Why am I doing this again?

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 10:43 pm

Why do I keep fixing this damn car?

Since I got it, I've had to put almost 5k into repairs on it. Everything that breaks is expensive, and everything that doesn't break, will.

Clutch, flywheel, engine mounts, IAC valve (twice), timing belt, water pump, issues with the throttle body, coolant tank, battery, and a half dozen other things that I can't even remember (that, or I don't WANT to remember).

After all that, and I've got nothing to show for it but a 10 year old car that people CONSTANTLY talk shit about.

It's fun to drive, but I don't know why I keep putting myself through this. At this rate, I'm going to be in debt for the rest of my life.

NOTHING that breaks is cheap, and NOTHING that breaks is easy to replace.

This last "fix" has set me back almost 400 bucks (although it will be fixed forever). And that doesn't even include the $150 bucks that I now have to spend to get the dealership to install my IAC valve (so that if it messes up again, THEY replace it for free, code check and all).

I'm getting really tired of this. I've had the car since February 9th, and in the 5 months I've had it, I haven't even put 3000 miles on it. It's been sitting in my driveway or garage or at the shop for more time than it's been on the road. This isn't a fucking Jaguar.

I am at the point where I just don't feel like it's worth it any more. I love the car to death, but it's difficult knowing that a car you have $10k into could be wiped out by a cheerleader talking on her cellphone instead of paying attention to traffic.

Not to mention the 15 miles to the gallon thing is getting REALLY old, and my wallet hurts EVEN MORE when I have to fill up every 190 miles.

AHHH!!!!!!

Sorry, just had to vent.

WRXdan · Post by **WRXdan** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:16 pm

If your ever driving down the road, punch the gas and get a grin on your face then it is all worth it.

You don't want to know what I spent on my old camaro. 5K is nothing and the maybe got 5000 miles put on it a year due to break downs and mods.

It got <10 MPG

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:35 pm

Yea, I see what you are saying. I LOVE my Legacy. I can't drive it and NOT smile. When I hit the gas, and I hear the whine, and strain to reach for 2nd gear, I guess that makes it all worth it.

I think I'm just in withdrawl from not driving it.

I LOVE the fact that I'm barely in 1st gear long enough to shift out of it.

I also love the fact that I feel cool in the car

. Despite what anyone says about the car, I feel cool when I drive it. It's a fun thing, knowing your behind the wheel of something very fast. I smile when I walk up to the car in a parking lot. I can't help but think "damn, I'm faster than you, you, you, not faster but better handling than you..." when I see my innocent little Subaru sitting quietly between a Mini Van and a Corolla.

Like Laurel says, they look so innocent just sitting in the driveway. And like 50 says, "...Hit the clutch, hit the gear, hit the gas and I'm gone..."

I can't WAIT to get this shit taken care of!

LegacyPunk · Post by **LegacyPunk** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:42 am

"damn, I'm faster than you, you, you, not faster but better handling than you..."

I think like that everyday im on the road

if im not faster than it, I know for sure I could out-handle it, except for maybe an STi, Evo, or an F1 car.

I feel your pain, I had to get a new radiator, dealer wanted $370, I got it for $134 heh. still waiting for it to ship though

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:52 am

I take extreme pleasure in the fact that MOST cars faster than me in the dry, I am faster than in the wet. Not many people can say that.

I look forward to rain storms with this car

. I can't wait until winter!

LaureltheQueen · Post by **LaureltheQueen** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:17 am

I love owning my car, because it looks so innocent. It may not be the fastest thing on the road, but it's way faster than most cars, and way more stealth than them as well. I love the walk through the parking lot to my car as well, doing the exact same thing that Phil does.

I totally understand where you're coming from though Phil, even given the rarity of my car, $5000 would give me the incentive to sell it, and move onto something like an RS.

kastrix · Post by **kastrix** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:35 am

Ironic that you should mention it not being a jag. I've put 2000 in the last year (with plans for 3-5 more in the next year) and the entire time our xj8 vander plas has run like a top. Has 40,000 miles and nothing has gone wrong besides a cracked windsheild...

And you think this car is expensive to fix, i put 3000 into my saab 900 turbo convertable. Its gonna happen alot more on an older car.

georryan · Post by **georryan** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:41 am

The engine may run well, but it is the other parts that also have the 150k miles on them also that tend to brake.

I figure by the time most of us have finished with our cars, the majority of the pieces that can go wrong will have been changed.

-Ryan

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:43 am

LaureltheQueen wrote:I totally understand where you're coming from though Phil, even given the rarity of my car, $5000 would give me the incentive to sell it, and move onto something like an RS.

I don't know that 5g's would be a bribe I could take. An RS doesn't have the character that the Turbo does. The only new replacement would be an STi or Turbo Legacy.

I'm going to keep the car until it is totaled, whatever repairs need to be done, will get done.

I was really toying with the idea of a hooked up Ford Excursion today. Mostly power mods, get about 800hp and 1500lb-ft out of the Diesel. But then I remembered that I am still an environmental science major. It'd be bitchin though, a 12 second near 30 foot long SUV. If I ever get an "emissions" ticket, then I'll turn the Legacy into a track only car, and tow it around with my 12 second SUV that pollutes as much as I can make it (because it'd be legal).

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:57 am

Your hand was forced for many of your fixes and "mods". You had to do a lot of "eventual" maintenance in a very short period of time. Don't lose view of the finished product. Once everything is done and installed/tuned/fixed. You will have one tight ride that just happens to be able to smack down every wanna-be-fast-car made. And don't even think about how you will feel about your car when you come out here and smack down the dumb porsche 911 drivers on the roadcourse.

