1983 Subaru Leone DL FWD 5spd review from Australia and New Zealand

When I bought it, water was leaking into the oil, so I pulled the heads off, and found the welsh plugs to be faulty. The ports were drilled at the same time, so the engine could run on unleaded without a 'ping.'

Drivers side rear door wouldn't open and needed the handle adjusting.

A bit of rust coming up in the drivers side quarter window, bonnet lip, and boot water channel.

385000km Left ball joint was replaced.

390000km Clutch cable broke and was replaced with a new one.

393000km Front right brake started making a noise, so a new set of pads was put on. Note - replace pads as soon as noise is apparent as they will grind a mark into your disk otherwise.

395000km The right rear suspension leaked, so two new struts were put on.

This car has done a lot of k's since I've owned it (25,000 in 6 months), and has been down many bush tracks and bumpy roads that should only be tackled with a proper 4WD.

It has handled nearly everything that has been thrown at it. Its very reliable and sturdy, and good on economy (with clean engine oil in it).

Just the little things (like taco, remote boot release, tell tale - the thing with the doors on it in the dash, and lumbar support) make this car good.

The only bad thing is the overhead valves, which can become noisy at times, and need a quick adjustment (20 - 30 minutes) every now and then.