To sell or not to sell.
20 February 2013, 10:03 AM
#1
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To sell or not to sell.
Ok guys so I have been the proud owner of a 52 plate Bugeye WRX for a few months. Absolutely love it, great fun to drive and it feels so solid.
With only two previous owners who were very mechanically sympathetic and a full main dealer history with no expense spared on anything. It has a full folder of receipts with only the best tyres used etc. It is totally standard and has been kept up together very well throughout its 75k lifetime.
It is black/blue mica and is in good external and internal condition with only some alloy wheel corrosion and light stone chipping which I would expect.
My main concern is big end failure. I didn't even know this was a problem until seeing it on the forums last week. Needless to say it worried me a lot. If my financial situation was better then I wouldn't mind so much (I am a university student) so would struggle to pay for a repair even if I did the rebuild myself. In fact it would probably end in my breaking it for parts which would be a great financial loss.
It has a fair mileage on it now, still in great condition and I only had a main dealer service in December. I don't think I would loose too much on it, (I paid £2850 in September). It has 10 months MOT, 4 months Tax. I hear this is the mileage where big end failure will occur?
What would you do if you knew that it wouldn't be financially viable to repair if it went drastically wrong?
Sell it now and cry or keep it and potentially cry if the engine went up the shoot ?
Cheers guys.
btw... before you think young uni student who rags the **** out of his cars please think again as this is far from the truth. I am very mechanically sympathetic and do a lot of work on all of my cars. In fact I graduate in a few months so hopefully will be looking to change to a newer scooby in the near future
With only two previous owners who were very mechanically sympathetic and a full main dealer history with no expense spared on anything. It has a full folder of receipts with only the best tyres used etc. It is totally standard and has been kept up together very well throughout its 75k lifetime.
It is black/blue mica and is in good external and internal condition with only some alloy wheel corrosion and light stone chipping which I would expect.
My main concern is big end failure. I didn't even know this was a problem until seeing it on the forums last week. Needless to say it worried me a lot. If my financial situation was better then I wouldn't mind so much (I am a university student) so would struggle to pay for a repair even if I did the rebuild myself. In fact it would probably end in my breaking it for parts which would be a great financial loss.
It has a fair mileage on it now, still in great condition and I only had a main dealer service in December. I don't think I would loose too much on it, (I paid £2850 in September). It has 10 months MOT, 4 months Tax. I hear this is the mileage where big end failure will occur?
What would you do if you knew that it wouldn't be financially viable to repair if it went drastically wrong?
Sell it now and cry or keep it and potentially cry if the engine went up the shoot ?
Cheers guys.
btw... before you think young uni student who rags the **** out of his cars please think again as this is far from the truth. I am very mechanically sympathetic and do a lot of work on all of my cars. In fact I graduate in a few months so hopefully will be looking to change to a newer scooby in the near future
20 February 2013, 11:26 AM
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If its standard I wouldn't think the failure will be common. My mate has a 51 plate WRX running 350bhp and it has a lot more than urs on the clock. Infact it has more miles on it than binladens camel!!
20 February 2013, 11:31 AM
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If you are compromising your ability to meet daily bills like rent, food, utilities etc. or basically leaving yourself nothing spare for a rainy day then I'd sell up and wait till ££ are better.
If the above isn't the case then I'd keep.
I've just sold my MY99 UK wagon on 110,000 miles, original engine and box remapped on the original turbo. Drove beautifully BUT wanted to free up the money I was/was going to spend on keeping it clean to spend on the house/family. Head over heart in my case
What are you studying/graduating from fella?
If the above isn't the case then I'd keep.
I've just sold my MY99 UK wagon on 110,000 miles, original engine and box remapped on the original turbo. Drove beautifully BUT wanted to free up the money I was/was going to spend on keeping it clean to spend on the house/family. Head over heart in my case
What are you studying/graduating from fella?
20 February 2013, 11:42 AM
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cheers for the replies guys... I did think it would be unlikely that a standard one would go but I have heard it happen, especially after an oil change?!? It has been 2 months since the dealer changed my oil for fully synthetic 5/30w and everything seems fine although I did notice it was on the low mark already last week which is worrying. Is it normal for this much oil to be burned in 2 months!?! I topped it up with about 300-400ml.
I live at home so am not in a very dangerous situation with food/bills etc. I mean yes I have a bit on the credit card but who doesn't with £75 per week in fuel! ha.
