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Is 100k+ too many miles for a used STi?

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BigZman95

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I'd really like to buy either a 2006 or 2007 STi as those are my favorite years but as you can imagine a lot of the ones I'm finding have high miles on them, a lot being over 100k. One I found had 125k on it. My biggest question is, is this too many miles? I know the main factor to consider is how the car was maintained but as a general rule, is the mileage too high? If the car is in good shape will I have to replace a lot of big ticket items? Also, for what it's worth I only drive 7k to 10k a year. Thanks.


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#2 ·
Here's the best advice I can give from personal experience. About 15 years ago I bought a 1988 Celica All-trac turbo with 106,000 miles. This was after I overdosed on Speedvision's coverage of the WRC. It seemed to run well and I loved the car, but I was not in a financial position to deal with any major issues after buying it. I ended up having to do the clutch, then the head gasket, etc. Even doing the work myself and getting discounts from Toyota it was still expensive to keep it in good repair. Eventually it got to be too much and I had to trade it in on a more sensible car.

Turbo sports cars get abused by nature. You have to do your due diligence. Buy the best model you can afford with the lowest mileage possible. Also look for the least amount of mods. When most people modify cars they leave out small details that can be a problem later. I see it all the time. A lot of it comes down to money. They may have the money to do the big stuff, but the little details get neglected or some of the work just wasn't done properly. This is a poorly modded car in my opinion. You will see a lot of them too. I waited until I had enough money to do what I wanted with the car then went out and bought it. I found a pretty good example, but it wasn't without it's hidden issues.

If it's not your primary transportation it's not as big of a deal, but buying a high mileage car known to be abused would be a bad decision if you ask me. In other words if you can't afford a good example get something more sensible until you can. I waited 7 years to buy my STI.

I just did a quick search on Autotrader and found nineteen 06-07 STI's with less than 60,000 on them. This is car you search nationwide for. My car ended up being about 650 miles away. This is not a car you buy out of convenience in my opinion. Good luck.
 
#4 ·
Depends on how much you pay for the car. Plenty of 100k plus cars on here running strong. I would try and get one from the forums where you can see some of the history on the car. Have a Subaru mechanic look,at it and Be prepared to put some $$ into a high mileage STi... If you need a Clutch $1k, Shortblock $5k, transmission $4k. I would be only looking at cars under $14k with 100k miles or more.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Yes, if it was not abused. At 40k you have 60 more to go before you need a timing belt. But, if it has been abused the millage will make little difference. At 125K you will need to replace the timing belt unless you have documentation that it has been done. You can expect that it will need a clutch and rotors unless you have documentation that they have been done. There is a down side if they have been done, it indicates the car was driven harder than one that was babied.

You really need to find one you like at a :reasonable" price and expect to repair things. I bought mine at nearly 100K, and I have been extremely happy with it despite needing all the above.
 
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#7 ·
A note about the timing belt. They can time out before they hit their mileage. More specifically it seems the hydraulic tensioner will start to leak around the ten year mark depending on climate, whether the car was garaged, etc. Most of the time it will still work ok, but they have also been known to fail which will cause catastrophic engine damage.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
mheyman said:
Yes, if it was not abused. At 40k you have 60 more to go before you need a timing belt. But, if it has been abused the millage will make little difference. At 125K you will need to replace the timing belt unless you have documentation that it has been done. You can expect that it will need a clutch and rotors unless you have documentation that the have been done. There is a down side if they have been done, because it indicates the car was driven harder than one that was babied.

You really need to find one you like at a :reasonable" price and expect to repair things. I bought mine at nearly 100K, and I have been extremely happy with it despite needing all the above.
Click to expand...

Most things I should be able to do myself or have a buddy of mine help me out. I don't know about attempting a clutch job myself though. So that's what, about a $2k job for parts and labor at a shop?


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#9 ·
BigZman95 said:
Most things I should be able to do myself or have a buddy of mine help me out. I don't know about attempting a clutch job myself though. So that's what, about a $2k job for parts and labor at a shop?


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Depending where you go, what kind of clutch you want, maybe who you know, but it could range from 1g to 2g perhaps.

I was actually in the same boat as you, shark eyes is mos def my favorite. It was nearly impossible to find a low mileage, less modified for a reasonable price. As they do keep their value. Especially since it would've been my DD, i wouldve had to make sure it was reliable and since IT IS AN STI..most likely its going to be beat on a bit. Then time came and i ended up picking up a 15 Launch. Wasnt really fan of the blue, nor the body but it has mos def grown on me. So many compliments, yet haters increased.

