zyewdall Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 An interested observation I had this weekend on the difference between old gen and new gen owners. '98 Outback Wagon. He's already replaced the head gaskets, and it's only got 150k miles. But he wants to sell it since it's getting too old, and he really doesn't want to put any more money into it. '82 2wd EA81 wagon. Still running and it only takes a couple new parts a year, so why get something newer. Now, I know these are generalities, but it just seemed funny which of the two owners was the one who wanted to get rid of it, and which was perfectly happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_dude Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 yeah, what's up with the headgaskets? i'm still not clear and why the newer ones blow so many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrap487 Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 yeah its great when a 25 year old car outlasts a newer 8 year old car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever Victorious Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 There are a lot of people who determine their car's life in miles rather than age. There are also those who do still measure in age, but 2 years is too old. We call them real estate agents. Besides attrition from accidents, this is one of the ways that cars "die off" to the point where we consider them rare: people trade them in, someone else buys them and thrashes them, then junk them a couple years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I'm not into this "Us vs. Them" thinking. Owning both of what are considered "Old-" and "New-Gen" vehicles, I find that I am pretty consistant as to how I view both. I think that the real difference is between people who buy vehicles New and people who buy them Used (and I don't mean "Previously Owned"). People who buy New tend to want it new and shiny; we who buy Used think that we can put the shiny back on, or don't care if the shiny is worn off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syonyk Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 There are pretty much two types of people who own old gen subies now. People who purchased them new, and you'll have to pry the steering wheel out of their cold dead hands because they love them so much, and people who purchased them used, love them, and will do anything to keep them running nearly forever. The new car market is very different. Some people just want shiny/new, and will look for an excuse to get rid of an "old" car, so they can get a new one. The head gaskets in the Outback are cheaper than a new car, but some people just want a new car. Also, a lot of people will buy a car and know nothing of it's linage. Many new gen Subaru owners wouldn't recognize an old gen. -=Russ=- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealleyboy Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 When I started getting into the EA82 series a few years back, people were making the same kinds of complaints about them: "OHC blow more head gaskets than OHV", "EA82's are unreliable P's-O-S", etc. Now as back then, it's all a matter of perpsective. The new gens are technically superior to the older models, but they have their "achilles heels" - just like any other make. The new gens are earlier in their life cycle, so any repairs & maintenance are going to seem a lot more serious and expensive compared to a well maintained EA82 on it's 3rd timing belt. The perception is that the older ones are more reliable, but in reality it's the maintenance that makes a car reliable. Also, the older models will appeal more to cheapskate derelicts who do their own work (and are less likely to get ripped off). It's easy to come to the conclusion that the new ones are lemons if you know nothing about them, and have to pay to have everything professionally done. Someday the Outbacks and Forresters will filter down to the bottom feeders, and all will be good again... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyromanic Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 "Someday the Outbacks and Forresters will filter down to the bottom feeders, and all will be good again... John " I just want to live long enough for "Baha's" to start turning up on the used market for 4, 5, or 6 hundred bucks, and in junkyards for cheap parts. Like EA's are now. Pyro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 This is a pretty cool thread...kinda ran into the same thing at work a few weeks ago...My boss just bought a 2006 Impreza....plain Jane 4 door. Now besides the fact he is a bigot and a jerk ( yes I am serious..he is a racist bigot)...he knows I am the Subaru junkie at work and started to brag and get inmy face about how much better his brand new Imp is compaired to my 14 y/o 196,000 mile Loyale. ( yeah like you can compair the 2 ) My basic reaction was..come back and tell me this when yours is as old as mine. But he kept saying how much better his is cause it AWD ( der!!) and (this killed me ..I so had to keep from busting out laughing) came with a CD player:lol: ....I was like ...ummm dude..I have a CD player in mine too...actually a 300 watt system with subs ( ok I didnt say it hasnt worked in months)...so that was his first slap in the face. Then I got him with the gas mileage thing...he gets around 23-25 mpg .....I get 40+.. My nest thing to say was...I can work on mine myself....can u? and he said no cause he doesnt know how to work on cars...As much as I dislike this man....which is enough to make me find another job...I gave him some pointers and sent him on his bursted bubble little way. I agree..trying to compair a brand new car to a 14+year old