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Looking at buying a WRX, advice please!


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Don't walk, RUN away.

 

Salvage title! "stocked" engine?!?

Aftermarket fenders, front bumper, wheels, spray painted hood scoop.

 

That screams Impreza wagon with aftermarket body panels to make it look like a WRX.

 

They couldn't even be bothered to park it in an empty parking lot to take the pictures.

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Don't walk, RUN away.

 

Salvage title! "stocked" engine?!?

Aftermarket fenders, front bumper, wheels, spray painted hood scoop.

 

That screams Impreza wagon with aftermarket body panels to make it look like a WRX.

 

They couldn't even be bothered to park it in an empty parking lot to take the pictures.

 

Well, a salvage title doesn't bother me overly much i am not going to fully insure this car anyway, if i wreck and its my fault then ill buy another car, if its not my fault then i still get money right? I am curious how you can tell the bumper/fenders are not original?

Could i not just check the VIN number to see if its a real WRX? I would believe that the car got stolen and recovered with no engine in it. And Bozeman hardly has empty parking lots. Not disagreeing just asking.

 

Well i went and saw him anyway, because i already had the meeting set up. Im glad i did, everything that seemed shady was really just an utter lack of car knowledge. He is an honest seeming young guy, parents bought him his car when he got into college and now he is moving to go to bible school and selling his old car. I think im going to do it.

Edited by Razorthirty
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I have an '02 WRX, so maybe my ownership experience can give you some insight.

 

First of all, expect to have to replace your engine at some point. The EJ205 has a known problem with spinning crankshaft bearings, the failure comes down to not having enough oil capacity for how much power is produced from those 2.0 liters. STis and other 2.5L subies also have this problem, but they have a superior oil pan design that helps mask some of the other minor oiling issues in the EJ engine family.

 

Moving on from the engine, early transmissions have a bad reputation for being made from "glass". I've autocrossed my car for years (no real drag racing to speak of) and the trans is trouble free. The SPT short shift kit really gives a great feel to the shift action. The lack of a front LSD in non-STis will hurt high-power and offroad performance.

 

The stock suspension and brakes are adequate and the suspension has quite a bit of travel at the stock height (8 inches total travel in the rear), but the H6 rear brake upgrade is a low investment, high reward upgrade if your car ever needs a brake job. Wheel bearings will wear more quickly if rallied.

 

The bodies and interior are solid and durable, but there was no AUX input in the stereo until 2007. The paint is pitifully thin on all WRXs and 02-03 front wheel well skirts break every ski season and are a pretty poor design to begin with.

 

My advice with WRXs and any other car is to save your money, be patient and find the nicest, most stock, lowest mileage, best documented one owner car you can find. It will save you innumerable headaches down the road. If you do buy one, the first mod should be a catless uppipe. If the pre-turbo cat fails, it will take your turbo with it.

Edited by carfreak85
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 Thanks all, i appreciate the advice very much, it may all be moot anyway as there is someone that saw it before that may or may not pay him the full asking price on monday. I have little interest in hard driving or rally cross, more highway acceleration and a bit of easy snow/dirt play. May keep looking/saving, only want to buy it once after all (rather then 'purchasing' it again in repair costs).

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Well, a salvage title doesn't bother me overly much i am not going to fully insure this car anyway, if i wreck and its my fault then ill buy another car, if its not my fault then i still get money right? I am curious how you can tell the bumper/fenders are not original?

Could i not just check the VIN number to see if its a real WRX? I would believe that the car got stolen and recovered with no engine in it. And Bozeman hardly has empty parking lots. Not disagreeing just asking.

 

Well i went and saw him anyway, because i already had the meeting set up. Im glad i did, everything that seemed shady was really just an utter lack of car knowledge. He is an honest seeming young guy, parents bought him his car when he got into college and now he is moving to go to bible school and selling his old car. I think im going to do it.

Looked like there were holes in the fenders, but now I see those are where the turn signal/side marker lamps should be. (Why are they removed?)

I'm weary of any car that has been modified because you just have no idea what the owner or previous owners have done to it.

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Looked like there were holes in the fenders, but now I see those are where the turn signal/side marker lamps should be. (Why are they removed?)

I'm weary of any car that has been modified because you just have no idea what the owner or previous owners have done to it.

They aren't removed, they are the aftermarket tinted lenses. Or blacked out. 

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