Anybody there?

[Frenchie]

Never known it so quiet on here. One current user,me. 4 users only in the last 24 hrs. Did Covid kill SES. Very sad.

[Bull]

I still pop on now and again despite have no scooby anymore. And hows terry..?

[Frenchie]

Hello Mate,we are good here in France with the Sti,well maintained roads,very little traffic and even less speed cameras. How are you??

[HYDROSCOBY]

Hi, I come on some times but yeah I would say that this group has had it's hayday. The fb group is also not posted on either. Shame really

[Red Baron]

Not sure what everyone is expecting really, most of us have invested as much as they want to in their cars so nothing to report, they're getting rarer so fewer new owners coming along asking questions, I'm not going to post photos of my annual oil change and MOT, everyone is busy with work etc, we're all getting older and free time is spent with family. Personally I've spent more money on holidays, the house, garden, vinyl and garden tools in the last 18 months than I've spent on cars and that includes replacing my daily, can post photos of an Audi A4 diesel estate if anyone's interested but dont think there would be much of a response. I think the pandemic has made people realise their are different things they can be doing and people have taken on a lot of new hobbies, I'm happy sat on a beach with a fishing rod or up the Archery field when I'm not out gardening.
As for the roads, traffic and speed cameras, it is what it is, there's ups and downs to living in the UK but work, family and friends make it a lot more appealing to me than anywhere abroad.

Although quiet Facebook does see a little more traffic because 99% of people use it, sharing photos, videos etc is easy, no messing about with file sharing sites and having to copy and paste links, only issue is trying to track down historical posts which is where the forum does work.
SES isn't alone, even huge sites like Scabbynet only get about 10 posts a day, I remember when there used to be about 50 parts for sale posts a day with hundreds across the entire forum. I've just checked P1WOC for the first time in over a month, 14 posts and 9 of them are by the forum owner so hardly active.
It is sad, there is a lot of work gone into this forum by admin and members over the years but unfortunately things move on, I'll certainly continue to check in but won't be posting for the sake of it.

Just my view and fully prepared to be shot down if anyone has a different view, I don't for one minute believe the lack of activity is due to people not being interested, they're just busy doing other things with other priorities.

Shane

[Steve_PPP]

Thanks Shane. Saved me pretty much saying the same thing. Pretty much every forum is dead these days.

Scoobs are getting rare now. I haven't seen one on the roads in my daily travels/commute in weeks. The rotters are all failing MOTs and getting scrapped/broken for parts and the nice ones are tucked away rarely getting used.

There just isn't the influx of new members replacing those members who have moved on from scoobs, or drifted away over the years. Yes, some regulars keep popping back, despite not having had a scoob for ages. But that's only because they have become good friends with others here. During the good times!

[Frenchie]

That makes quite grim reading Shane,but unfortunately most of what you say is true. Definitely all getting older. Have to disagree about living abroad though, here in Normandie the roads are very well maintained, very few speed cameras and traffic is minimal. I cycle a lot and rarely bothered by traffic. Most of the summer we have family and friends staying,so that ticks that box. Return to England less and less due mainly to the levels of traffic which make going anywhere a chore. Driving here is still a pleasure. Of course not everyone can up sticks and move to another country. Must say I still have happy memories of SES, anyone remember the early morning meets prior to a tunnel run in London!!!!

[nikkinokkinoo]

Not sure scoobs seem to have the depth of following of the likes of the ford RS where people seem to be brand loyal until the end. I wouldn't mind getting back into one but gone a bit honda and a bit BMW. S204 would be nice.

[Frenchie]

Now retired, with money to spend ,seriously looking at a Lamborghini Huracan. Mind would always keep the STi. My concern with the Huracan is the size.

[nikkinokkinoo]

Originally Posted by Frenchie

Now retired, with money to spend ,seriously looking at a Lamborghini Huracan. Mind would always keep the STi. My concern with the Huracan is the size.

Nice, big fan of these on the list + GT3 RS, 488 and maybe a McLaren but the relibility bugs me. I think this era of time could be one to get into a super car which will never be seen again. V10 sounds amaz - only live once.

[Frenchie]

Thanks Mate for your support, will show your message to my Wife who is not to happy. Mind I've had a couple of helicopter flying lessons and she is definitely not j'en on a helicopter.

[tbtstt]

I still try and log on once a week but, as has already been said, forums seem to be dying off in general. Considering how many (and how busy) the Subaru forums used to be a few years ago, there are hardly any left now.

Facebook seems to have taken over for most but, despite the fact that most on there are posting with real names, I find it way less personal than a good forum.

