S204 v spec c

scoobysub

Well-known member
ISDC Club Member
Well it's 6 months since the spec c landed in the yard to take over as the daily driver from the s204 and I guess it time to compare the 2.

While the the s204 was great it was too good of a car for daily use. Not so much the driving of it but leaving it in car parks and doors banged off it and bumpers Brushing off it, luckily nothing serious happened a few Mark in the front bumper and 3/4 door dings being the worst .

Before the spec c was bought I had only driven 1 which was a blob but didn't take much notice of anything at the time only the enjoyment of driving it .

All you hear about spec c cars are , there a really raw car to drive every day , no sound deadening , you'll hear every stone bounce off the underbody as there's no underseal and the road noise in the cabin was a lot louder that normal model cars . And it's more suited to track days and Weekend blasts


The truth is Forget what what everyone says , most lads who say the above have never driven the cars Back to back . They are and amazing every day car . A car that can be driven every day of the week with no issues . Apart from the performance side and I will get to that in a minute, the only draw back that could be said is that at over 120kph there a wind noise from under the bonnet and you can hear the gear box a bit more than normal But that's it everything else is perfect . A/c, e/w, yes it's missing boot lining. There's No boot release at the floor only key opening . There's a really small sunroof in it :icon_grin: etc etc

performance wise it's perfect 2.0 twin scroll 300bhp/340torque . Yes it be more with decat and bigger exhaust but it's quick enough as it and nct legal so it's a perfect compromise. Compared to the S204 the spec c is not as raw from 3500 revs on , yes it pulled very hard but the 204 just feels more aggressive . But I suspect if you were driving either Car on track or in a straight line drag race There would be very little in it .

The biggest thing you you notice about a spec c it is how light the doors and panels are . It's really really noticeable when you close the door how thin the metal in them is . It's easy see where they got there 90/120 kg weight saving from .

So thats it there a great every day car that can be used like any other car regardless of what the internet tells you :thumbsup:
 
Photo of the 2
 

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in my own opinon, 2 of the best models Subaru ever made .

it' gone a bit wonky since 2007 for fast scoobies over here .

best colour 2 :clap:
 
You forgot to mention that the two of them will help remove your license in a week if you don’t behave!
Oh and they eat Petrol, lots of petrol!!!
Even cruising in 6th it’s reving it’s head off way over 3k RPM.

Two serious cars though, mine was my daily for many years and I never had any issue.
Internet talks a lot of crap in my opinion about the Spec C as a daily.
It’s grand especially if it’s standard trim, very quiet I thought.
 
2 cracking cars the last of the good impreza models, I said it before newage jdm is the way forward

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great to hear a review from someone with more skin in the game
than a motor journo. unusual too to drive back to back.

Final edition is a bit underwhelming alright. same as the focus rs. i think people said the same about the rs500 too.but they go for insane money niw so who knows in the future.

do the recaro seats come with the spec c if youre selling it joe
 
Your right graham it's way too easy to press the pedal :icon_grin:



@paul for the right price anything can be included , there a great seat
 
Very nice joe and as above, by far the best drivers impreza ever made, wide track 2.0L specials.

Wrap that s204 in bubble wrap and watch it triple if not more in value.
 
Great write up Joe

Had the pleasure of driving em both 2 stunning motors

Good job[emoji122][emoji122]

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Joe, one or two questions if you don't mind.

Which car would you have if you could only have one, from a drivers point of view?

Is the Ariel on the s204 built into the front screen?

And regardless of price tag ATM would you take a swap of a good 22b in exchange from your choice from above?
 
Would have to be the s204 Johnny .

For a few reasons . Firstly , For the rawness and pull out of the engine . From 3500 revs to 8000 The response you have from it is like nothing Iv had in any subaru before . On paper there not a lot between them but in reality the 204 feels way sharper more of a bite .

Secondly is the steering feel in the 204 and the way it changes direction even at low speeds . While I'm still trying to make the spec c handle the same it's not there yet . I have fitted the suspension from a 30klm Ra-r to the spec c which is the same as s204 apart for the 4 way adjustable settings . Which has improved it greatly the sharpness is still not there .

The only other differance in them is the the 2 Yamaha adjustable damping bars at the front lower And and rear strut tower. And I suspect that they make vast differance . I plan on swapping them over to see is there a differance before I buy As they are between 800/1000 euros for the 2 .


Yes the Ariel is built into the glass on the 204 like the legacys . Its a weight thing on the spec c so it's on the drivers pillar .

That's a tough question .

the 22b looks better than any Impreza every made , and nothing will come close to how aggressive is looks just parked there . But from a driving point of view the s204 would be way ahead of it in terms of performance and handling . Then again they are nearly 8 years apart .

It depends on what you want really 22b for looks s204 for go.


regarding the current prices of some limited edition cars . Some people seem to forget It's because there are limited numbers of them is why the command the prices . It's not because a 22b is worth 100k as a car it's not . It's the fact that there was only 400 made and maybe only 300 left that commands the 100k price tag when there 4/500 people around the world looking for them .
 
wrx > sti > spec-c > s204 > RA-R


does price reflect performance increase in equal measurement .

ie,how much would it cost to make an sti have equal performance (handling,speed)to the spec-c/s204 or does the "badge and limited number exculusivity" make it viewed in a higher regard .

do insurance companys recognise them as different ,price vary from a sti hawk/s204 for a quote
 
People who find Spec C harsh, are people who would find classics in general harsh, especially Type r’s And STi’s
I can’t say I ever found the Spec C any more rawer or harsh feeling than a Type r or something like a V5-v6 STI
Definitely a far superior car, but in saying that any form of a JDM Widetrack are a serious performer out of the factory, so I can only imagine with a bit off suspension tweaking like what Joe is messing with, they would be a god alternative if the budget wasn’t there for the limited editions
 
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No is the simple anser Ross . Price does not reflect performance . Ra-r are making a lot more than an s204 . Why I don't know from a driver point of view .
Ra-r has the s204 engine and suspension fitted in a spec c shell with standard seats, optional spoiler and 6 pot brembo calipers . No limited edition number or badge which will affect it in years to come as lads try to pass off spec c cars as Ra-r .

The differance in performance between all models is not huge

wrx- sti big gap hugely noticeable
sti -spec c. Yes Noticeable with the weight reduction in the spec c
spec c-s204. Lighter car V better engine Noticeable but Not Huge
S204 v Ra-r Same engine v lighter car not much in it

based on cars doing laps of a track , I don't think there would be much in it .


It cost more that you think to get there as most as most of the parts your buying are limited edition .Ra-r shocks 1500 , Yamaha dampening bars 1000. Seats if you can get them 3/5000 . Reason I went for recaro cs seats . Yes you can get after market parts at a fraction of the cost but in my opinion and it's just my opinion there is no replacement for sti parts in certain areas be that shocks v coilovers , Or what ever .

You can can make an standard sti faster than a ra-r or s204 for around 1000/1500 with a remap and a few parts But it's the overall package your paying for when buying .

Depends on the insurance company. I always have an agreed value on the car so there fully aware what it is and what it's worth . And it's not a 11 year old car worth 4K
 
Serious cars Joe, getting harder to get every year goes by.
Jdm spec c blob or hawk, would ideally the way id be going but prob insurance depending unfortunately.

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Stunning collection of scoobies you have Joe, not a bad start to any day getting into a spec c, like that.

Enjoy them both????
 
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