Subaru Impreza 2000 Turbo question

[happyal27]

Hello,

I hope someone can give me some ideas of running costs of a Subaru Impreza 2000 Turbo. I'm thinking about buying a cheap Subaru Impreza 2000 Turbo as a second car. It will be used for mainly just getting about and maybe a little fun too. I don't do many miles, I expect about 5K max.

I know running an Impreza isn't going to be as cheap as a some cars, but just wanted to check that there's going to be nothing major I need to worry about, apart from petrol, and a service ever year?

Thanks.

[SAB888]

I've had mine for about 16 years and it's the most reliable car I've ever owned. On most of the older cars, rust around the rear end is the only problem I'm aware of. Generally, if the engines are standard, with no substantial upgrades, they are pretty bulletproof. I've had about 27mpg on a long run, which isn't too bad.

[Jaybmw]

Timing belt is a pig to do but other than that I gave mine dogs abuse and it never faltered. It would do either 300 odd miles or 140 to a full tank. It's really not worth recording in that sense

[rossub]

They're getting very old now, so expect any of the ancillaries to fail at any time (starter motor, ps pump, alternator etc). Fortunately these are easy enough to get at.

Fuel and coolant hoses are also hardening/perishing. Common for the bottom and top radiator hoses to spring a leak.

Oil leaks are also par for the course - rocker cover and crank seals mainly.

rust, rust, rust, rust, rust and more rust. Check Mot history and having a good look underneath and behind the boot trim is essential.

[Baron von Teuchter]

I love classic imprezas, had a few and would still really like a near-stock type ra or such like.

As the guy above says, it's all about rust. Nothing that cant be fixed but there aren't many replacement panels about and a lot are being / have been scrapped due to rusty turrets, rusty arches, rusty sills etc

I did the arches on my p1 3x times and they were still never right. I had sills replaced, turrets remade etc. In fairness, it was a very well used and quite extensively modified car, 20k per year in all weathers (in the highlands)

The arches were pissing me off so much i came very close to fitting a WRC bodykit and just cutting the fking things off and throwing them away. But i sold it instead because i was pissed off with it! Still miss it.

[crispyshark]

Check for tin worm.

[SAB888]

My 1999 Impreza sailed through the MOT today with no problems. Very happy.

[Smollet]

Had my 2005 WRX from new and it’s done 56k. No serious issues. Rear shocks got replaced at 50k and there’s a slight whine on the overrun coming from the rear diff but apart from that it’s been a joy to own. Chipped to 260 bhp with a Hayward & Scott stainless rear system. Returns 30 mog on a run and 25 mpg running about locally

[tonyb1968]

I think people have mentioned the rust, this is why they use to have body services with wax squirted into every nook and cranny, except people thought it was excessive and stopped doing it, so they rusted from the inside out.

Service intervals were 6 monthly but with low mileage then 1 year is ok, gearboxes on the MY99/00 cars can have a loose or not correctly torqued up nut on 5th gear, was a factory issue but Subaru never really did anything about it because when it started to play up it was well outside the warranty period, so if its jumping out of 5th, it could be this.

Clutches can be jerky, rust around the windscreen that's been replaced can be common as the bonding agent takes off what paint there is there, radiators can leak around the plastic bits on the ends, headlights are terrible, check the tyres for uneven wear and tread, Subaru's being AWD can be a little temperamental to different tread depth/tyres.

Good service history should be essential on a car that's not in the low 1k mark, so avoid those that don't have a good history.

Listen for noisy diffs and check that the cambelt has been changed, MY99 have a 3 year/45k interval, MY00 4 or 60k mile, whichever is first.

Forgot to mention, check the rear lights as they can leak.

Edited by tonyb1968 on Tuesday 19th June 23:50