Anyway that extra 6k for 60k less mileage could do you justice, maybe depending on the owner, id hate to say but you might have to make some assumptions on how they take care of their vehicle. Boost test, carfax, receipts, you prolly know the whole deal. Just my .02. Best of Luck! Early welcome to the subie fam! if you dont have one already :cool:
 
#11 ·
Everything so far is quite justifiable if you look at the aspects of a used car such as an STI. I had barely bought an 04 bonestock, clean title almost 6mo ago. Got her for $14k at 99k miles. Thing is I jumped at the fact it was a bonestock car, and that it was a clean title. Carfax was ultimately clean, considering i am the 5th owner of the car LOL. Soooo now since April, I'm now at 105k still going strong, and getting the timing belt service as well as a brand new aluminum radiator with an OEM thermo done next week. I've done all the little itty-bitty things that really count too, the AC, belts, spark plugs, synthetic oil change, and of course filling oil when need be. But I won't judge a used car to be trashy for being high mileage. I've seen STIs at 150k here in San Diego run like they're brand new. It's all in how meticulous your preventive maintenance is. I'm sure everyone knows that as much as i do. Subarus were given the name of "reliability", hence as long as the car remains as factory as possible. Well just my 2cents. Keep up on oil with STIs, redundant info that we burn oil pending how hot we shear down the viscosity. Good luck getting that STI!
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
JeySTi_85 said:
Everything so far is quite justifiable if you look at the aspects of a used car such as an STI.
Click to expand...

Yeah stuff like the clutch, headgaskets, etc. is no big deal to me. I'd rather have to replace all of that on an STi than drive a Civic Si but never have to do a thing to it lol. I was just more worried about buying a car at 100k and by 120k I'm replacing the short block... Which I know anything can happen on any car, but as long as it's not a common issue on well-maintained cars then it's fine.


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#13 ·
What is the concern about high mileage?

I just hit 311,000 miles, this week. I have owned it 11 years, as of last Wednesday. The stock turbo is still okay. The head gaskets, fortunately, did not need to be touched, but had a large leak at 235k, which was resolved with coolant conditioner and a thorough coolant flush and change.

Still gets 28 mpg on the highway...
 
#14 ·
BigZman95 said:
Yeah stuff like the clutch, headgaskets, etc. is no big deal to me. I'd rather have to replace all of that on an STi than drive a Civic Si but never have to do a thing to it lol. I was just more worried about buying a car at 100k and by 120k I'm replacing the short block... Which I know anything can happen on any car, but as long as it's not a common issue on well-maintained cars then it's fine.


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With this capability and attitude you'll be fine!
 
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Discussion starter · #15 ·
skeeler said:
What is the concern about high mileage?

I just hit 311,000 miles, this week. I have owned it 11 years, as of last Wednesday. The stock turbo is still okay. The head gaskets, fortunately, did not need to be touched, but had a large leak at 235k, which was resolved with coolant conditioner and a thorough coolant flush and change.

Still gets 28 mpg on the highway...
Click to expand...

Wow man that's awesome!

mheyman said:
With this capability and attitude you'll be fine!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I want this thing to last me haha.


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#16 ·
You are getting 10mpg more than me. Impossiru!

I bought my 05 STi w/ 98k on it because it only had 1 owner, stayed at Stage 2, was very clean, and I got it for $13,750. Now I'm at 108k, and I've had to replace all the fuel lines. I have the infamous strut clunk. But all things considered, I still feel like I made the right choice. I waited 10 years to to get an STi, and there's something to be said about finally buying your dream car. Even if it isn't brand new.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Just saw an 06" sti for sale that may fit the bill for you. Prash4902 is a member here and I just saw his car in the for sale thread. Its an 06" and it does have 100,000 miles on it, but there is complete documentation of his build on IWSTI, complete service record available, its also been worked on, modded, and tuned by IAG ( one of the best Subaru shops in the US). It is modded, but not heavily, looks to be a good clean 06" STI! I just want to be clear, I don't know Prash, never met him, and have never seen the car in person. I was just checking out his for sale thread and wanted to pass along the info, as his car is tastefully modded, seems to be well kept, maintained with reciepts for everything, and IAG did the work and the tune. Plus full documentation of the build on here is a plus as well! The car is in baltimore, but like someone said before, if its the right car for you, don't be afraid to drive to get it. Good luck!
 
#18 ·
As others have said, it certainly depends on maintenance records being available, the purpose of the car etc...

When you get involved with a high mileage car, especially one that has a high potential of being abused at some point in its life... you ARE going to see some money needing to be spent on something.

Me, personally... I would spend a bit more on one with lower mileage. HOWEVER! and this is a big however... I have also learned that the overall mileage doesn't mean everything...

When you're looking at these cars, run your hand across an area... has the paint been maintained? Is the oil clean? What tires are on the car, and do they match? Does it look like the owner babied it, or maybe skipped a few oil changes here and there? All of these things are super important to look for.
 
#20 ·
aadifyith, I don't agree with the mileage/$$ comparison. The 125k could be babied as opposed to the $24k beater. If you gotta go with an engine rebuild with a new shortbock you're looking at 8-10k alone.
 
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