Subaru SVX

[Chopper]

We have a local, 40ish, type guy with a 928s. It's been in the shop 3 times now, for, front bumper cover, rear bumper, drivers window and sunroof. Everyone hides when it gets pulled into the back lot. Adventure is the proper term... every nut, bolt, screw,and fastner is a damn adventure. I'd rather put a starter in a Z3 again, than swap a facia on that Porsche. ( fact: both are loathsome jobs) Never got used to the front engine Porsche. Like the Cayane,at the time it saved the company from takeover. They made a lot of money on SUV and the front engine cars. I personally, lust in my heart (and every other body part) for a GT3

[VehiGAZ]

I see SVX's on the road around these parts every few months. My aunt had one for a couple of years, but got sick of the low-down seating. I took a drive from CT to southern New Jersey once in it, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

But I'm a 928 man myself - although everyone I know thinks I'm more of a looking-for-a-928-man than an owning-a-928-man. One of these days...

[E-ZooZoo One]

I'd rather put a starter in a Z3 again, than swap a facia on that Porsche. ( fact: both are loathsome jobs)

Then you would've dearly LOVED to have been the guy that was charged with the task of repairing the brand new one that I hit with the company Dominio's delivery pick-up, back in 1985...

Ironically, it belonged to the son of the owner of a local competitor Mom & Pop pizza chain (that, at the time, Domino's was slowly driving out of business - and later eventually finished the job - but not before I crushed-in the front of their 928... like a son-of-a-B ) -- I lost my job over that one.


After that night, I'm surprised that I kept on liking 928s

[transio]

I personally, lust in my heart (and every other body part) for a GT3

I don't understand people's love for the GT3. It's the greatest driving-porsche, for sure, but when you get to that price range there are SOOOO many options.... the Noble M400, for instance.

BTW, I just signed up for the waitlist for the 2008 Lotus Esprit. 2800 lbs, 400 NA hp (BMW M5 engine), Lamborghini looks, and Lotus-tuned suspension all for under $100k. It's gonna be a sweet ride. I just hope my biz takes off and I make some serious bucks in the next couple years.

[Chopper]

Can't speak for others, but in my case, I suspect it's genetic. Back in the sixties and early seventies, my dad drove Trans Am and some Can Am for O.B.'s Porsche up in New York. After I did the learners permit and test thing in moms Citroen DS21, I was allowed to take out the E type, and later the 911. One of the best days in my life was spent with pop, in the new ('71) Porsche, learning to do hot laps up at Watkins Glenn. Later that summer at Limerock, I discovered lift throttle oversteer. Never saw the old man shaken up before. I now know how scary the right seat is (I have a budding hotshoe of my own now) That is why the GT3. Wayne

[MZ-N10]

the svx was subarus answer to the rx7, supra and 300zx. the car was similar to the 3000gt, it was pretty heavy and had 4wd. the problem with the car was tat it never really had much aftermarket support overseas. it was also underpowered when compared to the other japanese super cars and cost nearly the same as them. i believe the electrical was also a huge problem with the svx.

[mdwyer]

i believe the electrical was also a huge problem with the svx.

It was certainly a problem with the one I drove... The headlights and instrument panels went dark in the middle of the night 100 miles from home.

I can't say I'm a fan of the SVX. I've got one of the last GC6 Imprezas, though, and I really like it. Subaru can make a good car, but I don't the SVX was one of them.

[transio]

I discovered lift throttle oversteer.... That is why the GT3. Wayne

Can you even lift-throttle-oversteer a GT3? I thought they "corrected" the 911's oversteer "problems" with stability control junk? If it's the pure driving experience of older Porsches that you're looking for, get an Exige! It's got really "bad" lift-throttle-oversteer!

[peewog]

I thought I had found the car to be buried in when I bought my SVX. Unfortunately I buried it first.

I had a 94 LSI with the all wheel drive. It is a heavy car and did very well in the snow. It also had an overdrive that truely scared the **** out of me everytime I used it.

The SVX forum was as friendly and helpful as this one. There I learned that there were only 14,000 imported between '92 - '97. I never had the transmission problem or the bearings, my problem was when I crashed it into a pizza delivery van. It never ran right after that and getting parts was difficult.

Until I bought the Miata this spring, I thought I'd try to find anothere SVX. Now I love the Miata and the SVX's are getting old. Not being mechanical, I guess I'll stick with the Miata.

But for those of you not mechanically challenged who love the odd stares and a nice solid yet powerful ride, I would recommend it!

Boy I loved that car!

is it a coincidence that I owned an SVX and now have a VX?

[thedutchguy]

I always thought the svx was to heavy for a "real"sports car.

[Chopper]

911s came in pretty much one flavor (for street use anyway) in the early 1970s...no GT3... and yeah... if you take an older 911 into a turn a bit too hot, feelin' the fronts begin to scrub, lifting to get more bite is not the answer.It results in a SNAP spin, way faster than anything I have the skills to catch. I don't know of another car that goes from push to spin so quickly. 8 tenths on is tricky. Wayne

[E-ZooZoo One]

...a nice solid yet powerful ride, I would recommend it!

That was my impression of the SVX as well...
It seemed to be constructed like a vault - solid as hell... well, maybe not quite the vault-like build quality of a G-wagon, but certainly quite so for a 2-door passenger car. --- I suppose that I don't mind a little extra weight if it's put to good use.

But where the thing really impressed me the most was in it's amazing stability at speed. --- At better than 130mph, while sitting in the passenger seat (with a near-stranger at the wheel), I felt surprisingly secure... like: I would have been comfortable sitting there trimming my fingernails, as though I was sitting at home 'secure'.


By contrast (from the driver's seat, no less), neither of the two 928s could match that same overall sense of 'everything's gonna be fine - it's no big deal' - at 100mph... forget 130mph!

And not only that, the 928s' doors all felt pretty weak and sagged - they sure didn't go "WHUMP" when you closed them.


The SVX may not be a 'Supercar'... but it IS a pretty damned good car

[VehiGAZ]

Thread resuscitation...

E-zoo-zoo, are you anywhere near Morgantown, WV? There's a 928 S4 there that's been up for sale for a while, but it's just too damned far for me to drive just to see it (sooo many of them are in crappy condition!). Any chance you'd be willing to take a look at it for me?

[colmhd]

Here's one!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Subar...spagenameZWD2V

[Tobert]

Somebody mentioned the Supra ... I really liked the 1985 NA 5-speed I had. The Supra lost all of its lines in the 1986 and started looking like all the rest of its peers. I'd probably trade my VX for a near-mint '85 Supra if it was the right colors (red or black) -- I liked it that much. I sold it because the wife didn't like the way I drove it. Then I got a jalopy, which I drove the same and she realized she made a mistake