So...I think dad is buying a Subie...

[caddycruiser]

This is pretty short. As many now know, I just sold my own '95 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham and bought an '08 G6 coupe. This is in addition to mom's '08 Malibu as the 2 new cars of the house. That leaves my brother with his '86 Regal LTD he won't even fathom getting rid of, and dad with both his '92 Roadmaster LTD daily driver and '93 Fleetwood Brougham "spare".

As mom went smaller & fuel efficient, and I did the same plus extra cool & fun with the coupe, dad has been searching classifieds DAILY for months trying to find something smaller and more efficient that's also practical to be his beater. Effectively, he thinks, replacing the Fleetwood that just sits and rots with little to no use, and then making the 202k Roadmaster the spare.

He's been wanting a wagon of some sort, too, and as he refuses to ever buy something he can't with cash, we've had no luck convincing him on new though he could more than afford it. So Friday I sat with him as he looked through ads circling things, and I checked Craigslist. He would have liked something like a mid 90's Regal or something that was still comfortable and luxurious but lighter and much more of a gas sipper. Found a Regal that had really low miles for just over $2k, but it was sold, of course. Then my find, which I didn't even take seriously...a '96 Subaru Legacy wagon.

He was intrigued, especially since it was a few miles away, WHITE (the biggest thing for him...oddly), a wagon, had a good reputation, and oh yeah, was dirt cheap. I emailed, got him a phone number, and he started calling. Went to look at it yesterday and came back smiling, and then today the guy let him bring it home for a few hours to check it out in depth.

The result? I think we'll soon have a less than gorgeous old Legacy wagon outside too...and be short the last of originally 2 Caddies. We'll see. He wants it and was pleased with everything he saw mechanically, just needs some stuff--but that's what he wanted. A solid and efficient car that maybe had some dents and needed little things.

Dents, scrapes, some hood rust, but honestly not bad. And for $1000, seems like a good deal to him. Has a bazillion miles, at 182k, but has been maintained and he drives so little every year, not a biggie. Belongs to a guy that just retired (dad said "a professor-type"...shocker) who used it for commuting, bought a new Subie, and has been trying to sell this one for a while.

We'll see...oy. He was already making a list of what he'd fix up and asking me about the headlights and how to clean other things, so I think he's set. That means there will be 7 cars outside until mine finally gets picked up and then his '93 gets sold, I guess. Sad. But GM dad wanting a Subie...and an AWD one at that...still stunning to me.

Edited July 6, 2008 by caddycruiser

[vonVeezelsnider]

*Cough* Malibu Maxx *Cough*

:AH-HA_wink:

[caddycruiser]

*Cough* Malibu Maxx *Cough*

:AH-HA_wink:

Oh, that'd be perfect, trust me. But FAR, FAR too new and expensive for his mental limit. Again, it's the whole refuses to touch anything he can't buy with more than a couple of g's cash in hand, no matter how much he remarks being jealous of both mine and mom's new rides daily. "Well, buy yourself one!" "No...you buy me one."

Seriously. But I do think there will be an old, high mileage Subie out back soon enough. It's a cool car, actually, and vastly different than anything he's ever had...just, well, old and a bit crotchety.

[ocnblu]

He'd better not park it on Baltimore Ave. He'll have a bunch of hefty ladies checking it out wearing sleeveless flannel shirts. He could get a bumper sticker that says "I (heart) clams" and really mess with their minds. Edited July 6, 2008 by ocnblu

[caddycruiser]

He'd better not park it on Baltimore Ave. He'll have a bunch of hefty ladies checking it out wearing sleeveless flannel shirts. He could get a bumper sticker that says "I (heart) clams" and really mess with their minds.

Tell me about it...

[gm4life]

That thing will be painfully noisey compared to his B-bodies and also soooo freaking slow. Better put a turbo in it or a five speed to help it get up to highway speeds.

[caddycruiser]

That thing will be painfully noisey compared to his B-bodies and also soooo freaking slow. Better put a turbo in it or a five speed to help it get up to highway speeds.

Not really. In driving it around so far, he's been pleased and said "it purrs like a little kitten and is pretty spunky". Plus, his L05 Roadmaster isn't exactly a beast with power, more like a slug, and he isn't crying for power anyway. No complaints about noise either, just that it felt solid and smooth to him.

I'm familiar with these as a family friend had a '95 sedan that they traded for a '96 wagon that was identical to this except for alloy wheels, and then an '02 after that. Always liked them. Not that this was what he originally set out looking for, but I saw it on Craigslist and all the specs lined up.

1) Still passes for fairly recent. Not cutting edge, but not Olds Cutlass Ciera (one there's always some for sale of, but he just commented on being archaic).

2) White. White. White.

3) Fuel efficient. Not a Prius, but the guy selling it said mid 20's and he was pleased with that vs. his Roadmaster/Fleetwood. Neither are terrible, and as my brother told him, he drives about 3800 miles a year (I just calculated), but fill ups make him want to cry and he's in the mid teens with around town he thinks now.

4) Practical. Wagon. Enough said.

