1988 Subaru GL-10 Automatic Turbo full time 4WD wagon w/ sun roof and roof rack

[jsyme]

Ok team,  

 

Sell me on 'to buy' or 'not to buy'.  I need some reliable wheels for my wife after our recent hail storm totaled our commuter cars.

 

I presently own a 1991 Loyale 5-speed manual wagon 4WD in really good shape, and a 1989 GL 5-speed manual wagon 4WD /w lo in really rough shape, and I'm considering this "1988 Subaru GL-10 Automatic Turbo full time 4WD wagon w/ sun roof and roof rack" that just appears on CL in Colorado.  We can all drive a stick just fine, but this one appeared as an auto... ok, it's less desirable, but we can work around it.

 

* I love not having automatic seat belts like the 91 loyale is equipped.

* I'm HUGELY adverse to rust and I'll be doing a complete review before I make an offer.

How easy are these to convert to 5-speed manuals with 4 lo trans and diff, computer and cables?

Do the turbo fail and hard are they to replace? Does just having the turbo installed make it less reliable generally?  I've read negative reviews so far.

 

Buy it?   walk?  

Give me some options please.  The price is reasonable for the year and it comes with a spare stripped H-4 engine - sitting in the trunk.

 

 

 

[john in KY]

I'd buy it having owned 2 turbo wagons. Lots of folks slam them but have never owned one. The 88 will have the 4EAT transmission, not the 3-speed. Foolish to swap it out for a manual. 

 

Edit: My 90 turbo wagon ran 12 lbs of boost for over 100K miles. Sold it around 250K miles and it was still running strong enough the new owner was able to rip the front differential out of it doing burn outs. 

Edited August 8, 2016 by john in KY

[DaveT]

I haven't had a turbo one.  With the cooling system being barely adequate on the non turbo ones, just be extra diligent about everything about the cooling system.  Make sure all of the coolant hoses are replaced [7 on a non turbo]

Make sure the radiator is in like new condition, not blocked, fine fins all attached to the tubes, water flows through it properly.  Fans work, all that.

[jsyme]

Thanks DaveT and Jonh in KY!   My wife voiced her opinion (positive) about liking 4EAT transmissions today. I was unaware of both.  I'll take extra precautions about the coolant requirements. Is there a known crossover from a larger radiator that fits the GL?

[Subaru_dude]

Had an '89 turbo wagon with the 4eat. Awesome car. I replaced the original radiator with a single core and replaced the thermostat with a SUBARU thermostat and drove it for a few months and sold it back in 2007. Appeared at a junkyard just last year. Seemed to be a great running engine, and boy is it nice to have that extra gear.

[john in KY]

The point made about the radiator is valid. I won't trust the radiator now in the car and would just replace it with a new one. Far as I know, no other radiator is a direct bolt in. 

[DaveT]

I have used the 2 row turbo radiators in my spfi wagons for years, as they are rated for slightly higher heat transfer than the 1 row oem non turbo radiators. The 2 row are very hard to find now. I have to look into getting one recored.

[jsyme]

Well it got away. I'll keep my eyes peeled for another one. - thanks everyone.

[jsyme]

The car got away, but the "spare engine" remains for sale.

It's 1.8 H4 Turbo but only the lower end.

If I levered it into my 1989 GL D/R 5 speed manual - wouldn't I need the appropriate exhaust as well?

(I've never messed with turbos before. Thanks all!)