The Dude Abides Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Kinda overwhelmed with work here. Heater and cooling system need taken care of. Rear wheel bearing is being a pain in the butt. Header pipe is way loose of the head now and is louder then a raccoon getting attacked buy mountain lion. It backfires because of this. Tensioners are going bad, driverside front cv shaft is clicking like mad. Throttle sticks when its super cold out, doesnt idle high at all and cant fix the cold stalling. Its just being a pain in the butt right now. I passed a 88 caprice classic today. Just got me thinking about how much easier it might be to just get something different. 20 years old and 200k miles. This thing aint no spring chicken anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hardtail_pride Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I debate selling mine sometimes so i can buy an old jeep Cj. Maybe even a commando if one were to pop up. I like the idea of crusing an old jeep stock set up. But then freeway sometimes is out of the question. Its a rough decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I'd EJ22 it! No more hassle So your really thinking of buying a Craprice? Its not a bad car - but really. Then you won't be a Subaru owner anymore But it is up to you I wish you well Ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Just get a first gen Legacy. It's the right thing for you and your family. You'll love them trust me. Even compared to the 2nd gen Legacy's I would rather have a 90 to 94. They really cheapened them up in '95. EA82's are for kids, the clinically insane, people with too much time on their hands, and any/all combinations of the above. Under all but the most severe circumstances, there is no justifiable reason to operate an EA82 vehicle with it's OEM engine. And unless it's an RX or something - there's no reason to swap them either unless you live in an area where you can't get an EA81.....even then I would seriously rather just lift a Legacy. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eulogious Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I would EJ it, but only if you like the actual car. If it has all the options and creature comforts that you like, why sell it? If you want more options and don't really like the car, maybe it's time to move on. But I would get another subaru, not a GM product!!! Come on man! I jest... I am partial to the ea82 wagon, but that's just me. I think the legacy are too "big" for what I want. The ea82 seems smaller/lighter and I like that. Again, that's just me. When my ea82t finally goes out on me, I am throwing in an EJ like no other I also really like my car, so I am kinda attached to him, so I will show him some more love before I give him up. For the wife, I am trying to talk her into a legacy when we sell the Kia, but we shall see... I love Subarus and I am going to ALWAYS have at least one in the family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantes Inferno Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 (edited) Why sell, is 500 bucks at the most really gonna make a difference? You could spend 800 and the old boy will be kickin with an EJ and fresh driveline if u put a little work in. I mean for 1300 your still gonna being buying someone elses problem. And for the record, ive owned 4 ea82 wagons, 1 xt turbo, 1 three door gl coupe, 1 5mt 1st gen legacy sedan, 1 5mt swapped 1st gen legacy wagon. I find the ea82 cars are just better. I mean the legacy is nice for its power, brakes, suspension... but I guess I just like the farm equipment better haha. There is more character, things are simple, and I like being able to pull and engine and then trans without a hoist just 4 sets of sturdy hands, just 2 for the trans. Edited December 23, 2009 by Dantes Inferno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Ben - I completely understand your frustration with Guido at the moment - been there with Hildy. But honestly, with a lttle bit of effort & the box of parts I have here waiting to be shipped & maybe a little help from local friends, you CAN get him running much better. (would be happy to add Hildy's tensioners to that box as well...) I cant tell you how much it is paining me to be taking Hildy apart - we have been thru sooo much together - nearly 10 years & my first Subaru - it's like seeing one of my best friends die slowly. At least I can take comfort in knowing that parts of her will live on in other Subaru's - she has become an organ donor!! Hildy made it to 265,000+ and was still running very strong - it was the cancer that has taken her out. If you do decide to move on I would have to second the 1st gen Legacy - as much as I loved Hildy, she cant hold a candle to "Cherry Bomb" - my 1990 Legacy LS wagon - in the creature comfort or power catagories. The only thing that would make Cherry any better would be the 5spd AWD tranny instead of the auto... The EJ22 is NOT hard to work on at all - was a little intimidated at first, being MPFI, but have found it isnt as bad as i thought it would be. It is still a non-interference engine, so no major worries there, timing belt is not hard (only one instead of 2) and parts are usually much easier to come by, depending on what you are looking for...rear wiper seems to be an issue tho. Whatever you decide to do is entirely up to you, but i think those of us here hope you will stay in the Subaru family! