[Hazard]

I'm looking at a 04 swapped STi in a GC chassis but seller wants $25k (and seems firm) which seems a lot since more modern STi's with lower mileage can be had for that price (or cheaper). Car has been on sale for a few months.

• 04 STi in a 2000 2.5RS
• 150k miles on drivetrain
• 200k miles on chassis
• Engine, Transmission, Brembos, Cluster swapped, (stock RS interior)
• California BAR "Ready"
• HVAC - blows AC and heat but only defroster vents blow air
• Cheap wheels and tires (will be on the short list to replace)
• Some paint chips and dents
• SRS light on (possibly because there are no seat air bags?)

What are you're thoughts? Is this a fair price for these cars nowadays (even with the mileage)?

Thanks!

 

[mike-tracy]

California residents are in a unique situation because of the strict emission laws. Cheaper cars sold out of state won't pass California emissions most likely.

If this car has gone through the hoops to pass the BAR, it would be worth thousands more than, for instance, a Washington legal "RSTI." Plus you likely wouldn't be dealing with rust on the car.

That price does seem a bit on the high side, so you have to ask yourself if you want a STI in that body style enough to pay a premium over a newer body style STI.

 

[RunsWithScissors]

I see a few swapped GC's for sale in that area for anywhere between $13-25k. For reference, there were a few at the $25k mark, not all BAR compliant. Good luck with your search/purchase

 

[b2finity]

Is it that red one? Seen it for sale for a long time. Bar ready isn’t bar. If it was so easy he would have done it already.

 

[Hazard]

Is it that red one? Seen it for sale for a long time. Bar ready isn’t bar. If it was so easy he would have done it already.

This one isnt the red one. I think I know which one you're talking about. There is a red 2004 WRX swap into a 1995. AZ plates, and it's been on the market for almost a year now.

 

[AliBenn]

yall ready to go down a rabbit hole here

this site friend showed me shows our stock cars/swapped cars/pictures from auction sites(click on auction)/VERY detailed descriptions/graph charts on recent sales/comparables

the last few $300k sales of those 22b's are listed as well as UKDM/AUDM/JDM sales
its pretty cool

The Search Engine for Classic and Exotic Cars for sale. - CLASSIC.COM

Find and research exotic and classic cars for sale at collector car auctions and dealers worldwide. Comps, market prices and more.

www.classic.com

but to answer your Q OP
$25k in line(from some of the sales i have seen on that site^^^^^
but if CA car and it has passed all tests/inspections.....car will have an actual state made stamp riveted to the strut tower
the entire car (except the body) must be swapped(all emmisions/tank/hoses/everything but the shell)
then the ECM must be virgin.....if EVER flashed.....you fail immediately
the emission nazi even has a 'book' of pictures of EVERY stock engine bay of every manufacturer
(your missing a hose/airbox resonator........you FAIL)
IMO if a CA car, it doesnt have this plate riveted to the car by the state...unless stated on sales add

 

[b2finity]

All ca bar labels I’ve seen are a sticker not riveted. The only ones I’ve seen riveted are the blue or red tag vin plates.

 

[md00150028]

If you want some frame of reference of what they are going for, here's the most recent auctions: 2.5 RS at Auction Find the one that is most similar to the one you are looking at.

 

[JDMPREZA713]

yall ready to go down a rabbit hole here

this site friend showed me shows our stock cars/swapped cars/pictures from auction sites(click on auction)/VERY detailed descriptions/graph charts on recent sales/comparables

the last few $300k sales of those 22b's are listed as well as UKDM/AUDM/JDM sales
its pretty cool

The Search Engine for Classic and Exotic Cars for sale. - CLASSIC.COM

Find and research exotic and classic cars for sale at collector car auctions and dealers worldwide. Comps, market prices and more.

www.classic.com

but to answer your Q OP
$25k in line(from some of the sales i have seen on that site^^^^^
but if CA car and it has passed all tests/inspections.....car will have an actual state made stamp riveted to the strut tower
the entire car (except the body) must be swapped(all emmisions/tank/hoses/everything but the shell)
then the ECM must be virgin.....if EVER flashed.....you fail immediately
the emission nazi even has a 'book' of pictures of EVERY stock engine bay of every manufacturer
(your missing a hose/airbox resonator........you FAIL)
IMO if a CA car, it doesnt have this plate riveted to the car by the state...unless stated on sales add

Hope your buddy was able to pass BAR, sounds like he really had to go through it!
By riveted metal plate do you mean for bar certification? If so it's a sticker not metal plate that can be placed almost anywhere on the chassis so you'll have to find out where it was placed unless things have changed, but a sticker is more practical to produce on the spot. But I agree with everyone BAR ready does not mean the same as it passed BAR.

