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  #1  
Old 01-24-2004, 11:08 AM
93svx4me
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Considering buying 93 svx 4....2950

Hey all,
New to the group, and for a while now I have been looking into
buying my first car. I have looked at SVX's in the past, and I have
always like their performance aspect. Anyways, in my local newspaper,
a 1993 SVX is for sale with the following: leather, auto, moonroof,
pwr. seats, etc. The car is $2950 and the mileage is not listed in the
paper. I looked up the kbb and nada values for the same year SVX and
put 125000 in for the mileage and they both came back with private
party values in the high 4000's. So for 2950 would you say that this
is a good deal? Also, what I was wondering is what is the reliability
of the car because on my limited budget I don't want a car that would
need to be repaired often (my family already has a big enough hassle
keeping a 97 catera on the road). Also, I know that
Subaru says that the car requires premium fuel, I was wondering if
anyone has ever run their SVX on regular fuel for an extended period
of time, and if so, what the affects of this have been.
Thanks in advance
p.s. I might go and take a look at her today, is theree anything in particular other than the brakes, tranny, and wheel bearings that I should be looking for?
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  #2  
Old 01-24-2004, 11:19 AM
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petesvx2 petesvx2 is offline
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Just try and find out how well it was maintained. If it was taken care of like it should have been, you shouldn't have to worry too much. Of course if it's like a used and abused prostitute like mine was before I got it, you could be in for a few surprises along the way.

As far as gas goes, I normally use 93 octane, but If I'm short on cash, 87 works too. Haven't noticed any ill effects.
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  #3  
Old 01-24-2004, 11:57 AM
Shadow248 Shadow248 is offline
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That's an interesting question. I've never tried anything less than 92/93 octane in the SVX, because of problems that my family has had with putting lower octane in other "premium only" cars. I think it probably depends on the reason it needs premium fuel.

For instance, generally speaking, turbo engines require high test for it's detonation resistance. However my Trans Am requires premium fuel because of the detergent it contains. SFI is a pretty complicated injection system and can clog really easily. So I can put 87 in the car, and see pretty much no difference whatsoever. But i'm sure i would regret it when my injectors start to clog up around 100k.

I would imagine, however, that the EG33 needs detonation resistance...so I would say it's probably a bad idea to put anything less than 92 octane in there.
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  #4  
Old 01-24-2004, 12:01 PM
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Alycone Alycone is offline
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If you need a car with minimal and cheap maintenance, I'm afraid I can't recommend the SVX. The fuel is a minor financial concern compared to parts. The low asking price for a '93 makes me a little suspicious about the condition of the car.
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  #5  
Old 01-24-2004, 01:17 PM
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halistan halistan is offline
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my $.02

For the most part i use 91 in mine because its hard to find a place that sells 93 in this area...there are like 3 stations that carry it. I once was a little short on cash and tried 87 octane in it and I thought it sounded horrible. It knocked real bad, bad enough to make me never try it again.

Like others have said though, the fuel is a pretty minor concern. I have a 93 that i bought in 2000 for $12K that was in absolute fantastic condition with 110K miles on it. It now has 200K miles and over the last 4 years I have had to put something like$2-3K into it in parts alone. I had to replace half shafts, timing belt, exhaust repairs, etc. Mosts of the work I did myself....well with the assistance of Eddycat and good ole Dr. Kuo (another SVXer here in KC) but it is still pretty expensive. Then of course you have the regular maintenance like getting all new tires at the same time (since its all wheel drive), oil changes and the like which i didn't include in the $2-3K that i said i have spent. Its up to you.

If you get this car, expect to pay through the nose for it. They are a blast to own and I love the attention that my baby gets but she costs me more than any girlfriend i have ever had...except Marisa .

~Ray
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  #6  
Old 01-24-2004, 03:25 PM
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Like I said, if it has been well taken cared of, it should serve you, just as well as you serve it. So look into it's history, like I should have done. I found out the hard way when the tranny went.

