[Original Fake]

I'm looking at an used 2006 STi through a private sale. The car has been through an accident, where the front bumper, fenders, and hood needed work. The owner got the car back from the body shop, and all the exterior pieces looked fine. However, he found that in the engine bay, where there is a frame rail by the battery, was bent. He took pictures off how the rail should look like and showed the body shop. They got the car towed to Wolfe Subaru to pull out the motor, and towed back to the body shop to work on the frame rail inside. After dropping the motor back in, this claim was racked up to $7000.

I've already gone on carproof.com to make sure all the accidents and claim's the owner told me about matched up. So far everything checks out fine, so I want to take another step to ensure that the car is functions mechanically well.

I wanted some advice from members on the board, to see where I can bring this car to have it checked out. Specifically under the chassis, as I want to make sure everything underneath is straight. If anyone can recommend a shop that is familiar with STis, and will inspect the car thoroughly for me that would be great.

Thank you.

[Phil@rise]

We are familiar with your car and can inspect it for you.

[ShangoAshe]

Don't know if this would help, but I know The Speed Syndicate has an STI as a shopcar.

I'm pretty confident they might know a thing or two about the STI.

They seem very professional so if I were you I would totally give it a shot.

Give that a try? You got nothing to lose! www.thespeedsyndicate.com

[ericthehalfbee]

First off, I'd be very wary of a body shop that could have missed something so obvious as a bent rail.

The best thing you could do would be to go to a good reputable body shop and have them examine the car for you. Mechanical inspections (like BCAA) are pretty good but in this case I think you should be more concerned with the accident repair. Or better yet, get both done if you really like the car, but get a bodyshop to look first before spending more money on a mechanical inpsection.