Carfax report please for new member thinking of buying an SVX?

[Rattlehead]

I'm thinking of buying an SVX, 1992 VIN: JF1CX3431NH105160. It has 108,273 miles. It looks like a good buy, but I'm concerned about whether it has had it's transmission repaired or replaced, and the bearings and all (in addition to the usual concerns). Can anyone get me this report? And does anyone have any advice for a first-time SVX shopper? Thanks!

[Hondasucks]

Carfax won't tell you if it has had the transmission replaced or not. Are you sure you got the VIN right? I tried looking it up on Subarunet and it came back invalid.

Things to check:

Transmission fluid should be bright red. If it's kind of a dingy red, you are probably ok but could stand to change it. If it's dark brown or black, it's probably never been changed, and you'd definitely need to have the dealer flush it, and possibly change the inline filter (It's supposed to be a lifetime filter, but if the fluid is nasty, I'd change it) Flush will be about $150 or so.

Back wheel bearings will make a whining sound starting about 45 MPH if they are going out. Cost is about $250 a side to have them changed at the dealership (Do not go aftermarket!)

108,000 is pretty good, so chances are if it's been taken care of, you won't have any problems (Ask if they have any maintenance records), mine has 160k on it and it had the original transmission in it, the only reason it went out is because an aftermarket shop put a new flexplate in it and damaged the hydraulic pump in the transmission during the replacement.

Take it for a test drive and make sure it shifts like it should, if the RPMs rev up while it shifts, it could be on it's way out. (If it flares between 1st and 2nd, it probably just needs the brake band adjusted) Someone please correct me on this if I have the gear wrong!

[1986nate]

If the fluid is dark brown or black, flushing it out will greatly increase the chance of a complete failure. You should only flush a transmission if you know the history of it and know its never been run longer than whats recommended without a fluid/filter change. Also if the trans fluid is dark, change the internal filter and fluid and then after about 5,000 miles change the trans fluid again and it should be alright.

And the RPM flaring occurs during the 2-3 gear shift if its out of adjustment. See this
http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...and+adjustment
and click on the tranny1.pdf file and scroll to page 11 to learn about brake band adjustments.

Main thing is try searching through archives for any questions you might have and it should be able to answer a lot of questions.


Edit: Correct me if I'm wrong but is it this one??http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...=p4506.c0.m245

[bwb3]

I think the number 1 before NH should be an X.
Gene

[1986nate]

Originally Posted by bwb3

I think the number 1 before NH should be an X.
Gene

Mine is a 92 touring and its a "6" in front of the NH and I thought I remember seeing somewhere that for the base model 92's it is a "3". Can't remember for sure

[Rattlehead]

Thank you all for posting! Sorry I've been so busy the last few days I haven't had time to check the thread.

Hondasucks: I'm positive about the VIN, it does show up on Carfax, it says it has 27 records. Is that many records a bad sign? I know that the Carfax report won't tell me if the tranny's been replaced, I just meant that that's another thing I'm concerned about.

When you say don't go aftermarket on the bearings, do you mean just for the parts, or are you suggesting to get the work done at the dealership as well. The Subaru dealership service departments can't be that familiar with this car either when it comes to first-hand experience, right? I mean I'm sure there are plenty of mechanics in their service depts who've never even seen one of these, right?

Thanks for your tips.

1986nate: Thanks for the corrections and links. And yes, you have the exact car right there. Oddly it's being offered for sale on autotrader.com, and in a local auto market magazine (I think under two different listings) as well as on Ebay. What do you think about it?

The VIN works in Carfax, I haven't run it in anything else. This is the explanation of the VIN's I found: http://www.cars101.com/subaru_svx.ht...ions.%20colors

So my main concern is, with a car at 108k miles, what kinds of repairs/mods should I hope that they either have paperwork for and/or I can plainly see if I look in the right place? And what kind of money will I have to lay out after I buy it if it hasn't had this or that work done yet?

So, does anyone have a Carfax subscription? And does anyone have any advice about tranny coolers?

Thanks a bunch from everyone!

[Hondasucks]

eh, not really, as long as it's not totaled/salvaged you're probably ok, and even then, depends on the damage and how well it was repaired, my SVX is branded "salvage" but there isn't anything physically wrong with the car except the headlights have been glued back together.

