Help me find my joyride

[nighthawk2006]

Hey Everyone. I currently am working full time and commuting about 50 miles a day. I have a car that i use for my daily drive but have been really bummed about putting the extra miles on my DD over the weekend. I am looking to get a adventure subie for the weekend. I live in Colorado so i am always up in the mountains. I do go lightly offroad (nothing crazy) just to get to hiking trails. Im wondering what peoples opinions are on the ej22 legacy (1990-1994) or the ej22t? Im looking for something relatively low rent that i can beat up. Does anyone know if the first gen legacy turbos are reliable? And any subie recommendations are welcome! Thanks everyone.

[colemanapp]

Very reliable, non interference timing belts as well. My experience is only with the turbos, I have a 91 SS and a 94 Turbo Wagon. The wagons only came with automatics and mine feels kinda sloppy but its tight for what it is. I would think an EJ22 na wagon with 5 speed would be the best you could get for your purposes. 

[wtdash]

^+1

Decent '91-'94 Turbos are going to be over your 'low rent' budget....If you can find one that's solid mechanically but seen better days cosmetically, you might get it for less...but stay away from Rusty Rigs.

 

The problem w/your location is the ELEVATION. The NA Subarus are weak in the big Mtns, but reliable. A 5-speed will help a bit.

 

The mid-90's EJ25D/ 2.5 engines are not recommend due to HG issues, but would handle the hills better. 

Edited January 24, 2017 by wtdash

[nighthawk2006]

Very reliable, non interference timing belts as well. My experience is only with the turbos, I have a 91 SS and a 94 Turbo Wagon. The wagons only came with automatics and mine feels kinda sloppy but its tight for what it is. I would think an EJ22 na wagon with 5 speed would be the best you could get for your purposes.

Thanks so much! Are the turbo models expensive to keep running? I'm going to ask the same question below. I used to have a 06 wrx that was a massive hole in my wall. If these turbos are pretty basic to take care of I'd prefer one of them. Is it expensive to keep yours running?

[nighthawk2006]

Very reliable, non interference timing belts as well. My experience is only with the turbos, I have a 91 SS and a 94 Turbo Wagon. The wagons only came with automatics and mine feels kinda sloppy but its tight for what it is. I would think an EJ22 na wagon with 5 speed would be the best you could get for your purposes.

I hate the 2.5 liter haha (had a 06wrx)

[colemanapp]

Theyve both been reliable cars. The 91 SS has a little crank noise from when I bought it 1.5 years ago. Same noise but no issues whatsoever. I used it the first 6 months and really just raced it around on gravel, then I gave it to my son who's off at college with it. We put 17000 miles on it so far, no issues despite what was called 'crank walk). 185000 miles on that one. The 94 wagon only had 115000 miles when I got it last year. Its got 138000 miles. I broke the original timing belt idling in traffic but just had it towed home and put a new timing kit on it. They both leak a little from the cams and power steering pump. I've had a lot of cars and driven a bunch of miles in my 40 years of driving. I'm sold on these first gen legacies. 

[1 Lucky Texan]

consider a turbo Forester?

 

my one-owner 06 WRX has only had a major issue with the 5MT - so far. But I think a USED WRX would be the riskiest of all turbos, likely some kid has already reamed it out.

[nighthawk2006]

consider a turbo Forester?

 

my one-owner 06 WRX has only had a major issue with the 5MT - so far. But I think a USED WRX would be the riskiest of all turbos, likely some kid has already reamed it out.

. Looking for something under 3k. Just found a legacy turbo for 2500!

[idosubaru]

turbo's are less reliable/more work - it's simple math and physics.  more parts, failure modes, heat, compression.

can mitigate some of those things as preventative maintenance and then you're just left with a generally reliable engine with pricey turbo and block. 

[lmdew]

Lots of good options for under 3K.  

Pick up a 93-2000 Impreza OBS, manual trans and put some Forester struts on it for a nice lift and you have a great Subaru that will go just about anywhere.

 

No need for a Turbo, more work and less reliability.

IMHO

[nighthawk2006]

turbo's are less reliable/more work - it's simple math and physics. more parts, failure modes, heat, compression.

can mitigate some of those things as preventative maintenance and then you're just left with a generally reliable engine with pricey turbo and block.

Good call. Do you know the reliability on these in general though? Obviously it's totally subjective but I just want to know overall how was the car holds up

[1 Lucky Texan]

Subaru has been making turbocharged vehicles for - what? - 30 years or more?

 

problem is, you're shopping used and the turbo adds another expensive and risky item into the formula (along with the engine and transmission) for finding a 'good' used car. probably finding an experienced shop that could do a prepurchase inspection would be worthwhile - I think a tech can drop the pipe and at least check the turbo shaft for play. Any tubo car that has been abused (poor maintenance or lead-foot behavior) will be more risky than an NA. If turbo parts are ingested by the engine - it's very costly to repair.

