2003-2005 Subaru Impreza WRX Sports Wagon
Discussion
I'm currently in the market for a WRX Wagon as the daily diesel drive has now gone beyond mundane. I've never owned a Subaru, however on the face of it, they appear to offer good fun motoring. The PPP option isn't a show stopper, as i'm generally after as standard a blob eye WRX model as possible.
Whilst there are several on the market, the generally higher mileage (120-160 k) ones concern me a little. That said, there are a couple in the running that have 1 owner from new, and full service history to go with it.
Would buying a well maintained 160 k mile example concern you?
Drop me a PM if you are considering selling yours!
Whilst there are several on the market, the generally higher mileage (120-160 k) ones concern me a little. That said, there are a couple in the running that have 1 owner from new, and full service history to go with it.
Would buying a well maintained 160 k mile example concern you?
Drop me a PM if you are considering selling yours!
Edited by dan_87 on Wednesday 30th January 11:19
the 2 litre is a stronger engine than the 2.5 , there is a chance on higher mileage cars the engine has been rebuilt already , have a look at foresters too another good option , mechanicals on any subaru are generally very good , it does not mean things never go wrong , the other thing to check is rust , engines can be main weakness
I’ve had a few Subaru’s, the highest mileage being 140k. That one was very reliable and had been remapped with a few mods.
Generally all Subaru’s are reliable unless they have been badly modded so mileage alone would not put me off. I’d just be checking the condition and service record carefully as with any car.
Generally all Subaru’s are reliable unless they have been badly modded so mileage alone would not put me off. I’d just be checking the condition and service record carefully as with any car.
vxr2010 said:
the 2 litre is a stronger engine than the 2.5 , there is a chance on higher mileage cars the engine has been rebuilt already , have a look at foresters too another good option , mechanicals on any subaru are generally very good , it does not mean things never go wrong , the other thing to check is rust , engines can be main weakness
The 2.0 is the only engine that I am considering, for that reason. The adverts suggest no rebuilds, but i'll certainly ask. One has rust developing on the rear arches, the other car has not...ShiftGlock said:
I’ve had a few Subaru’s, the highest mileage being 140k. That one was very reliable and had been remapped with a few mods.
Generally all Subaru’s are reliable unless they have been badly modded so mileage alone would not put me off. I’d just be checking the condition and service record carefully as with any car.
Both examples that I am considering appear unmodified. Both appear to be in well cared for condition, and owned and maintained for a considerably long time...Generally all Subaru’s are reliable unless they have been badly modded so mileage alone would not put me off. I’d just be checking the condition and service record carefully as with any car.
Forgot to mention the ad below yours a forester xt for sale interested ? my fsti on 198000 ish miles , apart from engine issue the only main part that i can think of that went was a drivers door window motor , i can’t think of any other issues , well looked after and serviced , when engine went it was a good chance to improve so i went forged , a remap can improve fuel economy if you drive carefully
dan_87 said:
Do the WRX's also suffer from knocking suspension components, or was just the STI's? Lots on the internet about re packing with grease?
Yes, rear shocks go, you can rebuild/ regrease them but generally its a stop gap and you need to either replace (main dealer quoted me £1200 just for the rears, £1300 for the fronts KYB OE spec). My regreased struts lasted all of about 5 minutes....I managed to find similar KYBs for the front ar about £300 a pop but am planning to go coilovers rather than pay subaru £2500 for 4 struts.
Suspension (IME) can clonk, i'm still chasing a clonk having replace top mounts, struts and droplinks. Bushes is next on the list.
Check and listen carefully would be my advice.
STI inverted shocks knock. WRX don't. KYB excel G shocks for WRX are less than £100 per corner.
Stock cars are underpowered. Definitely look for a PPP one or budget for a remap.
Rear arches rust. No panel replacements so requires skilled work. Important to catch it early and remedy before it spreads to strut turret. Rust free examples exist but it's a question of when not if. NS to before OS. Wouldn't discount cars with slight rust. Depends on the upon budget.
Stock cars are underpowered. Definitely look for a PPP one or budget for a remap.
Rear arches rust. No panel replacements so requires skilled work. Important to catch it early and remedy before it spreads to strut turret. Rust free examples exist but it's a question of when not if. NS to before OS. Wouldn't discount cars with slight rust. Depends on the upon budget.
TEKNOPUG said:
STI inverted shocks knock. WRX don't. KYB excel G shocks for WRX are less than £100 per corner.
Stock cars are underpowered. Definitely look for a PPP one or budget for a remap.
Rear arches rust. No panel replacements so requires skilled work. Important to catch it early and remedy before it spreads to strut turret. Rust free examples exist but it's a question of when not if. NS to before OS. Wouldn't discount cars with slight rust. Depends on the upon budget.
Thanks TENKOPUG, very helpful. Stock cars are underpowered. Definitely look for a PPP one or budget for a remap.
Rear arches rust. No panel replacements so requires skilled work. Important to catch it early and remedy before it spreads to strut turret. Rust free examples exist but it's a question of when not if. NS to before OS. Wouldn't discount cars with slight rust. Depends on the upon budget.
Budget is low to be honest. The two I am considering both show signs of slight rust, but I can live with that, albeit will check the extent. Both high mileage (120 and 160k) and appear to have been owned for long periods with full histories. Providing maintained by the book, would 160k worry you- is this sort of mileage close to rebuild territory?
