FS (USA,CA): 1996 Subaru Impreza L - 2.2L, 5MT, White, AWD, CLEAN

For Sale: 1996 Subaru Impreza L 4-Door Sedan.

Glacier White/Tan Interior. 2.2L boxer, 5-spd Manual, AWD, 190,000 mi, Clean Title. Lots of repairs/maintenance items taken care of! Engine runs great. Transmission feels good. Registration is current. Power Door Locks, Manual Windows, Cold A/C, Hot Heater, CD Player/MP3 with AUX & USB inputs, 5-channel Amp, Gold ‘05 WRX wheels.

$3,950.00 obo. Located in Tustin. Direct Message Me!!!

Engine Repairs & Maintenance performed:
-Oil Changes every 3,000 miles w/ Castrol GTX 5w-30
-New Head Gaskets R&L
-New Valve Covers R&L
-Engine Oil Pan resealed
-Engine Oil Pump resealed
-New Timing Belt, All Idlers, Tensioner and Water Pump
-Idle Air Control Valve cleaned and gasket replaced
-New Spark Plugs
-New Spark Plug Wires
-New Thermostat
-New Air Filter
-New Throttle Position Sensor
-New Knock Sensor
-Coolant Flush completed

Drivetrain Repairs & Maintenance performed:
-Low Mileage Exedy Clutch (‘06 WRX-spec)
-Low Mileage Single-Mass Lightweight Flywheel
-New Clutch Lever
-New Shifter Linkage Trunyan Joint
-New Shifter Lever Bushings
-New Trunyan Joint Bushings
-New COBB Front and Rear Shifter Bushings
-Front Right Axle Remanufactured
-Transmission & Rear Diff Flushed w/ Valvoline

HVAC System Repairs & Maintenance performed:
-Low Mileage Heater Core
-New Engine Side In & Out Hoses to Heater Core
-New A/C compressor O-rings
-A/C Recharged w/ Freon

Exterior Modifications/Repairs performed:
-Professional Claybar Treatment, Wax and Detail
-Formula One 15% Window Tint
-Depo Clear JDM-Style Front Corner Lights
-New Windshield Wipers
-New Windshield Washer Pump

Steering & Suspension Modifications/Repairs performed:
-Whiteline Steering Rack Bushings
-New KYB GR-2 Struts (All 4 corners)
-New FEQ Front Upper Strut Mounts (Top Hats)
-New FEQ R&L Front Lower Ball Joints
-New FEQ R&L Front Outer Tie Rod Ends

Interior Modifications/Repairs performed:
-Professionally Shampooed and Detailed
-Single DIN Aftermarket Radio (w/ AUX in & USB in)
-Kicker DS65 Coaxial Front Speakers
-Kicker DS693 3-way Rear Speakers
-Hifonics Zeus 5-channel Amplifier
-New HVAC switch bulbs
-2008 WRX OEM Shift Knob
-Perfectly Working Slide Out Cupholder ;)


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THE SCOOP

I picked this car up a couple of years ago as a daily driver while building my 08 WRX. It looked like it needed some work with a headgasket issue, myriad of engine leaks, worn clutch, had no working heater-core or A/C and blown struts all around. I took it on as a personal side-project, taking my time to replace things with OE or better components to more or less restore this very clean example of a GC4.

The engine needed a lot of attention when I first bought this car. It had a headgasket problem, oil leaks from the timing cover, oil pan, oil pump and both valve covers. It was a soaked mess and the steering rack bushings were torn and soaked as well. So I replaced those with Whiteline bushings after repairing all the leaks. I had the head gaskets repaired and the valve covers resealed. Since the car had no service records, I took it upon myself to have the timing belt kit, water pump, spark plugs and wires replaced as preventative maintenance. At idle, the engine speed would fluctuate a lot and had a Throttle Position-related CEL, so I cleaned the IACV and replaced it with a new gasket. I also replaced the Throttle Position Sensor which took care of the code. Idle has been smooth since and no CEL. More recently, I started experiencing a loss of power under normal acceleration and spotted a CEL for the Knock Sensor. Sure enough, one Bosch knock sensor later and it was back to a smooth, peppy powerband. The engine is running like a clock.

3 of the 4 struts were leaking on the vehicle when I purchased it. It was already equipped with some no-name lowering springs, which I decided to keep since they were both comfortable and looked good enough. One of the front top hats had a sheared off bolt. So, being a little overly meticulous, I replaced both front upper mounts with brand new OE style FEQ units. The lower ball joints were leaking and the outer tie rod ends had seen better days, so I replaced those components as well with OE style FEQ counterparts. As mentioned before, the steering rack bushings were replaced with Whitelines.

