Hello From the Rust/Salt belt!!!

[CORVAIRWILD]

I drive Corvairs in the summer, and Suburbans in the winter. The Subs are the Older style, solid front axle, all 4x4 and 6.2 diesel. I just returned from Phoenix with a '95 6.5 turbo diesel 4x4 for my wife. I used it to tow a Corvair Rampside pickup truck back from Flagstaff Arizona.

I don't buy any vehicles locally, unless for parts due to the rust. I enjoy flying to a western or southern destination, buying some unknown piece of junk, and driving thousands of miles home! I've done it 3 times in the last 4 years, and have bought several other older Trucks and Corvairs. Some I drove out there, and shipped, some I never saw until they arrived.

After getting burned a couple times, I've learned to qualify the seller, and never have a problem! Some folks even pick me up at the airport!

My reason for joining is because I need an economical commuter car for the occasional jaunt, and I've been using a '93 Hyundai Excel I bought site unseen in Phoenix for $250 4 years ago. It's just a little too buzzy and plain jane, and I'd like to upgrade a bit to power windows and working A/C.

So I've been looking at Loyales and Outbacks and Foresters, and really don't want to deal with the OBDII issues come inspection time, so that might mean a 1995 for the new body, or a NON passive restraint Subaru, 1994 or older. I've not yet figured out the exact ins and outs of the various models, so here I am!

I need a wagon for work, and really prefer a 5 speed and sun roof. I just did a western road trip, so this time Mrs will want to go south. We're supposed to go to Florida in a couple months, so maybe I could drive something back??

[SevenFortyOne]

Hi CW,

I follow you on YouTube and was surprised to see you here.

I just bought a Subaru myself for many of the same reasons you want one.

I live in CT so I can't really help you in your search. However, I think you will love the mini Suburban once you get one.

When you get yours, you should put a diesel in it!

--741

[CORVAIRWILD]

Diesel??? I thought about it!!!Are they offered in Europe?

I should mention I just bought a Subby yest, a '98 Outback with 179k, Rrrrust belt car, 5 speed, looks good in the CL pix, good tires, runs and drives well, according to honest(?!) dealer, check engine lite indicates crank pos sensor or knock sensor.
The dealer said he thought it had a sunroof. It's hard to tell from the pix, and like me, when one drives diff cars all the time, it gets fuzzy. It's parked at the dealer home, and he just left for Florida. I'll try have a local (Corvair) friend check it out.
I paid for it over the fone with a credit card, and the dealer will mail me the title. I don't know when I will collect it, it's 250 miles away. I'm just curious to try one out for a bit, then I'll put it back up for sale, and buy a H6 from out west, I guess.
A Subby friend suggested I do a 5 speed conversion, as the 6's weren't offered with a stick. I'd love to. Any takers?

BTW, I've never attached a CL posting that I've saved, to a forum, we'll see how it appears!

Here's the text from the ad...

>>>1998 Subaru Legacy Outback 5sp manual AWD 179K - $999 (Newington CT)<<<

This is a running and driving 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback I am selling for parts due to it needs a sensor and has the check engine light on and I am not fixing anything on this car. I can only sell it for parts because by law I have to repair check engine light and pass it through emmissions to register car and I don't want to put any time or money into this car. It has a missing grill and a different colored hood from rest of car but runs and drives fine. With a little work this car is worth $2,500. I have title in hand and want it gone!!!!Please call me at 860-665-7088 to set up an appointment!!<<<

[Rudy4247]

Nice Ride. Looks like mine. Yes, it is in this area, is rusty cars, but note I believe Subaru of this year galvanized the frames and such so no more rust.
I too had a knock sensor problem. I was told by someone it was another sensor, but bought the scanner and it was the knock sensor. they both went for about 150.

[SevenFortyOne]

Looks good CW!

I'd like to do the 5speed conversion in my H6 but I don't have the time so I guess I'll live with the slushbox.

