RedPanda you cant deny how badly some years are compared to others tho. The narrow bodies and wide bodies had bad welds in the firewall and ringland failure. Lots of bug eyes had head gasket issues. The 2015+ have a terrible tune and the first 3 years all had clutch issues. I know know just tune it. But thats no excuse it should be ready to go from factory. I shouldnt have to void my warranty just to have a driveable car. Are they terrible? No, are they as great as many make them out to be? Definitely not. But that goes for many cars.
Username 1991 anyone will tell you that the rev hang in the 2015 plus makes the car unbearable. I own one as well and it’ll definitely be my last Subaru product. The reason i say that is consider why a company would tune a car for rev hang. It makes you be overly cautious while shifting and add extra wear on the clutch=early clutch failure and more money in Subaru’s pocket. Even many of the tuned ones I’ve driven(pro tuned) still have rev hang to some extent. Im not hating on the brand. My dream is to own an older wrx wagon(like a bug/blob/ hawk), but these 2008+ wrxs leave a lot to be desired. I cannot speak for an STI as i have never owned one.
@@EulogizingSleep Rev-hang was tuned in many cars to comply with emissions. The point is to avoid the rich fuel spike you get when when you suddenly come off the throttle after accelerating hard. The new Honda's and generally the Hyundai's have very bad rev-hang. Many people tune this out as the first modification. It hinders performance driving.
The internet is a funny place. I've owned both rotary bridgeport Rx2 and currently own a 2016 Sti, two cars that internet will tell you that explode upon turning the key. I've never had one engine related issue with either, just idle drive both of them till they are warm, don't lug the engine and change the oil and air filters regularly. Sure throw a million pounds of boost at either and this reliability will be severely reduced. Bit of common sense goes along way.
The point is you shouldn’t HAVE to tread so carefully. And honestly none of that behavior is going to make a difference if you just happen to have one of the engines that’s destined to pop. If nothing goes wrong then great! But it’s not because you treated it better than the poor schmuck who cracked a ringland. It happens to STi’s in disproportionate numbers compared to that of its counterparts. Swap out those peanut brittle pistons with just about ANYthing else and problem solved. Or just wait and see if you make it through the life of the car(or until you get bored). Most of us will make it just fine.
I do musik stuff I owned a beat up amateur modded bugeye. I miss that car but things started to wrong on it, the turbo blew, and I didn’t want to spend any money fixing it up. I’d love to find an unmodded low miles one.
Its rubbish tunes, trash mods and idiot owner abuse that kills these cars. My old 400HP WRX wagon still going strong after 15 years on its original motor, bolt ons and tune done by a pro. Seen tracks, drags, rally, dift, Ikea, no issues. Upgrade to a STI tuned to 400hp, 2 years on run better than factory, again protune on a dyno, not some trash etune. oh E85 tunes, just send your car to the wreckers and be done with it.
That’s true with all cars. If maintained they will last long. I own a rotary, they have a bad reputation for reliability. I’ve owned my rx7 for 7 years 550hp still going strong 💪
yep amen to that, I left my wrx that wasn't fully finished at a friends house it had some issues and I told him it needs tuning so don't drive it at all.. whats the mofo do he takes out out burns the whole tank of my gas and leaves it on the side of the road telling me it just "quit" the idiot lifted my head studs and since we were just testing the car there was no coolant in there just water the water it rusted and destroyed my walls... had to redo the whole motor hes lucky he dindt get his ass knocked out lets just say we're not really friends anymore. Since my new build its tough as nails, key here is don't let idiots behind the wheel and make sure your car's ready to go before you hoon it.
@@fullboost Sorry thats crank , 200kw@all fours on a roller dyno. So VF34, TBE, 550cc injector, walbro fuel pump, silicon intake, modded Ypipe, STI intercooler, on a unopened 2003 EJ205 built and tuned by MSR msengineering.com.au/ Your EJ205 doesnt have AVCS, makes a great difference low down. I got to the same point as you on the stock block, where the engine has to come out for more power. I thought it ran so well thought it was a waste of money for the street car. I went to a current shape STI tuned putting down same power on a dyno but from 300nm to 660nm torque. Huge difference and way quicker even thought it puts down same power on the dyno. Can go closed desk EJ257, rods, forged pistons, precision turbo, can push 250-280kw atw on pump gas. I wouldnt touch E85, drops the range on that motor to less than 300km to a tank, also engines dont last and run like trash. There is where urban head gasket legends come from I think. H6 still kinda unknown and weak, seen really expensive build only hit 280atw, which considering the cost to a forged EJ257 build is dumb. PS I sold my modded 2003 WRX wagon for $14K with 160,000km on the clock ( 2 years ago in Sydney). People want wagons now, I got asked even at the servo if I wanted to sell mine. So I think you'd be able to sell yours for similar price considering its a quality build too and less kays.
The car itself is reliable for sure. Had 4 of them. From factory to highly modified. Being very affordable they have always attracted unreliable owners. Regular services and maintenances is the key, especially when they are performance cars.
I've said this multiple times on multiple Subaru videos.....I daily a 03 wrx with about 236xxx it's has 297whp it's been this way for 100xxx miles on 20psi stock block never done a head gasket done still going strong 💪take care of your shit and it will last
My 05 STi with the EJ207 is currently on 261,000km and purrs like a kitten with plenty of power on tap. Its all in the maintenace and how you drive it!
Keep in mind that even though it seems like everyone is having engine issues (a lot of them are decently modified) people mainly only post up when they have problems, you don't go to a forum to report having a trouble free day but once a CEL pops up...
Subarus can be reliable but you have to look after them like any vehicle. I have Sue a 2000 Forester and it had about 175k when I got her. She now has 275k on it and I've done roughly 30 to 35k a year in the last 2 years and probably 15k in the first year. I live in Tassie. I pretty much tow trailers daily and they quite often get up to 1 to 1.5ton. I've had 2 ton behind it 2 or 3 times by accident but she moved it no issues using low range, albeit on the flat and small hills. I've taken it many places off road that you probably shouldnt. I have worked her hard and abused her a bit but I'm always listening for new noises and change the oil every 5k since 230k and she has been rock solid reliable. One run I can that says that is Hobart to Derwent Bridge via some back roads towing a trailer (800kg and boot loaded with gear), camp over night, pick up three people and hiking packs. Up and around the west coast to Cradle Mountain, home to Launceston then back down to Derwent Bridge and onto Cradle Mountain again and back home. 1200 to 1300km in the rain both days and she never gave one complaint other than 'my fuel tanks empty'. 4 cylinders and 2 litres of fury, ultra reliable if maintainted well
Everyone loses their minds on wrx/sti's. The main problems with them are the owners! People forget what they were, a mass produced turbo all alloy engine, if you thrash it all day everyday, put stupid mods on it, (pods, front mounts, bovs) keep it out of tune then you get issues. Treat them with some respect and they last and last. Sure you will get someone say oh i drove mine like that and it failed- previous owners probably didnt. Buy a stock one, keep mods simple and get someone to tune it who knows them.
@@user-ue6iv2rd1n all four of mine have been stock when bought. Hard to find but more like finding a 20yr old who's only had 5guys.... rare but out there
@@cabclint what model? The earlier ones are fine with a full exhaust, keep away from aftermarket filters and cai !!!! No need for front mount unless going twist mount turbo setup, bov are another that aren't needed until certain turbo size upgrade the standard does fine. Main thing is the tune they do best when tuned to suit any mod, and just go to someone who knows them well
A mates 05 WRX wagon has 295xxx km on it and it has less rattles than my 135xxx km VE Calais. Its been bulletproof! He will keep it well past 300 too. Strange how every other fast wagon is more expensive than its sedan counterpart except these things. Good video and insights boys 👍
I have a stock 2001 bug eye WRX with 260,000km's that I have owned since 2002 and it has never missed a beat. It's the backyard boys that cause issues....
