andyhaussler Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Well I have Legacy H4 with 50 miles on it. I am a very proud owner and wnat to take very good care of her! So what do I need to do that the maintenance schedule doesn't call for? Any tips or advice are more than welcomed! Andy Haussler:headbang: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Keep the doors locked and your keys out of the ignition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickshu Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Andy, While Im not a Subaru owner yet, I did work 3 years as an auto mechanic back in college and I can offer afew "general" auto maintenance "pearls" for you....esp if you are in it for long haul (ie 100k+). Aside from the standard maintenance that is prescribed, here are a few things to pay attention to: 1.) Brake fluid -- Change it every 30K or 2 years. Nobody does this, then they wonder why their calipers have siezed or master cyl is shot at 130k. Replacing is labor intensive if you can't do it yourself, unfortunately. 2.) Thermostat -- Replace every 30K or 2 years. Flush/replace coolant at same time. Don't wait for it to fail and the car to overheat. Overheating is the #1 cause for headgasket failure on any car. 3.) CV boots -- Check at every oil change. A little tear caught early can save the joint and big $$ for you. Probably not much risk of this until higher mileage. 4.) Synthetic oil -- Ask your Subaru mechanic about using it and when to switch (or if it came with from factory). If used from the beginning of the car's life, it can have tremendous life long benefits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 One thing you would notice is how clean the fluids are. I feel the same way about brake fluid. The darn stuff is hydroscopic and the system will rust and corrode if you don't change it. Now with so many cars having ABS it can get really expensive not to. On my BMW the ABS pump is about 2 grand and I don't imagine a Subaru is that far off. I also spend many misspent years as a mechanic and a shop manager and learned to appreciate synthetic oil. On an old car like my 99 with a hundred thousand on it I am not sure it pays for itself. But on my high performance BMW you can bet there is synthetic in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickshu Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Hey Andy, While were on the topic, why did you go with the 2.5LE? Just curious. I know you were looking at the 2.5GT too. I am leaning towards a 2.5GT right now, but not sure yet. Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhaussler Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 Well you can get the Outback Limited for the same price as the Legacy GT. With the legacy GT you get the sportshift which is pretty cool but it didn't seem worth it to me, it is about 5 grand more. Basicaaly it came down to cash, if I had the extra cash I probably would have gone for the Outback Limited Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaksoilknocksclutch Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Nick, fantastic automotive advise. 100% agree! Here's a couple more neglected items- power steering fluid, PCV valve, tranny fluid (& filter if applicable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleiades Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Autocross it every Sunday! lol.... (that's what I did, and my '98 gt just turned 133k yesterday) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhaussler Posted October 21, 2003 Author Share Posted October 21, 2003 Thanks for the tips... the dealer said to stay away from synthetic oil until about 4,000 miles...I guess the seals have trouble seating themselves. I live in an area where it is around 100 degrees all summer:banghead: and it is around 40 in the winter...:santa: what oil do you guys suggest I use...I am thinking of going for synthetic at around 4,000 miles...how often will I need to change it out for normal, every day driving? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Leave the changes for 6k miles, anything less and there would be no reason to use synthetic oil. Don't forget the filter. Nick, you took the words right out of my keyboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Oil is a very complex issue. Check out http://www.bobistheoilguy.com if you are really interested in oil and filters. I wouldn't go more than 5000 to 7500 miles between drains with synthetic oil without oil analysis to verify that going further is ok. I would definately stick to 3000 mile intervals with conventional oil. Some may think I am too conservative with those recommendations but when I take apart an engine that I have maintained it is CLEAN inside. Right now I am doing 7500 mile intervals with amsoil synthetic (10w-30 ATM) and amsoil filters (SDF-20). At the end of the month I am going to switch to 5w-30 for the winter. Of course if you care for your car you will never let a quick lube "mechanic" touch it. Proper replacement of the PCV valve prevents sludge in the engine and prevents oil leaks, so do that too. Air filters also play a big role in engine wear. I recommend using only genuine Subaru parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhaussler Posted October 21, 2003 Author Share Posted October 21, 2003 Sounds good, thanks for the info, how often do you suggest replacing the PCV valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickshu Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Andy, Good call on the OBW Limited. I really like the "sportier" (vs. the SUVish) look of the 2.5 GT, and it has leather, which would be my only reason for going to the OBWL anyhow. But, like you said...Cash is King! Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted October 22, 2003 Share Posted October 22, 2003 Originally posted by andyhaussler Sounds good, thanks for the info, how often do you suggest replacing the PCV valve. At the interval that Subaru recommends. I only mention it because I get the impression from people that I talk to that it is one of those things that people seem to neglect. Another thing people neglect is changing the fluid and filter in the auto tranny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhaussler Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Another Q....what brand of gas do you recommend...I live in cali, I have the 2.5 litre H-4, the soob recommends 87 octane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 I use 87. Make sure you run a good cleaner like Techron through it about every 3000 miles to keep the carbon cleaned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhaussler Posted October 23, 2003 Author Share Posted October 23, 2003 Can you just buy techron...or do you have to use Chevron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Just buy the additive and add it to your gas. I have read that the Techron is much more concentrated when you use the additive in your gas than when you buy Chevron gas. The 2.5 really likes to get carboned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Use only genuine Interrocitor parts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Outback Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 Synthetic oil used at any point in the life of an engine will virtually stop wear as soon as you start to use it. Granted because of it's increased viscosity it might cause some oil seepage at valve cover gaskets etc. But I have never personally experimented to see if this was for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted October 23, 2003 Share Posted October 23, 2003 That sounds so much like an advetising claim. Reduce wear in some cases I couold believe. If it would stop wear we would no longer need to replace engines at all. In my BMW I have run synthetic since new, but it is still going to wear out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaphod Posted October 25, 2003 Share Posted October 25, 2003 Have the head gaskets been plauging the newer model Subies? like anything after 2001? Or is it really just to early to determine if this is going to be a poblem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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