2007 Subaru Impreza

After a lot of debate, we found ourselves back in the market for a vehicle for my daughter to drive to the school.  We originally planned on driving her everywhere for 6 months.  Then we started to consider letting her drive the 2024 Subaru CrossTrek, but we were not ready to have that car in the school parking lot.  Finally it was a debate between a sub $5K beater and and reasonable $10K car that should have a 5 year life span.

We took a look at a hail damaged car Subaru, an older Mazda that the current owner did not feel comfortable driving on the interstate and finally an older Subaru with high miles, some body damage, but overall seemed fine.

Mark McDowell fixes and flips Subarus.  He had (4) on his property in various states of prep.  He listed the 2007 Subaru Impreza with 165,000 miles for $3300.  The description read "Nice condition, AWD, automatic, 165000 miles, cold AC, aftermarket sterio, new tires, new timing belt and seals. Just serviced."  He talked us through the car about what to look for and what to feel for on a test drive.  It does have a REBUILT FROM SALVAGE title and is ineligible for collision coverage.

I noticed the tires had tread and the battery was dated 12/22  which should be good.  Cosmetic issues galore.  The front bumper has been replaced.  Lower end model without heated seats, etc.  Rear wiper blade needs to be replaced.  Front windshield is cracked.  No working key fob and only 1 set of manual keys.  It drove fine and we decided to take a chance.

Picking it up, I accidentally had it in 3rd gear the whole drive and the oil pressure overheated and the check engine light came on a the emissions testing place.  It did pass emissions and I drove it home.  We cleaned up the interior a little bit.  Hopefully the check engine light P0506 resolves.  If it does not, we may pay Mark or the dealership to fix it.

We need to get another set of keys and ideally a couple of key fobs programmed.  I have an appointment to get license plates tomorrow.  Then the plan is to drive it around town in non-essential situations before clearing it for my daughter to drive to and from school.  I fully expect to put another $1,000 into it over the next two years for minor repairs and will be relieved if the total is under that number.

Everything else we have seen in this price range has had higher mile or is significantly older.  This may not be a gem, but it will hopefully be a gem to us.  If we had to resell quickly, we might take a $1000 loss plus the cost of plates and title (~$200).

As I am still pretty new to used cars, I still feel like half treasure hunter/half test pilot.  I am searching for features and clues as to how the car operates.  I am also trying to gage acceleration, braking, cornering and every little sound is cause for alarm.

The win for today was understanding the Kenwood KDX-138 aftermarket stereo and included "Tragic Kingdom" CD by No Doubt.  Released in 1995, it features Spiderwebs, Just a Girl and Don't Speak among it's (14) tracks.

Atrezzo Salium SH408 tires (cheap modern all season tires 55,000 mile warranty) - Manufactured 11/23 - Should be good to 200,000 miles with rotations

I am seriously considering getting the CARFAX report.  It supposedly has reported flood damage among 48 other entries.  It does not have airbag deployment or evidence of odometer tampering.  It also has one open recall.

• Front Wiper Blades - 22 & 17
• Rear Wiper Blade - Rear 14-B
• Cabin Air Filter - Behind Glove Box
• Tire Pressure
• Oil Level
• Car Keys Made - Locksmith Pro (David, 303-489-0123) by appt only, meet at 12354 W Alameda Pkwy
• Deactivate Alarm
• 10W-30 (5W-30 per owners manual, but can use higher viscosity with higher mileage)
• MOA by BG Auto add 6 oz for up to 4 Liters of oil and 11 oz for 4-6 Liters of oil (additive for higher mileage engines).  $15/can from Amazon.

