1988 Subaru Wagon GL review from North America
"A wonderfully simple car on which to learn automotive maintenance"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
When I bought the wagon, it ran well enough to transport. I brought it home and began to read about the breed and gather parts. I bought another Subaru, a 1988 RX Turbo, as a donor car. I later found that the two models shared fewer parts than I had hoped, so it donated little.
The GL leaked some oil and coolant. The carburetor needed some attention as well; it idled high and roughly. I bought a repair manual and set to work. My plan is to disassemble the engine to the block, replace gaskets and reassemble the engine. I currently have the heads removed and am in the process of cleaning up the surfaces.
I hope to have the engine reassembled and running this winter (2008/2009), inspected and on the road by spring.
General comments?
The body is in almost perfect shape for the age. I felt obligated to bring it back to life.
Recommended reviews
| Capable, reliable, and low cost to own |
|
| It's unstoppable, but expect some maintenance costs as the miles accumulate |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1988 |
| Year of manufacture | 1988 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.8 carb Automatic |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 0 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 227557 miles |
| Most recent distance | 227559 miles |
| Previous car | Lexus GX470 |
| Date of Entry | 29th December, 2008 |