Edited January 24, 2017 by 1 Lucky Texan

[nighthawk2006]

Subaru has been making turbocharged vehicles for - what? - 30 years or more?

 

problem is, you're shopping used and the turbo adds another expensive and risky item into the formula (along with the engine and transmission) for finding a 'good' used car. probably finding an experienced shop that could do a prepurchase inspection would be worthwhile - I think a tech can drop the pipe and at least check the turbo shaft for play. Any tubo car that has been abused (poor maintenance or lead-foot behavior) will be more risky than an NA. If turbo parts are ingested by the engine - it's very costly to repair.

this is such a good point. I have a really good shop here in boulder colorado called suparupair boulder. I would definitely go to them.

[lmdew]

My Last 98 OBS had 330K on it and was still going strong when I sold it.

Current 2000 OBS has 245K and runs great.

 

Easy to maintain.  

[lmdew]

Here you go.

 

http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/5971509626.html

[nighthawk2006]

Here you go.

 

http://cosprings.craigslist.org/cto/5971509626.html

LOL SICK! I ended up getting a loyale! Love it!

[nighthawk2006]

My Last 98 OBS had 330K on it and was still going strong when I sold it.

Current 2000 OBS has 245K and runs great.

 

Easy to maintain.  

Damn, do you do anything in particular of just change fluids a lot? thats a 2.2 liter engine correct?

[lmdew]

Yep, 2.2.  Keep the fluids full, change oil every 3K other fluids every 2 years or as needed.

[colemanapp]

I have a Loyale too. Its what got me into getting subarus. That thing is not only indestructible but also indispensable. you're already at the right website for some great info on that car. Enjoy it.  

[rocketman]

Older 2.2 easy to work on,worth its weight in gold.

[rocketman]

Also,I am running 97 2.2 with 5-speed Manuel trans could not be happier.

[biggman100]

Here is my 2 cents, for what its worth. I have had more than 20 Legacy wagons and sedans (yes, im a bit rough on cars), going all the way back to 1992, and, for the mountains out west, the best car i found was a 1994 5 speed, of which i had two, and still have one, although it is beyond showing its age. Maintenance on them is fairly inexpensive, as well as easy to do, and if you are like me, and tend to not follow maintenance charts, arent as problematic as other cars. By that, i mean, i went 9 months on a 1994 5 speed daily driver, that had an oil leak, and in that time, got 1, maybe 2 oil changes, went 6 years on the same antifreeze, until it blew a hose, and, as far as i can remember, only had the trans fluid replaced maybe 3 times total, and that car is now my wifes rally car, with 422,000 on it. The 95 and up 2.5 cars are more touchy, although not a bad as others about maintenance. A close second would be a 1995 or 1996 Outback, but only if it has had a 2.2 swap done. The reason i say that is due to engine issues with the 2.5, notably head gasket issues, but, the 95 and 96 cars, due to ECM programming, are better suited for the mountains, even with an automatic

[nighthawk2006]

Here is my 2 cents, for what its worth. I have had more than 20 Legacy wagons and sedans (yes, im a bit rough on cars), going all the way back to 1992, and, for the mountains out west, the best car i found was a 1994 5 speed, of which i had two, and still have one, although it is beyond showing its age. Maintenance on them is fairly inexpensive, as well as easy to do, and if you are like me, and tend to not follow maintenance charts, arent as problematic as other cars. By that, i mean, i went 9 months on a 1994 5 speed daily driver, that had an oil leak, and in that time, got 1, maybe 2 oil changes, went 6 years on the same antifreeze, until it blew a hose, and, as far as i can remember, only had the trans fluid replaced maybe 3 times total, and that car is now my wifes rally car, with 422,000 on it. The 95 and up 2.5 cars are more touchy, although not a bad as others about maintenance. A close second would be a 1995 or 1996 Outback, but only if it has had a 2.2 swap done. The reason i say that is due to engine issues with the 2.5, notably head gasket issues, but, the 95 and 96 cars, due to ECM programming, are better suited for the mountains, even with an automatic

Damn this is really good info. My dad has a 96 legacy outback with the 2.2l and has almost 270k on it. I find it completely amazing that his car ran better than my wrx that had 100k on it. Gad i got rid of it!