As far as octane, there's a thread about it from awhile back, I use 87 once in awhile, and I notice nothing different from 92.
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  #7  
Old 01-24-2004, 06:31 PM
greg
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Wait a minute

You know I would say to follow your heart but I think in this situation, I am going to take the side of the SVX. An SVX, though gives mant trouble free miles, is not the car for you if you aren't even ready to commit to the octane rating suggested by the manufacture. That will be the least of your concerns. As mentioned it all depends on how well it has been cared for but all in all as the SVX gets older it will require repairs! These repairs/maintenance are very costly! Tires alone are at least $500.00! You can't replace one or two on an AWD SVX you HAVE to replace all four! This is just the start of the costs that will accululate. Even changing the spark plugs is expensive. If you use the factory recomended plugs you are looking a $100 for just the plugs then someone to install them (you can't bring it to the local shop to have this done that could cost thousands if they make a small mistake like dropping one of the wires) the plugs can be done at home but that requires removing parts and wheels to do this! I think that maybe an SVX needs more commitment than you might want (I could be wrong)
-g
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  #8  
Old 01-24-2004, 08:00 PM
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Maintenence like spark plugs can be done yourself. Sure it's a pain in the ass, but it is worth it considering the money you save. If you get all the info on the car and it has been well maintained, you shouldn't have to worry about anything major unless you abuse it.

As far as tires, mine cost me $400. Tires go on sale all the time at tirerack.com

Just think it through and get all the info you can before you commit yourself. Think of it as dating.
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  #9  
Old 01-24-2004, 10:43 PM
Ron Mummert Ron Mummert is offline
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Wink Re: my $.02

I have a 93 that i bought in 2000 for $12K that was in absolute fantastic condition with 110K miles on it. It now has 200K miles and over the last 4 years I have had to put something like$2-3K into it in parts alone.



Let's see Ray, four years, 90,000 miles, $3,000 in parts, "whatever" in labor. Yeah, I guess you could have bought a brand new "whatever" for $300.00 a month. That's $14,400.00 & I'll bet you'd still have to spend a few grand on something no matter what the warranty said.
And it STILL wouldn't be an SVX.

Ron (You pay for what you get, one way or another).
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  #10  
Old 01-25-2004, 12:28 AM
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petesvx2 petesvx2 is offline
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Re: Re: my $.02

Quote:
Originally posted by Ron Mummert



Let's see Ray, four years, 90,000 miles, $3,000 in parts, "whatever" in labor. Yeah, I guess you could have bought a brand new "whatever" for $300.00 a month. That's $14,400.00 & I'll bet you'd still have to spend a few grand on something no matter what the warranty said.
And it STILL wouldn't be an SVX.

Ron (You pay for what you get, one way or another).
Basically kinda sorta on the same page as what I was trying to get across in my original post.
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1992 Pearlie ... ??????k Sold 8/04
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1998 Acura Integra LS 74k Sold 1/07
2007 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner SR5 .04k!
2011 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab, 4x4 TRD Sport
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  #11  
Old 01-25-2004, 09:22 PM
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drivemusicnow drivemusicnow is offline
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really, the octane rating is going to be the least of your concerns, and yet could probably lead to more costly problems by taking the cheap way out... the SVX isn't a car for people who want an economy car... its just not economical... at all... that is a good price but like it was stated before, a lower price makes it almost suspect for some abuse. i'd say if you buy the car, plan for at least $1000 a year in repairs alone, and maybe make a "special suprise" bank account with an extra $1k for your svxs "special needs"... Its an amazing car and reliable... but only if its been well maintained, and not abused by either the previous owner, or (more importantly) the previous mechanic.
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  #12  
Old 01-26-2004, 07:25 AM
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If you do decide to get it, don't be cheap. Premium is only like $.10 more a gallon. If you are too cheap to pay the $.10 more for premium, the SVX is not a car for you.
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