Piecing together the CARFAX

• Owner 1 - Purchased new in 2007, sold in 2009 to Mark Miller Subaru (Utah) with 33,383 miles
• Owner 2 - Purchased in 2009, sold in 2014, with 77,723 miles
• Owner 3 - Purchased in 2014, sold in 2014 passed emissions
• Owner 4 - Purchased in 2014, maintained at Amina Motors, totaled in 2017 (Water Damage) 122,000ish miles, salvage title issued, sold to dealer, rebuilt title issued, passed emissions in January 2018
• Owner 5 - Purchased in 2018, maintained at Grease Monkey, sold in 2021 with 146,000ish miles
• Owner 6 - Purchased in 2021, passed emissions in 2023 with 152,403 miles (battery dated 12/22)
• Owner 7 - Purchased in 2023, Rebuilt Title Issued weeks after emissions testing, likely drove it for 15,000 miles between April 2023 and summer 2024 (tires dated 11/23)
• Mark McDowell - Took possession of vehicle, fixed it up with timing belt, front end, oil change, full inspection, never titled the car and listed it for sale for $3300
• Sanjiv Gupta - Purchased the car in 2024 with 165,700 miles and intend to drive and maintain it for the foreseeable future.

Programming Key Fobs

• Unlock, open and close all doors including the trunk
• Get into the drivers seat, close the door
• Open and close drivers door
• Turn Original start key to ON and OFF 10 times
• Open and close drivers door - SHOULD HEAR TONE
• Program 8 digits using lock key to toggle 1, 2, 3, etc and unlock key to enter (For example 5 would be LOCK, LOCK, LOCK, LOCK, LOCK, UNLOCK) after the 8th entry TONE will sound and repeat, after keying in a second time TONE will sound
• Test Key Fob

We were able to program both new key fobs successfully, the car is not super happy when you switch back and forth, but otherwise fine.  I tried programming the original fob.  The Lock/Panic button works fine, but the Unlock button was not working.  We will keep it simply for posterity.

The MOSAFE gizmo is the mounting end of a magnetic phone holder.  Of 248 reviews it had 68% positive reviews.  Not sure what it originally sold for, but I decided to get some plates to give it a whirl with my phone.  The thin steel plates were $3.99 from Amazon.

Registration - I arrived at the DMV (8/7/2024) with the title, proof of insurance, ID and what I thought was DR 2710 the Branded Title Disclosure Form.  As it turns out, I had the incorrect form for a different car that was not filled out in its entirety.  Lesson learned to match VIN number on Title and Branded Title Disclosure Form and to get ID of seller as verification of address if there is any confusion.  Was able to complete title and license plate work at my next DMV visit (8/13/2024).  I should get the title in the mail.

Firestone - I have liked having routine maintenance done at Firestone and after successfully registering the car, I took it over there to have the tires rotated and fluids topped off (8/15/2024).  As expected, they found a laundry list of required/suggested repairs that would be $4,702.48 to have all done, but my plan is to pick them off over the next two years, barring a more serious issue presenting itself.

• Valve Gasket Leak - $600 - Authorized
• Brakes - $600 - Do Soon
• Ball Joints - $900 - Do Later
• Struts - $1200 - Do Later
• 60K Service - $1,100 - May do this at Dealership or Subaru Specialty Place
• Oil Change & Wiper Blades - $100 - Pre-Paid at Dealership

Lesson learned to look more closely for leaks and inspect the brakes.  Apparently the brakes were "pad slapped" meaning new brake pads were put on without replacing the rotors.  This is not the right way to do a brake job.  Regarding the suspension, it felt soft, but appropriate for an older car.  I kind of expected the 60K service and planned to put $1500 into the car over the next year taking my all in price to $5000.  Based on the estimate, my true all in price is closer to $7000 to have a highway capable strong runner for the next 30,000 miles.

Upon picking up the car, I had a chance to talk to the mechanic that worked on it and he was most concerned with the rack (rack and pinon steering system) that was in bad shape and likely a $1500 fix.  He said this was his top priority and even showed me how to check the power steering fluid level.  He recommended Shop Pro Power Steering fluid and said to avoid the Subaru recommended synthetic fluid.  With this knowledge the car is for sure mechanically totaled (in addition to being previously totaled for water damage in 2017).  I will keep an eye on the power steering fluid and will either walk away from this car if we can find a better one or repair the suspension for $2000 and try to sell it for $3300.  The rack was not included in the work estimate, because Firestone would have to source a rack and then charge for labor.