[biggman100]

I routinely keep cars, at least, the ones we dont wreck racing them, until 400K or more, and have found that the 2.2, at least up until 98, will last that long. We even have an 04 Impreza sport (with a SOHC 2.5 though) that has became her daily driver, and with how much she drives (as well as how she drives, since she thinks regular driving should be a qualifier for a rallye race lol), already has 300K on it, and the only things i have done are TPS (which is how i got the car, because the TPS was shot, and was somehow showing all kinds of transmission codes), Starter, due to the PO putting the wrong one in, and then the normal wear and tear stuff. 20 years ago, i was living in the midwest, when a guy gave me my first subaru, because my Mazda caught on fire, and after my experiences with just that car, i have pretty much owned nothing but Subaru since then. If you are mechanically inclined, you can try and find a car the way i do, thereby potentially saving a ton. I buy cars that need work, thereby getting them at a much lower price, some examples being, a 1997 Outback with a 2.5, that had blown the cam gears and timing belt, 2 years ago, and after replacing the cam gears and belt, has lasted my mom more than 2 years, and i only paid $500 for that one, or, my work car, which is a 97 Outback i bought and swapped a 2.2 in, and even with transmission issues, i have driven over 10,000 miles in just the last year, that i snagged for $400. My wifes 04 Impreza i paid $1400, put $300 in it, and insurance says is still worth around $5,000. One thing i do tell people, is that, even if the car has higher miles, dont overlook it, as long as you can at least get some kind of idea of the work that has been done by the PO, if they are honest. I have bought cars for $600 that have lasted as long as my wifes 94 rallye car, even with the way she drives, which is a whole post by itself. Granted, buying them that way can also be a crap shoot, and maybe im just lucky, but except for 2 cars i can think of, have never really had a bad used Subaru buying experience, even with the really cheap cars, but i also buy them knowing ahead of time that they will need work. Moral of all this, i have never even considered buying a new Subaru, because of my experiences with the older cars, and how well they seem to hold up, even in the snow and salt covered roads of upstate N.Y., where i live now.

 

For clarification though, i was born in the southwest, and have lived everywhere from the southwest, to the northwest (Seattle), to the northeast and everywhere in between, and still have friends and family in many places out west, such as Reno, Boulder, seattle, and even Alaska, and i never fly anywhere, i always drive, and have driven my cars from upstate N.Y. all the way to Juneau Alaska, going different ways, including through the rockies.

Edited January 26, 2017 by biggman100

[nighthawk2006]

I routinely keep cars, at least, the ones we dont wreck racing them, until 400K or more, and have found that the 2.2, at least up until 98, will last that long. We even have an 04 Impreza sport (with a SOHC 2.5 though) that has became her daily driver, and with how much she drives (as well as how she drives, since she thinks regular driving should be a qualifier for a rallye race lol), already has 300K on it, and the only things i have done are TPS (which is how i got the car, because the TPS was shot, and was somehow showing all kinds of transmission codes), Starter, due to the PO putting the wrong one in, and then the normal wear and tear stuff. 20 years ago, i was living in the midwest, when a guy gave me my first subaru, because my Mazda caught on fire, and after my experiences with just that car, i have pretty much owned nothing but Subaru since then. If you are mechanically inclined, you can try and find a car the way i do, thereby potentially saving a ton. I buy cars that need work, thereby getting them at a much lower price, some examples being, a 1997 Outback with a 2.5, that had blown the cam gears and timing belt, 2 years ago, and after replacing the cam gears and belt, has lasted my mom more than 2 years, and i only paid $500 for that one, or, my work car, which is a 97 Outback i bought and swapped a 2.2 in, and even with transmission issues, i have driven over 10,000 miles in just the last year, that i snagged for $400. My wifes 04 Impreza i paid $1400, put $300 in it, and insurance says is still worth around $5,000. One thing i do tell people, is that, even if the car has higher miles, dont overlook it, as long as you can at least get some kind of idea of the work that has been done by the PO, if they are honest. I have bought cars for $600 that have lasted as long as my wifes 94 rallye car, even with the way she drives, which is a whole post by itself. Granted, buying them that way can also be a crap shoot, and maybe im just lucky, but except for 2 cars i can think of, have never really had a bad used Subaru buying experience, even with the really cheap cars, but i also buy them knowing ahead of time that they will need work. Moral of all this, i have never even considered buying a new Subaru, because of my experiences with the older cars, and how well they seem to hold up, even in the snow and salt covered roads of upstate N.Y., where i live now.

 

For clarification though, i was born in the southwest, and have lived everywhere from the southwest, to the northwest (Seattle), to the northeast and everywhere in between, and still have friends and family in many places out west, such as Reno, Boulder, seattle, and even Alaska, and i never fly anywhere, i always drive, and have driven my cars from upstate N.Y. all the way to Juneau Alaska, going different ways, including through the rockies.

Damn you are a beast. I admire that you are able to do the work yourself. That has always been a goal of mine is to get better with mechanical things. It is hard for me to be so analytical and process oriented so it would be extremely challenging. I ended up getting a 94 loyale! About to post some pics of it