oli_p

iTrader: (4)

Will hopefully be planning to view a wrx providing its still for sale when im available to view it.
What things should I be checking over or looking out for with the car? Any common issues that they suffer from?
Will be asking the seller if they'd be ok to let me do a compression test on the engine, what would be acceptable results??

Believe car is relatively standard few cosmetic mods , and exhaust system with one cat removed.

Car is currently sat on 64k miles cambelt was changed just after 40k mark in 2011 I believe so im assuming this is ok and not needing to be changed soon?

Seller has told me it has full history aswell which is a good thing.

Have done a search but couldn't find nothing, or I was searching for wrong thing. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Oli

Kedlestone

iTrader: (9)

Things I look out for,

FSH,
Folder of paperwork for parts bought, services,
Cambelt should be ok if changed at 40k in 2011,
Regular oil changes, every 6-10k,
Listen for any rattles when rev'd slightly, can be a sign that the cat in the uppipe has broken its welds. Not to expensive to fix,
Check break pads/discs for even wear and life,
Check air con blows nice and cold,
Ask to start up from cold, can show up worn starter motors/batteries, also watch for any sign of blue smoke.

Things I looked for anyway.

A compression test is a good thing but wouldn't worry to much on a slightly modded 64k WRX. If it was a 2.5 then yes I could understand, although given most places only charge £40 ish then you may as well, think API do it for free if memory serves?

I found when tracing history of the car that your local dealer should be able to help, just tell them your reg and they should be able to give you what your after. Worked for me.

ST-X

I bought mine in February and while it's my first, I've been around them a while and had a good bunch of mates who were able to give me a lot of advice both beforehand, and with me underneath examples prodding at suspicious looking things...:

Try to get a cold start up, that way you can listen better for any funny noises like piston slap etc.

Tyres may be new(ish) but check brands as cheap Linglong's or the equivalent could be a warning sign that money's been scrimped elsewhere on maintenance too. Also check wear patterns, and heavy scrubbing on the outer edges which can be a sign of either thrashing, or someone who can't drive it and just understeers everywhere.

Full service history can mean different things to different people, but for £2k you can't be too fussy - evidence of stamps/bills etc can give you a picture of either scrimping maintenance, or a fastidious owner.

Brakes are a difficult one as you can only see the front face and on mine, the rear face had less than half the disc actually swept by the pads on the front. It was a sign that mine hadn't had heavy use, and luckily the pistons were all in great condition. If you factor in a potential £250 at Godspeed for new discs/pads all round then you won't go wrong. If they don't need doing then brilliant, but if they do, it's not unexpected. You may need to replace a couple of pistons if they've done 90k but lighter use or motorway miles may reduce the chance of this needing done.

The gearbox isn't the smoothest but it is positive. Second gear can be a little tight when cold so don't worry too much as this seems to be very common across pretty much every WRX! Check the dipstick on the box for colour of the fluid, or metal particles (it's a metal kebab skewer style handle just below the drivers side of the intercooler).

If you crawl underneath, check that the undertray is in place or, if not, check for any impact damage that may have torn it off. If it is in place then again check for scuffs. They're inevitable, but they do show what the car's been driven over in the past. Likewise, check under the rear for a leaky diff/excessive corrosion on the suspension. If you shine a torch under the car to the opposite sill you should get an indication of surface rust on these too. They should be ok, but its best to check.

IIRC, the subframes on the bugeyes can rot pretty chronically too so check them out (I also seem to remember talk of these being removable so again, I wouldn't stress if you find it a hideous warren of tinworm). Also worth checking that the recall has been carried out if needed on the front suspension arms.

That all sounds a lot but it really is just basic stuff. Check out damage to the wheels, wobble at speed, straight accelaration/braking etc...all just as you would any regular car. It looks pretty tidy and genuine, and for the money sounds even better!

oli_p

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the reply. Do blobeyes suffer with rust or anything in certain areas at all that would be worth checking aswell??

ST-X

To be honest Blobs seem pretty good for rust although do check the front edge and corners where the windscreen meets the roof as some seem to suffer there, something I wonder about perhaps being caused by dodgy windscreen replacements in the past.

Also, double check what FSH means - is it stamps, or every receipt since new. Both are FSH but one tells me the owner's treated it with a lot of care, the other less so!

Another thing to check is for a white/blue/green dry residue around the top of the radiator where the metal core is crimped to the plastic top/bottom. It's an easy replacement and radiators can be had cheaply, either from a factors or from somewhere like mishimoto for a couple of hundred if you fancy something better and more likely to last until the car's dead around it.

You don't say how old the car is but if it's '05 spec then it'll have the inverted dampers - if the ride's very bobbly at the back then these'll have no doubt dried out and near seized in the bushes. You can sometimes reverse the damage by drilling a grease port into the damper but the easier option is to just replace them. If you need to do that you should factor in a couple of hundred quid. Pre '05MY and it's not a problem.

On the note of a compression test I couldn't tell you what results you're likely to get but if someone came to me to buy a car and asked to go for a compression I'd more than likely tell them to get stuffed. Yes, you want to ensure that it's in good condition but at the end of the day it's a used car and you're unlikely to do the compression test if it was a mondeo or vectra you were buying. At the end of the day, it's just a car. Yes, it'll have its specific issues but aside from that it has an engine, four wheels and a bunch of bits in between that leak, break and rust with time...!

oli_p

iTrader: (4)

Yes cars an 05 plate, but plan on changing to coilovers if car is purchased. Main reason I asked about compression test, as owner has only had the car for 5 months, apparently selling as wanting to start his own business, but when car was purchased it was standard, but has been modded, with few items like STi spoiler, new rota's alloys with tyres which he purchased new 3months ago, cat back exhaust, and few other bits and bobs.

spudboytim

iTrader: (3)

If I had my time again when buying a Scooby I would defo do a compression test and a leak down test. Wud show any major engine issues and could save u a expensive rebuild and alot of time. In fact I would buy a well modded one with a forged motor that someone has spent all their money and time on! Saves u a fortune in the long run!

oli_p

iTrader: (4)

Wouldn't be forging, planning to try and be sensible and just mod/map it to about 330bhp. Budget wont allow me to buy a forged motor :/