I test drove a brand new '04 WRX wagon the other day with about 50 miles on it, so I was reluctant to rev up the RPMs based on what I've read here and elsewhere regarding the 1000mi break in period, limiting the RPMs to 4000.

The salesman, on the other hand, wasn't concerned at all. "Oh go ahead and rev it up, you're fine." He wouldn't have been upset if I'd redlined it.

Would it be risky to buy from this dealer? Is the break-in period very important?

Thanks

 

yep.
an occasional over 4k is okay. you don't want to hold it over 4k too long.
simply revving it quickly up then back down is okay within reason.
subarus aren't like hondas where its already broken in(except s2000)
the engines need to break in.


aloha from the summit of mauna kea

 

Same thing happened when i bought my 04'. The one i test drove had like 30 miles on it. He told be to beat on it, so i did. When we came back and i was going to buy, i didn't buy the one i drove. Mine had eight miles on it. I figure if that eight miles was beaten on i'll take that chance.

and yes it may be risky! i would buy it unless it had less than ten miles on it. Also if you did buy the one with 50 miles on it. have them through in the extendend warranty for free, and knock a little off the price. tell them why.

 

Thanks - that's great info

By the way, how'd you get to the summit of that volcano? You didn't happen to drive a WRX, did you?

 

Yeah, when I bought my WRX the sales guy said there is no break in period!!! Several days later I found the break in period info in the owners manual (1,000 miles) I was pissed b/c that stuff is basic sales info (ya know?), and I took the car over 4,00 rpms quite a bit.

Ugh. No probs with my car so far though.

 

There are only a few wagons on the lot, so there might not be a choice on the low-low mileage. While it had occurred to me to try to negotiate a lower price, I didn't think about the extended warranty. That's a pretty shrewd idea. Thanks.

 

No problem

 

dude run the **** out of it, if something is going to break let it break during the warrranty period, i asked one of there tech and he kinda gave me the impression it realy does not matter.

 

if you think abiout it is also just luck of the draw. some subies are made better / worse than others. even for those wrx's that were bought new with 5 miles, those owners probablly have similar luck with their cars

 

salesman wanna let you feel the car before you buy it, so dont thikn that the salesman dont care about the cars, they just want to sell it..actually they might not care about the car, lol..just the sale.

 

I make it a point to test drive used cars when possible for this reason. Since the WRX hasn't changed much between 02-04, I found a nice 03 sedan to test drive, and decided from there that I wanted a Subaru. One of these days, I just might get it.

 

Hahaha. Sorry guys but a few miles won't hurt.....and I have some bad news for you.............


When these cars get unloaded they get the **** beaten out of them, i know a guy who unloads fords and a few others, they swing donuts, do long burnouts on cars with like 2 miles on them. So don't worry, if it was that big of a deal they'd regulate it more because they'd be losing more money on having cars break.