5) Solid and isn't going to be falling apart. This thing has dents and some edge rust on the hood, but still feels and looks Subie solid and more so than he's used to with early 90's GM cars. Not that those are bad, but this is a new world of interior solidity and such than he's ever seen in his rides. Not cutting edge wow, either, but even I was surprised how well it has held up.

The mileage on this one is a bit oy, but he bought his Roadmaster with the same number (weirdly, also had 182k) and it's been a bull...mostly. And not stunning, either, but a fantastic interior and an outside that will be much better with a little primping.

For $1k...we've yet to find anything else that matches so well. He didn't make the deal yet, but will unless something happens. I've been ordered to get the Caddy advertised where I can, so we'll see. My brother is perturbed about it all and was trying to tell him about a Buick he saw for sale, etc., but heh.

Edited July 6, 2008 by caddycruiser

[ocnblu]

In the photos, yes, it does look to be in very clean shape for the mileage, but as with any car, it is surely due to diligent care by the professor. I have seen some Subies come in for bodywork that were not nearly as well cared for, and they were pigsties.

[enzl]

My 2nd Car was an 84 Subie 4WD Wagon...now that was underpowered!

Put my 'rents in a '04 Legacy GT Wagon.

With proper maintenance, Subaru's will run forever. IMO, they've out-Saabed Saab and created the CUV craze---a niche brand with Toyota's deep pockets...

A good buy, even though something expensive may be needed--simply lots of parts that wear with the AWD system, bottom line.

Edited July 7, 2008 by enzl

[caddycruiser]

My 2nd Car was an 84 Subie 4WD Wagon...now that was underpowered!

Put my 'rents in a '04 Legacy GT Wagon.

With proper maintenance, Subaru's will run forever. IMO, they've out-Saabed Saab and created the CUV craze---a niche brand with Toyota's deep pockets...

A good buy, even though something expensive may be needed--simply lots of parts that wear with the AWD system, bottom line.

Yep, and that's what I've told him. At least in the AWD regard, we all avoid 4WD/AWD anything like the plague, but he likes this car and it seems efficient enough to him, plus there's nothing wrong with the system as it is. They do go forever typically, the main thing I've read with some later 90's ones are head gaskets repeatedly.

This has the original 2.2L and the guy claims it's never lost/burnt oil for all the life he's had it, and the only leak dad found today was a minor valve cover gasket one. Seems to shift well, sounds just like any new Subie running, the A/C works perfectly, and really nothing glaring other than the brakes--feel mushy and due for front pads at least. He called them scary, so not sure there.

I've listened to him for a while now and he's taken quite a liking to Subies in the first place, always pointing out wagons and such. This one is far from a dreamboat but seems to have been cared for in every way except for the outside visuals much, but that's workable. I'm not much for old anything anymore, but Mr. Cash thinks it a good buy.

Now just time to sell the Caddy...well, another one. Even if there's no Subie, he'll keep looking and replace it with something, though if 7 cars are in the driveway at once someone will have a spastic colon.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Okay caddycruiser, you and your family need to stop offering Fleetwoods for sale - you're killing me!!!

And you know I gotta ask... how much does he want for it??? (downside is that I just spent some of the money I had "saved" on something else, not really car-related ). But I'm curious as to what he wants for it...

Oh, and I got a suspicious looking ( :AH-HA_wink: ) package in the mail yesterday (well, I forgot to check the mailbox yesterday so I really got it tonight when I "remembered"). I have yet to open it, as my 2 y-o thinks everything I get in the mail is for him, so I put it aside for later. I'll open it soon and will surely send you an e-mail.

[daves87rs]

For a beater, you really can't go wrong....

like enzl said-you might replace a few things, but for a grand it is still not bad....

[caddycruiser]

Okay caddycruiser, you and your family need to stop offering Fleetwoods for sale - you're killing me!!!

And you know I gotta ask... how much does he want for it??? (downside is that I just spent some of the money I had "saved" on something else, not really car-related ). But I'm curious as to what he wants for it...

Oh, and I got a suspicious looking ( :AH-HA_wink: ) package in the mail yesterday (well, I forgot to check the mailbox yesterday so I really got it tonight when I "remembered"). I have yet to open it, as my 2 y-o thinks everything I get in the mail is for him, so I put it aside for later. I'll open it soon and will surely send you an e-mail.

Hah! Tell me about it. I hope you like the little gift. Not much, but I thought fun, found when I was cleaning out my Fleetwood stuff arsenal.

Edited July 7, 2008 by caddycruiser

[Intrepidation]

We looked at one of those a while back. I found them better looking than the next generation...pretty nice inside too for the era. My neighbor had an Outback of that generation...he liekd it besides the power...it was the year before the more powerful engine option became available.

People I know who own Subarus love them. My girlfriend's Aunt's, friend has a previous generation Outback wagon 4 cylinder/5-speed and loves it. I road in it a few times...very smooth, quiet and peppy. My favorite is the current generation Outback wagon and Legacy Spec B

[ocnblu]

The only thing I find wrong with Subaru is the fact that Toyota has their grimy paws on it.

[caddycruiser]

And then there was a Subaru among the GM's...

