markietay

As a prospective scooby owner i am wondering why do most of the cars for sale seem to have had engine rebuilds?
Are they that bad?
I currently drive a re mapped golf gti turbo with 125k on the clock and the engine is as good as new-no rattles uses no oil etc.
Am i really going to regret buying a scooby next ???

+Doc+

You will find the majority of the re built cars are imports, they must have higher octane fuel than UK cars something that some owners neglect, hence the bottom end going.
Depending on the car your looking go for good service history, a knowledgeable owner and as few a miles as possible.
If you are after a UK car then the worry of the rebuild lessons.

T5OLF

iTrader: (4)

Cars coming from Japan with dodgy ecu maps/boost controllers/bleed valves, fuelcut defenders etc. Lots of det - bang goes engine.

Driving down the motorway at silly speeds at which point the top mount is doing very little to cool the air - driver pulls off on slip road going slow, lots of heat soak - engine goes pop.

Running low on fuel can also damage engine due to fuel surge.

If you buy an import or a UK car for that matter before you drive it in anger take it to a rolling road and get it checked out to make sure all is good. Then think about a remap/ecu so you can run Uk fuel safely.

GazTheHat

People modify their cars and some incorrectly.

Something as simple as an induction kit can cause fatal engine problems.

Scoobyspanners

SUBARUHIGHMILEAGECLUB.COM

Don't mess with the car and keep it serviced and they can last for quite a while! PS: Driving continuously on the rev limiter will kill any Engine if you do it all the time............

gt5500

Sticking my neck out here is part of the problem the fact that scoob's are performance cars so people drive them really fast on motorways but obivouly scoob's are not meant for this? I am guessing that relatively speaking even the UK cars are geared quite low compared to most performance cars so high speed means high rpm and for an extended period will kill the engine.

GazTheHat

That and the wind flows over the scoop on the classics at higher speeds.

TBH, if getting an older, higher mileage model, i would prefer that the engine has been built (if by a reputable supplier/parts).

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

it also depends where you are looking at with regards to buying a car. On here for example, a lot of people with rebuilds have totally uprated their cars so are far from standard. I wouldnt personally touch a std (uk) rebuilt car as in my opinion it shouldnt go pop unless the driver has some seriously bad habits, jap car possibly due to reasons mentioned above. I recently sold my old jap import (1992) with just over 150,000 on the clock (some miles some kilometres) that was modified as well with an apexi and it didnt miss a beat. the new owner says "its fast as ****" and he also rallies one

markietay

Ok how about a fresh import then--not been run on normal british unleaded yet so if i was to buy one and run it on v power should it be ok.
I dont thrash my cars i like to have the power but i am not a speed merchant doing 100mph everywhere and i also look after them treating them gently when cold and letting them cool off .
i have my eye on an 97 sti v3 on its way from japan

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

if it is a standard sti v3 then theoretically it should be okay on v power, however for better reliability, better economy and better performance it would be advisable to have it remapped for uk fuel

DevilHimSelf

Thats only true about the scoops if u still have the original scoop.

Upgrade scoop and the higher speed less air is done away with.

Prasius

iTrader: (1)

Get it mapped for the UK. It's just not worth the risk/worry.

markietay

How much and anyone in hampshire that will do this ?

Herbie.

I had to have a rebuild as a certain "tuner" cocked up and melted my engine whilst remapping it

If you take your time and get a good Scooby you wont regret it. TBH, I think id rather buy one thats had a recent rebuild.

My classic is up for sale.

Alan Jeffery

You know how it is with certain Women? you know there's a risk she might let you down, but, you still want her don't you?

The rookie

iTrader: (1)

The stock scoop is perfectly adequate on a stock engine, start upping the power (especially on a stock turbo so you loose efficiency on the compressor map) and its then not up to the task, it still flows more air at higher speed (despite what the doom saysers believe) its just that its efficiency reduces...so at twice the speed you only get say 50% more air, not the 100% you hope for!

Number 3 nearly always pops first for 3 reasons
1/ Last on the loop of the fuel rail, so if the fuel pump isn't man enough for the job (back to badly jap-tuned engines) it runs leanest first so its more likley to det
2/ Manifold runner to cyl 1&3 is heated by the expansion tank so its more likley to det
3/ Has the up-pipe/turbo braces bolted to the head by number three so it runs hottest so its more likley to det

If I reincarnate as a Subaru piston, I don't want to be number 3!

Simon

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Nice description Simon

From a non-technical point of view, there is a lot of nonsense talked about the reliability of Subaru engines. You need only look at the nuber running 30-40% more than Subaru intended (properly set up of course) without issue to realise that these are tough engines, with the following provisos

1) They are serviced on time and in accordance with what Subaru reccomend
2) You use high quality consumables (oil) and the right grade fuel for the model
3) You drive it with mechanical sympathy - if you drive it like a plum, it will break sooner, simple as that! Warm up before extending it, et it cool down after a hard run before switching it off, don't do drag starts everywhere etc...
4) If you modify it, you get it done by peolple who kow what they are doing and don't take cheap shortcuts.
5) Oh, and you get one that's a good un, i.e. the prev owners have adhered to the above!