Dream Came True

I finally sold my Toyota Altezza and was actively searching for the perfect Subaru Impreza WRX STI to purchase. Despite having cash money ready, I did not manage to find any potential unit and this was depressing. Nothing turns up on online marketplaces that I have not yet encountered. I kept complaining to my friend who viewed several used STIs with me and that was when he told me the good news. He saw the owner of the Version 9 with a broken engine which I viewed, posted a price reduction. The obvious reason I could think of would be the lack of any person who would go through all the hassles to restore the car. I contacted the owner once again and hoped for a big reduction but I was disappointed that it was only a tiny, insignificant drop. At that moment, I felt my available cash could sway the owner and counteroffered him my price. I put on my A-game to negotiate with him and finally, we decided to meet in the middle between our prices. My condition for the completion of this sales was to bring someone over to check on the car. I brought my trusted expert the next night to view the car. He knew I already viewed the car but he has the ability to see if the car had any major accident. Unfortunately, I was sick that night and so, it was all up to my buddy to determine if this is the one for me.

Although it was dark, my buddy checked and gave me his approval of the unit. Immediately, I shook the owner's hands and transferred the downpayment. I am proud of myself for scoring an STI for way below market price despite the heavy repairs needed. At the end of that night, my buddy congratulated me and I left a happy man. I gave the owner 2 days to prepare the car before heading to the government office as he wanted to keep the car registration number. Meanwhile, I had a lot to prepare for my side as well. I have to source for an engine, find a workshop, and arrange for all the logistics. Initially, the plan was to rebuild the engine but since it was not the right engine, I decided to change the engine instead. My buddy introduced me to a part seller from another state and this shop just happened to have an original, 2 liter STI engine but I did not expect the price of an engine to be that expensive. Nevertheless, I ordered the engine. Next, he introduced me to a workshop called MBA Unggul that was said to have good workmanship and is relatively cheap. I visited the workshop beforehand but unexpectedly, it was not a shop. The location looks like an abandoned yard with tents and not the most ideal environment in my mind. On the bright side, there were many Subaru Imprezas and this shows that they know what they are doing.

After 2 days, the owner told me he needed a few more days as he was too busy to tend to the car, which frustrates me. Once he was done, we went to the government office to settle the paperwork. It felt weird that although I am here because I bought a car but I would not be driving the new car home. When I arrived, I was surprised to see the owner accompanied by his mother and she insisted I pay the remaining sum before his son signs the ownership to me. I showed her the cheque and only then she allowed it and I became the new owner. Another surprise was the registration number remained due to his busy schedule. I do not mind because I definitely will change the number sometime in the future. The next day I arranged for a carrier to transport the car from his house to the workshop my friend introduced. It was a short drive but I was so excited. When it reached, I talked to the owner of the workshop and he told me after the engine arrives, it would take him 3 to 4 days to complete the swap. It was faster than I expected but I told him to take his time as I do not want to rush him. I thought to myself 1 week should be enough for the swap. The cost to swap was quite cheap and I was happy because the engine had already cost me a bomb. In the end, I am happy the STI is mine and now it is in good hands to restore its glory. I could not contain my excitement and I wish it would be a week later sooner.

Too good to be true

My search for a Subaru Impreza WRX STI had to continue because I could not find one that is in good condition and at the same time, affordable. One day while I was scrolling through Facebook, I saw someone selling his Version 9 at the price of Version 8. I could not believe my eyes as it was too good to be true but at the same time, I did not want to lose out if it is genuine. Immediately, I messaged the owner and ask for a meetup. When I arrived, I was told the car itself has not been driven for a while and was mainly parked outdoor. The first thing I had to ask was the reason behind the low selling price. The owner confessed that the car is not fine and the problem was the engine itself. Based on his experience, he suspected the main culprit was the crank rod. It was not the first time the engine had that issue while under his ownership. He asked the workshop he frequents for an estimation of a repair cost and the total amounts to around RM 10,000. After knowing the estimation, he decided it made more sense financially, to sell it rather than fixing the issue. That is why he decided to sell at a low price. I was shocked at the amount needed and I definitely could understand why he is selling at a cheap price. Despite that, I decided to look at the condition of the car before I plan further.