He bought it. He just liked it too much for $1k, especially it being a couple of miles down the road at most. I knew he would after looking it over Sunday, and when I got home today he asked me for a ride.

Also, officially, the driveway has exploded. Not that it's small, but there's 4 defined parking spaces with a makeshift 5th that doesn't cause much grief. With six, it's blocked. Seven would just be too much, so Ms. Subie has to sit in the neighbor's driveway (weekend guy...doesn't care) until, uh, something else leaves.

My mother was outside and stopped to chat with the neighbor, apparently offering "come over to our used car lot..." He seemed a little excited to see what dad bought, thinking maybe even new, only to hear "just a cheap beater". Oh...

It's weird. There's now so many cars, I can't wrap my brain around more than my own anymore. It's too much like a used car lot, for real. Hah.

[caddycruiser]

To give a small update...

Like I've said, he bought the Subaru and the Cadillac has been casually (i.e. just papers...and zero interest) for sale.

And ever since, he's been spending every day of free time pounding or popping out dents, filling chips, rubbing scratches, repainting small areas, painting black plastic trim (a-la base model looking no more), refinishing hubcaps (and even the steel wheels underneath them), and cleaning the interior. I have NEVER seen him spend so much time on a car. He even waxed it and used tire shine...twilight zone, seriously.

It has transformed, well, visually. Look above and then here:

Still not exactly a looker but SO different and SO much better (looks like a much lower mile and unworn car), and I'm shocked HE put so much time and effort into it.

Mechanically is the iffy part. It starts up, runs, shifts, and purrs honestly like a fresh Subie boxer...BUT the brakes (he did new pads, too) are scary in having little response or pressure, there's still quite a bit of rattles from heat shields (there's an odd amount of them, all over) or at least that's where we think from, and it has a bit of a scraping sound while moving. I drove it last night and was a little, um, worried but this is fine to him.

For 182k miles, actually zero rattles or shimmies as far as the body, interior, and suspension, and it has the best AC of any of our cars. Nice little car. Just needs some mechanical work still to be fully "right" but neither he or the last owner are concerned, so maybe it's just my new car likeness swaying me a bit.

But $1000, lots of clear maintenance, a near spotless interior, white, a wagon, etc., etc. For what he wanted, couldn't be better, except for it being one of the rare FWD models vs. AWD. Oh well.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Why did he only get a 1 year tag? He could have opted for longer, is he thinking of fixing it up and selling it?

[caddycruiser]

Why did he only get a 1 year tag? He could have opted for longer, is he thinking of fixing it up and selling it?

He always only gets 1 year ones, and had me do that as well before, just because with older cars tomorrow could mean anything. Car could blow, it could be creamed, etc. and he'd rather only pay for the 1 year at a time and save that difference.

Not selling it, though he's done so much to it in the past few weeks and worked every day, it could be a flip. For $1k, even with the brakes and such and the miles, comparable ones still go for more.

He likes it too much. I can't believe I found him something so dead on in color, body style, trim, condition, etc. 100% what he wanted, aside from the AWD. Just needs to work on the few mechanical tidbits--well, at least the noises--I think. Otherwise, just a solid little runabout. I don't think his mileage will be THAT astounding, but it's still better than the Roadmaster he thinks in his daily 3 mile trek with the 350 roaring from stop to stop lugging a big frame and body around. We'll see.

[caddycruiser]

Why did he only get a 1 year tag? He could have opted for longer, is he thinking of fixing it up and selling it?

OH...but also on this note, the license plates. We hate the blue & gold ones, especially on white cars, so the first day he had it he asked me to get him another special plate application. He has the white duck ones on the Buick & Caddy and will probably do the same here.

Even little things like that are getting taken care of, so it's definitely been his focus.

[Ravenfreak13]

WOW...he made it CLEAN looking!

[daves87rs]

It looks good!

[Intrepidation]

That's amazing, can I hire him to do this to my cars?

[Ravenfreak13]

Hey I have a 99 breeze with a whole bunch of dings and a busted up fender...is he for hire???

[A Horse With No Name]

*Cough* Malibu Maxx *Cough*

:AH-HA_wink:

+1

Although the Subie could be cool...

Chris

[caddycruiser]

That's amazing, can I hire him to do this to my cars?

Hey I have a 99 breeze with a whole bunch of dings and a busted up fender...is he for hire???

Hah, even I said so. He's never put so much effort even into the last ones...though, fairly, it was I who took care of cleaning up the Roadmaster and Fleetwood for him.

He and my mother were away all weekend at a wedding and just got back today. First thing he did outside? Had a towel and was wiping dust and bug crap off the Subie. Seriously.

[ocnblu]

In the first picture of this latest series, at first it looks like the Subie has a spoiler... until I realized it is one of the other cars parked behind it!

[caddycruiser]

In the first picture of this latest series, at first it looks like the Subie has a spoiler... until I realized it is one of the other cars parked behind it!

Hah, I didn't notice that until just now! That would be Mr. Roadmaster lurking behind in filth and ignored, now parked as the Subie becomes the official daily driver tomorrow morning. Drum roll please.