As for the VIN, double check it. The VIN for my old 91 Legacy was incorrect on the registration, but it still worked on Carfax, and came back to the correct car.

And the wheel bearings, they aren't that much different from any other Subaru, and chances are the technicians there have at least worked on a few SVXes in the past, and if they haven't, they should know how to read a service manual. I'd take it to the dealer if I were you, maybe ask them how much experience their techs have. The senior master tech at my dealership has been working on Subarus since 1978, he remembers doing PDIs on SVXes!

[1986nate]

It looks like a decent car. Just realize it is a "base" model with no spoiler. I just bought mine a couple months ago with 102k and same paint scheme but touring model with spoiler and spent $2000 and it had a bad exhaust gasket going into the 2nd cat which cost me $100 parts & labor. The transmission was replaced around 60 or 70k and the guy I bought it from had done the rear wheel bearings just before he parked it in his yard (it had sat for 2 years he said). This one looks like the body is in slightly better shape from pics as mine has tiny stone chips in the hood and just starting to show signs of rust in rear wheel wells. Interior looks about the same condition as mine. Mine is very clean and no rips or cuts in leather or stains anywhere.
That one has been relisted on ebay many times because it hasn't met the reserve with the final bids all being in the $1700 range.

Just trying to help you guage out what a fair price might be for the car. If they have maintenance records that is a big plus.

As far as future maintenance and immediate, if the trans fluid looks at all a little dirty or dingy I would change that and filter right away just for good measure. You will have to at least think about the 120k service which is the timing belt but check if the front of the motor is leaking/seeping oil at all as you will want to replace the cam and crank seals while your in there. However it is a non-interference motor so if the timing belt ever breaks it will not cause any internal damage. Also a lot of people go ahead and replace the sprockets and water pump when doing the timing belt because you're already taking it all apart anyway. Also I believe spark plugs are due at 120k so that is a fair bet that it will need those and you can find out how to do those in the how-to section. Fuel filter is a good thing to change for good measure.
Another thing is to check if it has had the external transmission filter added on as that was supposed to have been done but was not on my car. And think about adding an add-on transmission cooler but that could wait til spring as the winter is coming and it will be fine in the cooler weather.

When test driving it make sure to go into a parking lot where you can do slow figure 8's where you can crank the steering wheel in each direction to check for any binding in the differentials/transmission. Also make sure the steering is tight and no play as that can possibly mean big repairs. Check for any leaks/seeping fluids underneath as well as on top of the motor-namely the valve covers are easy to check with the hood open looking at the motor. Underneath, check on top of the front plastic piece that sits under the motor and radiator assembly as leaking oil can collect there and get very "gunky" over time. Check on the power steering rack for any fluids that may have leaked onto there and check to make sure all the axle boots are in good shape. Then take it for a drive both around the city driving for awhile and then the highway and then back through city driving to make sure the transmission doesn't have and problems with shifts. Then when you're done, check for fluids again in all the places I described above.

Sorry for such a long post, I just wanted to give you as much information as possible and hopefully I didn't overload you with too much.
And feel free to ask any more questions. I'm not an expert on the Svx at all, this is just knowledge I've gained from searching through archives as well as working on my own.

-Nate

[Hondasucks]

I thought timing belts were every 90k I know EA82s are 60k but I thought the EJs and the EG were every 90?

[1986nate]

Originally Posted by Hondasucks

I thought timing belts were every 90k I know EA82s are 60k but I thought the EJs and the EG were every 90?

Its 60 on the timing belt
This is the full maintenance schedule

http://www.subaru-svx.net/photos/files/How-To/25365.pdf

[Hondasucks]

well I'll be damned.. Learn something new every day! Although with my car at 165k, the timing belt's due @ 180k whether it is every 60k or every 90k... (60/120/180 vs 90/180, and that's assuming that it was done at 120! I wish Subaru would include a sticker with their belts, Toyota belts have a sticker that you write the mileage and date of replacement on, and then it has a clear film that goes over it to protect it, so you can just look at the car and you know if the belt has been done. But there is more than just that kinda stuff that Toyota seems to handle better than Subaru... (Although Subaru brake pads come with new anti-rattle shims and clips, Toyota brake pads don't!)