Turbo Subaru engines don't suffer head gasket failures at an abnormal rate. The EJ20 is an incredibly reliable engine when maintained and left stock. Most information about Subaru on the internet is misinformation! 👌
I've got an '03 Bugeye WRX sedan (USDM) with 140k *miles* and the thing is in great shape. I'm the 3rd owner and the 1st two owners had it maintained regularly and kept it in the garage. The thing still kicks ass and hasn't left me stranded yet
So, ever since the WRX was released here in the US I have ALWAYS wanted one. I've owned DSMs, a few turbo Civics that I built (including the 612 whp EJ8 Civic coupe that I built and still own), and I've owned a couple of high horsepower domestics, but I have always wanted a WRX as well as a Lancer Evo III, VII, VIII, and even a X, but I have yet to own any of those. Someday I will knuckle down and buy one. I have never owned an opposed Boxer engine, but someday I will...Right now I'm in the process of building a boosted 2.0 8 valve in my 2000 Mk4 VW Golf hatch. It's almost done, I have a factory Bosch ECU that's been tuned for turbo and I'm really hoping that I won't have to go with a standalone in the long run, but I'm about to sell the AEM Series II EMS PnP that I bought for my OBD1 Civic, so I might end up going with a Megasquirt eventually. I don't want anything crazy, but I'd honestly be happy with 175 whp.
If you ever get one, just daily it for a year. Learn the car and how it works before shooting the go-fast-parts-cannon at it. You have the background to be capable of making reliable power
@@ts-vu3dd I thought it was cool information to share. Wait! I can't find it! Do you know what I'm looking for? It's probably who the fuck asked you to make that comment on a guy sharing some cool information with people.
Subaru Imprezas were always my dream cars. I'm now the super happy owner of a 2002 Bugeye saloon WRX. WR Blue with golden wheels. It is my daily and in 6 months of ownership it was a joy ride everytime I took it out for a spin or a relaxed drive. Best car I've ever owned. 59k original miles, stock with prodrive exhaust system.
Currently driving a 99' wagon on loan from a friend. 200,000+ kms on the clock. The only mod is an RA STi gearbox/diff controller. Great car. Sure, a little thirsty and motor is a little rattly when cold, but it's more than enough to have fun in. #preventativemaintenance is the key, like anything.
I would say after owning an sti for 3 weeks and it blowing up, Subaru knows they put crap parts in them. After it sat for 3 months I'm now driving it again and I think the main problems with wrx cars are bad owners. The shop I took it too gave me very specific rules and other things to follow to get another 200k miles out of this car without it breaking.
I used mine for amazon flex for over 60k no problems, all on how you drive it, with older cars you cant expect to hoon them around and not breakdown, however there is a super amount of parts for these cars and relatively easy to work on
I have a 230,000km 1996 impreza wagon with a EJ18 non turbs and it has never had a major drama. I just service regularly and look after it. Everything works.
Cleaning 130k old maf is not good enough, needs replacing, tuning old maf tune will drop off, be crap again in 10k, put a new maf in back to back old clean one you will see huge difference in afr, new one tunes up smoother, good for 100k max. 2.0lts dont have head gasket issues, ( unless you cook it) or ring lands, just bearings fail from lack of servicing.
VW tech here, i work right next to a Subaru dealership and I talk to the subie techs frequently and the amount of engine failures I’ve seen next door is scary
Kyle Combs yeah probably lmao, but even the foresters and the crosstreks and everything too. But especially the turbo cars I see more failures. Mainly Bc they can’t make any power safely stock it seems. Which is sad Bc I like how they drive and sound
I sold my WRC blue ‘02 WRX wagon last year. Owned the car 17 years, maintained and I “didn’t drive it like a idiot”. It had 208K miles, no head gasket issues. Bought a ‘05 ...
Short answer: No they are not unreliable tip is dont get all your information from forums, lots of the people there mod their cars and end up with issues.
You're right. I had a 05 wrx wagon/hatch and it took me forever to sell it and I sold it way too cheap. They are not worth selling if you put a decent amount of money and time into it. Kind of wish I kept mine. It was only 180kw and I broke the rear diff and 2nd gear so the driveline was weak imo but I never had a problem with the engine or head gaskets or anything like that.
I bought a Aspen White WRX new in 2002. I had problems with warping front rotors. I upgraded to a big brake kit. I hit a curb and bent a lca. Upgraded to STi aluminum lca's. Blew up my stock 5 speed (long story that involved a new clutch installed at dealer). Upgraded to STi 6 speed. It has ISC coilovers, Prodrive PFF7's, full tbe and a STi trunk with wing. At 178,000 miles I had no problems with the engine until I installed a Cobb V2 tuner. I ran to much boost (my fault) and now she sounds like a diesel. That happened in 2012. It's been in the garage while life happened. I just got a replacement engine and am collecting more goodies to install. Bottom line is if you love your car, even if it is a POS you will put money into it and enjoy it.
Coming from a classic wagon owner, you talk sense! Subaru’s have a bad rep but I’ve got 141 000 miles on mine and not a sign of head gasket, or any other ‘common’ problem. I’ve actually had a blown turbo unit which is unheard of really on a stock motor but it shat it’s self anyway. Guess it’s all down to look and how it’s used/maintained. Great video, subbed for more Subaru content. Love from the U.K. bro ❤️
Nice wrx mate, it'd be good to see some more videos on it in the future. You made the right decision with the Subaru, parts are much easier to come by. Unlike a Evo 9 wagon, at least the base model GXs share body panels and the majority of EJ engines are able to swapped in/out with little drama
Dont change the intake or the exhaust without tuning for it , guaranteed to lean out the LTFT's and cause the very problem you were trying to avoid (applies to any modern car)
@farnarkleboy most cars have a more effective ecu that compensates for afr. The ecu in subarus isn't as sophisticated and relies on VERY fine and specific ratios. Probably why they can't be tuned without often blowing up.
My 02 wagon has 194k miles on it and it has the original head gaskets. No issues. O have had issues with the first gen Forester with the EJ25. No issues with the EJ20.
I own a 2002 Subaru WRX Wagon , That is Stage 2+[TBE Exhaust + uppipe + cobb SF intake] (Protuned), the car has over 210,000k miles, the car awd dynoed @ 210WHP & 218TQ & has been extremely reliable,- it's best too do your major maintenance every 30k miles & make sure to replace the timing belt & you will be fine for years. The 2.0L WRX motors are stronger & more reliable vs the 2.5L, only problem is: with some of the 2.5L STI motors since there is a possibility of ringland failures from [over revving] & not getting enough oil from the OEM oil pickup.
Can anybody offer advice with the Brant immobilisers? Subaru won't offer support for my early 05 wagon. Intermittent issue where the fuel pump won't prime after punching in start code. Especially when the weather or the car is already warm. Thanks.
I have a 2002 WRX wagon blue (Original owner) and I think I was told it was within the first 100 off the assembly line. Bought it in late 2001 and got it in 2002. The bugeye is solid as long as you do not make engine mods.
Built for rallying and time trial gymkana events. Those short ratios really help getting out of tight bends. Built for racing that requires alot of down shifting.
2014 WRX hatchback owned for four years now and not a single issue like everyone else claims. Car is daily driven and it's kept stock (except for the Nvidia catback). The power is fine for everyday driving and having fun, only mods I would do is for handling.
I have a 2013 WRX 2.5L STOCK with 97,000 miles and I recently did a top speed run, got her up to 140 MPH (Ik probably not the best idea) but I ended up spinning a bearing... I loved my Subie and I took care of it (Synthetic oil changes every 3k miles, only 92 octane fuel) but I am quite disappointed in Subaru’s Ej255 for the simple fact that you should be able to take any vehicle up to its top speed without it blowing up. I obviously wish I hadn’t discovered this vehicles limit but after $5k for a new engine plus new clutch and timing belt/water pump I can understand why these engines get a bad rep. Hopefully y’all don’t have the same experience as I did I just thought I should share my personal experience with Subies.
