I am looking to buy a nice classic Impreza, either an RB5 or import STI.

The RB5 will be a safe option for me, but it may be lacking in power compared to what I am used to.
The STI would be suitable power wize, but most of them appear to have had engine rebuilds.
The last thing I want to read when looking at a car for sale is 'Just had a full engine rebuild'

Why are the engines so weak and what is it that fails?
Any buying advice?

Thanks Bob

 

You`ll only ever here of the ones that have had engine rebuilds, never the ones that haven`t mate. If the advert says its just had a full engine rebuild, why is it that that is the last thing you want to see. Surely if it was doen by a reputable specialist then it will have been done well. Mine hasn`t had an engine build and is sat just over 94000 at the moment.

 

id be looking TO buy one which had been professionally re built already, as its the first major expense your gunna have if it hasn t been done, trust me..

 

I think youll find a lot of people mod their cars, exhausts, filters, bigger turbo, whack the boost up etc. as far as they dare whilst retaining the standard engine internals for cost purposes. Quite often people go too far though and things go pop.

 

RB5 FTW!

seriously tho, i bought an rb5 in september simply because i remembered them new in 1999 and always wanted one, but back then i was but a young pup with a 106 :P

personally i`d test drive and view as many as possible as there are a ton of dungers out there, engine rebuilds as said wouldnt put me off as long as they had reciepts and were done by a reputable company.

 

Your RB5 looks quality.
What sort of power is it producing?

 

I have had 2 rebuilt engine in mine, purely because I wanted more power and nothing to do with faulty engines

 

A bit of advice from me - Scoobies dont like sustained top speed runs, just trust me on this one.

My big end bearings went once, had an STi engine fitted and had no engine issues at all.

If you look after them, warm them up, cool them down, down redline it all the time (you dont need to) and badly modify it, then they are pretty reliable.

 

Just had my engine rebuilt, Head gasket was on its way out, and while the engine was on the bench it seemed like a wise move to have ACL shells, Hone and rings, refurb oil pump, repainted inlet, upgraded clutch, lightened flywheel, decat ect while it was in bits and most of it was parts only cost.
Not all rebuilds are done due to complete faliure, infact most I would think are owners looking at the bigger picture.
API did mine, and a good job they made of it. Does it make it a bad car if for sale ?, I would like to think it makes it a better purchase.

 

Wrong fuel

Inept modifications

Running at 100 + ( cos the scoop doesnt work )

 

Rebuilt engines point to the driver of the vehicle not understanding the limitations ....... maybe through modifications? Maybe because they simple cannot drive these machines properly?

Either way an Engine Rebuild in an advert would make me run a mile too!!

The words you want to see are, 1 Owner, NO Mods., UK Car, Mature Driver, Never Raced, Kept under 3000RPM mostly, Serviced well and no Boost Gauges or KnockLinks used!! Then you will be onto a winner!

These days there is no need to settle for 2nd best!

 

Is there an impreza out there that meets those criteria ?? I very much doubt it

 

its the way the car in kept and driven that is the question

one must know the limits of the car !!

 

Limits of the car is when you leave the road through a hedge.

Seriously though, as everyone else says...imports run on too low an octane fuel, high speed runs, not being cooled up and down properly, and doing modifications without remapping the ECU seem to be the problems. These cars are very reliable when kept standard and run properly.

 

The cars were built for Japanese use, so a 112 mph speed limiter....
So the "bouys" doing 140+ mph for ages means they will go pop.

IMHO

DunxC

P.S. My old u.k. car, always run on SUL with an octane booster did an indicated 160 mph on Elvington with no obvious problems.... once !