Cheap SVX winter beater?

Starting to shop around for a "new" winter beater. Requirements are cheap (<$1000), AWD, manual, and something I trust to DD 45+ miles each way every day. So basically an old Audi is out. Pretty much just leaves Subaru. Cheap 5spd Impreza, Outback, etc easy enough. Today I stumbled upon a '95 SVX on CL for $900. How terrible of an idea is this? What are the weak points of these cars? Other than auto only...

Drawbacks that I can think of (compared to the more mainstream Subies): Parts availability? Auto.

Things that I like about it: I can have a Subaru that I won't lose in a parking lot in Vermont, seems like it would be a much more enjoyable car at times other than snow shenanigans... something like 230hp? Compared to like 140, better highway cruiser, I've always rather wanted one.

I have the following info from the seller: "i can send more pics later im sorry but i need to get batteries and i dont know i just bought it last winter and the inspection ran out last year? i think and it needs work but i drive it home from montp and its just been sitting in the driveway but i move it around the yard and everything just come look at it the transmission was flushed b4 i got it and has new cv's i got it from a dealership and they went all trough it so yeah idk "

Still trying to determine what work it needs...

Educate me!

Usually they can be found for the price you listed because the automatic transmission has proverbially E36 M3 the bed.

As much as I like SVXii, I'd be careful with a low budget one for a beater.

Trans is a risk in that price range. New trans could be 4x the purchase price.

I've got a nice 5spd SVX I'm about to sell. A little higher than your budget.

They are awesome cars. Not necessarily cheap beaters.

IME cheap SVXs are about as cheap as a cheap or free Lotus.

^^ Quoted for fun, as a guy who has BOTH a cheap SVX AND a free Lotus in the back yard!

But, my 5 spd has been very reliable for years.

I would personally pick up the cheapest stickered AWD Subaru that actually goes forward and stops and turns. Then I'd buy some nice winter tires and some proper AUX lighting. After that I would make sure my body panels and bumpers were well acquainted with snow banks. Rinse in the summer, repeat next winter.

you found an awd one for that price? thats pretty sweet. how easily can you swap in a real trans from a different car? thinking maybe ej22 trans swap? dont know much about subie parts prices, sorry

Taiden wrote: I would personally pick up the cheapest stickered AWD Subaru that actually goes forward and stops and turns. Then I'd buy some nice winter tires and some proper AUX lighting. After that I would make sure my body panels and bumpers were well acquainted with snow banks. Rinse in the summer, repeat next winter.

That's my original plan (hell, already have the studded Hakkapelitta's). The SVX caught my interest for being, well, an interesting car.

Now that I remember these things are known for weak transmissions... the fact that it had a fluid flush right before someone bought it and proceeded to not do anything with it for months rather sounds like a substantial red flag. Fluid didn't fix the problem, dump it on the guy who went in over his head and now wants out...

corytate wrote: you found an awd one for that price? thats pretty sweet. how easily can you swap in a real trans from a different car? thinking maybe ej22 trans swap? dont know much about subie parts prices, sorry

I just assumed they were all AWD... never even occurred to me that it it might not be.

http://burlington.craigslist.org/cto/2525749000.html

Can an SVX owner tell me what's up with the windows on those cars? I've wondered for years.

I blame Giugiaro

The other option is to buy that SVX, part out the expensive glass, find an Impreza with a blown motor (good luck), and make a bastard love child out of the two!

No need. I've got an AWD '95 SVX nearly complete parts car with a great motor I'll sell for a lot less than that. Still has all the glass.

thestig99 wrote: I just assumed they were all AWD... never even occurred to me that it it might not be.

'94-'96 models had FWD versions.

You could get a DSM(Talon, Laser, Eclipse). I'm kinda leaning that way myself. AWD is just FUN in snow.

What do those things have for a differential setup anyway?

pass and try to find an XT?

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/2479825691.html

Yeah, the trans is all I can say. I'd always heard they were bad news, helped my buddy pull the motor out of a junkyard for his Fiat swap, engine ran fine but sure enough one of the ring gears in the auto trans had gobbled about 10 teeth off of it. Otherwise cool cars.

clutchsmoke wrote: You could get a DSM(Talon, Laser, Eclipse). I'm kinda leaning that way myself. AWD is just FUN in snow.

i've been desperately wanting either a 2nd gen awd dsm or an alltrac celica for a snow killer

Info combined with the sellers' apparent lack of knowledge and unwillingness to tell me what work it needs leaves me back at plan A. Cheapest roadworthy 2.2 AWD 5spd Subaru I can find.

I would feel really bad about introducing an XT to snowbanks and whatnot.

Lots of local DSM people, whose cars work occasionally. Are they as unreliable as they seem?

I cannot imagine owning anything other than a SOHC subaru for a winter beater. When you have to change X or fix Y in 10* weather in a snowbank, I'd rather spend 10 minutes on an alternator or 5 minutes on a starter compared to the alternatives. SOHC because you can swap out plugs in about 2 minutes, versus 30 minutes if you're really good on the DOHC models.

Taiden wrote: SOHC because you can swap out plugs in about 2 minutes, versus 30 minutes if you're really good on the DOHC models.

My last plug change on my DOHC 2.5 took me 3 hours. I have large hands and that job sucks.

SVreX wrote: As much as I like SVXii, I'd be careful with a low budget one for a beater. Trans is a risk in that price range. New trans could be 4x the purchase price. I've got a nice 5spd SVX I'm about to sell. A little higher than your budget. They are awesome cars. Not necessarily cheap beaters.

O RLY? how much higher?

thestig99 wrote: Lots of local DSM people, whose cars work occasionally. Are they as unreliable as they seem?

I'm getting the impression that it's often more the owners who mod their cars, yo, than the fault of DSM.

Then again, I also have a DSM that occasionally works.