Setright Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 In all of this, ONE thing is certain: If you want your car - nevermind just Subarus - to last for a long time, do the maintenance yourself. I agree, some things are not practical to do yourself, or plain impossible due to a lack of equipment, but keep outside interference to a minimum. Honestly, you cannot even trust a tyre place to torque your lug nuts properly :madder: b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chef_tim Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 OK, here's my night mare............. While I was deployed our wagon blew a drive belt NOT a timeing belt. Vicky pulled in to J.L. and the guy tells her "we'll fix it and just charge you for the belt" well she not only got a bill for $60, but they also wanted to put on the second belt for another $60. Even with out the tentioner on the car...Hmmmmmm. They told her it was a "special" belt 'cause it was a "Subaru". I got home and I went down there this kid ie manager tells me they just charged her the "serpintine belt service price" and there was nothing he could do about it. On top of that the little weasle tells me it took them almost two hours to get the belt on!!!!!!! well I spent the next three weeks trying to reach the owner (in the mean time the belt they put on shreaded from being the wrong belt). I finaly got ahold of him and I got ALL my money back but this is the real price of doing shody business............... I tell everyone who will listen about this . Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 The first thing I do when I get home after getting tires mounted is loosen them and retighten with a torque wrench. The ONLY shop I have taken my wife's suby to that hasn't severly overtightened the lug nuts is WALMART. Go figure. I do all fluid changes myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 Funny that, I just had a seeping valve replaced today...lug nuts torqued to 120Nm.....get home, jack the car up...98Nm like the manual says! The twat insisted that 120Nm was minimum....oh, and he also insisted that 34Psi was the right tyre pressure. HELLO! My 195/60R15 run 32 rear and 33 front. I love the way they play experts, even when faced with owners like us who actually know our cars. Maybe I should get a tyre mounting machine and start doing it myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscottf Posted September 10, 2003 Share Posted September 10, 2003 last time I went to J.L., the dufus wanted to sell me a tire rotation, because "it looks like the good ones are on the back and they should be on the front" Since I rotate them myself, and they are all worn identically, I have no idea what his criteria for "good ones" was. I asked him why the good ones should be on the front in an AWD car. blank look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asavage Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Originally posted by GeneralDisorder Well - that dipstick is technically in the front diff... but it's the same oil as the tranny. To be sure i have not seen others like this either, never seen any independant diffs with em either. Corvair. But, only ONE year of Corvair: 1964. It has a dipstick for the swingaxle diff. Originally quoted by RuppsterYeah, but on a side note how many cars have you seen that have a dipstick on a manual? Hillmans, at least from the '50s to the early '60s. You peel back a big rubber boot or plug in the floorboard, and there it is, on the top of the transmission.My Legacy has an automatic but when I was reading the owners manual I came across the portion pertaining to checking fluids in a car with a manual.Unless I'm mistaken, your AT-equipped Legacy has both a dipstick for the AT and a front diff dipstick. You have to really work for it, but it's under a large wire harness on the pass side of the diff and has the typical yellow top, whereas the AT dipstick is on the driver's side of the diff, has a red (?) top and is usually obscured by the battery cable to the starter. The diff dipstick access on newer OBs is really annoying, under that huge filter housing, and that stiff wire harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asavage Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Originally posted by Setright The twat insisted that 120Nm was minimum....oh, and he also insisted that 34Psi was the right tyre pressure. HELLO! My 195/60R15 run 32 rear and 33 front. I love the way they play experts, even when faced with owners like us who actually know our cars. Fer cryin' out loud, it's on a sticker on the doorjamb! I'm still amazed at our local tire shop. We have ONE that serves the community, and you have to drive at least 30 miles to get to any other. Les Schwab. This store sends EVERY car tire out at 35 PSI. Never mind if it's on the front, the rear, on a Yugo or a Cadillac, it gets set to 35 PSI. It's like they can't be bothered to open the door and read the mfgr's own engineers' advice. Sheesh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperRallyRoo Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 WOW that is soo funny i see this topic! They blew the engine in our old 1996 vw passat VR6 hey, as long as they pay for it! Its fine with me! Free engines are good things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprintman Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 A tip. Dont follow tha vehicle manufacturers advice re tyre pressures follow the tyre vendors advice whic is always very different. The vehicle manufactures pressure is to ensure a nice quiet ride and that buy tyres regularly and hopefully from the dealer network. I don't know anybody 'tyre savvy' that runs less than 36psi and most 38-40psi. Less flex = cooler rubber= longer life. Better handling a bonus. I personally have Nitrogen fill in my OB which is so much better again and not having to check pressures all the time (Nitrogen doesn't leak like air) alone makes it worthwhile