real_welshboy

As you all might now I had an sti 7 for a time of 4 weeks during march/april. This car came to a bad end which involved the engine seizeing and box jamming. The car was sold to David from API Engineering at obviously a substancial loss. I asked David to keep me updated on progress out of a matter of interest. I contacted trading standards and legal advice who explained that if the car was any different to advertised I could claim off the seller. A few days later I had the call from David stating that the engine was incorrect for the car and the propshaft was off a 93 auto wrx. I have today concluded negotiations with the seller and accepted compensation for my losses or take court action. Below is the report David from Api provided me with for proof. Let this be a lesson for anyone who is buying private. I scrimped on the AA check which could have saved me a lot of money, time and effort

Please see the following report on your car that we have compiled whilst working on it.

The engine fitted to the car is completely wrong for that year and age. The correct engine type is EJ207 DW3CR fitted was EJ205 NW1KD.

EJ205 NW1KD is from a UK 99/00 spec 211 horsepower version. This information is gained from bar codes fitted to the rear of the nearside cylinder head and also on the timing cover. Some work has been done to disguise the engine such as fitting of the variable valve timing equipment. The power derived from the correct type of STi Subaru engine is mostly by the computer and the turbocharger. The problems occur when the standard engine innards, pistons and so on, are unable to cope any longer with the levels of boost generated by the STi equipment and fail, which is what we suspect to have happened to your incorrect engine.

We have now fitted EJ207 DW3CR.

There is also an undetermined fault with the gearbox. We have large pieces of metal swarf on the drain plug magnet and it is very stiff to turn. It may be connected to the fact that the correct prop shaft is missing and one labelled with scrap yard type writing is fitted. The writing indicates WRX 93 Automatic !! The 'wrong' shaft is obvious when you look down the driveline under the car. It takes a non straight route down the tunnel: facing to the left until the centre support and then turning to the right from there to the axle. This will cause driveline vibration and place extra strain on the rear bearings of the gearbox which might be where the metal swarf is from.

The repair bill for the engine work is £3250 plus VAT. Recovery from South Wales to our premises is £160.00 plus VAT.

An estimate for the cost to repair the 6 speed gearbox is indeterminate until we have it stripped, but could be quite expensive depending upon damage found A new propshaft for a 6 speed car is £523.00 plus VAT.

Thanks David or I would have never have know and lost thousands

Chip

Who did you buy it from in the first instance.

Chip.

real_welshboy

it was bought private sale from some guy in top marques, autotrader

Bain

Glad you got a good outcome Chris
We should all learn a lesson here, I am selling my version 7 STI and looking to import a version 3 from Japan. I have discussed this with the importer who I purchased my car from and he said that many unscupulous traders buy cars from the docks in Japan that have been accident repaired and/or clocked. We never see the auction sheet that would show this. I am not saying that you bought your car cheap but always get a report if you are not sure of the seller. Many people knock the for sale section of scoobynet but there are a lot of people on here that I would buy a car from ahead of a trader. Just my 2 pence

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Careful with a version 3 from Japan - there is no model report for them available yet so they won't pass an ESVA test. Don't get stuck with a car that cannot be registered. ALSO make sure that the seller shows you a copy of the original Japanese log book and translation. There MUST be a number in the model classification box and another number in the box next to it. One is five figures, one is three, can't just remember which. BUT if they are missing the car CANNOT be registered in the UK, no matter what, EVER.

David API