POV Drive: 1985 Subaru BRAT

Thank goodness Bradenton, Florida is a sleepy suburb with mild traffic because this work-in-progress BRAT had almost no brakes! The brat was still fun and I loved the easy-shift 4WD lever.

[WayneMoyer]

It's good to see Mr. Regular driving a truly regular car again. I like the reviews of all the good cars but these POV's of the beater cars is great as well. It helps to even the series out.

[ConscientiousObserver]

This is one car where the parking break actually is an emergency break.

[UnusualTastes]

This is the kind of car that dares you to answer the behind the wheel. "Just try it buddy. See if we don't go home on a trailer/ambulance/hearse".

[demonikelectronik]

Bad booster would cause a heavy pedal, not a one that goes to the floor, bad master or bad slave or not properly bled, also the clutch is cable and easily adjustable lol "like a Japanese sports car" anyway 86 brat owner here..

[DrCoolHands]

Oh wow. It reminds me of my Datsun 720 which came to me without power brakes/steering and 35" tires. The speedo was off by 75%, you had to rev it to 4500 to shift, the tires hit the fenders and the cab slid on the frame when you tried to stop.

[ratsalad]

In high school I had an 86' Sub. Once you got used to the manual steering, clutch, and elbowing the door to make that obnoxious malfunctioning bell chime quit, it was a beast.

[Bader.mobarak]

Was disappointed when I didn't see the truck bed seats :(

[Phydeux]

"The clutch engages like a more expensive vehicle, like a japanese performance car." WTF? I think he meant it engages like a hammered pile of shit.

[TheBackyardScientist]

I see a few of your videos have been in Bradenton. If your ever in the mood to review a 2006 LR3, im close by :)

[gogo]

i went to college in the northeast in the late 80's, these were quite popular around campus. cheap to buy used /maintain and is 4wd. The two jump seats in the back were awesome, excellent for transporting kegs

[Hadgerz]

Youtube mechanics be like 'that's not the brake booster, that's the headlight fluid/brake-light balancer/engine sump charger/suspension ring wiper'

[brunoignaciogi]

6:06 "i put some honda springs 'cause they *fit*"

[SPEEDTRIBESAKURA]

I've always loved the Subaru BRAT. Looks like a lot of fun too! I'm gonna have to buy myself one of these one day as a beach car or just an outing car in general. Looking forward to you finding a good BRAT sir!

[atfsgeoff]

Having driven a 1984 BRAT in similar condition, if I had to use one word to describe the vehicle, it would have to be 'Agricultural.'

[negil]

My first car (at a local speedway) had no front bumper whatsoever. I drove the car for two racing seasons and much like how you said this Brat would make you a better driver, I feel I've become a better racer because I couldn't afford to let the front of my car get hit. So now, even though I have a front bumper, I race as clean as I can because I know what can happen.

[EcBuddy]

I can't wait to get back to my 87 4runner!!!! all these older truck videos the 91 hardbody and this, I like seeing them around unmodified, of which in total, I've only seen 3 other 1st gen 4runners in my city, 4 with mine... and I live in a huge city.

[isaacgoldbergstein]

I drove one of these, but it was a '79 model. There is another one miles away on a farm I visited, their car is rusting out in the pasture, while it does have the rear jumpseats and a campertop.

[WhiTeyFU]

You should find one with the rearward facing seats in the back to review, and just ride around back there, when I was a kid the Subaru Brat was like the greatest thing ever, the rear facing seats with the hand grips were so cool.

[elmoreoocyte]

Until tonight I've never heard Mr. Regular sound quite so much like Woody Allen.  So much kvetching!

[eduardogj]

Call me crazy if you want guys but I love this car XD. It is just like my first car. I had a 1979 datsun 140y 3 doors (b210 in US I used to live in el salvador and the names were different) It had a little 1.4 engine and 4 speed. These cars just go on and on. All the "issues" he had on this brat I had them in my datsun, the horrible brake fell (it did stop... eventually XD), the rock hard stering, that gearbox was just like mine. These type of cars do make you a better driver just like they were saying you have to plan ahead every single move and you just can not get distracted, well at least when you are just getting to know the car, after that you just do everything naturally. You always save an special spot on your heart for your first car even if it had all kind of issues.