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 exactly spot on. Gen1 (90-94 is the best years) I have had a handful of them and by far they were the best...... if i only had my 94 turbo wagon back.....or the 92SS, or the 93 SS, etc......... Just get a first gen Legacy. It's the right thing for you and your family. You'll love them trust me. Even compared to the 2nd gen Legacy's I would rather have a 90 to 94. They really cheapened them up in '95. EA82's are for kids, the clinically insane, people with too much time on their hands, and any/all combinations of the above. Under all but the most severe circumstances, there is no justifiable reason to operate an EA82 vehicle with it's OEM engine. And unless it's an RX or something - there's no reason to swap them either unless you live in an area where you can't get an EA81.....even then I would seriously rather just lift a Legacy. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivantruckman Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 EA82 Blues , Sing it Brother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 well you can easily and cheaply keep the EA82 running. sometimes it helps to just crack down and knock out a few major annoyances with a car at one time. get a game plan for the coming weeks and you might feel a lot better about the car. a newer EJ would be nice. but that's also an expense and getting further behind never helps. and another used car is likely going to need something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 well you can easily and cheaply keep the EA82 running. sometimes it helps to just crack down and knock out a few major annoyances with a car at one time. get a game plan for the coming weeks and you might feel a lot better about the car. a newer EJ would be nice. but that's also an expense and getting further behind never helps. and another used car is likely going to need something. Exactly!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 Thats the other thing, i would ej it but then youve got the engine and the electricals to mess with. Its not the engine thats the biggest pain in the butt its the fact that it needs more work. If i had money i would just buy something else and keep this on the backburner fixing stuff as i go. But the problems keep mounting on this thing and as soon as i fix something 1 or 2 more problems get worse. I duno, i like gm products and i know caprices are rock solid for the most part. I cant afford to have my vehicle down and i can barely afford to fix it. These are the problems i face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 And the 2nd thing is that i dont think i can get much out of this. So im pretty limited on what i can buy for around 500 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 What kind of problems are popping up? Got any examples? Another used car is going to have just as many problems if not more for the 500 dollar price tag. To get a caprice or a buick or something like that for 500 bucks its going to be rusty and have high mileage most likely. That = undependable if u ask me. What i would do truthfully, that no one else on here suggested is go EA81. Its a step down in hp to an extent but a step up in simplicity. There is far less to go wrong on the EA81 than a EA82. Ive been DDing a EA81 for 5 years and once you fix a few things that will be bad its very dependable. Just stay away from the autos if you go this route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 23, 2009 Author Share Posted December 23, 2009 And your right hatchsub i would be getting someone elses 500 dollar problems. But i dont have money to fix the stuff thats wrong now, let alone find another engine. And that caprice wasnt in that bad of shape but me pumping up a chevy on a subaru sight really isnt cool so............... It was a total piece of garbage man. I was doin donughts around it, (actually i was). Just venting, it still gets me from a to b for right now. Wish i had the money and seemingly time to fix what it needed done. Oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akc Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I know how you feel the caprices we have had we have barely put any money into and they ran forever. on the other hand my EA82 Subaru we have put around $2000 (exhaust system, radiator, timing belts, water pump, oil pump, fuel pump, head gaskets, hoses, exhaust manifold gaskets, wheel bearings, CV joints, carb work, alterator, tires, various bolts that have worked out of the engine or been stipped and helicoil parts (50 for head bolt helicoil kit and almost nobody sells 11 metric kits)sending units for oil pressure, new thermostat (several in fact) in parts (not including labor)in the last year and seem to be working on it every weekend. but the parts are easy to install. When my caprices went it was rods which were alot harder to fix and it was worth more money even non running (we got $600 for our caprice with a rod through the block in 97 it was a 77) We bought the caprice in 90 for $1000 and got 7 years out of her with I think tires and maybe a alternator?? with never being stranded on the side of the road even when the rod went we landed in my sisters driveway and immediatly had transportation home. It had lots of bells and whistles and got about 20 mpg (same as my subie)(it was also completely restored when we got it. On the one hand I want to sell mine too but then we have almost replaced everything but the engine and tranny (ok that is a exageration) and what more can go wrong right?? Besides I cannot even begin to get my money out of it. I almost want to keep it just so I can see what happens next. (the body of mine is in great shape and the engine only has 190000. only bummer is no 4wd) I have thought of the 90's legacys but right now my spouse does not