I got my donor!!

[suttonb3]

After months of searching, I finally bought this 2006 WRX. The search has been more of a challenge than expected, Subarus just aren't that popular in Florida. I ended up buying this one through Copart, and it's in Philadelphia. Not seeing it first makes me kinda nervous but I figure buying any 8 year old car is a gamble, why not add some adventure to it? :D
It has 142,500 miles and it should be here in a few days. My kit doesn't arrive for 6 months so I look forward to taking my time cleaning, refreshing, and learning. Learning is important, this will be my first Subaru. I welcome any advice or input. I'll post more after I get my hands on it, then I'll know what work has to get done and what work gets to be done for fun.
I can't tell you how excited I am, finding my donor makes this all seem more real!

[wleehendrick]

Congrats... 2006 makes a great donor with the 2.5, bigger brakes and Al LCAs (if it's a sedan). Just expect a North-East donor with that mileage to need some work!

[AZPete]

Congrats on jumping into the pool! You're committed now to this band of like-minded lunatics. Like you, I had never owned or even ridden in a Subaru so it's been a fun adventure learning about them and the 818.

[Andrago94]

Sutton, I'm in the same boat as you. I bought a 2006 WRX wagon last Monday on Copart. Mine arrives tomorrow afternoon. I'm really new to this whole thing. Still getting my garage set up for the build.

[bil1024]

Nice score! Keep us updated

[STiPWRD]

Congrats and good luck with the tear down! You should be able to make most of your money back by selling un-needed parts

[suttonb3]

Thanks, guys. Andrago94, I might have been bidding against you if your wagon was the one in Greer, SC last Monday. Sorry if I drove the price up.
Anyway, the car is arriving today! I have to say, I was very worried about shipping it because of all the horror stories floating around out there. I hate to jinx it, but this experience has been great so far. The cost was reasonable, it's here much faster than expected, and the driver has kept me updated through the process.

[Andrago94]

Sutton, yes, I got the one in Greer, SC. I was getting a little impatient about getting a donor, so I hired an inspector to go and check it out. He gave me a good bill of health so I bid it aggressively. I am happy with the price I got it for so no worries. Car showed up yesterday and was in the condition I expected. Two windows were out, so I was a bit worried about water getting on the leather seats inside. No signs of water, so I lucked out there as well. Good luck with your tear-down! I plan to start mine next week after I finish laying down epoxy on my garage floor.

[mmarreco]

Are you guys using a broker to buy on Copart? If so, anyone you might recommend?

[Andrago94]

I used Easy Export, also known as ING Solutions. They have a very nice website. They charge a yearly membership fee, but you get the first month free. I was able to find my car in the first month, so I cancelled my account with no fee. I am not sure how their broker fees compare to other sites.

I found the whole process to be pain free. I had the car and title in my hands 10 days after the auction.

I also used Ride Safely as a broker for the IAAI auctions. I bid on two cars through them but did not win. They do not charge a membership fee.

Both sites require a credit card deposit equal to 10% of your maximum allowable bid. Minimums deposits are $400, and you can increase from there.

[suttonb3]

mmarreco,

You're probably learning what I have over the last few months- the process of buying a wrecked car has a learning curve. First I tried Craigslist and eBay because it was a process that I was already comfortable with. But they didn't really have what we need, so I decided to learn more about salvage auctions. It seems that Copart and IAAI are the big dogs, but they aren't the only ones out there. Every state makes the rules about who can buy what kind of car (salvage, certificate of destruction, etc.) , which can make things confusing. Like Andrago94 said, you have to put down a deposit equal to 10% of the maximum you want to bid. I know this is the rule with Copart, and it seems to be the standard for brokers as well. I put a $500 deposit down with Copart, Salvagebid.com, and a broker that Copart partners with, Victoria Motors. Having $1,500 in deposits out there isn't fun, but it gave me a great selection. Salvagebid.com had a different selection of cars than Copart, and having a deposit with Copart and one of their brokers gave me the ability to bid on a car no matter which state it was in. The car I ended up winning was titled in a state that allows the general public to buy salvage title cars, so I was able to buy it directly through Copart without having to pay a broker. I'm by no means an expert, but I hope this helps you.

[mmarreco]

Hey Andrago94 and suttonb3 - thanks so much for sharing your experiences, this is extremely helpful. Looking forward to finding my donor so I can join on the fun.
Cheers!

[suttonb3]

29059
Well, I've learned 2 things so far: Northeast car= lots of rust (I guess I already knew that), and my donor's previous owner must have taken Subaru's rally heritage seriously. This is just from the front wheel well!