Mom had a 97 legacy 2.0 mt, did 300 000km before it was scraped (rust). Uncle had a 92 legacy 1.8 with 300 000km+. I had 2 Legacy 2.5 outbacks 97 and a 98. Changed head gaskets on the 97 and it did 60 000km after that. Scraped it because of rust. Nothing wrong with a Subaru, bad tuning and bad maintenance kills the engines. But they do love fuel and oil!
Nice wagon. I just brought a bug eye with a blown engine as a project (currently doing a ej257 with ej207 heads combo and supporting mods. You hit the nail on the head about the wrx reliability stigma. I can see why they get a bad name after pulling the motor out and finding a fairly new td05-20g bolted to a stock 220,000km ej205, stock fuel pump and injectors, split intake pipe between MAF and turbo, filthy air filter, very old looking timing belt, big exhaust with one muffler, probably no tune... no wonder I was fishing piston and valves out of the sump!
@Michaels Carport yes I suspect it was running very lean. I just cc'd the combustion chambers and piston dish as I was concerned about compression with the 2.0l heads. Calculated at 8.5:1 with a stock thickness gasket so I think I'll just go with the factory multilayer steel gasket. The heads are being done at the moment. exhaust guides and valves were slogged which seems to be a common problem on subaru's I've worked on in the past. More common than head gaskets on a wrx 😂. It's the single layer gaskets that leak all the time hey lol. Your wrx sounds like a beast. I'll see how mine goes it's a bit of a budget build but gonna make sure it gets a good tune and hopefully keep it together while I convert my FD to a single efr8374 👌
@Michaels Carport I'm dying to daily a turbo car again so I'm excited. Gotta love the turbo spool 👌. Yea mate I've got 2 rx7s the FD and a first gen. I'm basically broke haha. I just got a turblown borgwarner kit from the USA to get rid of the twin turbos as much as I wanted to keep them I just wanted a modern turbo and some more power. The twins are leaky too and I've replaced them once already not doing it again. Basically ive just opened a can of worms and never ending parts buying to get the FD sorted 😂
I ran a jdm ej20k on the oem vf22 for YEARS on US pump 93 with no problems. Then I ran it a few more years on an Apex'i PowerFC running a few more lbs of boost with no dyno tune. NEVER had an engine problem. This was on a jdm ecu wired into my usdm car.
2005 wrx owner (usdm). No mods, 158k miles, been delivering pizza with her for the last 2 years at 350-500+ miles per week. no issues. But I keep her well maintained.
Stop saying WRX are unreliable, my dad used to own a Subaru dealership, and, the only WRX that came was the police's WRX, they blown 4 times the head gasket, because they were using the car at his limit, when the engine was cold ( 'cause they were waiting down the highway to catch people ), and that's it. I never saw a WRX, with an head gasket blown, or something when the car has been well take care. If you put a huge turbo with 100 pounds of boost and you use it like a madman, yeah the car will break, it's normal, the car isn't made for receiving 100 pounds of boost. But when the car is stock, if you take car of her, nothing will happen.
It’s got me stumped how these cars went from being loved by tuners then suddenly everyone’s blowing engines, I had a GC8 and man it copped a beating but was serviced every 5 thou and I sold her with 260 on the clock still strong. Makes ya wonder what people are doing to them...
I have a european model GT Turbo Impreza, GC8, from 1999. Bought it new from a dealer back then. It's now 21 year young, it's not my daily driver, I bought it when I was 26. I know it's history very well since I am the only driver. Use it with your head, regular service intervals and make sure the engine & drive-train is sufficently warmed up and cool down before shutting it. It's a tank and joy if you know yourself and control yourself and know your limits and that of the car. If you buy second hands, buy from 1st time owners, at least they can give you a pretty good & reliable history summary and you know if an owner has had a car this long, that person has a "relation" with it and most likely taken care of it. Second and more-hands are less reliable and if you start tuning such an unknown performace car from factory, yeah, chances are you endup with something broken really fast... it should not be a suprise.
Bought a used 2007 wrx with 120k I've had it for 2 in a half years.now reading 139k only major problems was spark plugs and coil packs other than that it's been reliable
I've never owned or driven a subaru, but if i did it would be a wagon, because for me it would be more practical. My SR is nearly 30yrs old, the only issue's I've had are plugs & wires, & since adding boost last year, engine is still running well.
Best looking bugeye I've ever seen. If you want better drivability ditch the intercooler piping by going top mount or reverse the intake manifold like the rally car.
Don't know about USDM and other countries Subaru but real 'JDM' Subaru sti pretty reliable (car was import form japan EJ207) ,my friend have daily drive more than 8year still never hear a ringland failure and head gaskets issue whatsoever Just regular maintenance and replace fail sensor that's all
I bought a new 2008 Liberty tune by STI in 2009 three months later at under 3000 kls it blew 3 main bearings on the block. Under warranty it took Subaru 12 weeks to replace the old one to new one from Japan on research. When i got it back it was much more power then the one it came with. It was replaced free of charge under warranty was happy. Maybe a faulty manufacturing fault who knows.....But Subaru was there to solve the problem.
We have a 2002 Bugeye WRX. Electric Blue colour and has done 360,XXX. Original motor, trans and turbo. Still runs like a beauty everytime we drive it! Not sure what Subaru unreliability is.
Owned a 2013 sti for 125k kms and had to get 2nd gear replaced twice. And 3 head gaskets. And 2 engines. I had nothing but trouble. Never tracked. Sold it for a evo and made 500kw unopened motor. Still going strong to this day.
Its all luck and timing I feel. I drove my 2010 sti 5 years no issue, decide a stage 2 was a good idea. Turned out it wasn't. Also had an 86 rx7.... which I purposly tried to kill for an ls swap...yet couldnt, even with no oil. So who honestly knows, cars get mood swings i guess
Fellow Aussie here. My dad has a Liberty Wagon, which he bought with a STi Ver.3 half cut put into it. Over the decade that he's owned the car, its blown up thrice (3 times). He's had it rebuilt twice and now the engine is completely seized, completely unusable. Yes, he took the engine to professionals everytime he got it rebuilt, yet the car proves unreliable. So whether or not the stereotype of Subaru unreliability is true or false, it very much varies on each different car and the stereotype has some merit. You could have a completely fine Turbocharged Subie that's never blown up, and my dad with one that's completely unreliable, it's the car lottery of whether or not your engine is going to go.
Head gasket failures were really only a problem with NA'd 2.5s. it was the internet that applied this to all boxers. Every other ej had head gaskets go the same way head gaskets normally go. This video goes over the whole thing. th-cam.com/video/-aq0hDvKJ5Q/w-d-xo.html
It's funny how the internet rubbishes subaru reliability... but for years my brother and father (both mechanics) have thought them to be reliable good cars and thats been true for a long time, its only in relatively recent years with the internet and boom of social media has it been spread that they are unreliable, but i guess its easier to believe a meme than to trust real mechanical knowledge.
EJ's are reliable if you dont screw around w/ it. These engines arent really designed to be built 2-3x above stock power levels and drag raced lol. Subaru's are made to handle- winding backroads and mountain passes are where they shine. Anyone wanting a wrx for awd burnouts is gonna be very disappointed. And broke. And out of commission, thinking about their mistakes and taking the bus.
i have had a gc8, liberty, forester, 15wrx and now looking for awagon. the forester is my daily and is a great car for getting to and from work but i am missing the turbo spool on my 15wrx. So looking at a wagon if i can pick up one for relatively cheap and fix her up/ need that little pocket rocket.
My 2.0 WRX has done 145k and I can leave it 3 months, start it (which it’ll catch almost instantly) and honestly the engine is smooth as silk to the point there’s no shaking or anything even on the coldest start. It was however looked after by mature owners and serviced & maintained rather than neglected & repaired! The ‘bad’ ones are the 2.5’s I wouldn’t trust a 2.5 to be reliable reading the engine fail thread on scoobynet!
