Is it worth it?

pjd7325 · #1 03-28-2011, 02:44 AM

I am thinking weather to keep spending money on my svx or cut my losses and maybe get another one in better condition.

May svx needs a new rear quarter, new ball joints, new power steering pump and a good service. The seats are getting a bit shabby and could do with re trim (not damaged but the suede is getting a bit tatty) plus a few another niggling things.

The mot has just expired and its covered 101k. I paid £1800 for it in January.

Freeman · #2 03-28-2011, 06:22 AM

It's always worth it..

Lookin4SVX · #3 03-28-2011, 12:58 PM

I feel your pain, I ask myself this question all the time...

I payed $2,000 for mine back in Feb 2010. It has 196,000 mi on it now.
So far I have had to replace the ball joints, tie rod ends, both front calipers, valve cover and oil separator gaskets.

Seems the suspension is completely shot now. I hit a dip on the highway at 65 and there was a noise so loud I swear I though I shot the rear struts through the rear deck. Front struts and mounts are also apparently toast, the wheel shop cannot get the caster right, shop says because strut mounts are shot the entire strut is leaning..

Now the power steering decides it wants to seem not functional when you drive slow. Slow speed turning = need forearms of steel. You speed up to highway speed the wheel gets too easy to turn, like and move the wheel 1/2 inch and your 2 lanes over.

Previous owner had PWR radiator installed. cool right? Unfortunately, who ever mounted it, didn't take into account that the cap is higher than the stock one, so when you close the hood, it hits and leaks antifreeze from the cap onto the radiator, and it constantly smells like burning coolant.

CEL for EGR codes now...

Those 2 round bushings in the back by the rear diff seems to be nonexistent..

Motor mounts are torn and need to be replaced, motor jingle jingles all the way down the road.

Tranny will flair up 1000RPM in while switching from 1st to 2nd gear when driving slow, but only when it feels like it.

The entire car needs paint. There is not a panel on her without a scratch in it now. Sunroof is sun bleached .. rear bumper looks like it was parked in a construction site in front of a bobcat. I can't believe how deep some these gouges are.

So far I am in for $3,700 (not counting the wheels, add $1,200 for those), and I still have everything I listed above to do.
So yeah ... I know exactly what your thinking.

I am seriously considering driving the 16 hour round trip to svxfiles to have him do a diagnosis run on her so I can find out what it will cost to get her back to normal.
I just don't know where else to take her to get an honest opinion from someone that works on these cars all the time.
My mechanic here, that worked on my Impreza for 9 years, has no idea what to do with my SVX.
For example, I show up with a complaint about a buzzing sound from the exhaust. He tells me yeah, your motor mounts are shot...(was the exhaust resonator)
My shot motor mounts go jingle jingle from the front the car.. not biiizzzzAAATT! from under my rear seat floor.
Him failing on this one made me assume he just doesn't want to work on the car.

If she needs more than another $5,000 in mechanical repairs... I just don't know..

b3lha · #4 03-28-2011, 03:11 PM

In cold financial terms, it makes no sense at all. But we do it anyway

Getting another one in better condition is dependant on being able to find one in better condition. A few years ago there were about 160 SVXes still on the road in the UK. I reckons it's probably well under 100 now. They are all at least 13 years old and many of them will be no better than the one you're driving.

My currently insured and taxed car, the green 94 makes a clanking noise from the front diff when it goes around corners. The black 92 fills up with water whenever it rains. I can't even remember what's was wrong with the claret 92, it's been up on blocks for so long.

FWIW my advice is: Keep spending the money for as long as you keep enjoying the car. When it stops being enjoyable, that's the time to walk away.

Freeman · #5 03-28-2011, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b3lha

In cold financial terms, it makes no sense at all. But we do it anyway

Getting another one in better condition is dependant on being able to find one in better condition. A few years ago there were about 160 SVXes still on the road in the UK. I reckons it's probably well under 100 now. They are all at least 13 years old and many of them will be no better than the one you're driving.

My currently insured and taxed car, the green 94 makes a clanking noise from the front diff when it goes around corners. The black 92 fills up with water whenever it rains. I can't even remember what's was wrong with the claret 92, it's been up on blocks for so long.

FWIW my advice is: Keep spending the money for as long as you keep enjoying the car. IF IT EVER stops being enjoyable, that's the time to walk away.

