Putnam GMC has a 2003 WRX for sale, just need some help on someone who can tell if it has been modded, accidents etc....Would be fun even for a test-drive, WRX has about 16,xxx miles on it.
HELP will be greatly apprciated...

 

Get the VIN and go to carfax.com Enjoy!

 

I would HIGHLY recommend opening the hood and looking at the bolts in each of the corners. Those bolts get removed if there is major damage, and it will be obvious. If it hasn't been fixed, it will be obvious that the bolts have never been removed.
If the guy at the dealer says there was no damage, mods, etc, then you can tell him that you'll do a carfax, and if it comes out bad, then he pays.
I would also recommend checking to see if the silencer is still there (a little milk jug looking thing in the far left (when looking at the car). Hangs a few inches below the hood.
The first modification is the K&N drop-in filter. If it is in there, then the car has definitely been modified, but I don't know what moron would leave that in.

 

Here are some things to check:

the interior trim around the front passenger side feet area (that's where the ecu is, look for signs that the carpet has been pulled off).

"feel" for a slipping tranny when on the test drive.

know what the heat shield around the turbo is "suppose" to look like and where ALL the bolts are located. I don't know of anyone who has removed the uppipe (the best and very common beginning mod) and actually put back EVERY bolt on the heat sheild. Most people don't even put the heatsheild back on. There's a couple that super hard to reach, you can feel for it...any missing, tehn you know the heat shield has been removed). Do this before the car gets hot.

you can check for very fine dimpling on the glass (Can only tell by feel), this is caused by sparks from welding. Also, the wrx paint is notoriously thin. Pristine bumpers after 16K is kind of hard to believe. If the dealer claims no work has ever been done and the bumpers are perfect...yeah right. Better see stone guard or a clear bra.

...and what if it was modded? Most people who mod are very into tehir car in terms of maintenance and care. It's all relative, but I rather have a wellmaintained modded car than a car that has not been modded, but neglected (ie., cheap gas, lack of oil changes, poor waxing/washing).

have fun on the test drive,

dan.

 

Thank you guys for your help...it was truly exactly what you guys said....heres the story...

Walked around the car looking for blemishes, welding marks bolt patterns etc..Found out the car was clean no accidents from visual aspect...Then I started to check if there ever was a UTEC installed...I checked the front passenger carpet and YESSS, carpet was pulled back from a previous install, seems like the person whoever owned the car used a UTEC from TurboXS..also it seemed like the previous owner had a exhaust because the rear bumper is totally black and gold frm exhaust fumes probably...but damn...i drove down all the way, i still drove it.......DAMN that was the fastest WRX I drove so far, I started wondering if the UTEC was still in there, BUT I passed on it...sorry guys....but Im seeing another WRX tomorrow...