Potential First time SVX Owner

SubaROO · #1 06-11-2009, 01:36 PM

Hello SVX World

.

So.. a bit of background on me.

My name is Ray, I'm 18, and headed to college in the fall. I've been into cars for as long as I can remember, because my father has always been in the industry. I myself am partial to muscle cars, but know I could never afford one at my age. I'm a dreamer, but I have a pretty good grasp on reality.

Anyway, I was leisurely browsing my local Craigslist and I happened upon an SVX. It's listed for $1900, is red, and is front wheel drive. According to the owner, the car has 123k miles, and the original transmission.

However, I did a lot of research on the cars (how I basically came to find this website).

I think the transmission issues go without saying, because every forum you see mentions them a thousand times in some way shape or form. Should I be wary of this car's transmission, since it's got a fair bit of miles on it, and expect failure soon? Or is there a chance that this car is good to roll for a good while to come?

Also, I saw something on the wheel bearings, but I couldn't find anything about that issue on FWD cars, only the AWD. Is this true, or should I worry about those too?

I really like the SVX. They look amazing. And I'm well aware that it's not some Honda Civic POS with a hundred million bolt on accessories from every catalog in existence. I don't want this. I want a good looking unique car that I can trust to take me to and from work, and to college classes.

P.S. My name actually works on two levels. My childhood nickname was (well, no, it still is...) Roo. So SubaROO seemed clever at the time.

NiftySVX · #2 06-11-2009, 01:48 PM

My FWD SVX had the wheel bearings replaced on it under warranty back in 1996, there is no difference in the bearing or hub assy in FWD vs AWD because the FWD, which is the variant (all of these cars were originally intended to be AWD, FWD was an afterthought) uses a stub axle in the back, which is basically just what you would imagine they would use to plug the hole where the AWD has an axle. When I converted to AWD, I simply removed the "stub" and inserted the actual axle.

As for the transmission, all of the front wheel drive models arrived late enough in life to receive all of the transmission updates, which makes them far better than those fitted in the cars older than MY 1994. The front differential, however, is not particularly tough and will fail if abused. This is usually easily rebuildable, even more so because you can pick any ratio of final drive you fancy. I would imagine a 4.44 FWD would run pretty good, especially with a hot rodded trans and converter done by LAN or level 10.

I would love to have another FWD

Manarius · #3 06-11-2009, 02:52 PM

Transmissions on the FWD cars are fine. Put on a cooler for good measure and you'll be good to go.

My AWD car has 185k on the stock transmission and it doesn't run half bad.

SubaROO · #4 06-11-2009, 04:21 PM

Awesome. So a FWD one would be fairly reliable for me?

The car is a 1994, by the way. If that affects anything.

Manarius · #5 06-11-2009, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubaROO

Awesome. So a FWD one would be fairly reliable for me?

The car is a 1994, by the way. If that affects anything.

In 1994, Subaru removed the screen inside the transmission that was causing a lot of the trannies to overheat and cook themselves up.

This doesn't change the fact that you should still go with a transmission cooler as a precaution.

SubaROO · #6 06-11-2009, 07:30 PM

So how difficult would this be to install?

Or, more practically for me: how much would this cost at a shop?

nsm484 · #7 06-11-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubaROO

So how difficult would this be to install?

Or, more practically for me: how much would this cost at a shop?

The Install of a Trans Cooler is pretty easy... and the amount of people who have one installed here, you could easily get any questions answered fairly quickly.

The hardest part of the install is the location, But there are many that have done it, in different places, and have written different How-To's.

I plan on adding a Trans Cooler soon myself on my 96 now that the Florida heat is starting to kick in, and I am driving her every day.

A shop would be able to install it without a problem, as its a fairly easy job, But, its one of the easiest things, I think, you can do yourself to prolong the life of the trans

P.S. Welcome to the Forums!
P.P.S. Going to JU eh? you will be less then 2 miles away from me!

