1999 Impreza L Wagon Questions

[aln192]

hey guys, first post here, and i just wanted to get some info on a car i'm hopefully buying monday.

 

i was looking through pictures of it, and i don't know if it's me being crazy or what but i have a knack for finding things on vehicles that don't line up or look... off... i guess? for some reason this just looked a little odd and i'm wondering if again it's just me being crazy and worrying about nothing, but:

the area i'm worried about is well the area i've circled. again it doesn't seem like anything big but to me it just looks like the uh spacing between the bumper and quarter panel looks uneven, i guess haha. again i have a feeling it's me making something out of nothing but i dunno, i just want to know if it's been wrecked or replaced or something.

 

i ran an auto check and nothing came up but yeah i'm sure you guys know how reliable those can be...

 

ANYWAYS, also this will be my first subaru. is this a good place to start? i've read only good things about this car, and it has decent mileage for its age (120,000 mi). I'm just wondering what I should expect from it.

 

Sooooo yeah thanks!

[lmdew]

 Bumper is held on with a 10mm bolt up front and a plastic clip in the middle.  I always check the spare tire compartment and under the car for any possible damage.  Nothing to worry about if it's clean.  Yes a great subaru.  My 98 OBS has 309K on it.  Take care of the car and it will take care of you.

[1 Lucky Texan]

if possible, arrange to take the car to a good mechanic or a dealership and pay for a pre-purchase inspection.

 

use any issues found to negotiate a lower price or, if something major/expensive is found, shop elsewhere.

 

$75-$125 or so to avoid a car with 'torque bind' or low compression might be money well spent.