Studying Business IT, but really debating whether I want that as a career now. Considering retraining to be a auto electrician
cheers.
I live at home so am not in a very dangerous situation with food/bills etc. I mean yes I have a bit on the credit card but who doesn't with £75 per week in fuel! ha.
Studying Business IT, but really debating whether I want that as a career now. Considering retraining to be a auto electrician
cheers.
20 February 2013, 12:31 PM
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I don't think the big end failure can be narrowed to a specific mileage range I think it depends on mods, treatment of the car and quite possibly just luck!
I bought a 53 blob eye 60k on the clock and only had it 5 weeks then the big end blew. My friend has a 98 sti type r which has a bout 54k on the clock and his big end has just gone (for the second time I suspect due to a previous rebuild in the paperwork). But I was drag racing at the pod when mine went, and my friend drives his car very hard so it was kind of to be expected.
But then I know of many imprezas with much higher mileage, heavily modified and driven very hard and they haven't had this problem yet.
I would say keep it worst case is if it did go then once you finish your studies you should be able to afford the parts for a rebuild quite easily, I think I only spent 1800 and that was with up rated parts.
Perhaps upgrade the oil pump to a 12mm bore in the meantime if you're worried, this should hopefully keep up good oil pressure under high revs which is what I was told the stock struggles with, hense the failure during a drag race.
I bought a 53 blob eye 60k on the clock and only had it 5 weeks then the big end blew. My friend has a 98 sti type r which has a bout 54k on the clock and his big end has just gone (for the second time I suspect due to a previous rebuild in the paperwork). But I was drag racing at the pod when mine went, and my friend drives his car very hard so it was kind of to be expected.
But then I know of many imprezas with much higher mileage, heavily modified and driven very hard and they haven't had this problem yet.
I would say keep it worst case is if it did go then once you finish your studies you should be able to afford the parts for a rebuild quite easily, I think I only spent 1800 and that was with up rated parts.
Perhaps upgrade the oil pump to a 12mm bore in the meantime if you're worried, this should hopefully keep up good oil pressure under high revs which is what I was told the stock struggles with, hense the failure during a drag race.
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20 February 2013, 12:48 PM
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All cars use a smidge of oil, the questions should be how hard has the car been driven since the oil change, any blueish smoke from exhaust, even the odd spot of oil visible on your drive?
From what I can tell big end is most often too much power or lack of maintenance. I took my first Impreza up to 140,000 miles and it was mechanically looked after and sound so I wouldn't worry too much about that. but has been posted before can be down to bad luck also
Personally if my 06 sti had a major big end or gearbox failure I would struggle financially however my car has 39k on the clock is never hammered, is looked after mechanically and at 50 miles a week it never really gets a chance to be pushed. Its a concern but the love of driving a scoob is worth the risk
The only concern I would have is like you say you have spent £2850 on it and it the big end did let go it would be worth very little broken or spares/repairs.
Put simple- get the oil situation checked/sorted out, if you are concerned at all offload it to a trader. Outside of that enjoy it and try not to let horror stories put you off
From what I can tell big end is most often too much power or lack of maintenance. I took my first Impreza up to 140,000 miles and it was mechanically looked after and sound so I wouldn't worry too much about that. but has been posted before can be down to bad luck also
Personally if my 06 sti had a major big end or gearbox failure I would struggle financially however my car has 39k on the clock is never hammered, is looked after mechanically and at 50 miles a week it never really gets a chance to be pushed. Its a concern but the love of driving a scoob is worth the risk
The only concern I would have is like you say you have spent £2850 on it and it the big end did let go it would be worth very little broken or spares/repairs.
Put simple- get the oil situation checked/sorted out, if you are concerned at all offload it to a trader. Outside of that enjoy it and try not to let horror stories put you off
20 February 2013, 01:02 PM
#9
I think that I'd lose enjoyment of a car if it made the rest of my life a "struggle".
At the moment I've got two imprezas, one that is finally back in one piece and one that is just about to be wheeled into the garage again to be put back together. Once the second one is done, I'm definitely getting rid of one of them.
I've been knocking about in a ford focus for a couple of months, and tbh i enjoy driving that as much as I do driving the imprezas on the road, but I prefer handling to outright power, and the focus isn't too far off the imprezas with some half decent tyres.
If I had the focus and an impreza, and had to get rid of one due to money worries (be they rebuild or running costs), the impreza would be the one to go.
