Subaru heads I need some advice

[Jared]

A tech at the Subaru dealer I work at is selling this WRX:

2005 Subaru WRX Wagon. 60,000 Miles. subaru tech owned and serviced. many new parts. a few minor dings and scratches. 17,000 obo

New shortblock
New Turbo
APS intake
turbo xs blowoff recir
invidia turbo back exhaust
prodrive muffler
headers and uppipe
XPT stage 2 tune

He said he would sell it to me for $15,000, he needs enough to pay it off and cover the parts. Comes with an extra turbo and a bunch of stock parts.

It runs very well, as it says above he replaced the short block and turbo recently right before the warranty was up.

My question to you guys is, do you think $15k is fair?

Clean private party value is like $13,300 -$13,600 for a stock WRX with this mileage. He did the work right and put good parts on, good tune.

Opinions?

[AJAx]

I would buy it, but then again I just like all Subarus.

[ZX3autoxtasy]

I would give him $13k, or if you're generous, $14k.

Everyone knows mods to a car really don't increase the retail value. Yea, its nice, but at the end of the day the car isn't really worth anymore because you usually won't sell something for OVER bluebook.

[FocuZ_Freek_XxX]

Seems a little high to me. Id stick with book on those.
Also why would he need to replace the shortblock? Was he driving the hell out of the car? If he had to replace those parts how was he on the car? Seems like he was rough.

[Jared]

He replaced the shortblock and turbo right before warranty was up, so it cost him nothing, he did the work himself. He decided to sell it cuz he doesn't want a car payment, he's got an older Outback and a Legacy GT.

Yeah I am of the opinion that high 13's would be fair, I'd go to $14k maybe. But I tested the waters before and he said he needs to get $15k to pay it off.

I think I will offer him $13,800 and see if it sticks.

What I do know is that he was meticulous with maintaining it and doesn't hammer on it. My theory is it's the best used WRX that I can verify condition on, otherwise I would be negotiating down in the $12k's.

Another thing I know, is me likely wastegate and blowoff noise

Although it's simply not as fast as a stock '09 WRX. Those kind of spoiled me haha

[WRCwannabe]

15k is not bad for a 60k mile car, especially if it has a new block and etc.

[frdfocszx3]

Originally Posted by FocuZ_Freek_XxX

Seems a little high to me. Id stick with book on those.
Also why would he need to replace the shortblock? Was he driving the hell out of the car? If he had to replace those parts how was he on the car? Seems like he was rough.

Do you expect someone to install all those aftermarket parts on a vehicle and not be rough with it? I say $14-15k on this car is about right. Offer $14.5 for it see what he says. It does have lots of extra goodies.

[20focus03]

id be all over it for 15k if it wasnt a wagon,and i agree nobodys does all those mods to a car and not beat on it

[frdfocszx3]

Do you know what new turbo he installed? Was it oe? Too bad it's not an 06, EJ205 vs EJ255. VF52 turbo would have been perfect for the 255. Then it would have been faster than a stock 09 wrx.

[Johnny_P]

I would see no reason to replace any shortblock unless there was something wrong with it. If the current one had no problems it was obviously a good one, so why replace it with a new one and go through a difficult installation where you might break something else? Makes no sense at all. I'm thinking there is something going on with that car that he doesn't want to deal with.

Pass.

[lowlifestyle]

The new short block does not necessarily mean it was beat on. I have heard that the block needs to be sleeved to survive long term on increased boost levels or they develop a bad oil consumption problem. He may have experienced some of this and decided to start with a fresh motor since he had easy access to one.

[Johnny_P]

^ he replaced it before the warranty ran out.... so he replaced it with stock.... so he didn't solve the problem at all then. so then it still has the same problem.

Once again... I'd stay away.

[Jared]

I forget the reasoning behind the shortblock thing.

I thiiiiink he said there was some rod knocking or something.

He bought the car with 30k miles on it and replaced the turbo when he got it, and from there he added some stuff and sorted it all out.

We see a lot of turbos being replaced on these cars simply cuz people don't change the oil at the proper intervals. Probably the case with the first turbo before he bought the car.

It's funny, with the WRX's we either see ones that have 190k miles on original turbo and clutch, or ones with turbos being fried before 30k miles cuz the owner didn't adhere to proper fluid change schedule.

[lowlifestyle]

Nothing wrong with stock, if he was planning on offing the car why build it? By replacing the motor I would say that the problem has been addressed. I don't think it's worth 15k though.

[polizei]

Originally Posted by 20focus03

id be all over it for 15k if it wasnt a wagon,and i agree nobodys does all those mods to a car and not beat on it

That's not true at all...my MINI might not be anywhere as fast, but I have mods done to it and I drive it like a grandma...