Fixed your post...

pjd7325 · #6 03-29-2011, 03:14 AM

Thanks for the replies. As you both say it's just a case of enjoying driving and restoring/keeping running a fairly rare car. As said they are getting on a bit now. Keeping an 18 year jap car going when parts are hard and expensive to get hold of etc. Plus finding someone who knows about them is a challenge.

I enjoy owning and driving this car and maybe I am exoecting too much too soon. I think I will try it for its MOT and see what happens once the ball joints have been replaced. Now I have blowing exhaust too! Oh well.

Freeman · #7 03-29-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjd7325

Thanks for the replies. As you both say it's just a case of enjoying driving and restoring/keeping running a fairly rare car. As said they are getting on a bit now. Keeping an 18 year jap car going when parts are hard and expensive to get hold of etc. Plus finding someone who knows about them is a challenge.

I enjoy owning and driving this car and maybe I am exoecting too much too soon. I think I will try it for its MOT and see what happens once the ball joints have been replaced. Now I have blowing exhaust too! Oh well.

Yeah the initial purchase of an SVX may be inexpensive but these cars aren't cheap by a long shot. You're going to spend a lot of money on this car and at times, more often than not, wonder why you don't just jump ship to a different car. That's when I advise taking a drive and watching for all the heads you just turned.

Your case may be that your SVX has some cosmetic issues or that you wanna go fast like Ricky Bobby and you have a long way to go and a lot of spending, but trust me, it's worth it when you're finished.

pjd7325 · #8 03-29-2011, 09:30 AM

Point taken. I don't really want to jump ship and get another car. I have after one for a while. I did my research before getting it and I was warned that parts etc are hard and expensive to get hold of. Maybe I didn't realise quite how much!!

As I said I will put it through an mot and see what the verdict is. If it passes then yes I'll spend some money on it and get restored to pristine condition (which I was going to do anyway) if it fails on something major then I'll have a re think....

b3lha · #9 04-03-2011, 03:46 AM

Is that your car on ebay at the moment? The black JDM VE?

pjd7325 · #10 04-04-2011, 09:39 AM

Yes it is. I have put in on to guage interest. I am not too bothered should it not sell or go for what I want for it. JDM VE?

b3lha · #11 04-05-2011, 07:03 AM

It doesn't look bad apart from that dent. If I didn't already have a driveway full of SVXes, I'd be tempted to bid.

JDM = Japanese Domestic Market. (ie Import)
VE = Version E. (Basic model SVX 1992-93).

pjd7325 · #12 04-05-2011, 09:09 AM

I know...its annoying but I am sure someone can get that repaired if they are handy with stuff like that. Got a lot on considering its the basic model I must say. Thanks for the info anyway. I shall probably end up keeping it anyway as I haven't had much interest.

pjd7325 · #13 04-06-2011, 03:32 PM

Well I have seen sense and decided to keep it rather than let it go for pennies. Better start working a bit of time to get all these jobs done now!

blueji · #14 04-11-2011, 08:02 AM

Here's a thought.....

What I say to convince myself I'm not wasting my money on my SVX is....I look at all these people who spend around £320 a month on a boxed standard 1.4 putput and never see the money again.

A 12 grand car worth 35% of that in less than 3 years....and we complain at spending miniscule amounts on a rare beast!

To lavish 3 months payments on your machine is not a lot of money in the big scale of things.....go on, give it a treat!

Just for moral support, here's my 19 year old cared for with less than one monthly payment a year

John

stevek · #15 04-13-2011, 02:56 PM

I've written to the good old DVLA to see how many SVX's are either SORN or taxed under the FOI opportunity. I'll post reply when I get it.

Having changed the engine, gearbox, subframe, ps pump, discs, rear w/brgs, suspension, battery, soon to be radiator too, I now feel pretty familiar with my car. And, as I bought another car in Japan and had it stripped and shipped I've got many spares.
I feel the old girl is up to the traffic speed today still, and has superb wet grip. What it looks like in the eye of others doesn't matter a jot to me. It might look great for all I know.
Fact is, at the end of the day it still performs better than most current cars for about 15% of their cost. As for the environmental aspect how much energy has been used recycling while our SVX's have outlasted it's peers?
One thing I mustn't overlook is the essential resource this site provides, without which my SVX would not even be a runner.