THE gc8 was the most reliable out the lot most of the early ones came with a closed deck block and are 100 % STRONGER than a semi closed or open deck block and if you look at old top gear reviews the most reliable car available at that time was a GC8
Would anyone recommend this as my first car? It would be my first car since I just got my full licence and was wondering if it would be too expensive/complicated to maintain as a uni student. Also, I'm not an idiot who will completely thrash it at every chance I get.
I have a 2002 Outback H6. I have experienced similar issues with the engine starting sluggishly and being a bit unenthusiastic, especially getting to 10K after the last service. The Subaru specialist here gave it a basic service, and a dose of upper cylinder cleaner (which I believe is specified by Subaru), and next thing I know it's running like a champ. They respond well to servicing, and if you scrimp on it, that's when you get engine issues.
Problaby the most reliable sports car out there. IF people keep them as the factory intended, do the recalls and service their car. They would have to shoot it for it to give up. ''ringland failure'' is something alot of people obviously say to hear or come across as a enlightened Subaru expert.
Most people dont serice their cars according to manufacturers recommendations most cars are reliable if you warm them up for 5mins everyday before driving and warm up the transmission by not thrashing it for the first 10mins from the start of your journey and service them regularly. Not just the engine but transmission oils and differential oils.
EJ design was so bulletproof that on naturally aspirated they went and used paper gaskets and they still last 10 years like that before you need to put in a real head gasket. But on Turbo EJ they used a real metal head gasket, so thats why on WRX they will go 300k miles before it leaks. All engines will have head gasket issues by the time they hit 300k miles, whether it is oil leaks, coolant or both. Just depends on if it hit 300k miles in 5 years or 30
Barely heard of any issues with the Bugeyes. My 2002 never gave me any problems. The only bad thing that happened to the engine was my fault when driving through water that was too high and hydro locked the engine. Had the dealer clean out the engine and the engine kept running 100k + after that. . So I think it's more the 2.5 not the 2.0 that have issues.
A good engine comes from the inside of a man. The best engine in the worst hands goes bang. The worst engine in good hands will purr. This is the story of ej. A good engine.
My 02 wagon is almost at 300K. Original head gaskets. Then again, I haven't boosted the turbo or anything like that. So, maybe, like Jeeps, if you leave it in the factory configuration, they are reliable. It's when you modify beyond what they were meant to do, that's when they become unreliable.
Unfortunately I’m not convinced by this video. I don’t own one myself because of my friends who own Subaru’s so I don’t have to. One friend has some kind of running rich problem he couldn’t fix that lead to failure and never bought one again. Another friend’s first Subaru had his engine blown up and it was bone stock. He bought another Subaru and the cv axles were mad weak and broke. He did fix it and drives it to this day, repair cost was 600 Canadian each for 2 front wheels.
Worst car I ever had by far. I bought a 3 year old, 38000 mile example gb270. By the time it had 64000 miles on it and after being impeccably maintained it suffered: rear coil springs rusted through, rust patch on roof next to rear window, exhaust bracket rusted off, cylinder head gasket failed, second gear catastrophically failed. Cost five grand fixing the thing, will never buy another Subaru product ever again
The ej25's are the ones with ringland issues not the ej20, the ej20 is more likely to spin bearings though. Subaru EJ engines are higher maintenance than a lot of other stuff but they aren't hard to work on. Just take good care of it and keep up with maintenance it will be fine. Also the 6 cylinder swap is pointless and a headache. I know people with ej25 powered cars making over 700whp and running 9.99 and faster at the drag strip here in the states and they are still on the stock ecu just reflashed with a tactrix cable and tuned on romraider or cobb pro software no fancy standalone or any of that B.S required.
And also if it wasnt self explanatory already, never push the car hard until its warmed all the way up. Look at the temp. needle when its going up, the first line and when it stays there then you're ready.
hi, got an 05 wrx blob eyes. As soon as i started listening your video i heard this high pitch whine when accelerating. Only in fifth gear. Well heard at 0:14. Did you notice it ? Many subies seem to do it. Always wondered if it was a mechanical problem or just regular.
I’ve had good/bad luck, I have a 2005 wrx with 215k miles and a 2015 sti with 40k miles they both took a crap on me on the same week, I baby them but every once in a while I’ll get on it just to enjoy the amazing noises they make. But i got good luck with my wrx but not so much with my sti. It’s all maintenance. My wrx has a jdm engine in it now and thank god for warranty on my sti, taking it in next week. I will always be a Subaru enthusiast !
why an awd vehicle in Australia if you don't mind me asking ? I live in Canada and i know the advantages of awd but if you don't really need awd it definitely has its disadvantages too
@@fullboost but you said you didn't drive it in the rain usually. I don't see the point of awd if you don't need it. The car's heavier which affect handling and braking. Also has worse gas milage plus they lose more power thru the drivetrain. But personally i love awd in the snow and rain
WRXs are perfectly reliable as long as owners don’t pretend to be automotive engineers and modify them without much knowledge of what they’re doing.
RedPanda you cant deny how badly some years are compared to others tho. The narrow bodies and wide bodies had bad welds in the firewall and ringland failure. Lots of bug eyes had head gasket issues. The 2015+ have a terrible tune and the first 3 years all had clutch issues. I know know just tune it. But thats no excuse it should be ready to go from factory. I shouldnt have to void my warranty just to have a driveable car. Are they terrible? No, are they as great as many make them out to be? Definitely not. But that goes for many cars.
@@EulogizingSleep Pretty much... 06/07 are the years to get.
Username 1991 anyone will tell you that the rev hang in the 2015 plus makes the car unbearable. I own one as well and it’ll definitely be my last Subaru product. The reason i say that is consider why a company would tune a car for rev hang. It makes you be overly cautious while shifting and add extra wear on the clutch=early clutch failure and more money in Subaru’s pocket. Even many of the tuned ones I’ve driven(pro tuned) still have rev hang to some extent. Im not hating on the brand. My dream is to own an older wrx wagon(like a bug/blob/ hawk), but these 2008+ wrxs leave a lot to be desired. I cannot speak for an STI as i have never owned one.
100% moron lol
@@EulogizingSleep Rev-hang was tuned in many cars to comply with emissions. The point is to avoid the rich fuel spike you get when when you suddenly come off the throttle after accelerating hard. The new Honda's and generally the Hyundai's have very bad rev-hang. Many people tune this out as the first modification. It hinders performance driving.
Never get rid of that bugeye wagon dude.. It's a beaut
We love Subaru, if you take care of it , it will last most definitely
Cre8tiveGarage or it wont
Wrong.
Toyota Tacoma will take of you before you can ever take care of it
my mum has had hers for 15 years no problems
To true!
Bmw entered the chat
The internet is a funny place. I've owned both rotary bridgeport Rx2 and currently own a 2016 Sti, two cars that internet will tell you that explode upon turning the key. I've never had one engine related issue with either, just idle drive both of them till they are warm, don't lug the engine and change the oil and air filters regularly. Sure throw a million pounds of boost at either and this reliability will be severely reduced. Bit of common sense goes along way.
Wym by idle drive?
@@bbbugeye2744maybe no hard acceleration until it's completely warm
I have literally never seen an rx past 200 miles. Ever. On the internet sure. Do you drive on the weekend only?
@@Arrozconchopsticks Figured that's what you meant.
The point is you shouldn’t HAVE to tread so carefully. And honestly none of that behavior is going to make a difference if you just happen to have one of the engines that’s destined to pop. If nothing goes wrong then great! But it’s not because you treated it better than the poor schmuck who cracked a ringland. It happens to STi’s in disproportionate numbers compared to that of its counterparts. Swap out those peanut brittle pistons with just about ANYthing else and problem solved. Or just wait and see if you make it through the life of the car(or until you get bored). Most of us will make it just fine.
Id say a rough amount of people who make comments about cars have never owned the car they're talking about.
