A free car

My wife's father could no longer drive his car and it sat in his driveway for a few years before we offered to take it off the family's hands as a gift to his grand daughter.

The 2000 Subaru Impreza is very quickly disappearing from the streets as people junk them after the cars give up the ghost.

Sometimes the devil you know could be much better than the devil you don't know. This car has been in a terrible broadside collision (once as the receiver and once as the giver) and didn't see very much routine maintenance except for regular oil changes.

The Kelly blue book average retail price goes up to $4,000 in my area(for a pristine example which this car is clearly not) and that would likely be for a car that still needs work. I figured I have room for repairs and maintenance work.

Before we could drive the car across half of the united States I had my brother take the car to his trusted mechanic to replace both of the rear wheel bearings, change the front and rear diff fluid and change the timing belt and water pump and give it an oil change.

Over the next few months, I continued with more work and the car now drives much better.

I estimate that I have roughly $2,800 in the car and it's running very well except for terrible road noise emanating from the rear (sounds like failing rear diff or rear wheel bearing)  and also terrible rust on the sill panels near the wheel wells.  If she holds out for another  year or two I might be able to trade it and my motorcycle in for a newer car but time will tell how everything goes.

There is some sentimental attachment to the car since my father-in-law recently passed.  All the dings from accidents caused by his impatience and the crazy pry marks in the front door when he absolutely had to get into the car after an ice storm froze everything shut.

She looks pretty good from 20ft away. I still hope to swap out the radio for a slightly better unit, add some new speakers to the rear doors and tint the windows over the summer.

work performed since taking ownership:

• Timing belt, water pump, accessory belts
• Engine oil change
• Front Diff fluid (2x) - diy
• Rear Diff fluid (2x) - diy
• Transmission drain and fill (2x) - diy
• Power steering fluid (2x) - diy
• Brake fluid replaced - diy
• Rear brake shoes - diy
• Front brake pads (Ceramic) - diy
• Left rear wheel bearing
• Right rear wheel bearing (2x)
• Front right CV Boot
• New Radio and front door speakers - diy
• Wheel alignment
• Front Wheel stud replaced - diy
• Sound proof insulation installed in rear cargo area - diy
• new irridium spark plugs and air filter - diy
• Ceramic 35% Tint - diy
• Upgraded engine grounds with spare 12 gauge wire (battery to body, body to engine) - diy
• New Ignition coil and spark plug wires to resolve a stumbling idle (misfire) - diy

This car had the misfortune of 2 failed wheel bearing installs by separate mechanics within an 8 month span and less than 1k miles. One of the mechanics was our family's trusted and honest mechanic. The wheel bearing was immediately noisy when we picked up the car but thinking it was the beginnings of a noisy failing rear diff, we drove it home.

After the sound became unbearable, I took the car to a local mechanic to find out how much a replacement diff would cost but they gave me a diagnosis of a failed wheel bearing and rather than risk another failed install, I decided to take the car to a Subaru dealer to the tune of $600 but if the repair holds it will be well worth the money spent. The car was quiet when we picked it up so we are hopeful.


upcoming

• upstream O2 sensor
• transmission filter