Thinking of buying a Subaru Impreza 2.5 GB270 4dr
 

Hi All,

I am thinking of buying a Subaru Impreza 2.5 GB270 4dr - currently drive a Bmw 330d m-sport and just wanting a impreza as it's been a kids dream of mine!

Is there anything i need to look out for on these cars?

Appreciate all help in advance.

Tom

As above, engines on STI's more than anything can be subject to premature failure by Head gasket or piston ring failure. Will be costly to repair. and should factor in a rebuild cost. Otherwise teh 2.5 engines are great! I have one and absolutely love it! Lovely car to drive! :)

okay thanks for the advise so far :)

is there any way of telling if the head gasket is on the way out? the car has done around 50k but has a full scooby history from 10, 20, 30, 40 & 50k.

Link is here:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...reza?logcode=p

Thanks :)

No real way of checking head gasket failure without a compression test. Getting the tester to the spark plugs is not easy on a boxer engine. Will need a ramp and someone who knows what they are doing.

I personally love these cars, look great, but at the end of the day it is only a WRX special edition not an STI. It therefore comes with the other WRX problems of slightly weaker WRX 5 speed gearbox etc. The STI has the much stronger 6 speed box and setup but is arguably more likely to have engine failure. It's all a bit of a lottery on the 2.5 engine i'm afraid.

Your safest bet for a strong car is a pre 55 reg 2.0 STI widetrack (if you can find one for sensible money). :)

I have a 62K mile 06 reg WRX with 334bhp and 381lb/ft of torque, still on it's original 5 speed box and gets used daily in anger. Love every minute of it and wouldn't swap it for toffee!

Have you forged internals?

i don't believe that the internals are forged - it seems as if it's a bit of a stick and a hard stone situation.

i am going to test drive it on Saturday so will keep an open mind. Bit upset with the lack of a 6th gear though :(

Nope. Standard engine.

You'll love it. They drive great and are great fun! :)

okay another question (and don't mock me for this) ;)

Just valued my car on we buy any car to see how much its worth - returned 11k...just did the scooby and it came up as 5.5k...

Am i missing something? :)

Appreciate all the help

Tbh I find the 5 speed box a better drive than the 6 speed especially around town etc. I always find that with the 6sp it feels like you are in the wrong gear due to the crap gear ratios and the only good points of the 6 speed box is its strength and the extra gear for motorway runs.

We buy any car is run by clueless idiots and it would be wise to ignore their valuations online.

ha! just wanted someone to agree with me so i was sure that they are a bunch of clods :)

Hahaha I don't know how a so called massive percentage of people are satisfied with there service ( People must be so fckin stupid:lol1:)

They have quoted me twice in the past on two runabouts.
1 A Vauxhall Astra. They offered 1600. I sold it for 2450 and
2 A Ford Focus. They offered 550. I sold it for 1700!

Both low mileage with fsh. The Astra price was on par with a part ex, but the Focus was just a pi$$ take.

Any time I sell a car, I give them a shout just for the comedy factor:lol1:

What you have to understand is places like WBAC are a business, they buy your car at a trade price to sell on to make a profit. Why would they give you a retail price for it? ;) you're selling it to a business not an individual.

You're never going to get full value from a business, you're using it for convenience or out of necessity.

You want the most for your car sell it on Autotrader :)

The offered £1500 for my old P1 and I sold it privately for 9k!

Nice car but I think the OP would be better off going for a 300bhp+ STi from a BMW 330.

I was offered a grand trade in, on a 4k car and they offer me 550!.

Come on mate, if that aint taking the pi$$ I don't no what is.

There just making a blind bid based on what the comp says its just designed to make a safe bet not a fair bet. Plus if they checked each request one by one the car would probably cost even less as it would take them that long. P.S they are nobs though

I know there a business, but there marketing campaign is all about beating part ex prices, which in my opinion is utter bull$hit.

With any 2.5 you are wading into a bit of a gamble. Ask any Impreza engine specialist and they will tell you that the 2.5 still has problems even on the newest cars in concerns with HG leakage.

If you choose to check out the car the most important thing is to get it warmed up (hell get that engine hot!). Then when you get back to talk about it leave it to idle for a few minutes.... take a constant note of the temp gauge during the drive and especially after it. It should be like this (not my pic):

Attachment 58687

If it wanders over this in any way it is already leaking (and hence why the owner is trying to get shot). Personally from that ad (and the price) i'ds suspect it is honest (if they knew they'd have likely lowered the price to get shot of it) but still worth checking.

All that said you sadly just can't be certain. API checked mine out the day I bourght it including stethascoping the bores for ringland noises.... 3 weeks later up went the gauge.

If it were me I'd get the reg No. from trader and the name of the dealer from on the stamps too.... they rave about its FSSH and it being a dealer trade in car so they should give it out without question over the phone.

Call the service department of the dealer and ask if they can:
a) confirm the history
b) if it had any warranty replacements..... most will tell you this without an issue because you are not asking for personal info but as always it depends on who you speak to (and their mood at the time). Chances are with a 1 owner car on 50k you will be told its had at least one (if not both) rear shocks replaced (a common fail) you never know it might have had the HG's changed too under warranty (though don't expect that to make it 100% bullet proof).

