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Should I get a new one?


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I have a 2008 Legacy GT with only 128,000 on the clock. Runs well, needs some body work...cup holder broke, seats getting a bit tired looking, and a bit rusty where it was hit a few times. I want to fix up the car for my kid to enjoy in a few years, but I’m considering a WRX and/or a Crosstrek...with a stick of course. Should I keep the old one, or dump it for two new ones?

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The broken cup holder is really the final straw, I'd let it go  :P

 

It's really up to you, you probably have a lot of maintenance coming up. If you haven't already done it, timing belt should be done before you drive one more mile. Those engines aren't known for lasting forever, you should probably remove the turbo feed oil screen if you haven't already.

 

Giving a turbocharged car to a kid as their first car is probably not a very good idea, get em like a 2.2 legacy or something that's cheap, slow, reliable, and won't go from 50 to 100 in 5 seconds. If I had a LGT as my first car I definitely wouldn't have appreciated it, but moreover would probably have died... That 2.5 outback had enough power to get me in trouble as it was...

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If exhaust and quarter panels are rusty you’ll be having expensive repairs coming soon.

 

Unless you can do body and exhaust work yourself. But getting rusty body work right isn’t for the faint of heart. Light prep and paint won’t do it.

 

Clutch has a good chance of needing replaced in the future. Particularly if a new driver is learning on it.

 

Needs a timing kit for long term reliability and not making the engine a door stop. The pulleys are more likely to fail than the belt itself. Replace the timing belt, all pulleys and tensioner.

 

And of course the turbo - as said that is not forgiving at all. If it hasn’t seen superb synthetic changes that’s not a good omen.

 

If you don’t mind juggling those then keeping it is a fine option.

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Thanks for the input.  As far as my kid, she's not driving yet for about three or four more years.  What I'm getting from the group is that the rust is probably going to cost me a lot of time and money.  I did the timing belt, I did a clutch around 80,000 and it seems to run ok...except it does burn a little...so it may be ready for number two.  Rear suspension is upcoming...other maintenance is all up to date.  

 

I thought these engines go for 200,000 miles or more...I know people with Outbacks and Foresters with 300,000 on the clock...

 

Either way, one take-away from this conversation is to maybe drive it through the winter, sell it privately in the Spring, and maybe get a new WRX by next Summer...

 

Any opinions on the Crosstrek with a six speed manual? 

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