cobcob Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I'm considering trading a high mileage 1999 Mazda Millenia for a 1982 Brat (90,500 miles) with a spare engine and trans and a fiberglass topper (pics & desctiption posted here linky) I need to know if I'm out of my mind... I'm needing a reliable vehicle for my 350+ miles a week of travel, needs good gas mileage and 4x4 as well as being able to move a bit of firewood around and tow my small boat... All things seem to point to a Brat... Question is, am I out of my mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Of course you are insane. Most subaru owners are But back to your other question. With proper care, yes, it can do 350 miles a week. It might be a bit slow towing a boat, but you'll be hard pressed to find anything else 4x4 that gets decent mileage, without going for something pretty expensive, like a new subaru or CRV or something. And those won't have low range (which can be usefull getting firewood). If you are reasonably mechanically handy and don't mind taking care of an older vehical, the brat will be an excellent way to go, IMHO. Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misledxcracker Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 i'll tell you this... i'd MUCH MUCH MUCH rather work on a Brat than a Millenia i say go for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 Thanks guys! The price on the Brat seems kinda steep, but with the mileage on the Millenia all the offers I'm getting are right around the same as what the guy is asking for the Brat. Considering that it has a spare engine and trans (41k miles) and low mileage (for an '82) I think that the Brat is looking like a decent choice. Towing the boat would most likely just be around the yard etc. maybe an occasional short trip to the lake but nothing major, it's only a 14' fiberglass anyway... Agreement there... I've had my arms buried in that disaster of Japanese engineering that is the Millenia and I HATE trying to work on that! Still hard to comprehend that a 1999 luxury sedan fetches as much as a 1982 Soob... But hell... IT'S A SOOB! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 that's a fairly decent trade, considering the mileage and extra major parts - and given that you are OK with working on cars. The towing IS the only possible sticky point. Get some rear discs for the brat ASAP before you tow on the road. An EJ22 swap may be in your future but if you stay with an EA81, try and end up with a hydraulic lifter motor under the hood. Luxury car = more noise deadening, fancier trim. who cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 My thoughts on it are that if I go ahead with it I will drive it with the current engine/trans combination in there and rebuild the spare one, new seals etc, just a general clean up. Then swap that into the Brat and keep an eye out for a good deal on an EJ22 (Maybe an EJ257? ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Judging from the pictures, its a DL brat and it won't have the dual range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Judging from the pictures, its a DL brat and it won't have the dual range. Looks like my '82 only mines Black. The '82 GL BRAT's have single headlights instead of the dual headlights that the rest of the EA-81 models had. (Actually, if it has a center light, it will have single headlights.) Interior pic shows what I think is a D/R shifter, but I could be wrong. Hey, it happens....... Wish mine looked that good!!! I have the "salted road" syndrome on mine. http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c264/TomRhere/82%20BRAT/Exhaustsideview.jpg And there's more of that nasty stuff around the BRAT. Working on doing some repair to all of that stuff. Taking some time in the doing of it, but I think it'll be worth it in the end. Get the BRAT, and never look back..... Crazy?!? Naw, no more so then the rest of us on this Board. Right now I have 4 Subaru's sitting in my driveway. 1 runs, the rest are in need of repair or are for parts. I require more:banana: , but Wife says "NO"!!! Dammit!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subyrally Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 id reccomend the subaru over a mazda anyday. just take your time with rust repair and be careful. i pulled up the sound deadening material from the floor of mine and there is a lot more rust there than i thought. granted, the rest of it is actually in pretty good shape, just a little bit of rust near the rear bumper and the rockers are toast. it might take work, but i know thebrat will bring more happiness in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 Wellll.... Just got back from the car lot... turns out the moron who's selling it forgot to put a '1' in the mileage on the online advert so it's got 190,500 not 90500... I wound up keeping the Millenia and I'm trying to sell that so I can pay cash on the Brat rather than get raped by a used car salesman. He also stated that it was a 5 speed but it's a 4... jackass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 i`m sorry but i can`t bad mouth any mazda after driving a mazdaspeed3:slobber: but yea, definatly the brat is perfect for you. i drive mine on 200 mile trips 3 times a month. are you in a hilly area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 It's not too hilly round here, depending on which way I drive to and from work. Main highway there's about 3 hills, secondary highway there's a lot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 If I needed a car other than the Subarus I have, it would be another Mazda. I really loved that car for long trips. I could drive for hours on end with no body fatigue whatsoever. Peppy, but great on gas and everything on the dash was placed within perfect reach. Nice car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Wellll....Just got back from the car lot... turns out the moron who's selling it forgot to put a '1' in the mileage on the online advert so it's got 190,500 not 90500... I wound up keeping the Millenia and I'm trying to sell that so I can pay cash on the Brat rather than get raped by a used car salesman. He also stated that it was a 5 speed but