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#1
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To new or prospective SVX owners
Here I offer the maintenance and repair records on my silver SVX. I paid $1800 for this car in August of 2006, with an odometer reading of 154,273 miles. I've logged 19,500+ miles in local routine driving and occasional 250 mile road trips. Valve cover gaskets and front seals (and hopefully the timing belt) had apparently been replaced by a previous owner. Safe bet that a PO also took the hit for a radiator and rear wheel bearings. It's bone stock, tight, ultra-quiet (excepting occasional chatter from a heat shield at speed), rust-free, and strong. It exhibits less-than-artful collision repair to the nose, needs paint and a host of minor things such as dash bulbs and sun visors. All-in-all, it's probably a fairly typical example, thus this list may be of interest to those with, or considering, a car of similar age/mileage:
69,780 mi. transmission replaced (receipt came with the car) 154,301 mi. battery replaced 154,320 mi. air filter replaced 154,375 mi. oil and filter changed power steering fluid changed rear wiper blade replaced 154,445 mi. four-wheel alignment tires balanced and rotated 154,456 mi. radio antenna assembly replaced (used) 154,472 mi. transmission fluid and filter changed differential lube changed (both) 154,500 mi. rear wiper motor assembly replaced (used) 154,665 mi. front wiper blades replaced 154,739 mi. fog lamp bulb (right side) replaced 156,924 mi. oil and filter changed PCV valve replaced front wheel bearings (both) replaced front ABS tone wheels (both) replaced right-front ABS sensor replaced power steering high-pressure hose replaced 157,228 mi. window master switch replaced 158,718 mi. throttle position sensor replaced 159,600 mi. ignition switch replaced tires (4 Cooper CS4 Touring, V-rated) 160,000 mi. oil and filter changed steering rack replaced AC compressor/receiver replaced (R-134a) power steering return hose replaced 162,773 mi. front sway bar bushings replaced oil and filter changed 170,732 mi. hood support struts replaced 170,750 mi. right-front brake hose replaced oil and filter changed transmission fluid and filter changed tires balanced and rotated 170,767 mi. alternator and drive belt replaced 173,100 mi. right low-beam headlight bulb replaced 173,770 mi. rear strut mounts and spring seats replaced Bold-type items were goners; other stuff was PM/wishful thinking. I have a shift lock control unit, trunk struts, and breather hoses in the garage, waiting to be installed on some warm Saturday. Add a starter relay to the to-do list. It bothers me not knowing the age of the timing belt and I'll probably tend that in the coming year. In short, there's always something as a matter of routine. Candidly, I'm crazy about this car but lack the resources and motivation to treat it as it truly deserves. You should budget accordingly. dcb |
#2
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
Thanks for the detailed synopsis. After nearly 5 years of ownership, I've contemplating listing out the same, but have yet to do so. SVX ownership can prove to be expensive.
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1991 SVX L JDM |
#3
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
I'm frankly afraid to list everything. The wife might find it!!
Glenn
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" Aaron Burke 1993 25th Anniversary Edition #63 of 301. R.I.P. Rojo 7/24/2008 She saved my life! 1997 Ebony Mica Pearl LSI. BLACKBERRY 1998 5-Spd Legacy GT Wagon in Glacier White: NUBURU 2005 Cadillac STS in Sandstorm Metallic: STORMY Veteran and farthest traveler of 1st SoCal2MuseumsMeet2010. http://www.subaru-svx.net/photos/user.php?RojoRocket |
#4
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
Owning a SVX is like owning a boat. Your happiest days are the days you bought the SVX and the day you sell the SVX.
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Lwin M. Maung (Member # 147) Current SVX: • NONE Previous SVXes: •1994 LE Barcelona Red 107k • 1992 LS-L Pearl White 143k • 1994 LSi Bordeaux Pearl 220k • 1992 LS-L Ebony Pearl 184k • 1992 LS-L Liquid Silver 145k • 1992 LS-L Liquid Silver 102k • 1992 LS-L Ebony Pearl 123k Other current cars:•2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Black If at first you don't succeed, CHEAT!
