DISCLAIMER: this car is not minty fresh, it spent 5 years in Michigan and has the shock tower rust to show for it (see pictures below).

This has been a great car for me during highway drives, local commuting, and obviously in the snow but now my family has grown, priorities have shifted, a minivan has arrived and after weeks of procrastinating my 9-2x must go.  I'll be sad to let it go but I can't invest the time and money that it deserves. I don't like surprises with cars so I've tried to be complete with the information and pictures, but let me know if I've missed anything.

- 2005 9-2x Aero 5MT
- Satin Gray Metallic
- Premium Package: HID headlights, leather
- Cold Weather Package: heated front seats, side mirrors, and wipers
- almost 106,500 miles (currently parked in my garage while waiting for a new home)
- includes both sets of keys with fobs and valet key, all original manuals/booklets, spare tire, jack and related tools, tow hook, hatch cover, OEM carpeted and WeatherTech floor mats, trunk mat, two new Beck-Arnley oil filters, new cabin air filter, SAAB blanket, new uninstalled OEM hood emblem
- tinted windows
- engine block heater
- Two owner car (spent 5 years in MI and 2 years in CA for a total of 93k miles with the first owner, 4 years in NM with me) currently located in Los Alamos, NM
- original owner had the rear fenders rolled

Asking price is $6,400 and I have the clean title in-hand.

The good:
- full maintenance history (pictures of maintenance log are included), recent highlights include: oil and filter change (104k); timing belt service (93k, Suby Specialties in CA, included: timing belt, idler pulleys, front crank seal); new tires (93k); replaced front CV axles (95k); replaced brake calipers, pads, and rotors (101k); replaced power steering pump (104k) (I have receipts for the timing belt service and for the parts I have replaced)
- no accidents
- clean title
- airbag (replaced) and A-arm (passed) recalls have been completed
- engine performs well, I don't have anything quantifiable but the car accelerates well and fuel economy seems to be on par with what others report as healthy/good
- the engine does not seem to burn oil, I've never had to add oil between changes because the level dropped, and during oil changes the dirty oil I collect is almost as much as the amount of clean oil I put in (which is better than I can say for my 2010 Forester)
- transmission shifts well
- the original clutch engages well and has no signs of slipping
- the AWD system works well judging from its performance in snow
- A/C functions well
- no issues with the electrical system
- no check-engine light
- paint is in good condition, no oxidation
- leather is in good condition, no rips/tears and very minimal wear on bolsters of driver's seat
- very minimal wear on the interior plastics and carpet
- the first owner had clear bra installed on the nose, headlights, fog lights,  hood scoop, front of roof, side mirrors, top of rear bumper, rear edges of wheel wells, rear edges of doors, behind door handles, sides of roof where pads of aftermarket roof crossbars would sit

The annoying:
- the car has collected plenty of dings, dents, chips, scratches and scuffs (they don't all photograph well)
- there are a few spots on the hood of what I think are touch-up paint that doesn't match when viewed at certain angles (I bought the car like this)
- the clear bra has done its job well, but in the process it has become dull and scratched
- the replacement power steering pump is noisier than the original (no leaks or bubbles in the fluid, so I've lived with it)
- while I was regularly driving the car I never noticed fluid leaks or drips but there are signs of sweating from the head gaskets, oil pan, and steering rack boots
- since the car has been sitting in my garage for some weeks I’ve noticed a drop of engine oil that seems to have fallen from around the rear of the passenger side head, not sure if this was always happening and it never dripped while parked or if it is because the car has been sitting
- the starter solenoid sticks during cold starts in sub-freezing temperatures, using the engine block heater keeps this from happening
- the replacement brake calipers are OEM remanufactured but did not have the OEM finish/coating, so they've rusted
- I broke the bolt that holds the chrome exhaust tip to the muffler (chrome tip is included)
- rust on the front feet of the front-seat rails

EDIT: In case I caused confusion with the "sweating from the head gaskets" statement:
- there is a light layer of crud caked on around the heads, which makes me think that tiny amounts of oil have escaped over a long period of time
- I've never seen the oil look milky
- I've never seen metal flakes in the oil
- no smoke from the tailpipe
- engine operating temperature seems normal, no fast fluctuations

The bad:
- the shock tower rust (see pictures below): I investigated this a few weeks before cleaning and parking the car this sale, the interior is back together but the rust is as-is, the good news is that there are no through-holes
- the right-rear strut is leaking and it clunks, there is no abnormal wear on the tires and the car still drives well around town and on the highway but it is something that needs attention

And now for some pictures (way more here: http://imgur.com/a/v97qB)
























Shock tower rust, after aggressive brushing/scraping/poking/stabbing:

Last edited by AAS (2016-11-23 08:56:15)