I do musik stuff I owned a beat up amateur modded bugeye. I miss that car but things started to wrong on it, the turbo blew, and I didn’t want to spend any money fixing it up. I’d love to find an unmodded low miles one.
Its rubbish tunes, trash mods and idiot owner abuse that kills these cars. My old 400HP WRX wagon still going strong after 15 years on its original motor, bolt ons and tune done by a pro. Seen tracks, drags, rally, dift, Ikea, no issues. Upgrade to a STI tuned to 400hp, 2 years on run better than factory, again protune on a dyno, not some trash etune. oh E85 tunes, just send your car to the wreckers and be done with it.
That’s true with all cars. If maintained they will last long. I own a rotary, they have a bad reputation for reliability. I’ve owned my rx7 for 7 years 550hp still going strong 💪
Nice one. Just curious what mods you've done to achieve 400hp? Cheers
yep amen to that, I left my wrx that wasn't fully finished at a friends house it had some issues and I told him it needs tuning so don't drive it at all.. whats the mofo do he takes out out burns the whole tank of my gas and leaves it on the side of the road telling me it just "quit" the idiot lifted my head studs and since we were just testing the car there was no coolant in there just water the water it rusted and destroyed my walls... had to redo the whole motor hes lucky he dindt get his ass knocked out lets just say we're not really friends anymore. Since my new build its tough as nails, key here is don't let idiots behind the wheel and make sure your car's ready to go before you hoon it.
Damn dom lemme know where he at I'll but his #$%t up. Glad you got it together after
@@fullboost Sorry thats crank , 200kw@all fours on a roller dyno. So VF34, TBE, 550cc injector, walbro fuel pump, silicon intake, modded Ypipe, STI intercooler, on a unopened 2003 EJ205 built and tuned by MSR msengineering.com.au/
Your EJ205 doesnt have AVCS, makes a great difference low down. I got to the same point as you on the stock block, where the engine has to come out for more power. I thought it ran so well thought it was a waste of money for the street car. I went to a current shape STI tuned putting down same power on a dyno but from 300nm to 660nm torque. Huge difference and way quicker even thought it puts down same power on the dyno.
Can go closed desk EJ257, rods, forged pistons, precision turbo, can push 250-280kw atw on pump gas. I wouldnt touch E85, drops the range on that motor to less than 300km to a tank, also engines dont last and run like trash. There is where urban head gasket legends come from I think.
H6 still kinda unknown and weak, seen really expensive build only hit 280atw, which considering the cost to a forged EJ257 build is dumb.
PS I sold my modded 2003 WRX wagon for $14K with 160,000km on the clock ( 2 years ago in Sydney). People want wagons now, I got asked even at the servo if I wanted to sell mine. So I think you'd be able to sell yours for similar price considering its a quality build too and less kays.
The car itself is reliable for sure. Had 4 of them. From factory to highly modified.
Being very affordable they have always attracted unreliable owners.
Regular services and maintenances is the key, especially when they are performance cars.
I've said this multiple times on multiple Subaru videos.....I daily a 03 wrx with about 236xxx it's has 297whp it's been this way for 100xxx miles on 20psi stock block never done a head gasket done still going strong 💪take care of your shit and it will last
Still going strong?? Recently got a 02 WRX def a good one
My 05 STi with the EJ207 is currently on 261,000km and purrs like a kitten with plenty of power on tap. Its all in the maintenace and how you drive it!
Bobby Mircevski ya the 207 is an actually good engine
Any oil in the intercooler? Do a compression and leakdown test first. Could be pcv related.
I've got an 05 STi as well and mine has 190,000 miles on the clock no problem
I've got an EJ205 woth 203k and she still runs amazing
I love my WRX I dont really even want to modify it. I think its an amazing machine as is.
That's a joke right?
@@remissiveslave the only mods thats good are freeflow mufflers for that extra cool musical sound but not overdo it, an intake and reflash ecu
@@DarthRevan12 not buying one is the best mod for this car.
@remissive slave 1871 and here we are again. Come to troll another vid?
Keep in mind that even though it seems like everyone is having engine issues (a lot of them are decently modified) people mainly only post up when they have problems, you don't go to a forum to report having a trouble free day but once a CEL pops up...
Subarus can be reliable but you have to look after them like any vehicle. I have Sue a 2000 Forester and it had about 175k when I got her. She now has 275k on it and I've done roughly 30 to 35k a year in the last 2 years and probably 15k in the first year. I live in Tassie. I pretty much tow trailers daily and they quite often get up to 1 to 1.5ton. I've had 2 ton behind it 2 or 3 times by accident but she moved it no issues using low range, albeit on the flat and small hills. I've taken it many places off road that you probably shouldnt. I have worked her hard and abused her a bit but I'm always listening for new noises and change the oil every 5k since 230k and she has been rock solid reliable. One run I can that says that is Hobart to Derwent Bridge via some back roads towing a trailer (800kg and boot loaded with gear), camp over night, pick up three people and hiking packs. Up and around the west coast to Cradle Mountain, home to Launceston then back down to Derwent Bridge and onto Cradle Mountain again and back home. 1200 to 1300km in the rain both days and she never gave one complaint other than 'my fuel tanks empty'. 4 cylinders and 2 litres of fury, ultra reliable if maintainted well
Speaking from actual experience I've had my gc8 7 years now . Apart from general maintenance no issues with it. I love the old gc8s.
yeah i dont think the olders ones were any less reliable, was just alot of young hoons owning them back in the day that didnt keep up maint
Everyone loses their minds on wrx/sti's.
The main problems with them are the owners! People forget what they were, a mass produced turbo all alloy engine, if you thrash it all day everyday, put stupid mods on it, (pods, front mounts, bovs) keep it out of tune then you get issues. Treat them with some respect and they last and last. Sure you will get someone say oh i drove mine like that and it failed- previous owners probably didnt. Buy a stock one, keep mods simple and get someone to tune it who knows them.
"buy a stock one" more chance of finding a 20 yr old virgin girlfriend then you have an unmodified impreza.
@@user-ue6iv2rd1n all four of mine have been stock when bought. Hard to find but more like finding a 20yr old who's only had 5guys.... rare but out there
My WRX was stock and a money pit leaked oil and ratled like a snake
I'm very interested in getting a WRX, how could I become a professional at installing mods so it doesn't mess up? Just work at suburu places? 😅
@@cabclint what model? The earlier ones are fine with a full exhaust, keep away from aftermarket filters and cai !!!! No need for front mount unless going twist mount turbo setup, bov are another that aren't needed until certain turbo size upgrade the standard does fine. Main thing is the tune they do best when tuned to suit any mod, and just go to someone who knows them well
A mates 05 WRX wagon has 295xxx km on it and it has less rattles than my 135xxx km VE Calais. Its been bulletproof! He will keep it well past 300 too. Strange how every other fast wagon is more expensive than its sedan counterpart except these things. Good video and insights boys 👍
I have a stock 2001 bug eye WRX with 260,000km's that I have owned since 2002 and it has never missed a beat. It's the backyard boys that cause issues....
Give it a birthday haha they are pretty lackluster stock 😊👍
Turbo Subaru engines don't suffer head gasket failures at an abnormal rate.
The EJ20 is an incredibly reliable engine when maintained and left stock.
Most information about Subaru on the internet is misinformation! 👌
I've got an '03 Bugeye WRX sedan (USDM) with 140k *miles* and the thing is in great shape. I'm the 3rd owner and the 1st two owners had it maintained regularly and kept it in the garage. The thing still kicks ass and hasn't left me stranded yet
Have a 97 forester turbo done nearly 300k just serviced never done head gaskets lol
Miss my 97 T/tb. Planning to get a 2001 STB/STi
So, ever since the WRX was released here in the US I have ALWAYS wanted one. I've owned DSMs, a few turbo Civics that I built (including the 612 whp EJ8 Civic coupe that I built and still own), and I've owned a couple of high horsepower domestics, but I have always wanted a WRX as well as a Lancer Evo III, VII, VIII, and even a X, but I have yet to own any of those. Someday I will knuckle down and buy one. I have never owned an opposed Boxer engine, but someday I will...Right now I'm in the process of building a boosted 2.0 8 valve in my 2000 Mk4 VW Golf hatch. It's almost done, I have a factory Bosch ECU that's been tuned for turbo and I'm really hoping that I won't have to go with a standalone in the long run, but I'm about to sell the AEM Series II EMS PnP that I bought for my OBD1 Civic, so I might end up going with a Megasquirt eventually. I don't want anything crazy, but I'd honestly be happy with 175 whp.
