Reviving a Subaru STI from a Copart Auction

Buying a car sight unseen is always a risk, but when it’s a 2015 Subaru WRX STI snagged at a Copart auction for just $3,650, the stakes are even higher. That’s exactly the kind of gamble I thrive on. Rebuilding and modifying cars is what I do, and I’m here to share every lesson—financially questionable or otherwise—so you don’t have to make the same mistakes.

The auction listing was vague, to say the least. Primary damage: Frame. Secondary damage: Mechanical. But what did that really mean? Where was the frame damage? Why was this car so cheap? Did everyone else know something I didn’t?

There was only one way to find out—get it home, get it on jack stands, and start peeling back the layers of mystery surrounding this STI.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Once I had the car in the garage, it was time for a deep dive into The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. And let’s start with the ugliest.

There were four major rust spots on the car—two on the rear doors, one on the trunk, and another sneaking along the roofline. The bubbling paint and holes in the door panels were far from pretty, but here’s the thing: none of that is frame damage. The chassis itself? Solid. Rusty, sure—but nothing that made me think the car was structurally compromised.

The “bad” wasn’t too terrifying either. The hood struts were toast, the driver’s door panel was barely hanging on, and the center console latch had given up on life. Oh, and the coolant reservoir was bone dry—not exactly what you want to see when you’ve got an engine with 158,000 miles clocked.

But then, there was the good.

Cue the Carfax report. A brand-new OEM short block installed just 8,000 miles ago. Along with a long list of recent maintenance, including a new clutch, flywheel, timing belt, oil pump, water pump, and head gaskets. Somebody had put a lot of love—and money—into this car before it ended up at auction.

Now, all that optimism doesn’t mean a thing if the engine doesn’t run.

The First Test: Compression Check

Before I could even think about firing up the engine, it was time for a compression test. And to do that, I needed a good battery—so I “borrowed” one from my Chevelle. (Don’t judge.)

Pulling the spark plugs on a Subaru boxer engine is… an experience. There’s no way around it. It’s awkward, tight, and borderline infuriating, but eventually, I had them all out.

The results?

Cylinders 1, 3, and 4: Holding steady around 125 PSI.

Cylinder 2: A little low at 105 PSI—about a 16% variance, but nothing catastrophic.

The results were good enough to move forward. The compression was consistent enough to give me hope that this engine might actually have some life left in it.

Chasing Coolant Mysteries

Next up—pressurizing the cooling system to find out where all the coolant had gone. With the system pumped up to 12 PSI, I went hunting for leaks. I sprayed down every hose, connection, and joint, expecting to see bubbles form somewhere sinister.

But—nothing.

No leaks, no obvious culprits, but that nagging feeling wouldn’t go away. Why was the coolant missing? Did I just not look hard enough? I knew that was a problem for future me to figure out.

The Moment of Truth

With the compression test done and a fresh supply of fluids, it was finally time. I tightened the last bolt, removed the cringe-worthy “Audi” sticker from the back, and took a deep breath.

Would it start? Would it purr like a finely tuned boxer engine? Would this be my greatest Copart success story?

Nope.

Rod knock. A gut-wrenching, unmistakable thunk-thunk-thunk that echoed through the garage and straight into my soul.

8,000 miles on a fresh short block, and it’s got rod knock. That’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru, right?

What’s Next?

So here I am, staring at another blown-up engine in my garage, wondering how I keep getting myself into these situations. Do I rebuild it? Swap it? Part it out? The possibilities—and the expenses—are endless.

One thing’s for sure: I’m in too deep to turn back now.

Follow the madness over on my YouTube channel and on Instagram at @shawnzeyracing to see how I turn this mess into something worth driving—or at least worth watching.