As you all might now I had an sti 7 for a time of 4 weeks during march/april. This car came to a bad end which involved the engine seizeing and box jamming. The car was sold to David from API Engineering at obviously a substancial loss. I asked David to keep me updated on progress out of a matter of interest. I contacted trading standards and legal advice who explained that if the car was any different to advertised I could claim off the seller. A few days later I had the call from David stating that the engine was incorrect for the car and the propshaft was off a 93 auto wrx. I have today concluded negotiations with the seller and accepted compensation for my losses or take court action. Below is the report David from Api provided me with for proof. Let this be a lesson for anyone who is buying private. I scrimped on the AA check which could have saved me a lot of money, time and effort. The seller might not know what is being sold but the buyer is protected by law.

Please see the following report on your car that we have compiled whilst working on it.

The engine fitted to the car is completely wrong for that year and age. The correct engine type is EJ207 DW3CR fitted was EJ205 NW1KD.

EJ205 NW1KD is from a UK 99/00 spec 211 horsepower version. This information is gained from bar codes fitted to the rear of the nearside cylinder head and also on the timing cover. Some work has been done to disguise the engine such as fitting of the variable valve timing equipment. The power derived from the correct type of STi Subaru engine is mostly by the computer and the turbocharger. The problems occur when the standard engine innards, pistons and so on, are unable to cope any longer with the levels of boost generated by the STi equipment and fail, which is what we suspect to have happened to your incorrect engine.

We have now fitted EJ207 DW3CR.

There is also an undetermined fault with the gearbox. We have large pieces of metal swarf on the drain plug magnet and it is very stiff to turn. It may be connected to the fact that the correct prop shaft is missing and one labelled with scrap yard type writing is fitted. The writing indicates WRX 93 Automatic !! The 'wrong' shaft is obvious when you look down the driveline under the car. It takes a non straight route down the tunnel: facing to the left until the centre support and then turning to the right from there to the axle. This will cause driveline vibration and place extra strain on the rear bearings of the gearbox which might be where the metal swarf is from.

The repair bill for the engine work is £3250 plus VAT. Recovery from South Wales to our premises is £160.00 plus VAT.

An estimate for the cost to repair the 6 speed gearbox is indeterminate until we have it stripped, but could be quite expensive depending upon damage found A new propshaft for a 6 speed car is £523.00 plus VAT.

Thanks David or I would have never have know and lost thousands

 

Thanks Chris, As I've said on here before - ' Jes doin' our job!! ' .

API champions for the consumer !!

David API

 

I doubt even the AA would have picked that kind of thing up in their surveys.
Don't suppose this was a JDM STi that was being sold in Manchester by any chance?

Nick

 

That is shocking. I hope you are successful in obtaining appropriate redress from the company/individual who sold you the car Chris. Was it a trader, or an individual?

 

Private seller, not from manchester, he says he did not know anything about the wrong parts but did refund me money lost on the vehicle. Im not here to bad mouth him or anything could just be bad luck. Im just glad its sorted, but am deffinately after another asap, hopefully a trader this time with a warrenty

 

Not the guy selling this car by any chance?

 

No, was thinking of bidding for that myself, lovely aint it

 

So what happened to the STi7 engine and gearbox? Was it a crash repair with any old bits that would fit? Did the engine blow and they sourced the std UK '99 engine instead? So many questions...

F

 

Well, not quite, that's why I mentioned it, and just as well you didn't bid in the circumstances, as you could have done without two bouts of bad luck on the spin. The pictures clearly indicate that it isn't what the seller claims it is.

It was advertised as an STi Type R, when it clearly isn't an STi...

Not saying it isn't a nice car, but it's still a case of false advertising.

 

Hi,

Do you rememer talking to me a few months ago about your car? I'm glad that you have something sorted out on your old one. It did not smell right when i looked into buying it before you did.

We have a JDM STI on the way should be here in early June. Considering the problems you have had I am willing to offer you a no quibble money back guarantee on the car, you can then take it to however you like to get it checked over (API David?).

Also you can check out the last one we sold with the customer WRXMARK
m.owen2@ntlworld.com.
http://wrx.co.uk/pages/STOCK9-2.htm

Lee Jeffery
http://www.wrx.co.uk

 

Yeh, its a WRX type R, not many people know they exist, the seller could have made a mistake though.

Lee.

 

Theres no way the AA would have spotted that.....