You're buying at the bottom of the market. There are still good cars available (I bought a 2002 WRX with 120k that is now on 175k) but in order to properly appreciate them, the suspension, bushes, brakes etc need to be in good order. The good news is if you are handy with spanners, they are very easy to work on; replacing consumable & other preventative maintenance. Which means they can be cheap to look after and capable of big miles. The bad news, is if you have to pay someone else to do all the work, it's going to be expensive.
From my experience the engines are good upto 160k if maintained with regular quality oils & filters and driven with some mechanical sympathy. Higher mileages cars start using oil as the engines wear. Regular oil checks are important but they will gradually lose compression as the piston rings wear, burning oil and reduced power. No different to any other engine.
As I say, the mechanical parts are relatively easy to refresh, the rust not so. However, you're unlikely to find a completely rust free example, so either budget that in or accept that it's probably going to be scrap in 4 to 5 years time. If you want a sporty drive then you need to make sure that the aforementioned suspension, alignment, brakes and tyres are tip-top (along with PPP or a remap) so consider that when viewing or budget for the work to be done in the future. Alternatively, if you are happy with a less dynamic drive but still want a turbo Scooby with 4WD and burble, consider a Forest XT or Legacy, which will probably be a bit cheaper than an equivalent Impreza.
From my experience the engines are good upto 160k if maintained with regular quality oils & filters and driven with some mechanical sympathy. Higher mileages cars start using oil as the engines wear. Regular oil checks are important but they will gradually lose compression as the piston rings wear, burning oil and reduced power. No different to any other engine.
As I say, the mechanical parts are relatively easy to refresh, the rust not so. However, you're unlikely to find a completely rust free example, so either budget that in or accept that it's probably going to be scrap in 4 to 5 years time. If you want a sporty drive then you need to make sure that the aforementioned suspension, alignment, brakes and tyres are tip-top (along with PPP or a remap) so consider that when viewing or budget for the work to be done in the future. Alternatively, if you are happy with a less dynamic drive but still want a turbo Scooby with 4WD and burble, consider a Forest XT or Legacy, which will probably be a bit cheaper than an equivalent Impreza.
TEKNOPUG said:
You're buying at the bottom of the market. There are still good cars available (I bought a 2002 WRX with 120k that is now on 175k) but in order to properly appreciate them, the suspension, bushes, brakes etc need to be in good order. The good news is if you are handy with spanners, they are very easy to work on; replacing consumable & other preventative maintenance. Which means they can be cheap to look after and capable of big miles. The bad news, is if you have to pay someone else to do all the work, it's going to be expensive.
From my experience the engines are good upto 160k if maintained with regular quality oils & filters and driven with some mechanical sympathy. Higher mileages cars start using oil as the engines wear. Regular oil checks are important but they will gradually lose compression as the piston rings wear, burning oil and reduced power. No different to any other engine.
As I say, the mechanical parts are relatively easy to refresh, the rust not so. However, you're unlikely to find a completely rust free example, so either budget that in or accept that it's probably going to be scrap in 4 to 5 years time. If you want a sporty drive then you need to make sure that the aforementioned suspension, alignment, brakes and tyres are tip-top (along with PPP or a remap) so consider that when viewing or budget for the work to be done in the future. Alternatively, if you are happy with a less dynamic drive but still want a turbo Scooby with 4WD and burble, consider a Forest XT or Legacy, which will probably be a bit cheaper than an equivalent Impreza.
Teknopug has summed it up perfectly. He seems to pop up on every subaru topic I look at From my experience the engines are good upto 160k if maintained with regular quality oils & filters and driven with some mechanical sympathy. Higher mileages cars start using oil as the engines wear. Regular oil checks are important but they will gradually lose compression as the piston rings wear, burning oil and reduced power. No different to any other engine.
As I say, the mechanical parts are relatively easy to refresh, the rust not so. However, you're unlikely to find a completely rust free example, so either budget that in or accept that it's probably going to be scrap in 4 to 5 years time. If you want a sporty drive then you need to make sure that the aforementioned suspension, alignment, brakes and tyres are tip-top (along with PPP or a remap) so consider that when viewing or budget for the work to be done in the future. Alternatively, if you are happy with a less dynamic drive but still want a turbo Scooby with 4WD and burble, consider a Forest XT or Legacy, which will probably be a bit cheaper than an equivalent Impreza.
I was in exactly the same position as the OP and had a subaru WRX itch to scratch. I looked on and off for over a year (was not in a rush). I eventually came across a 136k 05 wagon, previous owner had it 6 years, had done most of the maintenance himself, including KYB shocks upgrade, suspension replaced and alloys refurbed. I have had the water pump and timing belt done, service, new disc and pads all round and a new set of goodyear F1's. It's all very stock other than a full SS STI exhaust that has that lovely burble. Rust wise, arches have no bubbling but I am seeing little orange spots on the drive which indicate the sills may need some attention.
It's my first subaru and NOTHING drives like it, it is just sooo precise, I love it! At the price point I would just look for an honest, unmolested car, mileage would not (and did not) concern me.
I bought it off the classifieds on here, if the owner is reading this, thankyou very much
Here's what I ended up with:
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