New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Hey guys,

Yep another newbie here! My name's Julius, from Melbourne. Recently purchased my first ever Subaru - a 1997 Liberty RX 2.5L Wagon. It's dark blue, manual, completely stock with 214,000kms on the clock.

So far I'm loving it, it's very comfortable, and really nice to drive. I'm was quite suprised at how powerful it was for a largeish four cylinder car. I'm glad I waited a bit longer for this one instead of going for a GX. Don't get me wrong, the GX's I drove were nice, but this is just that bit nicer smile

The interior is in near perfect condition. The body is pretty good too. There are a few scratches on the bonnet, and a the front bar is not perfect, but overall very good. I do plan to get it all looking perfect when I get the chance. Not going to go crazy with mods, probably leave is mostly stock, but I'd love a set of 17" 2002 WRX wheels.... soon!

This is my first non-Nissan powered car, Over the past 8 years I've owned a VL Commodore and two R31 Skylines, all with non-turbo RB30E engines. My current Skyline is an original SVD GTS2 (limited edition, factory worked engine, Bilstein suspension, body kit etc.. handles like a go-kart)It's recently been put on the market if anyone's interested. No, the Liberty isn't quite as fast as my Skyline, but as I said, I was suprised at how well it goes!


Anyway I'm sure I'll find lots of useful info on this site smile

Took some pics today, definitely not the best photos I've ever taken, and the car needs a wash... i'll get some better ones up later!

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5686.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5687.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5688.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5689.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5691.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5692.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/Subaru%20Liberty%20RX/IMG_5694.jpg


I'll get some pics up of both cars very soon.
Cheers,
Julius

Edited By:  Mogtribe
05-06-09 04:22 PM
Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

welcome to ozlib mate , congrats on the new purchase..

whats part of melbs are u from , normally once a month we have a meet , you should come to the next one


cheers,

cam

Edited By:  CAMOSHOP
03-06-09 12:22 PM
CAMOSHOP
useravatar

Posts:  413

Status:  Offline

* GEN 2 SERIES 2 HERITAGE * 20% TINT * 2.25 CAT BACK * CAI * G2S1 INTAKE * 17x7 225/45R *

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

welcome to ozliberty julius!!

enjoy tongue

aekOne
useravatar

Posts:  2934

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Hi, welcome. lol the subie mightn't be as fast as the skyline but I'll bet it "feels" better.

buzzda1
useravatar

Posts:  180

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

welcome mate...

sounds like a nice car smile

JUXT
useravatar

Posts:  204

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Cheers guys,

Yeah the Subie does feel really nice... as I said, the skyline kinda feels like a go-kart.. they're loads of fun, but you'd probably get a bit tired of driving a kart all unless you were on a racetrack smile

Cam I'm from Heidelberg, would definitely like to come along to the next meet, keep me posted.

Pics of the car will be up on the weekend.

Julius

Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Welcome to the forums, looking forward to seeing some pics of your car..

ericmcg
useravatar

Posts:  252

Status:  Offline

<Image link> My ride, JDM Legacy B4 RSK. 
<Image link>

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

PICS ADDED!!!

They're not the best, I'll take some proper ones after I've washed the car.

Julius

Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Mogtribe wrote:

PICS ADDED!!!

They're not the best, I'll take some proper ones after I've washed the car.

Julius
Nice clean wagon, congrats on a good buy.. A nice new set of rims will really make it stand out..  Best of luck with the car

ericmcg
useravatar

Posts:  252

Status:  Offline

<Image link> My ride, JDM Legacy B4 RSK. 
<Image link>

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

look nice and clean mate !!! do you know if its had the revised headgaskit put in ?

gen2 ej25, tend to blow them most of us on here that has one has had to get the revised gaskit put in

CAMOSHOP
useravatar

Posts:  413

Status:  Offline

* GEN 2 SERIES 2 HERITAGE * 20% TINT * 2.25 CAT BACK * CAI * G2S1 INTAKE * 17x7 225/45R *

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

CAMOSHOP wrote:

do you know if its had the revised headgaskit put in ?
According to service history (and confirmed by previous owner) headgasket blew in 2004 @ 168,000kms. I have the receipt in front of me now, under PARTS it says

1 x VRS Gasket Set  $420.

Is there any way to know if this is the revised gasket? If there's no way to tell, would it be advisable to fit a new revised headgasket as a precaution?

Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

car looks nice and clean.. and a 5speed too. nice. smile

what number is your GTS2 though, and how much are you after for it? i used to have a turboed S3 R31 silhouette.. and always wanted a GTS2 (even a gts1..!).

RdS
useravatar

Posts:  16

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

I know this is the Liberty forum, but here are a couple of pics of my R31 Skyline smile

It's currently for sale, here is the link:

http://forum.r31skylineclub.com/index.p … c=130533.0

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/IMG_5609.jpg

http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt73/SVDR31/IMG_5638.jpg

Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Mogtribe wrote:

CAMOSHOP wrote:

do you know if its had the revised headgaskit put in ?
According to service history (and confirmed by previous owner) headgasket blew in 2004 @ 168,000kms. I have the receipt in front of me now, under PARTS it says

1 x VRS Gasket Set  $420.

