hey guys. i recently got stationed out here in japan. I am having complete scooby withdrawls (i want my pignose back) anyway. i have the chance to pick between 4 GC8 wagons out here all in the range of 70,000km-110,000km between prices of $2,000-$2,700

WHAT problems should i be on the look out for on the GC8 platform. any tell tale signs or sounds i should be aware of and have the dealer fix before i get it. i still get a 6 month bumper to bumper unlimited mileage warranty on the car. so even if the signs are not there on pick up i want to know what to expect in the event of.

thanks in advance.

you need to find the local usaf boys

i would if possible try and find the least modified car you can ...
check the 2nd gear syncro

you do know that in standard form the wagon has a smaller turbo and different ecu right?
220 ps vs 250-260

Are they all standard WRX models, or do you have a pick of STi's/STi-RA/555/etc? The specs vary a bit depending on the model.

-Rob

USAF, welcome to Japan. I'm over here on mainland with the Marines. Where you stationed at, Okinawa? Few things to look for on Scoobies here is mostly that the basic maintenance has been done, and the JCI is up to date. Another recommendation, buy it off base, preferably from the owner and not a dealer. I bought my 1994 WRX STi wagon from an english teacher, and couldnt be happier. If it doesnt have a cat, it won't pass JCI. So if it has a catless DP, check to see if they have the stocker too, as you will need to put it back on to pass inspection. Check to make sure the tranny shifts well, and that the clutch doesn't engage all the way at the top. If you can buy a car totally stock, thats your best bet. Goodluck, and welcome to Japan.

USAF, welcome to Japan. I'm over here on mainland with the Marines. Where you stationed at, Okinawa? Few things to look for on Scoobies here is mostly that the basic maintenance has been done, and the JCI is up to date. Another recommendation, buy it off base, preferably from the owner and not a dealer. I bought my 1994 WRX STi wagon from an english teacher, and couldnt be happier. If it doesnt have a cat, it won't pass JCI. So if it has a catless DP, check to see if they have the stocker too, as you will need to put it back on to pass inspection. Check to make sure the tranny shifts well, and that the clutch doesn't engage all the way at the top. If you can buy a car totally stock, thats your best bet. Goodluck, and welcome to Japan.


i'm on Kadena. I been here since may of 07. i've had a skyline but wife and i decided to try and have ids in a few months and get a great dane from the states when we head back end of summer for leave. i was planning to get it from the dealer cause its 0% finance for 18mos on only 1700 WITH JCI done all i have to do is get my ace or AIU insurance. plus these guys have a 6mo bumper2bumper warranty with the option of 1yr for $200 extra. they are mostly giving me this deal cause i bought my wifes car from them and sponsered 5 people that PCSed in 3 of which bought from them. the cheapest private owned rex is $4k and its not even an STI.

well, I would say no on teh extra warranty. Look around, check online. I bought my STi wagon for 100,000 Yen.

Check the basics,

oil leaks, rust, service history, any major signs of damage repairs.. etc..

Hey dude, I'm on Kadena too. Have you checked o-cross.net? It's the Okinawan classifieds. There are usually a few subies on there.
Don't mess with the warranty that Payless (sounds like that's who you're dealing with) offers, they (just like BC) don't cover the stuff that you should actually worry about, like brakes/tranny/motor... in all actuality, i don't know what they will fix.
I'm here on my second tour, got a Version 6 RA WRC Limited and loving it...
Subies are expensive here in Okinawa (well, any that are worth a damn), but if you look around an are patient, it can pay off.

http://db.datanext.co.jp/4DCGI/WEB_Car_ModelList_M?MC_A=1045

looks like there aren't any good deals right now on O-Cross, but there has been some ok stuff recently, like a verIII STi RA for ~$4k.

Welcome to Okinawa or "The Rock" as it is more commonly refered to. I am also here at Kadena AB. One of the biggest things to check when you get a Subaru from a lot or private owner is obviously maintanence(which has already been stated). Biggest thing engine related I would be on the lookout for is the timing belts(whether they have been changed at the correct intervals if the car is over 70,000K), and make sure that all of the fluids(including the tranny & diff(frt & rear) have been changed. My wife and I bought a '95 GF8 WRX wagon(AT) back when BC was still selling them(for $3400) and it was having issues with torque bind even before it left their garage. They called me about the issue and set me up with an appointment to drop it off and they fixed it the same day. From what the mechanic told me, it just needed a good ol' fluid change. Unfortunately, that car has since been sold. Another thing to look out for is make sure that if someone had any electronics installed in the car, that the connections on them are good and aren't frayed & such. I had a problem with that on the '95 Legacy GT(BG5) wagon that I own(got from another dealer) and it took 5 times going into the electrical shop before they figured out what was wrong with it.:mad: So just a heads up. Oh, and rust here is a problem too.

For the record, if you install anything aftermarket on your car, that is the only time BC will give you problems about doing maintanence. They will not warranty aftermarket parts, only OEM. The only time I have ever been at odds with BC's Garage was with my Glanza V and it's magic exploding driver airbag. It wound up being an electrical problem, but they tried to blame it on the Greddy FMIC that I had installed about 4 months prior to the incident. So I wound up eating that one and going out and installing an aftermaket steering wheel to replace the OEM one with the gaping hole in it.

Before I forget, USAF_Pignose, please, PLEASE do not pay the extra $200 for a 1 year warranty( I agree with RA Limited, it does sound like Payless). Every car I have bought from BC came with a 1yr. warranty. You might have to shop around to find what you want. I'll try to get in touch with one of the guys I know up at BC and see if they can still get Subarus(IIRC, they are only getting them by customer request).