Amokster

Hey, guys and gals. I've been obsessively looking into the newer ( 2006 + ) and on Subarus for quite some time now. I was wondering if you consider them to be a high maintenance/cost vehicle. I've read about the cars going to 200K++ miles but that doesn't seem like much compared to what I've seen with other brands, especially if a head gasket is involved. Is the 2.5 motor a good motor or would it benefit one to wait for an improvement? I've been looking into the Bajas ( I don't really fit in the Foresters for some reason ) but it seems half of the folks either have never ending issues on their hands or their trucks are maintenance free. Thoughts? Are there specific things I should look out for?

Did you buy the white Brat in Oregon City? If so, it might be the Brat I was looking at before it got sold. It had a vacuum leak issue, so he says.

I had the same thing happen to a vehicle of mine--not a Subie--and it turned out to be a vacuum leak.

Looks like the car was sold from under me. Oh well. If an awesome deal on a Baja comes my way, I'll pick it up. Thanks for all of the input, guys.

Thanks for the answers. Sorry about the wrong Thread.

I've looked through the handy Subaru Book on what the compression is suppose to be for an older Brat, 138-168 psi I believe. Is having the compression on the middle to lower end of things ever a problem. The Brat I'm looking at ( still for crying out loud ) has 150 psi in all 4 cylinders. Is there a difference between the lower middle end and the higher end?

The Army stuck rocks! Love it!

Welcome aboard! Tons of great info and folks here.

Does gutting the exhaust affect gas mileage at all?

Inspiring project.

The Brat on Steroids looks fantastic. I am jealous.

What link? ps. Nice work so far!

Quick update: Still don't have the Brat. Was going to look at it last Saturday but the guy said there was a carb issue so he postponed it because he doesn't wanna sell it unless it's working perfectly. Turns out it had 3 vacuum leaks. The mechanic also did a compression check on the engine and all 4 cylinders have 150 psi which he said was perfect--I don't know anything about that kind of thing. So now it runs like new and I'll be checking it out in 1.5 weeks if all goes well. The carb is a year old and works fine but everyone seems to like the Weber carbs. So here's the question: Would it be better to leave the one-year old Hitachi carb on there with all of the H.R. Geiger-esque vacuum lines or ditch the carb right away and go for the Weber which the Brat guy said would eliminate about 75% of the vacuum lines? Also, is there a finish I can put on the dash to cover up the blue interior aside from swapping out the entire thing? maybe like a special paint of mat cover?

Hi, Suebee. I'm a potential Brat owner. I was gonna look at the one I want today but the guy said it had a carb problem and doesn't wanna sell it unless it's in perfect running condition. :-\ can't blame him.

Another Olympian!

Does anyone know what year this Brat is?? And if there are pics of the front and interior? I've searched the internet, and like finding a good sale on import CD's, have come up empty handed.

Thank you for the responses. Ballpark: how much does it cost to swap out the carb? Is there a particular one I should be looking for? http://www.webercarbsdirect.com/Weber_Carburetors_s/2.htm I've had a Weber before and they are pretty easy to work on. I've never done a carb swap so it'd be as new to me as anything. I believe the Brat I'm looking at has new exhaust, brakes, windshield, carpet, dash and a few more things. ps. I towed a 1,200 pound trailer from Southern California to Washington State with my automatic Honda Civic 2DR without a problem. Gas mileage stunk, but other than that, it was easy. The owner of the Brat said it might have a front wheel bearing issue ( not sure how'd that'd be for a newbie to replace ) and sometimes the car hesitates after being driven on the highway for a distance. Says it'll start right up after sitting there for a few months.

Hello. I'm looking to buy a Brat soon--unless I get a bad feeling about the car when I drive it. I live pretty close to you in Olympia, WA.

Great work. I wish I could have been there doing that stuff and learning that car inside and out. What would you recommend if someone were to completely change out the blue interior? Is there a special paint to buy that would work well with the plastic? Seat covers are easy for the seats of course.

Thanks for all of the info! I really don't need a Brat right now, but it'd be nice to have one. I love the size of them. And this past winter up here changed everything for me. I got stuck 8 times in the snow and thought, I can't do this. I suppose I could just buy a set of snow tires and save the cash. It was a rare winter with all of the snow but a pain in the A nonetheless. And since the winters and summers seem to be getting colder and wetter up here, I thought about a nice AWD system--was contemplating an '03 Baja that is for sale right now but the gas mileage and insurance makes me a little uneasy. Quick question: How much money has everyone spent on their rigs? Estimates are fine. Also, this is my first time looking for a Brat. Have they always hard to find or is it getting worse?

First off, thanks for keeping me up for 5 hours when I should have been sleeping! The information is amazing here. My name is Amokster and I live in Olympia, WA. I've fallen in love with the Brat and of course must now own one, possibly even to replace my 2005 Honda Civic ( not lowered or modified ). I have a question for the Brat owners and owners of late Subaru models. I'm looking to buy a 1985 Brat from someone down south. The Brat doesn't contain rust and is in good mechanical shape, minus a possible front wheel bearing and maybe a carb issue--starts great cold then kinda idles rough here and there when warmed up. I can only do the easiest of repairs, like plugs, belts and alternators. I'd like to get this thing lifted one or two inches and of course the body dent-free and painted to perfection so it'll look like the pic at the bottom. Motor is the original E81 as is the transmission. So here are my questions and I'll be very grateful for any and all responses. 1: The body is straight and without rust, new dash and other goodies, and the car runs good. Is it worth $2200.00? I wish I had a pic to share. 2: Are these cars easy to work on, as in, is it easy for someone who's never changed out a front wheel bearing to work on? I only have basic tools, no air. I've looked at some of the pics regarding lines, vacuum hoses and the like. It was a little intimidating. 3: I believe the car has 175K on the motor. Can I expect a great many more? Will the clutch cable be a problem? Small stuff like that. 4: Aside from rust and leaks, is there anything in particular I should really be looking for? 5: Is there anyone in the Thurston County area of Washington State that is willing to answer some questions for me if they arise if I buy the rig? I'd love to learn how to do all of the repairs myself, I just need someone to point and say, take this off and that off and be careful of this and that. I learn from hands on, not really from the book. And once I learn it, I never forget it, especially if I have to do it twice. That's all I can think of for now. I'm gonna search this forum for other advice and to generally learn more about a car I should have been learning more about a long time ago. Pic of my dream Brat: