My outback venting sesh

[subarunut]

So i bought this 1998 subaru legacy outback with the 4eat 2.5l in white fully loaded except premium sound leather and electric but it has the 15" from the limited 5 spoke no clue that was only an option on only limiteds but i bought it for $650 it was clean i thought it just needed a head-gasket i was wrong it had many old belts so i thought change those too my original plan was to replace the gaskets drive it for winter time and sell it after many new parts timing kit water pump plugs exhaust fix and cosmetic stuff so all together i have about $1500 into this car and i still need a battery and paint i want to sell it and buy a 5 speed legacy outback but this isnt going to work they are rare around newyork and when you find them they are rusty ugly and high miles i dont want that. so i thought after i had another bad gasket that i could find a pair engine and tranny 5 speed and buy the necessary parts for the 5 speed swap from junk yards but i think that will be too expensive too and i am having an issue with the auto trans and the engine together when its warm and going from a complete stop i step on the gas and it drops idle alot then goes kinda shifts hard into 2 and the car has 202,000 so im figuring this is tired of the work esspecially what a 16 year old kid does with a first car so i think im not flipping a profit on this car so i want to keep it but my options are
1 replace headgasket again
2drop another engine and auto tranny
3 new engine and 5 speed conversion
4 just a 5 speed conversion

I dont care if she is ugly as long as she is reliable so paint is last i want a dark dark grey like gunmetal but i have to paint the whole car so thts another issue and a 1/4 gallon of 230 glacier white is $80!!!!!!! so im not sure
I LOVE MY SUBARU DONT GET ME WRONG. i just think this is a one sided love i love it she hates me everytime i fix something another thing goes wrong i want to keep my car now especially now that i realized im not finding another 2nd gen 5 speed outback with low rust so please guys i need alittle moral support on this subject give me somethoughts or ideas i dont want a honda SAVE ME!

[Huffer]

Way too hard to read.

You're 16, you have a 200k+ car. Expect things to go wrong until you have replaced a lot of it, with proper parts. It's your first car, don't get sentimental.

[1996Battlewagon]

At your age, you need to ditch the idea of prioritizing an old Outback and concentrate on further education. If this car is going to get in your way of bettering yourself with new and applicable information, then it doesn't need to be on your "to-do" list. If you can, keep it as your weekend/downtime project so it can help you learn useful mechanical skills when time allows for such. You'll screw yourself in the long run if you rush it because you want something instead of needing something.

You're putting too many hormonal and irrational emotions into your thought process. I too loved my first vehicle when I was 16 and proceeded to total it three days before Christmas. You are too young to contain proper risk management skills to maintain an old and unreliable vehicle. Not an insult, just the truth.

[subarunut]

I cant say i am sentimental about this car i just like the idea of it and i like the practicality of it but id swap it for another car in a heartbeat and i think my school work has dropped but i cant say it is from my car i have a bunch of other teenage things going on and a few family issues that are what i think is my problem but you both have brought up excellent points so i think i will put this on the back burner not necessarily a weekend thing because my dad is drivng my car because he wrecked his and it has to be reliable for him too but i think he can do most of this being a mechanic himself

[iampetro]

I cant say i am sentimental about this car i just like the idea of it and i like the practicality of it but id swap it for another car in a heartbeat and i think my school work has dropped but i cant say it is from my car i have a bunch of other teenage things going on and a few family issues that are what i think is my problem but you both have brought up excellent points so i think i will put this on the back burner not necessarily a weekend thing because my dad is drivng my car because he wrecked his and it has to be reliable for him too but i think he can do most of this being a mechanic himself

my kingdom for a period :shock: lol

[chuckthefuk]

In the land of 48 states you would think a short trip to up-state new york or the surrounding areas would yield better candidates for a better ride.

I love to see all Legacies live on but cut your losses.. You clearly don't want 4EAT.. and rust is very very hard to clean up .

Either part the car out and find a donor. Or drive it to the ground and find a replacement when it comes around

[subarunut]

so currently i'm looking for a lower miles cheaper engine. I'm thinking if i cant get one i will just take this car replace the gaskets with oem ones and ill save up my money this one will be driven to the ground (like all subarus should be dont deserve anything less than a full life) i will probably pick up a subaru from either Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or Massachusetts because i have family all around there it wont be very hard to get one then arrange transport.

I would like some input though 2nd or 3rd gen ? and wagon or sedan? whats your favorite?

[chuckthefuk]

2nd Gen Wagon = practice and dirt cheap
3rd Gen Wagon = way more room.. more $$ to find parts.

Sedans feel great for spirited driving but when you get down and dirty the wagon mafia makes the most sense :-D

[subarunut]

which look better do you think lowered wagons or sedans?

[chuckthefuk]

Wagons = big ass!!

Its all personal opinion...

[Dead91silvia]

I've been there, done that.... I know the felling of attachment to a car. I still to this day have my first car, the 1966 Volvo in my sig. I hated it because it was just ugly and not cool, but I got over it and have no plans to sell it.

However, my Volvo was by no means a common car. You have a car that they made like crazy! I myself have had a 97 OB 5 speed and a 97 OB auto. At your age, you want a car that is reliable and something that you also might want to hold on to. You car sounds like it needs to be retired.

