Turbo Subaru people, I need your expertise

[frosho]

Hmmm, I did not know about the gearing. My Legacy Outback has short gearing and I wasn't particularly happy with it on the highway. That may be a deal breaker for me.

Thank you all for the input though! I might take it for a test drive anyway. Who knows, maybe I'll like it.

[frosho]

Craig [MENTION=18822]g96nt[/MENTION], know much about Volvo V50's? I saw one on the ride in to work this morning that looked pretty sharp. Maybe I won't count Volvo out quite yet.

Found an '05 T5 AWD 6-speed for sale...hmmmmm

EDIT, found a few actually.

[Boosted Euro]

Antihero's is an auto, not sure how.different the gearing is . But the 4.44 sucks for highway long distanc, you're always over 3k . I almost never hit the.highway as I work local(for the next 2 weeks anyway) so it doesn't bother.me to much.

[frosho]

I'm not interested in getting an automatic anything until I'm physically unable to change gears.

[Boosted Euro]

It's going.to need a 6speed swap either way...lol

[g96nt]

Craig [MENTION=18822]g96nt[/MENTION], know much about Volvo V50's? I saw one on the ride in to work this morning that looked pretty sharp. Maybe I won't count Volvo out quite yet.

Found an '05 T5 AWD 6-speed for sale...hmmmmm

I don't know them intimately, but the platform is generally the same with Volvo.
The I5 is a great engine. Takes modest power upgrades if you're so inclined, but being open-deck, requires sleeves if you want to make gobs of power. AWD is electronic/Haldex. Volvo is a no-nonsense company, electronically. They have all the stuff you want/need, but aren't over-complicated.
I'm not that familiar with the Manual trans cars; I know people don't put a ton of power through the autos.


Drive it. See if you like it. I've loved every Volvo I've owned, but I haven't owned a modern one.

[g96nt]

seems like C/D really loved the thing...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/volvo-v50-t5-awd-road-test

Kinda makes ME want to drive one.
Interesting that the trans is the s60R 6-speed. It would make me feel a lot better about the situation.

[frosho]

It's definitely in the running right now. Now to find one with the right features and lower mileage...

[mjd4277]

I was looking at this WRX too, though all the mods and mileage kind of turn me off. My research tells me the early WRXs transmissions were a little on the fragile side, though I'm not sure how much truth there is to that.

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2579803

They were fragile. Back in 2002 when I worked for Gerald Nissan-Subaru in North Aurora,IL we had a customer's brand new WRX come back to the shop after only 3 days(and only around 300 miles on the odometer) with tranny problems. The damn thing needed new syncros and a new 1st and 2nd gear. At the time Subaru was nervous enough to send regional reps from the Itasca office to investigate the matter,as the WRX was a halo car for the brand at the time. The car wound up getting a new transmission under warranty becoming the 1st WRX in the U.S. to get a new transmission. There was a TSB released on 2002 WRXs and on 1999-2002 2.5 liter engines for clutch judder.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/ACM1185284/SB-10001031-4238.pdf

[frosho]

They were fragile. Back in 2002 when I worked for Gerald Nissan-Subaru in North Aurora,IL we had a customer's brand new WRX come back to the shop after only 3 days(and only around 300 miles on the odometer) with tranny problems. The damn thing needed new syncros and a new 1st and 2nd gear. At the time Subaru was nervous enough to send regional reps from the Itasca office to investigate the matter,as the WRX was a halo car for the brand at the time. The car wound up getting a new transmission under warranty becoming the 1st WRX in the U.S. to get a new transmission. There was a TSB released on 2002 WRXs and on 1999-2002 2.5 liter engines for clutch judder.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs...01031-4238.pdf

Yikes. Guess I will be avoiding '02 models. Was the problem fixed for the following year? I'm not currently looking at any '03s, but there is an '04 that I'm considering.

[g96nt]

It's definitely in the running right now. Now to find one with the right features and lower mileage...

I checked cars.com
Nearest AWD 6-speed is in VA beach.
couple hours from me.

[g96nt]

just kidding.
dalzell has one with 98k for 15k

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2015&zip=01453&listingType=used&listingTypes=used&transmissionCode=MAN&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BVOLVO%5BV50%5BV50%257CT5%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=V50&makeCode1=VOLVO&startYear=1981&showcaseOwnerId=0&searchRadius=100&listingId=362375870&Log=0

and some place in Hanson (mmmm bop!)
has one with 115k for $10k

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2015&zip=01453&listingType=used&listingTypes=used&transmissionCode=MAN&transmissionCodes=MAN&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BVOLVO%5BV50%5BV50%257CT5%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&modelCode1=V50&makeCode1=VOLVO&startYear=1981&showcaseOwnerId=0&searchRadius=100&listingId=362259182&Log=0

In all honesty, I'd be more inclined to buy a Volvo with 100k than a subaru with 70k.

The one in Va Beach seemed nicer. and was red.

[frosho]

I saw all of those in my searching. Really like the one in VA Beach, just wish it wasn't so damn far away.

[mjd4277]

^^ Getting there is half the fun,it would give anyone an excuse to escape the cold weather here!LMAO

[mjd4277]

Yikes. Guess I will be avoiding '02 models. Was the problem fixed for the following year? I'm not currently looking at any '03s, but there is an '04 that I'm considering.

The transmission issue was fixed but there also issues/concerns on all Subarus(and Saab 9-2x)of this vintage (early to mid 2000s) of accelerated corrosion,especially on suspension related components(control arms in particular).

This is why washing a vehicle is essential to maintaining proper maintenance folks.

GOTTA KEEP THA **** CLEAN!!!!