Hugh138

I have the opportunity to make a bid for an Impreza turbo and would appreciate any feedback on what I should offer. Details of the car are as follows:-

98S, 64k miles, 4dr saloon, silver, leather seats, a/c, good condition (a couple of minor rust spots on the engine bay need touching up) and full subaru service history.

There are only 2 people bidding for this car and I am one of them. It's a sealed bid (company car being sold) so it's a sort of mind game with the other person! I'm not entirely sure how keen the other person is of buying it, but his current car is packing up and he is looking for a replacement (previous car was a citroen something).

Any speedy help would be much appreciated because I need to make the bid by tomorrow afternoon!

Hugh

kav

Hi m8

How much do you want to spend?

I wouldn't rush into anything at the moment - there's loads of cars looking for homes at the moment.

This one? I'd offer no more than £9000and don't worry if you lose out - just like a no. 19 bus, there'll be another one along in minute.

Cheers
Kav

Hugh138

Thanks for the reply, I was thinking of offering between 8500 and 9000 - the bid has to be over 7500 as a guide. Obviously if the other person isn't bidding for it I will offer £7500

It's easy to say that there will be plently of cars along, but from what I have seen a car like this would be selling for £10500 or so, or am I completely wrong?

chrisp

I woudl drop a few hints about running costs ie.

23mpg average and shoudl really be run on SUL (for best effect)

Insurance cost (have you checked insurance, bet he hasnt )

Service costs assuming the car has just had its 60K service ?

Tyres are suppose to be swapped in 4's

Pads and disks are expensive even for OE stuff

Unless the warranty has been extended it it now out (3year or 60K which ever is sooner)


Dont know about cost but my 98S UK went in part ex at the end of 2000 with 10K miles for 13.5K which was top book trade in at the time and mine had 1 year and 50K warranty left. Prices have fallen heavily since though.

cheers

chrisp

ps. hope I havent put you off

Hugh138

I know the costs, but they aren't too atrocious

-Insurance will be in the region of £850 after tracker is fitted
-MPG is obviously a factor but I get 40p a mile for all my business travel will helps bear the burden
-Servicing is typical jap[anese prices - not extortionate but still costly (and yes its had a 60k service and 67.5k is probably the least expensive)
-Tyres in good shape, would like to change the brakes coz they felt a bit mushy
-No warranty (at least I don't think they renewed it), thing that bugs me most. How troublesome could this be? ie is the car likely to cause me problems.

Thanks for the advice - if this one doesn't come through I might be tempted to get a late as possibly 2000 shape and pay the extra coz I don't like the new shape at all

manwithnoname

MJ, Why don't we simply spin a coin for it ?

I think that is the most noble way to settle this, rather than having our company pit us against each other.

Also means who ever obtains the car was meant to have it.

Whoever wins the spin takes the car at the base price (£7500) and the other person drops from the bidding - that way there actually is a winner after all (other than our company)

email me..Let me know.

CF

Hugh138

Small world

Sorry I didn't see your post last night. I'm happy to do whatever you want - up to you to decide. But I agree that it isn't the best way of us getting the most for our money - now that the area of the bids is out in the open it will become even more complicated if we do decide to bid. A toss of the coin would save the winner money, and if we are happy to accept losing out if either of us doesn't win then so be it.

On another note, what has lead you to think that there is piston slap? I am no expert, but I rang the subaru garage who have always serviced this car and they thought it highly unlikely that this would be the case in an impreza turbo - they had never known it and would expect the symptons to occur much earlier in the life of an engine rather than at 60-odd thousand miles. When I saw the car a few weeks ago I did notice a tapping noise but I semi dismissed it as either fan-belt or injectors. However, if you know for definite that it is piston slap then the bill would be nearer the £1000 mark than £500.

Hugh J

MattN

I thought piston slap was very prone in impreza turbo's. So much so a dealer on here said they keep certain MY's overnight if taking them as pX to check for it.

You know - sell a dodgy car, then deduct a load off when they buy it back!!!!!!

Hugh138

All I can go on is what the dealer said to me - I'm happy to be corrected.

sulli

Why not speak to the other bidder - say you quite fancy this motor and will bung him £200 if he drops out - leaving the car costing you £7700 in full - not a bad deal.

Hugh138

'manwithnoname' IS the other bidder

DJB

I have a MY98 and will be selling it in the next 4 months to make way for an STi. This is my second turbo (first MY95) and is in a different league from the first. I genuinely think that the MY98 is one of the best years to buy despite its various problems. Piston slap is common on all MY97 and MY98 - I know since I've had mine fixed. Even if its present, I doubt whether it will cause trouble - the importance of this fault has I think been overstated in the past.

You mentioned that the brakes were spongy (or similar). The brake pedal feel is poor on all pre-4 pot models (ie MY98 and before). There are various mods which can help pedal feel though (master cylinder support bracket, braided steel hoses, etc).

The car that you're looking at is worth £9000 to 10500, I would estimate allowing for the high mileage. The comments about there being plenty for sale are true but you might not get one for the kind of money you've mentioned.

I hope this helps.

D.

ps I'm not selling mine for less than £10500.

[Edited by DJB - 1/29/2002 8:02:38 PM]

Hugh138

Thanks DJB, from the research I have done the redesigned turbo that came out in 98 is one of the best. The car seems to be in good nick and depending what the other bidder decides I think the 'winner' will take the car home for £7500 - otherwise we bid for it. Seeing as he reads this thread I'm not going to divulge my thoughts on what I am prepared to bid for it! It is a slightly bizarre situation, and I definitely want to see the car again before making anything final.

Hugh