High miles are not a killer, it's the owners. My BD has 251K and is as reliable as can be, but thats because it was taken care of with the original owners and I continued it..

Here is a sample of what we have over here... Clean, nice, lower miles, NO RUST! Yes, over here no one ever talks about since we only see it on cars over 20-30 years old...
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/3451391812.html

[Dead91silvia]

which look better do you think lowered wagons or sedans?

Wagons = big ass!!

Its all personal opinion...

I have both... I love the both... I prefer sedans.... Just my wagon has a turbo! :grin:

[subarunut]

I think then after this car blows up Which i dont think will be long. I will go down out of state because good old new york rust hits cars that are 4 years old even or Maine they dont use salt and subarus are everywhere but ill look for some 2nd gen wagon i love the bumper to much to lose that and ill look around wont buy the first one i see and who knows maybe in a month ill have a part out on here of all the good parts then the rest will go to scrap but life goes on. another question how long will i be able to drive bad headgaskets before an engine will not run anymore(just a thought i might just do this and scrap the car asap)

[Dead91silvia]

I drove 6 months once on bad HG's... Just filled the tank every other day... Depends on how bad they are blown also. Mine was not bad at all... Just a little over heating..

[Heyitspaul00]

OH Man. I Feel This Thread.
I began a Beemer Guy, the first (1985 535i euro) :smt007 lasted well into 425,xxx km. But my second Bmw (1993 325i 4dr auto), I bought prematurely before finishing my mourning for the 85 :smt022 . So, age 17-18, working and school, figured hey this'll be a cool project, I did a lot on the last one this newer one will be a cake walk. Anywayssss, Bought it $2,000, put $500 worth of rubber on it, drove it for maybe 30 days and then the motor started sputtering like I had lost compression :smt013 . After figuring the labor to get in and determine what the issue was and then maybe fix the head, it would probably be worth it to just swap it. Also had been thinking on the auto>manny Swap and figured this might be the right time for it :smt017 . Dropped a 325i motor of unknown background in with a Manual Trans from a different year, cracker-rigged the linkage to the shifter due to the year swap. Mechanic "modified" the console to fit the new shifter position (Cut it up and decided that "busted" was the new theme) :smt021 It ran but the mechanics were sketchy to say the least. Few months later the "new" motor started overheating constantly and I could do nothing about a warranty for the motor :smt013 . Still hadn't even gotten to start work on interior or suspension.
As of right now I am working out of state, in New Jersey, but as soon as I get back, I'm calling my new BMW mechanic friend to see if he wants anything off it. If not, Im pulling the wheels and Scrapping the whole thing. I've tried selling it and trading it, but the crusher is gonna win this one.

Long and short, I put WAY to much into restoring a Hunk-o-Junk that was beyond reasonable repair to start with.
I was too naive and in love with my 1st BMW to let the 2nd defeat me so quickly.

Lessons Learned:
a) Don't bust load before proper research is done. :smt024
b) If you have to put tires on it in order to test drive it, RUN.
c) Auto to Manual Swap is WAY more in depth than originally imagined. :smt017
d) Either Have the knowledge yourself or a Mechanic who actually knows that type or car. :book:
e) Do the research, then ask these nice people, then do the research again. (swaps, updates, general problems/concerns, etc) :smt024
f) At my age then/your age now, pick something reliable to get you there. Maybe something with potential for later work, but give yourself time to get the cash flow and knowledge up to do something right for the car and yourself in the long run. :iroc: :thumbup:


WAGON all the way. :smt026
I just picked up this BH 2000 OBW Ltd as a daily from a Family friend who took care of it. (auto, but it'll do)

Interested in your progress.
Either Way,
Good Luck! :smt023

[subarunut]

thanks paul this has been an eye opener for me so as of this weekend i went to the dealer bought new oem gaskets 107 later -_- but ill lie as soon as i do this im seeling the car just before winter even though id rather she not be just a winter beater for someone then im planning onbuying my freinds 1999 outback speed im not sure of the brake buti think that one will get a brake upgrade any ways im sorry that worked out bad for you but im glad i had someone in the same situation as me almost exactly! ive learned alot from this community and the most important lesson for me was wait buy the closest thing to what you want dont make from scratch what you want im keeping with subarus hopefully but possibly a toyota supra if i find an mkiv ill shell out fr that or a 6 cylinder bmw but plan is 2nd or 3rd gen

[Heyitspaul00]

Yea, It sucked. Life goes on. got me a new girl now that seems to be doin alright. Good luck with sale and New ride. Look forward to seeing an update.

[Muse]

please guys i need alittle moral support on this subject give me somethoughts or ideas i dont want a honda SAVE ME!

Oh, man, I heard that. I just got a $1100 bill from my mechanic today for all the work he's done to my Legacy. so, there goes my money for months. But I need it for work, so I gotta bite the bullet.

That being said, listen to the older, wiser heads on this forum. Don't give up your love for Subarus, but don't let it impair you, either. if you need to get a Honda just to limp through until you can save for a better Subaru, do it. It'll make coming back to Fuji Heavy Industries that much sweeter.