what do you look for when test driving a Touring Wagon

[jp.in.vt]

I am going to test drive a 94 Legacy Touring Wagon this saturday. It's about 5 hours away so I'd like to check this car out as thoroughly as I can before giving the guy cash and coming back for it in a few weeks when I have the money from selling my 2001 passat glx 4motion wagon with 53,000 miles...
This original owner legacy wagon has 135,000 miles. A rebuilt tranny was installed at 80,000 miles. it has new shocks and struts installed. owner says he's put in about $2000 worth of work. 50% tread remains on tires. probably has original turbo.
I know to look for paint overspray, improper tire wear, vibrations, oil leaks, etc...
But if you were to test drive, what Subaru specific things would you be looking for? turbo boost? tranny shifting ?
thanks!

[Bheinen74]

Check the ATF- smell, color. It should not be dark and smell burnt, it should be transparent and have red color.
check that is has all four speeds, when you drive it, do manual shifting up from 1st, all the way to fourth, and that it goes into all gears. Same check for downshifting, manually, even though it is an autotragic.

Check for engine leaks around the gaskets, and back by the turbo, adn check to se if the crossbar has lots of oil dripped onto.

Check the oil for freshness.

If the tranny was rebuilt at 80,000, then better only plan on it lasting another 80k, or so, from when it was first rebuilt. That is if it was rebuilt correctly, plan on less life if it was done by somebody like AAMCO or some crap shop.

Oh yeah, must check for Torque bind, rear diff binding. If it does, that isn't good either. Check to make sure the AWD is in fact even working. Find some loose sand, or gravel lot for that test. hte fronts and backs should spin some gravel/sand.

etc etc.

[0perose]

for the right price I'll buy anything

[gt2.5turbo]

id check the cam seals for any leaks, and down by the water pump cause if it has the original water pump i bet that seal will be needing a change soon. and everything else metioned above.

[dzx]

Check to see if the transmission is sound. Rev it up to 5k in neutral then stick it in drive.







j/k

[LaureltheQueen]

my stock water pump seal is still original at 174k miles.

[555BCTurbo]

Mine went out at 187k Laurel

Your time will come!!!


Muahahahahha

[The Scooby]

check the coolant overflow, make sure it doesn't have a sludge built up in it, if it does that means toasted headgaskets. also check for recipets for timing belt and such.

[LaureltheQueen]

well then you'll replace it when you replace the heads.

[jp.in.vt]

excellent !! I will be leaving in less than an hour, thanks ! I think this is a great thread to keep alive....

[jp.in.vt]

Well I drove it, it was nice. It had the cleanest fluids I have ever seen, no sludge in coolant overflow, engine oil like honey, tranny like grade A maple syrup -not a lot of red though- no burned smell. I almost felt like the owner had all fluids changed in preparation for selling the wagon. Maybe a tiny leak from valve cover gasket on driver side. These guys had a nice home and looked like they took good care of their non-subaru possesions...

the bad:
Definite slow oil leak onto front crossbar, very damp and gritty from road dirt, what does this indicate, bad crankshaft seal? cam seals? No other leaks although I couldn't get far enough under the car to see the turbo.
It had this annoying whistle/wind buffeting on the driver's side, the weather stripping looked good but there was a crack on the plastic of the driver's side mirror.
So I didn't feel comfortable enough to leave a deposit, the oil on the crossbar and the wind noise made me hesitate. oh and some rust in the rear wheel wells too...

[555BCTurbo]

The whistling is common... and an easy fix...

The oil is probably from a leaking cam seal(s) which isn't a big deal

The rust is common in the NE...


If the car is a good price, and drives nice...then get it...they did not make many TW's

[0perose]

sounds like I'd be buying it right now (if the price is right)