Sorry for the new thread, Im just pissed things arent working exactly how I wanted them to lol...Im in Madison at a dealer and I just test drove a 2004 wrb wrx premium. It looks great but driving is a different story. There is alot of compressor surge and even after 3000rpms there is a hesitation in the power band (I'll have it wot and it almost feels like the car is misfiring). Its slightly noticeable but I know power is being lost somewhere. The turbo spool sounds alot louder than any stock wrx I've driven and Im wondering if I should leave this car alone. If I needed to replace the turbo, is this car still one I should consider? Sucks that I drove 5 hours and the salesman said it was immaculate but oh well, I need to answer this question quickly. Also, when Im driving there is a slight ticking (transmission feels great, car has 60k), ticking stops when I put in the clutch, my gut feeling tells me its the turbo. The car was checked out at this place and the mechanic is coming in tomorrow to look at it with me. Its not like Im getting scammed or anything Ive talked with the owner and a few salesmen. They're all legit guys but they dont get alot of subarus in. Interior/exterior wise the car is great but theres just those two problems. The slight ticking when Im driving (it goes away when I push in the clutch), the turbo spool is very noticeable, and the delay in the powerband (hope im wording this in a way that it can be translated). Im almost positive its just the turbo, but my experience with cars is limited to Hondas/Acuras. Lmk
any input is helpful... Nays = Tony +1 It doesnt help that Im drinking but still...the price for me to take it off the lot is 11,500. My internal dilemma consists of this: Is the money saved enough to fix potential problems as a result of a bad turbo? What are the problems that could arise (in terms of the block and the head)? Is it possible that even at 60k, something could've triggered shaft play other than abuse? I really want this car (wrb, premium, price) but I am clearly having my doubts.
i'll be heading down to madison tonight too bad i'm a noob when it comes to cars. i just bought my 2003 wrx 2 weeks ago from detroit lakes and had a buddy of mine tag along who knew more about subies than me. hopefully someone on here will be able to give you some pointers. you should also try posting this on nasioc and see what they say. best of luck.
It doesnt matter if you drove a day and a half to get to the dealership. If the car is a raw deal, its a raw deal. Trust me, you dont want to deal with the headaches that come along with having a lemon. Just my opinion.
I wouldn't risk it. May or may not cost tons $$$ to fix. If visual thing problems, its ok but if there's sound coming from engine related components, nah.
any used car can be trouble, td04's can be had for around 100.00, as well as a tune. If you want to be sure buy a new car! I would worry most about the transmission. If I were you I would try to negotiate the best price you can off the lot. if it were me and the ticking sound wasn't too lound I would buy it for the rightr price. Frogy
Thanks for the responses. Im looking to get an extended warranty on the car. No I do not know much about Subarus but I honestly do not feel the car has been abused. Is it possible the turbo was not built properly (seals, whatnot). Their offering me 11,500 and a 4 year 48,000k warranty for an extra $2500. Its a bumper to bumper full coverage warranty through Compass. I dunno...its the best one I've seen and at 14k with a 4yr full coverage warranty almost all of my worries are relieved...
Walk away! Its not worth it. I just finished fixing a WRX for a brand new owner. I am sure he does not like the fact that there were a bunch of things wrong with the car that added up to a healthy bill. I am sure the owner doesn't like that he has had the car for a couple of months and can't even drive it because it doesn't run.
Even if its covered through warranty? All of the 2004 sedans I've been looking at are higher mileage and no warranty for $13-15,000. This is 14,000 with a full coverage warranty until 108,000 miles.
If bikerboy says no, you better listen. He knows more about subarus than you can ever hope to. It sounds to me like the car had some modifications done to it. The previous owner probably tried to return it to stock form before trading it in. there could be some aftermarket parts still on it. My guess would be a cold air intake (good for hondas, bad for subarus). This would cause a louder turbo sound and hesitation during acceleration. If the previous owner put one on that car, then they really don't know too much about subarus and who knows what else he/she did to it. could have been running extra lean and you'll have engine internal issues that you don't want to deal with. walk away!
Dude, if it's driving like crap, why would you buy it? It's not like there isn't any wrx out there. I'd listen to bikerboy like everyone else has already said. That guy knows his stuff.
Not sure what your budget is : http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/1264565963.html 06 and 07's get the 2.5L engine. If you are willing to pay $14k for a questionable 04, getting this for $16k would be a much better deal.
