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Well the Brumby and I aren't getting along very well at the moment. I could fill an A4 page with the issues the car has at the moment and still only be mentioning half the problems it has. I have just gone through my third thermo switch on the radiator in a year (car was nice and toasty earlier due to a lack of thermo fans coming on), I have to get the exhaust system replaced AND I'm getting rubbish fuel economy with city driving because of an issue with the choke. Also the list of "we noticed that" is getting bigger every time I get the damn thing serviced.

FML. Anybody else feel the same RE old Subarus?

yes me.

the reason i got rid of my wagon was because it was too modified and broke every trip i took it out on. Couldnt handle my punishment.

bought a patrol. It has broken NOTHING and i drive it even harder than my old L

alex

AND I heard a few clicks of death when I was at full lock the other day Maybe I should just send mine to the compacter, paint job and all, and buy a Patrol

you could post it to me, I would lock it in the garage and keep it forever muwwahahahahahaaa

TOONGA

Where's the fun in that? I may well pull the engine out soon and preserve it...as long as I find what I'm looking for in the Wanted section!!

PS
If I don't find it soon then that EA81's going to get quite a few K's on it...

It's an old car. Cars develop issues along the way. If you let them build up naturally it can be overwhelming. Fix them up and they won't be there anymore
If the car is fairly standard in spec most of the issues will probably not re-offend for another 20+ years if fixed correctly.
Naturally if it's wildly modified and smashed offroad regularly, expect nonstop issues!

AndrewT wrote:It's an old car. Cars develop issues along the way. If you let them build up naturally it can be overwhelming. Fix them up and they won't be there anymore
If the car is fairly standard in spec most of the issues will probably not re-offend for another 20+ years if fixed correctly.
Naturally if it's wildly modified and smashed offroad regularly, expect nonstop issues!

my patrol is highly modified and has never broken

but its boring offroad cos it takes no skill to get it anywhere.

alex

Andrew - I wish it was that easy! At the moment I'm in a position to be fixing urgent things like the exhaust, come the end of the year I should be able to get everything fixed in one bang.

Yes I drive an old car but it's had a lot of TLC, it's hardly been driven and I seem to throw more money at it than it's worth on a yearly basis.

Alex wrote:my patrol is highly modified and has never broken

but its boring offroad cos it takes no skill to get it anywhere.

alex

Was that a hint that your missing the L series?????

I could've bought a 2000-2002 model forester for the money I've poured into my brumby.

but it would just be another forester. I know that my brumby is different from every other one on the road because of the work that has been done to it.

TOONGA

Please learn to service it you self so get a better picture of things going on, the money you save on labour goes into tools or more parts required like your exhaust. Thought everyone was in here to learn and share how to-s, though suspect some are cheque book enthusiasts

i know what alex means about the patrol. ive got mates who think they are top shit cos they occasionally get some places where i cant in my subie. thats because their cars are built for 4wding. they dont take any skill or concentration at all to put them in a decent offroad postion.

subarus are road cars designed as an extra traction vehicle for dirt roads and snow. not where we take them. so naturally, they are gonna break. but you'll find, with some TLC and careful planning on the routes that you take, the subie will be the standout of the pack and everyone will be impressed. i think that in itself is worth the money of fixing it.
cheers

Alex wrote: the reason i got rid of my wagon was because it was too modified and broke every trip i took it out on. Couldnt handle my punishment.

bought a patrol. It has broken NOTHING and i drive it even harder than my old L

And that's because:

A) The patrol doesn't have the acceleration of the modified L series and

B) You haven't got the patrol airborne as high as you got he L!

^ True story, regardless of wether I was there or not!

phantomD wrote:AND I heard a few clicks of death when I was at full lock the other day Maybe I should just send mine to the compacter, paint job and all, and buy a Patrol

Or give it to me and then get your patrol... At full lock - so what. Try once you're in a straight line moving off gently, then be worried - that's what my shafts are doing now after about 3000kms since a grease change

Do the things slowly - starting with the most important bit if you can afford it and go from there... You'll thank yourself in the long run - no regrets...

Cheers

Bennie

Two things kill old cars , age and defered maint . When things wear they need to be serviced or replaced or they slog on until they fail .
A car may not be economically viable from a resale perspective but it will be safe and reliable as long as it is maintained properly .

Horses for courses , reasonable 4WDs will cope better for their intended purpose than a car designed more to be an "all road" vehicle than an off road one .
Everything you do to try and make a Subaru an off road vehicle takes it further away from being a capable on road vehicle . Granted simple mods can make one a slightly better off road car but as soon as its on road abilities suffer its compromised IMO .

I still enjoy using my RX L Series for everyday transport and it has been off road a couple of times . Never would I go anywhere I couldn't get it back out of and I don't adopt the rip tear and bust attitude with any vehicle wheather it be car truck or locomotive . Train driver BTW .
Ellies now 25 years and almost 360k old and still reliable though it cost to get it that way .

Matter of opinion I suppose .

El_Freddo wrote:And that's because:

A) The patrol doesn't have the acceleration of the modified L series and

B) You haven't got the patrol airborne as high as you got he L!

^ True story, regardless of wether I was there or not!

ooooo not so sure about the airborness...the patrol has been flying afew times.

i love this arguement....im going to keep myself reserved cos i know what is a bajillion times better offroad and it doesnt start with a S and end in a U.

Im still a subaru boy tho. Just not so much for 4x4 anymore.

alex

horses for courses... such a good saying for the blokes who own brumbys.

It's not an argument. Of course a big 4x4 will be better offroad. Old Suby's modded for offroad have their charms too. It's apples and oranges.

A click of death isn't a "click of death". It's a click. It means one of your CV joints needs replacing soon - Plan to do it at some stage and stop being pesemistic
Next your wiper blades will need replacing and you'll be complaining about "smears of impending doom!" on your windscreen when it rains

discopotato03 wrote:Two things kill old cars , age and defered maint .

Agreed 100% on the deferred maintenance bit. I used to get everything fixed right away, but then I had occasion to put one or two things off and do a "quick fix" going back on the exhaust. Now I feel like I'm driving a car that's about to fall to bits!

On the plus side, I now know just how much better this car drives with a non-standard exhaust!

Now to kill the big list of to-do items.