what can i expect with one of these. 5sp, turbo, probably push button awd.. what are some big problem ares.. and or reasons i should avoid these cars.

Head gaskets. Check the head casting--EA82 means Gen 1 head, EA82 underlined means Gen 2, EA82 in a box means Gen 3. Gen 3's are most reliable; Gen 2s are acceptable. There was a rumor about Gen 4s being available; I believe WJM looked it up in a parts book once? Turbo cooling hoses can also be a royal pain and can lead to overheating. If I was going to get one sight unseen I'd check and change the radiator and hoses immediately. If it's a GL-10 make sure the sunroof drain holes are clear and that there hasn't been water leaking into the car for the past five years. Frequent and regular oil changes are absolutely necessary; ask for documentation. Otherwise, standard Subaru precautions and recommendations apply. Good luck!

gen 4? Will, what's up with that?

 

 

I have owned two turbowagons so I will offer: They're a lot of fun but you're most likely going to be getting into a situation where you'll have a lot of catfh-up maintenance.

The good is that the push-button 4WD transmission is really great if you don't need a dual-range, and they usually have better suspension than non-turbo cars. I would suggest that you replace all of the rubber coolant lines and remove and test the radiator, and depending on the mileage and if you don't know its service record consider a new water pump soon. I consider them to be high-maintenance if you can't tell. I would rather swap in an EJ22 for the horsepower and the ease of maintenance. It would be worth the effort of the swap in my opinon.

i agree with all the above , if you ever get a automatic turbo full time 4wd wagon like mine your mpg ,well aleast mine is 23mpg city maybe 25 highway , and then there's the air struts to deal with , other than that i like mine

well an email to the owner answerds some questions. its an 88 tubrbo, 180k miles, rust around the rear fenders. and the rear axle is bad. he said it was towed to his house but dosn't have the time now to fix it. since this car is not driveable i cant make myself buy it. its a little too far of a drive.. for me and my friend who is closer than me. so if you want it.. its an 88 gl trubo near portland oregon. in the portland criagslist.

i talked to that guy too... was this the 200.00 wagon ? on a a push button 4x4 car... if one of the rear axels was bad couldnt you still drive it? granted, accepting more damage to the already bad axel or is there something else im missing

 

my old push button 88 turbo wagon front axels were the only ones i replaced.. so the backs.. hmm.. easy fixk.. just a lil time consuming

 

rllywgn