I was originally looking for a 5-speed car myself but they were all RRRRRRusted and overpriced. Found a good deal on an H6 locally so I jumped on it before someone else could get it.

Looking forward to some SUB-uru vids!

[CORVAIRWILD]

So SevenFortyOne, you were going to buy a Head Gasket 4cyl? Does anyone have NO HG probs? Or do they all fail??? My friend sill hasn't had a chance to go look at it.

I went to a junkyard today, and there was a 2000 OB parked accross the street, the front bumper had been torn off, and it was all rusty underneath. Quite discouraging

[SevenFortyOne]

I think by '03 the head gasket problem was solved. But i'm not the authority on the subject; maybe someone else knows for sure. I had been looking at '04's and '05's but every car in my price range was rrrrrrrrrrruuuusted, abused, or sold before I could get to it. I can't travel to find cars like you can so I was stuck with what I could get to within an hour or so of my house.

I like the H6 I ended up with - it's a decent car. Just wish it was a 5 speed....

[CORVAIRWILD]

Yeah, I don't want an auto either.
As far as the travel, I always wanted to do these trips, and didn't figure out how to, and was too busy building a business, and since my wife didn't want to have kids, by the time I was 47, we had enuff money and security that when I had a health scare, I just bought an airline ticket (in May 2007), filled my pocket with cash, and flew to California. but at the beginning the trip my uncle died, and I did buy the white Corvair, and immediately the differential siezed, and I had it towed, and I shipped my self home, and re did the trip with my wife a few months later, and bought what is now my daily driver Suburban, and that Corvair has given me nothing but trouble. It's now half painted, and I think I have $8-9000 into a car that still needs +-$4000 of body and interior work... Phew, and I went out west several times since. My only regret is that Corvair, but every other vehicle I bought out west has been good to me, or I sold for a profit, and made so many videos, and had a better time with every trip.

Jacked Up Monza Ta Spin The LR Wheel - YouTube

Jacked Up Monza Ta Spin The LR Wheel - YouTube

That money pit is in the background. We stopped the work, and the car is 1/2 done

5 27 11 LaDawri Conquest Coachworks... - YouTube

5 27 11 LaDawri Conquest Coachworks... - YouTube

6 2 11 Monza In Primer... - YouTube

6 2 11 Monza In Primer... - YouTube

The last pix are my other white Corvair, this one a Spyder Turbo, and the rebuilt diffy seized. Sounds familiar, huh?

[porcupine73]

The 04, 05+ all still have head gasket problems, usually leaking oil from them eventually. 00-03 usually dripped coolant and sometimes also oil. Those aren't as bad as the previous failures blowing exhaust into the coolant though, because as long as you keep the oil and coolant topped up they can run with the leaks for a long time. Most solid was the 90's 2.2L, very rare to have HG issues on those even with high miles. On the soobs, in general, the auto trans is actually more reliable than the manual trans. There are certain year AT's though that had problems, mainly '99, '00 and '01 with the delayed engaging into drive.

[CORVAIRWILD]

I think the "prob" with these forums, is that we all concentrate on what's bad. Sorta like newspaper policy, if it bleeds it leads.
I agree that there are failures, but maybe not as "bad" or frequent as we make it out to be. Or at least I hope so...
I drive a number of Suburban diesels, and they have numerous weak spots, particularly the drive by wire throttle, and tranny issues, and weak injection pumps, etc. So eventually we all experience the well publicized issues, but we fix it, and continue driving.
I think about these things as I browse Craigs List. Sometimes it's wise to overfill a tranny, like the 90's Chevy NV3500, or the GM A6 A/C compressor. And being over 50, I don't beat on things the way I used to!
Here's me in 1979. My younger bro is holding the camera. He still beats on his cars, but he buys new every 3 years, and ALWAYS get the extended warranty!
And me on my New Royce Union in front of my Dads '65 Parisienne