BrokenSpring

Hello all again

So i have been doing some serious searching for a good classic scoob and so far coming up largely empty as most are either rusty on the rear or modified.

But i have found this guy,
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...45665/usedcars

It looks like its been well looked after and the condition looks great for a 15 year old car. However 159K on the car is putting me off a bit.

What can you all advise? go for it or steer clear?
Does anybody know that car?

Boostin

Looks like a nice tidy one that. The mileage sounds alot but it only just over 10k a year for a 15 yr old car. Full service history is defo a good thing too. Also being standard is great as it means is probably been owned by a more mature driver id of thought. Best to have a test drive of it first before you decide though.

serpico

Looks like a well maintained example with a comprehensive history. Yes it's high on the miles & there will be no guarantees how many miles it has left in the engine. I've seen well maintained examples do near 200k on the standard engine. It depends what you have planned for it. If you're thinking of modding it then I'd recommend you look elsewhere. Unless the bodywork is clean & you have enough on the side for an engine rebuild down the line.

BrokenSpring

The money needed to maintain that one is my main worry. I obviously dont mind spending money to keep it in tip top shape, but don't really want to be spending a few 100 per month because something has failed again.

Out of curiosity how much have people paid for an engine rebuild on the classics?

I would like to find a classic and keep it for at leat a few years, maybe even throw a trackday or two in.
In terms of modding it mostly not, other than an oil temp gague... maybe and refirbing the lights all round.

gary77

iTrader: (1)

It does seem to be a good one but I'd question if it did have one owner , it looks like it wasn't used for around a year and half about 2011 and went from doing under 10000 miles per year to around 30000 per year for the last couple years , I'd also have a good look underneath to check for rust as it did have the arches replaced

WokaImp

I was in the same position as you 18 months ago. I bought a good condition 1999 Uk 2000 Turbo, full service history, for 2k with 96k on the clock. Apart from quishy breaks (stuck piston) it was a great car.
Took it to a track two weeks after buying it and the engine let go (self inflicted). The rebuild options were not any where near as expensive as I 1st imagined. Although expensive is relative I suppose.
I had 4 options:

1. Rebuild with like for like components: £1700
2. Rebuild with upgraded race pistols, con rods, crank shaft, oil pump and oil sump baffle: £3000
3. Rebuild to 2.1Ltr with upgraded race pistols, con rods, 2.5 Ltr crank shaft, oil pump and oil sump baffle: £3200
4. "New" 2.5Ltr race engine that's only done 8 x 10 mile sprints. The guy who had it custom built now wants a better engine in his car: £2400

I went for option 3 and couldn't be happier.


Here's my rebuild questions thread:


https://www.scoobynet.com/scoobynet-...d-options.html


I have put some handling mods on it like suspension, roll bars etc, but not because anything broke. The only issues I have had is when the heater water matrix broke (car air heater behind dashboard). £200 repair cost and when the brake calibers had dodgy pistons. I decided to replace the whole lot with bigger, trackier, brakes and disks.
I did have slight rusty arches, but this got fixed for £600 last month.

Everything else has been tip top and well above my expectations.

EDIT: Also like you, I never intended to modify the car. That didn't last long after the rebuild. Apart from the alloys though, you cannot tell it's been upgraded, which I like. Each upgrade has made the car more fun to drive...it's addictive

BrokenSpring

Hmm ok so we are talking a fairly big outlay for a rebuild.... and as you decided you may aswell get a bit of an upgrade if you are doing all that work.

That thread was a good read and lots of info, thanks WokaImp. I could always plan for a new much lower miles engine once that one goes provided the rest of the car is good.

I may have to go take a look at this one, not conviced on it yet so a proper poke around it should tell me all i need.

How much differance is there between a 97 classic and a 99 ?

mikejenkins

£2800 is an awful lot of money for a car with such high mileage. If there is no rust in the arches I would be amazed (look on the inside of the boot). Everything will be tired and worn out if it hasn't already been replaced.

For reference, my standard 1998 Turbo 2000, 109K miles, loads of history with a bit of arch rust but none on the turret was bought for £1300 last year and sold for £1600.

In April I bought a 1997 Import classic with 65k miles, absolutely no rust anywhere, but also absolutely no history and in need of a belts change for £1250 and sold a couple of months ago for £1600 (possibly too cheap).

There are still quite a lot of low mileage, standard Imprezas around, you just need to look out for them which can take a while. I wouldn't consider buying the car in your link at all.

None of my 3 classics owned in the past 3 years have cost me anything other than servicing and a couple of stuck callipers, but I might just be very lucky.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

Borrowed this pic from the link.



There's a £2800 bill listed on 17/8/12 but no mention of what it's for. Engine rebuild?

THe previous owner is quite probably the biggest mug on the planet. And Central Motors Bury have gladly taken advantage of that.

Since the car has been taken there, circa 2 years, it's had the rear discs and pads replaced 3 times and the cambelt done twice.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

It's not high mileage for the age of car. It's probably considered lower than average. 15 year old car at an average of 12,000 miles a year is 180,000. IIRC 12,000 miles per year is what's considered as average mileage these days. Even at 10,000 miles a year it's only above average mileage for it's age.

I still wouldn't buy it though, I'm not keen on DBM coloured cars.

FWIW, my WRX is now 21 years old, and is on 154,905. A mix of miles and KM's, that's well under average mileage for it's age.