one is like compairing apples to oranges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keltik Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 People who buy New tend to want it new and shiny; we who buy Used think that we can put the shiny back on, or don't care if the shiny is worn off. I love that quote! I feel theres pros and cons for owning both, but as i cant afford a 98 OBW i'll settle for a old gen wagon. KELTIK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4WDFrenzy Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Well, as one who owns both a new gen and an old gen Subaru, I must say that I wouldn't trade either for anything. Both cars have their pros and cons, but I love them both for what they are and what they are capable of. Ultimately, it comes down to how well you take care of your car. If it is beaten and abused, it won't last long. If you love it and take good care of it, it could, and I use "could" loosely, last a lifetime. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 helpless yuppie goes shopping for a car. there are 2 identical cars, same make, model, color, trim package, etc. one car has 80,000 miles and the other has 120,000 miles. which one would you pick? most go for the 80,000 mile car. why? less miles, duh. but lets look at it this way..... suppose this particular car has a 100,000 mile service interval. the 80,000 mile car is due for work whereas the 120,000 mile car has seen the work done. so all in all the 80,000 mile car will get you 20,000 miles out of it, whereas the 120,000 mile car will last you for 80,000 miles. i say this all the time to people shopping for cars and its blows their mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 My boss just bought a 2006 Impreza....plain Jane 4 door. Just say at least yours doesn't look like an Edsel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboRX Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Well if i had the money i would be more than happy to snag an STI or something... But i would take it off-road just like any older subaru. People buy them to show them off.... hey if they take good care of them down the line i'll snag um! I bought my first subaru 2 weeks ago just because of how great of shape it was in. I work at an auto auction and had to play mind games with a dealer to get the car! He asked if i would pay 1000 for it and i said oh yeah definitly. By the time it hit 700 he walked away and i got a 1986 Subaru RX sedan. Silver on grey with all power options. Interior is in perfect shape and i'm looking at these people with new cars thinking... WHAT NOW!!!! Whatcha gunna do! i got one to! lol..... I don't have an STI but i'm very proud to be a subaru owner even though all i've done with this thing is work on it. I've drove it a few times from auburn to tacoma and it handles like a dream. So nomatter what Subaru you buy the owners are Subaru powered! Rock on! heh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DualCarb'84 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Great thread. I have had a bunch of old subarus, and several new vehicles as well. I think the difference for me is the simplicity, and reliability of the older ones. I actually look forward to something breaking on my subies, so i can make an event out of fixing them. Parts are so cheap, and available, that it makes no sense for me to commute, or wheel anything else. Hell, i bought two awesome soobies for less than the cost of the tires on my truck. I actually look forward to my 34 mile commute every day, and often laugh and smile at the knocks, squeak and rattles that my rigs make, its like having a conversation with a passenger, it keeps me entertained. When i drive my newer rigs, all i can think about is their declining deprecietion with every mile marker that passes, and their less than desired fuel economy. I know that the new stuff is built fairly well, but it is unlikely that i will be to open the hatch, pull out my parts box, and swap an axle, or change a gasket on the side of the road without too much fuss. More than anything else, i just like the stink of a rotten old soob:headbang: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdixey Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 It's funny, I've been thinking about this same sort of thing recently. I have both old and new gen (02 WRX and 86 GL Wagon). I love them both for different reasons. The WRX is an absolute BLAST to drive but the car payments are a major PITA. I think if I was going to give one up though, it would probably be the WRX. As cool and fun as it is, there is something hugely appealing about my GL wagon. It may be slow and ugly but I can't remember when I've had so much fun in a car. It reminds me of my very first car (a Fiat 128 sedan) it may be seriously flawed but there is just something special about it. Certainly part of the appeal is that these cars are cheap so the fun is largely guilt free. I wonder how I will feel when you can get a used WRX for $750? Hmmmmm.... Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted June 28, 2006 Share Posted June 28, 2006 Originally Posted by Bucky92 My boss just bought a 2006 Impreza....plain Jane 4 door. Just say at least yours doesn't look like an Edsel LMAO..but he could come back with...his doesnt look like a Kenmore refridgerator:grin: ..but your words are soo true. If I could afford a new one I surely would in a heartbeat...but I would always want to keep an oldie around..they have too much character..and you can never mistake it for someone elses in a parking lot (since here I have one of the few Loyale wagons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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