Need Advice
 

Greetings,

I live in Upstate NY and I was thinking of getting a 94, svx ls with automatic transmission. I do not know much about these cars and was wondering if owning one is like having a Jaguar that needs constant upkeep and parts are expensive. The guy who is an aquaintance of a friend of mine wants $5000 for it and it has 85,000 miles. It looks to be in perfect condition.

I've heard stories about them having transmission problems and how to fix them. Does it cost a lot to maintain an svx? They are beautiful cars but are they reliable. If I do decide to buy it ,I may not have much to maintain it if parts are expensive if they break down a lot.

Welcome to the Network. The SVX does have some weak points particularly the automatic transmission which suffers from excessive heat and resulting damage. The wheel bearings are also prone to failure and can fail again if not installed properly. The brake rotors are also undersized for the weight of the car. How the car was driven and maintained can have a large effect on its reliability.

On the other hand, what can you get for $5,000 that will take you where you want to go in 1st class style?

Other than the items above, the car has the legendary Subaru reliability on par with Toyota and Honda. The engine is arguably one of the best ever built and should last over 200k miles with regular oil changes and perhaps some seals il later years.

If the tranny was regularly serviced and fluid changed, you may have good luck with it for some time. The early years had a flaw in the radiator cooler as it was prone to clogging from clutch particles. The design was changed to minimize both issues and I think the 94 uses the upgrade but others please confirm the exact timing. An auxilary cooler is also highly recommended.

The rotors can be upgraded to ones with slots but without cross drilling for less than $300.

A bearing failure will set you back ~$250 per wheel.

An aftermarket warranty may be a good investment for peace of mind and you can figure it into the purchase price, and see if it makes sense to you.

If all you have is $5000 and not able to budget for repairs or warranty, then this may not be the best choice for you. Any high tech car uses complex systems which are pricey to repair.

However, given these caveats, you will find the owners on this site to be truly passionate about their cars which speaks very highly of the SVX. Many own more than one.

You can probably count on a member to offer some help in evaluating your possible purchase in person.

Best of luck,

Matt

Thanks a lot Matt. I thought no one would respond. I also found this on ebay. Any expert advice on this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=1871252636

I kinda fell in love with the look of an svx so I started looking online just a hr. ago. Was looking to compare it with a Nissan 300zx. The guy (my friends aquaintance) said that the transmission has never been changed and am kinda worried about getting one after reading the posts on this board. BTW what's the insurance on something like this cost? I'm over 25 and a perfect driving record.

And how much does an after market warranty cost?

The one on ebay is front wheel drive which is not as desireable as the AWD version.

It would be difficult for me to estimate your insurance cost. I live in NJ which has some of the highest insurance rates. Check with your agent and you might be pleasantly surprised.

I purchased a warranty from 1SourceAutoWarranty.com. A 6 year/50k warranty with 0 deductible and coverage on the AWD system and Hich Tech items (ABS etc.) was ~1500 for my 97 with 53k miles. I figured I don't have to worry about anything other than normal wear and tear. Your cost will probably be higher due to the higher mileage.

There have been some comparisons of the SVX to the 300ZX and Mitsubishi 3000 in recent threads. Do a search. I seem to remember that the Mitsu had much worse tranny issues.

I personally fell in love with Subys when I got my Legacy. The AWD system is great, and not just in snow (although you must get plenty in upstate NY). Any nasty weather is tamed and these cars cruise like they are on rails. The SVX is an especially great cruiser with plenty of power for most driving.

And don't worry about getting responses on this board. You will get more info and help than you need. I am just a newbie but there are a number of owners with years of experience more than willing to help with advice.

Matt

I bought the SVX with about the same mileage as the one you're looking at, and have driven it 8,000 miles since then and it hasn't needed any repairs at all after the few needed when I purchased it. A few people on this board also probably remember how angry I was when I thought I was changing the transmission oil but accidentally filled it up with motor oil instead and drove it around like that for 1,200 miles...that was stupid but hey it still runs the same now as when I bought it! If the car is as it sounds then I think you're getting a good deal. Very few people who come across the SVX can turn it down :D

But anyway, I'm 21 and I get insurance through State Farm for $60 a month, with some discounts because of my parents. Otherwise it would be ~$100 a month?

I bought a warranty at extendedautowarranty.com for $900 for four years. Haven't had to use it yet. Make sure you're allowed to do your own maintenance on the car.

To continue in Mattski's train of thought, everything depends upon how the car was treated, & how you plan to treat it. The SVX was designed to be a high speed luxury cruiser for the "upper brackets" crowd. Due to its rather low resale value, & resemblence to a Camero, it's become a college student's chic magnet that may have been rodded & treated to less than suggested maintenance intervals due to a student's penchant to spend his sparse change on suds, not oil. No offense to ALL students, I too was one decades ago & wouldn't buy a car from myself then either.

Whenever possible, I'd check service records. If you're buying from a dealer, get a decent warranty. This advice goes for ANY car, not just an SVX. If you feel you're spending your last nickle on a nice shiney thing,... don't! Always have a grand or more (or plastic) that you can tap to keep you on the road.
Good luck, Ron.

Man you guys are great. Thanks. I may just get it then only because you guys that own one have been pretty cool about giving advice :) . It's supposedly has been very well maintained.

Ya man, go for it! By no means do I worship the thing; it's just a car, but it's awfully hard not to take glances back at it after I get to where ever I've driven :) And be sure to change that tranny oil, hehe :D

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lurker
[B]Man you guys are great. Thanks. I may just get it then only because you guys that own one have been pretty cool about giving advice :)


I can't think of a better reason. Just do it!

Ron.

This thread is a true indication of the wisdom of the preceding nice people who stand out on this board.

As said above, if and only if, it has been looked after and you do the same it should be a good bet. But it must represent value to you other than as just another car. If not buy one of them.

Just not with motor oil I guess:D


"I can't think of a better reason. Just do it! " Man, I gotta buy Nike's too ? lol.

Lurker
 

Dude, the one on the Ebay site doesn't look that good to me. It's at $4500 and the reserve hasn't been met yet. Even with the low miles (and 75K is low miles for an SVX) it's hard to justify that for a FWD. (But I would LOVE to have the suede seats out of his car. :cool: )

(Man, I can't believe what I just said! I'm the one who always says, "Ask more than it's worth!")

My recommendation is: wait for a good one-owner. The car was pretty pricey when new, so most of the original owners were, uhm, NOT kids. Not that kids won't take as good care of their cars ;) (yeah, right), but that older folks (like me) tend to get their services done on time and stuff. Oh, and NO, I'M NOT SELLING! :D

Nevah give up looking. Nevah, nevah give up.

Uh

94 LS SVXes are AWD

94 L on the other hand is FWD

Just in case.

lwin

would the blue svx on the link be worth 5000?

The SVX is a great car:) It has been rust proofed about 7 different ways. The only rust problem I have seen is the upper rear strut mounts. Dust and salt tends to collect in that area. You can reach up there with your hand. Do they use much salt in upper NY? Only kidding :rolleyes: Hopefully the car owner has been washing off the salt at regular intervals in the winter.

If you really like the way it looks:cool: watch for how your gonna feel after you drive it:D