Cross-post from the "Meet n' Greet" forum - hope that's all right!

 

 

After over a year of living without a car in Los Angeles, I finally decided it was time to take the plunge. I still plan on bike-commuting as much as possible, but it will be nice to have a car for getting a bit further afield.

 

I've always had a soft spot for Subarus, and after some ambling around on Craigslist, wound up with an oldie but goody: a 1984 GL hatchback.

 

I wasn't particularly looking for a "classic," but this car was just in too-impeccable condition to pass up. It's only had two owners, and the second has only owned it for the past year. And only 137k miles! I took it to a very good local mechanic for an inspection and they were blown away by how good it's condition is.

 

Despite all that, I admit I'm having a bit of buyer's-anxiety - I'm not terribly mechanically-inclined, and this is my only vehicle. She's definitely a beauty, though!

 

Wow, that thing is very clean! Care to share what you picked it up for?

Welcome and Very nice!  Reminds me of a car I WISH I never passed up...

 

 

Had one dent...

Beautiful.  Nice find.

Gorgeous car!

wow thats so clean

That looks like its in very good shape. Dont be scared, they are very simple to work on. A good car to get to know a bit more of the mechanical side of things.

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone!

 

bratman18 - Before I pull back that curtain, I'd actually be curious to learn from the wise folks here what a car like this *should* run for. What would you guys pay for a 137,000-mile '84 which only needs a new alternator belt, oil change and brake fluid refill? 

Holy crap thats in nice shape. What are they asking for it? I have no idea what itd be worth. $2000? My guesses are always way off.

I paid $300 for mine, but it has a bit more.....character!

Nice looking car, I think I saw this one on craigslist a week or so ago but no idea what the asking price was.  I'd say in the 3k neighboorhood.

Personally, I'd do $2800 for that car.

All righty then, sounds like I actually did wind up in the right ballpark: $2700. Thanks for the reinforcement, all! No power steering and a fairly heavy clutch are going to take some getting used to in LA-style traffic.

Hi all,

 

I'm getting along nicely with my GL baby - she even performed wonderfully on a trip from LA to the Bay Area and back. And I'm pleased to report that despite regarding myself as not the most handy dude, replaced a headlight without screwing anything up.

 

A couple things have come up, though, which I'm hoping the wisdom of the board can help me out with

1. After a recent check-in with my mechanic, he informed me that it would be good to look into replacing a few parts. He's a damn stand-up guy, and insisted that I see if I can find them cheaper online before he potentially order them through his supplier. Anyone know a resource for finding parts for this old girl? Specifically, I'm on the hunt for:

a. fuel filters

b. rear wheel brake cylinders

c. proportional pressure valves

 

2. The blower (fan inside the cabin) has been making a hell of a ruckus lately - it sounds like something in the motor has come loose, or there's something stuck in it that's knocking all around and rattling. Anyone know of any guides for how to access the blower mechanism? I'd like to take a stab at seeing if I can fix it myself.

 

3. The cigarette lighter (read: iPhone charger) stopped functioning, and in fact the lighter itself is now loose in the housing - it doesn't click in nicely like it once did. As above, any thoughts on resources I could use to see if I can fix 'er myself?

Edited July 25, 201312 yr by dkatz

Less than a year and I'm sad to report that I'll be looking to sell this trusty steed. I'm moving from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and will be leading a car-free life. This car has been a terrific partner over the past several months, and is still in terrific shape. Please PM me with any interest!