If you ever get one, just daily it for a year. Learn the car and how it works before shooting the go-fast-parts-cannon at it. You have the background to be capable of making reliable power
Correct me if I’m wrong but...
Who tf asked
@@ts-vu3dd I thought it was cool information to share. Wait! I can't find it! Do you know what I'm looking for? It's probably who the fuck asked you to make that comment on a guy sharing some cool information with people.
Subaru Imprezas were always my dream cars. I'm now the super happy owner of a 2002 Bugeye saloon WRX. WR Blue with golden wheels. It is my daily and in 6 months of ownership it was a joy ride everytime I took it out for a spin or a relaxed drive. Best car I've ever owned. 59k original miles, stock with prodrive exhaust system.
@@Berserked learning the car for a year? Daym son lol
Currently driving a 99' wagon on loan from a friend. 200,000+ kms on the clock. The only mod is an RA STi gearbox/diff controller. Great car. Sure, a little thirsty and motor is a little rattly when cold, but it's more than enough to have fun in. #preventativemaintenance is the key, like anything.
I would say after owning an sti for 3 weeks and it blowing up, Subaru knows they put crap parts in them. After it sat for 3 months I'm now driving it again and I think the main problems with wrx cars are bad owners. The shop I took it too gave me very specific rules and other things to follow to get another 200k miles out of this car without it breaking.
What rules
I used mine for amazon flex for over 60k no problems, all on how you drive it, with older cars you cant expect to hoon them around and not breakdown, however there is a super amount of parts for these cars and relatively easy to work on
I have a 230,000km 1996 impreza wagon with a EJ18 non turbs and it has never had a major drama. I just service regularly and look after it. Everything works.
Cleaning 130k old maf is not good enough, needs replacing, tuning old maf tune will drop off, be crap again in 10k, put a new maf in back to back old clean one you will see huge difference in afr, new one tunes up smoother, good for 100k max. 2.0lts dont have head gasket issues, ( unless you cook it) or ring lands, just bearings fail from lack of servicing.
@Username 1991 08 + are lot more stable, but 01 to 07 drop off bad at 100k.
VW tech here, i work right next to a Subaru dealership and I talk to the subie techs frequently and the amount of engine failures I’ve seen next door is scary
Ppl beat the living hell out of them...like on a sti i imagine most guys have a shift point of 4k for daily driving
Kyle Combs yeah probably lmao, but even the foresters and the crosstreks and everything too. But especially the turbo cars I see more failures. Mainly Bc they can’t make any power safely stock it seems. Which is sad Bc I like how they drive and sound
I sold my WRC blue ‘02 WRX wagon last year. Owned the car 17 years, maintained and I “didn’t drive it like a idiot”. It had 208K miles, no head gasket issues. Bought a ‘05 ...
Short answer: No they are not unreliable
tip is dont get all your information from forums, lots of the people there mod their cars and end up with issues.
Problem with buying 2nd hand motor knowing if the previous owner has thrashed it
Mines on a 156,714 and still runs great, it’s genuinely down to the driver and the level of maintenance they do.
You're right. I had a 05 wrx wagon/hatch and it took me forever to sell it and I sold it way too cheap. They are not worth selling if you put a decent amount of money and time into it. Kind of wish I kept mine. It was only 180kw and I broke the rear diff and 2nd gear so the driveline was weak imo but I never had a problem with the engine or head gaskets or anything like that.
I bought a Aspen White WRX new in 2002. I had problems with warping front rotors. I upgraded to a big brake kit. I hit a curb and bent a lca. Upgraded to STi aluminum lca's. Blew up my stock 5 speed (long story that involved a new clutch installed at dealer). Upgraded to STi 6 speed. It has ISC coilovers, Prodrive PFF7's, full tbe and a STi trunk with wing. At 178,000 miles I had no problems with the engine until I installed a Cobb V2 tuner. I ran to much boost (my fault) and now she sounds like a diesel. That happened in 2012. It's been in the garage while life happened. I just got a replacement engine and am collecting more goodies to install. Bottom line is if you love your car, even if it is a POS you will put money into it and enjoy it.
Coming from a classic wagon owner, you talk sense! Subaru’s have a bad rep but I’ve got 141 000 miles on mine and not a sign of head gasket, or any other ‘common’ problem. I’ve actually had a blown turbo unit which is unheard of really on a stock motor but it shat it’s self anyway. Guess it’s all down to look and how it’s used/maintained. Great video, subbed for more Subaru content. Love from the U.K. bro ❤️
It's the 2.5l that's the most problematic one
its the EJ25D DOHC thats bad, all the other 2.5's are awesome
@@hellzbellz1234 nah the ej257 is shit
@@hellzbellz1234 not the 251 SOHC
Nice wrx mate, it'd be good to see some more videos on it in the future.
You made the right decision with the Subaru, parts are much easier to come by.
Unlike a Evo 9 wagon, at least the base model GXs share body panels and the majority of EJ engines are able to swapped in/out with little drama
Easy mods that won’t kill the car are exhaust, suspension, and air intake. It’s make the engine work easier and give you a lil power
Dont change the intake or the exhaust without tuning for it , guaranteed to lean out the LTFT's and cause the very problem you were trying to avoid (applies to any modern car)
@farnarkleboy most cars have a more effective ecu that compensates for afr. The ecu in subarus isn't as sophisticated and relies on VERY fine and specific ratios. Probably why they can't be tuned without often blowing up.
2002 bugeye wrx sedan, 240, 000 miles pushing 256hp on the dyno, NEVER had a problem with original headgaskets!
My 02 wagon has 194k miles on it and it has the original head gaskets. No issues. O have had issues with the first gen Forester with the EJ25. No issues with the EJ20.
My bugeye wagon has a blown headgasket but it also has almost 270k miles which is about 434500km
Head gaskets were only faulty on the non turbo single cam models
My 95 has 242 000 miles sohc ej22 with original headgaskets
I own a 2002 Subaru WRX Wagon , That is Stage 2+[TBE Exhaust + uppipe + cobb SF intake] (Protuned), the car has over 210,000k miles, the car awd dynoed @ 210WHP & 218TQ & has been extremely reliable,- it's best too do your major maintenance every 30k miles & make sure to replace the timing belt & you will be fine for years. The 2.0L WRX motors are stronger & more reliable vs the 2.5L, only problem is: with some of the 2.5L STI motors since there is a possibility of ringland failures from [over revving] & not getting enough oil from the OEM oil pickup.
Can anybody offer advice with the Brant immobilisers? Subaru won't offer support for my early 05 wagon.
Intermittent issue where the fuel pump won't prime after punching in start code. Especially when the weather or the car is already warm. Thanks.
GotItRex sells a patch for this very cheap. 👍
@@fullboost Amazing, didn't even know they existed! Thank you!
I have a 2002 WRX wagon blue (Original owner) and I think I was told it was within the first 100 off the assembly line. Bought it in late 2001 and got it in 2002. The bugeye is solid as long as you do not make engine mods.
Built for rallying and time trial gymkana events. Those short ratios really help getting out of tight bends. Built for racing that requires alot of down shifting.
2014 WRX hatchback owned for four years now and not a single issue like everyone else claims. Car is daily driven and it's kept stock (except for the Nvidia catback). The power is fine for everyday driving and having fun, only mods I would do is for handling.
