1988 Subaru Justy GL 4X4 review from North America
"My favorite car out of the 30+ cars I've owned"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
I've replaced 3 clutches on this 4-wheel drive while the clutch in my FWD lasted 253,000 miles. The last clutch has lasted 5 years and is still going strong.
The rear axle had to be replaced.
The clutch cable broke.
A computer had to be replaced. It was damaged when a new catalytic converter was welded on without disconnecting the battery.
It's had 3 catalytic converters installed, one got destroyed because of the damaged computer described above.
The car leaks oil.
The radiator fan stopped working.
General comments?
When my 88 Justy DL's clutch wore out after 13 years, I bought this 88 GL for $200 and hope to drive it for many more years to come.
It gets 28-31 mpg compared to 35-41 with my DL. It's extremely peppy for a 3-cylinder.
Despite being one of the smallest cars on the road, it can carry lots of stuff with the back seats folded down.
I've been rear-ended 3 times in my 2 Justys, with no damage, although the bigger cars that hit me suffered some damage.
Despite having several newer cars at my disposal, I'm always happiest driving my Justy.
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| 1988 - Justy GL 1.2L 3 cylinder. Best car I've owned (20 vehicles and counting) Can't kill it!!! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1988 |
| Year of manufacture | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.2 Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 8 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 20000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 140000 miles |
| Previous car | Subaru Justy |
| Date of Entry | 3rd December, 2008 |