BAR can be strict here, but it depends on the ref. I would just go to another one if one is being too much of a hard ass. Many of the refs are community college auto shop teachers at least they were for me. Anything that has a carb e.o. sticker will pass otherwise all stock, I did not have to swap gas tanks or charcoal canister to pass.

*I also passed with an ecm that I flashed back to stock after using a Cobb stage 2 map, but with the new ecu/smog laws, I'm not sure what other info they can read off the ecm now

 

[ballz_anthony]

The actual answer is: based on an arm's length transaction, a car is worth what a seller is willing to accept and a buyer is willing to pay for said car.

Now to break this down a little. Run rough numbers to perform a swap in a "reasonable amount of time." There is a time value of money and if you want this done within 2 years, it's going to cost you.
You add the figures to the following: find a car (in good condition), find a drivetrain (in good condition), wire/harness merge, labor/installation, new wheels, fuel/injection system, tune, etc. etc. then add whatever cost you want to consider for "bar ready" which I believe is really some work has been done, but it's not quite there.

That number is certainly going to be above $15k, probably before the 20% you didn't even consider small items / maintenance stuff. If I was to sell a swapped car in this market and at this (particular) point in my life, the number wouldn't be below $20k. Now if this particular point in my life was different and I didn't know where my next meal was coming from, the number probably wouldn't be +$20k but i'd be looking for the right/quick buyer.

In short: is $25k worth it? Maybe, it depends on a number of conditions. But it's probably an easy argument that the number certainly doesn't belong lower than $15k..

 

[Razor7]

You can read through my member's journal (CA BAR Legal EJ207...) to see about the headaches of performing the swap, and keeping it SMOG Legal. TLDR - it took hundreds of hours of research, planning, and executing, and kind of along the lines of what others have said, it needs to be exacting to the donor vehicle - no funny business (not even a cat-back). The hurdles I faced are even more challenging to complete today, only a couple of years later.

To add perspective - my shell was $1k originally, my clip cost $5k, the other bits to make it OBDII compliant, $1500 used, the transmission and custom diff (needed to match final drive) were like $3800, then you've got wiring at ~$1,200, turbo at ~$800. Want to make it all work with proper bushings, suspension, tires, brakes? Tack on another 2-6k. These are rough numbers, but get you in the ballpark at least. It's not just, "buy a wrecked WRX, Swap, Profit" like some people make it out to be - you will find damage and hoses that are ripped and beat-to-shit suspension and bushings, and you'll want to stop fast before you go fast. Over 12 years I've dumped easily 1,500 hours into my build, but that includes multiple NA motors, diffs, trans, etc.

Is $25K a lot for this sort of car? Yeah. Can you get more power and newer for relatively the same or cheaper? Yeah. You can also get a motorcycle that'll blow the doors off these for like $6k. But that's not really the point. These sorts of builds are a labor of love and passion, and it's real damn cool to be able to say that you built something that few others have. The number of BAR legal swaps in CA continue to shrink. I have no firm number on it, but I'd guess <100 in total. Some people will pay a premium for something that's special and unique.

If the goal is just to have a turbo flat 4 AWD Subaru, then I'd look elsewhere. If your goal is to have a car that will require attention from you (maintenance, up keep) but also turn heads, then maybe this is a better option.

-TC

 

[rokketride]

The number of BAR legal swaps in CA continue to shrink. I have no firm number on it, but I'd guess <100 in total. Some people will pay a premium for something that's special and unique.

I resemble this remark. Not because it's off the road, I moved out of state a year and a half ago. If I moved back, I doubt it would be legal if I had to recertify with BAR. I got my sticker right before they changed the ECM rules.

 

[AliBenn]

JDMIMPREZA/RAZOR/ROKKET
real good info
man im glad i dont live in CA(mainly bc of car mind you)

im pretty sure my CA buddy got a strict BAR inspector
he already bought a wrecked shell(mostly for tank/emissions)
he does nave a virgin ECM too
but hasnt past BAR and had big set back........

any of yalls input (especially bc of prior knowledge/hours investigating what needs to be done) would be appreciated here:

P1446 still…Complete fuel tank/harness/vsv installed

YO Good friend in CA(Nazi emission laws) Took his 98/04 WRX swap to state Discovered, ENTIRE fuel system needs to match engine/emission system of the ‘installed’ engine(I don’t even want to get into the state ‘book’ of stock engine bays and virgin ECM’s to get titled/registered in CA. James had...

www.rs25.com

thanks for your help

 

[MisterB]

The market has cooled a bit since covid pricing, but not to the prices before covid. I don't think it will ever return to that.

Building two myself, I know you could NOT build a clean, quality, sorted example for under 25k. CA BAR "ready" is also something to consider. Hunting down all the emissions part will be a nightmare. Seen what a cat goes for? Rust free coupe? STI parts in working order? Clear coat not swiss cheese?

I listed mine recently and only get trolls, to be fair it was overpriced!