Is there any way to know if this is the revised gasket? If there's no way to tell, would it be advisable to fit a new revised headgasket as a precaution?
yeh just look at the heads the revised gasket is made up of 3 layers of metal

CAMOSHOP
useravatar

Posts:  413

Status:  Offline

* GEN 2 SERIES 2 HERITAGE * 20% TINT * 2.25 CAT BACK * CAI * G2S1 INTAKE * 17x7 225/45R *

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

that R31's a stunner mate. one of the better ones out there (other than GTS145!). i just wish i had 11k to spend on another toy.. let alone the space. sad
good luck with the sale of it.. and getting the liberty the way you want it. smile

RdS
useravatar

Posts:  16

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Welcome to ozlib. A couple of very tidy cars.
Good luck with the sale of the Skyline, always had a soft spot for them.
Cheers
J

RX25SE
useravatar

Posts:  634

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

nice ride mate, i love that color! currently wrecking a 97 rx wagon in that blue at work but the bonnet is munted.
so anything you need let me know ill grab a price off the boss.

is yours auto or MANual ?

i am seriously confused on what i am going to buy to replace my gen1 when the time comes.. but a white or blue gen2 rx wagon is up there at the top of the list!
along with the lancer sportsback and mazda6

2 gen2's in the driveway would be nice though lol.

also as far as the head gasket goes i wouldn't be too worried, the history sounds legit as most of them go at between 120k & 170k.
it was only the OEM subaru gasket that had the high fail rate and from what i have read the vrs kits seem to be good and as it says KIT it means they would have done the head bolts too which is a some people skimp on (big no-no)

the meets we have are usually in burwood so still a bit of a trip for you but its the most central for all us eastern boys (and girl)

finally (after a epic blog of a post lol)
throw some rims on that thing quick smart mate.. will look the goods, those standard 15in rims make all the gen 2's look aged imo.

cheers, Ty

CodeBurn3r
useravatar

Posts:  716

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

welcome to the forum... smile
nice, clean looking car

MR_B4
useravatar

Posts:  613

Status:  Offline

2003 Subaru Liberty B4 Manual Black Mica
Mods: RDA Slotted Rotors, EBC Green Stuff Pads, 18" Charcoal Liberty STI Rims, STI Strut Brace

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

CodeBurn3r wrote:

nice ride mate, i love that color! currently wrecking a 97 rx wagon in that blue at work but the bonnet is munted.
so anything you need let me know ill grab a price off the boss.

is yours auto or MANual ?

i am seriously confused on what i am going to buy to replace my gen1 when the time comes.. but a white or blue gen2 rx wagon is up there at the top of the list!
along with the lancer sportsback and mazda6

2 gen2's in the driveway would be nice though lol.

also as far as the head gasket goes i wouldn't be too worried, the history sounds legit as most of them go at between 120k & 170k.
it was only the OEM subaru gasket that had the high fail rate and from what i have read the vrs kits seem to be good and as it says KIT it means they would have done the head bolts too which is a some people skimp on (big no-no)

the meets we have are usually in burwood so still a bit of a trip for you but its the most central for all us eastern boys (and girl)

finally (after a epic blog of a post lol)
throw some rims on that thing quick smart mate.. will look the goods, those standard 15in rims make all the gen 2's look aged imo.

cheers, Ty
Lol that definitely was an epic post!  Car is a MANUAL.

Looking at the receipt again for the headgasket work... just underneath 1xVRS Gasket Kit it says
1x Set of Head Bolts $128.    So that's put my mind at ease for a while.

As for the rims, I completely agree with you about the not-so-cool 15" rims. A set of 17's will definitely be the first thing I do to the car. Unfortunately it won't happen straight away, as I still have to see what happens with the Skyline.

Go the RX wagon mate, Mazda 6 sounds like a nice car though... although front wheel drive doesn't really float my boat... (I'll always have a soft spot for rear wheel drives!)

Burwood is easy to get to for me, I'm keen to come down to the next meet smile

Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Re: New to forum - 1st time Subaru buyer

  Top of Page

Hey guys,

Ok so had the Liberty for around 3 months now, and loving it! It really is a very very nice car. We've never had Subaru's in our family, and both my brother and my dad were very impressed when they drove it.

Just a quick question about differences between the "Bilstein Edition RX" and the standard RX.. apart from having Bilstein struts, are there any other suspension differences - Do they have different springs?

Depending how much it would cost, I"d be keen to install Bilstein suspension in the near future to improve the handling. Will this work with my current springs? Or would it be advisable to install new springs that sat a bit lower? I'd be doing all this once I've put a set of 17" rims on it.

I'm in no rush to do this (still trying to sell the skyline) but I'd be interested to hear people's opinions smile

Cheers,
Julius

Mogtribe
useravatar

Posts:  21

Status:  Offline

Board Info

Board Stats:   Total Users: 12431  Total Topics: 19479  Total Polls: 12  Total Posts: 151087916  Total Posts Today: 12
User Info:   Newest User :  Beans GT   Members Online: 2   Guests Online: 124
Online 
murfb4Subarujunkie
Generated in 0.756 sec. Queries: 159
RSS - Subscribe to ozLiberty feeds Twitter - follow our tweets MySpace - Join our groupFacebook - Join our group