The old Subaru Brats were pretty cool.

 

I like the front end, save the grille.

The rear taillights look like BMW 5-series.

 

My favorite body style.

 

 

Other than rust, there wasn't much wrong with the better Japanese brands back in the 1980s. Sadly, all those Isuzus, Mazdas, Suzukis, Mitsubishis and Daihatsus probably didn't deserve the "Japanese reputation."

 

And what's funny is, apparently Subaru must qualify as a "better brand" if it does not make your list, right??

So explain how there "wasn't much wrong" with any of them if my dad had such a ridiculous pile of crap. Case in point of the EXACT bias I am talking about, with all due respect.

 

Yah, nothing other than they were cheap, ugly, and rusted to **** in 3 years

 

Boy racerish is one thing, butt fugly is quite another. I actually like the STi's up to now. If this is the way they're going, I'll have to put them in the same pile as those fish-eyed Chrysler knock-offs Chevy tried to sell from 98-02.

Can no one make a great looking AWD peformance car? Mitsubishi had it right, but decided to cancel the VR4 after 99. Go figure.

 

Didn't you yourself say that your dad realized that he got a lemon? Thus far it looks like you're the only case study, which is a poor representative of the entire Subaru line.

But if there are a lot more owners complaining about their 1980s Subaru reliability and those complaints rate lower than average, then it would qualify.

 

I see more old Subaru's on the road than most other Japanese cars.

 

You're falling into the same trap your buddy redzed did! Yes, admittedly his car was a lemon. And so are some American cars, too. But the point is, when someone owns a foreign lemon, well, that must have been an oddity. If someone owns an American lemon, well, American cars suck, period. THAT IS THE POINT. Just because I am the only case study here does not mean, by nature, Subarus were superior at that time, does it? I'm not asking for a survey...merely pointing out a BIASED OPINION.

Geez...

 

In this area, with all the snow and salt most older Subies are long, long gone. The most '80s Japanese cars around here seem to be Accords. No doubt, Subaru was/is a decent car. The only point I was trying to make is the one I made above...sheerly about bias.

 

Yes, because redzed and I are like, umm, friends forever and ever.

I don't know where i said that Subarus were such awesome cars, nor that american cars are junkies.

 

1. I left Subaru out of my list for one little known reason:

Air-cooled Subaru engines are still used in light aircraft, just as they have been for 35+ years. I'd say that's pretty high praise for the fundimental reliability of any automotive engine. I'm not saying I'd fly in some "homebuilt" kit plane with an engine yanked out of some 30 year old Subaru, but plenty of people do.

Anyway, I always though that Subies sucked gas for their size, were overpriced and were sluggish without a turbo. Nope, I wouldn't consider buying a stationwagon named after a steakhouse...Outback. I also have to laugh at the idea of a $30K+ car (the WRX STi) that comes without a radio.

2. I always wondered what the heat from the engine did to the spare tire in the old Subarus?

3. If you haven't figured it out already, I'm hardly a big Subaru fan. So much for the theory of bias?

4. I'm not kidding about the spare tire thing. Does anyone know if the putting the spare tire on the engine was as bad an idea as it sounds?

 

2005 WRX Wagon? Didn't you buy an 04 STi not too long ago? Quick trade. What made you trade down? The 04 STi was one hell of a machine.

Here's another renditions of the 2005 STi. This one is a bit older and was featured in C&D.
http://server5.uploadit.org/files/backry-Untitled.jpg