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What's the best WRX to buy for less than $15,000?


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Background: I am sixty plus years old and have always wanted a sports car.  Money has been saved up for this several times in my life , but family needs have wiped it out each time. I figure that if I don't get it soon, I will never get it.  I love the two Subaru cars I have had ( 87 Turbo wagon and 98 Legacy Outback Station wagon ) so I think a WRX is a logical next step.  Whats the best year to get?  Any year that I should avoid because of problems?  I would love to get a new one, but I know that I would never be able to afford one without something happening to wipe out the car fund before I could buy it.  So I have $15,000 to spend now.  What would be the best bang for my buck (preferably with a stick shift).

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Hi,

I'm guessing that since you live in/near the Rocky Mtns in CO,  Subaru's keep their value. $15K will probably get you into a 2010 or older Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan 4D, Mileage: 65,000, based on a KBB.com Private Party value. Expect to pay $1500+ more from a Dealer. But I'd recommend keeping $2K in reserve for unexpected repairs.

 

My thoughts:

 

The most important thing you want to do is get it thoroughly checked out - expect to spend a few HUNDRED DOLLARS to do this right.....yeah, sounds like a lot, but a blown engine, tranmission, etc. will be THOUSANDS to repair.

 

- I recommend a Compression and Leak Down test to verify the engine and valves are healthy.

- Do a hydrocarbon test to (hopefully) see if the head gaskets are leaking.

 

- Over a 100K, the turbo's get tired and aren't cheap to replace  -unless you do your own work.

 

- Clutches are another maintenance item.

 

If you're buying from a Private Party - Craigslist - make sure they have PROOF of any repairs done....word of mouth doesn't cut it.

 

Assuming you know buying used from a dealer is no better than a private party -just more $$ (and generally easier paperwork, too...but not worth the extra cost).

 

Get an Autocheck or Carfax to verify the # of owners. Unless it stayed 'in the family', more than 2 owners is getting risky, as one of them could've thought WRX = Rally Car!

 

There are a # of recalls on certain years...if they're NOT done, that indicates a lack of maintenance, IMHO....keep looking.

 

GL,

Td

Edited by wtdash
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wtdash,

 

Appreciate the info.  I have a friend looking for a car for me down south ( out a South Carolina) because as you said, Subaru's hold their value well in the Rocky Mountains.  A little too well.  I bought my last Subaru from a dealer in South Carolina for way less than I could get one out here (including shipping).  I think, following your advise, I should shoot for a $10,000 dollar range and keep the other $5000 in reserve for inspection/repair..  If I find anything out there that looks good, I will have my friend do the basic check out. If he says it's a go, I will arrange for a Subaru specialty shop in the area to do the checks you describe

 

I am definitely not looking for a Rally car.  My hot rodding days ended in the 1970's ( still have my 1973 Challenger from back then in the shop.)  I'm just looking for a moderately priced, fairly fast car I can ride off into the sunset with.  Picked a Subaru SRX because it has to do well in the snow up here.  I still have to earn a living, so I went with Subaru because of their dependability.

 

Were any earlier year cars a dog compared to the others?

Edited by CATM93
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The '02-'05 had the EJ205 - 2.0 liter. It's known to spin bearings, and also the tranny is supposedly weaker...but I'm of the opinion the trans last just fine if you don't drag race/side-step/dump the clutch @ every stoplight. The STi has the more durable 6-speed if needed.

 

'06-'14 (?) had the EJ255 - 2.5 liter. It's the same that was used in the Baja turbo, Forester XT, Outback XT and Legacy GT. ...remember there's a lot of interchangeability between Subaru models. They have ringland issues (usually #4), and misfires due to ......well, lots of causes.  Do some research on NASIOC for the WRX, and SubaruForester.org for the XT.

 

Something else to consider - get a ProTune for the ECU. The stock Subaru tune can use some help...and you don't have to do this for more power (although it's a nice side-benefit), just for to keep the engine a little safer. Finding a good tuner is key,  so ask around.

 

And just to be extra clear, although I've modified a few Subaru turbos, I'm not a huge fan due to all the issues I've read about - and personally experienced (blown ringlands  on a '04 Forester XT and HG issues on a '02 WRX, respectively).....obviously forums favor the 'issues' as people come to them to find answers, which doesn't account for all the happy drivers that didn't have issues....but still....

 

Td

 

P.s. My uncle has a '69 440 Coronet - owned since new, and a friend is working on a '67 Dart.

Edited by wtdash
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Best advice would be to find the cleanest, best maintained, adult owned car you can.  As mentioned, you will want a very detailed inspection, preferably by a shop who is intimately familiar with these cars.  If you see ANY signs of modification, run away.  These cars can hold up well with the proper care, but careless owners who make modifications without researching or doing things in the correct order can quickly do damage that may not show up for a while, even with an inspection (Read: crank bearings and ring lands).  Intakes without a complementary tune are the absolute worst, and will tell you immediately if the owner knows what they're doing.

 

The myth of the transmissions being made of glass is just that.  A myth.  We have raced my '02 WRX ("Weakest" trans in the series) since day one and it is still going strong with over 120k on it.

 

Brakes are solid, as are suspensions (if the front control arm recall been performed) and the chassis don't rust any faster than a normal car.


The paint is very thin and soft, just something to be aware of.

 

2008 is the year to avoid, if any.  First year of the new body style and pretty limp wristed vs. the 2009+.

 

2002s will probably be the collector car in the future, if you're interested in that aspect.

 

 

 

Notice I haven't mentioned the STI once.  I would prefer to recommend that model, but to buy one that won't cause trouble, it would be out of your price range.  Maybe not, but that would be the one to buy, '05-07.

 

 

I'll add more as I think of it...

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carfreak85,

 

Thanks for the info.  I am going to forward your and wtdash's inputs to my friend in South Carolina so he will know what to look for also.  Again, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with me.

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