1982 Subaru 1800 4WD from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

There are a few things wrong including; the CV joints are on their last legs, the car is at the half way point on the temperature gauge after half an hour of driving and one of the fans in the engine doesn't work and it uses quite a bit of water.

Not sure how to test the condition of the 4WD system, all I know is that the CV joint doesn't rattle once 4WD is engaged. Also, can reverse be engaged when in 4WD as it won't select so I have to take it out of 4WD first.

This is a first car before I get my licence, it will be used as a practise car for learning the manual transmission and learning the mechanics of the car. While I haven't placed too many kilometres on the car, it was in fairly good condition when I got it. The car won't be used on the road for a while, but as paddock basher, in the time I have had it it has had it pretty hard, dodging trees, pulling large trailers and hill starts.

The seats are fairly comfortable, the brakes are good and the handling is safe and easy. The things that are wrong with it are at no fault of the car, but are from the way the car was treated and its age.

Well worth the $500 I paid. Love it heaps, perhaps I'll get it registered.

I Had a 1981 Model Subaru Wagon 1800. It had a problem of tearing CV boots. When front CV's rattled I changed left to right and visa versa, stops rattle and gives them more life.

Thanks for the comment, I spoke to my Dad about it and one day when we've got time we might pull it apart and take a look.

Also, We put the car on a trailer (as it's unregistered) and took it to a Service Station and filled the tank, that was 2 months ago, it has just run out of fuel today, depending on how accurate the odometer is it seems I got 152km out of the tank.

Currently at 371 162km.

Would it not be easier to fill a gas can at the station and fill your car at home, rather than trailering the car there?

Just curious.

This excuse will probably seem very odd, but, Dad had just finished building a trailer (he was more enthusiastic about the trailer than the car) and he wanted to see how well the trailer went with a car on the back and if the trailer could get out the driveway without hitting the road. It wasn't too much trouble putting the car on, but thank you for asking.

And does anyone know if it's normal to have rust under the side mirrors, the right one was loose and it I couldn't get it tight, so I took it off and there is a large rust hole so there is no where to screw in the mirror, but it could just be from age.

The little Subaru is now on 371 593km, yes that's only a little over 800km since acquiring, but this is my paddock basher, although it is not abused in any way. I haven't tried swapping the CV's, is it a big job? because the right CV is making the loudest noise. I can't here the left one because my yard is all right turns up hill. Also, how do you know if the CV's have actually died completely, that is can't be used anymore?

I'm hoping the Subaru lasts for a couple more months then I can get my learner's permit and would like to buy a newer Subaru, perhaps an early Liberty.

Well I have had the car exactly 1 year now (October 8 to be precise) and it has not broken down once, apart from the spark plugs coming loose and getting dirty it hasn't stopped. It has 372,008km on it now.