Need your opinions

[svx6595]

I have looked at a 92 SVX with 107000 miles. Paint is in decent shape interior is clean. Tranny and wheel bearings are original, but show no signs of failure. Runs great. Needs front axles and leaks oil. It leaks lots of oil from the timing cover and crank seal. It definitely needs the timing belt and seals. What else could be problem? Is this car worth $5700. Any info would be appreciated.

Larry

[Seraph]

Originally posted by svx6595
I have looked at a 92 SVX with 107000 miles. Paint is in decent shape interior is clean. Tranny and wheel bearings are original, but show no signs of failure. Runs great. Needs front axles and leaks oil. It leaks lots of oil from the timing cover and crank seal. It definitely needs the timing belt and seals. What else could be problem? Is this car worth $5700. Any info would be appreciated.

Larry

Larry, I would not pay more than 4500 for the car. Regardless of the good tranny, the engine that leaks means the car could have been abused. A good owner will not let anything leak and to make the SVX engine leak is pretty bad. Be prepare to spend extra money on that car.

[svx6595]

My mechanic (father) says the leak looks fairly new but I think I am not going to buy it.

Larry

[Ron Mummert]

I haven't checked Blue Book values in quite a while.

1. Are you a do-it-yourselfer?
2. Figure to spend around $1,500 if you're not.
3. Does the owner have ALL records? Was the 60K & 90K service done?
4. How about other stuff? (tires, A/C, brakes, all accessories)?

I'd add up everything needed to pass your state inspection plus the obvious repairs, & subtract from the Blue book price. This may be more than the owner's asking! AND...you've still got a tranny & bearings with a lot of grey hair.

Hmmm... If you REALLY like the car & the owner appears to have taken care of it, offer 2K, & politely explain why.

Ron.

'92 LS-L 139,000, with remanufactured Subaru trans, new wheel bearings, upgraded icy cold A/C (134a), pristine leather, fine brakes, excellent paint, no rust, all working accessories, always regularly serviced, but with leaking cam seals, checked by two mechanics (one a Subaru tech). $5,000.

5,000 miles later I am still very happy. The car uses almost no oil, I got the seals done, plus plugs, timing belt and PVC, and it's the best ride I've ever had, my daily driver.

Have patience, get whatever looks good thoroughly checked by a competant, independent mechanic. You can always get prices for upcoming repairs and subtract that from the asking price. If you feel uneasy, walk away. If things don't make sense or you catch the owner in even a small lie, walk away -- there will always be other cars.

the oil leak there sounds like the cam seals. thats hat happened to mine, all of the sudden it just started leaking bad. On 92's the cam seals gave out whether you abused it or not. The constant heating up and cooling down made the neaprene seals crack up and crumble to pieces.