Board's opinion on a car I'm buying...

[BoneIslandScooby]

I have put a deposit on a car, which is a 1993 Subaru Legacy Sport Sedan Automatic with roughly 119,000 miles. Selling price is $1,500.00. The interior looks like new and everything works except two things. The Drivers side automatic seatbelt is stuck in the open position, and the radio does not work very well. It drives beautifully. No groaning or hopping from the center diff on tight turns or figure eights. Shifts well, no rattles or weird vibrations, no clunks, suspension and brakes are tight, etc. The body even looks pretty good. No dings, no dents, and no rust in the rear quarters or above any wheel arches. The clearcoat is flaking in a couple of spots, and there are a couple of spots that look like SOME sort of corrosion is beginning, but just a darker hue under the paint rather than flaking, bubbling, or reddish rust showing through. The problem it has is rust forming around the full perimeter of the sunroof, which lets a little water in through headliner just over the driver. It is not bubbling yet, but you can see the color of rust all the way around. The other two spots are the spots just below the bottom corners of the rear window, which you can see when you open the trunklid. Apparently there is some leak that has caused rust to form in these areas, which allows water into the trunk. He's kept a small bowl or plastic tub there to catch the water, and keep it from rusting the inside of the trunk. The spot on the left side rusted through in one spot.

Is the car still a good deal? (I imagine it is.) How hard or easy or expensive might it be to repair these rust problems?

[Someperson]

this is a friggin steal it sounds like! gimme his # i want this for my gf...

[BoneIslandScooby]

Has anybody had the same sort of rust problem? How was it fixed? How much did it cost? Did the repair last, or did it come back again? If so, how quickly?

[BoneIslandScooby]

BTW, hell no. It's spoken for. I've been waiting for this a LONG LONG time.

[Someperson]

Lol was teasing, i don't have the time or energy to take on a 2nd turbo leggy that isn't mine haha. I'd say have it done at a reputable shop, shouldn't be much more than 500 but i'd be doing a lot of the prep myself too

[kimokalihi]

If it were me, no. 5spd only and I don't like dealing with rust, period. Rust is expensive to fix because it involves sanding and paint work. Which cost a lot of money, effort and time. If ignored, it will only spread like cancer. If you're looking for an auto to begin with, maybe. But fix that rust before it gets worse. If you don't care much about the appearance you can easily sand it all out and primer it and then hit it with a few coats of black, wetsand and then a few coats of clear, wait a month and cut and polish for a nice black roof.

[BiNiaRiS]

If it were me, no. 5spd only and I don't like dealing with rust, period. Rust is expensive to fix because it involves sanding and paint work. Which cost a lot of money, effort and time. If ignored, it will only spread like cancer. If you're looking for an auto to begin with, maybe. But fix that rust before it gets worse. If you don't care much about the appearance you can easily sand it all out and primer it and then hit it with a few coats of black, wetsand and then a few coats of clear, wait a month and cut and polish for a nice black roof.

But we're in the NW so we never have any rust issues. If you're on the east coast, finding an older car without rust is next to impossible.

If it was me, I'd cut the entire roof off an weld on a non sunroof

[SILINC3R]

If it were me, no. 5spd only and I don't like dealing with rust, period. Rust is expensive to fix because it involves sanding and paint work. Which cost a lot of money, effort and time. If ignored, it will only spread like cancer. If you're looking for an auto to begin with, maybe. But fix that rust before it gets worse. If you don't care much about the appearance you can easily sand it all out and primer it and then hit it with a few coats of black, wetsand and then a few coats of clear, wait a month and cut and polish for a nice black roof.

But we're in the NW so we never have any rust issues. If you're on the east coast, finding an older car without rust is next to impossible.

If it was me, I'd cut the entire roof off an weld on a non sunroof

Not true, the north east yes but southeast generally no rust.

[Someperson]

In the southeast you get moss/mold not rust lolol

[BoneIslandScooby]

Unless you live on an island or along the coast. Salt is in the air at all times.

Not true, the north east yes but southeast generally no rust.

[BiNiaRiS]

Unless you live on an island or along the coast. Salt is in the air at all times.

Not true, the north east yes but southeast generally no rust.

This, and, maybe it's a West Coast thing, but the term East Coast usually means from Washington DC and up. No one thinks about Florida when they say East Coast...that's the south

[Legacy777]

I would be a little cautious.....and maybe get some quotes to repair the rust. You could easily spend $1,500 on repairing the rust. Plus, depending on how bad it's gotten into the metal could mean some pretty hefty repair work.

[BoneIslandScooby]

Has anybody on here had these leaks / rust repairs on their own car? How did they end up fixing it? How much was it?

BTW, thanks to all of you for your help.

[BoneIslandScooby]

Here are some pictures of the rusty spots and other blemishes.

http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/scaab ... sort=2&o=0
http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/scaab ... sort=2&o=1
http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/scaab ... sort=2&o=4
http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/scaab ... sort=2&o=5
http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/scaab ... sort=2&o=8
http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/scaab ... sort=2&o=9

[BoneIslandScooby]

OK. That didn't work. Any suggestions?

[rallyak]

I have mine on photo bucket, I just copy and paste.

[BoneIslandScooby]

I have mine on photo bucket, I just copy and paste.

Could you look at it again please? I've edited my post.

[alexandermf]

I've def seen worse.. any other pics?

[rallyak]

The rust looks vary minor should be easy to fix. I wish mine was like that when I fixed all my rust. I had holes as big as my fist in places, which resulted in total panel replacement.

[BoneIslandScooby]

Nothing worth posting. The "corrosion" on the fuel door is just a dark spot, and is not rust colored. I'm not sure what it is exactly, and am not sure what to do about it. Has anybody seen this on their car, and if so, how did you fix it.? I'm hoping some wet sanding and polishing can take care of it. It obviously needs paint on the roof.

[BoneIslandScooby]

I think some sanding and POR15 on the little rust spots should fix my problem on the exterior until I can give it a proper paint job. Then reinstalling widshield, back window, and sunroof with new seals might take care of leaks. If there's any rust in frames of any of these repair at.the time of resealing. Then trunk weatherstrip and later attack rust spots at bottom of C pillar. Anyway I am officially a Subaru owner now. First mod is probably exhaust. Axle back for now. What should be next?