What Subaru to look for?

[SuperJeepster]

Ive been toying with buying a Subaru for YEARS. I think in the next couple months I may bite the bullet and buy one. I want a wagon, a stick, a high-low t-case, and fuel injection. Ive also seen that Subaru offered turbo models, and I am a boost junky . But all these I have seen are auto's without a low range. Is this how they all came? What is fair to pay for one of these wagons? I will probably sell my DD neon to purchase a Subaru. Do they get decent MPG?

 

I'm wanting a Subaru to do mild offroading. Well, mild to me and probably wild to most of you! ha ha. Ive been running my '70 Jeepster since I was 16 and It has seen its fair share of the nasty stuff. The body tells lots of stories . I'm really wanting something to drive down to my wifes family cabins thats 150 miles away to do some light off roading, and do some exploring in the lower valley. I want something that will challenge me alot more then my Jeep. Unless there is alot of mud or snow it will go about anywhere.

 

I hope you guys can awnser my some of my questions, and Ive attached a pic of my Jeep too!

 

[TheLoyale]

Nice looking Jeepster! Been a while since I've seen one of those.

 

As for a Good Subaru with a 5spd and D/R and being Fuel Injected, look for a 1987-89 GL wagon. Those will have the EA82 SPFI. As for a Turbo EA82, there are pros and cons to them and I would just stick with a EA82 Non-turbo. With the EA82 engine you will have two timing belts (One per cam) if you don't care about Fuel Injection look into getting a 1980-'84 GL wagon, that would have the EA81 engine (Internal timing gears, no belts) the EA81 is a more bulletproof engine and a lot of people like this engine more. Either engine are very reliable and get decent gas millage.

 

And yes, any 80s Subaru with an Auto will not have D/R as they are push button 4WD.

 

Hope some of this helps you and good hunting!

 

-Tom

[hatchsub]

All automatics were single range. When you say you only found turbo models with autos are you talking about the EA81 body style (83.5-4). Those only came with autos and made 95 hp compared to 74 for the carbed version. I personally would look for a 83-87 brat or a hatch for a wheeler. Most will tell you to find a hatch because of the shorter wheel base than other EA81 cars.

[WASHroad]

Newbie to the Soobie ride, but have some input. From what you say, '87-89 GL wagon, 5 speed will work. As you know bigger wheels need more HP. With that being said I am going to try and use the stock 24" and see what happens on the logging roads. Like you, I have a well built Jeep(TJ) and picked up the Soobie as a new project/toy. I get picked up this '88 for $350 and got it running, then dropped on the black rims and destudded some snow tires.($140 wheels/tires) I get 28-30 mpg as a DD and have about 7K miles on it since getting it going. There are tons of lifts and mods here to help. Nice people with alot of knowlegde. Me I would stay away for turbo and update to a newer EJ2.2 for the needed HP's if bigger tires are required. That is off in the furture for me. Here is a picture of my GL. Oh total costs as it sits is under $800 bucks.

[SuperJeepster]

Why is there so much hate for the turbo motor? Is it just the fact its more complicated then a NA motor? I've been working on turbo 4's for years and understand the In's and outs. They don't scare me, like some mechanics who jump to "the turbo is bad" or "its broken because of the turbo". Ill probably end up buying a NA and boosting it anyways. I like HP! I tend to drive my Jeep with my left foot :-p

[Nomad_Brad]

Where did you score these sick rims at?

 

 

 

Nomad

 

[TheLoyale]

The reason why so many hate the EA82T (Turbo) is due to the fact the heads will crack between the valves (Which is not a big deal) but they also tend to warp. Also the Cooling system on the EA82T is a little "ify"

 

As for needing more HP for larger tires, non-sence! The 90hp 1781cc EA82 SPFI engine with a 5spd will turn over 30" tires easily, even my 3AT can turn over larger tires at interstate speeds and I can get up to about 85mph at around 4100rpm. So power is not the issue.

 

If you are looking for a great wheeler, then the EA81 Hatch is the way to go in most ways, lighter and shorter - but wagons are just badass.

[hatchsub]

Why is there so much hate for the turbo motor? Is it just the fact its more complicated then a NA motor? I've been working on turbo 4's for years and understand the In's and outs. They don't scare me, like some mechanics who jump to "the turbo is bad" or "its broken because of the turbo". Ill probably end up buying a NA and boosting it anyways. I like HP! I tend to drive my Jeep with my left foot :-p

 

There are a few members on here (turbone comes to mind ) that have been running the EA82T with success but at a cost. The problem with the turbo EA82s is that they are over 20 years old now and most have not been cared for the way they should have. If they overheat once or twice you can kiss your headgaskets goodbye. They didnt make all that much power stock which is why most people will tell you to just drop a EJ in and get a bit more reliability and power with no turbo. I have seen both sides of the coin and would personally not buy one but if i did find one in awesome shape..i might change my mind.

 

As for the EA81T, its was a fairly rare motor that has a lot of hard to come by parts. The heads, intake, and all the sensors are specific to it from what i reacall. It uses a flapper maf and only made 95 hp which stock is almost not worth the gain over an N/A especially if you just do a few power mods to the EA81.

