Doug, I'm buying a beater car and I need your input.

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boombexus

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I've been considering buying a second car. My reasons behind this is that I want something else to drive around when the weather turns bad and also something with a greater cargo capacity than my IS 300.
This will also enable me to leave the Lexus parked for the winter as those conditions are really killing the paint.

I'm considering purchasing a 1990 Subaru Legacy Wagon 4x4 from a guy that I work with. It's in decent shape and has just had new brakes and rotors put on. The sale price is $1,000 total in two payments of $500.
An insignifigant amount of money and if anything catastrophic goes wrong with the car, I'll throw it away or donate it to charity.

It will cost me next to nothing to insure it, ~$27 a month.

But I'd like to ask the all car knowing Doug, about the car first.

Doug, can you reach into your seemingly endless supply of general car info and gimme the break down on this car please. Predicted reliability, ground clearance and so forth.

The only thing in the back of my mind that is making me hesitant about the purchase is that I'm trying to relocate to another job. To where it takes me, I don't know. If I move somewhere that has a warmer climate year round which is my goal, then the car may be of no use to me.
 
Sorry to wade in here - they're pretty bulletproof mechanically - you've got to watch out for the usual 14 yo car stuff. Main things to look out for are CV joints, and other elements in the suspension if the car hasn't been looked after properly or driven hard - listen out for clicking noises when accelerating hard or turning. If it's been looked after, you shouldn't have too many problems.

The first generation Liberty/Legacy isn't the most refined thing - the boxer 2.2 is pretty gruff - so bear that in mind.
 
Thanks for your input vat!

This car is certainly far from refined. Body isn't in the greatest shape, but I really don't care about that too much.

Checking the CV joints is definately on the "to do" list. I'll be giving the car a test drive tomorrow.
I've driven it once before, just a quick jaunt around the block though.
Can you tell me how the clutch should feel? It's been some time since I've driven a manual tranny so I'm a bit out of touch in what should feel right.
I noticed that when depressing the clutch pedal, it will disengage the clutch right away while the rest of the downward stroke does nothing. Seemed kind of odd as it seems natural to depress the clutch fully to the floor. So conversely, there is a long way for the pedal to go when engaging the clutch. Just seemed to me that the clutch should fully engage/disengage halfway through depressing the pedal.

But I didn't notice any slipping and the clutch did engage crisply.

Like I said, It's been awhile since I've driven a manual, and I've never driven a manual Subaru so any input you may have on Subaru clutch feel would be appreciated.

Thanks vat.

P.S. - Doug's not the only one who can reply, I just wanted him to notice. ;)
 
Originally posted by boombexus

Can you tell me how the clutch should feel? It's been some time since I've driven a manual tranny so I'm a bit out of touch in what should feel right.
I noticed that when depressing the clutch pedal, it will disengage the clutch right away while the rest of the downward stroke does nothing.
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There should be 3/4"-1" of free play at the top of the travel before the clutch disengages. In other words, driving along at a constant speed, you should be able to move the pedal in and out about that far without the car noticing.

Most likely a combination of 2 things: normal clutch wear and a stretched cable. It may well be possible to adjust the cable like a bicycle brake in order to restore the proper action. But budget for replacing the clutch, particularly if the car is over 120,000 miles or so, which I assume it is.

My brother in law has a '92 Legacy wagon - 2WD even - that he bought used with 40,000 on the clock; it's up to 80 or 100k now. Most people would consider that their beater, but he's so weird that he's bought 2 or 3 cheap cars (Sentra, something else, even as Neon) as beaters so he could keep the miles off his beater Legacy!
:reallyodd:
 
I just got off the phone with Doug... He.... can't come to the computer right now, or something. But I told him about this post. He said sell the IS300 and get a WRX, or even an STi.

If you don't fall for that, I have an exhaust that you might be able to put on it.

