is it safe to buy an 06 subaru wrx sti with 86k miles

i was going to be looking at it later today so hoping to get some quick replies if anything thanks

Just get a compression test and if it comes out good then no worries. Just my thoughts.

i bought my 06 STI last april with 85K on it. The main things you want to look for are just to make sure the car is in good shape, as close to stock as possible, and like Highboost23 said, get a compression test.

I ran into needing to replace the clutch, tires and timing belt in the last 6 months, but the clutch was my fault. Tires is always an issue. Timing belt normal service interval is 105K.

Oh, and with any used car purchase, i always recommend changing belts, plugs, engine oil, trans oil, diff oil, etc. so you have a clean start and a service milestone for reference.

Good luck!

thanks for the advice guys i just bought it and it is amazing to drive hope all goes well

86k is about right for an 06. Just get it checked out.

Post pictures of it then!!

i will have pictures on here tomorrow sorry guys i have been busy

http://i1335.photobucket.com/albums/w662/pforcino/sti_zpsceb1ddd6.jpg

heres one

The best part about it besides how much of a BLAST they are to drive, is that in 3 years it will still be worth AT LEAST as much as what you paid for it..(assuming you keep it well maintained), or maybe even more!

Is millage usually a big deal for these Cars or is it mainly how they've been driven, and how they've been taken care of?

Reason I ask is because I see several online for sale, with well over 100k miles for $18-22k

It will last! It helps if your driving style is forgiving. If you beat on it, it will eventually hit back.

Happy you got an STi tho! It's funny how people ask how "safe" buying an STi is. Is it safe to pay for a hot hooker? Once you have the car tested, do change all fluids, belts, plugs. It is a nice idea mentioned above, plus it's really good for the car.


“Some say that he can’t eat mashed potato for religious reasons, and that he recently received 47,000 tickets, Olympic tickets, all of them for the final of the Women’s Wrestling. All we know is he’s called the Stig.”

Compression text will never tell you what condition oil lubricated components are in. And considering spun rods due to poor maintenance and tuning is number one cause of failures you will never know till its too late. Same goes for condjtion of the turbo and heads. Ifs funny and sad how a "compression test " is like a reflex to take a shit on most forums, it's suppose to solve all drivability concerns and make it alright.

While this is synical and some may say biased because I'm selling my sti, but after turning wrenches for ten years only thing you can trust when buying a used car is the condition of the paint.

If you want piece of mind buy from an owner with records, not dealer, or one that already has new engine and proper documentation.

4 months late, but welcome to IWSTI! Please reach stickies, search for your answers, and browse around to get yourself acquainted.

OP, congrats on your purchase!

cgalligan said:

Is millage usually a big deal for these Cars or is it mainly how they've been driven, and how they've been taken care of?

Reason I ask is because I see several online for sale, with well over 100k miles for $18-22k

Click to expand...

ALL cars depends on how the previous owner(s) had treated the car. Kept up with maintenance, pure DD, raced it, seen snow, burnouts...a lot of variables. 10k of DD is not the same as 10k of hard beating. Since not all of us know the previous owner(s) of the car, obviously it'll be near impossible to check/verify what the car was really used for and what has been done to it, until usually it's too late.

Mileage is more to check for basic maintenance that is laid out by manufacturers, so it doesn't tell us jack. "High mileage" could be just as reliable, if not more, as a "low mileage" if the previous owner had kept up with maintenance proportionate to what purposes the car served for.

BlueScooby said:

i bought my 06 STI last april with 85K on it. The main things you want to look for are just to make sure the car is in good shape, as close to stock as possible, and like Highboost23 said, get a compression test.

I ran into needing to replace the clutch, tires and timing belt in the last 6 months, but the clutch was my fault. Tires is always an issue. Timing belt normal service interval is 105K.

Oh, and with any used car purchase, i always recommend changing belts, plugs, engine oil, trans oil, diff oil, etc. so you have a clean start and a service milestone for reference.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

I'm in the process of selling mine and I would agree with BlueScooby. You want to get it checked out by a trusted mechanic and make sure they owner kept up with maintenance. Check things like belts, tire wear, signs of fluid leaks, etc.

Things that may go based on mileage and age listed. Power steering pump, and valve cover gaskets. My power steering pump crapped at about 95K miles. When the valve cover gasket leaks on the passenger side, it will drip oil onto the header and stink. You may see a bit of smoke vapor come from the hood scoop. I didn't leak much oil, but lost a bit between changes. When fixed the small consumption went away.
Get a good look at engine bay, and provide picks. We can spot if it's been modified, unless, someone returned it to stock before sale. Look for telltale signs, i.e. missing heat shield, non stock blow off valve (vs. stock bypass), modified intake, etc...

It could be perfectly fine. As others have mentioned I would consider at a minimum changing the fluids and ideally replacing all the belts. If you don't treat every drive like the final stage of World Rally Championship then in theory it should give you many miles of enjoyment.