Great vid. We are looking at building a WRX track car as one of our next projects. Like the look of the hawk eye!
I have a 2013 WRX 2.5L STOCK with 97,000 miles and I recently did a top speed run, got her up to 140 MPH (Ik probably not the best idea) but I ended up spinning a bearing...
I loved my Subie and I took care of it (Synthetic oil changes every 3k miles, only 92 octane fuel) but I am quite disappointed in Subaru’s Ej255 for the simple fact that you should be able to take any vehicle up to its top speed without it blowing up. I obviously wish I hadn’t discovered this vehicles limit but after $5k for a new engine plus new clutch and timing belt/water pump I can understand why these engines get a bad rep.
Hopefully y’all don’t have the same experience as I did I just thought I should share my personal experience with Subies.
Hey at least you're honest 👍
Mom had a 97 legacy 2.0 mt, did 300 000km before it was scraped (rust). Uncle had a 92 legacy 1.8 with 300 000km+. I had 2 Legacy 2.5 outbacks 97 and a 98. Changed head gaskets on the 97 and it did 60 000km after that. Scraped it because of rust.
Nothing wrong with a Subaru, bad tuning and bad maintenance kills the engines.
But they do love fuel and oil!
Nice wagon. I just brought a bug eye with a blown engine as a project (currently doing a ej257 with ej207 heads combo and supporting mods. You hit the nail on the head about the wrx reliability stigma. I can see why they get a bad name after pulling the motor out and finding a fairly new td05-20g bolted to a stock 220,000km ej205, stock fuel pump and injectors, split intake pipe between MAF and turbo, filthy air filter, very old looking timing belt, big exhaust with one muffler, probably no tune... no wonder I was fishing piston and valves out of the sump!
@Michaels Carport yes I suspect it was running very lean. I just cc'd the combustion chambers and piston dish as I was concerned about compression with the 2.0l heads. Calculated at 8.5:1 with a stock thickness gasket so I think I'll just go with the factory multilayer steel gasket. The heads are being done at the moment. exhaust guides and valves were slogged which seems to be a common problem on subaru's I've worked on in the past. More common than head gaskets on a wrx 😂. It's the single layer gaskets that leak all the time hey lol. Your wrx sounds like a beast. I'll see how mine goes it's a bit of a budget build but gonna make sure it gets a good tune and hopefully keep it together while I convert my FD to a single efr8374 👌
@Michaels Carport I'm dying to daily a turbo car again so I'm excited. Gotta love the turbo spool 👌. Yea mate I've got 2 rx7s the FD and a first gen. I'm basically broke haha. I just got a turblown borgwarner kit from the USA to get rid of the twin turbos as much as I wanted to keep them I just wanted a modern turbo and some more power. The twins are leaky too and I've replaced them once already not doing it again. Basically ive just opened a can of worms and never ending parts buying to get the FD sorted 😂
Just gave my wrx to the tuning shop. Done 180,000 kms with no issues. Apparently it's headgasket is blown but it still runs fine
I ran a jdm ej20k on the oem vf22 for YEARS on US pump 93 with no problems. Then I ran it a few more years on an Apex'i PowerFC running a few more lbs of boost with no dyno tune. NEVER had an engine problem. This was on a jdm ecu wired into my usdm car.
2005 wrx owner (usdm). No mods, 158k miles, been delivering pizza with her for the last 2 years at 350-500+ miles per week. no issues. But I keep her well maintained.
Stop saying WRX are unreliable, my dad used to own a Subaru dealership, and, the only WRX that came was the police's WRX, they blown 4 times the head gasket, because they were using the car at his limit, when the engine was cold ( 'cause they were waiting down the highway to catch people ), and that's it. I never saw a WRX, with an head gasket blown, or something when the car has been well take care. If you put a huge turbo with 100 pounds of boost and you use it like a madman, yeah the car will break, it's normal, the car isn't made for receiving 100 pounds of boost. But when the car is stock, if you take car of her, nothing will happen.
If you watched the video l said the opposite.
It’s got me stumped how these cars went from being loved by tuners then suddenly everyone’s blowing engines, I had a GC8 and man it copped a beating but was serviced every 5 thou and I sold her with 260 on the clock still strong. Makes ya wonder what people are doing to them...
my guess is they took it to get a road tune and not a dyno tune and then flogged it redline everytime leaving the lights. no surprise there haha
@@mykesk3 yeah true… one thing I never did was beat on her cold especially cause the pistons just drag along the bottom of the bore till they warm up…
I have a european model GT Turbo Impreza, GC8, from 1999. Bought it new from a dealer back then. It's now 21 year young, it's not my daily driver, I bought it when I was 26. I know it's history very well since I am the only driver. Use it with your head, regular service intervals and make sure the engine & drive-train is sufficently warmed up and cool down before shutting it. It's a tank and joy if you know yourself and control yourself and know your limits and that of the car.
If you buy second hands, buy from 1st time owners, at least they can give you a pretty good & reliable history summary and you know if an owner has had a car this long, that person has a "relation" with it and most likely taken care of it. Second and more-hands are less reliable and if you start tuning such an unknown performace car from factory, yeah, chances are you endup with something broken really fast... it should not be a suprise.
The only thing that ever whent wrong on my wrx was the fog lights not working but that’s because the previous owner had raked the wires out
noice. I have a 2008 forestah xt sports (ej25) and a manual chevy ss (holden commodore) with an LS3. these two cars are the perfect cars.
Bought a used 2007 wrx with 120k I've had it for 2 in a half years.now reading 139k only major problems was spark plugs and coil packs other than that it's been reliable
I've never owned or driven a subaru, but if i did it would be
a wagon, because for me it would be more practical. My SR is nearly 30yrs old, the only issue's I've had are plugs & wires, & since adding
boost last year, engine is still running well.
Best looking bugeye I've ever seen. If you want better drivability ditch the intercooler piping by going top mount or reverse the intake manifold like the rally car.
Don't know about USDM and other countries Subaru
but real 'JDM' Subaru sti pretty reliable (car was import form japan EJ207) ,my friend have daily drive more than 8year still never hear a ringland failure and head gaskets issue whatsoever
Just regular maintenance and replace fail sensor that's all
I bought a new 2008 Liberty tune by STI in 2009 three months later at under 3000 kls it blew 3 main bearings on the block. Under warranty it took Subaru 12 weeks to replace the old one to new one from Japan on research. When i got it back it was much more power then the one it came with.
It was replaced free of charge under warranty was happy.
Maybe a faulty manufacturing fault who knows.....But Subaru was there to solve the problem.
We have a 2002 Bugeye WRX. Electric Blue colour and has done 360,XXX. Original motor, trans and turbo. Still runs like a beauty everytime we drive it! Not sure what Subaru unreliability is.
Owned a 2013 sti for 125k kms and had to get 2nd gear replaced twice. And 3 head gaskets. And 2 engines. I had nothing but trouble. Never tracked. Sold it for a evo and made 500kw unopened motor. Still going strong to this day.
500kw? Impressive.
Lets hope that other car isnt standard lol
Agree with you on the black paint. I had a maverick shorty for 15+ years in black and I eventually gave up washing it. Never again.
Its all luck and timing I feel. I drove my 2010 sti 5 years no issue, decide a stage 2 was a good idea. Turned out it wasn't. Also had an 86 rx7.... which I purposly tried to kill for an ls swap...yet couldnt, even with no oil. So who honestly knows, cars get mood swings i guess
Fellow Aussie here.
My dad has a Liberty Wagon, which he bought with a STi Ver.3 half cut put into it. Over the decade that he's owned the car, its blown up thrice (3 times). He's had it rebuilt twice and now the engine is completely seized, completely unusable. Yes, he took the engine to professionals everytime he got it rebuilt, yet the car proves unreliable.
