One engine.
Many CV Joints.
Many Wheel bearings.
Ball Joints.
Two radiators.
Heater Core (total nightmare to replace)
Complete exhaust system.
Timing belts.
Alternator.
Electric Choke.
Fuel pump.
Power Locks.
Stereo and two speakers.
Horn.
Cigarette lighter.
Air conditioning system.
Heater control buttons on dashboard.
Rust.
I bought this car because I previously owned a 1977 Subaru 4wd wagon which treated me very well, but alas was getting old and rusty.
The 1986 GL seemed nice at first, having dual range 4 wheel drive and being more modern.
I soon realized that this car had been built on a Friday afternoon, it is a total lemon.
I have replaced COUNTLESS CV Joints and wheel bearings. It is driving me crazy. I have had it done by different mechanics using different parts, it seems to make no difference.
The engine was replaced at 190,000 miles due to the amount of oil it was burning and a very loud valve ticking noise.
The car doesn't start well, it doesn't run well, it doesn't idle properly and it is underpowered. It is also disappointing for gas mileage.
So far I would estimate I have spent $7000 in the 5 years I have owned this car. I regret buying it and question if I will ever buy a Subaru again.
On the other hand, my wife's '86 Toyota Tercel 4wd wagon has given us years of wonderful trouble free driving (knock on wood) including long distance road trips through the mountains. It has more power, is better on gas, and I believe has a better 4wd system.
Apart from the CV joints and bearings most of the problems you've had with this car are normal wear and tear.
It was 11 years old and had covered 125k when you bought it. It might have spent all that time roughing it around farm fields and never being serviced properly or cleaned.
This subaru is the best subaru I have ever owned. 300k and still trucking. sounds to me like all the parts you had to replace were from your driving style. slow down for bumps and slow around corners.
Don't EVEREVER(EVER EVER, EVER-EVER)!!! talk bad about a subaru!
I had a '86 GL 4WD wagon 5 speed stick; purchased new in 12/85; donated in 9/03 when my wife made me do it at 273K 'cause it didn't have airbags.
It lacked power. So going up hills, I simply used 3rd gear or second as long as the RPM's were within the acceptable range.
I always had it serviced by Subaru for the first 130K; then switched to a former Sub. mechanic. No problems for the first 120K; then the usual stuff -- CV boots; new clutch at 130K. Other problems encountered were: ignition module failure at 145K (Subaru said this was a problem related to the location of the igniter; catalytic converter at 196K; Several 1/2 axle failures. Even though it started burning oil (1 quart every 1K miles).
Subaru service and my independent mechanic, a former Subaru service guy, could not find anything wrong with the engine. So I kept it in spite of periodic problems as the vehicle aged, since none of the problems were that expensive to fix.
Whether I should have purchased a Tercel at that time? In hindsight I would say yes. A neighbor of mine got one the same time I bought my '86 GL, and his kids have been using it for the past 10 years. It recently hit 345K. Toyotas manufactured totally in Japan beat the pants off any Subaru or Toyota manufactured in the US. My '92 AWD Legacy L+ (purchased new) was a 500% improvement over the GL.
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