Benny Poo Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I've wanted a BRAT for a few years now and may be in a financial position to finally get one. I don't really know, though, because I don't really know anything about maintaining such an old vehicle. I'd probably use it less than once a week if I got one. I figure I'd probably do best to pay a little more to get one in really good condition. Regardless, I'm wondering what kinds of issues I can expect to potentially come up and what kind of costs some of you have paid on average each year for new parts or for serious work that needed to be done. What kind of parts can still be ordered and how expensive are they and what kinds of items can now only come from a "parts car?" I could really use some advice about the finances required to maintain a BRAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silas Cruse Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 B.R.A.T. Brought out Another Thousand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Your largest annual cost with adding any vehicle to your fleet is insurance. Any old car will be a money pit especially if your picky. Parts availability for the 2nd gen cars isnt great and getting worse every day. All of my manual 4 speed cars had to have the trans pulled for a clutch or to replace the tranny. Its the one real common issue I lve had. Intake manifold gasket leaks and worn Hitachi distributor bushings make the list too. Another issue that comes to mind is that alot of available aftermarket parts are not the highest quality. Cheapo clutches/cables and intake manifold gaskets have bit me several times. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 any car is a bit like the how long is the piece of string answer...in the long run, any money you spend on it will be served well for you or the next owner. Keep that in mind when you buy your first one, ask what owner has spent on car in last year or so, ask for receipts. The saving is in being able to do service and repairs yourself and part the reason of forums and clubs. A 300 dollar radiator may seem steep, may last you 15 years (originals and genuines can last 25 ! ), so 20 bucks a year to keep the engine cool is a good dealIIt is gonna be variable as to how you use it, how hard you treat it and luck. Wholle totally thing to remember is it was this generation that Subaru gained a good rep, so people moved on in the world and time, bought the later models. Is your missus asking for justification ?? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendecker Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 (edited) Unless you are looking for an off-road beater, definitely pay more and get one in better condition. Parts come in three categories for me -- dealer parts, aftermarket parts (generally from Rock Auto) and various body parts. The dealer parts are pretty much few and far between, but sometimes they surprise me. Basic parts are pretty cheap because there is usually something on closeout at Rock Auto. Not as good as OEM, but if you need the part, you need it. The third is just a matter of looking, waiting and looking until you're blue in the face. Ebay sellers have really jacked their prices up, but you can find some reasonable prices from time to time. People on here are generally really nice and ask for reasonable amounts if they have some parts they can (pardon the pun), part with. Definitely a "help out the other guy" vibe. Staying active on the board and being a part of things ups the odds that someone will offer a part to you. One last category, though, is anything you can fabricate. One time I got some bushings from the local hardware store and spun/sanded them on a belt sander for use on the tailgate hinges. They're still holding up. I've learned to mold plastic parts as well for a couple of parts. Sometimes, you gotta do, what you gotta do. As far as driving goes, I put less than 1,000 on my Brat every year and it just keeps going with really no need to replace anything at this point. It just doesn't see enough miles. But then there's insurance... biggest cost by far. Edited April 7, 2015 by bendecker 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny Poo Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Ihscout, you say 2nd gen parts availability isn't great, but it's better than 1st gen, right? I want to get whichever vehicle has most parts available. It's good to hear that insurance costs more annually for most of you than maintenance and repair. It will be my only vehicle and I will still put probably only 1000 miles a year on it. The missus has a much more efficient vehicle. The Brat is just for fun, but not crazy off-road banging-up either. I'm a little worried about parts availability and how many tools I'll have to buy to do all work myself. I was hoping I could do whatever work I could figure out and cave and use an auto shop when it becomes necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Im sorry, let me try again. I have no idea what registration and insurance costs there and I am youngish still I suppose so for me insurance has been the largest (guaranteed) cost of any vehicle. Obviously a blown engine will cost more than one years worth of insurance, but at 1k miles per year will the engine ever fail? No matter what you will have to pay to insure it if you want to drive it once per week. Definitely 2nd gen cars are much easier to find parts for. Ive always avoided 1st gens for that reason. We are currently going through a bit of a collector car bubble right now. Internet activity and the current aging generation have pushed prices up on all unique cars. When you see Bronco IIs and Loyales going for 5k you start to wonder. Its good becuase its bringing a different class of owner together with these cars which will help save the few that are left. Might help with parts availability too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman2 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 I would be more concerned that the body was intact, not a rust pit! I have had no problem sourcing any part I have needed in the 17 years I have owned my 87. The biggest head ache I had was sourcing decent axles and three different electrical shorts. There is plenty out there and most are junk. I purchased new EMPI axles 3 or 4 years ago and they are still there with no issues, but I hear they have been bought out and the new axles are no as good. Special tools, none that I can think off. Older vehicles such as these could need a multitude of parts replaced in a few years. I can't even remember all the parts I have replaced, some preventive and some worn out. Here is a feeble shot at it, clutch, clutch cable twice, all the wheel bearings (front twice and rear once, rear were ok, preventive!), u-joints (worn completely out), brake pads and recently brake lines, electrical side of ignition switch, alternator, starter, oil pump twice (think the