Hi I'm just about to go and look at a 2004 wrx sti uk model with PPP it has 62k on and was last serviced at 50k and no evidence of cam belt so how much do I need to allow for this? And they want 7k for it from a garage does that seem a fair price? And is there anything I should look out for?

 

Hi and welcome, personally I'd have wanted to see a couple of oil changes in the interim period between 50 and 62k, if there's one thing that kills these engines it's old contaminated oil, also very detailed service history with again regular oil changes at least every 6months or 5/6k miles which ever comes first.

Cambelt your looking at circa £350 to £500 depending on where you go and parts used, at that milage on an STI i'd be looking to do tensioner and idlers as well but not everyone would.

Other things to look out for are the gears crunching at high revs and also make sure the clutch isn't slipping as that may well be close to giving up the ghost, which is quite common at around the 70k mark.

Make sure there's plenty of meat on the pads and discs all round as well as the tyres.

Also listen for knocks on the suspension, in particular the rears as they are known to fail also and that not an IF it's more a case of when.


TBH If the paperwork isn't in order and the list above is not in tip top shape I'd be inclined to walk away as that little lot can cost you in the region of £3/4k to sort at a specialis if you get hit for the lot.

To me the fact that it hasn't had any love in the last 12k would make me not go near it as it sounds to me like the last owner bought it, hooned it for 12k without servicing or maintaining it and then off loaded it just before the bills came rolling in, but I may be wrong.

£7k is a decent price if it's all good but bear in mind tyres are circa £100 a corner pads and discs can eat £500 and thats just the front, cambelt £500, suspension £800, full fluids service £300 ish, clutch £500, gearbox sorted £1k.

You get the picture, much better to pay £8/8.5 for a well maintained enthusiast owned car than buy a bit of a fixer upper from a dealer.

Buyer beware.

P.S look for rust around the rear spoiler, arches and front chassis legs.

 

Based on the above I would be offering 4k max

 

Thanks for the advice I went to look at the car in Dudley! Where do I start it had a badly painted rear bumper,dent in door,marks all over paintwork. Clutch was about knackered. No history since 2009 at 32k! Tyres had big gouges out of 2. When I pointed this out to dealer he dropped from 7k to 6k but I said I think il leave it thanks!!! So if anyone knows of a nice Impreza for sale I'm all ears! I'm looking idealy for a 04/05 wide track model

 

There is a decent looking blue wide track in the for sale section.