Date:         Wed, 20 Feb 2002 08:28:55 -0800
Reply-To:     Edward Nutter <eanutter@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Nutter <eanutter@POSTOFFICE.PACBELL.NET>
Subject:      Re: WBX reliabilty
Comments: To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

Andrew Grebneff wrote:

> [snip]
> The VW wasserboxer was archaic when it came out. The rest of the
> world had gone to SOHC and was well on the way to using only DOHC
> 4/5-valve engines; so here comes VW with a "new" pushrod-OHV engine
> derived directly from a 1963-or-so Beetle engine.
>
> Subaru's 1988 & later boxers are super reliable (though a couple of
> mechanics have told me the turbos give trouble... I smell a bias
> there). BUT the auto trans are trash. I hear this from EVERY mechanic
> I ask, and several Subie enthusiasts have told me the 5-speeds are no
> good either.
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> 165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
> <andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
> Friends don't let friends do Windows
>
I've had no trouble with either 5 speed. One has 244K on it (88 DL) the
other has 163K (91 Legacy).  I've heard the same as you about the
turbos, including from a friend who had one.  I've seen mixed reviews
here about the Vanagon ( <--content) 4 speed tranny which is what I'm
going to mate the 2.2L Subaru engine to.  The clutch and its slave &
master cylinders are new so I'm going to stay with them.  My driving
style and use for the extra power comes on the onramps and hills.  I.E.
I don't pop clutches.  So I expect that the stock VW tranny and CV's
will last.

Ed