I'm currently helping a mate make the transition from modified wrx to widetrack blob/hawk and we've spotted a hawk spec d at a reasonable price.

Seller is up front and honest about the cosmetic condition of the car but alarmingly has disclosed the cambelt was last done in 2009, 20,000 miles ago.

The price of the car kind of reflects the condition, it needs a fair amount of paintwork, possibly a wing but it does have some nice upgrades like Ksport brakes. Problem is, the lad has a max budget of 8k, with a little room to allow for anything a car might need or his own touches.

I know a few people will say "you could have a (insert car/spec)" but its finding something decent within budget thats proving difficult.

He has no problem paying good money for the right car, his main concern is driving a car 200 miles home on a 7 year old cambelt as sods law says it'll let go. I helped another lad buy a 2 owner spec d from Wrexham last month, 88k, full detailed history, standard car apart from tgv and secondary air pump deletes, £6200. but finding another one similar is going to be very difficult.

All he's looking for is a blob/hawk widetrack with a decent history, overall condition, a few mods/reputable map would be a bonus but not essential, budget up to 8k.

 

I wouldn't risk. It, I think 4 years is the limit for a cam belt so this is almost double that timescale. I don't think I'd even risk 7 year old tyres tbh. Could be bye bye engine time.

 

Cambelt is one of those things that if it fails engines gone so in itself not an issue. Will need one and prob a full kit includes all pulleys and tensioner.

 

Agreed Tidgy, the price he's asking does allow for it having a full kit, water pump etc but it also begs the question about what else has been neglected.

Its a 400 mile round trip to view it, and like I say the seller has been honest regarding the condition of the car. He's saying he wont take less than 7k (spec d hawk with mods), but it need the spoiler, scoop, bumper painting and a replacement or wing repair (£500?) no proof of a map (£450), Cambelt kit + water pump + service/fluids (£600) so this puts the car into the 8's which I still think is a reasonable buy but doesnt paint a great pre-purchase picture

 

Given that the US service schedule for cambelt change is 105months (8.75 years), I doubt if it's a problem.

 

It is always a risk buying any car, especially a sporty car like the STi. The belt is within it's expected life so I would personally take the risk to get a decent car, but this sounds like a rough ****ter to be fair. It's so very easy to be blinkered by the desire for a certain car, and the supply of good ones is both limited and going up in price as a result.

Standard is best, and the 2.5 can really be shagged by crap mapping work...

 

Cambelt would be the last of my worries tbh. However, a 7 year old cambelt in isolation wouldn't put me off at all, I'd change it anyway when I bought it

 

Just checked, UK MY06/07 Hawk has a cambelt change sceduled at 84months (7years)

 

My Spec D service book was 5 years 60k miles It's not a real issue imho, have seen belts last 10 years and still be fine on changing lol, not mine though

 

My cambelt is .......16 years old , as far as I know it's never been replaced

 

My cam belt is 35k and 6 yrs old

If the car has been used regular the rubber should be fine still

 

Belts get brittle with age, regardless of use though.

 

How do you guys live? I have replaced quite a few now including one yesterday on a JDM hawk 9 years old still the same belt, the belt rarely goes its more likely the tensioner that would fail. I bought the misses a 182 which had the cambelt replaced 2k miles previously even had reciept, drove it home 200 miles then next day guess what.... the belt went they never torqued up the idlers and the belt slipped. Ive learned my lesson, but in all honestly if its still the standard belt youll be more than fine if your really that worries take the passenger cam cover off and check condition 👍

 

My cambelt is just shy of 7yrs old, it's also almost 5k over due, my blob WRX has almost 125k on the clock, am I worried? No not in the slightest, why? because Subaru's aren't hard on cam belts, they're not known for snapping them.

All this cambelt bollocks is a throw back to the old days 70's 80's when cambelts used to let go, but these days cambelts are much stronger than they used to be, as above it's the tensioners and idlers that let go and even they are left up to inspection in the service guidelines, as in not necessary to change them on 60k if they are ok.

I have a mate that took a cambelt to over 200km and I personally will start worrying about them when manufactures start putting use by dates on them.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.