want to see anything subaru. I do however love the 5speed tranny and do not really want to see another automatic for a while. I love my subie but....Cash is a consideration too. I do not know how much longer I can keep fixing it. I do like the fact though that 4 tires where only $300 versus $200 each.. I love driving it though and it is not the boat that the 80's caprices are and I love the ease of manuverablity. (my 77 caprice was a wagon too but it was almost like driving a suburban it was so big. )I got it running for now though so I will probably drive it until it dies again. (I do need to flush the heater core again I have no heat again)When its running I love it. my mom bought a caprice (92) 2 years before I bought my 86 gl, She has had nothing break on it since they have had it 3 years ago..... it is tempting. Sometimes transitions are hard but you got to do what you gotta do. all cars do have problems..I think I would deal with a bad head gasket any day before fixing a bad rod. We switched to the subaru last year because I was sick of American cars and there Trannies going out. We have had our 90' ford with 100,000 need a new tranny and our 96, pontiac needed a new tranny at 100,000 and at 200,000 that isn't cheap either. now our 65 Dart that has a newer tranny is leaking fluid... GRRRR. Come to think of it our subarubans have almost all had the Trannies replaced somewhere along the line too.and we have replaced exhaust systems on EVERY Chevy we have owned. (especially the caprices we have had 3 caprice classics, 3 suburbans, 6 Dodges (1 truck 2 van 3 cars), 3 fords (all vans), 3 buicks, 2 pontiac, 2 subarus, and I know I am missing some in the 17 years we have been married. (I think there was a few hondas but do not remember them well) that does not include the cars someone gave us and we did not keep. 2 ford feistas 1 ford truck, a pontiac car etc..) everything has its own issues you just need to be prepared to pay and fix the costs. IT seems the subaru has minor issues and American cars when they go it is major...probably not always true but it just seems that way. just whatever you do do not buy a 90's dodge car they had tons of recalled parts (but they are not fixing them) and a friend just spent 5,000 in parts and labor to get hers running again (hindsight is 20/20 she would have sold it if she would have known) most of the parts were recalled but the way the recall was worded they would not pay for it....I think it was a stratus with about 100,000 miles.TO be honest I think the best car we have owned was the buicks the engines never had issues no minor parts went but the accessories that was where the issue, power window went, trunk leaked, Ac went, radio went, power mirrors fell off, molding fell off, and it was only 10 years old and well taken care of)power seats broke.It got to the point it was annoying car ran great but all the options you bought it for fell apart...We called it the self deconstructing car. just weigh the costs and check out out the bad of any vehicle before you buy one. Those 90 subarus are looking better all the time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akc Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 if you watch creigs list you could get a 90's legacy for about 500 if you found one with the heads or timing belt toast. I have seen several of them recently (of course that was Tacoma Seattle creigs list) There is one right now that is really temping I think $450 in bremerton just needs a radiator.(probably needs heads) Also most people won't buy them with the heads gone and there is a good chance you could get a newer one with blown head gaskets or the timing gone if you offered them aroun $500 for it or under just a thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 this is about the best deal going in this part of the country http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/1521893233.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'84 Flat-Four Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Let's find The Dude a Soob!!! Not close, but a good drive away there are these: St Louis, 2 Soobs for $500... need work... http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/1521800848.html Betcha this one just needs timing belt (non-interference): http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1513363048.html Bring a trans with you for this one: http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1518297517.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 And your right hatchsub i would be getting someone elses 500 dollar problems. But i dont have money to fix the stuff thats wrong now, let alone find another engine. And that caprice wasnt in that bad of shape but me pumping up a chevy on a subaru sight really isnt cool so............... It was a total piece of garbage man. I was doin donughts around it, (actually i was). Just venting, it still gets me from a to b for right now. Wish i had the money and seemingly time to fix what it needed done. Oh well. I didnt mean to sound like i didnt like american. Im all for american and have a restored IROC camaro. Ive also driven everything from a 87 cadilac (moms) to a 96/01 lincoln continental (dads) to a 61 corvette (uncles). All are awesome cars for one reason or another but all are old and therefore will have problems. You will just be trading problems for problems at this point with a 500 dollar price limit. I think it would be best to stick with a car that your familiar with. It may have problems but you know what they are. If it is still getting you from point A to point B, then keep it going and fix