for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 where did you get that done at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprintman Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 Bob Jane T Marts the largest tyre chain in Australia. I hear others have it as well. Amazing to go for a long drive and you can still put your hand on the tyre after wheras if you tried that with air fill you'd burn your hand off almost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorganM Posted September 11, 2003 Share Posted September 11, 2003 I dont think the owners of those blown cars are free of any blame. WHen I had to use those "express" oil shops I for damn sure was watching them, asking questions, and making sure stuff is getting done properly. Even if they knew NOTHING about cars they should still take the initiative to be aware of whats going on. Just the fact that they are watching will make them feel the need to do it right. These people dont care about your car, you do; so get out and act like it That free cheap coffee in the waiting room isnt worth a blown engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I only go to the «shop» to have my winter tires put on and later replaced by summer tires. It's convenient cause they store the tires in the interim. I make no secret of the fact i'm watching them but I try not to get to much in the way. I made friend with a guy there by telling him that i was in fact watching him and that if he did something wrong I would tell him and if all he did was perfect then I would learn something from him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Originally posted by MorganM I dont think the owners of those blown cars are free of any blame. WHen I had to use those "express" oil shops I for damn sure was watching them, asking questions, and making sure stuff is getting done properly. Even if they knew NOTHING about cars they should still take the initiative to be aware of whats going on. Just the fact that they are watching will make them feel the need to do it right. These people dont care about your car, you do; so get out and act like it That free cheap coffee in the waiting room isnt worth a blown engine. I totally agree. When I used to take my car to have its oil changed, I would watch it being done simply because I cannot go into a waiting room and trust that the job is being done correctly. Even if I wasn't sure exactly how to do it, I would watch anyway, for this very reason. And yes, the techs DO watch their butts when the customer is looking over their shoulder... Of course, now I do my own stuff, cheaper and more reassuring... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Sprintman: Lexus factory fills their car tyres with Nitrogen, too. They claim it alters the characteristic of the tyre noise, making it more "white noise" and therefore easier to filter out. Aircraft tyres also use Nitrogen, since a burst tyre won't produce a fire hazard Not sure I agree on those high pressures though, 33F 32R produces very even tyre wear on my car. Not only for the individual tyre, but front and rear live equally long. Winter tyres in OE size 185/70R14 get 34/33 and seem to like it. In both cases the slightly lower pressure on the rear tyres helps balance the handling. I find that equal pressures gives more persistent understeer. I did try 34/32 on winter tyres, but then oversteer can turn into OH!versteer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 Frag, FWIW, I have found it less expensive to buy an extra set of steel wheels for my winter tires as opposed to paying to have them changed twice a year. Unfortunately I had to learn this the hard way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dscottf Posted September 12, 2003 Share Posted September 12, 2003 I did try 34/32 on winter tyres, but then oversteer can turn into OH!versteer some of us prefer OH!versteer to uhhh-ndersteer (--> right off the road) Though I do back my swaybar off one notch in the winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asavage Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Originally posted by sprintman A tip. Dont follow tha vehicle manufacturers advice re tyre pressures follow the tyre vendors advice whic is always very different. A problem with using "tyre vendors advice" is that they don't give any! The tire pressure rating molded into the sidewall on tires sold in the US is a federally-mandated maximum load rating, for the maximum load-carrying capacity for that tire in that configuration. It has very little to do with an optimum pressure for any particular use, application, or vehicle. I think you'll have a hard time getting a tire vendor to officially recommend a tire pressure for any particular use, though they will probably go so far as to recommend a minimum pressure. The vehicle manufactures pressure is to ensure a nice quiet ride and that buy tyres regularly and hopefully from the dealer network. (Dealers sell tires? Not around here.) Keep in mind that the tires form a crucial part of the suspension system, and as such they damp and shield a significant amount of transient load from the rest of the suspension system (and all the glued-together pieces in the rest of the car, too). Raise the tire pressure, and you've sharpened the turn-in response, and reduced some of the heat-generating of the sidewalls, but you've also moved a lot more transient loads from the tires into the chassis. For me, that's not a good trade-off: I like a quiet ride. I'm willing to accept 5k fewer miles of tire wear, and mushier turn-in response. I don't know anybody 'tyre savvy' that runs less than 36psi and most 38-40psi. Less flex = cooler rubber= longer life. Longer life is not a given, and running 38 psi on an oversize (for the weight it needs to carry) tire is likely going to increase overall wear, because it'll wear unevenly. A generic recommendation of "use higher pressure" is reckless. A wider-than-stock tire and