3 replies to this topic

[James Jovian]

Hi,

 

I am looking to buy a 2007 Liberty 2.0 NA in Melbourne. Looking for a car with about 120000kms. Please advice on what to look out for. I was thinking of getting a manual version then change the following parts. Clutch, Belts, Water pump, Rad hoses, Pulleys and tensioners. Will this be necessary? What to look out for in terms of common glitches with the suby. Thanks!

[Jimbo]

Sounds like you're right on track for hassle free motoring. 

There's nothing really different to the maintenance of a N/A Suby than any other car. Some extra things to look out for are, but not limited too ; 

- Steering rack leaks
- Valve cover gasket leaks
- Exhaust leaks
- I know some of them had problems with stereos going beserk, though this was at least the Mcintosh systems but not necessarily the lesser variants (GT/3.0R)
- Abnormal tyre wear
- Diff whine
- Make sure all electrics work (window switches, sunroof etc)
- Suspension bushes (that you can at least see, like swaybars and so on)
- Creaking suspension or knocks

Just the normal things, really. 

Good luck!

[duncanm]

also check the suby-specific things, like:

 

- center diff.  Do some tight circles and make sure there's no binding or clunking (this'll also check the CV's)

 

- have a peer underneath and make sure all the CV boots (front and rear) and steering rack boots are in good nick -- also look for oil leaks while you're there.

 

- As Jim says - any clunks or noises as you start/stop/turn.

 

- gear shift may be sloppy -- that's just shift bushes, easy fix. Check for crunchy synchros (pretty typical), any whining or clicking noises may indicate bearings or teeth on their way out.  They're not the smoothest shifting boxes around.

 

- timing belt and water pump *should* have been done at 100k.  No biggie if it hasn't,  it may (or may not) suggest an owner with slack maintenance regime. Typically, people sell around 100k because they don't want the expense of the TB change (something like $1000 if you get a mech to do it)

 

- check coolant is correct and clean. Look for any evidence of corrosion or gunk in the overflow bottle. Make sure the heater works ok. Ditto the A/C.

 

- check tyres are all the same - and roughly the same wear -- mismatched tyres are bad for the center viscous diffand can kill it. Look for any odd wear patterns (inner or outer edge) - may indicate worn bushes.

 

For maintenance:

- don't bother changing the clutch till you need to pull the donk for something else, or it starts to slip. I got 250k out of my outback clutch, and it was still going strong when I changed it.

- give it a good dose or two of Upper Engine Cleaner (do a search).

[James Jovian]

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies. Really helps. Im a uni student and i need a reliable car that will get me through my 4 years without a major headache. Just a general question. How reliable is this car and what are the usual issues? Is the cost of maintenance normal as well? I intend to purchase the car in melbourne then ship it to tasmania where im studying. Planning to spend 10k on a car and another 2k to change some of the parts listed in my post. Probably not doing the clutch yet as you'll suggested. I really want a subie. Thanks!!