the problems when they arise and when you have the money to fix em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 (edited) I have been in your same shoes Ben.. And I can say.. sometimes you have to do what you have to do. We all know this is a Subaru sight.. but I can also say...from owning the 50+ cars that I have..all makes and models.. that even though our roos are dependable.. they can become overwhelming quickly on the other stuff.. I drove an 89 Plymouth Acclaim for 3 years and all I ever did was change the oil.. NOTHING else.I had a 75 Silverado.. got it for $300 needed a driveshaft.. drove it for 2 years without anything but oil changes. I can not say that about any of the 12 Subarus I have had... except for my 08 and thats because.. well.. its new. They always seem to need an axle or a TB or a wheel bearing etc.. The only plus is they are the shade tree mechanics dream since they are so easy to work on. You will do what you know is right and do what you want. Like what I did.. selling my Legacy to someone who needed it more and liked it more then I did..and bought the Amigo..which was a great deal no matter how much this board wants to bash me about it. Dont forget.. no one here has seen what you looked at and can only go by opinions and assumptions. Edited December 24, 2009 by Bucky92 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 (edited) yeah i cant wait for a subaru drivetrain in a honda. oil changes, gas, thats it, for over 225k miles. I cannot go without AWD now i have tasted it, my driveway won't work with fwd only. Plus the safety factor of how Subaru is far superior in crash testing, all the way back to the ea81 cars, subaru is a much safer safety cage structure than Honda, GM, isuzu, etc.. I have never had an accident ( i am 35) its the safety to protect me from the normal people who crash a car every 3 or 4 years......I live around them, work with them, save me from being killed in a crash by them...I know my driving skills are superior in comparison, so give me the car to protect me safely, and Subaru is the car. Plymouth 1 or 2 star. Gm= 3 star.... Subaru, 5 star, and believe me, the old subaru's are where they got the structure of current cars from, they are tanks, yours, etc. Most other cars, not safe in comparison. Caprice, maybe 1 star at best... Ho HO Ho. Edited December 24, 2009 by bheinen74 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akc Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 My spouse used to drive tow truck and he has seen that. THey are VERY Safe and do not roll often. unlike the ford explorer or Jeep that tend to roll in almost any accident. We bought our Suburbans for that factor too unless you are in the 3rd seat you have a good chance of ending up in one piece and not rolling. Every car has its bonuses you have to get the one that is right for you. The caprices are fairly safe especially if you get a older one. (compared to a GEO they used to call them coffins at my spouses work. The other bad one was VW buses they tend to catch on fire. ) the newer ones are OK. Then there are the 90's ford Vans that spontaniously catch fire (I knew 2 people it happened to now the part is recalled but if you buy it used you don't know if it has been fixed or not. I do tend to like american made too. MOST of them have a good working history. You do not have many choices though if you need AWD or 4wd. but you would be amazed at what some of those american cars will do in the snow. We had friends that lived on top of a mountian in PA (steep hill for those western washintonians.) they had a caprice wagon (80's) and had little problem making it up the hill in the winter. (of course they did need a running start.) but they were the only family on the hill that could make it without 4wd. they did fill the back with bricks though. however I can tell you you would not like the 65 Dart my son has it is horrible in the snow it fishtails all over of course the cool tires do not help. it has a LONG rear end and you hit a mud puddle and it is all over the road. Even my 2wd subaru can almost go anywhere. (I know it is not the same as 4wd I want one of those) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted December 24, 2009 Share Posted December 24, 2009 I have only driven true 4WD or FWD until recently..and one of my best bad weather cars was my 96 Ford Taurus wagon.. used it for a delivery car when I lived in upstate NY. That thing went through snow that was up over its hood without missing a beat. Nice thing though.. I have extensive hours behind the wheel in bad weather..between the mountains of PA and upstate NY. Like I said.. I know those here are opinionated..some just wear blinders more then others...Ben..you get what you want and dont let others talk you into something you wont be happy with. I learned this a long time ago. Between working on the 50+ cars..I also owned a towing company and worked in a JY, I have as many hours behind the wheel as most over the road truckers.... and this is whats important.. Its what you want. If that means fixing Guido..then do it.. or if it means selling him to get something else..then also do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dude Abides Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 See i wouldnt give up guido but again just in a rock and a hard place is all. He need s so much work. "This caprice i knwo nothing about and probally wont get it but im just saying. When you feel youve got no where to turn sometimes. I need a good loan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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