Hey oppo, car buying question for you

"PlayerWAN" (PlayerWAN) 10/19/2013 at 16:48 • Filed to: ask oppo, NPOCP

0

25

Should I buy a 2004 WRX with 244k miles for $6700?

Owner lists full service records and a ton of recent maintenance done (with full paperwork). NP or CP? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on this one. What say you oppo?

Goshen, formerly Darkcode > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 16:56

1

244,000 miles is quite a lot for a 9-year-old car. Just saying.

All Motor Is Best Motor > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 16:56

2

I just looked up the Kelly Blue Book Value , and without knowing more about the car, his price may be a little bit high (but he did do a lot of recent work so he may be pricing it for that).

To be honest, I wouldn't buy a used car with that many miles on it period. While it's a desirable model, I'd say crack pipe. I'm no expert by far, that's just my opinion. My car's at 107,000 miles and it's already starting to want my money (for repairs).

6cyl > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 16:56

0

A car with a turbo motor with over 240k miles and priced over $6k I say CP unless they include an impeccable maintenance record with dates and receipts.

dropthatclutch > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 17:01

1

It appears stock from the picture you posted and amazingly enough that is about the right price for that mileage. Crawl up under it and scope it out for rust and general condition. Determine if and when the turbo was replaced. Almost as important what are your plans? You going to daily drive it stock, or tear it down and build up a track terror, or somewhere in between?

Squid > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 17:04

0

It would have to have a full comprehensive service history doccumenting every single oil change and every major service done acording to the severe duty cycle as this car averaged more than 24,000 miles a year. so essentially there should have been a major service done every year of this cars life. I am weary of super high mileage motors unless I know they have been well taken care of. My old Focus was at 106,000 and I wasn't so confident in its well being, now I got a 99 Miata with 126,000 on it and I know it is reliable but still not too confident. But a Subie boxer with that many miles just scares me.

PlayerWAN > dropthatclutch 10/19/2013 at 17:08

0

I'd DD it stock. Perhaps Autox it once or twice a year. Stock class though.

PowderHound > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 17:10

0

I say CP but then again I got a pretty good deal on my WRX. Got my 03 wagon with 140k for 5500 about a year ago. Only had to do some minor work to get it where I was happy with it.

Birddog > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 17:14

0

Going against the grain.

Is it stone stock, well maintained and is the current owner over 30 years old?

If you have 3 yes answers you have a winner. It's worth close to the ask.
Try lowballing too. You never know.

dropthatclutch > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 17:21

1

Well then you need to compare typical lifespans of the critical components to what's on the car. Parts the previous owner replaced at 120k are due, and parts with a lifespan of 250k are going to be due as well. My heavily abused TD04 turbo went at like 80k (40 of which were stg 2) which means it could be on its' 2nd or 3rd turbo needing another.

Your best bet is to get all the information on the car and present it to NASIOC.com and see what they say.

20binaFD > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 17:49

0

If that's what he's asking you could get him down to 6 grand for sure, so start at 5500. If they say no, then tell em that's your offer and leave it on the table. Sometimes cars take a while to sell and the sellers may decide to go with the highest/only offer. Do not pay the asking price on a used car, you're a chump if you do. Haggling is expected.

MouseFitzgerald > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 18:05

0

Abort mission!!!

hollanddjw 1 > Birddog 10/19/2013 at 18:08

0

I agree with this answer.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 18:12

0

Was a total drivetrain swap done recently?

SteyrTMP > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 18:34

0

I'd definately say way too high for that mileage, no matter how well it's been maintained. Unless it has a new, sub-100k mile engine in it, I wouldn't think of it. The suspension is old, probably, the transmission is old... that high would be a big turnoff for me, or a good reason to really hit hard against that price. There's a really nice one pretty close to me.

Hobz > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 19:21

0

As an owner of two subarus, I'd spend a little extra and get a lower mileage version, but it also depends on what work has been done to it. Bushings, suspension, turbo, timing belt, clutch should have been replaced by now, if not twice. The potential maintenance involved with that many miles on it could easily be over $2k depending on how picky you are with the running state of your car. In the end, buying a lower mileage car can cost you more, but save you so much headache. Personally, I don't buy cars with more than 75k miles, and that already involves a fair bit of maintenance.

