Beater car - calling Subaru experts

[Kaido]

Found a nice deal on a potential project car:

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/cto/3646775549.html

139k miles - 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport Wagon. Subarus seem to last forever with a little care - I've seen a lot of them listed running at 200k+ miles. What kind of maintenance would I be looking at at this point? It's a 5-speed, so I'm guessing a clutch, plus brakes, tires, oil change. Anything else major?

 

[Zorba]

Some nicer wheels?

I have a 1999 Legacy, with about 150Kmi on it. I've had a seized brake caliper (2006) and leaking power steering pump (2012). My power antenna was a little bent when I got the car, and the gear finally stripped out a couple months ago, worked mostly fine for the 6.5 years I have had the car. It sounds like the CV joints are starting to go. Also the window belt trim has lost its coating on one door.

My wife's 2006 Legacy with 102Kmi on it has had nothing go wrong with it.

Overall I am very happy with the Subarus. They are also very easy on tires. My wife's car had the OEM tires on it for 78K miles, and OEM brakes for 95K.

 

[jlee]

Take a look at the rust - other than that it should be fine. Pandasaurus bought one with 200k on it.

 

[T2urtle]

This might suffer from the head gasket issues being a 2.5 NA motor. I don't know if u can replace the metal gasket with better material and never deal with it again like the supra 7m motors or if they will just keep going bad.

Other then that I've only heard of foresters with wheel bearing problems.

 

[Midwayman]

I know that some folks were having head gasket issue on the ej25. Also rear wheel bearings (replace with the better legacy version if you do it.) Not really common, and from an enthusiast site. I had a 2000 impreza rs 2.5

 

[BudAshes]

I've been looking at subaru's too and pretty much it seems the leaky head gaskets is the number one issue on the 2.5 L. Expensive fix too.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Isn't that a 2.2l car though being an impreza? Too lazy to look. The 2.2l isn't as bad about headgaskets.

 

[Kaido]

This might suffer from the head gasket issues being a 2.5 NA motor. I don't know if u can replace the metal gasket with better material and never deal with it again like the supra 7m motors or if they will just keep going bad.

Other then that I've only heard of foresters with wheel bearing problems.

I've read that you can use DOHC head gaskets in place of SOHC and then not have to worry about it.

Any idea on the cost to replace the wheel bearings?

 

[T2urtle]

Wheel bearings on the norm should be $300-500. I never saw it if was more work on a subie.

They seem to go on foresters every 30-60k.

Either problem isn't going to prevent me from buying it as a beater. Rust is my biggest concern.

 

[BudAshes]

Isn't that a 2.2l car though being an impreza? Too lazy to look. The 2.2l isn't as bad about headgaskets.

Yeah you are right this isn't the RS version.

 

[Kaido]

Wheel bearings on the norm should be $300-500. I never saw it if was more work on a subie.

They seem to go on foresters every 30-60k.

Either problem isn't going to prevent me from buying it as a beater. Rust is my biggest concern.

I live in New England, so I'd probably have to find a fairly rust-free one.

Also poking around the SVX line, although they are quite a bit older and only come in auto.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Just chiming in, my 08 forester had 2 wheel bearings replaced at about 70K miles. Now at 81K, and no other issues. (warrantied repair, so no $ out of pocket for me.)

 

[nerp]

Body condition. New Haven is not SoCal.

 

[thedarkwolf]

I think body condition is pretty much "who gives a crap" at that price and age. As long as you can't see the road through the floor while driving it is all good.

 

[jlee]

I think body condition is pretty much "who gives a crap" at that price and age. As long as you can't see the road through the floor while driving it is all good.

A vehicle will fail a safety inspection in some places if there are rust holes anywhere in the body.

 

[thedarkwolf]

That is easy enough to "fix". My old beater van failed because of rust holes. A little chicken wire and bondo fixed that right up. Didn't even bother to sand it. Passed the next 5 years without any issues till I finally sold it.

 

[nerp]

Well, frame rot is never good. Why pick one with rot when you can find one with no rot?

 

[thedarkwolf]

because around here at least subarus are insanely over priced. And of coarse frame rot is bad but a little rot around the wheels just looks crappy.

 

[Kaido]

Either problem isn't going to prevent me from buying it as a beater. Rust is my biggest concern.

Found a rust-free '99 Outback for under $3k, but it has 200k miles on it. 5-speed tho, so might be worth pursuing.

Right now I'm waffling between leasing again and picking up a project car for my daily driver. My wife leases (just got her a great Civic), so she has a reliable car I could fall back on if my beater breaks down. I like leasing a lot, but I'd also like something to tinker with. Subaru wagons seem like the most reliable route to go for a project car. If I buy, I want to keep it under three grand to have some leftover for upgrades & repairs. Anything above that, I'd just rather lease something.

 

[BudAshes]

because around here at least subarus are insanely over priced. And of coarse frame rot is bad but a little rot around the wheels just looks crappy.

Yeah they are ridiculously over priced where I live too. I don't even live in the snow but everyone here thinks they need a snow car because they drive to tahoe 2 times a year

Subarus are usually about 25-50% more than kelly blue book private party values and if you buy it from a dealership you might as well just buy a new car.

 

[Kaido]

I'm not super interested in an automatic, but the used market is flooded with them - there are some really nice 130K+ mile ones. Around what mileage does the auto tranny need to be replaced or rebuilt, and what's a typical cost on an early 2000 model?

 

[Kaido]

How horrifically bad would a '98 or '01 automatic be with 200k miles on them? Found a couple next town over.

 

[T2urtle]

i dont like that many miles on a AT personally. If i wanted a project car i would get a clean body with a manual trans. Mileage wouldn't be a factor because a EJ20/25 is always going to be in the back of my head.

If i wanted a daily driver then i would mainly target something with lower miles.

 

[Kaido]

i dont like that many miles on a AT personally. If i wanted a project car i would get a clean body with a manual trans. Mileage wouldn't be a factor because a EJ20/25 is always going to be in the back of my head.

If i wanted a daily driver then i would mainly target something with lower miles.

Yeah, an Auto @ 200K is pretty scary, but the $1500 tag is not bad at all. I found a great place about an hour away that specializes in Subarus - rebuilt parts, new parts, used parts - a Subaru junkyard, basically. I can get a rebuilt motor & transmission if needed. But, depending on the cost, might be better to just save up and get a nicer one.

 

[T2urtle]

Yeah, an Auto @ 200K is pretty scary, but the $1500 tag is not bad at all. I found a great place about an hour away that specializes in Subarus - rebuilt parts, new parts, used parts - a Subaru junkyard, basically. I can get a rebuilt motor & transmission if needed. But, depending on the cost, might be better to just save up and get a nicer one.

Did u get ball park numbers? Like if ur trans needs a swap/rebuild or engine overhaul? Get a timing belt price. That place might be by your golden ticket. I want to say most Subaru's are just basic maintenance work, just as long as the previous owners did some your on time ur golden.