I find myself using Discord more than anything now; I have found a few good channels on there for motorsport and the conversation on there has the same feel (to me anyway) of the peak period of forums.

Originally Posted by Frenchie

Now retired, with money to spend

Originally Posted by Frenchie

Mind I've had a couple of helicopter flying lessons and she is definitely not j'en on a helicopter.

If you want to spend money then helicopters are definitely the right hobby!

[Neil97rs]

I generally look in the forum every few days but dont have much to post as done nothing on mine this year

[Scott.T]

I haven't changed my coil springs in years. Things must of changed

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Neil97rs

I generally look in the forum every few days but dont have much to post as done nothing on mine this year

Same here.

I managed 48 miles in the scoob between MOTs this year

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

If you want to spend money then helicopters are definitely the right hobby!

How you keeping mate? Speaking of spending money, weren't you planning a project to put your newage running gear in a mad classic? Did that ever get off the ground or did rising newage STI prices convince you it was a bad idea to break it?!

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Steve_PPP

How you keeping mate? Speaking of spending money, weren't you planning a project to put your newage running gear in a mad classic? Did that ever get off the ground or did rising newage STI prices convince you it was a bad idea to break it?!

It is still happening! Taken a lot longer to identify and gather the parts then I was expecting, but the project is still moving forward. The aim is still to build an S5 WRC tribute (not going to say "replica", as that term is so overused!), with relatively conventional running gear for practicality/reliability.

Basic shell prep is all done (as close to Prodrive procedures as possible), period cage and fuel system are all designed in CAD, materials obtained for fabricating both of those as well. Need to do another research trip to take more pictures/measurements of an S5 boot floor as there is a cut out there to accommodate the fuel cell. There are references to a Prodrive panel to go in there, but more exact dimensions are needed to reproduce that.

I have an S5 WRC intercooler ready to go in and I finally got round to picking up some bumper bars last week. Got pretty much everything needed to make the shell water tight now, but I am missing a bonnet so I think I'll have to go the carbon route on that one (I saw a aluminium facelift bonnet on Facebook a few nights ago and the guy wanted over £1000 for it!). Debating some other carbon extras as well while I have everything off the car.

I have spent a considerable amount of time trawling images and asking around, but managed to identify the correct lights, dash, harnesses, gators etc. from period. Guess Prodrive used whatever they had around, as the interior is a mix of Legacy, pre-facelift and post-facelift Impreza parts. Found a set of Prodrive seats in Ireland (need to get those to the shell).

The plan is still to break my '05 STi and use the running gear from it, though that does come with its own complications. At the moment the plan is to get the classic shell further along the line before I commit to breaking. The perfect drivetrain swap would really be a bug STi, as that would save a lot of buggering around with hubs and track width. As you say though, rising newage prices mean that picking up a cheap Bug is now a distant memory!

[Frenchie]

Wow,that sounds a major project. Pics would be good when you have time.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Frenchie

Wow,that sounds a major project. Pics would be good when you have time.

I have followed a lot of forum builds over the years and, after seeing so many projects start with a grand vision and then failing, I have been trying to avoid that curse by waiting until things are a bit further along the line before "going public"!

I didn't think the level of detail I'd like would be possible when I first had the idea, but the fabricator is a massive 90's/00's WRC fan, so he is completely onboard with getting things as accurate as possible.

[Steve_PPP]

Great to hear its still happening mate, although I understand what you mean about holding back before starting a build thread - these things take a looooong time!

Surely it still makes more financial sense to find a bit of a tatty bug STI for cheaper than breaking your 05 STI? I remember that was pretty much stock and very clean, if that's still the case it's gotta be worth more to sell on?

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Steve_PPP

Surely it still makes more financial sense to find a bit of a tatty bug STI for cheaper than breaking your 05 STI? I remember that was pretty much stock and very clean, if that's still the case it's gotta be worth more to sell on?

It would make more sense... if I could find a tatty (but suitable) bug STi that wasn't a silly amount! Given how long I have had my car, there is a part of me that thinks using an engine, gearbox etc. that I know the history of is the sensible way to go. It would be a shame to break it though.

I'll be honest I have been so engrossed in part hunting that I haven't committed too much time to looking at donor car(s). Once the fabricator gets stuck in (which I hope will be imminent now we almost have the initial pile of parts), I should have a bit more time to dedicate to part searching.

As frustrating as the increased time frame has been, it has been pretty enjoyable going full nerd on the early Impreza WRCars. Have discovered a lot of (largely useless) facts along the way!