first rebuilt one was for shite!), water pump, radiator ( I only paid a little over $100.00 for a new one 10-12 years ago), new tail light fixtures (you don't want to know what that cost), headlights twice, seats (new RS seats in 04 from a rally car take out), windshield and gasket, struts and shocks twice, ball joints, tie rod ends, rubber bushings underneath, Hitachi to Webber conversion, three mufflers (last a SS magnaflow with exhaust replaced from Y-pipe back), driver's window crank, all the hoses under the hood, several thermostats (preventive), water temperature sender, oil pressure sender, oil pan gasket twice, valve cover gaskets once, I think I replaced the speedometer cable years ago, two paint jobs, many oil, coolant, gear oil changes and a whole slew of things I have surely forgotten. It would take a decent stack of bills to pry my 87 out of my hands. With a motorcycle and truck I only put 3-3.5k a year on it now. Was 8k a year for quite a few years. Only had to tow it home one time and that was my fault. If I would have checked one more thing it would have went home on it's own. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman2 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Rebuilt the shifter linkage to remove slop, motor and transmission mounts. See I am already remembering more!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Really need another vehicle to fall back onto when something goes askew. Hard for me to say, for I have only owned my Brat for 3 years 3 months. It's been just pretty much routine maintence things. I had the shop do an axle, both axles actually replaced and that COST me $900, so when the next boot went out I figured out how to do it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman2 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 You should go back tonight and burn that shop to the ground. I have replaced an axle in as little as 20 mins for one. I hope they at least found new axles and not remanufactured. Motor and transmission mounts bad will cause excess boot failure. So you may want to check them also. See, you made me remember something else, I rebooted my rear axles and swapped sides with them. Boots were about dry rotted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tundrabrat Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 (edited) I give my newly acquired cars a full once over, tune-up, new hoses, wires, cap, rotor, radiator flush, tans and diff change so you have a reliable base line. $200 worth of prevention goes a long way. If your buying a "new to you" Subie you may want to have the compression checked. Go buy "How to keep your old subaru alive" ($20-30 used on Amazon)... Follow the maintenance plan in it. Your talking about driving it weekly... The above should take care of the "predictable" failure points. Other than annual tune ups and oil changes you will have many years of trouble free driving. Edited April 7, 2015 by tundrabrat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 bratman2, I know you're exaggerating when you say burn it to the ground. They probably did more than that also, don't remember right now. They have really done me right on the other vehicles I've taken to them. Yeah I did replace the tranny mounts last month too, they were shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Not going to find that book for $30, $99-337 flipping insane $337 then shipping wow too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 There is a PDF on here somewhere for it Though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bratman2 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Yes, I was kidding. Seemed mighty steep for a pair of axles. I have done more also, don't remember either. But, 17 years and counting is a long time to drive a vehicle. She is a keeper! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Brats and old subarus typically arn't expensive to buy or maintain, but what will get you is when another old subaru follows you home.It looks so sad so you feed it and water it,etc then before you know it you have a fleet of them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Brats and old subarus typically arn't expensive to buy or maintain, but what will get you is when another old subaru follows you home.It looks so sad so you feed it and water it,etc then before you know it you have a fleet of them. This is soo true, Ive had one brat and 5 parts cars, which of course i couldnt bring myself to part out so I repared and sold them. Once you own an oddball you kinda have to become a hoarder. Finding and buying crap for your oddball on craigslist is actually the greatest cost of ownership! Go ahead buy a brat youll see. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subarubrat Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Brakes $30 Fuel $865 Oil $235 Insurance $659 Rust repair $X,XXX. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tundrabrat Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Not going to find that book for $30, $99-337 flipping insane $337 then shipping wow too. Bought mine used on Amazon for 19.95, great condition. They pop up more often than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 OK, go get a key cut A$5 - A$8 comes with free code reset or for some Euro or modern Japanese beast $300 - A$800 Instant saving with old school Soob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_freddo Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Interesting question.There really is two areas to explore here:1) regular maintenance 2) desired mods Best way to keep costs down is to learn how to do it yourself I'm a little worried about parts availability and how many tools I'll have to buy to do all work myself. Setting yourself up with good tools may cost a little initially, but the long term reward once you learn how to use them pays the tools off in no time and then some! Don't skimp on tools, get a decent set from a brand you trust. My preference is Sidchrome, only because that's what I was bought up with - the tool's quality probably isn't the same as it was when dad brought his kit when I was a kid!Happy hunting!CheersBennie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Concerning your thought of buying tools, a 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm is pretty much all you need to disassemble the entire car :-) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinky26 Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Concerning your thought of buying tools, a 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm is pretty much all you need to disassemble the entire car :-) +15mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l75eya Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 What do you use the 15 on? Brakes? Ball joint? Can't remember.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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