At the moment I've got two imprezas, one that is finally back in one piece and one that is just about to be wheeled into the garage again to be put back together. Once the second one is done, I'm definitely getting rid of one of them.
I've been knocking about in a ford focus for a couple of months, and tbh i enjoy driving that as much as I do driving the imprezas on the road, but I prefer handling to outright power, and the focus isn't too far off the imprezas with some half decent tyres.
If I had the focus and an impreza, and had to get rid of one due to money worries (be they rebuild or running costs), the impreza would be the one to go.
20 February 2013, 01:05 PM
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Cheers for the extra replies, I must admit I really don't think mine has been on a track day. I certainly haven't taken it to one and wont be. I also make sure it is warmed up before upping the revs.
As for the oil, well I have a gravel drive so cant really notice any leaks. No smoke has been noticed what so ever. I will drive it harder occasional but nothing prolonged.
Would 300mls of oil used indicate a problem then or could they burn that much under normal load?
I have topped it just above the max line now so will check again in a week.
I have 3 months of uni left then a job so perhaps I could be daring and keep hold of it hoping it lasts.... but like you say it would be worth < 1k if I broke it, then I'd be back driving a ****ty banger for a while
Cheers
As for the oil, well I have a gravel drive so cant really notice any leaks. No smoke has been noticed what so ever. I will drive it harder occasional but nothing prolonged.
Would 300mls of oil used indicate a problem then or could they burn that much under normal load?
I have topped it just above the max line now so will check again in a week.
I have 3 months of uni left then a job so perhaps I could be daring and keep hold of it hoping it lasts.... but like you say it would be worth < 1k if I broke it, then I'd be back driving a ****ty banger for a while
Cheers
20 February 2013, 01:07 PM
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I think that I'd lose enjoyment of a car if it made the rest of my life a "struggle".
At the moment I've got two imprezas, one that is finally back in one piece and one that is just about to be wheeled into the garage again to be put back together. Once the second one is done, I'm definitely getting rid of one of them.
I've been knocking about in a ford focus for a couple of months, and tbh i enjoy driving that as much as I do driving the imprezas on the road, but I prefer handling to outright power, and the focus isn't too far off the imprezas with some half decent tyres.
If I had the focus and an impreza, and had to get rid of one due to money worries (be they rebuild or running costs), the impreza would be the one to go.
At the moment I've got two imprezas, one that is finally back in one piece and one that is just about to be wheeled into the garage again to be put back together. Once the second one is done, I'm definitely getting rid of one of them.
I've been knocking about in a ford focus for a couple of months, and tbh i enjoy driving that as much as I do driving the imprezas on the road, but I prefer handling to outright power, and the focus isn't too far off the imprezas with some half decent tyres.
If I had the focus and an impreza, and had to get rid of one due to money worries (be they rebuild or running costs), the impreza would be the one to go.
you talk a lot of sense!
cheers
20 February 2013, 01:40 PM
#12
20 February 2013, 05:37 PM
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Cheers for the extra replies, I must admit I really don't think mine has been on a track day. I certainly haven't taken it to one and wont be. I also make sure it is warmed up before upping the revs.
As for the oil, well I have a gravel drive so cant really notice any leaks. No smoke has been noticed what so ever. I will drive it harder occasional but nothing prolonged.
Would 300mls of oil used indicate a problem then or could they burn that much under normal load?
I have topped it just above the max line now so will check again in a week.
I have 3 months of uni left then a job so perhaps I could be daring and keep hold of it hoping it lasts.... but like you say it would be worth < 1k if I broke it, then I'd be back driving a ****ty banger for a while
Cheers
As for the oil, well I have a gravel drive so cant really notice any leaks. No smoke has been noticed what so ever. I will drive it harder occasional but nothing prolonged.
Would 300mls of oil used indicate a problem then or could they burn that much under normal load?
I have topped it just above the max line now so will check again in a week.
I have 3 months of uni left then a job so perhaps I could be daring and keep hold of it hoping it lasts.... but like you say it would be worth < 1k if I broke it, then I'd be back driving a ****ty banger for a while
Cheers
Personally Id just keep the impreza. You seem to know the history of this car and how well its been looked after. You could trade it in for another car but you wouldnt know its history and lets be honest something COULD go wrong with that. Lifes too short mate to worry about what ifs.
Also regards the oil, stick a piece of cardboard under the car on your gravel to see if its losing any.
Good luck with whatever you decide and fair play for choosing a scoob instead of the usual corsa for your Uni runabout
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