A Good Svx Story

[vrkSVX]

In the parking lot of Phila. Park racetrack, as my husband and I were walking toward our '92 Pearlie, we noticed a young man loitering around our car. As we approached, he kind of drifted away. We got in the car, started it and he knocked on our window. My husband lowered the window and the guy said "Do you want to sell your car?". We said never but he insisted that we take his name and address just in case we ever decided to sell it. We also get lots of "thumbs up" out on the road. She sure is a beauty.

Thanks to you who gave me your SVX stories. I love reading them.

[It's Just Eric]

There have been many many times Ive come out of a store or resturaunt and had someone looking at my car....I genrally stopped paying attention to people unless they are asking about it, but whenever there's someone in my car I get
"Hey, the guy in the car next to us is staring at your car"

[SVXyGirl]

My favorite incident is when a guy was walking down the sidewalk and just stared at my car as I drove by. I watched in my rear view mirror as he walked into a lightpole.

[svxistentialist]

That's a cool story Rosemarie.

It's times like this that let you know that the SVX is still special to look at or to own.

Joe

[newsvx]

Originally Posted by SVXyGirl

My favorite incident is when a guy was walking down the sidewalk and just stared at my car as I drove by. I watched in my rear view mirror as he walked into a lightpole.

Beck,
I think he was also "looking at you" .....

Harry

[SVXyGirl]

Originally Posted by newsvx

Beck,
I think he was also "looking at you" .....

Harry

Hot girl driving a hot car....yeah most likely.

[ridered777]

Originally Posted by SVXyGirl

Hot girl driving a hot car....yeah most likely.

Your modesty knows no bounds...

[svxcess]

.

The story of the svxcess-pearlie

Back in June, 1999 I spotted this immaculate 1992 pearlie in the administration parking lot at the college where I worked. I saw it there for a few days before asking security who owned it. They knew who owned it and would not tell me directly, but pointed in the direction of the Admin building where the owner worked.

I went into the building about 5:30pm. The offices were almost empty, but I was able to find the Secretary to the Chancellor. I said: "Debbie, you know everyone around here, who owns that white SVX out in the parking lot?"

And just as I finished that sentence, from behind a cubicle a small voice said “I do. Why?”

Startled at first, I replied, "It’s a really a stunning car. I'm sure you've heard this before, but if you ever think about selling it, could you please give me a call?"


"Her next comment really caught me by surprise!. “Funny you should ask, I'll be selling it within a month”

"Really!!... do you know how much you want for it?"

She replied: "I know exactly what I want for it.. $7500 firm.I was going to trade it in, but the dealer would only give me $3500 and I told him it was worth much more"
(She was the original owner and bought it brand new in 1992 for $28,000. To think that it was worth only $3500 just 7 years later seemed to be very upsetting to her)


Without a second thought I said: "I'LL BUY IT!... Can I write you a check for $1000 right now as a down payment? You can hold onto it or cash it, and whenever you are ready to take delivery of your new car, I will give you a cashier’s check for the balance".

"That’s fine"


And an informal bill of sale /commitment to buy was quickly created and signed. When she handed it back to me she said.

"Do you want me to open it up so you can take a look at it?"

. "No" I replied.

"Do you want to start it up or test drive it?"

Again I said: "No. I’ve looked this car over very closely many times long before I came in to speak to you. Anyone who maintains this car in this condition must really care about keeping it perfect, both mechanically and cosmetically. Call me when you are ready to finalize everything."


Three weeks later, I met her at the Nissan dealer in Bel Air,where she was taking delivery of a new, bright yellow Nissan Xterra. She signed over the title, I gave her the check and the first time I ever drove it was to go directly to the DMV to register it before going home. She also included the original factory green SVX jacket which was never worn, s cases of oil, a case of oil filters, a case of air filters and complete service records since day one.

First time up my driveway, July 2, 1999




The new pearlie and my 1997 Legacy GT

The reason she was selling her SVX was that her husband had just died unexpectedly. The SVX was her car and her husband owned a Subaru Forester, which they used to carry around the crates for their show dogs. After his death, she had to sell his Forester and get another car that would hold the dog crates (obviously it wasn’t the SVX).


And then I met the most wonderful people while surfing the web to get a little more information this magical dream come true... and the rest is history.

The pearlie is still alive and well in Vancouver, Canada, in the possession of Chris Gooderham (known here as CDG). Sold it to him after I found my 1996 Polo. He bought it sight unseen, paid my asking price and sent me the entire amount in full. He flew in from Vancouver to Richmond to visit family, and then rented a car to come to Baltimore. He documented his 3,000 mile journey back to Vancouver and had to stop in Chicago to get a new CV axle.



Personal Note

In retrospect, I realize just how lucky I was. Despite my enthusiasm, I should have at least taken a test drive before making that commitment (like I have always done in every other car I have ever bought) Maybe I was afraid I would find something about the car that I didn't like and change my mind.

