Opinions on this WRX?

WRX

This would for the son of a friend. It doesn't appear to be modified or thrashed. Were the transmissions a weak point of this vintage?

That's about what I paid for my 02 in 2008...but mine had less than 30,000 miles.

Also, while the 02 had the weakest transmission, they're not exactly weak... a lot of the failures came for ex-Honda fanbois treating the WRX like their old Civic... clutch dumps and the like.

You linked a Fit. 2003 mid year production is the year the wider RA gears went on the car. Ask me how I know. If the son is young and/or not bright, any WRX would be bad. 5K clutch drops will kill the tranny. High mileage comes with high maintenance. Mods are easy to spot with tool marks. Mine goes under my knife this weekend because of an oil pump leak. Again. Not the crank seal this time, but the pump to block rtv seal. A must as part of 105K maintenance--know that now. NASIOC is a good spot to find some whored out and not so much used cars. Teenagers have taken over the site though. Good luck with your search.

Try again on that link - I fixed it (about 1 minute after the original post - you're fast!).

HOLY CRAP, that is expensive for the year.

Bugeyes in good condition should be about 3k less than that.

Is that a buy here pay here type lot? If so, they probably inflate the price a bit, but if you walk in flashing cash you might be able to take 2k or so off the price.

Yeah, that is a bit pricey for the year. Better deals to be found. However, the car itself doesn't have anything that suggests you run away other than the price. Clean retail is around $8500.

I'd say it is expensive, and on a fundamental level, I'm not sure I'd buy a used WRX at all. I have an '02 I bought new, and I love it- most reliable and fun all-rounder I've had. No problems with the trans in 100k+, but I don't launch it. BUT, they are too easy to modify and ruin. The DC Craigslist has about 15 for under $10k and almost all of them have some major trouble due to modification. Also, rates are so low, and used car prices so high, that buying new isn't too bad an option.

Finally, I will leave you with this thought: Someone already said it, but I don't think a young person needs this kind of power. Different strokes though, and none of my business but that I used all 65hp from my MG Midget when I was 16 and I was a menace. 227 would have multiplied the chances of bad things happening.

In TX 8000-8500 for an 02-03 WRX with no modifications is a more reasonable price while anything under 8000 I would consider a deal.

If he has his heart set on a WRX I would tell him to talk to his insurance agent first to quote him the premium for a teenager on a WRX. If he still wants one I would be very skeptical of a WRX with aftermarket parts. Unless the owner could explain to me exactly why he used those parts and could show me his wideband o2 and logs I would walk. In my opinion the three big red flags to look out for on a used WRX are a turbo timer, cold air or ram intake, and a blow off valve on an otherwise stock vehicle. This of course assumes that the standard items like the transmission and engine run well enough on the test drive and all the hookers are out of the trunk.

Heck for 11,000 I would be tempted to sell him my 05 with 60k if that tells you how overpriced that dealer has that 02.

For reference, I just sold my 2004, one owner, no modifications, 132k miles, for less than that. $7500-8000 is about all anyone was willing to pay.

Quite honestly, a 2.5 RS is going to be a better car for a young driver. 87 Octane, reasonable power levels and cheaper insurance.

If they are stuck on a WRX, this is more what I'd think of a good price, though one does have a dying transmission:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/2658644027.html

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/ctd/2671450054.html

That looks like mine except for the spoiler.
Mine has 96k miles and I only paid $4000...it does have a salvage title though.

Teh E36 M3 wrote: 227 would have multiplied the chances of bad things happening.

But thanks to the secret horsepower wars, 227 is nothing these days. A freakin' Camry has more than that.

Osterkraut wrote:

Teh E36 M3 wrote: 227 would have multiplied the chances of bad things happening.

But thanks to the secret horsepower wars, 227 is nothing these days. A freakin' Camry has more than that.

yes, true. How many people born after 1990 have ever been in a car with less than 100 horsepower do you think?

Osterkraut wrote:

Teh E36 M3 wrote: 227 would have multiplied the chances of bad things happening.

But thanks to the secret horsepower wars, 227 is nothing these days. A freakin' Camry has more than that.

And I will tell you, from volunteering at a Street Survival school, the "safe" Camry that Buddy or Sis inherits from family hauler status is likely to be pretty dangerous. The V6s have more than enough power to get out of shape very quickly, and the flop-tastic suspension simply cannot cash the checks that engine can write, particularly with an inexperienced driver behind the wheel.

Shoot you could probably talk Tom Heath into selling his for under that price. Seriously.

We bought the 04 Forester XT with 67,000 miles for $12,500 a year and a half ago. Paid more than I wanted to but XT manuals are pretty hard to find.

HOLY CRAP, that is expensive for the year.

Yeah

Finally, I will leave you with this thought: Someone already said it, but I don't think a young person needs this kind of power. Different strokes though, and none of my business but that I used all 65hp from my MG Midget when I was 16 and I was a menace. 227 would have multiplied the chances of bad things happening.

&

Quite honestly, a 2.5 RS is going to be a better car for a young driver. 87 Octane, reasonable power levels and cheaper insurance.

Totally agree!

227 is nothing these days. A freakin' Camry has more than that.

Yeah and people were dropping like flies when toyotas with that motor went WOT a year or two back.

Amazing. 227 seems like nothing these days. This is almost as much power as the original 930 Turbo had! More even than the original 5.0 Stang had.

lol I like to remind people that at some point of the 80's the corvette didn't even make 200hp...

Yes, the drivetrain from that era is weak. I have a 2005 (same engine/transmission) - one track day driving at ~8/10ths and the rear diff was busted and the transmission now growls (sounds like bearing noise).