As some of you know, I had a short-lived dalliance with an original owner Subaru XT6. Needless to say, the love affair was short-lived. That said, I still can’t help but notice these unusual cars when they pop up for sale, particularly with just 20,000 miles on the clock. The seller of this 1986 Subaru XT coupe here on eBay doesn’t provide many details, just that the car is as you’d expect a low-mileage survivor to be.
The car is mislabled as an “XTC” in the eBay listing, which may limit the seller’s exposure. This is effectively a base model example, as it doesn’t have the desirable turbocharged mill nor is it equipped with the larger six-cylinder found only in the XT6. This car does present nicely, with an unmarked body and rare/desirable original accessory fog lights with rock guards still attached. The factory stripe kit is OEM correct and has all but disappeared on most cars by now.
Inside, the period-correct factory buckets with horizontal striping show virtually no sign of fading, a true impossibility to find in these cars. I lucked out with a set of buckets that had been in storage since they were relatively new, but most of these interior pieces by now are quite rough. The door panels also look tidy with no signs of puckering, and the brittle console trim is in mint condition. Sadly, this car is equipped with an automatic.
Despite their sexy looks and seemingly driver-focused features, these are not driver’s cars – far from it. I’ve had this problem with Subarus in the past, as they have a heavy tendency towards understeer, making them downright unpleasant to hustle. Still, they are fun to look at for their space age styling, and if I had the room and money, mine would have become a piece of garage art. The seller has listed the car with an opening bid of $5K and no action yet.
I can’t believe this is 40 minutes from me.
Automatic and 4 cylinder doesn’t matter to me for such a preserved weird object.
I’m keeping an eye on it.
I have a 88 xt6 full-time 4 wheel drive automatic awesome Little car only needs minor repairs I also have a 88 xt 4 cylinder 5 speed donor 4,000 for the pair located in Yakima WA
Hi William, please consider listing your XTs on the site as a classified: https://barnfinds.com/sell/
I thought these only made it 21,000 before imploding?
Come on – Subarus of that era go forever. I had GL from the 80s that was passed around my family and had 434000 miles before she was hit while parked. Still miss that GL.
Definitely NOT true for the turbocharged four cylinder engine. They cracked heads regularly. Ask me how I know.
I always thought these cars looked like they had a big butt. That last picture seems to bolster that.
I always thought they looked like outboard motor should mounted on that rear.
My cousin and I went car shopping for him in 1996 and we found a Dodge Daytona with a rebuilt motor and one of these, exactly the same as this one, in his price range.
I talked him into this one and he then moved to Florida. That car lasted 8 yrs and he beats the crap out of cars. I’m sure if he bought the Daytona it wouldn’t have gone that long.
“Needless to say, the love affair was short-lived.” but you had to say it twice.
Had a 5 speed in one. They are pretty quick. And a blast to drive
Nice looking car. I used to know someone who had a Subaru XT. I cannot remember whether it had a boxer 4 or a boxer 6 engine, but I remember it looked something like the car in the above pics. I remember at the time finding them more attractive than either the 4 door sedan, the wagon, or the hatchback models.
I bought the exact car when it was new; it was fun especially with the swing up and down steering column and gauges together. My wife wrecked it and when we returned to pick it up from the body shop to have it polished it got wrecked again. Oh well…
I have owned 5 and loved every one!! I really want another one, it was great.
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On Facebook in Alexandria, NH.