01-06 WRX advice
Discussion
Ex-classic Impreza Turbo owner here looking to spend £4-£5000 on a wagon but I'm rusty.
Whilst I could recognise the years and models of classic models I'm lost on the later ones.
Has to be a wagon to carry a trials bike, need to access kit whilst bike is on back preventing tailgate access. Also want something discrete for visiting clients.
So whats out there, I see theres a SL model on the blobeye which I guess is leather, sunroof and some other bits. Are there any other spec'd up models to look for, has to be UK spec for insurance costs? What about Prodrive packs, are these worth the extra over a good remap and how do I check that the car actually is PPP spec?
I'm currently running an A3 2.0T with a Revo remap which feels comparable to my old classics and I'm guessing a later WRX with a remap or PPP will be comparable.
Are there any inherent problems to look for, is the piston slap an issue on later cars? Advice and help apreciated, want to be prepared for when the Audi sells (p/x poss but I know must Scooby owners are loyal to the brand).
Whilst I could recognise the years and models of classic models I'm lost on the later ones.
Has to be a wagon to carry a trials bike, need to access kit whilst bike is on back preventing tailgate access. Also want something discrete for visiting clients.
So whats out there, I see theres a SL model on the blobeye which I guess is leather, sunroof and some other bits. Are there any other spec'd up models to look for, has to be UK spec for insurance costs? What about Prodrive packs, are these worth the extra over a good remap and how do I check that the car actually is PPP spec?
I'm currently running an A3 2.0T with a Revo remap which feels comparable to my old classics and I'm guessing a later WRX with a remap or PPP will be comparable.
Are there any inherent problems to look for, is the piston slap an issue on later cars? Advice and help apreciated, want to be prepared for when the Audi sells (p/x poss but I know must Scooby owners are loyal to the brand).
I just bought a 2005 WRX PPP wagon!
'54 plate but 2005 build date (they start the build run before the end of the year), SL spec which is leather doorcards and seats, as well as sunroof.
PPP spec is an exhaust, some intercooler piperwork (Blue, visible beneath the intercooler and brnaded "prodrive") and the Chip. There is a sticker on the drivers door sill saying "This car is prodrive chipped to 261bhp, now tell your insurer you naughty person you" and it should come with a Blue A5 ish prodrive certificate which has the reg and VIN on it certifying the work done. Mine was actually retro-fitted at 10k miles. It should feel really quite rapid above 3000 rpm, with a nice searing roar from the exhaust. Brakes and suspension remain unchanged.
I learnt some lessons the hard way:
2005 cars got inverted shocks. These were reknowned for failing on the Sti's, and guess what? They fail on the WRX too! Mine was clunkning a bit from the back, I stupidly put it down to ARB bushes, but it's the rear shocks knocking. Subaru want £880 + VAT for the pair, I'm currently coming up with a solution which should see it repairable with a pair of non inverted shocks for £160. But it was a bit of a shock (fnar!).
Here are what inverted struts look like once you've lifted the dust boot:
You may have to jack the car up to examine this. Non inverted struts, the shiny damper rod is about half that width. Ignore the caption, I didn't know what year car I'd bought.
Also, Subaru have just issued a recall for Lower front suspension arms: 2005-2007 they are steel and "can corrode" - i.e. rust so badly at a load bearing weld that they snap in half. WRX saloons got alloy arms, but guess what? Wagons didn't So get your head up under the front wheel arch and check the condition of the front lower arm. See here: http://forums.sidc.co.uk/topic/158274-transverse-l...pid1441105#entry1441105 for more info. this is what you're hoping not to find:
Other than that, the actual chassis remains unchanged 2000-2006 bar slight revisions (like suspension as above), as does the engine, it's the 2.0 EJ20. Not much word of piston slap on it, but then many classics lived their lives with piston slap. They're not a million miles away from the classic in design really, apart from they have much better crash protection and weigh a bit more.
As ever with subarus, check for crash damage, Engine swaps, Blue/white smoke. Check oil changes and most importantly cambelt changes (with tensioners!) was done at 50k miles/5 years. Clutches are reputed to go at 50k miles ish too. Gearboxes should be good provided the car hasn't been tuned, they break at around 330bhp.
