"BATC42" (BATC42)
08/18/2015 at 21:55 • Filed to: None
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"BATC42" (BATC42)
08/18/2015 at 21:55 • Filed to: None | 0
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Last time I asked for advice was for a friend who was looking to buy a Primera, and you delivered (he was unlucky and jsut blow his gasket though). Anyway. Another friend of mine is looking at buying a car, and she is currently looking at a 1999 Subaru Legacy Wagon. I igured you awesome people might know a lot more about what to look out for than me since it’s seems it’s quite popular everywhere but in Europe. More details after the jump.
So she is looking at a 1999 Subaru Legacy Wagon (BH), it has 228,000km (140k miles), the seller says it has the 2.5l turbo engine, which I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist and that it’s just the 2.5l H4. The car seems to be in good condition, oil has been changed recently, got 2 new tyres on the front and the rear ones are still good, though might need to be changed in a few thousand km. It also has a nasty scratch on the front driver fender. I’ve asked her to get more information on the car (like when was the belt changed) and I will report back once I have those. The seller wants NZD2500/USD1650 (but is apparently ready to accept $2200 NZD).
Any advice on this car, stuff to look at, to ask? I’ve suggested she should do a PPI too before buying. The seller’s mechanic apparently inspected the car recently and found nothing suspicious.
Cheers!
Big Bubba Ray
> BATC42
08/18/2015 at 22:12 |
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Get a receipt for the timing belt if possible. Check the head gaskets cause they tend to blow. Look out for rust around the body. Pretty much run of the mill stuff.
Good idea with the PPI. Bring it to another mechanic and have them look it over. It all check out, should be a great car!
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BATC42
> Big Bubba Ray
08/18/2015 at 22:18 |
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Thanks for the info, I will pass it on :). I’ll check for rust too. I’ve told her the car wasn’t such a great deal at the initial price ($2500) since stuff like the dent in the fender is quite bad and it has been left like that for the past few months, and from the picture it looks like rust found its home...
I’ve also found a different Legacy for her to look at, same year, a bit less mileage (10k km), at $2600 but it looks absolutely spotless and has been maintained by Subaru for the past 6 years.
Amoore100
> BATC42
08/18/2015 at 22:47 |
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Yes, get the spotless one. In our area people use them like they should (well, some of them) while others just don’t maintain them. And I am a sucker for cheap but spotless used cars :)
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> BATC42
08/18/2015 at 22:56 |
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I briefly drove a ‘92 Legacy Wagon. I miss it.
But yeah, low price + no proof of claimed work is a no no.
“The Seller’s mechanic inspected it.” NO. No. No sir. Shenanigans. Get your own inspection.
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BATC42
> Amoore100
08/19/2015 at 00:03 |
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This is the other one, at $2600:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca…
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Amoore100
> BATC42
08/19/2015 at 00:07 |
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That is a great looking example...well-informed seller, clean and well maintained car, and just in the price range. Besides that I like the dark blue combined with those wheels as well as the hood swapped in from a Turbo but that’s just preference by that point...
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BATC42
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/19/2015 at 00:08 |
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He sent her pictures from the last work done on it, I’ve seen bills for the oil change as well as wheels alignments (both are the most recent stuff done on it). But yeah, of course, never buy a car without all the doc, already told her that one.
I would love to own a Legacy (or any other Subaru for that matter), they seem to be great cars. Shame French people don’t like them that much :/ (though we’ve been seeing more since they started offering the boxer diesel)
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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> BATC42
08/19/2015 at 00:38 |
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I mean hey, it could be fine, but she should have it inspected by someone other than the seller’s mechanic... You can see the room for a certain conflict of interest there. I know I shouldn’t always be so cynical when replying to these posts. But the first time (if ever) you get burned, man, you think about all the signs you ignored or the steps you didn’t take in hindsight.
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BATC42
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/19/2015 at 01:31 |
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TBH, as far as I know, he only said the mechanic checked it, I don’t even know if that’s true or not.
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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> BATC42
08/19/2015 at 01:32 |
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The correct stance is to be skeptical always.
p33t - wagons 4 lyfe
> BATC42
08/19/2015 at 05:37 |
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Is it on trademe? If so post a link. If its the EJ25 (trim would be something like 250t if its a JDM import) then make dead sure the head gaskets are okay. I would reccomend having a hydrocarbon test done by a reputable mechanic as a PPI would only check cylinder pressures. Also make sure you check the rear light cluster on the trunk lid. If its cracked it will leak and will end up with the trunk lid being full of water and slowly leak into the trunk area.
To be honest I would say you would be safer off looking for a 2l one. This is one I happen to have in my TradeMe watch list http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-ca…
The garnish is cracked but a junk yard boot lid would sort that out. Cheap, manual and the TS-R goes well too for a non turbo.
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BATC42
> p33t - wagons 4 lyfe
08/19/2015 at 06:42 |
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Thanks for all the info! And indeed it is the EJ25. I’ll pass the advice on! This particular one is not on TradeMe though. As for the one you shared looks really nice! And it’s a manual!!!
Thanks once again!
(As an unrelated note, do you knwo any place where it is possible to rent something remotely fun around Auckland? I want to go to Wellington early september but I’d like to enjoy the sights while going there and have something a bit fun to drive, well funner than that crappy Nissan Wingroad I rented back in April.)