and loose it foreve! Then I realise thats not a thing and I breath again 😂
I had a similar era (1993) Liberty RS Turbo Wagon which was 9/10 as fast but way more refined, practical and with more stable handling. But i still got a hard on for the rex.
I have one and the MAF (Mass air flow) Sensor is also one thing not to cheap out on.
For my model a 1998 one (The one with unpainted door handles) it costed a whopping 455 euros just for the part.
The other Gc8 models probably have one that cost about 199 or something.
In both cases failure of a MAF sensor can make the car run lean (With no prior signs) and only way you find out without an aftermarket sensor is when your on the side of the road with a hole in your piston.
So in a way i don't agree with the holes in the dash because if there is an air fuel ratio sensor on there you should buy it instead of walking away.
And there is one more reason to why they disappear and that is rust.
Otherwise lovely car it stole my heart when i sat in the passenger seat even.
MAF sensor is not regular maintenance but after being 20+ years old they can fail. :S
just checked carsales & marketplace recently here in Melb, and these are still going for at least > $25k! didn't realise how much people loved these cars so much. I should check out a wrx from the 2010's instead as they would be in better condition. , hate the look of the new 2022 model!
I am lucky enough to be the second owner of a GF8 MY98 (April) here in Japan. It is a total joy to drive. The WRX prices are going bananas here in Japan, hence why I couldn't afford to buy an Sti one...I have been cherry picking Sti parts off the interwebs and upgrading where I can. Modifying the handling and brakes transformed the car from awesome to amazing! I got Sti front tower (like yours) and front & rear sway bars, V6 Type R Front 4 pots and vented discs, Sti Intercooler, Zero Sports intake pipe and a Sti Short Shifter. No need to add more HP as it has plenty of torque to get you a speeding ticket in seconds...I had my first ever track experience with it over Summer and here's the video if anyone is interested. I plan to export it to AUS when I am done over here and keep it till the end of days. Cheers. ua-cam.com/video/92byG1oUtWM/v-deo.html
Mate=, congrats and totally agree with all your comments.
should you buy one? wrong question bro, can you find one to buy 😂
Club spec evo 4 GC8 owner here. The custard/canary/beige or yellow one... lol
180kms on the clock, just drove it from Sydney to QLD and it was beyond perfect. Immaculate drive and she never misses a beat.
Now 181kms hahaha BULLET PROOF! Don't listen to the haters! MODS - Process West TM, coils, exhaust, sway bars etc etc but sti swapped engine, 6 speed and the rest.
it is not overrated, it is rare that we don't even have it here in usa, and just last year, we can start import any vehicle that is older than 25 years old into US, and now just start to show up some wrx or EVO V here, sometime a GTR if you are lucky to get one, and the price of those cars are woohooo, over 50K USD easily.
I just bought a mint condition 1998 GC8, and it's an absolute weapon, I'm in love with it!
What a car this was my dream car and when I finally got one feel in love with it , one of the best cars I owned
The quality of these vedios and the sheets I found I thought this channel had at least 500k+ subs 😅 how do they only have a couple hundred subs 😳 madness
Again, thanks man, hugely appreciated. We've only been live for a few weeks and keep slogging away hoping to get that subscriber count up man, hopefully one day!
i owned a 1998 (with a wooden steering wheel), 2001 and 2003 Wrx and the 1998 was the best by far..back then i had an opportunity to buy a 2000 2door STI for $35000 ..kick myself every time i think about it :((
Same here, we had JDM Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon which was running 555.5bhp, it was crazy car and still miss that car then we got JDM Subaru Impreza STi Hawkeye which is okay but still is not good as was our wagon
Around 2014-2015 we had chance get 22B for £29k, trust me till now I regret that we didn't bought that 22b
Older JDM GC8 now are appreciate value so much, good 2 door RA now fetch crazy money, few years back you could have it under £6k for good one
Bought mine for $12k three years ago with 135k on the clock. It's up to 165k now as it's a daily driver and I've had a couple of things to replace a couple of things (radiator, clutch) but otherwise it's the best thing I've ever bought and it still brings a smile to my face everytime I drive it. Just love it!
You got ripped off buddy
@@jayem8164 Lol what? They go for way more now
@@Jamcad01 nah not really
@@WhoopEaterz good condition, low mileage ones here in Aus are asking $20-30k at the bare min. Depends where you live and how much you can bargain with the previous owner.
