Subaru CVT gearboxes can be complete nightmares. Certainly not the only brand in that regard though. Maybe not a factor any more, and probably not something that you’d likely see for years on a new one anyway. The old XV / Crosstrek used to destroy wheel bearings , might’ve been something to do with the AWD system. No idea if applicable to the new version.
Correct oil and servicing critical to all flat boxer engines.
Buy the 2.5L version for some fun.
What I like about some of the cars mentioned here is that they are non-turbo. I hate turbo lag AND turbo powerband, give me natural or supercharged any day, preferably rear wheel drive. The Honda, Toybaru and the MX5 are all good in that regard. I’d consider a BMW too, probably a Z4 E86 coz straight sixes rule and BMW know how to do that very well.
Paid $6.5k with no roady for this one. Was on the market for like 3 days and I just lucked out and got in early… will need new tyres, but thats about it from what I could tell.
Would be buying a Subaru BRZ at 54 considered a midlife crisis ?
Change CVT fluid every 50 000km and they become a lot more reliable
Bumping back to Vitaras.
Would you have concerns about a 2018 auto petrol with approx 175,000 on the clock and full service history?
Or in general, what would you look out for in a Vitara? Keen on auto (ceebs with manual these days) and don’t enjoy cars enough to fork out too much, so avoiding something too new.
If you plan on living to 108.
If you’re wondering, just go for it.
ask a 60 year old considering the same thing. Also I saw a 75 odd year old bloke and his missus pull up at Torquay beach yesterday in an 86. They seemed very happy.
P.S. my old man is 89 and drives a newish V6 Merc that would blow away all of the cars we are currently talking about. Jeez I wish I had his cars over the years: Datsun 240Z, Merc SLC450, BMW 7, Porsche Targa and that only gets us to 1989.
Honestly how freakin good, everything Honda does is reliable and looks pretty good too.
Good buy mate you and the lad will have plenty of fun with it
It’d depend on price but 25,000 km per year is more than I’d personally prefer.
I’m keeping an eye out for a decent manual 1.6L (amongst other candidates) for my daughter. Strangely enough, there are far more in NSW and WA , very few in Vic.
Cheers. I find buying cars (second hand anyway) one of the more uncomfortable things. So many what ifs
They do.
But manufacturers stretch those periods out, which is crazy. Some will list in the maintenance notes that they should be serviced more regularly “in harsh conditions” . Most owners - understandably- don’t realise that for CVT’s, most consider stop-start traffic as “harsh conditions”. Either way, I find most of them are horrible, whiney, slack feeling devices. And eye wateringly expensive when they implode. But that’s just me.
Edit - Also, and this is relevant for anyone who reads my rambling crap , I’m not someone who upgrades their car every five years. I’ve had two (and a work ute) since the early 90’s. So i tend to pay more attention to long term mechanical issues. If you roll your car over every five years or so, and keep them reasonably modern, then you’d probably never see a lot of issues crop up.
Mate of mine drives one of those as his daily. Loves it.
No. But get an mx5 and do it right.
(The mid life crisis)….the brz is fine. Be a lovely drive
After 18 years of Jazzes, normal autos seem so quaint and analog.
On this…what’s your budget?
You only got one shot at this crisis
so rad and sooooooo expensive
For the new price of a BRZ you could get a 996 Porsche, about 22-25 years old. Probably hold its value better and greater street cred.
And the BRZ/Gr86 are a little sluggish 0-100 for a ‘sports car’.