 

In the end its up to you. If as you say your not scared of turbo 4's then by all means. Im going to come right out and say it...i run a weber on a EA81 N/A for the simple reason thati like it simple lol.

[TheLoyale]

Very true, and there are also people who say the EA82 is a bad engine. In my experience, this EA82 has never let me down ever and I've never had to spend much to keep it going. Just do preventive maintenance and the engine will keep going.

 

Same goes for the EA82T. Turbone is proof of this.

 

There are a few members on here (turbone comes to mind ) that have been running the EA82T with success but at a cost. The problem with the turbo EA82s is that they are over 20 years old now and most have not been cared for the way they should have. If they overheat once or twice you can kiss your headgaskets goodbye. They didnt make all that much power stock which is why most people will tell you to just drop a EJ in and get a bit more reliability and power with no turbo. I have seen both sides of the coin and would personally not buy one but if i did find one in awesome shape..i might change my mind.

 

As for the EA81T, its was a fairly rare motor that has a lot of hard to come by parts. The heads, intake, and all the sensors are specific to it from what i reacall. It uses a flapper maf and only made 95 hp which stock is almost not worth the gain over an N/A especially if you just do a few power mods to the EA81.

 

In the end its up to you. If as you say your not scared of turbo 4's then by all means. Im going to come right out and say it...i run a weber on a EA81 N/A for the simple reason thati like it simple lol.

[doobieryan]

I have a 75 ford pickup and its a beast. Its never got me stuck in anything and i love mobbing it. I got my 82 ea81 wagon about 5 months ago and i love it. Its a lot cheaper to work on and its never let me down. And like you said, its a little more of a challenge to take it where they get the big trucks, but its a blast. And its really fun to work on. I would say go with an ea81 car just cause they're simpler and more reliable. But you wont have the 5 speed dual range tranny. It will be a 4 speed dual range. But its really easy to swap in the 5 speed d/r and cheap too. If you go to Seattle or spokane ever there are u-pull junk yards where you can get a tranny for about 50 bucks.

So welcome to the world of subaru and have fun!!

[GeneralDisorder]

Why is there so much hate for the turbo motor? Is it just the fact its more complicated then a NA motor? I've been working on turbo 4's for years and understand the In's and outs. They don't scare me, like some mechanics who jump to "the turbo is bad" or "its broken because of the turbo". Ill probably end up buying a NA and boosting it anyways. I like HP! I tend to drive my Jeep with my left foot :-p

 

Based on what you are asking for - you do not want a turbo. Parts are harder to find, they crack heads and blow gaskets. Everyone that has thought "I'm not like those other guys" and tries to run them meets with epic fail. There are only a handful of exceptions and in all those cases the costs to do it were far more than just putting in an EJ22 with more power and no turbo. Add a turbo to the EJ22 and it will take on 5psi without failure (on a used engine typically) and give you back 200 HP. Which you will struggle to get from the EA82T even after thousands of $$.

 

Funny enough - the best way to get what you want an insure you know it works right is to build it yourself. If the ultimate plan is to have a turbo D/R 5 speed car then perhaps you *should* buy an EA82T wagon and then install a non-turbo 5 speed D/R transmission. Then when you inevitably decide you must have an EJ22 in order to keep your intestinal bleeding to a minimum then you can drop in an EJ22, boost it to 5 lbs and have a wonderful car.

 

If you want a pure off-road machine you will ultimately be dissapointed with the EA wagons. You will want an EA81 Hatch. That's where this will go for you. Been there and done that. The wagons are too heavy and the wheelbase is too long. The hatch is the platform of choice for lifting and wheeling. People do it with wagons too but most of them have never wheeled a hatch so they don't understand the differences till they see one in action. And there's quite a few people that just lift them for looks and really didn't need to for functionality so it doesn't matter to them.

 

The EA81's (80 to 84) are a way more practical choice off-road. All they need is a fuel injection retro-fit or an EJ22 transplant to make them more capable than any other 80's Subaru platform. That goes for wagon's, Brat's, and Hatch's or the rarer sedans and turbo coupe's that were 4WD.

 

GD

[SuperJeepster]

I can defiantly see where the hatch has a advantage. Shorter wheelbase and much better approach and departure angles. That said, I NEED a wagon. I want to be able to drive this 150 miles to my wifes in laws cabin, and run around down there. Between me, the wife, and our daughter we cant make everything fit in our 08 avenger. I figure I will have to add a roof rack to the wagon, but I should be able to make it work. I also really want FI. I don't mind carbs, my Jeep has one and I swear it will run upside down. But for a DD, and for going off road I think the FI will be a better bet. I will pass on the turbo models. A swap to a newer better motor that will be about 200hp on 5psi makes ALOT more sense to me too.

 

Im also a fabricator by trade, and looking at lift kits and stuff on here, I can build everything I have seen on here. But then again... I don't want to get to extreme I cant DD it. I already have 3 or 4 cars that fall into that category! besides, when it gets really nasty I can take the Jeep!

 

Anyone want to trade a subie for a beat up purple neon coupe?