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#5
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
yikes! i've done very little to the ebony svx in 33 months / 61k miles of ownership, but the things i have done have been major.
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Kenneth 1997 Subaru SVX LSi "Svetlana" #185 of 640 - 09/1996 - Polo Green Pearl - 34k miles 1992 Subaru SVX LS-L "Everett" #8738 - 01/1992 - Ebony Pearl - 139k miles - 5MT shifty - Sold 07/31/2011 1992 Subaru SVX LS-L "Sven" #1599 - 05/1991 - Claret - 168k miles - Traded 05/11/2005 2023 Subaru Crosstrek Limited CVT - Crystal White Pearl - 2.8k miles 2021 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited CVT - Horizon Blue Pearl - 17k miles 2023 Volkswagen Jetta S 6MT - Pure White - 2.6k miles 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Limited EV - Ceramic White - 30k miles |
#6
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
It's awful that the SVX can be picked up for a fraction of its upkeep cost. These cars are going to die away as they are bought by people who aren't aware that they're probably going to pay the difference to maybe $7k-10k to keep it from becoming (or remaining) rolling (or not!) junk, and don't follow through with that expense.
It's not an $1800 car in the conventional sense!
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Disclaimer: The above post is on the internet. |
#7
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
Understand, I don't think this is a bad record for an eighteen year old, eighteen hundred dollar car. It's a real-world example. Folks should be mindful that it takes money, constant care, and more money to keep ANY old car rolling.
The more I spend on these things, the longer I figure they've got to stick around and earn their keep. dcb |
#8
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
Quote:
"Owning a SVX is like owning a boat. Your happiest days are the days you bought the SVX and the day you sell the Boat."
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. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19 |
#9
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
I'm not currently using any of my cars mostly due to economic circumstances, but for a complex top end car they are not all that expensive to own and run, at least in relative terms.
They DO need the attention to detail shown by dcb to keep them right, and in that respect they are possibly not the ideal student vehicle if the money for this maintenance is not available. Just to illustrate how an SVX is expensive to run in Ireland [as opposed to expensive to service and maintain] here are some running cost comparisons for you. Annual insurance $1150 Annual road tax $2150 Fuel currently costs 1.25Euro per litre. In US terms that is approx $1.77 per litre and is $6.69 or so per US gallon. So to fill the car up would usually take $115 or thereabouts. Considering that when I was using the SVX as a daily driver I normally got the equivalent of 17 or 18 mpg in US gallons, high mileage in the SVX is an expensive business. So it continually amuses me that in the US there are so many young SVX owners and SVX drivers. Trust me when I say that in Ireland or in England there are NO/nada/zilch/zero students driving SVXes. Joe
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Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing Betty Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K Jersey Girl @ Mersea Candy Purple Honda Blackbird Plum Dangerous White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI. Vantastic 40,000 miles Jersey Girl |
#10
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
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Since then I have spent well over that price in just mechanical repairs: replaced the sparkplugs(Guy who had it before me only replaced the passenger side and he used the wrong kind), right rear brake caliper and rotor(due to caliper seizing up), Transmission(due to shearing front diff and nonworking AWD), MAF(due to stalling), timing belt(due to breaking), idlers and water pump(preventitive), Camshaft and sprocket(due to broken timing belt), coil packs(one was going bad replaced them all),driveshaft(broken front u-joint),front axles(due to vibration). Car now has over 200,000miles on it and it runs great, but it is sad knowing that the value of my car doubles when I put my bicycle on the roof rack! |
#11
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
i could make my list for all my cars...
