Yesterday (Sat 7 August) I was driving through torrential rain in heavy traffic on the A34 near Whitchurch, in the outside lane at a steady 65 mph or so, when there was a loud bang and the enine stopped working. Long story short ( police tow, huge tailback, major RAC inefficiencies, 9 hour wait till they eventually arranged a taxi, having promised a recovery truck after 3 hours, still waiting at homeon Sunday for car to be brouht here), RAC diagnosed cambelt failure.  All the electrics are working, but there is just a whine when you try to start engine - I suppose the crank is turning but no valve activity or compression.

I imagine this is going to involve major work and expense.  Yesterday lunchtime the car had a value of, say £1200 - £1500 (?).  What would people advise?  -  Pay whatever it takes to get it fixed?  Sell for spares, repairs, scrap? Some other option...?

I'm in my mid seventies with diminishing physical dexterity, so couldn't contemplate doing the work myself. Perhaps there might be a Subaru enthusiast who would find it a useful and interesting project....?  Car was in excellent running order before the incident, couple of small bodywork scrapes (inflicted by other vehicles while parked), but overall I imagined using it for years to come  ('see me out' ).

I'd be pleased to hear pople's ideas.....        Stewart        (07867 582938)

Forgot to say it's a 2006 Legacy 2 litre petrol, about 120,000 miles, lots of service history, MOT till October (I think)

Sorry to say Stewart, I'd think about scrapping it. Costs to properly repair will be more than the car is worth. You've likely got bent valves and god knows what else.

I wouldn't waste the money paying someone to rebuild the current engine, like you i'm no longer up to DIYing something this extensive, would either try to find a good engine from a crashed example and fit that or sell the lot as is,  worth the money to fit another engine from the description of the vehicle.

Damned shame, was it overdue for change.

Personally i'm not a great fan of the convoluted route domestic engined Subaru cambelts take, talk about a hard life, compare with my other vehicle a 3 litre 4 pot Prado, the cambelt of which drives only the camshaft (second cam geared off the first), so one single idler/tensioner is the only thing that it turns otherwise, replacing belt is a one hour job easy DIY.

Reluctantly coming round to the idea that I will have to scrap this Subaru  -  which was such an enjoyable and useful vehicle until Saturday afternoon. I've never scrapped a car before, having driven since 1964.  I shall miss it.

Local scrap yards around Oxford have offered a maximum of £400.  If anybody on the Subaru forum would like to match or exceed that figure to trailer the car away and use it one way or another in their Subaru-related activities then you are very welcome.

We are due to go away on holiday tomorrow morning, (Tues 10 August), and scheduled to return late on Tues 17 August, so no scrappers will be coming to collect during that time. So you have a week to make up your mind and get in touch with me if you are interested....

Stewart     tel 07867 582938     [email protected]