ejmoore Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I purchased my first Subaru yesterday: a 1996 Legacy Outback Wagon, 5-speed manual transmission, one owner, and only 54,000 miles on the odometer. All advice welcomed regarding potential problems with this model/year (also welcomed are wildly wonderful, low maintenance success stories). I drove my former 1988 Honda Accord LXi for 14 years, and traded her in for a respectable price with her odometer reading almost 192,000 miles. As with my prior vehicle, I want to take the best care with my "new used" Subaru, so all info is extremely appreciated. Namaste, em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Is that the 2.2l or 2.5l? Routine maint. timing belts every 60-80k.. should be good to go for 300-400k miles. Nice pick btw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejmoore Posted July 28, 2005 Author Share Posted July 28, 2005 Is that the 2.2l or 2.5l? Routine maint. timing belts every 60-80k.. should be good to go for 300-400k miles. Nice pick btw! 2.2l The dealer said "timing belt change at 90,000 miles." Earlier is better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Do it every 60K. Thats the best outback there is, the ej22 you have is about the most economical engine Subaru ever built and very well known to be able to last 2-400K with regular maint and not going cheap and using aftermarket parts. OEM PCV valve, oil filters, NGK spark plugs, etc will be key to this happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 2.2l you're good at 90k.. You'd probably make 120k or more on the original timing belt.. it's just preventative maintenance you know.. wait for 90k if you get it done at a subaru dealer... if you're a do it yourself kinda guy do it every 75k! The 2.2 is a great motor and generally problem free. Just don't neglect it and it'll last for ever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejmoore Posted July 28, 2005 Author Share Posted July 28, 2005 Do it every 60K. Thats the best outback there is, the ej22 you have is about the most economical engine Subaru ever built and very well known to be able to last 2-400K with regular maint and not going cheap and using aftermarket parts. OEM PCV valve, oil filters, NGK spark plugs, etc will be key to this happening. Thanks for the tips. Also, since "ej" are my first two initials of three, my curiousity is piqued: an EJ22 engine? 22 was a good year to me. . . . If feasible, please provide this laywoman with an explanation of why the EJ22 engine merits accolades. Namaste, em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejmoore Posted July 28, 2005 Author Share Posted July 28, 2005 ... if you're a do it yourself kinda guy do it every 75k! I'm not a do it yourself kind of gal. I figure the best tact is to let the dealership do all the oil changes/maintenance. Namaste, em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 Thanks for the tips. Also, since "ej" are my first two initials of three, my curiousity is piqued: an EJ22 engine? 22 was a good year to me. . . . If feasible, please provide this laywoman with an explanation of why the EJ22 engine merits accolades. Namaste, em These are engine seris labels and how we recognize what types of motors/parts we have. There is EA71(1.6l), EA81(1.8l), EA81T (1.8l Turbo), EA82 (1.8l), EA82T (1.8l Turbo); Then there is your EJ seris (newer) I think there is 18 (1.8l), 20 (2.0l), 22(2.2l), 25(2.5l).. maybe A 15 and 16 too?.... anyway.. There is also like the ER27 (6 cyl 2.7l) and there is a 3.0 and 3.3 liter 6 cyl.. and im pretty sure you can get all ej's with turbo too.. and the EJ22 seris engine just happens to be one of the most reliable well built economical engines ever built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuBrat84 Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 I'm not a do it yourself kind of gal. I figure the best tact is to let the dealership do all the oil changes/maintenance. Namaste, em Sorry for the assumption. You know what they say about when you rump roastume something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejmoore Posted July 28, 2005 Author Share Posted July 28, 2005 Sorry for the assumption. You know what they say about when you rump roastume something. LMAO. I couldn't begin to count the times I've been on the "u" side, or the "me" side, depending on one's perspective. . . .Hell, those instances might actually surpass a current Guiness Book world record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejmoore Posted July 28, 2005 Author Share Posted July 28, 2005 P.S. Drive away dealer cost: $6,813. I noticed Kelly Blue Book suggested dealer retail was $8,740, so I thought it was a fair enough deal. I'm a freelance researcher/writer so I did lots of research on Subarus, and the model I bought --before purchase-- portended excellent ratings. I didn't see many complaints - actually, hardly any. I strove to be cautious in purchasing to find a reliable, used vehicle. Namaste, em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted July 28, 2005 Share Posted July 28, 2005 First off: Congratulations! Since selling my EJ22 powered Subaru, I have missed that engine. The big deal about the EJ22 is that everything is so well designed and in balance that it just runs smooth and trouble free. Oil and coolant passages have really been thought about, and it pays off in the long run. All the way up to 300k miles. As with any car, make sure there is oil, coolant, and fuel in it. If you don't have the owners book, get a hold of one. If offers good sound advice on keeping your Subaru running. As mentioned already, stick with Genuine Subaru oil, air and fuel filters to keep things sweet. NGK "V Groove" are the spark plug of choice. Happy motoring... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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