@@jayem8164 nah, these are turning into collector items, and covid has made all the used cars go up in value. Dude got a bargain before covid and the supply issues. check out marketplace or carsales and see how much people are asking for used GC8's now.
Hmmmm don't know what to think in regards to your opinion on them but hey we all know their a great car and yeah, I've got 3 RAs 97,98,99, keybis to longevity is use appropriate oil and additive for kms engine has done, don't go off specs after 100,000kms, maintain cambelt pulleys and most of all the tensioner, cool video though man respect
1.69k subs? You guys deserve way more! Subbed :)
Oh thanks mate, hopefully the number will keep building.
Mate you’ve got to make more videos on this. I’m currently restoring my gc8 wrx after it was crashed into a ditch by the old owner.
We'll try mate. - AK
Double you are wrecks.
the best looking wrx is definitely the GC8
i have a 03 blobeye wagon - the ideal mix of the gd gen's reliability, newer tech incl. VVT, able to get the samller 3 spoke steering wheel, and practically with the boot space
i love these old WRXs and i really don't understand why, even the interiors i prefer to newer cars
pretty similar mods too - MCA comfort coilovers (try them, brands like Tein cannot even begin to compare), conservative 17psi tune /w intake and exhaust
i really reckon the comfort oriented coilovers suit the car well because they maintain that ability to drive too quickly over poor surfaces
There's a used Subaru in my country that cost like 10.5k (7750$ USD), with less price being 8.8k (6500$ USD). Thinking of saving up money for it cause Subaru is a beautiful car with a satisfying engine sound.
This vid def tapped in to my high school self. The nostalgia with these beasts!
The nostalgia is real mate! Embrace it!
Had a GF8 stolen 3 years ago now never got it back, but it had those exact speedlines on it. Miss that car, but my GC8 now fills the void :)
I'm one of those idiots that beats the hell out if his gc8 like it was meant to be driven..
Which is possibly one of the most satisfying and entertaining things a human can do.
Is there air bags in the back of them
No, only in the front glovebox and steering wheel. 2 only, none in doors etc.
By any means, if got chance, get the gc8. None in the market today can replace gc8 !
Totally mate
Lotus Carlton has more of that 'outrun the police' legend than the WRX 🤣
We never received the Carlton in Australia mate so our cops never had to attempt to catch a Carlton. Lucky for them I'm guessing.
@@ReDriven haha I know we didn't have it but it was world renowned for that
@@r8malooman Bloody wished we received them, what a thing.
Just recently purchased a GF8 and I couldn’t love it more. It is my daily driver too. I traded the 5 speed transmission for a 6 speed and it has made so much difference. It’s just a wonderful car.
Love the video!
Hello, the GOLF´s Weigt is 252 Kg heavier than mine Subaru ( That is 3,36 more people in the car ).
Sorry Mister, YOU have to learn Your Math before Giving Wrong information.
Be more presise, Remember : These are PERFORMANCE CARS !!!
This is only PROFESSIONAL advice
TK🇳🇴
German cars are heavy, jewlery, and made for "girls2, This is a "boyracer"., if it rattles too much, it´s owned by people who don´t took care of it !!!
The fuel economy is GOOD for these kind of cars.
Hallo man Make a new video of this MASTEWRPICE of a car, U don´t know nothing, or U are fan of thos"hitlercars "🤣
TK🇳🇴
1:25 That's not....entirely...accurate. We got the 2.5RS. Same car for the most part, except the EJ20 (came with an EJ253, which is SOHC)
No bells and whistles, just perfection. One of these would compliment my gda. :-).
My first wrx is 2004 GD, and when I drove the GC I find the chasis flex too much. I say style maybe better in the GC, but when it comes to performance newer is better.
I declined to put coilovers in mine My94 because they cars doesn't need it, just new standard KYBs for mine are great on the streets.
7:30 As a Czech watching an Australian (I guess it is thanks to the accent) video, I expected alot of things, but not a Škoda Octavia lol.
I own a MY98 WRX. The car you are testing is a MY99 which was manufactured in 1998.