Pross

iTrader: (3)

266 quid for a fuel pump??? wow

mikejenkins

"Average mileage for age" is meaningless in my opinion unless you are buying at the bottom of the market. 160K in terms of suspension, rust, anything that wears out based on movement, is high mileage.

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

No offence, but, that's nonsense. Mileage is irrelevant, what matters is how it's been maintained.

Your 98 T2000, and 97 WRX(?) could be considered "bottom of the market" irrelevant of mileage.

I understand where you are coming from, it's the wrong outlook, IMO.

mikejenkins

Of course if everything subject to deterioration due to mileage in a car is replaced this would affect its value and offset the mileage somewhat. Unfortunately if that doesn't include an engine replacement it leaves a fairly major potential expense, and I can't see any suspension refresh work etc. in the history list.

To say that mileage is irrelevant is nonsense, of course as the owner of a high mileage WRX your view may be different to mine as a buyer.

The cars I mentioned are indeed classed as bottom of the market, to highlight the fact that the car in the original post is hugely overpriced.

piehole1983

iTrader: (7)

Two years ago I gave £1800 for my 97 UK Turbo which was strong money but I was more interested in the fact that the engine was just rebuilt with a new crank and so on and the car was generally in good shape inside and out with 3 owners on the book, service history and old MOTs for reference. Still going strong today with 103k on it. The steel brake pipes are starting to look rough as do most of the rubber suspension bushes. Not overly bothered as I planned to replace most of that anyway. As everyone here will know, few of our cars are worth spending the money we do on them but we do it anyway.

Sad Weevil

iTrader: (1)

'99 has phase 2 engine, remappable ecu, 215bhp, 4 pot front brakes, facelift front end, facelift interior.
I wouldn't worry too much about the mileage with a history like that, I'm still running our owned from new '98 Forester with similar mileage, and it runs like a sewing machine. Never needed anything doing to it other than regular services by the book (including bodywork) plus a clutch and 2 wheel bearings.
This one deserves a look anyway, looks good in the pictures....but check the arch repair carefully, from the inside of the boot behind the lining, and the inside of the rear strut turrets. And the jacking points on the sills. Give it a good drive, the gearbox may be tired.

Seeing that garage bill reminds me of why I do all my own work on my cars. Ouch.

south_scoob

Millage is irrelevent! sitting on the motor way most of its life by sensiable owner (s) that looks after the car for 160k or thrashed round town by a bunch of boy racers 80k whats the better deal less worn out car

hardcoreimpreza

If its had engine rebuild i'd go have a look, but you can be sure that car dealer picked this up for alot less than £2500. I wouldn't pay more than 2k. I know where theres a low mile estate forsale.

BrokenSpring

Thank you all for the help. I think I may pass on that high miles one for now. I have been looking a bit further afield and found a few that may definately be worth a look.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201508105929359/usedcars

Do you think I could argue the price down closer to 2 k ?

Thank you for the offer on the estate but I am hoping for the smaller saloon.

WokaImp

Looks in good shape...but still 3k.
I doubt you'll get a trade dealer to knock that much off.
They wouldn't make a profit otherwise.


Mine was on sale for 2.3/2.4k, I forgot which now. It was on the side of the road with a for sale sign in the window.
I turned up with 2k in my back pocket...and walked away with a car.
This was a private seller though.

Sad Weevil

iTrader: (1)

I bought my '99 wagon from these guys just over a year ago, they seem to have a good eye for classics. Independent traders in High Wycombe. They were great to deal with, very straight. Mine (48k miles and the most comprehensive service history I've ever seen) was up for similar money, I knocked them down a few hundred though. Worth a look.

hardcoreimpreza

There's no difference between the estate version and saloon in size, just one has boot other is hatchback. Give him a call. Can't Imagine he would drop that low.

But saying that your going to be paying good money for one off a dealer. Keep your eyes open in the forsale section on here. We get some nice ones on here now and again.

johned

Going off the subject a bit and looking at the picture of the paperwork what is it that the dealer only must open.

WokaImp

Not sure I understand

BrokenSpring

Oh good news,that gives me much more confidence going to see the car. If they are trustworthy it will definately be worth the 3 hr trip down. Just hope they can part ex my mg.

Whoa hold on ! is that definately correct about the saloon and estate being the same size?

WokaImp

Cars are the same dimensions. The estate is the same length and width as the saloon.
One just has a taller boot and doesn't look as good...*hides in anticipation of making some people angry*

Saloon and Wagon are both:

Length: 4340
Width: 1690

mickywrx

iTrader: (29)

johned

Top second from left to be opened by dealer only?.

hardcoreimpreza

The red one is alot better price. To be honest i'd never buy from a dealer, prices are to high. My mum bought her last car from a dealer, then car had engine fault, took loads of phone calls and messing around to get it sorted out.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...29359/usedcars

Sad Weevil

iTrader: (1)

And if she'd bought it privately and it developed an engine fault, no amount of phone calls and messing around would get it sorted out.
Personally, I don't care about paying a few hundred quid more from a dealer if it's the right car. I spent a year looking for a low mileage car with proper history, saw many, private and trade. None of the private ones I saw were as described, some were total dogs. Any well sorted classic is still a bargain for less than 3k, considering how much car you get for the money. The red one has just had a clutch and cam belt, that's quite a few hundred quid saved already.