To make matters worse I was having a hard time putting the car into drive later that evening.  Is the automatic transmission fluid just low or will it need a new transmission as well?  Automatic Transmission Fluid is $10/quart.  A rebuilt transmission would be several thousand dollars.

Honest-1 Auto Care - I happened to run into Vanessa while in the Walmart automotive department and she mentioned that she works at a mechanics shop.  I decided to call after the visit to Firestone to get a second opinion and prioritize the work.  If they can do the suspension work in the neighborhood of $1500, I may just authorize it.

I got the estimate back from Honest-1 and they confirmed much of what Firestone had mentioned.  There were some discrepancies.

Misc

• Wiper Blades - recommended by Firestone, Honest-1 says they are fine

Suspension

• Rack & Pinon, Ball Joints, Struts, Differential Service recommended by Firestone.  
• Honest-1 also suggested the Differential Service
• Honest-1 also suggested Rack & Pinon, but said the Ball Joints and Struts are fine.  
• Honest-1 said the Constant Velocity Axle Assembly on the Front Left needed to be replaced.

Brakes

• Brake Fluid - Both Firestone and Honest-1 said the brake fluid was dirty and should be flushed
• Rotors - recommended by Firestone, Honest-1 was not concerned

Engine

• Spark Plugs - recommended by Firestone, not mentioned by Honest-1
• Engine Air Filter - recommended by Firestone and Honest-1
• Cabin Air Filter - recommended by Firestone, Honest-1 says it is fine
• Fuel System Cleaning - recommended by Firestone, not mentioned by Honest-1
• Timing Belt - recommended by Honest-1 based on mileage, not mentioned by Firestone
• Coolant Fluid Exchange - recommended by both Firestone and Honest-1

Costs were similar for the suspension so I went ahead and authorized the work.  At subsequent oil changes it will be important to pick off  (1) Engine Air Filter (2) Brake Fluid Flush (3) Front Differential (4) Rear Differential (5) Cooling Fluid Exchange more or less in that order.

Honest-1 also noticed it difficult to get the car into gear.  They thought it was not likely the transmission, but more likely the neutral engine cutoff.  They could diagnose it for $154 and then the cost of repairs.  I went ahead and authorized this on Monday morning.

UPDATE 9/13/2024:  

On September 2nd was stuck in PARK and had to be towed to Honest-1 for repair under warranty.  They ordered and replaced the shift assembly twice and ultimately decided to refund my repair cost and recommend I take it to the dealer or a Subaru specialist.  He did show me how to override the neutral safety and I was able to drive the car home.

I finally did talk to the technician (Clint) and asked if I should just walk away from the car.  He said that the car is not that bad.  It does have a small transmission fluid leak between the differential and the transmission that is near the front of the transmission.  It is likely the oil pump, but would defer to a transmission shop.  It is safe to drive and he showed me how to check the transmission fluid level.

Finally, he said regular oil changes would go a long way to preserving the vehicle as long as I choose to own it.  His advice was to "run it into the ground" which he clarified to mean keep driving it unless the transmission leak gets worse or some other expensive ($1500+) repair comes up in which case it is time to walk away.

I made an appointment at SubieSmith for Monday and they are going to take a look.

UPDATE 9/19/2024:

SubieSmith charged $240 for a diagnostic and isolated the issue to the Body Integration Unit (BIU).  This is an unusual failure, but often found in flood damaged vehicles.  They found a used BIU and replaced it for an additional $120.  

Throttle body clean and reset was $80 and completely fixed the low idling speed.

Final approved service was $100 undercarriage pressure wash and adding dye to engine oil and transmission to find the leak.  Will bring it back in after 300-400 miles to evaluate.

I did list the vehicle for sale for $3500 and have had a few nibbles.  "D" test drove it on Wednesday 9/25 but did not make an offer.  "Pelucha Dos" is coming to look at it 9/26, no offer.  Brendan was supposed to look at it 10/12, but changed his mind.

UPDATE 10/25/2024:

This vehicle has found a new home. A nice younger couple purchased the vehicle for $2,800 and I hope it ends up being a good vehicle for them.  It was finally running great despite the slight leak and I believe it could safely be on the road for years to come with proper routine maintenance.