Hi people, first post here.

Long story short, subarus are my favourite car and ive decided that a subaru will also be my first car, im 20 years old btw and i refuse to drive another car until then!!!

Been on the net with a rather low budget of around the £1000 mark and i came to a conclusion that ill only be able to afford a project.

The thing is i have no mechanical experience BUT i been looking at this car on eBay (which is now unlisted, but im in contact with him and he still has it).
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-SUBAR...vip=true&rt=nc

he wants 1.6k.

TL;DR
Buying out of passion, is this car worth the risk; no mechanical experience BUT time on my hands?

Oh and have a nice xmas peeps

 

Hi mate and welcome I'd buy something that's still complete a bit tatty body work wise with the same sort of issues and take it apart and rebuild it from scratch knowing where everything that's taken off goes back in the right place . Taking on something with parts all over the place ain't a good starting point . There's plenty of cheap none running blown engined classic uk scoobys about for silly money if you look in the right places . That ain't really cheap at 1.6k for a lot of work . enjoy scooby life mate its a journey

 

Seems a bit risky to me (especially if you've got no experience in doing something like this before)... I'm sure it'll take longer than the 1 day he quotes to get it finished and running - even assuming that you don't encounter any other gremlins along the way with the build.


Also, if you're planning on fitting the FMIC and decat etc, you need to account for the other supporting mods and remap etc you'll need to get it running right.

 

I'd go for something more like this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Imp...8AAOSw~otWeweA

Just needs engine replacing or fixing, that means you have an Impreza on stand by while you save for the engine. If you have a garage aswell, then all is good.

 

I see that no-one yet has mentioned insurance, so I feel I must.

1. Will you get, and be able to pay, insurance on a Scoob?
2. Will insurers be willing to take you on a first car, no ncd, with mods? (which you WILL declare, of course?) Unless any car is going back to bog-standard?
3. Having the will is NOT the same as being able to rebuild a Scoob..plenty have tried.

At 20, with no ncd, budget around half as much again for insurance as you have for the car.

 

The car your looking at has gone through the last 2 mot,s without any advisory, rust work previous done 3 years ago so not all bad.

It's very high mileage tho.

Like alcazar says insurance will very expensive.

 

Thanks for the advice guys! so assuming ive understood correctly, it safer and you learn more by getting a barely running sooby and doing it up?

The only reason ive been following this is it seems quite perfect in the sense that the parts are there, most of the engine is done(80%) but then there is the risk that it isnt done right......

so go for spare and repairs is my best bet to learn?

Thanks!

 

The second car is also an import which would not help the op with insurance imo

 

1/2) I got the insurance covered once i hit 21 which is in Aug next year.
3)Thanks for the heads up

 

Think we've lost the point here guys the guys got a hitch and needs a scooby we've all bin there .. why not live and learn like the rest . Late nights parts all over the drive learning as you go. These ain't a hard car to get ya spanners out on not like a VAG . Hes obviously got a low budget and whiling to get his hands dirty . As with the car above £450 spares or repairs . Better start than £1600 wish I had a scooby to play on at 21 not a mk4 escort rst but I learnt a lot rebuilding that several times and most of us probably had the insurance money before the car because that nightmares never changed

 

It will be classed as a classic car, so if put back to standard should be cheaper.

 

In my experience classic car policies require you to have a daily "non classic" car on a normal insurance policy, and for you to be over 30.

 

Would a 2ltr sport be the best place to start

Just a thought

 

Thanks guys, ive been watching some ej25 engine rebuild video which was quite thorough and descriptive, i think my question has been answered here so thanks again and have a merry xmas :P ill be taking my other questions to a more specific section of this forum.

Thanks again.

 

So what you thinking of going for?

I'd get the WRX, even if you have it off the road for a while at least you will have one.

 

Well im going to ask that dude on ebay about the rebuild he did, get some more information if he followed the torque guidelines and basically try to figure out if hes did the rebuild right (even though i dont know what right is )

Thing is if hes done it right to a good standard then i could potentially be hassle free for quite some time before having to worry about the block again OR i can finally manage to build it back up and next thing you know bobs knocking on your door . Something is just pulling me towards that suuby and i dont know what it is

Then ill probably wrap it/spray it and if it gets done before my bday, just get mum insured on it at the same time ill be saving for a remap/parts so i can maximize the performance.

im gonna hit him with a 1.4kish offer and see what happens.

If not im gonna get an engine and pop that into a rolling shell.

thanks for the help jay appreciate it. make sure u have a good un tomorrow

 

I wouldn't bank on that been. A genuine insurance quote. You better check the small print as most companies will not touch you without prior experience of a performance car, let alone with no ncb etc!

Most companies won't insure people on a subaru until they are 25 btw. I had major issues with mine as I bought it when I was 23.

You won't be insuring a remap and mods on it to make it go faster that is for sure. I put money on it it costs more to insure than itdoes to buy

 

i got my newage wrx at 19, and would say go for it i did have a few insurance issues, but elephant sorted me out in the end at a very good price (was about £900). but i did have a years ncd

 

UPDATE:
Managed to get the price down on the original scooby so im going for the risk, but im ready to walk away if i catch him lying.

Whats the best way to find out if the information he gave is genuine and what are the things to check when you buy a suuby (e.g rust).

 

Pop the boot pull the rubber seal and a few plastic clips either side and the side liner well come away there will be 2 channels probably full of water or rust this is a nightmare to weld as there's so many overlapping joints.
This is where all the exterior rust around the arches start . This section could turn out to be do or die . Unless u good with a welder

 

yeh my mate had rust on his suuby which hes now fixed, im also dragging him along for inspection.

are there any physical differences between a turbo/non-turbo engine?

 

Let me get this right, you only have money for a £1000 project and have no experience doing a project?
So you dont have money or the necessary skills to do the project?

 

yep, basically. you can attack me and i won't even argue; far fetched hopes and no realistic plan, if you think its a waste of time, feel free to ignore. if you feel me then you feel me if not i can't do much

 

yep, the non turbo is a twin cam 16 valve and the turbo engine is a quad cam 16 valve.

 

Mate honestly you're just buying a world of heart and wallet ache and that's before the insurance.

My advice would be give it a miss and buy something else like a nice little mx5 or a honda civic for a couple of years, get some driving experience and a bit of mechanical knowledge behind you,and then use the time to do some more research and get to know Subarus, the're will still be plenty of sheds around for you to get your hands dirty on in a couple of years.

Otherwise you may as well save yourself the hastle and chuck a load of cash down the toilet, it'll be cheaper.

But hey, your money, your choice, it matters not to me.

 

Awesome thanks for that so a naturally aspirated is a non turbo which is a sohc and a turbo one is dohc

NA ENGINE
0 o 0

Turbo
0 0
o
0 0

and thats the only physical difference and the only way to tell is to remove the timing belt cover ?

 

you can tell just by opening the bonnet because the cam covers are smaller due to 1 cam pulley per side on the N/A and 2 per side on the turbo engine.

Obviously there's a lack of turbo etc on the N/A and there's other differences too but to the untrained eye that is the quickest way to tell.

N/A



Turbo

 

Hey mate look in the for sale section mate wrx bug a lot less worries and be on the road a lot quicker 1500 quid just an idea

 

Hate to rain, yet again on your parade, but a) first ever insurance on a car like this will be £££££ and b) the age of 21 means little or nothing to insurers, nor does 25, 30 etc. it's experience with no claims they want.

 

Maybe when you were 25 tht was the case, but most insurers will not touch an impreza until you are 25 regardless of experience.

Having been in this situation myself I talk from experience.