At first glance, the exterior was still stock with no body-kit but I noticed several patches where the paint was faded as a result of being under the sun too much. The only things that are not stock are the Apexi exhaust muffler and aftermarket rims. Next, the owner popped the hood and I was surprised that the engine bay is yellow in color. Under the hood, it looks like an original version 9 engine bay and not a converted unit. Then, the owner started the engine and immediately from cranking, there is a knocking sound that could be heard coming from the engine. When it started, the exhaust blared loudly and after 5 minutes, the knocking sound could not be heard and it idles like normal. I am not an expert on boxer engines but that definitely is not sound you would want for your engine. That was the main issue with the engine and this STI is not recommended to be driven. I was also told the engine was not the original 2 liter engine but a combination of 2 liter head and 2.5 liter block. While looking at the engine bay, I saw some aftermarket parts. I could see the Koyorad aluminum radiator, HKS intake piping with an open pod air filter, several aftermarket hoses, and a Defi sensor fitting near the radiator. The rest of the engine bay looks fairly stock. I proceeded to check the other parts of the car, mainly the interior and the boot.

I opened the driver's door and there was no creaking sound. Although it is more than 10 years old, the interior seems to be well taken care of. I sat on the seat and the cushion was still firm. The steering wheel has no scratches and the leather was in good condition. I could not say the same for the gear knob because the red stitching on the bottom part of the knob came out a little. The center console has been decorated with carbon fiber sticker and the entertainment was a 2 din player but not a screen. The player is an upgrade that must be done to install a reverse camera as it will be more convenient. It is great to see such a condition for an old car but I could not help but feel a little disappointed. Most of the STIs that I have viewed before, have at least 3 Defi meters and many extra gadgets. However, this particular STI's interior is by far the most subtle one. There was only an Apexi mechanical boost meter near the A-pillar and a Defi ZD multimeter hanging out of the ashtray in the center console. I took a look at it and the Defi ZD was not even working. I was hoping to get a little extra as I am sure these meters are not cheap and it would have been a great bonus for me. Next, I went to take a look at the boot of this STI. 

After inspecting, I was satisfied with the overall condition of this unit. I was also very grateful for the owner's honesty on the engine's health. The important part now is to negotiate with the owner on the price. At that moment, I have yet to sell my Toyota Altezza and its estimated market price was RM 45,000. Meanwhile, the owner was looking to sell the STI for RM 55,000. The difference was RM 10,000, which was the amount needed for the engine repair. I felt this was fated and propose to him to swap my Altezza with his STI without extra payment since I would need the difference to fix the engine. He was not interested and would like to get around RM 15,000 on top of the swap. I was shocked at his counter. I felt at a total of RM 70,000, I should look for a unit where the engine works because the market price for Version 9 is around RM 75,000. I left there feeling disappointed as I thought I found something worth buying. I did not mind the broken engine because even with the repair cost, it would still be undervalued. It looks like the search must continue.

Expert's Opinion Part 2

After a disappointing viewing, I drove my friend to the lot at the Auto City where I previously saw a Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The salesman recognized me and asked if I was ready to buy the Version 8. I was surprised when the salesman told me a different price and was now, slightly more expensive. While I was chatting with the salesman, my friend began his inspection. He told me that this unit was familiar to him and saw it in a used car warehouse. This contradicts the story the salesman told me and I began doubting this company. Although the paint was fresh, there were cobwebs on the rim that shows the car was in storage for a long time and checks out my friend's story. Next, he started the engine and instead of the smooth, quiet engine, the engine was creaking. It was opposite to when I started it one week ago and I was confused. My friend fiddled with the throttle body and told me the engine was not perfect but still fine. After another 10 minutes, my friend signaled me to leave as he was unhappy. He was unhappy with the backstory that the salesman cooked up to sell the STI and attitude change when he revealed seeing this unit at a warehouse. It was not even a good condition unit. We left the lot and out of a sudden, my friend remembered seeing another Version 8 that was in the Auto City. So, we went to check out the other unit.

