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Old 03-09-2022, 06:05 PM   #1
Diavolo_
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Default When would you just give up?

About a year ago I purchased a 2009 WRX from a small dealership.
The thing turned out to be a turd.
I dumped a ton of money, parts, and labor into it.
Barely drove it, and then the engine failed.

Its been sitting for over a month now in the driveway.
Not sure what to do because I was mentally and financially exhausted.
I even avoided this site because of the heartbreak, but now im ready to ask a 2 part question...

Part 1:
What should i do with this thing?

Is rebuilding the motor a smart option?
Or is there some sort of better replacement?
side note: the engine will need to run on a factory tune (or Cobb stage1) to pass Cali Emissions (San Francisco Bay Area)

Part 2:
Should i just walk away, and sell it as a parts car?
This is a bit more complicated.

Do I just cut my loss, or risk losing more.
As mentioned I barely drove the thing, I dont know the car or what other failures it might have. Even though I replaced tons of stuff.

Last thing it had was a P1443 code, but that mightve went away.
If i fix the motor, what if the transmission goes bad?

I feel like everything else has been fixed.
Off the top of my head the major stuff i upgraded or replaced:

the OCVs, plugs, turbo, timing belt, intercooler, oil pan, hoses, center diff, hubs, brakes, wheels, tires, exhaust, suspension, it has a protune.
Most the work i did, but the same shop did the messy jobs and dyno tune.
Then theres work I put into the cosmetics, and fun stuff like sound system, etc.
Theres a lot of time and money but ultimately disappointment there. I hate to admit i'm about $30k into a $10k car, which in its current state is near worthless.

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Last edited by Diavolo_; 03-09-2022 at 06:14 PM.
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Old 03-09-2022, 08:27 PM   #2
snow_bound26
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This is a hard question to answer because it all about you and what you want to spend your money on. Based on what you're describing, it sounds like it was probably modded, owner drove it like an a$$ and then pulled the parts before trading it in. You can get a short block for a reasonable price. But if you can't do the work yourself to install it, the price will go up fast.

That also applies with parting it out. If you have the space, time and tools to do it yourself, then it can worth it. If you don't, then sell it as a rolling shell.

Good luck. Situations like this aren't easy.
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Old 03-09-2022, 09:29 PM   #3
slce30318is
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Been in your situation MANY times with lots of project cars that I have sunk way too much money and TIME into. For me, the biggest regret is losing all that time that I'll never get back. On the positive side, I learned quite a lot (tech skills, knowing how to buy/sell cars/parts, value of planning, and PATIENCE). Just expensive lessons learned.


I would look into whether you would really regret giving up and selling it. Trying to rebuild the engine or getting a replacement swapped in can be a whole other can of worms. Selling it and/or parting it out is also a huge frustration and like a slow breakup with the car. But ultimately, if you find more joy in driving than wrenching, it might be worth your time to cut your losses and get into a car that can be driven and worked on with little weekend projects. If you have the space to store the car and regularly work on it (and don't mind spending tens of thousands more on fixing it up), it might be a huge satisfaction getting it all cleaned up. Based on your post though, I can't help but think of the saying "you can polish turd, but it's still a turd". Keep in mind these cars are also not super-rare classic cars in which the value will hold/go up over time.


Just my two cents after having sunk more than a couple of hefty home down payments worth of money into car projects (majority of which I have given up and sold at a massive loss).

Wish you all the best with whichever decision you make!
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Old 03-10-2022, 06:43 AM   #4
Jack
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Sell the upgrade parts. Sell the rest of the car as a parts car. Move on. Don't buy a used WRX.
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Old 03-20-2022, 03:31 PM   #5
Diavolo_
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thanks for the input everyone
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Old 05-12-2022, 04:37 AM   #6
Diavolo_
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i have money saved up for a replacement engine.
how reliable are rebuilds or should i get a new short block?

which should i do if i decide to keep it?
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Old 05-12-2022, 09:00 AM   #7
pearljam11
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I vote new OEM shortblock.
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Old 05-12-2022, 10:16 AM   #8
K3rm1tth3fr0g
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diavolo_ View Post
i have money saved up for a replacement engine.
how reliable are rebuilds or should i get a new short block?

which should i do if i decide to keep it?
We can't provide good answers without your budget, power goal, and use case with the vehicle.
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Old 05-12-2022, 06:51 PM   #9
Daniel Dudley
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I would find out which are the most respected Indie shops in your area, and I would talk to those guys about what they think. You need someone to drop an engine in your car, go over the mods, and perform a tune after figuring out if you have a good combination of parts,

You personally don't need to be building up a short block, nor can you afford to do it twice. You need a running car that you can drive or sell.

