David L

This is just a few of the tips I have learnt when buying scoobys. The reason I write this is I am sick of hearing the bull**** about scoobys (just look through the Autotrader and you will see 350+bhp 1993 WRX (over 100bhp gained from an exhaust change ..

The normal things apply when buying a scooby as any other car (check history etc. etc.) But here's a few scooby specfic things..

Know what you are buying.. It sounds obvious but the amount of times people lied was amazing. On the inside passenger wing is a plate with the details on it check the number against the ones on the FAQ on the SIDC web site. (www.sidc.co.uk/faq.htm)
Example Sep.94-Aug.95 GC8C48D 260PS WRX GF8C58D 220PS WRX 4 door
So you could have two 95 WRX that look more or less the same (intercooler a wee bit smaller) but one is 40ps down on the other and a dealer would probably charge you the same for both (A dealer tried to do it to me).
Also the 260 and 200 PS is on 100 Ron Jap petrol. Note 260PS=256bhp roughly

Check the car over before you drive it,spend a few minutes... oil leaks, tyre wear and type, exhaust system ( full jap ones are nice but if it has no CATs how do you get through the MOT) Body damage, spare wheel is it there, if there is a lot of boy racer stuff (stickers, a million guages,uprated intercooler etc.) then there could be a possiblity that it was chipped in Japan which could be a problem as the ECU will be set for 100 RON petrol)
Don't run the engine yet but check oil level and colour, gearbox oil level dipstick beside the turbo on the drivers side of the car. Water level and colour for antifreeze, Also as far as I know you can't get the green colour antifreeze(as far as I know) that's in most imports in Ireland so it means the water system hasn't been drained in Ireland (internal engine work/head off).
Check the colour of the exhaust before you start the engine. Is the idle ok. Turn down the heater fan so you can hear any noises. There will be some wind noise around the windows in most Imprezas. If there is a boost gauge see what full boost is (so you can tell if it's chipped). Check the normal things in a test drive (unusual noises, slowly drive in a circle in a car park to check the driveshafts etc.)
On the last part of your test drive keep the car on the boost as much as possible and up the revs ( but remember it's a test drive not a test stage!!) and when you go to stop, don't let the car idle but switch it off. When you get out of the car check the colour of the exhaust if it's light in colour the car is running lean and either has a problem or has been chipped incorrectly.

After buying it..

Change the timing belt, oil and filter and plugs as soon as you can.
If the car has just come in from Japan change the brakes pads as soon as possible. As Japan use a different material from us and it's more likely to fade.
Also change the brake fluid as the car has been sitting in a damp hull of a ship for a good few weeks and probably has absorbed some of the water (lowering the boiling point thus causing sponge pedal feel).
The tyres also won't have the correct speed rating so change them when you can because if you have an accident the insurance
company in theory could use it as a way out. Convert the speedo to read in miles using a convertor to get rid of the speed limit (around 118miles/180Kmh)or more correctly raises it to a 18Omph limit!!
Also change the gearbox oil and diff oil(to a better type). Underseal as soon as you can especially it you but it in the winter.
If you want to reduce the understeer set up the suspension using prodrive settings (check the FAQ on the SIDC site for them)
Change the oil every 6000 or so miles ( and every trackday if you go to one) and you should have thousands of fuss free miles like I have had.

As you can tell I am not a big fan of buying an impreza that's been modified (ecu changed or altered) in Japan because it's set up for 100 ron fuel which we don't have. I prefer to buy a totally standard one then modify it myself or get some well know tuners to do it so I know what exactly is done to the car and how it will affect it. Also if you buy a car with a complete japanese(drainpipe type) exhausts how do you get through the NCT/MOT if both CATS are removed?
These are just tips I have gotten since buying an impreza. If you have any tips on how to buy a good jap import scooby please pass them on (Surely Paul you must have one or two since you tune them or if you think any of the above tips aren't right let
me know.


David L

fast bloke

Scruff,
Eastwoods in Lisburn are really good. Last day I was in one of the mechanic was ripping an STI V Type R engine to bits for a rebuild. He appears to be a real scooby fanatic. I reckon he would have a go at anything for you. Getting the parts can take some time, but there shouldn't really be a major problem with buying them direct from Japan.

David L

Thanks Paul.
I think this one of the uses that the forum should be put to..i.e. sharing information.
I don't might if anyone copies it out or uses it elsewere( it would be nice if they let me know first but whatever). I have to say a disclaimer as in don't came back to me it you still buy an impreza with a problem... it can happen.
Paul in your experience (or anyone with a Jap import) am I right in assuming the thing about the colour of the antifreeze in Japan not be able to be got in ireland.
I will stop now before I get too big a head to get out the door

David L

fast bloke

David,
I wouldn't be too sure about the antifreeze. I've got a gallon of green stuff in the garage that I got from Hursts in Belfast.

Scruff

I've got green stuff in mine too and it is a MY98 Irish spec Turbo 5 door model. The only drawback in my experience is PARTS. I also have a Honda Civic SiR and was unfortunate enough to have to wait for 5 weeks for a replacement water pump after seeing 4 different types, and this was from a Honda dealer who had the original broken part at hand for a reference. I am a bit worried now as it is getting a new clutch next week and I have sold it to a friend who needs it in three weeks time. Also imports have other extras such as traction control, air-con and abs which would not normally be on standard european spec models. What do you do if something goes wrong with these items?

Cheers

Alan

[This message has been edited by Scruff (edited 30 January 2001).]

