What to look for when buying a Bug Eye?
03 November 2009, 12:33 AM
#1
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Denbigh, North Wales
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What to look for when buying a Bug Eye?
Hi guys, after a bit of time off since crashing my Legacy B4-RSK, I'm looking to get back into the Scooby scene again (found how to get better insurance deals). I've currently got a Lexus IS200 but fancy either another Legacy or an Impreza Turbo, preferably a facelift classic or bug eye.
I've found a bug eye I like and have been offered a deal for my car + £1000 (which means getting a loan
) and was wondering if there are any things I should look for if I go to view it? I know the usuals like check the exhaust fumes colour when starting from cold, check for water or gunk on the dipstick and check under the body for signs of rallying but is there anything else? Are the bug eyes generally a good car or do they have certain faults that crop up from time to time?
Cheers
I've found a bug eye I like and have been offered a deal for my car + £1000 (which means getting a loan
) and was wondering if there are any things I should look for if I go to view it? I know the usuals like check the exhaust fumes colour when starting from cold, check for water or gunk on the dipstick and check under the body for signs of rallying but is there anything else? Are the bug eyes generally a good car or do they have certain faults that crop up from time to time?Cheers
03 November 2009, 09:57 AM
#3
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Denbigh, North Wales
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just a WRX, cant afford to insure a STI after writing my Legacy off in April, lost all my no claims. The one i'm looking at as a 51 plate (a few days off a 52) with about 90k on the clock, all mint with full service history
03 November 2009, 10:16 AM
#4
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (15)
Join Date: May 2009
Location: East london.....with my head under my bonnet.
Posts: 1,498
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nothing wrong with bug wrxs.....i have one on a 52 plate!! hehe. Appart from the usual boxer issues, knock, belts, turbos, mafs etc. Look for the rear shocks knocking, the clock not working, and any wheel bearing issues (noise) They are pretty good as they wernt as aggressively tuned as classics the engines tend to last much longer. Oh and any obvious crash damage/poo repair!! 
oh and make sure the clutch is ok, they tend to judder when cold, but should be fine once warm.
oh and make sure the clutch is ok, they tend to judder when cold, but should be fine once warm.
Last edited by rookymatt; 03 November 2009 at 10:18 AM.
03 November 2009, 10:27 AM
#5
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Denbigh, North Wales
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice one thanks for the info. I'm ok checking engine basics like the belts and things but how would I check for knocks and the mafs? Also how is best to check the turbo other than rev it hard over 4500 to check for overboost? I had a classic (96 plate) which unfrtunately got killed my ex's dads garage changing water pump and cam belt and not securing the crank pulley properly. That had the boost and turbo all setup wrong which I got working just right 2 days before it died!! I just really don't want the same sort of headaches or expensive repair bills
03 November 2009, 11:17 AM
#6
The clock not working is an easy fix you can do yourself if you're handy with a soldering iron.
I'd also look for the following:
- Full service history with lots of receipts that proves that the owner's looked after the car.
- Boot leaks, particularly underneath where the spoiler is bolted to the boot lid. Check the spare wheel well and side pockets where the toolkit and jack are stored for water or signs of water damage as you may need to replace the carpet or the board that sits over the spare.
- Check for any obvious oil leaks at the front or back of the engine
- When test driving, make sure the car is started from cold, run it gently until it's up to temperature and then get somewhere where you can put your foot down.
Acceleration should be smooth and uninterrupted, with turbo coming in about 3000-3500rpm. If it jumps, misfires or has any flat spots it could be dodgy plugs, coilpacks or MAF (more likely the prior two).
I'd also look for the following:
- Full service history with lots of receipts that proves that the owner's looked after the car.
- Boot leaks, particularly underneath where the spoiler is bolted to the boot lid. Check the spare wheel well and side pockets where the toolkit and jack are stored for water or signs of water damage as you may need to replace the carpet or the board that sits over the spare.
