I'd not want to take a 5-speed, even from a newer 2.5 WRX (which are meant to be a little stronger) anywhere near 400bhp... because on the 2.5 you'll have almost the same, if not more torque as well.

Guy up here tuned his 2.5 WRX to around 350bhp and c370lb/ft and he shat a few gearboxes before he got bored replacing them and went for a 6-speed conversion, which will take far more power than that, with absolutely no issues at all.

Things to check are, tyres (need good rubber... pikey make = pikey owner IMO, so it's not going to have the correct oil/fuel etc), brakes, clutch, service history (cambelt service can be pricey)... and take a look at the intercooler fins, being a top mount, they are known to bend if subjected to constant high speeds... so if there are quite a few bent fins, then it's likely that the car has seen a lot of high speed use.

I'm not sure what you're used to, or comparing the WRX to, but please don't expect it to be electric if it's a standard WRX... PPP's are a little more lively and all the STi upgrades bolt right on, so 350bhp and 370lb/ft is very easy to achieve and will transform the car.


Cheers,
Grant