The only thing I hate about owning mine is after 20 years of ownership, factory parts are almost non existent. Whenever I call the stealership up, I'm probably going to be told the part is discontinued and then I have two options. Modify it my way or try to score one from Japan. That is usually costly so I have been making parts for mine for years
Unmolested... it's crazy it's a world wide problem, people just beat these cars and I'm not saying you can't vermont sports car and others know what they are doing but most people who drive these cars don't
Thanks for that great video. These things are nuts. I had an MY99 that I bought new, sold that after 2 years and bought an MY98 that I modded and kept for 9 years. Sold it in 2010 after I removed the VF22, exhaust, AVCR and Power FC. I missed it so much that, well, I’ve just bought it back again a few days ago! Still has the ALK, strut brace, sway bar and Apexi Power Intake that I put in it. The first drive home brought all the memories flooding back about just how capable these things are even in fairly stock form. Have a few jobs to do on it, fix the mirror switch that doesn’t work, find new remotes, install new head unit, remove the disconnected boot cd 12 stacker that I put in it in 2001, attend to the low fuel light that’s not working and get a new pod filter on it. Other than that she’s still looking great. ❤
Which planet are you from, you dont Even dessert to sit in these kind of cars, buy yourself a new Rav 4, a greate car buy the way 🤣
And the experienced answer is……., YEEEEEEEES !
❤️🇮🇹🇯🇵🇳🇴🇸🇪🇬🇧
TK
I always wanted 1, even now I still do. But I drove an 04 Forester XT and was a little disappointed with it. Felt it lacked personality and engine seemed a bit boring in anything other than mid range.
Still I am keen to drive a GC8 just to see what they are like and I like the GF8 wagons also.
They’re great, I owned a MY00 took it too MRT in Sydney and a few $$$ later and I had 350hp and ran 11.5s all day long and drove it to work every day 👌
A+ review... Go the GC8!!!
Beautiful vehicle.
Take me back to the late 90s/early 00s.
I wonder what the record on replacement gearboxes, as I'm sure they were made out of glass.
Can you find and review a Nissan Pulsar GTIR please?
And a Toyota Avalon
And a Mitsubishi 300
And a Nissa Exa
And a Toyota Sera
And a Mazda MX6
And a Sirion GTI
And a Honda Prelude
And a Mitsubishi GTO/3000GT
And a Mitsubishi FTO
And a Nissan 300ZX
And a Nissan NX
And a Ford Cougar
And a Ford Ka
And a Mitsubishi Galant
And a Civic Del Sol
And a Ford Capri
And a Mazda MX3
And a Celica GT4
And a Chrysler Crossfire
And a AU Falcon
And a VN Commodore
Please 🍻
Jay, what a list mate and YES, all of these are already on our to do list. Now it's just a matter of finding them to review. - AK
I definitely subscribed. This review was both thorough and to the point, information was well presented and I got an answer to every question I needed. I'll be watching your content for sure
I am in the market for one to park next to my 18 STI. I'd love one from every gen some day.
I’ve had my jdm Gc8 since 2008 and love it still and will never sell it.
You forgot to check the cubby on the dash for holes. Thats where my gauges are😂
The E30/E36 has encountered a potential rival.
I have a v3 type r sti yes the prices are very high now around 25/30 k
Gbp so I might have to sell mine lol
I drove my GC cross country and (accidentally) got it airborne and she still runs so good 20 years later!
That particular car with those rims looks amazing.
No idea where on Mars you're looking to find one for 1500 to 3000 not even imprezas from the same generation sell for that
Ive got a 1993 Subaru WRX jdm, got mine for 1,200 she’s got a little rust but I love her
When we shot this there were a few available for 1500 to 3000, actually a great mate of mine bought one for $2k. But that was long before COVID and before the prices went very north.
$8000 in Japan 244000km white
The only thing I dislike about the gc8 is I don’t own one. I do however have a 2019 WRX .... and I am not even a single dad.... just a dad who has done the family SUV thing and wanted a bit of fun.... great channel, great format... just a great refreshing presentation... keep it up 👍🏻
Oh Darren thanks so much mate! Bloody appreciate the kind words and congrats on the WRX.
I remember the insurance premium was through the roof back in the day. Similar priced cars were around $400-600 to insure, this thing cost $2500!. Is it still the case?
I pay $65 for my 1999 sti
Camry V6 is more exciting than golf GTI/R
So you review your own car, *THIS CAR* , pretend like its not yours and now you are selling it?
I knew this was a bit scammy with old mate saying "you should pick one up....."
Ah yes, a grand scheme. 3.5 years in the making
Love my 2 door GC8 97 STi TypeR, it has no toys or driver aids, or very much in the way of safety. It does have electric windows, what else do you need :) It smells of fuel, oil and blown gasses, noisy, bumpy and driving faster than 60mph and it’s a noise fest. It’s a car with so much more character than any of the newer mobile coffins on the road today.