- Check for any obvious oil leaks at the front or back of the engine
- When test driving, make sure the car is started from cold, run it gently until it's up to temperature and then get somewhere where you can put your foot down.
Acceleration should be smooth and uninterrupted, with turbo coming in about 3000-3500rpm. If it jumps, misfires or has any flat spots it could be dodgy plugs, coilpacks or MAF (more likely the prior two).
Trending Topics
03 November 2009, 10:42 PM
#8
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Denbigh, North Wales
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Excellent thanks, I'll definitely keep those pointers in mind cause I'm certain I'm going to go have a look at it and probably come home with it (albeit £1k and a mint Lexus IS200 down). Thanks guys
03 November 2009, 11:20 PM
#9
any link to the car ??
The Bugeye WRX in unmodded form is pretty robust as the TD04l turbo can't do too much damage to the car unless thrashed to an inch of it's life LOL
Shaun (MY02 bugeye)
The Bugeye WRX in unmodded form is pretty robust as the TD04l turbo can't do too much damage to the car unless thrashed to an inch of it's life LOL
Shaun (MY02 bugeye)
04 November 2009, 09:04 PM
#11
Scooby Regular
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Denbigh, North Wales
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No link I'm afraid, it's not listed anywhere now but I'm in contact with the guy selling it. He says its totally standard, even still has the standard stereo in it and full service history so as long as everything is on-the-ball I may well be back in the scooby scene by the weekend, whoop!
04 November 2009, 09:22 PM
#12
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (12)
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Littlehampton
Posts: 2,427
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bugs are good buys less tuned than classics and not as sought after so cheap as well. Most likely 'problems' would be rear shocks and clutch at that age, If the clutch hasn't been done it possibly will need it soon.
05 November 2009, 04:25 PM
#13
The main problems with rear shocks were with the STi and not the WRX. The ride of the Bugeye WRX is better than the STi Bugeye IMHO (the STi was a bit like being on a ship, not sure if it made people sick LOL), all the WRX needs are some progressive Eibach springs to get rid of that "car on stilts" look and also to stop a bit of body roll 
The OEM clutch is also pretty good, when the bugeye first came out quite a few of us swapped to the TD05 with mods running 325 BHP ish without clutch issues.
It depends on how it's been driven.......Cookstar on here can wreck a clutch at 20 paces just by looking at it
Shaun
The OEM clutch is also pretty good, when the bugeye first came out quite a few of us swapped to the TD05 with mods running 325 BHP ish without clutch issues.
It depends on how it's been driven.......Cookstar on here can wreck a clutch at 20 paces just by looking at it
Shaun
hahahahahahahaaaa funny!
09 November 2009, 07:55 AM
#18
A mate took his up to 360/350 and the engine let go about 3 or 4 months later. So just saying it's not 'advisable' I guess
10 November 2009, 02:03 AM
#20
seemed to me most engine failures were early bugeyes
i'm sure there are more good ones than bad, not saying all are doomed to fail
just put me off at the time and went for a late classic (cos it was cheap)
Last edited by LeeMac; 10 November 2009 at 02:05 AM.
10 November 2009, 05:33 PM
#22
STI blobeye AFAIK had revised and uprated components in the engine bay which made the block stronger in general than the 7 and able to take more power. This was following various tweaks after the version 7 made its WRC debue.
The blob WRX also made slightly more power I believe - 10bhp.
A few quotes from posts on here:
JDM cars got uprated internals.
The 03 onward cars had tweaked ECU mapping, providing them with more low down torque and another 10bhp at the top for the WRX's at least so are marginally faster. EcuTek both variants though and there is nothing in it.
10 November 2009, 08:00 PM
#23
Scooby Regular
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: newcastle
Posts: 499
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the bug ive forsale has done 116000 miles no problems ive owend it for last 5years & been remapped to 270 bhp never misses a beat used every day doesnt use oil or owt
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
