RAugur33

I think you should name your car BANDIT, because you made out like one....And Burt Reynolds agrees!

There is a guy that lives on Fickle Hill named Rob who is a very good EA Subaru mechanic; I've always known him as Subaru Rob. He used to play in a band called the Fickle Hillbillies if you ever see them around, ask for Rob. Good luck with your new/old car.

Where do you live in the Humb? I used to live in Arcata for many years.

Looks like I commited blasphemy, but let me explain. Keep in mind that I have never owned a Honda and have not owned anything besides Subaru's for past 16 years. Of course Subaru makes a great, reliable and safe vehicle whether it is 4WD/AWD or 2WD. However, it is the 4WD/AWD that really sets the subaru apart from any other manufacturer. Now, for as much of a Subaru fan that I am , I do happen to think that Honda builds a more reliable and economical vehicle. And if you do not want to take advantage of the 4WD/AWD system, then you would be better off cost and reliability-wise with a Honda. That's my answer and I am sticking to it:popcorn: I

IMHO: 2WD Subaru = Honda

Man, what a great trip. I like the fact that his wagon is not lifted/EJ22/5-speed etc... Just shows how sturdy these wagon are in their original state. I moved from PA to CA in 92 in my 84 wagon. Best road trip ever; just me, my wagon and all the time in the world. I had bought topo maps for CO, CA and OR and would turn off the highways and take fire roads when I would get road bored. Had one flat tire in OR, that was the only problem I occured during the entire trip. Best memory was trucking along a fire road in N. CA and watch a dust cloud approaching from behind. About 3 min later get passed by a 50's Chevy Apache haulin a@#. That was the only other vehicle I ever saw on those fire roads.

No charge for the push-button AM/FM 4 speaker stereo system.....that is truly priceless.

Hi Connie, My first Subaru was an 84 GL Wagon that I bought in 1990 and drove to CA in 92. Probably the best car I have ever owned. For being an eight y.o. PA car it did not have a drop of surface rust; ran like a top. But, the frames were eaten. I had to let it go! My feeling is, and many will disagree, that once the rails are shot then so is the car. Anything else can be replaced, welded, etc...but the rails are the backbone of your car. If I were you, I would part it out and let Bucky's donor parts live on in other XT's. Besides, you have that fresh, minty coupe coming your way that will be your pride and joy.

How did I miss this; I would have bid $15,000. Anyone know where I could get another in this price range? Of course you will have to help me cash this money transfer from Kenya........

It is.

Having a hard time getting into 1st & reverse. Have tried to adjust clutch out, makes a difference at first but same thing happens within a few shifts. The clutch feels solid. The transmission fluid is WAY overfilled, does this make a difference?

I am keeping my eyes open for a van or sedan driver. Portland is a 360 friendly city as long as you stay off the HWY. The last 2 360's that I have seen in NW were trucks. I hit the 360 board but I could not find a For Sale link, you may have to be a dues paying member. If you come across one For sale in the NW please let me know. A complete running car would be best. Body condition is very important as I am a terrrible body man.Paint doesn't matter too much.

We are lucky to have the RF Subes out here. But it seems that the E & NE has a majority of the 360's. Do you know if the marketing efforts were focused in the East back then? Would love to have one like yours.

Ditto that. WHen I passed CA emissions in 92 I was very surprised. The DEQ tech made the same point. He said since all the Japanese cars were hitting Western ports, they made sure that they passed CA standards. So the Federal/CA thing is a mute point. If the car was in rust-free shape I would drive it home and give it a try. If rusted out, leave it and get on a plane. You can always get another one.

I moved to Eureka in 1992, not 2002. 1992-2002, the wasted years. Will CA really pay you $1000 to retire a car? I can drag $200 heaps to CA all day long.

I moved to Eureka, CA in 2002 and my 84 GL wagon from PA passed emissons fine. At the time there was some type of Import tax that they tried to charge me somethign like $700 to bring the car in state. I think that they found that "tax" to be illegal and ended up refunding it. So, you may be okay. I never paid the tax, the car had serious rust/rot underneath and I sold it to a guy who needed a car to drive back to PA, where it rotted and died. Never stopped running though.

I have Austin's original Water Wagon (EA81); still running strong. The tires on this are worn considerably on the inner tire(all tires) and hardly worn anywhere else. Does this mean that I am only making contact on the inner tire surface and therefore not really maximizing the 4wd capability? Do all the lifted Subes have this problem? Is there a fix for this? Thanks.

They say yo never forget your first love. BTW, what size swampers do you run?

A few other things to consider: Comfort: If you are accustomed to power mirrors/steering/windows, working rear window defrosters and leg room then the legacy/Impreza is the way to go. If you are 6 foot or taller the EA 81 can be a bit cramped. Safety: Airbags and crumple zones, Legacy/Impreza For as great as the EA 81's are, they are nearly 30 years old. And what was comfortable to you 30 years ago may not be so comfortable to you now (you may not be as slim as you were in the 80's) EA 81's are funky, that's what is great about them. I would also consider lifestyle, are you retired and only go out when you want or are you shuffling wife & kids to school, work, shopping everyday? I am not trying to dissuade you from the EA81, I have one myself, just giving you some things to consider. I keep an EA 81 as a ski vehicle, mainly because it is so inexpensive that If I hit anything like a guard rail or snow drift etc I could care less. However, I would care if I hit a guardrail etc in an OB or Forester. Also, you are getting a lot of information about modifying here; if you are staying on paved roads you will be fine without the modifications (engine swaps, lift kits etc...) Good luck and welcome back to Subaru Land.

I thought I smelled a hint of rotten egg; not sure about the burn as I did not touch the stuff. Battery is less than a year old. How many days will a good battery hold 14.3 volts? What is H2S04???? Just googled it: Sulfuric Acid. Does this pose a danger to the car/electrical system? Probably best to replace the battery at this point. Thanks

[ What would you guys get for, say...$2000 to $5000??? Thanks again, Fox For that price range range you should be able to buy good-concours hatch on the West Coast. It is definitely worth the $650 to buy in the west and have shipped to you in WI.

Anybody's guess? The pos terminal on my battery turns a greasy black within 24 hours of being cleaned with a wire terminal brush. This happens whether or not it is connected in the car or in my house. I've never seen this happen. Battery holds 12.4 volts at 70% charge; water is full.