[The Bundah Fatso]

As a new driver (L plates last November, P plates next February), I'm looking for a decent, safe, manual first car. While most people recommend something like a Corolla/Lancer/whatever, I'm thinking further left, and am looking at the first generation Subaru Liberty, and most specifically the RS. As the car would be registered and insured under my Mum's name, and that the ACT has no P-plate restrictions, a turbo Subaru should be fine, due to the extra traction the AWD system would give me.

Unfortunately, the police would harass me to no end if I drove a WRX (or even an Impreza sportswagon for that matter). So the obvious solution is to buy/build a sleeper. As most Liberties(?) are used as family transportation, the cops wouldn't suspect any hooning would happen, but with the turbo, I would be able to get into racing, and would benefit from the extra power the turbo would have.

So, my main question is, would a turbo Liberty be a good car for a young driver? Is it hard to learn how to deal with the performance of a turbocharged car? Are the EJ20Ts as reliable as Subaru's other engines?

Thank you

[Benh0]

Unless you have parents you can sponge off, you will hate yourself for getting anything turbo'd for your first car. Maintenance sucks, you pay ridiculous amounts of money for insurance and they cost a fair bit to run.

Just find yourself a nice commodore on gas or something, I wish I did.

[The Bundah Fatso]

Beno__, on 11 October 2009 - 08:32 AM, said:

Unless you have parents you can sponge off, you will hate yourself for getting anything turbo'd for your first car. Maintenance sucks, you pay ridiculous amounts of money for insurance and they cost a fair bit to run.

Just find yourself a nice commodore on gas or something, I wish I did.

Yes, I have my parents to help me out, as well as a casual job at the local Coles, (10-12 hours a week) and am starting a School Based Apprenticeship in a small IT firm (I will be keeping my Coles job though).

Before thinking about the Lib, I was looking around at AU Falcons, but after a while, I found three reasons why I shouldn't buy a Falcon or Commodore

1. Manuals are quite rare, and without many mechanical skills (yet), I can't convert the car to manual,
2. Dad has repeatedly told me, "No Fords or Holdens in my house," and
3. A Falcommodore is a bit too big for me, I have problems with steering my parent's (Don't Laugh) Avalon.

That's why I thought about the Liberty. It's a bit smaller, readily available with a manual, and Maybe an RS is too much, but would a GX or Heritage be a better buy?
Thank you

This post has been edited by The Bundah Fatso: 11 October 2009 - 11:33 AM

[serious14_guy]

the rs liberties aren't that fast standard anyway.
liberties are very nice cars, very reliable and handle pretty well, although stock suspension is fairly soft.
don't worry too much about high kms, just check if the clutch has been replaced and it has been serviced regularly and you can pick up a reasonably new one for not too much.
they are cheaper than an equivalent model impreza as well, even though they are about the same weight and the same, if not better, specs.

[wagola]

serious14_guy, on 11 October 2009 - 06:16 PM, said:

the rs liberties aren't that fast standard anyway.
liberties are very nice cars, very reliable and handle pretty well, although stock suspension is fairly soft.
don't worry too much about high kms, just check if the clutch has been replaced and it has been serviced regularly and you can pick up a reasonably new one for not too much.
they are cheaper than an equivalent model impreza as well, even though they are about the same weight and the same, if not better, specs.

what he said.

[swilly01]

Beno__, on 11 October 2009 - 08:32 AM, said:

Unless you have parents you can sponge off, you will hate yourself for getting anything turbo'd for your first car. Maintenance sucks, you pay ridiculous amounts of money for insurance and they cost a fair bit to run.

Just find yourself a nice commodore on gas or something, I wish I did.

Thats not entirely true. My first car was a 1989 CA18DET 180sx. Barely had one mechanical problem with it in the year i owned it. Literally only spent money on servicing it, which was around $100 every 5,000km's (doing the work yourself). I would get 460km's to a tank with normal city driving. Not expensive overall in the slightest. Just make sure you dont purchase a shit example of the car you want.
Now have another CA 180sx for the past 18 months, have only had to pay for servicing supply costs.

[The Bundah Fatso]

Talking to Mum, maybe the RS is not a good option, but we thought about looking at a later model, while looking, I found a 2000 Liberty RX, a lot of kms, (29x,xxx) but most of them country. Tell me what you think
Thanks
http://tinyurl.com/ylqbazh

[wagola]

290 isnt really that much imo, ive seen plenty of ej25's go to 500 without any major dramas.

looks pretty good to me.

[serious14_guy]

that is pretty cheap, really high kms though so i'd get a mechanical check done on it.
just be careful though, even if it is in good condition you'll have a lot of trouble selling it later.

[The Bundah Fatso]

Found another one... a bit more exxy, a bit older, but a wagon and with 120k less on the clock
http://tinyurl.com/yhzujcn

[wagola]

The Bundah Fatso, on 20 October 2009 - 05:20 PM, said:

Found another one... a bit more exxy, a bit older, but a wagon and with 120k less on the clock
http://tinyurl.com/yhzujcn

looks good man. clean up the body a little, get those side moulding colour match to the body then wheel, sus, tint and exhaust and youve got a nice looking daily that can drive for days without a drama.
id still get a mechanic or the RAA (NRMA i think you guys call it) to give it a once over.

but i can tell you from experience that RX wagons are great cars.

*extremely biased opinion*

[^s13^]

having p plates displayed is bait let alone putting exhaust rims etc on it.

[wagola]

as long as you dont go spastic with ride height, tint etc you shouldnt get to many hassles even if you are on your P's.

if its all legal your all good anyway.

[The Bundah Fatso]

I'm already thinking about a couple of small left-of-field mods, such as a Momo steering wheel from a WRX or B4, and maybe a 1-piece keyfob from a 4th gen model. These mods seem crazy though, but the latter would be quite convenient, unless the 3th gen Lib has a 1-piece. I know that these mods are possible on Falcons, (AU TE50 wheel in EF Falcon, FG flippy key/Focus 1-piece key on BA Falcon, etc) but am curious if these crazy mods are possible.

[wagola]

most RX's already have the MOMO steering wheel

[then12man]

didnt think p platers could have turbo cars anymore.
for your first car buy an old shitter so you dont destroy a good car.

[SR20NA]

then12man, on 28 October 2009 - 12:43 PM, said:

didnt think p platers could have turbo cars anymore.
for your first car buy an old shitter so you dont destroy a good car.

He said up the top that hes in ACT, with no restrictions

whos to say hel destroy it?, i bought a 180sx as my first car, and been so inlove with it i was so carful because i didnt want anything to happen to it. which all in all i found made me a better driver. IMO anyway
Gl with the search mate