If I had my time again: I'd probably buy the same car, but I might look for a 2004 model with non inverted shocks, or else one that has had sensible suspension work done. Plenty are chipped, fine if it's done well but check for evidence that the tuner was or sound abiility.
Be careful with 2006 cars - after March 2006 they go to the full £460 tax band. And they become hawkeye 2.5's as well. I didn't look into those too much as I wasn't in the market for one, but I understand that even they are much the same chassis, but with the 2.5 engine and a bunch more BHP. And expensive tax...
'54 plate but 2005 build date (they start the build run before the end of the year), SL spec which is leather doorcards and seats, as well as sunroof.
PPP spec is an exhaust, some intercooler piperwork (Blue, visible beneath the intercooler and brnaded "prodrive") and the Chip. There is a sticker on the drivers door sill saying "This car is prodrive chipped to 261bhp, now tell your insurer you naughty person you" and it should come with a Blue A5 ish prodrive certificate which has the reg and VIN on it certifying the work done. Mine was actually retro-fitted at 10k miles. It should feel really quite rapid above 3000 rpm, with a nice searing roar from the exhaust. Brakes and suspension remain unchanged.
I learnt some lessons the hard way:
2005 cars got inverted shocks. These were reknowned for failing on the Sti's, and guess what? They fail on the WRX too! Mine was clunkning a bit from the back, I stupidly put it down to ARB bushes, but it's the rear shocks knocking. Subaru want £880 + VAT for the pair, I'm currently coming up with a solution which should see it repairable with a pair of non inverted shocks for £160. But it was a bit of a shock (fnar!).
Here are what inverted struts look like once you've lifted the dust boot:
You may have to jack the car up to examine this. Non inverted struts, the shiny damper rod is about half that width. Ignore the caption, I didn't know what year car I'd bought.
Also, Subaru have just issued a recall for Lower front suspension arms: 2005-2007 they are steel and "can corrode" - i.e. rust so badly at a load bearing weld that they snap in half. WRX saloons got alloy arms, but guess what? Wagons didn't So get your head up under the front wheel arch and check the condition of the front lower arm. See here: http://forums.sidc.co.uk/topic/158274-transverse-l...pid1441105#entry1441105 for more info. this is what you're hoping not to find:
Other than that, the actual chassis remains unchanged 2000-2006 bar slight revisions (like suspension as above), as does the engine, it's the 2.0 EJ20. Not much word of piston slap on it, but then many classics lived their lives with piston slap. They're not a million miles away from the classic in design really, apart from they have much better crash protection and weigh a bit more.
As ever with subarus, check for crash damage, Engine swaps, Blue/white smoke. Check oil changes and most importantly cambelt changes (with tensioners!) was done at 50k miles/5 years. Clutches are reputed to go at 50k miles ish too. Gearboxes should be good provided the car hasn't been tuned, they break at around 330bhp.
If I had my time again: I'd probably buy the same car, but I might look for a 2004 model with non inverted shocks, or else one that has had sensible suspension work done. Plenty are chipped, fine if it's done well but check for evidence that the tuner was or sound abiility.
Be careful with 2006 cars - after March 2006 they go to the full £460 tax band. And they become hawkeye 2.5's as well. I didn't look into those too much as I wasn't in the market for one, but I understand that even they are much the same chassis, but with the 2.5 engine and a bunch more BHP. And expensive tax...
Edited by WeirdNeville on Saturday 25th February 16:03
Great post above. Camskill will sell you KYB OEM equivalent replacement shocks for much cheaper (£330 for all four or £170 for rears on a wagon) than quoted though... I believe earlier cars are also affected but agree it is mostly the STI's and later model WRX's.
If you want to keep the car standard, the above would be the way to go but strip them down before you install, regrease and optionally add grease nipples as illustrated on multiple sources online. Should last a long time after that. It's mainly the poor grease that was put in to begin with that hardens up and wrecks the shock.
If you want to keep the car standard, the above would be the way to go but strip them down before you install, regrease and optionally add grease nipples as illustrated on multiple sources online. Should last a long time after that. It's mainly the poor grease that was put in to begin with that hardens up and wrecks the shock.
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