Name: Jared, Jazza, 'Chad', 'Wolf' - I seem to collect names...
Ride: Subaru Liberty 2007 2.5i
Location: NSW, Kurri Kurri
Mod: Aftermarket exhaust (Not added by me)
Plans: bigger brakes, tougher suspension, sway bars... time & money allowing sports drive-train & STI 6-speed gearbox as prep for engine changes
Occupation: Software Support Analyst
Year of birth: 1986
Interest: Cars, Sports Bikes (totaled my last one), Computers, Computer Gaming, Warhammer 40k
Previous Rides: '08 Hyosung GT650R (RIP), '96 Holden Commodore Exec. Wagon (Sold), '99 Liberty Heritage Sedan (Selling)
I'm a man of few words unless you get me on a topic I'm passionate about; but seeing as we're here primarily to talk about my Liberty... well there'll probably be an essay or 2 somewhere along the way.
Picked up my first Liberty towards the end of 2012, a forest green 1999 Heritage model sedan, previously owned by an islander lad who had put a few 'bumps-n-bruises' on her, but she drove well and was a fair step above the old '96 Commodore wagon I was upgrading from... and then I fell in love. 'Shazza' was a bit rough around the edges with some dints & scratches, a rust spot or 2, and a lot of miles on her (204,000+), but god she drove well.
Dry, wet, tarmac, gravel, or mud; she never missed a beat and always made sure I stayed on the road. That car just hunkered down on the road and got the job done, with smooth acceleration and great handling, she was just always a joy to drive. I'd wanted a Liberty sedan since my high school days and I was not disappointed having finally got behind the wheel of one.
But I had a conundrum... I loved my Shazza, and I was so sorely tempted to turn it into my project car, slowly working it over into a hill-climb / road-rally car capable of handling the best, and worst, Australia's mountain roads can throw at us... but every time I saw a Gen4 drive past I caught myself feeling the urge to upgrade. I still love the look of my old '99 Liberty, but there was just something about the Gen4's, an almost fierce elegance that drew my eye every time I saw one... so I bit the bullet, put Shazza up for sale, and went hunting for my next Liberty. This car would be my new daily driver, and as time and money allows, is to receive various mods and upgrades to turn it into a whole different kind of beast.
And so eventually, I settled on 'Ylva'. A 2007 2.5i with ~106,000 on the clock, starting life in QLD and having spent life as the family car for 2 separate families, she had experienced a carefully driven life up to this point, and with the exception of a couple of minor cosmetic issues, was in immaculate condition. I picked her up, grabbed my girlfriend, and took both Liberty's up to my mechanic in Tea Gardens for a full going-over. With the work completed, I left Shazza in the hands of my parents to be sold, and took Ylva for a break-in drive through Stroud, out to Dungog and then back down through Paterson to Thornton. As with her older sister, she did not disappoint.
Now just have to work on getting that money together to start the real work... Right now Ylva is used to get me between Kurri Kurri & Kotara each day for work, along with the odd ~4-6hr trek to visit friends & family.
Towards the end of October we're going to have some real fun though, with a trek down to Melbourne (And surrounds), retracing the coast route I took with my Commodore a few years ago, probably with the addition of a loop through the Alpine Way > Murray Valley HWY > Hume HWY > Great Alpine Way. Heading down for PAX Australia, and to catch up with some friends & family for drinks & shenanigans.
Speaking of essays... lol.
