first post question

[dynomatt]

The other difference with the later model cars is the airbags and transmission improvements. In my opinion (and it's shared with others), the newer ones are better. Keeping in mind that I don't think any of LAN's stuff works on the Australian spec cars...dessertrunner has had to get a USDM ECU to run the supercharger kit. Australia doesn't have the same emissions laws as the US, so standalone ECU's are more common.

I've never seen a black one that was locally delivered (there's an an import and it's almost a very very dark red mica that looks black)...I think the updated colour list is right.

Apparently there is a yellow one in Australia...there's a couple of the bright red ones and a handful of the maroon ones (I can check whether the Crimson is bordeaux tonight when I check my colour code for you guys) and a few Polo green ones (like moshols).

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

The other difference with the later model cars is the airbags and transmission improvements. In my opinion (and it's shared with others), the newer ones are better. Keeping in mind that I don't think any of LAN's stuff works on the Australian spec cars...dessertrunner has had to get a USDM ECU to run the supercharger kit. Australia doesn't have the same emissions laws as the US, so standalone ECU's are more common.

I would not disagree with what you say here. It stands to reason that the newer models have improvements.

However, there is another reason why the OBD 1 cars are more user friendly The keen owner who wants to monitor and work on his own car, that owner can draw down all the trouble codes using the plug-in wire trick and by reading the blinking power light.

So far as I know, and I have never owned an OBD II car [yet!! ], this can not be done for the newer cars. You have to buy and plug in a code reader to see what trouble you may be having. Over this side of the universe anyway, it is as well to know a good bit about your SVX. Even the best of Subaru main dealers have never seen one, and when they get you and your car inside, you are paying for all the hours at full rate while their mechanics learn on your car as a guinea pig.

Call me paranoid, but I have the bills to prove it

That scenario makes me nervous. At least with OBD I you can tell them what you think the problem might be, and save some of their time and your money.

To me anyway that comfort is worth having. If you have a Subaru Master Tech in your local dealership who has owned two SVXs himself, obviously then go for the newer model.

Joe

[dynomatt]

Mine is an Australian spec 1995....how do I know if it's OBDII because mine still has the code-reading function?

Matt

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by dynomatt

Mine is an Australian spec 1995....how do I know if it's OBDII because mine still has the code-reading function?

Matt

Phil knows a good deal more about these OBD protocols than I do [belha] so he may chip in what he knows.

So far as I know OBD II cars have a diagnostic plug near the steering column. I'm not sure if it is close to the wiper park switch, or on the other side near the coin tray, but it's in that general area.

Joe

[dynomatt]

I suspected as much...in which case, the Australian spec (similar to JDM perhaps??) were all OBD I as this port is not present in my 1995. Meaning modification, tuning and self diagnosis should be possible for all Australian models.

M

[svxistentialist]

That could well be the case Matt.

The terms OBD I and OBD II refer to on-board diagnostics as they were applied to the European and the US markets. OBD II was an imposed standard. The purpose was to standardise the diagnostics, so that different dealerships could have a reader that would decipher the trouble codes of any make of car coming their way.

As the cars were getting more complicated electronically [look at the number of computers in the SVX, and it's a '91 released car!!], the manufacturers tended to keep adding complexity so that the buyer was constrained to deal with the main dealer for servicing. This guaranteed profit by trapping the cars to the dealerships. That's why OBD II came round as a world standard, so that the main functions could be read by any dealer to get your car sorted.

Around that time the Japanese had their own version of the OBD standards. I'm wondering if this is the variant in your Australian cars.

Phil? Can you throw any light on this??

Joe

[b3lha]

As far as I know, no OBD2 SVXes have been seen outside of America.

Arthur's UK 97 didn't seem to have an OBD2 connector. I seem to remember reading that the standard was not mandatory in Europe until 1998, by which time the SVX was out of production. I don't know about Australia or Japan.

[brumbyrunner]

Has it really been 6 months? Where does the time go?

I still don't have definative proof that the elusive black (235) cars were ever sold in Aust. So I thought I'd drag out my old thread to see if anyone else can shed some light on the matter. I do have some photos of a black one in the UK that have only convinced me more that black is the colour for me. Failing that I will probably end up with a graphite (222).

