Hello everyone, this is my first time posting, my Uncle who is a subaru buff showed me the light. I am thinking about buying a 1600 four cylinder engine, with a four speed, shiftable four wheel drive wagon with 23,000 original miles. It has had only one owner then a kid bought it and hasn't driven it cause insurance is too high for him. He is asking 1500 but I think I could get him down to 1200. I work at a wilderness camp about 100 miles away. I would need to drive it down and back every other week. Do you all think this would be a good option?

The paint is faded and one of the seats is torn from sun rot but other than that it is supposed to run great. I will test drive it on Saterday, I just wanted to get ya'lls advice before I go look at it.

Thanks

With that few miles, it shouldn't have to be a work horse, but i understand that transportation is transportation. It should treat you right, just make sure that you check your oil regularly, and your CV boots from time to time.

 

Also that engine has solid lifters, so when the clicking starts to drive you nuts you'll have to adjust it.

i know the car you are talking about, that blue one. i talked the guy down to $1300 over the phone pretty easilly.i just didn`t have the $$ at the time.

Are there any pics of this car?

 

I'm fearful of 23K.....123K is still pretty low for thesecars, but it's easy to say 23K after the speedo turns over. I've seen NUMEROUS cars with 50 K, 46K, 27K and they all turned out to be turned over. Check carefully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

100K is alot to lie about, but people think they can get away with it on these older cars with 5 digit speedos.

So, how would one be able to tell that it has turned over?

usually by the condition of the vehicle is the first clue. General Disorder a million years ago, was parting out a '78 wagon that had only like 75,000 miles on it and you could tell since the interior was pretty much immaculate. Lucky me, I got the rear seat and most of the carpet, plus the rear lap belts too...

ask for pics and they will come......

 

 

 

this is the car "where da woods" speaks of:brow:

Are there any pics of this car?

 

I'm fearful of 23K.....123K is still pretty low for thesecars, but it's easy to say 23K after the speedo turns over. I've seen NUMEROUS cars with 50 K, 46K, 27K and they all turned out to be turned over. Check carefully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

100K is alot to lie about, but people think they can get away with it on these older cars with 5 digit speedos.

 

Wow, I didn't know they came with a five digit odometer. The car looks pretty clean, like maybe its just been sitting for a long long time. It might be a gasket case.

 

Jordan

Thanks for the pics but it's still hard to tell.

 

 

The 60k car I sold Andrew shows about the same on the outside.

 

Worn brake/gas/clutch pedals are a good sign of age.Same for the seats and seatbelts.

 

From that pic I'd say it's not a well cared for 28k that's for sure.

yea, don`t you like the skull sticker in the back window:lol:

looks like its probably rolled over once. It appears to be a DL with the quad headlight option or a GL. If I got an interior pic, I could tell you right off the bat.

I agree about getting some interior pics.

 

 

Things I look at:

 

Steering play

Pedal pads

Steering wheel wear. (Texture rubbed of the 2 "knubs") (Paint rubbed of the steering pad)

Does it have the original fabric covered hoses?

carpet wear

seat wear

foam compression in the seat

shifter knob wear (at 23K it should still look like new)

armrests on door

scale in radiator

oily engine

compression check

turnsignal stalk play....does it cancel in both directions after you make a turn?

(The canceling disk was plastic and worn, thus the signal would sometimes not cancel.)

 

Car looks like it's more than 23K to me.....I may be wrong, but thats what it looks like to me.

However, the price is still fair for 123K too. Actually, 23K should be more if the condition was better.

 

Generally, the rust in the front fenders is directed correlated to the mileage. Since there was no inner liners, the amount of driving and repeated soakings, led to additional rust. Not driving it allowed it to dry out. I think that an actual 23k, would mean less rust in those front fenders.

woods buy it buy it drive it . where the roads ends subaru begins:drunk:

the guy who owns it told me he would throw in a set of rust free fenders, so you should be all set body wise

yea, don`t you like the skull sticker in the back window:lol:

 

The Skull sticker is the main reason I am interested!!

Na, but thank you all for the tips, it is good to know that he was willing to go down to $1300. I will be sure to check carefully for the wear and tear you were all speaking of.

Peace

looks kinda ruff. not worth more then 500. imho. maybe ifyour in the rust bucket country its worth more.......

 

 

seams like for 1300 you could find a rust free one....................

 

 

kinda funny on the rust deal. here in montana i see brats and wagons that have been parked for 5+ years out in the open with less rust....

huh

 

looks clean to me, only rust i see is on the fenders, $1000 seems fair to me

the Orcas Island Subaru looks much better. How about buy that one?

look at the brat on ebay right now....

 

any rust is to much for a 78 79,,,,

Where is that one? do you have the contact info for it?

the Orcas Island Subaru looks much better. How about buy that one?

thats the one i`m trying to get:rolleyes:

link regarding island subaru:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=49383

Now, if you can come up with one of Richard Bach's biplanes, I might get interested.

link regarding island subaru:

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum...ead.php?t=49383

 

 

that be the one i`m trying to buy, thanks cricket:rolleyes: ?

where da woods, did you score that blue wagon?