it's a 4... jackass Well, all of the EA81 dual ranges were only 4 speeds. And 190k isn't too bad mileage for a subaru, but I'd say it warrants taking a little off the price, compared to 90k. and, he is guilty of either being irresponsibly sloppy, or deliberately lying. I'd take a look at that spare engine and tranny and see if they are even for the same car... sounds like you are dealing with a sleazeball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 he's selling it on consignment... I happened to find out that there's no contract for the consignment though (he offered to consign my car for me) I've got the VIN number so I had a buddy run that and get me the name of the owner, so once my car sells I'm going straight to the owner... Not gonna deal with that 'sleazeball' as you so aptly put it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 he's selling it on consignment... I happened to find out that there's no contract for the consignment though (he offered to consign my car for me)I've got the VIN number so I had a buddy run that and get me the name of the owner, so once my car sells I'm going straight to the owner... Not gonna deal with that 'sleazeball' as you so aptly put it! Good idea kiddo! I did that whenever possible and after speaking to one previous owner, he offered me a set of 4 Michelin snow tires mounted on the rims for $100. !!! Can't beat that with a stick! Now, it's a (state?) law here that the dealer MUST disclose the name and address of the previous owner, but ONLY if asked... true there? Consignment... he has nothing to lose but space and time. Does he offer a limited warranty at least? If not, blow him off, that can get sticky because he probably has no liability as far as lemon laws are concerned, any such liability will probably come back on you. hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 He's sure not offering any limited warranty at all, I'm not certain what the lemon laws are here in MO on a private sale... either way I don't want that loser to get his $500 commision... I am getting the dealer to get a cash price out of the owner, I figure I'll take that number, knock a coupla hundred off it and propose that to the owner directly... that way the owner will get a bit more $$ and the 'dealer' won't get $500... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 The Missouri New Vehicles Warranty Law, commonly called the "Missouri Lemon Law," protects buyers of new vehicles by enforcing the manufacturer's express warranty. The Missouri Lemon Law does not apply to used cars. All new vehicles sold or leased with warranty provisions are covered under the lemon law, except for commercial and off-road vehicles, mo-peds, motorcycles and the non-chassis portion of recreational vehicles. Also included are demonstrators or lease-purchase vehicles as long as a manufacturer's warranty was issued as a condition of the sale. New-vehicle owners must report problems or defects in writing to the manufacturer to use the provisions of the Lemon Law. The manufacturer must be permitted a "reasonable" number of attempts to correct the problem. Under the Missouri Lemon Law, it is presumed that the manufacturer has been given a "reasonable" number of attempts to correct the problem if: The vehicle has been in the repair shop for the same problem four or more times and the problem still exists; or The vehicle has been out of service because of a problem covered by warranty for 30 or more working days since delivery, excluding delays that are beyond the manufacturer's control. If the problem cannot be fixed in a reasonable number of repair attempts" the manufacturer can either offer you a cash refund or a vehicle of comparable value. Under the Missouri Lemon law, manufacturers can deduct a "reasonable allowance for the consumer's use of the vehicle" from the refund. The Missouri Lemon law also stipulates that the replacement vehicle must be acceptable to the consumer. Copyright © The Lemon Law Network There you go, the first paragraph sums it up. Does not apply to used cars. In Mass. we have to safely sell any "questionable" car (might not pass inspection <for as little as a tailight not working>, "For Parts Only"). If the repairs exceed 10% of the purchase price, we either have to fix it at our cost, or take the car back and refund the money. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 The stickers are different: Here is the dual range one: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobcob Posted July 22, 2007 Author Share Posted July 22, 2007 WOW! glad I don't live in Mass! Thanks for the input Seahag, I'll keep everyone posted on how this all pans out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 WOW! glad I don't live in Mass!Thanks for the input Seahag, I'll keep everyone posted on how this all pans out! Please do! I surely won't be living in this state when I retire! Not too very far away! Glad to help out... best of luck with your sale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 The stickers are different: Here is the dual range one: On my single range, I have one shifter on the floor with 4WD on the top of the grip (the left hand picture) and can just be pulled (?) without depressing the clutch to engage (but never over 50mph or cornering). In my dual range, (the right hand picture) the shifter is on the console between the seats and when you pull up, it has to also have the clutch depressed to engage it into 4WD, for either speed... there is a light on the dash that tells which speed you're in. Same with the single range, the light on the dash will illuminate 4WD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Just showing that the above mentioned brat is a single range tranny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Just showing that the above mentioned brat is a single range tranny. The shifter is on the console, and it's just like mine, which is a dual range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
75subie Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 the single range ea81s had the shifter on the console, i owned one. it just has 1 click up, not 2. i believe Durania is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now