Subaru Impreza RB5 Viewing this weekend
Discussion
Hi everyone
I'm new to the forums so hopefully this doesn't break any rules. Basically, I've been looking at Subarus for a while and I'm really settled on a RB5 -- not only are they gorgeous, but they're also quite rare. Only issue is I'm quite a novice with what to look for when buying Subarus/running costs/what's a prime example and what's not.
This RB5 I'm viewing is advertised for less than 10 grand but has covered 118,000 miles with 3 owners. Apparently the last owner is a car fanatic and oversaw a full engine rebuild with "better" parts at a cost of £1500 and has also undertaken a lot of rust prevention work underneath and under the arches. 118,000 miles is quite a lot for a 2 litre engine though, how reliable are Subaru engines if they've been properly maintained?
Sorry for the multitude of questions, hoping all your experience and knowledge can just help me out a little!
Sorry, link: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I'm new to the forums so hopefully this doesn't break any rules. Basically, I've been looking at Subarus for a while and I'm really settled on a RB5 -- not only are they gorgeous, but they're also quite rare. Only issue is I'm quite a novice with what to look for when buying Subarus/running costs/what's a prime example and what's not.
This RB5 I'm viewing is advertised for less than 10 grand but has covered 118,000 miles with 3 owners. Apparently the last owner is a car fanatic and oversaw a full engine rebuild with "better" parts at a cost of £1500 and has also undertaken a lot of rust prevention work underneath and under the arches. 118,000 miles is quite a lot for a 2 litre engine though, how reliable are Subaru engines if they've been properly maintained?
Sorry for the multitude of questions, hoping all your experience and knowledge can just help me out a little!
Sorry, link: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Edited by LegendaryMatt on Wednesday 15th May 14:55
I take it the £1500 was for the 'better parts' only? Is there a receipt for the whole re-build? I wouldn't spend high 4 figures on an RB5 without that.
Rust prevention? Hopefully that doesn't mean the whole underneath has been caked with black underseal, so you can't see what's behind it!
Unless a UK car has been kept out of our winters completely, rust will be a serious issue and it will have needed repairs by now. Peel back the interior boot liners on the arches/rear quarter and have a really close look - seriously, you must do this. If there's visible rust in there, it's not worth that kind of money. It's always far worse on the other side of the metal that you can't see too.
Rust prevention? Hopefully that doesn't mean the whole underneath has been caked with black underseal, so you can't see what's behind it!
Unless a UK car has been kept out of our winters completely, rust will be a serious issue and it will have needed repairs by now. Peel back the interior boot liners on the arches/rear quarter and have a really close look - seriously, you must do this. If there's visible rust in there, it's not worth that kind of money. It's always far worse on the other side of the metal that you can't see too.
MDMA . said:
Check for rust, rust and more rust. Inside the boot area towards the arches. Link would help also.
Cheers for the reply mate. Have put the link in now. I know rust is a major issue with the older Imprezas, didn't realise it was inside the boot area though so will definitely have a look there. I assume, with major rust, it's a massive no-no. rossub said:
I take it the £1500 was for the 'better parts' only? Is there a receipt for the whole re-build? I wouldn't spend high 4 figures on an RB5 without that.
Rust prevention? Hopefully that doesn't mean the whole underneath has been caked with black underseal, so you can't see what's behind it!
Unless a UK car has been kept out of our winters completely, rust will be a serious issue and it will have needed repairs by now. Peel back the interior boot liners on the arches/rear quarter and have a really close look - seriously, you must do this. If there's visible rust in there, it's not worth that kind of money. It's always far worse on the other side of the metal that you can't see too.
Hi mate. I have put the link up now which has the paperwork to show work been carried out but, yes, seller is claiming the engine was re-built purely with "better" parts and that £1500 was purely for parts & not labour. Rust prevention? Hopefully that doesn't mean the whole underneath has been caked with black underseal, so you can't see what's behind it!
Unless a UK car has been kept out of our winters completely, rust will be a serious issue and it will have needed repairs by now. Peel back the interior boot liners on the arches/rear quarter and have a really close look - seriously, you must do this. If there's visible rust in there, it's not worth that kind of money. It's always far worse on the other side of the metal that you can't see too.
Having spoken with the seller on the phone, he assures me that the current owner & the last one definitely kept it in warm storage for most of the year and only drove it through summer months -- he was also keen to tell me it's mainly done motorway miles but I'm not sure.
My biggest worry is the mileage -- 118k isn't too much for a properly maintained 2 litre engine, but one that's been abused for most of its life? I'll pass on that.
There was recently one for sale for £4k with the same coloured wheels as this (same one maybe) and it was absolutely rotten with rust around the arches and windscreen. 2 weeks later it was advertised as fully resprayed (bodged up in that time) for £10k.
I have owned one in the past and would want a PPP WR sport one with less miles for that money. TBH an STi type R is a better car and similar money.
I have owned one in the past and would want a PPP WR sport one with less miles for that money. TBH an STi type R is a better car and similar money.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 15th May 15:10
Was on ebay recently. 7k ono. Trader probably bought for 6-6.5k, quick wash, 3.5-4k mark up.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-RB5/1325...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-RB5/1325...
Elatino1 said:
There was recently one for sale for £4k with the same coloured wheels as this (same one maybe) and it was absolutely rotten with rust around the arches and windscreen. 2 weeks later it was advertised as fully resprayed (bodged up in that time) for £10k.