Bare in mind that trader has a few scoobs for sale. This means they likely have a good relationship with their local dealer (who sell them trade-in cars). This can be both good and bad. The good would be that they'd probably not sell them a total dog that is obviously in a bad way and hence not saleable but it also means that a clean service history could be a little easy for them to obtain if you know what I mean.

So now you've read that your head will be doing what all potential 2.5 owners do when they come in here... spin like crazy in worry and excitement.

Your options...

1) buy this car and hope for the best (with every likelihood it will be 100% fine for years)
2) Buy an example with slightly more miles and a maybe a less rosey service history, haggle them on price and then pay an engine builder to re-build it with Forged pistons. Example: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...01401251289979
3) Spend the money on a JDM Sti blob from somewhere. Hurst Cars specialise in getting good ones iirc (http://www.hurstcars.co.uk/used-cars)

All options have their own risks and rewards and it really comes down to whether re-sale is in your mind. If it is, then the long term value (if there is such a thing in a car!) will be in a JDM Sti or a re-built and Forged UK car. If its not then its maybe better to get a cheaper GB270, enjoy it and know that if it does hit problems you saved a couple of grand to get it fixed (be aware it will be at least that + VAT to get forged pistons and do it properly!).

Finally as to valuing the car.... its a Scoob. Cap, Glasses and other industry value guides don't hold them in high regards. It is why you can get a bargain if you are lucky to find one because real scooby nuts know what a good scoob can be worth to another scoob enthusiast. You looking at a trader who clearly know Scoobs enough that a good one will sell at a high price.... there are plenty out there that just see them as expensive, low value hard to sell, hard to insure thirsty cars and hence will want rid quick for a low lowish price just to keep stock moving.

All just my take on it all but food for thought!

*hands you some headache tablets.

Yes your not wrong just saying

I think the suggestion of a JDM STi is a great idea. The reason is that they use the strong litre engine, have cracking performance and some specs that a WRX won't have such as bigger brakes, 6 speed box, etc.

With your suggested budget a JDM STi should be within budget - just.

okay so taking into account everything thats been said - i think i am going to look at a STI rather than a Prodrive as not only the gears but the engine is massively different.

What is the driving style of these cars like? Harsh?

There are no cars really around me in Bristol so i would be doing a blind buy...

All help appreciated again guys! :)

Certainly not as compliant as the BMW, and they have much less sound insulation. This coupled with shorter ratios than most other cars make them pretty loud on the motorway.

Could be worth seeing if there are any STi owners in Bristol who would take you for a spin. If you're ever in Essex (pretty unlikely I know) I'm sure a few of the Essex owners would take you for a drive.

Is it true that they have been on different fuel than what we have in u.k and sometimes don't like the change.If so what do you have to do to get round this

That can be true. Most Jap cars are run and tuned on 97 RON as that is the standard. Shouldn't use 95 RON fuel from UK without getting re-tuned as this could cause detonation and piston damage.

Yeah as mentioned already, compared to a beemer it will seem quite raw (even compared to an M3 it is still raw!).
STi suspension in Blob or Hawkeye is pretty damn stiff (as is the chassis). The 2.5 Hawk STi's in standard spec are known for 'bobble heading'.... this is basically an attribute of the ride that, on some motorways make it pretty bouncy (passengers often whinge about it and it WILL make kids that suffer from car sickness throw up over your seats! :lol1:).

Personally I'd strongly suggest getting a drive in a WRX with the 5 speed box and then an STi.... it is a very different experiance. I've owned both over the years and for a daily driver the WRX is actually a better option (softer suspension without being by any means 'soft').

2.0 Sti UK cars are pretty solid mechanically and are generally considered a safer bet than the 2.5 on risk factor as long as they have proof of being cared for (Oil change every 5k, run on 97 minimum etc).

2.5's have more low end torque but in standard form both engines have turbo lag below 3.5k rpm that will embarass you against a family hatch if you are in the wrong gear! The 2.5 also lost a bit of the trademark Subaru burble but it can be gained back quite well with a bit of an exhaust change.

You've probably read all this on other threads but I'll type it here anyway in case it helps....

On either make sure the cambelt has been changed at 50k and ideally a clutch too! Even if the clutch feels good knock the seller of any 50k+ down by £500 just for it not being done (it'll cost you at least that to replace if it does need doing!). Make sure the brakes are in decent condition and if not then factor £350 to replace with (excellent) Godspeed's (but if they are shot then try and knock the seller down by £500 based on replacing with genuine Brembo's!)... on the 2.5 factor in having your caliper bolt holes 'Helicoiled' as they are made of butter soft ally and it is horribly easy to strip the threads (been there, done that!).

I honestly think if you can get a Blob JDM for £10k now you could spend £1500 maintaining it properly and see that money back again in 3 years.

If I were you I'd get yourself booked into a Premier Inn up North for a night and spend a weekend looking... cheaper prices, more around and the £40 you spend staying is a drop in the ocean compared to buying the wrong car due to convienience!..... though I drove 150 miles to find mine and it broke in 3 weeks so come to think about it maybe I shouldn't be giving advice :wonder::lol1:

okay guys so now going to view this car (little drive from Bristol)

http://www.grahamwalkerltd.co.uk/sub...hester-3578430

Looks as if the inlet manifold has been off and re-painted? i've also seen that this car has been on this forum....any advice?

STI inlets are red so that's probably standard. Looks nice!