The other unit was a 3-minute drive away and soon, I was looking at another Version 8. This marks the third Version 8 that I have viewed and I realized there is a common trend with the exterior. All that I viewed is blue in color, which is the signature color and spots gold, aftermarket rims. It is such a classic combination but leaves nothing for me to write. This unit is no exception and that is why I did not bother to take a photo of the car's exterior. At the same time, I was also tired after viewing 2 units straight. So, we got straight to the important points, the engine and the price. I started the engine and this has to be the best sounding engine so far. My friend opened the hood and I was surprised the engine bay is so clean. This car is still using the factory intake tunnel and airbox. I only spotted the aftermarket aluminum radiator and blow-off valve. My friend was smiling because of the condition of the engine bay and the sound of engine. This unit can be considered and it all depends on the price. While we were there, I took a look at the interior and as expected, everything is still stock looking. The only mods were an STI Genome boost meter, Turbo timer, and a speed meter. It was getting late and both of us have things to do. I took the salesman's name card and told him I would call him to ask about the price. Days later, I did call but was shocked to hear the crazy price of this unit and although it is in a very condition, I am not willing to pay this much for a Version 8. It looks like the search for my future ride continues. 

Expert's Opinion Part 1

I made an appointment with my friend, who previously owned 2 Subaru Impreza WRX STIs to view and give me his opinion. Instead of the one I recently viewed, I arranged for us to view another unit first. I found one Version 8 online and is selling below the market price which intrigues me. On the way to see this car, my friend cautioned me to not fall for cheap deals as it usually means something is wrong with the car. I needed his keen eyes to look out for signs if this unit has been involved in any accidents prior to this. I believe things such as engine failure or cosmetics can be repaired but not a chassis involved in an accident before. I, on the other hand, do not have that skill or experience to make such judgment. We arrived early and after waiting for a while, I heard the car arrive and this is the first STI I viewed that is driven, not parked. It was not very loud and this shows that the car is in running condition. The car is completely stock on the outside and looks a bit dated. It has an aftermarket exhaust and Version 9 rear lights. My friend started talking to the owner and I went to look inside the interior.

The interior of this Version 8 is the most modded among the 4 units that I have seen in my time. There were STI Genome boost, oil pressure, and oil temperature meter by Defi above the center console. By the A-pillar, there were Apexi's Rev Speed Meter (RSM), Super Air Flow Controller (SAFC), and Turbo timer under the driver's aircond vent. I could tell the owner spent a large sum buying all these extra meters. On one hand, if I buy this STI, I do not need to spend money to mod but with all these meters, I would be distracted. I also noticed Tein's EDFC on the left side of the center console. This meant that this car is using Tein's Coilover kit and it is possible to adjust the dampening inside the interior while driving. The EDFC was a luxury that I could not make myself buy in the past. The rest of the interior is just stock and in normal condition. I am starting to ask why would someone sell such a modded car below market price. After seeing enough of the interior, I went to join my friend and the owner to view the engine bay. He should have some information regarding the car by now.

At first glance, the engine bay looks stock with a little mod. On the cooling side, there is a cooling plate above the radiator and an aftermarket aluminum radiator. The air intake tunnel is missing and the air filter has been changed to an HKS open pod. The blow-off valve is also aftermarket. I could see the EDFC motors and I was right about this car using Tein Coilover kit. There was not much to see but it was then my friend told me. Although nothing serious, the front has had a minor accident before. There are signs of hammering on the chassis on the headlight bracket. Immediately, I was not interested anymore despite the great interior. Nevertheless, my friend kept inspecting and we arrived at the boot. The boot was difficult to open and when we finally opened it, we realized the reason for the difficulty. The part of the chassis where the lock is located is dented and most likely caused by a heavy hit to the rear. I told the owner I would think about it and left to see the other unit. It was a waste that such a nice car had been involved in an accident. Now I know, this is the reason why it is selling cheap and like my friend said, this is why we should stay away from cheap deals. Disappointed but I move on to the next unit. 

