Is my WRX STi or not?

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:53 pm

Don't worry about the VIN plate missing - as long as it has been registered previously then all you need is the chassis number. AFAIK Dept of Transport can issue a new VIN plate if you need it.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 8:44 pm

Alright that's good because the car has been registered. What about the compliance plates? Where can I get them? Also, on the insurance policy, it says the car is a 1.6L LX because they probably went by the VIN. Can this can be changed if the rego papers say it is a 2.0L?

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 9:43 pm

WoW, so much misinformation on here, you have an Aus spec 1.6 as said, it has a 1997 V3 STI gauge cluster, if it was JDM you would have climate control air con, it has 17" GD WRX wheels, the red manifold started on 97 JDM STI's, the earlier one had the intake going straight to the turbo like yours, on the 97 > motors it went under the manifold from the front, the first STI in Aus was the 99 2 door, your motor "could" be an early V1-2 STI but highly unlikely as it's running a WRX computer and there wasn't a whole lot of difference apart from maybe cams anyhow, the first 6 speed boxes came out in the "second" version of the Bug Eye in 02 along with Brembo brakes, you have standard WRX front brakes from a pre 99 WRX or pre 97 JDM STI, the rears could be early JDM STI as they are vented like mine, you have STI alloy arms with the proper sway bar mounts, it looks like a very tidy and very common conversion, there are literally hundreds around the country and about on the money price wise.

Be prepared to have a new arse torn when/if you go to get it insured as a turbo as you sound quite young...I'm talking about $1,500 - $2000 per year, I don't know how you'll go with the vin plates, usually when they are removed it is because the car can is not ever be registered again (they do it at the auctions on statutory write offs) But I'd say in your case they have been removed to hide the fact it's a FWD 1.6 body...... but it's definitely dodgy though I don't know what the laws are on missing plates.

I'd ring (get your dad) dept of transport tomorrow if they are open and find out, they are pretty good to talk to but DON'T give them your rego number or any information about the car or you may get a nasty letter in the mail saying it's been de-registered, just say you've looked at and you're thinking of buying a car but it has no vin or ID plates on the strut towers where they should be but it has the chassis number stamped on the firewall and you know it's a conversion from a N/A Impreza to a turbo, if it's going to be a big problem come back here and maybe someone can give you some decent advise on what your options are.

Good luck.

B00sting · Post by **B00sting** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 10:21 pm

Hi Tomi,

The red and blue cables are for your stereo, or for a stereo that used to be in the car.

Regardless of whether it's genuine or not my questions are:

1) Did you do any pre-purchase checks before paying anything for this car? (I.e stolen vehicle, finance owed etc).

2) Did you pick this vehicle up from the seller at his house, or at an agreed location?

3) Was the seller advertising/selling this as a genuine STI? If so I believe that is illegal.

I ask because there is absolutely no reason to take the VIN/compliance plates off the car and it sounds dodgy. But it is difficult to understand the full circumstances via an Internet forum.

I hope it is legit.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:20 pm

You are not likely to get new compliance plates for your car unless the authority already know they are missing and have been through the whole ID process before - may save you th grief to find out if this has been the case.

You may be able to get a new VIN plate of the ICV Individually Constructed Vehicle kind if things check out and engineered by an approved signatory engineer and for a price if they agree to it all.

Sometimes once the authorities know of the missing VIN and things are all OK it gets passed and maybe noted on file you get car registered and not worry about until it runs out of rego and waits long enough to need whole ID check again.

As far as insurance companies are concerned , they may likely class it as modified and charge accordingly

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:28 pm

d_generate wrote:I'd ring (get your dad) dept of transport tomorrow if they are open and find out, they are pretty good to talk to but DON'T give them your rego number or any information about the car or you may get a nasty letter in the mail saying it's been de-registered, just say you've looked at and you're thinking of buying a car but it has no vin or ID plates on the strut towers where they should be but it has the chassis number stamped on the firewall and you know it's a conversion from a N/A Impreza to a turbo, if it's going to be a big problem come back here and maybe someone can give you some decent advise on what your options are.

Good luck.

Alright thanks for the info, we will ring tomorrow.

As for B00sting's questions:
1) No, we didn't. We didn't think we had to.
2) We met at the sellers house.
3) No, he was selling it as a WRX (I was just questioning it because of multiple STI logos and such).

The guy that we bought it off didn't have the car for very long. He bought it off a friend a few months before. I'm thinking it was that friend that did all these modifications because when the seller got it off his friend, there was no clutch in the car so he bought a HD one and got it installed. I don't think the seller knew much about the car to the extent of compliance plates, ect.

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am

We generally don't need engineering in WA unless it's highly modified, you can do an engine change notification on the net I think and because that motor was optional in the Impreza body a conversion is not a problem, they may question the front mount or pod filter (make sure it is secured to the body with a metal bracket) or overly noisy exhaust but provided it's pretty stock, not too low and looks clean they are pretty lenient..............unless you get the Indian prick or the short arsed pom with the little man complex, I've been over the pits heaps of times, there is also a private garage somewhere near Joondalup that are supposed to be very good, they may actually be the best to ask as they are not a government department.

You may need to put mesh over the front mount, you can buy it from SuperCrap Crapco etc.

Make sure you have over 100mm clearance under the car at every point, especially the exhaust because it has been lowered.