I knew nothing about any the problem areas that plagued these cars, like transmissions, wheel bearings, etc., or knew anyone else with an SVX to help me ascertain its condition. My technical knowledge on this car was about zero, but I felt that this was THE car.

I had never bought a used car from a private seller, much less a person I did not know. She knew nothing about cars, as her husband took care of all maintenance. She did mention that they had the transmission replaced at 102,000 miles (which was 10,000 miles before I bought it). Her excitement about how the car drove and handled on various roads, trips, and all types of weather proved to be contagious!

I had never bought a car that I hadn't researched at least a little, or a make that I was not familiar with (This was my first Subaru and my first AWD). Add all of these things up and my first Subaru experience could have been much different. I was indeed lucky.

Luck is for rabbits... knowledge is power. Here's to one of the most powerful networks imaginable!

.

[ensteele]

John, I had never heard that story. It is fun to hear how you found your first SVX. Great story.

[SSSVX]

Nice story.

Hot reply #6. `

Cool story, John.

[svxistentialist]

'99 is a while ago John, but that is a beautiful motor car.

And a good story.

Very,very nice.

Joe

[SVXyGirl]

Originally Posted by svxcess

The reason she was selling her SVX was that her husband had just died unexpectedly. The SVX was hers and her husband owned a Subaru Forester, which they used to carry around the crates for their show dogs. After his death, she had to sell his Forester and get another car that would hold the crates (obviously it wasn’t the SVX).

Do you remember her name?

[svxcess]

Originally Posted by SVXyGirl

Do you remember her name?

I remember everything about this. Her name was Barbara J .DiGiovine. She lived up in Forest Hill, MD (close to Fallston /Bel Air)

She would call me from time to time, asking about the car. I know she really missed it once it was sold.

[newsvx]

Here's my story re my "first" SVX, which was a '94 Laguna Blue, L Model, FWD.

My wife and I were looking for a car for "her" at the Oldsmobile / Subaru dealer in Herndon, VA in late '95, where we lived at the time. While looking at the various Olds, which my wife did not like, we passed by the beautiful '94 SVX. It had been on the lot for a year and had 700 miles on it (demo drives and sales people taking it home, etc.). I commented to the salesperson that I had always loved that car and in fact had visited their lot in '92 when they first arrived and drooled over them. Her comment was that they could really make a good deal on this car since it had been on the lot so long. I said it would have to be a REALLY good deal cause I could never afford one. Long story short, we never bought my wife a car that day, but I bought the SVX (I was also in the market for a car since my company car was "going away). The deal? On this $29,900 (sticker) car, they offered it to me for $19,900, with a 100K mile warranty, and the installation of a spoiler (at that time a $350 option). I said, Let me think about it - OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! there was a split second delay there. No more!!
I put well over 100K miles on the car and gave it to my youngest son when I acquired the '97 RED LSi in 2000 (another story later). Unfortunately, my son in a year or so was involved in an accident and totaled the car. But the good news is that I still have 1/2 the car in my basement - I sold the engine and trans to a fellow in Alabama for more than I paid the insurance company to buy the car back from them. BTW, my son acquired a '96 SVX LSi to replace the '94, but alas, that one was totaled too (again, the accident was not his fault). He is now driving a Mazda 3 (great car!!).

Harry

[newsvx]

The stories behind my current SVXi:

"97
I went back to the Herndon dealer where I bought the '94 SVX and talked to a salesman there in 2000. I told him that I really wanted a '97 SVX (color did not matter) with low mileage. Obviously he indicated he would look for one. Then fate came into play. "Maria the Speednut" on the network had been having some work done on her SVX at this particular dealer and knew this salesman. Long story short, she was talking with him one day on the phone, and he mentioned he had a customer that was looking for a low mileage '97 SVX. She told him she had just found out about a RED SVX at a PA dealer. Turns out that the dealer was selling it on consignment for someone (a doctor and his wife), and car had ONLY 9,000 miles on it. My dealer got in touch with that dealer and the rest is history. The car was in near perfect condition - so good the PA dealer had it on his showroom floor with all the new cars. I had to pay top bluebook on the car, but I have never regretted it. I now have 76K miles on it and have had no issues with it even though I have autocrossed it and put it on a number of tracks for track days. I love the car and will always keep it.

'92

Last Dec 06, a neighbor of mine made me aware of a Pearlie sitting in front of a country garage (in the middle of nowhere near West Virginia). We went to look at it and talked to the owner of the garage. The car belonged to his wife and the transmission was bad (would not shift into 3rd), but the car was in very good condition inside and out even though it supposedly had sat outside for two years. It had new brakes, timing belt, water pump, etc, but obviously needed some cleaning up. I paid the fellow half what he was asking and "drove it home". After leaving some coin at SVXFILES, I have an excellent running SVX to include a modified exhaust - SVXFILES, BTW, does excellent and reasonable SVX work. I would recommend him to anyone and have. No one other than Tom will now touch my SVXi. BTW, the '97 wil see more garage time now, and the '92 will be used for the track and autocrossing..............

Harry (loving life in an SVX!)