Colin, we're very jealous! - AK
I love your videos but the Jim bit is sooooo untrue. 5 Spd gearbox made of glass, any multitude of gasket leaks. Lots go wrong.
Heya Julie. Firstly, thank you for the compliment, we do really appreciate it.
We do a fair bit of research before shooting these and both Jim and I know of many owners that are still on their original gearboxes and head gaskets that have had zero issues. It's no coincidence that these WRX's are basically unmodified and driven by more mature owners and while the gearboxes are the first thing to go if modified heavily and driven in anger regularly, if respected, they do show great longevity.
I have a friend that has a 97 WRX, has well over 300,000kms on it and is now his hill climb car. Still on the original box and the engine has run faultlessly. He is deep in his 60's, has never launched it aggressively and it's holding up extremely well.
Ten years ago I was saying these are already classics.
one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
Whats the difference between a gc8 and gc2
Smells like soy sauce and bong water
This guy is showing you how to buy a perfectly immaculate 25 year old performance car. I don't think that's reasonable unless your willing to pay as much or even more as a brand new wrx
The video is about the entire GC8 generation, not just the particular example in the video
Mine is a daily driver with 390000+, yes over 390thosuand on the clock, retains its factor speed limiter and will still turn heads at shows, and is a joy to drive everyday. Best money I ever spend to buy one after years of having very crappy cars. If one came up again that were affordable, it'd be mine!
Sheeesh I thought my chassis with 250k miles was high 😂
Love this mate
Nice review, I've owned a 99 WRX for 19 years and it's still running better than ever. No longer a daily for the last 9 years and the only mods are a 3in TBE and tune with only 155kw atw. Woke the car up and made it much better to drive from the huge increase in torque. I'm interested to hear what brand coilovers you have and if you would recommend them for a weekender.
Cheers
Hi Fred. Thanks for watching, commenting and the kind words. The coilers are Tein Flex Z and I'll be honest, I wish they were more compliant. They're incredible on smooth roads but around here, they can be too firm.
I love this car. Always wanted one. Always will. So hard for me to find one :(
100% mate
It’s a rally car what do you expect
Really bad video. I wanted to know engine cleches, body problems and such specific for this car, the first 8 minutes is info about any second hand car.
Cheers!
WHY WOULDNT YOU WANNA BUY THIS?!
EXACTLY MATE!!!!
i call them Subaru lawnmowers
817 Bertram Ridges
Who do you use to insure it? I’m considering getting a gc8 but the insurers I’ve looked at so far will only insure it for 3-4k
Shannons Kevin. - AK
+1 for Shannon’s
Lol them good old days
I've chopped heaps of gtis in my old one hit 250kms just like that
Well done mate and hey, thanks for watching and commenting.
Sold mine 94 wrx few years ago planning on picking one up soon 🤞🏽
Do it soon! Prices are going sky high mate!
@@ReDriven its crazy how the prices have went up, hopefully picking it up this week
how reliable was it for you im looking at potentially picking up a 1996 gf8 wrx wagon with 161000 km stock other then an exhaust
@@cieldhanda7469 one i had was heavily modified so it wasnt very reliable, if its stock and well taken care of it should be reliable. Try to get service/maintenance records.
if they never been modified they can go pretty far. i own a 99 gc8 wrx with a cool 310 000km on it, and a 96 gf8 wrx with "just" 280 000km. both run great :-) both are turbo and both have modified exhausts. ive put on 60 000km on the gc8 and i only had to change the IACV
Love the vid, I've been looking at gummy & carsales non stop contemplating getting a gc8 since im a huge 22b fan its the closest thing i'll get.
Here's an idea. What about importing a 2 door Impreza RS body shell from the US and putting WRX running gear and interior in it? Maybe some pumped guards while you're at it?
My vok OU praat oor die kar nie jou ma nie😂
I first purchased my 2002 GDA bugeye WRX new in 2003 and sold it in 2008, I purchased it back in 2015 from the then third owner, he spent 9K rebuilding the engine to STI spec with forged pistons, rods and forged steel crank but the car was sill bog stock standard. 3 weeks ago it was dyno tested after a new turbo, ECU and other work, 201.6 Kw and 350.4 NM at the wheels,
This car still looks bog standard and is a GTI killer sleeper