Remember those stupid Hemi commercials with the guy in the truck? Yeah, well I just beat down my working bud in his. Good stuff. And I'm not even fast yet...

eastbaysubaru · Post by **eastbaysubaru** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 3:42 am

RS's have LOTS of character. Trust me. My wife has an RS (courtesy of me

) and it's soooooooo fun to drive. It feels like a go-kart compared to my Legacy. Hopefully a lot of that will change when my springs get installed, but still. That car single-handedly brought the WRX to the United States. There's not a lot of cars that can do that.

I really feel your pain though. I've had to put a lot into the car and it hasn't been driven much. In the near future I'm going to have to deal with either rebuilding an auto tranny or swapping in a 5mt. Which road to you think I'll be taking

-Brian

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 3:46 am

Yea, I've done everything that should need to be done in the first 6 months of ownership. Oh well, at least it'll be straight for a year or so.

I just keep sight of what will become of this car in a year, and it keeps me happy.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 3:53 am

You gotta stick with it, there's at least 10 things I need to fix on my car, and everytime I think about them I end up wanting to sell the damn thing. But then I remember all the shit I've gone through with her, and all the stuff I've learned with her, not only repairs, but just learning how to drive better in general. If I think about all the bad, IU would never want to drive her again, let alone own her. So don't think about the bad stuff. Think about the good.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:09 am

Yea, I feel irish about the car.

I don't mourn parts breakages (well, I do at first, and when I see the credit card bills that I owe my parents), I celebrate all the possibilities they present.

From breakages has come, a super sweet clutch, flywheel, engine/tranny mount, and a relocated battery with an aluminum coolant overflow tank.

Cost me a shit ton, but I'll never have to worry about that stuff for a while

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:21 am

I'm hearing some slight valvetrain noises at idle from my Legacy, which tells me I either need to rebuild my oil pump or invest in some new hydraulic lash adjusters... My wheel bearings are trash, my paint job is falling apart, and my A/C still doesn't work.

And I seriously plan on fixing everything without cutting any corners and not looking back

There's no telling what kind of obsession I would have with a Turbo Legacy...

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 5:44 am

i feel your pain. when i bought my car i took it to the delear to get it serviced and they said i would need to pay 5k for a new trany. i put that off for 6 months till it broke but i still spent 800 on that first service. 2 weeks after i rebuilt the trans i wrecked it or fender bender i should say. then came the new radatior and other various assoiated items and other things that had to do with hesitation, yada yada yada. 6k later. ive finialy put some miles on my car.

but im gonna save my money for a 97 leg with a H6 motor sti 6 speed trans and a remote mount turbo system. its a pretty cool system if you believe in it. see it here http://www.ststurbo.com/

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 5:58 am

why wouldnt you believe it, its nothing more than as turbo mounted farther downstream. I'm pretty sure you get more turbo lag that way though. also I cant see where you'd end up mounting it. there's not much space under the car behind the engine bay. You'd have more luck sticking it in the engine bay.

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:04 am

on the comaro t/a threads went 21 or more pages of people argueing about the ligitimancy of the product. the company is 10 mins from my house so im getting a custom built kit. theres not much room in the bay with the h6 motor but there is enough space where the muffler is now. im gonna have it intercooled and the pipes are gonna make it look like a cold air intake

edit. lag isnt that bad. the turbos are hybrid. super small hot sides and larger compressors. 3.5k rpm when boost hits max usualy lower around where normal turbos operate. alsome driveability

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:11 am

isnt the average camaro owner's mentality, there's no replacement for displacement? of course they're generally not going to think this would work.

azn2nr · Post by **azn2nr** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:30 am

thats a good one but really they were argueing about the dynamics reliabilty tempreture cooling the turbo lubeing and of course lag among other things

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:54 am

I wouldn't be to worried about turbo lag. I'd be worried about throttle response.

The throttle response is HORRID in the SRT-4, I couldn't imagine it if the pipes had to go all the way to the back of a car, then back to the front. If it were a MAP based setup, that'd be a little better, as you could have your airbox at the rear of the car, and an inline AWIC. But that doesn't sound to reliable or safe.

Back on topic though...

My whole car is now gutted, with Subaru insides all over my garage (in a surprisingly organized fashion). It's cool! I'm gonna break out the steam-cleaner tomorrow and get my interior spotless.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:21 am

I dunno if it's map based or not I would assume so since they just hav a filter on the turbo and after the turbo it runs to the intake.

BAC5.2 · Post by **BAC5.2** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:41 am

I don't know if the EZ30 is MAP based or MAF based.

That site shows a glowing turbo, saying that it's not designed to be that hot? Wtf? Our cars are STOCK turbo cars, and after a hard spirited drive, I can open the hood and see the turbo glowing. 100,000 RPM's of a turbine in an iron housing will often do that to you. I'd rather have a superheated peice of metal under the hood than near meltable plastic hoses.

I think a remote system would work, but I don't think it's optimum. You could get away without any mufflers or anything though. The exhaust note would probably be pretty sedate. Run the downpipe right out the back of the car.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:16 am

I was talking about the setup they showed on the site.

legacy92ej22t · Post by **legacy92ej22t** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:19 am

Phil, I was wondering, are you bi-polar? hehe, J/K. No, it's good to hear that you've come to your senses after a little venting. I too get upset at the all the problems that pop up on my car. My problems always seem to be the real wierd, quarky stuff though that isn't easily trouble shot or fixed.

These cars are like a high maintanace girl friend that's old and not that good looking but is amazing in the sack. It keeps you cuming back for more.

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A forum for 89-94 BC-BF(BJ) Legacy Owners and Fans

Why am I doing this again?

Why am I doing this again?