PlayerWAN > Hobz 10/19/2013 at 19:36

0

This is what's stated in the ad:

Replaced At 233,770 miles:
-Timing belt
-New Exedy clutch
-New fuel lines
-New starter
-Various engine seals & gaskets replaced (leaks no oil)
-Thermostat
-Accessory belts
-Spark plugs
-Coolant flush, transmission and differential fluids all changed

2. Replaced at 243,597
-Both front CV axles
-4 Brand new Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires

compression checked for all 4 cylinders at Subaru dealership and they are as follows:

Cylinder 1: 145psi
Cylinder 2: 145psi
Cylinder 3: 150psi
Cylinder 4: 145psi

this car has been meticulously maintained and I have the records to prove it. All electrics work, A/C blows cold, heater blows hot. The gearbox is very tight and the all wheel drive works perfectly. There have been some tasteful additions to the vehicle such as a Cobb cat-back stainless steel exhaust system, Rally Armor mudflaps, STI intercooler hood scoop, dashboard gauge cluster, and Cusco rear strut brace. In other words, a very well looked after and healthy car, and of course, I have records to back this up.

feather-throttle-not-hair > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 20:00

0

Reluctantly gotta vote CP.

I owned a turbocharged 4wd sports car once. There is a lot to go wrong there no matter how well its been maintained. Just so much complexity.

Justino6969 > PlayerWAN 10/19/2013 at 23:44

0

The fact that a crap ton of work was just done within 10k miles, and now he turns around and sells it for probably around what he paid for in maintenance, scares me.

WhereAreMyPants > Birddog 10/20/2013 at 09:57

0

I think those are the questions for any wrx. This one has way too many miles, and it's at least double the value of the car.

WhereAreMyPants > PlayerWAN 10/20/2013 at 09:59

0

5 Grand, max. This is definitely crack pipe for price. It looks clean for the miles, but there's going to be a ton of other work coming up, regardless of what he just put into it.

sbblakey777 > All Motor Is Best Motor 10/20/2013 at 15:12

0

Still beats my ma's 2008 Chrysler T&C that needed a new tranny after 32k miles. Not even highway miles. Mostly red lights.

All Motor Is Best Motor > sbblakey777 10/20/2013 at 15:29

1

I can one up that. My 2001 Acura CL Type S had its first trans replaced after 7xxxx something miles under a warranty recall. The replacement died after 17,000 miles. Not a track car, and hasn't been hooned, I'm the only owner since new. Acura had to extend the warranties on every CL and TL, plus a few others that had this same automatic transmission after a big class action lawsuit. To make a long story short, they had quality issues with the 3rd gear clutch plate wearing quickly and spreading metal shavings throughout the trans, clogging the fluid injectors and things. They never really ironed it out either. No guarantee a new one won't die either.

Hobz > PlayerWAN 10/20/2013 at 19:14

0

That's a good list, glad to see the compression is good in all cylinders. How about rust (particularly rear quarter panels). Snow belt car?

PlayerWAN > Hobz 10/20/2013 at 19:28

0

Kansas car for sure. But I went and checked it out today. I updated here . It is as good as it looks. Excellent condition, no rust, no leaks, runs and drives like it only has 40k miles. And apparently before this owner it was owned by a service tech at the dealership that commuted to work every day, so that's why it has so many miles. Mostly highway. One more thing the seller mentioned is that when he went and bought the new tires he had the suspension bushings and wheel bearings inspected and they came out pretty good. Seller seems to be a pretty big car guy too, he's selling a LandRover Defender too (for $19k tho, really out of my price range). I made an offer for the subie and he settled at $6k. I think it's worth it.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Hobz > PlayerWAN 10/20/2013 at 21:25

0

Sounds good. Worn bushings are just an excuse to get polyurethane replacements anyway ;)

New England is a lot harsher on subarus. Potholes and salt ages the cars at least twice as fast!