Hey guys, I'm new here and not a Subaru owner... yet...

I got offered a Bugeye Impreza WRX (STI?), it has a new engine from a STI that is approximately about 2000km old, it has 300HP and a Turbo. The Gearbox is also quite new and the cars general condition is very good I'd say. I heard the engine running and its excellent. The car is in WRX Blue and has OZ Wheels from the WRC cars. The only con is that the clutch needs to be replaced, but that shouldn't be that much of a problem. The owner said that the former british owner declared the car as just a WRX, but it has all the STI parts, so isn't it basically a STI? (Not to offend anyone here ). Anyway now to the interesting part:
I got the car offered for about 3800€/~2900£/4300$
WRX STI or only WRX, should I do the purchase? Besides the clutch thing the car is in a excellent condition (nothing fishy at all).
Would be nice to hear your opinions, at least to me this actually seems like a very good deal...

Regards

 

Doesn't sound a bad price, what miles has the car done?

I'd want it a tad less with clutch needing doing. that would set you back £300-£400 over hear, more if use uprated clutch.

 

Well, to be completely honest I didnt take a look on it when I was visiting the owner & car (I was astonished and forgot it as the WRX really is my dream car atm), but I remember he said it had low miles as it wasnt used as a daily, more the fun car way. Yeah I'll try to negotiate the price anyway, when I remember right the engine was replaced at 55000km and he said the car wasnt driven much from that point on, so probably from 57000km to 65000km (not sure if my mentioned 2000km on the engine are right but its more or less a new engine). Thanks for the help , appreciate it

 

Sounds like it could be a deal if everything else checks out.


According to the Market Analysis section of the June '16 issue of EVO magazine...
"Decent, late '90's/early '00s [215bhp WRX] Imprezas start at around £3,000..."


STi power could add to the attraction but, as stated above, you'd want to haggle money off on the clutch as it's not a small job on the Impreza.


Sam

 

Ok good to know, and yes everything else does really check out. Interior was looking quite good, exterior too.

 

And DO declare any mods...get a quote first, it might work out cheaper to buy an actual STi, then you get the better wheels, brakes, suspension, etc etc.

 

Where abouts in Southern Germany are you Colin?

 

Baden Württemberg

First of all whats a quote? I'm from Germany and my english might not be the best so I don't really have a clue what it is..
Secondly I personally just want a WRX, a STI is not necessary, so no need to upgrade there

 

LOL BW is a big place, can you narrow it down a bit? I am in Wildberg near Herrenberg which is close to Böblingen also in Baden Württemberg. But I am English and my German is not the best.

 

I'm between Mannheim and Karlsruhe near the Rhine

 

Does it have ALL the STI parts like the 6 speed gearbox setup, brembo brakes etc?

 

I think so, yes.

Like I said before I was like "Woooaaah a Impreza WRX" and forgot to ask the actual important things, which is, well, quite stupid when I look back now. But I'm quite sure those were Brembo brakes, about the gear box i don't know, but I remember him saying it has all the STI parts like engine and gearbox, so I'm quite sure that it should be the 6 Speed one. It also has STI stickers and the STI badge even tough that has like nothing to say tough, but I think it could be a real STI. The only thing he said was that in the papers it is a WRX because of tax savings from the previous owner, but I mean if it actually has all the STI parts it could basically be one, right? Or is there something like a special chassis number?

 

bolting some STI parts to a WRX and covering it in STI stickers doesn't make it an STI unfortunately. It makes it a modified WRX which will cost more on insurance than a standard STI would. It also means some, not all of the components will have been uprated, but this will all depend how far the previous owner went and how much he knew/understood about modifying the car, what was a good upgrade, what wasn't etc.

 

Well yeah it's logical that STI parts don't make it an STI. Well anyway even for a WRX it's quite a nice deal I guess...

 

Pictures? Applied Model Code on the left suspension turret will be the real answer.

 

Only took one picture and it's not really interesting to show. As I already did a huge part of the "inspection" and didnt know the code on the left suspension turret thing I'll need to do it if I see the car one more time (which will probably be that one more time I'll either purchase it or say goodbye). Anyway I'll think about it now, and maybe call myself Impreza WRX owner in a few days or maybe a week or two..

 

If the gearbox is quite new why did it not have a new clutch then? Surely if someone was putting some new life into a car ie engine/gearbox etc a couple of hundred quid for a clutch would of been a given.All sounds a bit peculiar for me.Why not just look for a tidy wrx or sti depending on your budget.

 

I did not really express what I actually wanted to say. Engine is more or less new, gearbox was changed a while ago (thats the point I forgot) and the clutch wore out which is why the car is standing still atm, because the owner can't replace it atm because he has no time. To the point what I actually wanted to say was that the gearbox was changed but not at the same time with the engine, quite some time before, when the clutch was still working

 

Sounds to me like it's still running a WRX gearbox.

 

yeah it probably is one. Anyway guess I'll think about the offer and maybe call myself a Impreza Owner in some time

 

Don't be put off by nit-pickers and nay-sayers.
Buying an old car at this price and age always carries risks.
Just make sure you go in with your eyes open and that you are clear on what you're buying and you keep a budget for contingencies.


Impreza ownership is never cheap, but as many on here will testify; it's mostly always worth the price.

 

Words. I'm not a newb to cars in general and the Impreza is in a good condition from what I saw. The only downside is that the clutch needs to be replaced but apart from that the car is completely fine. The engine runs excellent, exterior condition is nice, interior too, only needs a good clean haha

 

Good luck! Post some pictures once you've got it and keep us posted. Sounds like you've pretty much made your mind up your getting the car so fingers crossed it all works out!

 

Sorry, I may have misunderstood, but because of the clutch, you have not actually driven this modified car ? It may be in good condition, but you need to hear the engine from cold (was it cold when you viewed it?), and drive it for a good period. Please don`t let your heart rule your head if you are new to Subarus and you haven`t driven it. This is not nit picking, it is common sense. You also haven`t mentioned if it has a full service history

 

Well yeah because of the clutch problem I wasn't able to drive it. But the engine was cold and started instantly. It also ran very well in idle and did not make any weird noises. As the owner was pretty enthusiastic about the car I guess there will be a service history. I'll ask when I'll purchase it, even if not its not that big of a problem for me.
I'll try to keep you guys on the loop

 

So... it has a clutch problem and not driveable.
The owner is enthusiastic about how well it drove and 'pulled like a train' and didn't crunch in any gear

You can't guess it has service history just because he is enthusiastic. My knackered old lawn mower is fantastic, cut's the grass like a bowling green, it even does the fancy patterns in the grass all on it's own. But you can't try it because it's broke all for a bargain £500 to you

Tell him to sort the clutch and then you can take it for a test drive. If you are happy with it, you will pay the extra cost to cover the clutch

 

Yeah paying him to do the clutch or letting him do the clutch first was also one of my toughts. Not to be rude, but as I was there and saw the car, inspected it, heard the engine running and the owner said that the clutch is the only thing to do I think that I can estimate if I should buy it or not, and as most of the answers were mostly positive I think I made up my mind. But thanks for the concern anyway

Edit: if the car has had the engine changed a service history is a bit useless isnt it?

 

I think you are taking a big risk if you buy it, you may have problems with the gearbox/diffs/suspension/brakes etc. Get him to sort the clutch and take it for a drive.

 

Guess its the best way to go