The shifter used to feel very vague and loose in this vehicle. It turned out the trunyan joint was completely trashed and all the bushings were worn. I replaced all the lever and trunyan bushings with new OEM ones and upgraded the front and rear shifter bushings to COBBs. The result is a more crisp and predictable shifter that feels more gated than your daddy’s community. I finished it off with the OEM leather wrapped shift knob from my ‘08 WRX; because it was newer than the factory one, heavier than the factory one, and it looked better too.

The interior is extremely clean for the age of the car! The headliner is clean, the dash is clean, feels soft and free of cracks. The cloth seats are in good shape. No tears or significant damages worth noting. The audio system I’ve added was done on a modest budget, but the result is pretty clear highs, good mids and decent low end punch. It can’t replace a sub, but works great for lots of different types of music. The head unit will run your iPhone or iPod w/ the USB input. You can plug AUX in as well, if you’re into that sort of thing. Road noise is typical for these vehicles, some minor creaks and sounds from panels flexing overtime exist. Also, some wind noise, likely from old A-pillar seals/gussets. But there are no water leaks or anything of any real concern.

The body certainly has its share of minor dents and dings, but no new additions since my ownership. The front and rear bumpers are ROUGH. They have signs of running into things and being scratched by things. The rear bumpers right corner, specifically, is unable to clip-in properly against the rear right fender, but it hasn’t moved as long as I’ve owned the car. So there’s a bit of a gap. I’m sure it can be zip-tied up if it bothered you enough. I intended to replace and paint the bumpers during my ownership, but never got around to it. So, you will see the ‘scratched off’ shape of a Raiders sticker that used to be on the car when I bought it. Nothing against the Raiders, but I don’t watch Tennis, so why have a sticker on my back bumper for it? There are tiny dings and imperfections running along each side of the body and doors, but nothing dramatic. There’s a pretty significant dent on the tip of the hood. There are also a few small dings on the roof skin. Overall though, it’s an extremely ‘straight’ vehicle. Clean Title and no actual accidents that I know of. The key hole for the trunk is blown out. Not sure what happened there, but it pops fine using the latch of the drivers side floor, so I’ve never messed with the keyhole.

What can I say? She’s a blast to drive. A fun little go kart that can’t really get you into trouble, unless you’re trying too hard. It gets you low-20s in MPG if you’re having fun, and closer to 28 when you’re all freeway. I’ve kissed 31mpg in this car, but it was a tank of all freeway. It’s low to the ground, the steering wheel feels very direct, the chassis is nimble. It’s firm, but comfortable. It’s a gentle cruiser. Oh, and it really loves the corners. It’s a great daily driver or a great donor car to eventually swap someday. She’s been good to me, but I just bought a newer daily driver with even better fuel economy, so I need to part with this car.

WHAT TO EXPECT / MAINTENANCE:

Even though the miles are high, I have no reason to suspect you’ll need any motor work in the near future. There’s a small oil leak from the timing cover, and I really suspect it to be a cam seal, since we’ve replaced everything else in there. Keep an eye on it. There’s a ‘card in spoke’ type noise in First gear only, but the gear doesn’t feel like it’s missing teeth or have any damage, as it accelerates and decelerates without fuss. I have been unsuccessful in trying to figure out exactly where it’s coming from, but it has never gotten louder or worse during my ownership… it’s just always been there since I bought the car. All gears function properly and feel ‘tight’. If you rush a 3-4 shift, you’ll grind 4th. But that hasn’t gotten any worse either. Take your time on the shift and it’s smooth as butter. Once in a while, First gear can take an extra stroke to get into. But if you’ve ever owned a Subaru 5-speed, you’re already familiar with ‘clearing it’ by going into reverse, then trying first again. Check the Engine Oil level every other time you fill up gas, it’s good practice on a boxer motor. I’ve seen a maximum loss of MAYBE .5qt every 3,000 miles. Just keep an eye on it. I’ve been using Castrol GTX high mileage 5w-30. You can use most conventional oils with good success on this car. I’ve always kept fluids fresh and topped.

The tires are getting pretty worn on the insides. I’ve been rotating them, but now the front insides are just getting too low to even bother rotating to the back. I’d suggest replacing them sooner than later and having an alignment done. The brakes should still have a good amount of life left on them. Both the Brake fluid and the Clutch master cylinder have been flushed during my ownership. Wheel bearings are also something to keep an eye on. While I haven’t had any problems yet, the mileage is up there and wear-items like that will start to rear their head. All the parts listed above have been done in the last 10,000 miles or less. So they are all relatively new and should be problem free. For a car of this mileage, you just need to make sure you’re keeping up with maintenance and it’ll keep giving you the gift of enjoyable, smooth daily driving with brisk cornering capabilities. You must see and drive this car in person to truly appreciate it. Pictures don't do it justice.

PICTURES:

Parking Bay Side


Front Bumper Damage Left


Front Bumper Damage Right


Rear Bumper Damage Left


Rear Bumper Damage Right


Engine Bay


Body Side Left


Body Side Right

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