r/subaru • u/Happy-Egg-1575 • 1d ago
Need help deciding if I should buy this GC8!
Is it worth it? - Found this GC8 on Facebook marketplace for 5800. For context I live in Vancouver, Canada. I took it for an inspection today to a Subaru specialist who mention there was a valve gasket leak, heavily rusted rear sway bar, heavily rusted break rotors, and is a JDM which apparently makes sourcing parts nearly impossible for these things, and incredibly expensive. He didn't even charge me for the inspection, told me it was so bad and asked me to leave, haha.
From what I see online the issues he mentioned aren't anything crazy, I sense the biggest expense would be labour to fix up the engine but I'm really not sure.
I'm a college student looking for his first car but also want's to build something overtime and invest in a build that I really like. Should I get it?
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u/AbbreviationsNo9609 1d ago
“I'm a college student looking for his first car but also want's to build something overtime and invest in a build that I really like. Should I get it?”
1000% absolutely not. You need a reliable car first, this is not that.
There are two ways a project car works: you have the time and money and know-how to do the work yourself (doesn’t sound like it being that your a college student, absolutely no offense ment) or you have a place / guy you pay to do the work (also doesn’t sound like it since you say he literally asked you to leave after seeing the condition of the car).
This ain’t the car for you, not as a project and definitely not as a first / only car
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u/Happy-Egg-1575 1d ago
Update: Forgot to mention there is no rust on the body found from the inspection.
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u/_ASHKINGKILLER_ 16h ago
This really all depends on how mechanically inclined you are. Leaking gaskets are annoying but unless it is pissing oil or coolant out you can just keep extra in hand and top up as needed till you can get it fixed. Everything I own leans or burns oil.
Brakes can be done in a afternoon if you know how. Rear sawbar you can leave honestly. My lifted gf8 doesn't have the rear sway bar connected and didn't have a front one when I got it. I put one in but I plan to take it back out again
If you know how to work on cars then I'd say swing for the fences and get the car. If you're gonna be taking it to a shop for work then don't touch it with a 10ft pole cause that car will bankrupt you the second time it's in the shop
My lifted gf8 cause I mentioned it. 335k km and very thoroughly abused😂.
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u/Happy-Egg-1575 13h ago
Thanks for the input! Also wanted to ask if having the car be a JDM make it specifically hard to find parts for?
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u/_ASHKINGKILLER_ 12h ago
If it's parts that are specific to the JDM version then yeah it can be a bitch but it also depends on the part. Brakes. Wheels bearings and you basic maintenance items should cross over with the Canadian and US spec cars like a 2.5rs or WRX. A steering rack for example odds are you'll have to get from Japan.
The nice thing about Subarus is they are almost like Legos. Like if I wanted to change my final drive from my stock 3.9 to 4.11. I can take the transmission and rear diff from any Subaru with a push style clutch and 4.11 gears and it'll bolt up to my car and engine no problem. No need to order all new parts and rip apart my trans and diff. I can just get junkyard ones and slap them in.
Subarus have a ridiculous amount of information online so I'm sure after an hour of researching you can find an answer to any questions you may have. For example the wiki page for my ej22 has the valve lash specs my Honda's didn't even have it that easy I had to dig around for like 2 hours to find that kinda stuff. If you search "Subaru transmission chart" you find a link that gives you gearing for each gear on JDM, EU and US spec cars. And it breaks it down to year and trim as well
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u/obxhead 1d ago
If Subaru specialist doesn’t want to deal with the car, you shouldn’t want to either.
That’s the impression I get from the post.