Previous Owners

[RustBucket]

Hello all new to the world of Subarus. In some major need of advice.

Been looking at blob eye WRX wagons for a while (need an estate car for the dogs and something fun) Use my van all week so its just mainly a toy and evening car.

Found something perfect, 2004 model but the only issue is high number of previous owners (8) even tho its low'ish mileage (90k)

Should alarm bells be ringing because they are, or do you tend to find performance cars such as subarus change hands a bit more because they are deemed as toys, expensive to run/maintain? 

Also the current owner says he's had the car 6 months, but the HPI check says it last changed hands in March 2015. So hes maybes the 9th owner unregistered... Saying that some of the best cars I've owned have been off some proper dodgy characters! 

A bit annoying really as everything else is perfect apart from the previous owner niggles.

Any advice? Stay clear or worth a look? (its 200 miles away tho)


 

[PazzaN96]

I've just bought a 2003 blob saloon with 7 previous owners and 109k on the clock and it's superb if just in need of a little tlc to get her back up to shiny sexy state again.

Wagons tend not to be driven too hard from what I know (no doubt a number of guys on here will say different) but the thing to check will be the condition of things like suspension and the undercarriage in general because although most people will say the bodywork is in "great condition" that doesn't always mean it's been loved and looked after underneath, and it's always worth checking all the usual things like timing belts and engine components...

If you know the reg try the government mot checker as well, at least then you can check any advisories and ask if they have been fixed or not. Unless the hpi checker you used provided that information.

I took a gamble on mine as it was 150 miles from me and I was basically buying it blind, and I'm very pleased with it!

One thing I've learned from my dads previous experiences is check the deals around the doors and boot, and also around the spare wheel well, not sure what they are like on scoobs but it's bitten him on the **** before. (Although it was an Astra)

The short version: Subaru's are awesome and the wagons are bullet proof, just check the usual items and be sure to question any mot advisories if any at all

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[david1972]

Also the current owner says he's had the car 6 months, but the HPI check says it last changed hands in March 2015. So hes maybes the 9th owner unregistered...

 

This would worry me....there are enough around not to need to take this risk

[JusNoGood]

Yes agreed. They're not rare so just wait for the right one.

I sold a 2004 WRX with 3 previous owners and 80k on the clock. I put on 24k of those in the two years I owned it.

I'd look for low owners, FSH and under 80k. But that's just me :)

[martyc]

To be fair I didn't even look at previous owners when I bought my scoob, was 5 owners but 60k, and about 10k of them in the last 4 years. Had the tell tale signs of being stood (tyres starting to perish but plenty of tread and a decent brand). I bought the car from a well established dealer (it wasn't actually on the forecourt at the time, was new in) whilst actually looking at another wrx, and apart from wear and tear items she's been good as gold, even doing 2000miles a month for a few months whilst working further afield.

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