We list the nuances of choosing a cult “Japanese” with mileage. What kind of problems can be expected from a “hot” passenger car with a rich rally past?
The “charged” 300-horsepower Subaru Impreza WRX STI of the third generation was released in 2007. At first, these were exclusively five-door hatchbacks, and since 2010, a sedan has also been added to them. The model produced until 2014 can now be found on sale at a price of 1,000,000 rubles. So many owners of hatches and sedans of the first years of production with mileage from 140,000 to 180,000 km ask.
For fresher, well-groomed specimens that have driven less than 100,000 km on Russian roads, and sometimes less than 50,000 km, the owners of “hot” five-door and four-door cars hope to receive from 2 to 3.5 million rubles. But is it worth messing with an expensive sports car in every sense at the price of a new Toyota Corolla or even Camry? And what you should pay attention to when choosing a WRX STI in the secondary market.
How to choose a used Subaru Impreza WRX STI?
- The “charged” model of this generation was officially supplied to the Russian market only with a 300-horsepower 2.5-liter gasoline turbo engine and all-wheel drive. In the early years, hatches could only be bought with a 6-speed manual. A 5-speed “automatic” went on sale a little later – along with sedans.
- Inspection of a 4-cylinder boxer should begin with an assessment of the condition of the gaskets and seals, which eventually lose their elasticity and begin to poison the lubricant. The greatest attention should be paid to smudges from under the phase shifters, since oil from there can go straight to the timing belt.
- The iconic sports sedan with rally roots is a thing of the past. Now the Japanese brand is betting on the development of electric vehicle technology for motorsports
- Taking into account the recommendations of subarologists to change it after 50,000-60,000 km, when examining cars with mileage in the region of 100,000-120,000 and 150,000-180,000, you should ask the owner if he has updated the timing belt for a long time. Yes, and it is better to change the candles at least 30,000-40,000 km. Just like cleaning the fuel injectors.
- When choosing a Subaru Impreza WRX STI away from major cities, take an interest in what kind of gasoline the car was filled with. She is entitled to a minimum of AI-98. From the use of the 95th engine may not be good. Due to detonations and overheating, burnout of pistons and valves is not excluded.
- If the previous owners practiced an active driving style and “lit it up” at every opportunity, then the turbo engine may need capital for 100,000 km. And for careful drivers who do not participate in traffic light races and all sorts of fast races, the engine is able to go to the capital twice, or even three times more.
- Despite the fact that the 5-speed “automatic” Subaru Impreza WRX STI is considered quite reliable and successful box, he does not like overheating. Therefore, the additional cooling radiator installed by the previous owner should be attributed to the advantages of the instance in question. However, in order to avoid capital, before 200-250 thousand kilometers, you should definitely spend time on diagnosing the box.
- Due to the low-resource center differential, which often asks for an exit after 100,000 km, the mechanics are inferior to the “automatic” in terms of reliability and survivability. The reason for poor gear engagement and loss of clarity when shifting may be the wear of the tips of the gear shift forks, which wear out by 150,000 km. With regular active driving, the third gear is destroyed ahead of time, and the clutch does not last longer than 30,000-40,000 km.
- In this Subaru’s praised permanent all-wheel drive system, the weak link is the expensive center differential lock clutch. If not everything is in order with it, then the car may consume more fuel than usual, and uncharacteristic shocks will appear during movement. Yes, and the rubber will actively “eat up”. This model has no serious complaints about the suspension and, as a rule, it does not require attention up to 100,000 km.
- Should I take the Subaru Impreza WRX STI when looking for a hot hatch or a hot sedan with mileage? How to choose the third generation Subaru Impreza WRX STI and what should I look for during the inspection? What sores of a 300-horsepower passenger car can you encounter and which cars should you immediately abandon? You will find out the answers to these and other questions by watching the video of the Auto Plus channel, dedicated to the features of choosing a used Subaru Impreza WRX STI.