Faults:

The previous owner of this car had absolutely thrashed it, but the price was right so I bought it. When I first got it, I had to replace the front strut mounts, the ball joints, and the gas tank. Not the car's fault.

I've replaced other things on the car, most of which were normal wear and tear (or likely related to the previous owner's driving habits) :

1 oxygen sensor

2 front wheel bearings

2 front CV joints

1 engine knock sensor

1 coolant temperature sensor

1 idle sensor

1 airflow sensor

1 full set of brake rotors

2 full sets of brake pads

1 set of engine belts (including timing belt)

I've still got the car after putting nearly 100k miles on it. It's still solid transportation, but now it's starting to show some issues:

-The steering rack is leaking a small amount of fluid

-Some of the engine seals are leaking oil (but not a lot)

-A couple of the console lights are burned out

-The exhaust heat shields are loose and they rattle when the car is at idle.

-The parking brakes don't work well on one side

-The rear U-joint is wearing out

-The other oxygen sensor needs to be replaced.

Nothing major, but it's starting to add up. That (and the fact that I hit a deer the other night and it took the driver's side mirror off and damaged the door trim) leads me to think about my next car.

General Comments:

I've loved this Subaru. It's been a real trouper. The all wheel drive system has been trouble-free and the engine is just about bulletproof.

Strangely enough, the LX was the top-of-the-line Impreza for 1995 in the U.S. yet mine didn't have power windows or power locks. Even my 1989 Subaru GL had those features.

The location of the cup holders is mildly annoying. It's a convenient place to set your drinks, but it does block the in-dash storage compartment and the climate controls to a certain extent. And if you've got an open coffee cup or can of soda and you corner briskly or go over heavy bumps, liquid can and will slosh out and get on you or your passenger.

In all, it's been a great car, especially for the northern Michigan winters and exploring backwoods trails. The maintenance costs have been fairly good considering the hard life the car's had.

Right now I'm debating whether to repair the deer accident damage and some other things, or to put that money toward a newer Impreza. It's just so hard to give up on this one!

Faults:

Faulty coolant temp sensor failed.

Part was £25 from a main dealer.

They fixed it for 1 hours labour.

Nothing seems to go wrong with these cars, and the dealers seem very knowledgeable and helpful.

General Comments:

As standard the car has a fair bit of turbo lag.

Very good performance once on boost and excellent traction in all weather conditions.

Handles like a much smaller car too.

All the controls are still tight and not sloppy, this is a sign of a well made car.

Bodywork is immaculate, but on the tinny side.

Beware of expensive running costs, insurance, petrol and consumables (brakes and tyres) Also 2 services a year (cheap at around £100 each time)

I use it everyday to work and see 20 ish mpg, it doesn't use much more when pressing on a bit.

I used the car for a camping trip to Cornwall last year. It swallowed all our camping gear, clothes and 2 mountain bikes attached to the rear.

It drove faultlessly and was perfect for the trip.

I took it easy all the way (over 700 mile round trip) at 60mph on the motorways.

I managed a superb 31mpg!!!

I can't think of another car for the money I would replace it with.