Is your SVX your daily driver?
 

Hi All,

I'm so glad to have found this forum! I too am a fan of this fine car. Anyhow, I was wondering how many of you use your SVX as daily drivers. I would like to get one but I can only afford to drive/own one car. I know that transmissions, rear wheel bearings and alternators are the main problems.

Would it be unwise to buy a 100K+ SVX? How do they hold up past 100K?

Are there any years that are better than others? I notice there are a lot of deals on 92s. Other than the above mentioned problems are there others?

Do accessories ie ac/heating, power windows etc hold up with time?

How about structually? Are any of your high mileage SVXs starting to rattle/loosen up with age?

Ride quality/NHV – how is it? My wife now drives my 92 Q45 – I like the NHV qulity of this car, it certainly isn't the quietest of cars but is fine for me.

Thanks in advance
Tom

Tom,

The SVX lasts forever. It is slightly costly to maintain at times though. It all depends on the SVX. Mine for example has no trouble with the back bearings at all.

One of the regulars here, Doug, has a SVX with over 200k miles and is running fine. I have seen it personally.

Good luck with your hunt.
Lwin

Re: Is your SVX your daily driver?
 

Tom,


I've had mine for only two months. I'm using as my all time commuter. I am just now getting past the paranoya of tranny worries and the such and REALLY starting to enjoy it. (The only two major things I've had done was replacement of the passenger front axle and a tranny flush and fill)

Not too bad for 1992 w/99k on it. There are a few lesser things that need to be addressed but, so far reliable. It is so worth it.


Randy (Not as scared as I was) ii

It's actually my wifes car
 

but it has been her daily driver since it was purchased in 1995 with 28K miles. We now have 136K miles and it has been a good vehicle. Not the best, or least costly that I have owned, but I can heartily recommend one as a daily driver.
Engine is very understressed and well designed, brakes are very good (I've never had a rotor warp and just replaced the original front rotors about two months ago), trans needs to be flushed and should have an aux. cooler, but if the owner maintained the car and has records it should be a solid car for you.

I use my '92 daily - short 12 mile commute, some sales calls, one long trip, a couple of SVX meets - total 20K this year, now has 96K. No problems. I don't consider the oil leak a problem. All my cars always leaked something; a family tradition, no doubt.
Ron.

I used my SVX as my daily driver for a little over two years. I looked forward to every mile I had to drive. I found the SVX to be safe, reliable, comfortable and exciting to drive. When I put it away, I had put on 30k miles in two years with no major complaints.

Wife's car
 

She averages about 500 miles/week. We had it in for service last week and it had a bad A/C idler and belt, and front brakes. That's it. That's also about the extent of our 'major' repairs (besides a bad sensor about two years ago - warrantee). In fact, with about 120,000 miles on it, they didn't want to repack the bearings (no play - things just looked too good) or change the *original* spark plugs (they just don't need it right now), or mess with the CV joints - all of which I gave them permission to do if they thought it might be necessary.

All that being said, if I bought another, it'd be a '95 or newer.

It's my daily driver for an 80 mile per day round trip commute. I've put about 61K miles on it since I bought it in Aug '99. It had 109K on it when I bought it. Engine is strong as ever. No bearing problems, I was in tranny hell, but it was only because some idiot tried to do a cheapy repair and put a Legacy tranny in it -- not a good idea.

Yes, it's my daily driver - I average about 700+ miles/week. Currently, she has about 84K miles; I've accounted for 37K of those. Repairs to date are one rear wheel bearing. I hope that's all I have to do in the next 37K.

Transmissions can be an issue with this car, but it seems more so on the 92-93 models than the 94-97 MY cars. If you can find it, I would recommend you consider a 95-97. In any event, do your best to know the car's ownership and maintenance history.

With normal preventative maintenance, the car should give you great service, unless you happen to get one that is just dogged out to begin with.

drive her everyday.
 

beyond the known problems the svx is pretty much trouble free. if you dont drive aggressively (like me) the car should give you very little trouble.