Used car buying advice
 

I've been in the market for a WRX STI

There is this one that I am keen on: lower price: 2010 subaru impreza wrx sti hatch wrb mint


I've seen the car in person and test drove the car. However since I am not a Subaru expert, (Coming from Nissan) I was hoping to gather some intel or opinions on this specific car.

What I know about it so far:

• 3 owners
• Originally from Alberta car for a few days then registered at Docksteader Subaru in BC and then leased
• Over 95k km on the odo (high compared to others)
• Has some quality mods with brand name parts
• Second owner used the car to tow his race bikes

If you are a Subaru owner or enthusiast please chime in.

If it was me and I wasn't sure what to look for, personally I would get the car inspected by a Subaru dealer. It'll cost a fair bit ($50-150) but maybe you could split the cost with the seller on the condition that both of you will get a copy of the inspection sheet. If he's not hiding anything, I don't see why he wouldn't go for it. Unless he's a cheap bastard, and that should tell you how well the car was maintained...

Would it be better for me to take it to a dealer or a performance
Shop?

better to take it to a shop that you trust, whether its a dealer or private. Personally i go for shops i trust and none are dealers lol

i would probably check and see how long the car was in Alberta for..if it was there for a few winters in Alberta, it may have rust?
Also seeing that this car was an ex-lease could be a potential red flag as well.

There's also this one as well on craigslist. Maybe you should check this one out too?

Subaru Impreza STi GRB hatch back world rally blue

The price isn't bad, but keep in mind that out of province cars are worth less from a resale point of view, regardless of condition.

I wouldn't take it to a dealer for inspection - I've done that before and it was pretty useless.

Take it to a private shop that knows Subarus (e.g. HBL Autosports).

I recently just did a long search for the exact car you're pursuing...took me a few months to finally find one that I knew all the history for, previous owners, etc. but was well worth the wait. I now have full confidence in what I'm driving, and especially since this isn't a '05 civic that will run forever with little to no maintenance...things go wrong and they aren't cheap so pays to do your research and know what you're investing in.

I'd do what a few of the guys have said so far and take it to a private shop that knows subarus (Dales alignment, AHM automotive, etc.) and see what they say, hundred bucks or so now is well worth the piece of mind later.

Head gasket

If you get an inspection, always make sure a compression test is done (many shops don't include this in their standard pre-purchase inspection).

Get a vehicle history report on it (since it's out of province, you'll probably want something like CarProof or CarFax as opposed to ICBC's report).

Make sure there are no liens against it.

Demand maintenance records; check the mileages and dates between maintenance. It ensures that no funny business has occurred with the odometer and, if you notice some irregularities, gives you the opportunity to get a better background story with follow-up questions. Why did it go XX km/months between oil changes as opposed to the manufacturer recommended intervals? If the car wasn't used for several months, was it stored properly? etc.

Check various sources (consumer books/magazines, internet forums, etc.), find out what issues you could be facing in the future.

Bring a mechanically-inclined friend/relative to test drive it with you. He/she may be able to pick up on odd sights, sounds, smells, etc. better than you can.