To any Oppo Subaru SVX owners, a cry for help.

"MisterHotshot" (Racingiseverything) 10/24/2013 at 12:12 • Filed to: None

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Recently I've garnered an obsession with the slushbox-only-AWD-beauty known as the Subaru SVX. I don't know why I love it so much, okay well I know why I love it, but just about everyone around me can't see what I see. I'm die hard for the manual transmission and I'll love it past the day I die but I accept the fact this car only had an autobox. I'm looking at it for my first car, and I ask to anyone on oppo that owns one, do you love your SVX? Can you think of anything that might deter someone from buying one and instead convincing said person to go back to drooling over an XR4ti? An equally strange car?

The Hamster > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 12:37

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DON'T DO IT.

SVXs are known for three design flaws: transmission solenoids, rear wheel bearings, and brakes.

The slushbox in the SVX lasts about 45-60k miles. After that, the solenoids start to go, and the only option is a rebuild. $$$$$$$, probably more than you paid for the car.

The rear wheel bearings go bad if you look at them wrong, require special tools to replace, and require dis-assembly of the entire rear end of the car to get to. If replaced poorly, they last 1-5k miles. Done well, just 10-30k miles.

The brake discs are too small for the weight of the car, and warp quickly.

On top of all that, unless you can find one from California or Arizona, it'll be rusted out and fixing all of the aforementioned flaws will require massive amounts of penetrating lube, a torch, and several large hammers.

Trust me, I bought one a year ago for $750. Fixed a bunch of stuff, sold it three months later for about the same price.

Vracktal > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 12:37

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Good News!

The 6 speed box from later Subarus not only fits perfectly in with the EG33 boxer, but is much more reliable than the notoriously troublesome 4 speed auto and more fun.

Also, the EG33 responds well to supercharging. How well, you ask? This well.

I don' t own an SVX, but it's right at the very top of my 'to-own' list. Definitely a future classic.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 12:54

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Manual swaps are pretty straightforward for that car from what I understand. The only other "problem" with the car is the brakes, and that's solved easily enough as well.

Boxer_4 > The Hamster 10/24/2013 at 12:58

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The transmission issue is easily fixed by swapping in a 2nd generation 4EAT and matching rear diff from the SF Forester or BG Outback. They increased the size of the cooling channels, and it is an overall more robust transmission. There is an added benefit that the final drive is changed to 4.444, dropping the 0-60 time by at least a second.

Xander, Proud of BOXER > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 13:12

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You can find ones that have had manual transmissions swapped in for the same or a little more than a stock SVX.

505Turbeaux > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 13:49

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I did a restore on one 2 years ago for a client. He just loved the heck out of it, and didnt mind putting the money into it. His tranny lasted 206K miles, and it got rebuilt while everything else got done. Was a great car, brakes a little funky to find, but not impossible. Great car. For your first car I would stay away unless you are well funded or you know how to work on it though

The Hamster > Vracktal 10/24/2013 at 13:56

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Keep in mind the owner of the SVX in that video put over $30k into it in parts, and later sold it for just $10k. Couldn't find anyone who would pay more.

MisterHotshot > Vracktal 10/24/2013 at 14:05

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Damn that's awesome, I can only imagine the money put into it though. I wouldn't mind doing a manual tranny swap, but I have a strange "disorder" where I hate modifying cars from stock in any way.

MisterHotshot > The Hamster 10/24/2013 at 14:08

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I'm pretty much looking for a good point A-B car, that I can still enjoy driving, and enjoy looking at. I'm obsessed with the styling, but I've only heard bad things about the transmission though. But my mother who neglected to ever learn Manual in her life could use a new automatic car, that we would get mutual use from.

MisterHotshot > Xander, Proud of BOXER 10/24/2013 at 14:12

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I've seen a few for sale with manual swaps, it interests me no doubt, but I'd probably stick with getting a XR4ti when I look for a manual car. Plus my mother could use a new automatic to drive, as our 97 Tahoe probably consumes half the United States' fuel supply.

MisterHotshot > 505Turbeaux 10/24/2013 at 14:14

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Yeah our household is by no means financially sound. I think another Manual car would last us the longest right now.

MisterHotshot > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 10/24/2013 at 14:15

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Didn't know the brakes were an issue, I'll keep that in mind.

505Turbeaux > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 14:18

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wait and watch, they arent so rare I dont see 10 a year for sale...some decent, some good to rip the motor out of to stuff into a VW...

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 14:56

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At the time the car was way heavier than anything Subaru had made before, yet they didn't put bigger brakes on it. Thus, the rotors warp a lot. WRX or STi brakes I've heard can be made to fit.

ToroRosso > MisterHotshot 10/24/2013 at 17:09

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Really? You just want a good, reliable, cheap manual transmission car?

Well why didn't you say so!?

MisterHotshot > ToroRosso 10/24/2013 at 17:54

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Hahaha, can't forget about that one. But the cheap I'm talking about is cheap, cheap, under $4,000 really. Don't worry, I know that as a car enthusiast and Jalop, I must own a Miata some day.