So whether or not the stereotype of Subaru unreliability is true or false, it very much varies on each different car and the stereotype has some merit. You could have a completely fine Turbocharged Subie that's never blown up, and my dad with one that's completely unreliable, it's the car lottery of whether or not your engine is going to go.
Head gasket failures were really only a problem with NA'd 2.5s. it was the internet that applied this to all boxers. Every other ej had head gaskets go the same way head gaskets normally go. This video goes over the whole thing. th-cam.com/video/-aq0hDvKJ5Q/w-d-xo.html
It's funny how the internet rubbishes subaru reliability... but for years my brother and father (both mechanics) have thought them to be reliable good cars and thats been true for a long time, its only in relatively recent years with the internet and boom of social media has it been spread that they are unreliable, but i guess its easier to believe a meme than to trust real mechanical knowledge.
EJ's are reliable if you dont screw around w/ it. These engines arent really designed to be built 2-3x above stock power levels and drag raced lol. Subaru's are made to handle- winding backroads and mountain passes are where they shine. Anyone wanting a wrx for awd burnouts is gonna be very disappointed. And broke. And out of commission, thinking about their mistakes and taking the bus.
i have had a gc8, liberty, forester, 15wrx and now looking for awagon. the forester is my daily and is a great car for getting to and from work but i am missing the turbo spool on my 15wrx. So looking at a wagon if i can pick up one for relatively cheap and fix her up/ need that little pocket rocket.
I love my bugeye wagon & its wrc blue 😉 Great video too, would be good to see more of this in the future!
My 2.0 WRX has done 145k and I can leave it 3 months, start it (which it’ll catch almost instantly) and honestly the engine is smooth as silk to the point there’s no shaking or anything even on the coldest start. It was however looked after by mature owners and serviced & maintained rather than neglected & repaired! The ‘bad’ ones are the 2.5’s I wouldn’t trust a 2.5 to be reliable reading the engine fail thread on scoobynet!
Yes! Have been waiting for this for so long!
THE gc8 was the most reliable out the lot most of the early ones came with a closed deck block and are 100 % STRONGER than a semi closed or open deck block and if you look at old top gear reviews the most reliable car available at that time was a GC8
Would anyone recommend this as my first car? It would be my first car since I just got my full licence and was wondering if it would be too expensive/complicated to maintain as a uni student. Also, I'm not an idiot who will completely thrash it at every chance I get.
No
16,000 problem free miles on my 2015 STI now. Bone stock, mixed driving. Don’t abuse if, don’t baby it. At 66k now
You'd wanna hope a stock car would be reliable ☺️
I have a 2002 Outback H6. I have experienced similar issues with the engine starting sluggishly and being a bit unenthusiastic, especially getting to 10K after the last service. The Subaru specialist here gave it a basic service, and a dose of upper cylinder cleaner (which I believe is specified by Subaru), and next thing I know it's running like a champ. They respond well to servicing, and if you scrimp on it, that's when you get engine issues.
I love Bugeyes, your one is very clean too.
head gasket isn't much of a concern to me. I would be more worried about the bearings and ringlands. The stock blocks just can't handle a lot.
Problaby the most reliable sports car out there. IF people keep them as the factory intended, do the recalls and service their car. They would have to shoot it for it to give up.
''ringland failure'' is something alot of people obviously say to hear or come across as a enlightened Subaru expert.
172,000 miles on my ej207 sti widetrack still like the day it left the factory
Most people dont serice their cars according to manufacturers recommendations most cars are reliable if you warm them up for 5mins everyday before driving and warm up the transmission by not thrashing it for the first 10mins from the start of your journey and service them regularly. Not just the engine but transmission oils and differential oils.
EJ design was so bulletproof that on naturally aspirated they went and used paper gaskets and they still last 10 years like that before you need to put in a real head gasket. But on Turbo EJ they used a real metal head gasket, so thats why on WRX they will go 300k miles before it leaks. All engines will have head gasket issues by the time they hit 300k miles, whether it is oil leaks, coolant or both. Just depends on if it hit 300k miles in 5 years or 30
I owned a 2002 wrx bug eye a 2003 sti and 2005 sti and never had any trouble with them . I fucking loved them , and i drove them hard
Barely heard of any issues with the Bugeyes. My 2002 never gave me any problems. The only bad thing that happened to the engine was my fault when driving through water that was too high and hydro locked the engine. Had the dealer clean out the engine and the engine kept running 100k + after that. . So I think it's more the 2.5 not the 2.0 that have issues.
A good engine comes from the inside of a man. The best engine in the worst hands goes bang. The worst engine in good hands will purr. This is the story of ej. A good engine.
My 02 wagon is almost at 300K. Original head gaskets. Then again, I haven't boosted the turbo or anything like that. So, maybe, like Jeeps, if you leave it in the factory configuration, they are reliable. It's when you modify beyond what they were meant to do, that's when they become unreliable.
Unfortunately I’m not convinced by this video. I don’t own one myself because of my friends who own Subaru’s so I don’t have to. One friend has some kind of running rich problem he couldn’t fix that lead to failure and never bought one again. Another friend’s first Subaru had his engine blown up and it was bone stock. He bought another Subaru and the cv axles were mad weak and broke. He did fix it and drives it to this day, repair cost was 600 Canadian each for 2 front wheels.
Bulcrap I had an EJ 20 WRX stock and the thing leaked oil from everywhere, rattling engine noise, etc etc etc
Well listen to the other people who had zero problems! You are wrong!
I have a 03 wrx wagon with a automatic transmission it has 233,000 miles I have put all most 200,000 on it never been rebuilt
Worst car I ever had by far. I bought a 3 year old, 38000 mile example gb270. By the time it had 64000 miles on it and after being impeccably maintained it suffered: rear coil springs rusted through, rust patch on roof next to rear window, exhaust bracket rusted off, cylinder head gasket failed, second gear catastrophically failed. Cost five grand fixing the thing, will never buy another Subaru product ever again
The ej25's are the ones with ringland issues not the ej20, the ej20 is more likely to spin bearings though. Subaru EJ engines are higher maintenance than a lot of other stuff but they aren't hard to work on. Just take good care of it and keep up with maintenance it will be fine. Also the 6 cylinder swap is pointless and a headache. I know people with ej25 powered cars making over 700whp and running 9.99 and faster at the drag strip here in the states and they are still on the stock ecu just reflashed with a tactrix cable and tuned on romraider or cobb pro software no fancy standalone or any of that B.S required.
And also if it wasnt self explanatory already, never push the car hard until its warmed all the way up.
Look at the temp. needle when its going up, the first line and when it stays there then you're ready.
My GC8 has 255,000km on it. No leaks yet. Synchros are getting a bit crunchy but that's about it. But it's been stock the whole time... Funny that.
hi, got an 05 wrx blob eyes. As soon as i started listening your video i heard this high pitch whine when accelerating. Only in fifth gear. Well heard at 0:14. Did you notice it ? Many subies seem to do it. Always wondered if it was a mechanical problem or just regular.
I’ve had good/bad luck, I have a 2005 wrx with 215k miles and a 2015 sti with 40k miles they both took a crap on me on the same week, I baby them but every once in a while I’ll get on it just to enjoy the amazing noises they make. But i got good luck with my wrx but not so much with my sti. It’s all maintenance. My wrx has a jdm engine in it now and thank god for warranty on my sti, taking it in next week. I will always be a Subaru enthusiast !
Miss my ggb wagon, I should of had it tuned for the turbo back exhaust looking back on it
why an awd vehicle in Australia if you don't mind me asking ? I live in Canada and i know the advantages of awd but if you don't really need awd it definitely has its disadvantages too
We do occasionally get some drops of rain here, rare but true.
@@fullboost but you said you didn't drive it in the rain usually. I don't see the point of awd if you don't need it. The car's heavier which affect handling and braking. Also has worse gas milage plus they lose more power thru the drivetrain. But personally i love awd in the snow and rain
My usdm 03 Wrx still running . Stock block flex fuel tuned 410whp . Blast to drive