it would make me cry deeply considering I cannot sell my silver for an 1/8th of what I have in it in parts alone.... Long story short... only a n00b would own one Tom |
#12
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
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I think that a lot of owners on here are original owners, or have owned their car for many years, and may be upset about this car's depreciation. I get that. But let's face the facts; the cars aren't worth nearly what we tend to think they are, and that opens the door to a lot of new owners with much smaller budgets. I think this has lead to a lot of animosity here, and that shouldn't be the case. My car is worthless to anyone but me. I bought my car to own it, not as an investment. Much like many of the SVXs being sold today, mine has reached it's final owner. Resale doesn't matter a bit to me, so as long as I can keep it on the road for a reasonable price it will live on. My message to old or original SVX owners is: Don't worry that somebody with less money is getting into your exclusive club. Own you car and enjoy it. You'll never recoup all of the money you've put into it, but in reality that shouldn't matter as it's still cheaper than buying a new car. Someday these cars might end up on Barrett Jackson as a big ticket item, but until then if somebody wants to pony up for a cheap used car and it croaks on them such is life. That doesn't devalue your experience, so don't let it get to you. Attrition is a fact of life, and it is not the fault of people buying into the market that these cars are dying off. They just aren't worth what they used to be.
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'92 LS-L "Bandit" #362 formerly dark teal, repainted by prev owner Mods: ECUTune 2v7f, Earthworm bushings, Pioneer DVD/Bluetooth phone, Infinity Reference all around, tint, 17" wheels, custom seat belt computer, velcro visor Buying parts is like car payments. Someday she'll be all mine. |
#13
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
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Last edited by Bohler; 01-20-2010 at 06:36 PM. |
#14
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
I was a 19 year old poor college student when I picked up my first SVX (the 92 claret). Honestly, I did not know what I was getting into at the time. I wouldn't dare calculate what I've put into that car. (I'm sure other people here have dropped more money into their cars than I have.) Even though I was broke, I worked hard to keep the car running. Thankfully the people on this network (and on the other forum) and my car nut family have helped along the way. I have people ask me almost everyday why I insist keeping these cars. Somedays I wonder why I don't trade them in for a newer car. Today I was reminded why I still own this particular SVX (and the other one). I have been away for about 4 days. Driving about 1,100 miles round trip in a Nissan Frontier. When I got into the SVX, I just felt "right". I know this sounds cheesy but it's truly how I feel. I guess what I am trying to say is that there are many people who buy these cars because they are cheap. They expect a cheap first car/beater/commuter, but realize they aren't when parts start breaking. But, there are still some people (like me) that buy these cars and turn into enthusiasts.
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Rebecca 92 Claret SVX LS-L (180k) 09/91 #5,732 06 Suzuki Boulevard M50 7k 68 Cadillac Coupe DeVille (70k) Storage/hibernation for now. Past SVXs: 94 SVX Emerald Pearl FWD (Sold) 96 SVX Bourdeaux LSi (Sold) 92 Pearl SVX LSL "Stay Puft" 5MT (140k) #148 (RIP) 95 Brilliant Red SVX LS (162k) 12/94 #564 "Killer Tomato" (RIP) |
#15
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Re: To new or prospective SVX owners
Yikes!!
At the risk of sounding like im bragging.... I "won" mine from a charity auction for $1126.... with little defects aside from the sunburnt finish, and 135,000 on the odometer. Since then, May '08, I have spent roughly $400 on repair (not counting body parts from my recent crash). My biggest problem was my waterpump going out.... but I did the labor myself so perhaps my figures are partially skewed. Im also not counting my EGR code, as it doesnt affect drivability or smog. Im now at 146,000 miles.... so besides gas and routine maintenance not added to the $400...... 11,000 miles divided by $400 repairs, equals just under 4 cents per mile in repair costs. Not having a car payment and the required full coverage means my car is almost paying me to drive it. Maybe im just lucky? Its a real shame that the car is ultimately going to be done in by lack of parts availability.... its such a pleasure to drive and I have never enjoyed a car on the freeway and long trips as I have my SVX. |
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