I have owned one in the past and would want a PPP WR sport one with less miles for that money. TBH an STi type R is a better car and similar money.
Oh wow, really? Likely what's happened here then. My concern is that the owner of this bought it last summer as an investment and is suddenly selling it 8 months later despite being the owner of a successful firm? That's alarm bells for me and one of the main reasons I was keen to get all your knowledge on this, which is brilliant I must say! I have owned one in the past and would want a PPP WR sport one with less miles for that money. TBH an STi type R is a better car and similar money.
Edited by Elatino1 on Wednesday 15th May 15:10
I will have a look @ STi type R's now.
MDMA . said:
Was on ebay recently. 7k ono. Trader probably bought for 6-6.5k, quick wash, 3.5-4k mark up.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-RB5/1325...
Ridiculous that! That would explain the extremely quick turnaround on this even though the seller bought it as an "investment" just last summer. Think I'll steer clear and look somewhere else! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-RB5/1325...
Picture 39 isn’t great, to me it looks like by the texture that they’ve just sprayed the waxoil over the top to chipped / rusted parts.
Be very very wary of rust, the strut towers and inner arches are a nightmare, particularly so for the strut towers as it’s all hidden beneath the seats, sound deadening, and the outer panel that can look perfect from the outside
This was mine 6 months ago, all fixed now. Wasn’t cheap!
|https://thumbsnap.com/CV3F089n[/url]
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|https://thumbsnap.com/SFKfzbcw[/url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/wF6YdTju[/url]
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Be very very wary of rust, the strut towers and inner arches are a nightmare, particularly so for the strut towers as it’s all hidden beneath the seats, sound deadening, and the outer panel that can look perfect from the outside
This was mine 6 months ago, all fixed now. Wasn’t cheap!
|https://thumbsnap.com/CV3F089n[/url][url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/SFKfzbcw[/url]|https://thumbsnap.com/wF6YdTju[/url][url]
No way is that a £10k car. It spent at least its first 7 years in my neck of the woods - Aberdeenshire and since it did 70k miles in that time, it was out in all weathers and lots of salt. Then it moved to Newcastle, which isn’t much better.
Wax oil looks to have been painted over the top of rust.
The mileage isn’t much of an issue, but the condition doesn’t justify the cost.
Far better cars out there for that money - avoid.
Wax oil looks to have been painted over the top of rust.
The mileage isn’t much of an issue, but the condition doesn’t justify the cost.
Far better cars out there for that money - avoid.
What a semi-polished, semi-undersealed turd... and £10k?! You're into really clean JDM import money there too.
I had a passing thought about selling my STi Version 6 Limited Wagon the other day and it's many leagues higher than that car when it comes to condition, miles and history. Although the price difference between it and that RB5 would probably reflect it to a certain degree... not to the extent that one may expect if you just looked at the condition of the cars, which is crazy!!
The 'buy limited editions and jump on the 22B/P1' bandwagon traders like this really annoy me, cause they're selling properly sh!t cars for mega money.. people must be buying them only to find out they've bought a nightmare car and have had their fingers roasted off rather than just burnt, it's such a shame.
I had a passing thought about selling my STi Version 6 Limited Wagon the other day and it's many leagues higher than that car when it comes to condition, miles and history. Although the price difference between it and that RB5 would probably reflect it to a certain degree... not to the extent that one may expect if you just looked at the condition of the cars, which is crazy!!
The 'buy limited editions and jump on the 22B/P1' bandwagon traders like this really annoy me, cause they're selling properly sh!t cars for mega money.. people must be buying them only to find out they've bought a nightmare car and have had their fingers roasted off rather than just burnt, it's such a shame.
RS Grant said:
What a semi-polished, semi-undersealed turd... and £10k?! You're into really clean JDM import money there too.
I had a passing thought about selling my STi Version 6 Limited Wagon the other day and it's many leagues higher than that car when it comes to condition, miles and history. Although the price difference between it and that RB5 would probably reflect it to a certain degree... not to the extent that one may expect if you just looked at the condition of the cars, which is crazy!!
The 'buy limited editions and jump on the 22B/P1' bandwagon traders like this really annoy me, cause they're selling properly sh!t cars for mega money.. people must be buying them only to find out they've bought a nightmare car and have had their fingers roasted off rather than just burnt, it's such a shame.
Any pics of your wagon? Remember your M3 thread so presume your Impreza will be equally as nice. I had a passing thought about selling my STi Version 6 Limited Wagon the other day and it's many leagues higher than that car when it comes to condition, miles and history. Although the price difference between it and that RB5 would probably reflect it to a certain degree... not to the extent that one may expect if you just looked at the condition of the cars, which is crazy!!
The 'buy limited editions and jump on the 22B/P1' bandwagon traders like this really annoy me, cause they're selling properly sh!t cars for mega money.. people must be buying them only to find out they've bought a nightmare car and have had their fingers roasted off rather than just burnt, it's such a shame.
MDMA . said:
Any pics of your wagon? Remember your M3 thread so presume your Impreza will be equally as nice.
Thank you, yeah the Impreza is a cracker... as you'll see in the thread it's so nice I've owned it twice!! 
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
RS Grant said:
MDMA . said:
Any pics of your wagon? Remember your M3 thread so presume your Impreza will be equally as nice.
Thank you, yeah the Impreza is a cracker... as you'll see in the thread it's so nice I've owned it twice!! https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
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