Vermonter

If it's anything like other vehicles I've had, the symptoms won't be apparent if it hasn't sat for awhile. I had a Toyota 22RE that ran fine except when it sat overnight, then it would be hard to start, blow white smoke, etc. I limped it for a while, then finally had to change the headgasket when it started overheating. Are the Subaru headgaskets similar in that they give you warning? We won't be depending on this as a daily driver, we both work mainly from home, so it's not a big deal to have to deal with changing the headgasket. I just don't want it to go bad when we're 4 hours from home on a roadtrip. Was the original headgasket design bad? If so, does that mean that once it's been fixed it's then reliable from then on?

Thanks for the info everyone. The big consideration around here is RUST, so clean older models are really hard to find. Does Subaru have factory service manuals available? I found the Haynes manuals a bit lacking for the Toyota. I once spent several hours trying to get my intake off, only to discover a bolt that Haynes forgot! Once I made the $100+ investment for the factory manuals it made things a lot easier, especially for electrical issues. How hard is it to change the head gaskets and timing belt? Are there aftermarket ones that are better? I've rebuilt a Toyota 22R, done a headgasket/timing chain on a 22RE. Fairly comfortable working on engines.

Hi Folks My girlfriend and I are planning on buy a late-90s / early-2000s Legacy in a few months. I'm wondering if there's a FAQ somewhere that gives the various options and stock equipment that was available? Most importantly, is there a year that they started putting 4-wheel ABS in all of them? What year did they switch to 4-wheel discs? I hate changing pads in drums. Are push-button lockers available for the rear-diff of Subies? I've seen how well lockers worked in my old 4Runner. The Subie won't be taken off-road, but it would be nice to have extra traction to get out of a stuck. Thanks for any info!

Do Outback struts of the same year swap right over? How much lift does it result in?

Getting a '96 Legacy Wagon that has a bad strut in the rear. Might as well put good ones in. Gonna be carrying loads 50% of time at least. Lots of rough roads:grin: Any recomendations? Thanks for any info