The Search begins

There had been one model of JDM sports cars that has always been on my mind. As early as 2014, I have written here in this blog, that I was interested in getting a Subaru Impreza WRX STI. I even viewed one unit in 2014 and one more in 2015. Both units were Version 9 and until now I still love this model. At that time, I was not financially able to purchase one even though there were several nice units. That dream is still very much alive and I intend to fulfill it since I currently do not own a sports car. Since the moment I decided to sell my Toyota Altezza, I started talking to my friend who had previously owned 2 STIs. He suggested that instead of looking for Version 9, I should look for Version 8 because it is much more affordable, and besides the cosmetic changes, there is little performance difference. I was searching online and realized that the price difference is indeed too much. So, I changed my direction and started looking up Version 8s that are for sales. I planned to convert it into Version 9 for the exterior and interior, which is possible. Before I sold the Altezza, I found one unit at an Auto City at a reasonable price and decided to take a look. Inside Auto City, there are more than 20 companies located there. When I arrived and took a glance at the STI, I noticed it has a new paint job and nice aftermarket rims. I was told it belongs to a friend of the used car owner, who decided to sell it.

My favorite model is Version 9 but Version 8 has its charm and I could grow to love it. There was not much to comment about the exterior because there is no exterior mod and I asked to see the inside. The interior was stock except for the Apexi turbo timer, Greddy boost controller, and Greddy boost meter. It would have been nice if it had some Defi meters but these are fairly good upgrades too. In my opinion, the most important part that should be converted is the interior. Version 8's interior design is dated even for a fan like me. Luckily, the dashboard design is the same for both Version 8 and 9. The main difference lies in the center console. Just to name a few differences, the cupholders, DCCD (Differential Control) mode button, DCCD level knob, and side mirror adjustment switch are all located differently. In addition, Version 8 has manual knobs for aircond controls while Version 9 has electronic buttons. Although having the same design, the speedometer of Version 8 only goes to 180 km/h but it goes up to 260 km/h for Version 9. In order to convert completely, I would need to replace the whole center console and steering wheel with Version 9 parts. I am starting to worry about the overall cost and time needed for such a conversion and whether it is worth it. 

After looking at the interior, I crank up the engine and listened to the engine sound. I was pleased that the start-up was smooth and the engine was quiet. It idles normally and had no weird sounds. I was a little surprised as the car is already 16 years old. I stepped on the accelerator and heard the loud exhaust note. If I was younger, I would be so into the loud sound but as my readers know, I do have a wife to please and was hoping to get an STI with stock exhaust. I opened the hood and checked on the chassis plate. It shows that it is indeed a genuine Version 8 and the location of the windshield wiper fluid tank confirms this fact. The engine bay was dirty but everything looks fairly stock. The air filter and blow-off valve are not stock parts. Both of these 2 items are HKS products. The radiator is also an aftermarket part. Surprisingly, the car is still using a factory suspension set which in my opinion, is rare because one of the first mod for owners would be an aftermarket Coilover kit. I wonder if the absorbers are still up to the task of harsh driving. By then, I have seen all I needed and after talking to the salesman, I think this unit could be the one for me. However, I need to bring my friend over to take a look and give me his opinion before making a decision.

It Is Time

Everything must come to an end and my time with my Toyota Altezza is no exception. After a little over a month, it felt like it was time to move on to a new experience. The Altezza was never my target and was just a stepping stone to sell my previous Nissan Fairlady Z. Having said this, I am grateful for the short experience with the Altezza. Since my time with a Toyota Celica, I had wanted to try an Altezza and now I could check that off my list. It did live up to my expectations in most area but I did have difficulty with the throttle design and the weight. As usual, I posted my car on my favorite online marketplaces but coming with a proper price was difficult. There was the problem of market value and also the fact that I swapped for the Altezza. The price of the Fairlady Z has to be factored in and in the end, I posted a price of RM 49,000. One of the Altezza owners said I will have a tough time selling at a high price. I received several low offers and felt it was difficult to sell. There was even a guy who came to view the car just for 10 minutes and was never heard from again. So, I gradually reduced the price until RM 45,000 before 2 people came to view the car.

The first was an Indian, who used to be a mechanic that had worked on several Altezzas. He grew to love Altezzas and that spread to his son. He hopes to buy one for both of them. He has always been looking for one online and finally came across my unit. Knowing he was a mechanic, I told him about the car and its issues which was no problem for him to get it fixed. The next day, a young, Chinese engineer came to view. I told him the same thing as I did to the mechanic and he understood the issues. Both prospects love what they saw but pricing was the issue. Both offered me a low price and I told them RM 40,000 was the lowest I could go. It was an exciting moment as the two were negotiating with me simultaneously. It felt like a race with both slowly increasing their offer but in the end, the mechanic accepted my offer first. It was arranged for us to meet at the government office two days later. On that day, after the paperwork, I was inside the Altezza for one last time to count my cash. I said my goodbye and watched as the new owner drove it away.