I couldn't be bothered finding the pic of the cables again but they could also be earth straps as the WRX has notoriously bad earthing, stereo cable is cheaper than the real thing but works fine.

Looks like it's got hail damage on the bonnet ????

Every man and his dog put STI stickers/badges in their WRX's, it means nothing, I'd suggest you join Perth WRX, they can be helpful provided you don't ask stupid questions, someone on there may know the car or if it's legit.
http://www.perth-wrx.com

The only big problem I can see you having is the VIN plates but it may be nothing, just cross your fingers.

You will not be covered by insurance if you have a prang, be very careful.

Licencing departments.
http://www.transport.wa.gov.au/licensing/20695.asp

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:44 am

I can state right now that you do not need the vin plates as long as the car has been previously registered in australia.
I know this because I have a Torana that has no tags at all and I have checked personally with the Dept of Transport that it can be registered as is.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:59 am

d_generate wrote:Looks like it's got hail damage on the bonnet ????

Yeah there is a small amount of hail damage on the bonnet. Would that affect anything?

Tomorrow, when we get the engine number from the registration papers, if they match with the car, then insurance is no problem anymore? If they are different, then what?

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:54 am

You'll need to tell the insurance company it is a 2L Turbo conversion and give them the engine number, they may want proof it is registered as a conversion also, mine is still registered as a 2.2L automatic and I converted it nearly 8 years ago lol.........and it was written off in the big hail storm a few years ago but I kept the car and a $9,000 cheque thank you very much, but it was insured as it is with Shannons, they won't touch you as you are too young, in fact many insurance companies avoid insuring P platers with a WRX/Evo but because it's a conversion they may be easier on you compared to it being a genuine WRX, never say it's a WRX to them, just a turbo conversion.

Mine now only has 3rd party on it so I guess it's up to you if you want to pay a premium or just insure it 3rd party which costs nothing in comparison, and if you prang it you get to keep the car, that way they don't care what motor is in it, my kids did it that way for years.

Hail damage won't be a problem, many golf balls still getting around, when mine was written off I just had to take for an inspection to make sure all the glass/lights were ok and they carried on my old rego.

And to answer an earlier question the 2L quad cam was in all JDM S1 G1 Legacy's and the Isuzu that was just a re-badged Legacy, I had one for a few years, really nice motor.

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 8:16 am

WRX is on the p plate banned list.
You can drive a turbo on your P plates over there?

Cam

B00sting · Post by **B00sting** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 11:58 am

[quote="Tomi"]Yeah there is a small amount of hail damage on the bonnet. Would that affect anything?
/QUOTE]

Only that you need to let the insurance company know when you insure it, along with any other pre-existing damage. However, it is up to them whether or not they list the damage if it is minor they will not.

PS. your answers to my questions make it sound more legit. But it is a good idea to do a stolen vehicle/finance owing check on any vehicle before buying, as it will cover you if it is actually stolen (they are generally valid for 24hours).

However, I don't know what you use in WA to do these checks.

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:08 pm

The REVS checks are now done by PPSR and they cover Australia wide. http://www.ppsr.com.au

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:51 pm

Brumby Kid wrote:WRX is on the p plate banned list.
You can drive a turbo on your P plates over there?

Cam

Yeah, there are no restrictions to P platers here.

niterida wrote:The REVS checks are now done by PPSR and they cover Australia wide. http://www.ppsr.com.au

I will make sure I do for the next car I purchase later on.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:37 pm

Okay so department of transport won't give information about the engine number because the car is still in the name of the seller until the registration renews which is in about a week.

My dad went ahead and paid for the REVS checks and everything checks out! It's not stolen, ect. Also the engine number matches the car! This is the number next to the EJ20 engraving. It does say the car is a 1.6L but if the engine number and the VIN matches, that's all that matters?

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 1:45 pm

Yep - all sounds sweet with the rego. Maybe just check once it is in your name that it is rego'd as a turbo.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 3:18 pm

If the rego says it's a N/A 1.6L is there still a problem? Also, are compliance plates still a problem even though the REVS check says it's all legit?

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 4:46 pm

Yes & No.

Yes the rego is a problem. You must tell them it is 2.0l and turbo. Will need to be inspected as they will expect the bigger brakes etc. If you don't tell them then technically your 3rd party insurance (which only covers medical costs for anyone you injure - not their vehicle) is null and void.

No -the lack of vin plates is not a problem - just let them know - I think they will issue an alternative plate but don't quote me on that.

Tomi · Post by **Tomi** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 4:59 pm

Alright, we are hoping the registration has the correct engine number on it. What if the engine number is correct but still says it's a 1.6L like the REVS said it was? I'm pretty sure the 3rd party insurance I have (fire and theft) covers their vehicle damage costs but not mine.

niterida · Post by **niterida** » Mon Dec 31, 2012 5:17 pm

I was referring to the vehicle registration which has a component of it that is called 3rd party. This covers injuries and deaths - much more expensive to repair someones broken back than their car. If your car is unregistered (or has something wrong with it which would render it unregisterable such as a turbo motor that you haven't told them about) then 3rd party insurance won't cover you.

Even if the rego papers have the right engine number but it is still registered as 1.6 non-turbo then it is not really legally registered. You MUST tell them about the 2.0l Turbo and get it inspected.