Mac's Power

One of the best and most comprehensice reports on buying a Scooby that I've ever seen. Thanks Davis for taking the time to put us all in the right direction. I think you've just about covered it all. Way better than the Impreza buying guide in this months EVO mag.

Scruff

Thanks

David L

I wasn't a 100% sure about the antifreeze so thanks for the information. Now I know you can get green antifreeze in Ireland so you can't tell if an engine has been spilt by just looking at the antifreeze..

David L

lego

David
An excellent piece of writing very informative,keep it up.
I think you're on to something with the antifreeze as I've heard this before.i think the colour is amber.
As for part's it's very easy to get caught with scoob's across the model range.i.e non turbo legacy body panels,head lights, side lights etc....will not fit the turbo models


[This message has been edited by lego (edited 30 January 2001).]

Scruff

Maybe next year I will buy yours Paul.

Mac's Power

Got a fright there for a min Scruff. I had to re-read your post as I thought you were selling the red beast.

P.

mavrick

Just a few thing which might be misleading about this post.

Depending on the mileage of the car the coolant should be changed as part of a 30k service and is no indication of a head off situation if the mileage is over this.

A 'grey' tailpipe is a indication of an efficient burn a 'white' tailpipe is an indication of a car running lean, reading tailpipes to tell engine condition is for experienced technicians who know exactly what they are looking at and how to interpret what they see, the same can be said for a black tailpipe which can also be seen as a problem.

Another fact which is misquoted quite often by various people is the octane rating of imported Impreza's "ALL" imported Impreza's are mapped for 100 octane fuel this is standard and not a by product of 'chipping' , also the BHP figures quoted are when using 100 octane which can produce 3-4 psi more boost than even superunleaded so a 280bhp can become as little as 230-240bhp.

And for #### sake the last thing you ever do in any car with a turbo is quote - "when you go to stop, don't let the car idle but switch it off"
A turbo spins at several 100,000 rpm, not allowing the car to idle before switching off means that the turbo is spining down with NO oil pressure a sure way to ruin the bearing's of it if ever there was one.

As for the brake pads being a different material from what we use in the UK where do people think the genuine pads and other genuine parts come from that are supplied by the dealer yes Japan exactly the same as genuine import parts.

[This message has been edited by mavrick (edited 01 February 2001).]

David L

Mavrick,
Thanks for your comments. The reason I wrote this was to give a rough guide to anyone buying a Jap import impreza.
It isn't a substitute for having an experience mechanic(who knows subarus with you). I wasn't a 100% sure on the antifreeze thing and Fast Bloke told me I was wrong in assuming you can't get the antifreeze here. Also I forgot that antifreeze should be changed as part of a 30K service.
I don't believe you have to be an experience technician to look at a tailpipe most people with a bit of mechanical knowledge could do it ( a bit like reading the colour of the plugs) I deliberately left the colour out as I thought that if you didn't have an idea of what the colour should be then you shouldn't be using it as a guide.
Maybe I didn't explain what I meant about that it could be chipped and set for 100Ron petrol.
You are correct in that all Jap imports are set to run on 100ron petrol as standard. When they come over here and are run on 95 or 97 ron the ecu adapts and reduces the timing,boost etc. (so as to avoid detonation) so you lose power, which is one of the reason I always use Super unleaded. Most of the cars seem to be able to cope with this ok( although there were some questions marks over the later STI but that's a completely different subject that's been debated a few times on scoobynet ).
Subaru like most car manufactures have a lot of tolerances into the ECU (like running on bad petrol which could have a lower RON,also fuel consumption is maximised as much as possible etc.)when chipped in Japan they maximise the engine map a few ways depending who is doing the map( increasing the boost, rev limit, the amount of fuel at certain revs etc.) this means the engine has less of a tolerance to certain conditions and the people in Japan who mapped the car probably wouldn't have made allowances for it running on 95,97 RON as Japan has 100RON. So that is one of the reasons I am not a fan of cars that have been chipped in Japan I would rather buy a standard and get it chipped by someone who would map the car for 95,97 RON petrol.
Also I did say in the original posting that "Also the 260 and 200 PS is on 100 Ron Jap petrol. Note 260PS=256bhp roughly "
the figures are in PS not bhp. So most "280BHP" imprezas don't produce that on the fuel we run here. Actually if you read scoobynet you will see a few people believe the P1 only puts out around 260bhp!!!
You are correct in saying turning off the engine isn't a good idea (that's why there are turbo timers) but if I was going to buy a car I would turn it off and check the exhaust then let it idle again. But again these are only a guide.
The thing about the brake pads are based on the pads I have seen on my own car and a friends(toyota). the material wasn't good and I think the reason is ----the cars shouldn't be doing more than 100mph (speed limiter) so they don't had to cope with big amounts of heat being generated, also japan traffic is very stop,start so you don't generate alot of heat into the pads (yes I know japan is a hot place) so they would had a low grade of material that would work quickly but isn't very "fade resistance". I could be wrong in this. Anyone with a jap import care to comment.
Mavrick have you any more tips on how to buy a jap import impreza as this is what the board is all about, sharing info. I also hope I don't come across as a know-it-all type of person because I certainly am not and I am always willingly to listen to anyones ideas as that is how we all learn..


David L ...who is not very late for work

ekinane

Is it ok to use the info here for the isdc website.with your credit of course.

David L

If you want to I have no problem. Email me off group.

David L