OEM pressure might be an upgrade. Or, if you like OEM-quality ride and handling characteristics, OEM-engineer-recommended tire pressures are just the ticket. Better handling a bonusWith the tradeoff of harsher ride, more trim pieces rattling and falling off sooner, increased wear of suspension compliance bushings and damping mechanisms (ie struts, shocks). Just my two cents, as we say here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Agreed dscottf, understeer is BORING! However, on public roads I prefer to see the cars following me in the rear view mirror, and occasionally through the side windows... it's when they start appearing in the windscreen that I get nervous My prefered cornering technique involves standing on the brakes late, turn-in while releasing the brakes and then getting on the throttle sharp-ish...when timed right it gives a wonderfully balanced trip round the bend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reoff Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 I bought an '85 Volvo 740 GLE TurboDiesel Wagon about a year ago (that's right... a turbodiesel). I was living in Seattle at the time and my only parking was on a STEEP hill that ends in Lake Washington (Leschi). As you can imagine, I didn't feel much like changing my own oil. I went over to Ballard and stopped in @ Grease Monkey, and they were happy to TRY to change my oil. After almost a half hour they informed me that they had checked every book they had, and could not find an oil filter to replace mine. They had no record of a Volvo TurboDiesel ANYTHING... and wondered if it had been imported from Europe. I said I HOPE SO!!! It IS a VOLVO!!! Just as I asked to see the filter they couldn't find, they were happy to tell me the car was "really weird" and took me to the shop. They pointed out the filter, and I said... "sorry, I guess there is nothing you can do about it. I'll just take it to the dealer." Then I got in my 91K mile Volvo and ran as fast as I could!!! They had pointed out the FUEL FILTER!!! argh!!! Needless to say, I changed it myself at my parents house. I ended up selling the car to a friend... and am currently trying to save up a bit of $$$ to buy it back. I miss my old Volvo. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asavage Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Oooo, a 740 TD, that's one I'd like Actually, I purchased my '93 Loyale wagon for my friend (in Bellingham) so that I could get back my '83 Datsun Maxima wagon that I sold him four years ago -- with a 2.8l inline Six diesel! The Maxima wagon, I bought in Portland in '95, from the original owner -- I'd looked for two years to find a wagon with that engine, they were only imported '81-83. Honey of a powerplant, lots of power, lousy mileage. No turbo, but maybe someday The car rusted out around me, and in a weak moment, I sold it to a co-worker. He's ready for something newer, hence the '93 Loyale wagon I just purchased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reoff Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Mine was the 2.4L I-6 TurboDiesel (duh) built by VW. Plenty of power... Really good mileage!!! I got just over 20 in Seattle, 30+ everywhere else. (running BioDiesel, of course) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asavage Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Originally posted by reoff Plenty of power... Really good mileage!!! I got just over 20 in Seattle, 30+ everywhere else. (running BioDiesel, of course) My 2.8l never got more than about 28 MPG, and mostly about 25, which after my two Rabbits (44 MPG) and '83 Chev G30 w/6.2l (20 MPG, 5800 lbs), seemed pretty measly. Top end was waaaaay up there, though, it has long legs. I've noticed that I can now get biodiesel in Port Townsend, and I'm itching to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianodirt Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 hmmm...i guess i've been lucky...i've gone to the grease monkey in fairwood (part of renton) for the last few years because i got out of the habit of changing my own oil...as in no where to store the used oil, it always makes a mess. they've always done just that, changed the OIL and the OIL FILTER. but they always say they check about 20 other things, including the rear diff oil, which i haven't tried doing yet (just getting into my own maint work)...they say they check all this stuff in like 5 minutes, it seems too fast to do all that. good thing is one guy has been a tech and manager there ever since i've been going and he seems to keep a good eye on everything...if i ever go again (wintertime when it's damn pouring rain and 33F). i'll be sure to watch them as to what they're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane b Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Originally posted by asavage Fer cryin' out loud, it's on a sticker on the doorjamb! I'm still amazed at our local tire shop. We have ONE that serves the community, and you have to drive at least 30 miles to get to any other. Les Schwab. This store sends EVERY car tire out at 35 PSI. Never mind if it's on the front, the rear, on a Yugo or a Cadillac, it gets set to 35 PSI. It's like they can't be bothered to open the door and read the mfgr's own engineers' advice. Sheesh! Hello? Does anyone remember the Ford Exploder/Firestone Tire fiasco? Ever since then I go with what's printed on the tire, screw the auto mfg! Ford was too concerned about "ride quality" and pruposely underinflated (unsafe?) the tires by quite a bit. Besides, your gas mileage and handling would do better with tires inflated at the higher end of the range anyway. Don't slam Les Schwab too much, they are by far the best tire store around the PNW. They're the only ones to get my front end alignment correct after Goodyear and Firestone dealers both f**ked up. Jiffy Lube? never used them probably won't. But I stick with what works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.