SubaROO · #8 06-11-2009, 08:15 PM

Hey cool! So maybe I won't be the only one in Jacksonville with one if I can score it.

I'll check out a few of the how-to's around here. Might be something I could do with the help of my father. He's been in the auto industry for like 20 years.

nsm484 · #9 06-11-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubaROO

Hey cool! So maybe I won't be the only one in Jacksonville with one if I can score it.

I'll check out a few of the how-to's around here. Might be something I could do with the help of my father. He's been in the auto industry for like 20 years.

There are a few in town, only one SVX (currently isn't running) owner that I know of is on the forum here, and its a 5spd.
And he lives just down the road from me.

Once you come to Jax... if you arn't able to pick that one up... I can always give ya a ride in mine, so you can see how they look, feel, etc. In person.
And, you can always look at my Poor Yori, who took a nasty hit, but keeps on driving!

Also, While you are here. There are 2, that I know of, SVXi for sale close by.
so check the Classifieds here.

One in Orlando, a Beautiful Pearly, and one in GA, thats a 5spd.

So look around, don't make a Hasty choice as I did with my first SVX (Ebony Mica 92)

Take your time, save your cash, and you mite find a beautiful one that you thank yourself everyday for buying (As I with my Calista!)

SubaROO · #10 06-11-2009, 08:52 PM

I probably can't afford that white one. I saw it on ebay though. Nice ride.

Got a link for the one in GA? How far from JAX is it? I sort of need a car before I get up there, but I might be able to convince a family member to take me to it. Ya never know.

nsm484 · #11 06-11-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubaROO

I probably can't afford that white one. I saw it on ebay though. Nice ride.

Got a link for the one in GA? How far from JAX is it? I sort of need a car before I get up there, but I might be able to convince a family member to take me to it. Ya never know.

Location: "Georgia (near Atlanta)"

Its about 5 hours away from jax (shorter if you have a heavy foot

)

Linky: http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/showthread.php?t=50219

AyeJaye · #12 06-11-2009, 08:59 PM

I have almost 150K on what I'm 99% sure is my stock transmission (car is a 92), and with exception to a few minor symptoms my transmission is still in stellar shape.

Oh yeah, and welcome to the forums!

nsm484 · #13 06-11-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AyeJaye

I have almost 150K on what I'm 99% sure is my stock transmission (car is a 92), and with exception to a few minor symptoms my transmission is still in stellar shape.

Oh yeah, and welcome to the forums!

Update your Sig

AyeJaye · #14 06-11-2009, 09:08 PM

Oops...

Blenderhead · #15 06-11-2009, 09:16 PM

I'd stay away from a FWD car. When I first got my SVX, the transfer clutch was fried, so it just never sent any power to the rear wheels. Anything more than feathering the throttle from a stop, and it would light up the tires. And got forbid you got on the gas in a turn! Fixing the AWD made the car handle like its supposed to. Also, learn to work on your own car. These cars are pretty rare, and to most mechanics that means they want lots of money for anything that goes wrong. Learn to do your own maintenance and minor repairs, and ask other people on the boards for help when you don't know what a problem is or how to fix it, and an SVX will make a great daily driver to get you through college. If you don't learn to do that though, it will likely nickel and dime you to death.

Also, as for a muscle car for a daily driver, the novelty of that will probably wear off after about a month. I daily drove an old firebird for about a year back when I was 19, and it was cool that people would always come up and ask about it, but you don't always want that, and you don't always want heat from the engine coming up through the floorboards, and having to slow down to 15mph to take a turn, and wind noises, and hard starts on cold days etc. Muscle cars are fun, and I eventually did get another firebird, but for a daily driver, you want sound deadening, comfortable seats, power windows, definitely AC in florida, oh yeah, and its nice when you don't have to hit the brakes for that turn coming up because your AWD car can carve up the corners with many newer much more expensive cars. That part never gets old!