Buying a JDM 2001 Legacy GT-B
Discussion
I'm a Brit in Vancouver, BC and considering buying this:
http://jdmcarimport.com/listings/subaru-legacy-gt-...
However service history only goes to 19k km and it has 90k km. No idea if cam belt has been changed. Is a cam belt change just on mileage or does time also come into play? As it has only done 50k miles perhaps the cam belt hasn't needed to be changed.
BC has a safety inspection on all imports so it has been through that and the tyres were changed and front rotors and rear pads. Otherwise it passed that basic inspection. Limited drivetrain 12 month warranty comes with the car but only covers first $600.
Test drive was perfect. Nice and tight and no unusual noises. No nasty emission from exhaust on startup and high revs. Felt like new TBH.
I will get it a 3rd party mechanic to do a generic "150 point inspection".
But my big concern is skipped oil changes and therefore worn turbos. Is there any way, short of removing and inspecting them, to know if they are worn? When turbos let go do they always/sometimes/never let you know before hand? If they do go is it not just a case of replacing the turbos but also engine stripdown due to all the metal fragments from the disintegrated turbo?
Can anyone point me to a pre-purchase inspection guide for this model? What sort of issues are they known for suffering from?
Thanks for any and all suggestions.
I had a year 1998 Impreza turbo from new and it was fun to be back in much the same feeling vehicle :-)
http://jdmcarimport.com/listings/subaru-legacy-gt-...
However service history only goes to 19k km and it has 90k km. No idea if cam belt has been changed. Is a cam belt change just on mileage or does time also come into play? As it has only done 50k miles perhaps the cam belt hasn't needed to be changed.
BC has a safety inspection on all imports so it has been through that and the tyres were changed and front rotors and rear pads. Otherwise it passed that basic inspection. Limited drivetrain 12 month warranty comes with the car but only covers first $600.
Test drive was perfect. Nice and tight and no unusual noises. No nasty emission from exhaust on startup and high revs. Felt like new TBH.
I will get it a 3rd party mechanic to do a generic "150 point inspection".
But my big concern is skipped oil changes and therefore worn turbos. Is there any way, short of removing and inspecting them, to know if they are worn? When turbos let go do they always/sometimes/never let you know before hand? If they do go is it not just a case of replacing the turbos but also engine stripdown due to all the metal fragments from the disintegrated turbo?
Can anyone point me to a pre-purchase inspection guide for this model? What sort of issues are they known for suffering from?
Thanks for any and all suggestions.
I had a year 1998 Impreza turbo from new and it was fun to be back in much the same feeling vehicle :-)
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