-Cody

[frdfocszx3]

Originally Posted by polizei

That's not true at all...my MINI might not be anywhere as fast, but I have mods done to it and I drive it like a grandma...

-Cody

As all minis should be driven. Just pulling your chain.

[Jared]

The only other worry is that even if it was maintained well and has a new turbo and block, the rest of the car might have lived a rather spirited life. Like he drives like I drive, which is sporting but not abusive, and I wonder about suspension components, etc and the car starting to feel a bit "tired" over time.

That plus our Honda dealer about an hour west of where I work has an '05 Saab 9-2X, which is an Impreza clone, same miles as this WRX, for like $8,500. Non-turbo though. The awesomely crappy Saab resale value means I can get an Impreza clone for $4,000 less than an equivalent Impreza.

It's the classic scenario with the devil on one shoulder, angel on the other, both giving me advice, haha.

[focusownerskid]

Wow, lots of opinions in here.

Facts;

Tech owned and lots of new/quality parts.

As with all deals, offer less and see if he bites, if not, but you do want it...bite the bullet and pay the extra dough.

I'd buy it if I was in the market, it's very clean and well taken care of...w/ parts you'd probably install anyway.

- Drew

[frdfocszx3]

^^Couldn't have said it any better.

[MachFive]

I third that. Like you said, Jared, you won't find a better example unless you get lucky with a grandma car. You know where it came from, you know the parts and labor that went into it, i'd say offer him a little less, if it's a no go, pony up the extra couple hundred and enjoy it. Especially with only 60k on the clock and those new parts.

[boostedzx3]

This is what kills me about these subarus, I love them and went to price them out at a dealership and suby's pushing 100k are going for like 10-12k. I'm like holy ****, so I went down to Ford and test drove a fusion. Much newer, much nicer the SEL model was actually quicker I think less miles and same price.

[ZX3autoxtasy]

I still think the whole things iffy. A few things are undeniable: the shortblock, and the "need" for a new turbo. ... and the need for having an extra one too?

It just doesn't add up.

I've know plenty of techs that have owned cars and taken care of them, but at the same token these same people have bought cars that have had problems. THEY can always fix it for pretty much nothing, but what if one of these problems rears its head with you?

Honestly, no one replaces a shortblock for fun, even if the shortblocks free. If something was knocking it was knocking for a reason.

I would pass it up and wait for something better. In all honesty, I'd rather by a clean 100% stock car than a clean modded car... even if it had mods I would do anyway. The car markets pretty crappy anyway now, and you could probably find and equally good WRX without all the "hmmmm's" and not have to worry about it.

[Jared]

Update:

Decided to pass on the WRX, and go for the Saab 9-2X. By the time I had time from work to drive 90 minutes to go see it at our Honda dealership, it was sold. (Their used car manager was wondering why he got 20 calls within a day of putting it online, I told him it probably was cuz it was the cheapest in the country by like $2,000).

Anyways, seriously bummed, I return to work the next day.

My manager is like "I wouldn't be so bummed, wait til you see what is coming in today on trade."

Later that afternoon, I see two elderly people pull up in this:





....aaaand I happily bought it. Is it sporty? No. But it's ABSOLUTELY IMMACULATE.

It's a 2001 Forester S with heated seats/mirrors/wipers, limited slip, and yes, it has an automatic transmission, but I actually don't mind, seeing as how the vehicle isn't exactly very sporty.

Seriously I can explain how clean this is. We all were standing around looking at it the other day and we came to the conclusion that this may actually be the nicest original-condition SF Forester in the country.

I detailed the interior today, and Thursday it's getting a serious claybarring and waxing, but it's in such unbelievable condition. Over the next week or so I'm giving it new engine and differential oil, coolant flush, air filter, and then it's set.

Short term mod plans:
-light bar on front with two round Cibie Oscar foglights
-double din head unit with aux input and Sirius, and some good speakers
-wide bar Thule rack for bike/cargo pod
-thicker sway bars, mayyybe

Long term:
-seeing how long I can possibly keep it running and in good condition, and when that fails, put all Impreza/WRX suspension bits and a WRX engine/transmission in it

But in all likelihood I will probably embrace it's utility and pseudo-off road capability and get another car that's sportier when the mood strikes, keeping this as a utility vehicle.

I'm so stoked, I know this is such a dorky car but I always had a soft spot for the SF generation lol

[ZX3autoxtasy]

Congrats dude!

VERY good decision. Even on the Auto. I love having a manual, but realistically if I had more than one automobile one would be an automatic.

That thing is going to be a bike transporting MACHINE. Throw that rack on their, get a nice organized cargo area and you're in business.

And I would spray the wheels black. Even stock wheels look good black, and on that, I think it would make it one mean looking little machine.

[hEaT]

Nice! My Mom has an 01 Forester with ~46k miles or so. Same color and all.