keen for a wagon

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:12 pm

Im Jason.
I have no 4WDing experience and know nearly nothing about subaru wagons....

however.

I am extremely keen to get into it all. having one of these very practical vehicles will help me out on properties hunting and getting to good fishing spots..also, i want to pick wagon owners brains on what they think about them inside and out....

so if you have any free time to help out a newbie person like myself, to this forum, and to the ins and outs of these cars, it would be really appreciated!

and ideas or tips on how to go abotu purchasing one would be great!

Jason

sven '2' · Post by **sven '2'** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:08 pm

acousticjase88 wrote:
and ideas or tips on how to go abotu purchasing one would be great!

Jason

Jason,

drop in at Rising Sun at Gepps X - Steve will have one in stock or know of a good one about the place

...and welcome to world of subaru!

sven

Fang · Post by **Fang** » Sat Sep 06, 2008 7:24 pm

Hey Jason - glad you found the place mate

Geoff

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:52 am

cheers Geoff and Sven.

i have actually been pass Rising Sun heaps. Theres been a nice brumby there on most occasions

its funny how, once you are keen on a car, you see SO many of them around the place...i have seen so many lately its ridiculous...its good, you can see what can be done with them!

ive mentioned i am keen about the wagons to few people (not on this forum or anything, just to family and friends) and the first thing they say is how parts are heaps expensive and hard to come by.....is this just an assumption? or infact true? in purchasing one, it will be my only vehicle..not just a second car for leisure etc...so is it a car you can just simply have as your main car? or do all y'all have it as your second venturing car?. cos as an apprentice, i cant afford to be without a car :P.....not implying it would stuff up terribly either...just whether its usually a second vehicle.

chubby37 · Post by **chubby37** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:02 pm

they are not a problem car at all...they are very good and i had my L wagon as my primary car...part are not expensive at all and are easy to find....cheaper and easier to fix a subby then most other cars.the older MY is getting a tad harder to get parts for but not impossible..i would go an L anyday or if you can afford it go liberty wagon...

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:36 pm

L's are the way to go great cars. only had mine for about 1mth befor i started altering it. lift, wheels, engine-box its like lego. its also my only car atm and have never had i problem that stopped it from driving or was hard to fix.

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:46 pm

thanks for input people! making it VERY easy for me to make up mind on whether i should get one!..a big yes
Jase

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 4:38 pm

MY's are lighter and have a more built proof motor. L's are more comfortable.
I personally like the look of the older MY's more (thats 80 to 84 models) but its all up to personal preference I guess.

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:56 pm

not saying that the L is the only way to go, i also like my's they were what i was tought to drive in.

first time in a manual i was told "if you make it up this road with out stalling you can take the car whenever you like" HAVEN rd just off old norton summit rd, very much up hill dirt road with three very very sharp hair pins on the way up. got the car tho how i loved the tappet noise and rust

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 5:39 pm

i think i might have been up norton summit road, and the part you re talking about! coz i followed my mate up some realy steep hair pins not that long ago up magill area...my corolla loved it:-D

saw a sweet white wagon in Gawler today. lifted high, nice tough tires, with many spotties. i was very envious.

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:11 pm

that would be the road. with p plates up almost drove my mums camry wagon off the side of the hill.....in the rain, going down it with bald front tires. stopped about 2" short of going over and pants got very heavy all of a sudden

benster · Post by **benster** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:04 pm

I bought mine a few months ago... and I'm VERY pleased.

It broke the timing belt Last thursday and I fixed it myself with no issues at all and no special tools.

Replaced both Timing Belts, Both Tension Pullies and Both rocker Cover Gaskets for $250... parts delivered to my front doorstep.

Took me maybe a total of 2.5 hours to fix and was the easiest timing belt I've ever done.

things to look out for are pretty much standard with any car of this age:
Rust
Shocks, Wheels, Tyres (Make sure the rears aren't scrubbing)
Oil Leaks
CV Joints (are maybe a little more common problems with L series.)
Gearbox/Diffs (A lot of newbies drive them in 4x4 on the road... not good)

I got my L series for $2250 with service history and 175,000 on the clock. Passed RWC no issues what so ever.

Don't expect a rocket out of an L series.... they do the job though.

Fang · Post by **Fang** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:56 pm

benster wrote:Don't expect a rocket out of an L series.... they do the job though.

Couldnt of said it better...

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:14 pm

wow Benster! that, to me, is an absolute 'steal' of a car! ones that I've seen advertised have been over 250,000km's and nothing under $3000. I think you would be extremely stoked! looks very very neat.
-----
has anyone been down to Pt Adelaide's motor bike track? near the power station? we go there to chase rabbits. but when wet, SO SO boggy (actually we have bogged a non-4X4 ute out there a few times, which was interesting!especially at a stupid hour of the night) got some nice terrain tho!

benster · Post by **benster** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:29 pm

It is... and I am exteremely happy with it. Wasn't when the timing belt went but thats because I've had 3 cars in less than a year brake on me... and I've been in no place to want to fix a car since my father passed away.

Fortunately... I got in the mood and sorted the suby out... must be something about the L series

Put a smile on my face when I finished the job.

Have now pulled the clutch flywheel off and put a thermo fan on and upped the timing to 11 degrees. Goes well now... I would compare it to nice Holden Gemini speed wise (Unmodified). The suby is a tad bit faster and has more torque than the Gemi. If you've ever been in a Gemi or driven one... you'll know what I mean.

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:30 pm

see i dunno much about fixing stuff up myself with cars..never got taught much a bout car stuff...probably need to learn haha...

is the L series an economical car with fuel?...as an apprentice i cant afford to run an expensive car ya know...

Bumpty · Post by **Bumpty** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:27 pm

benster wrote:Don't expect a rocket out of an L series.... they do the job though.

Meh, they can be driven pretty hard though. If you get an L in good mechanical shape, it can be driven pretty quick

Sounds exactly what you want, A suby wagon is a great capable off road vehicle (standard) and just as good on the road.
Look after them and they'll look after you. But buying second hand, you can't really go off that, parts aren't that hard to come by, especially if you're in contact with forums like this. They're also economical lil things, however my 2.2 lib isn't haha, needs a tune I think.

benster · Post by **benster** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:44 pm

Not bad on fuel... I have the Carby version. I reckon it's be between 9-10k's to the litre driven with a little respect. A lightfoot and you might push 11. I get about 8.5 - 9k's to the litre out of mine and I have a hard right foot... not for speed, just off the lights and up hills.... that sorta stuff. I also Heal-Toe for breaking which would kill the economy a little as well.

A L series carby engine is probs one of the easier engines to work on. Enough room to get your hands in there and they're pretty simple machines as far as engines go. good car to learn on.

acousticjase88 · Post by **acousticjase88** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:02 pm

ey cheers for all the heads up and ins and outs people. joining a forum like this definitely helps you out and as ya said Bumpty, having contacts through this helps. there arent a whole heap of wagons being advertised at the moment...suppose just gotta stumble upon one perhaps...or bite the bullet and ask owners if theyre keen to sell :P..

cheers

benster · Post by **benster** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:13 pm

Where abouts in SA are you?