[svxistentialist]

We would all like to know these facts.

Already on the Network we have compiled lists of various colours available, and their codes.

Some of this information is gleaned from individual market brochures. These brochures sometimes give the colour options for what was available when the cars were sold.

Because this is based on an assumption, then it is not really "hard" or definitive information, but it is possibly safe enough to be going on with. As with all things in life, because something such as a colour is offered as an option does not dictate that that colour actually sold, or sold in any numbers. Blue SVX's seem to be scarce everywhere. Also yellow.

With absolute certainty no 222 graphite cars were sold in the US.

Joe

[JDW-SVX]

Originally Posted by brumbyrunner

I still don't have definative proof that the elusive black (235) cars were ever sold in Aust.

As far as I know, Australia did not get black SVXs. The closest colour would indeed be code 222 (Charcoal Grey).

However, I should point out that the Charcoal Grey colour is quite dark, and many people think that it looks black!

The distinction between the grey paint of the body, and the black paint of the trunk lid can only be seen when the light hits the body at the right angle!

Jason.

[brumbyrunner]

I guess by proof I meant that someone off the board telling me they've seen one or they own (owned) one or they know someone who has one. And it's for sale, cheap, has been fastidiously maintained by it's elderly original owner who drives it once a week (sigh).
There are some really good deals in NZ but it's not worth the hassle to import them.
I'll keep waiting for the right one to come along. It's not a car I need, I probably have too many already, just something I'd like.

[brumbyrunner]

Originally Posted by JDW-SVX

As far as I know, Australia did not get black SVXs. The closest colour would indeed be code 222 (Charcoal Grey).

However, I should point out that the Charcoal Grey colour is quite dark, and many people think that it looks black!

The distinction between the grey paint of the body, and the black paint of the trunk lid can only be seen when the light hits the body at the right angle!

Jason.

Thanks Jason, I see what you mean.

I am going to inspect a charcoal (I thought it was called graphite?) in a few weeks time. The photos I have been sent are taken with the car parked on very green lawn so it looks odd. If it looks better in the flesh, I'll probably buy it.

[brumbyrunner]

I have discovered a Silver Aust. delivered 1992 model with black roof and boot (trunk). The paint code is 215. This can be described as definitive proof!

Could someone please update the colour chart to reflect this. Also might want to change the Graphite listing to Charcoal if that is what people know it as.

[AUSVX]

There is a full black rundown SVX up the road from my house AND that yellow SVX that someone was talking about... Subaru in Alexandria (in Sydney) told me that the owner lives in Coogee (Eastern Suburbs, Sydney). I don't think Subaru are allowed to spill the beans about where people and their cars live for privacy reason but Oh Well...

On another note, does anybody know where to get bonnet gas struts regassed in Sydney?... The boot gas struts are gone too but the bonnet ones are very important, I've spoken to Subaru Alexandria and they want $109ea strut.

Jordan.

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by brumbyrunner

I have discovered a Silver Aust. delivered 1992 model with black roof and boot (trunk). The paint code is 215. This can be described as definitive proof!

Could someone please update the colour chart to reflect this. Also might want to change the Graphite listing to Charcoal if that is what people know it as.

Brumbyrunner, thank you for the new information.

Can I ask you for some clarification? The car you say was Australia delivered, and has paint code 215. Can you verify if this car has three colours, black roof, silver bodywork [Liquid Silver] and grey panels below bumper level all round?

It will make sense if it has, as some of the ads and brochures we have seen for Australia have shown pictures of the three-tone colours.

Regards changing the name from graphite to charcoal, we would be happy to do this with a little more research. The LH column has the code of the paint, plus the name of the paint as marketed. Fuji used the exact same paint code with different paint names in different markets/countries.

Can anybody from Australia tell us what name Fuji gave to paint code 222 on Australian sales brochures? This is the name we would prefer to put into the Aus / NZ column. If this name is Charcoal, fine. If this name is Graphite, that's fine, that's what we will use.

What we would like to avoid is using a name that people pluck out of thin air, because it's close. These names will only add to confusion if they differ from factory or market spec.

Joe