The Toyota Altezza was my shortest car ownership and in total, only lasted for 2 months. It was fun while it lasted but I was not too sad about it. It led me to a new experience and met new friends in the Altezza club. I hope that the new owner would treat it well. I started the Altezza's journey to recovery and I am sure the mechanic can finish the job. I hope to see you again on the road. As for me, it is time for me to chase my dream and get the car that I have been aiming for a long time.

Altezza Diary 5 - D.I.Y.

There was one incident where while I was driving, all of a sudden, I noticed my Toyota Altezza was starting to drive weird. When I step on the accelerator, there was a wild shaking and close to no response. It felt like my car lost 180 out of the original 200 horsepower. When the car was not moving, the exhaust sounds like a boxer engine with the bubble sound. I quickly explained the symptoms to a friend of mine who had an Altezza for 8 years. Straightaway, he was able to point out that the problem was caused by the ignition coil. I was relieved to know the cause of the problem and began to source for the ignition coils. I found a few sellers but they were either only selling in a set of fours or rather expensive. Then, the same friend helped me by selling me one of his spare ignition coils and he taught me how to swap and test which coil to replace. The steps to remove the coils were easy. First, I opened the car hood and removed the engine cover by removing 5 screws. Then, the ignition coil can be easily removed because it is held on with just one screw and connected to a socket. Next, the troublesome part is to remove the 4 ignition coils, one by one to test and see which one needs to be replaced. The testing needs the engine to be running to see the effect of the removal of the coils. I only found the faulty coil by the third try. When I removed it, the car sounds like someone having an asthma attack. So, I turned off the engine and swapped the coil with the one I bought. After that, I started the engine and the effect was immediate. The previous symptoms were gone and the Altezza sounded like how it would before this.

 

Left: The coil with OK written is the replacement. Right: Replacement on right.

I thought of cleaning the engine bay after working on the ignition coil. While wiping the engine bay and all of the plastic cover, the curiosity in me came out and I decided to study the area. One of the things that I did not check previously was the air filter. The engine bay looks stock with the original airbox and makes me wonder what is inside the box. Is it a factory paper filter or an aftermarket one? I tried to open the box and as expected, the clips were a little rusty, making it difficult to remove. When I successfully removed it, I was greeted by a K&N drop-in filter. Having a K&N filter meant a few things to me. It meant that the Altezza has one more mod and the filter is better and washable. Looking at the dirt and stones inside the air box roughly tells me the box was never opened since the K&N was bought. So, I remove the filter and took an air gun to try and remove the stones inside the box. After cleaning the box, I cleaned the filter with the air gun. Although the right way is to use the cleaning oil made by K&N since I do not want to spend extra money, I just use the air gun to clean. Then, I put everything else back to the way it was.

While on the subject of D.I.Y., I also changed the leather, handbrake cover. The Altezzas were made in the late 90s and handbrake covers were not the basic requirement nor the need. Usually, owners would go to a car accessory shop and buy an aftermarket cover to decorate their car. Only in the recent 5 to 10 years did car manufacturers start to include covers for handbrakes. The surface on my Altezza's cover is flaky due to old and there were visible holes on the cover. When I removed the cover to remove the center console, I found out that the clips were broken. It is weird to me that the previous owner can ignore that and drive normally. I went to buy a used cover that is in good condition and decided to change it myself. It was an easy job because the cover comes off easily with a gentle pull. One broken piece of the clip was stuck to the center console. The cover I bought fit perfectly and all the clips were fastened. It looks much better but I noticed something. The cover is nicely made with stitching and it looks sporty but the color of the stitching was not the same. The original cover had black stitching, while the one I bought had a golden, brown color stitching. I can only assume that when the Altezza went through a facelift, the interior had some changes where the stitching color changed. The important thing for me is that it looks newer.

Before (Left) and After (Right)

Before (Left) and After (Right)

Old

Replacement

Broken Clip