Case in point; You bolt on your old oil cooler, and bits of your blown engine contaminate your new engine and you get rod knock. OR; You get it screwed together, try it out, and blow your motor because the tune is totally wrong for what you have.

If you take your car to a real shop, they will probably tell you what it is worth, and if it is worth fixing, and how much that will cost. They will have a reputation to uphold, and they will have seen your problem many, many times. They know what to do.

Also, you have been taking your time and reading all the stickies at the top of the page, right?
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Old 05-17-2022, 02:36 PM   #10
Takumi4Champion
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I would try to save some money and rebuild it.
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Old 05-17-2022, 05:28 PM   #11
Diavolo_
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the shop i was planning to go to for repairs closed down recently, so that was unfortunate.
I think i found an engine builder i trust, just have to try and get a hold of them and see if they will work on my car.
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Old 05-17-2022, 06:48 PM   #12
djoye
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I would certainly get it running and enjoy it given the money you have in it. Find a reliable Subaru shop so that they can diagnose the extent of the damage and then buy an OEM short or long block depending on the diagnosis and if the price is less than something like a basic IAG block. I wouldn't worry about the transmission unless you're beating it. Change the transmission and rear diff fluid if it's old. Everything will last with proper maintenance.

The P1443 might be referencing one of two parts on the intake manifold:
https://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_20...12-050-06.html

Maybe 16102*A and/or 16102*B.
https://parts.subaru.com/images/part...2_05001723.png

Make sure they're plugged in and the hoses are connected. You can apparently clean the purge valves with carb cleaner if they're stuck, but you can also order the parts and hoses from sites that sell Subaru parts; they're probably quite a bit cheaper from other sites that aren't subaru.com (google the part numbers to find other dealer sites with lower prices).

Given the current state of Cobb, I'd make sure all of the emissions equipment (PCV, EGR, TGVs, air pumps) is intact and properly reinstalled if you have the engine replaced.
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Old 06-11-2022, 01:42 PM   #13
wkstone
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Unhappy the end

I would only give up if in an accident that was unrepairable. or insurance totaled my car with a low value so I could not get it repaired properly
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Old 06-12-2022, 12:08 AM   #14
fasteddie313
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Default

What about the engine failed?
Is this related to you oil pump/pickup thread?

How mechanically inclined are YOU?
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Old 06-15-2022, 10:16 PM   #15
rallly 4
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Sorry this has happened to you. I’d review all your contact with your dealer you bought this from and look for anything giving you a chance to go after them and I would do just that
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Old 06-15-2022, 10:33 PM   #16
D-Rodman
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Rust would make me give up on a car if is too far gone to fix.
Your story is tragic, super ****ty situation. If I were in your shoes I would fix it again. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable Subaru shop. Get a oem short block and replace all the oily bits(expensive), put it back together close to stock, stage 2, enjoy a reliable Subie.


Sent from my iPhone using NASIOC
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Old 06-22-2022, 12:14 PM   #17
saigashooter
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Personally I'd be weighing the value of the fully repaired car against the cost of a new shortblock and a stock tune. You are already upside down, nothing wrong with cutting your loses and walking if the numbers dont make sense.

As stated by others, this thing sounds like it was heavily modded, and when the car wet wrong, they sold he performance parts and made the car someone else's problem.
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Old 06-22-2022, 12:14 PM   #18
saigashooter
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Personally I'd be weighing the value of the fully repaired car against the cost of a new shortblock and a stock tune. You are already upside down, nothing wrong with cutting your loses and walking if the numbers dont make sense.

As stated by others, this thing sounds like it was heavily modded, and when the car wet wrong, they sold he performance parts and made the car someone else's problem.
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