Reading up on the clutch thingie. The WRX grabs in the middle but the very bottom doesn't seem to affect anything, but I don't know how that relates to older Subarus. Maybe it's set up like Cavaliers, the clutch grabs/lets go at the very top.
 
Thanks Duke! I definately expect some issues with it as the car is approaching 200K, but I'd be willing to fix minor issues. Anything major, and that car becomes a tax write off. ;)

Yeah, the clutch definately grabs/lets go at the very top. It engages and disengages cleanly, but it seems odd to me that it's at the very top.

So anyway Mike. You better start studying up on your Subaru mechanics cus when something on this car craps out on me, you're going to be fixin it.
 
Hah! I was the wuss that quit the dealership because I didn't want to fix cars. You do it your damn self. Or take it into Shortline, they'll probably rivet their emblem on your trunk while your there.

Sway bar comes tomorrow. Want to do an 11pm install with me Rob? :p
 
Haha, well, they would all be late night installs, like at 11pm or what not. Sunday night would be best. I need this sucker on. Quick.
 
Originally posted by neon_duke
There should be 3/4"-1" of free play at the top of the travel before the clutch disengages. In other words, driving along at a constant speed, you should be able to move the pedal in and out about that far without the car noticing.

Most likely a combination of 2 things: normal clutch wear and a stretched cable. It may well be possible to adjust the cable like a bicycle brake in order to restore the proper action.

... so he could keep the miles off his beater Legacy!
:reallyodd:
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I'd suspect you just need to adjust the cable - one thing about the AWD drive train is it's going to find out a slipping clutch pretty quickly.

Ahh, duke - sounds like a Subaru convert. Think of Volvo enthusiasts, except with decent handling.
 
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It's no Sable wagon. :D

This Legacy's first year was 1990; it ran through 1994. Its only available engine was a 130-horsepower 2.2L 16-valve flat-four (though a 160hp turbo debuted for 1991) which I'm not crazy about for reliability. While it's true that the 2.5L flat-four has been a strong engine, the 2.2L is fairly average - JD Power's dependability (4-5yrs) and reliability (1-3yrs) ratings for the body, interior, and engine give it only three stars of five - in the category "does not really stand out." Also, there were five recalls of the Legacy in the 1990 model year, the most significant of which affected nearly 104,000 cars.

Ground clearance for the AWD sedan is 6.7", which seems to be about an inch and a half over your Lexus. I don't really know the figure for the wagon, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was slightly higher.

The EPA rated the fuel economy for the manual at about 23mpg (20/26 - and 20/25 with the 4-speed automatic), which is very mediocre for a 130-horsepower car. Cargo volume was 36 square feet with the seats up which is even more than the current Legacy and Outback wagon. The car doesn't have much stuff on it, but for a 14-year-old $1000 car, you probably aren't expecting too much . Standard features include 4-wheel disc brakes (ABS was optional as part of a package on the L model and as a stand-alone option on the LS model), power locks and windows, a tilt steering wheel, a rear wiper and defroster, automatic seatbelts, an AM/FM radio, power steering, 14" tyres, and a 5-speed manual transmission. Optional was air-con, cruise control, an alarm, fog lights, and a cassette player. Airbags were unavailable, but automatic seatbelts took their place.

My advice is that it's a decent buy for just $1000, but if it's the thing that's going to keep the Lexus in the garage all winter, you might be wise to check out an Impreza AWD 2.2 (1995-2001), though it'll be more expensive. That said, since a friend owns the Legacy it's readily available.
 
Thanks Doug. Informative as always.

But you are indeed correct, it is no Sable Wagon. But the headlights do wrap around. ;)
 
Originally posted by boombexus
Thanks Doug. Informative as always.

But you are indeed correct, it is no Sable Wagon. But the headlights do wrap around. ;)
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Yeah - but unlike the Sable wagon and Mercury Villager, the whole unit didn't light up. Consequently it didn't look like a UFO - definitely a drawback.
 

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