daehttub2000

Do you have newer or older Subies? I have a great mechanic for cheap repairs on older Subies. My 95 Wagon had a worn out head gasket that started to leak antifreeze to the top of on of the cylinder banks (2 head gaskets on the good old boxer). Evanston Subaru gave me a $1,500-$2,500 range depending upon what they found. Based on bad previous experience with them I no longer trusted them (A good Subie Dealer Service Center is hard to find...). One of the WRX racer/gearhead/saleman gave me a good reference: Mike's PC Auto, Inc. 1410 E. Rand Road Arlington Heights, IL 60004-4303

My 95 Legacy has the old heat shield rattle. The mechanic is offering to put a few rivets into it for $65. I thought that was a lot of money for a few rivets. However, that rattle is really starting to annoy me....

I’ve been doing the following for years to keep my engine compartments bright and tidy without any problems. I followed friends’ advice when I started noticing how the insane amount of Chicago winter road salt started showing up in my engine compartment. It’s also nice to be able to do quick visual fluid level checks without opening all those darn caps… Find a manual car wash with a low pressure engine cleaner/degreaser option. This usually means that they’ve done stuff to meet environmental laws. They’re usually not that tough to find in car crazy big cities. First thing in the morning take a short drive to the car wash. Gets the engine just warm enough but not too hot. Sometimes I’d wash my car first before hitting the engine compartment if I thought the engine was too hot. Quick rinse with plain water to blow out the accumulated loose gunk. Apply low pressure engine cleaner (yes I’ve used the foamy high pressure stuff at times but was careful to not soak the alternator and other delicate bits. Probably not a very bright thing to do…) Depending upon how dirty the engine compartment was, I’d either wait a bit before giving the engine compartment a good rinse. I’d also make sure to rinse off any overspray that got on the car. I’d start the engine right away and put in a good drive to heat up the engine again and completely dry out the engine compartment. I might be committing a few car care sins though. If you want to do a really precise and careful engine wash, here’s a nice write up I found at Answerbag.com (Google “car wash engine compartment”): Many car, truck and RV owners spend hours cleaning and waxing the exterior of their rigs, but do not give any more attention to things under the hood beyond checking the fluids periodically. There are many reasons why it is important to clean the engine and its surroundings routinely. A clean and tidy engine compartment makes it much easier to detect oil and fluid leaks, damaged or worn drive belts and rust or battery corrosion before they lead to more serious damage. And if things really get out of hand, the dirt could provide fuel for an engine fire. Cleaning the engine compartment is not that difficult and unless you are a perfectionist or plan to enter the vehicle in Concours d'Elegance competition, it does not require much elbow grease. First, warm up the engine for a few minutes. This will help soften the grease and crud. However, do not let the engine get hot. Never spray water on a hot engine since sudden temperature changes can cause serious damage. Also you can get serious burns from hot engine parts. Next, cover critical parts of engine with plastic bags and rubber band to protect them from water and other liquids. Either cover the air intake and filter or remove it and cover the opening. Protect electrical components like distributor, coil and fuse box. Use rubber bands to seal the bags around the components. Check the oil filler cap, the power steering filler cap, oil dip stick, etc. to make sure they are tight. After everything is sealed up, spray the engine, accessories and surrounding components with a high quality non-petroleum-based degreaser that will not harm the paint. After letting the degreaser work for about five minutes, use a soft brush, a paint brush works well, to loosen up the crud. Respray with degreaser and rebrush if grease and grunge remains. When the entire engine and engine compartment looks pretty clean, rinse with lots of water from your garden hose. If you can, hook up to a hot water tap since hot water will do an even better job. Better yet, do the job at a do-it-yourself car wash which usually has higher pressure hot water and is set up to handle the dirty water in a more environmentally friendly way. Even though the degreaser may not contaminate the ground, the nasty stuff washed off can get into the groundwater supply and do harm. Many car washes have equipment specifically for cleaning engines. If you want to use a degreaser that you know is safe, I only use the facility to rinse with plain, hot water. Clean the engine first and wash the vehicle after cleaning the engine compartment making sure all overspray of the degreaser is removed. Since all degreasers will remove wax, plan on rewaxing after cleaning the engine compartment. Once the engine and compartment is clean, immediately remove all plastic bags and rubber bands. Dry standing water and aluminum parts with a soft cotton towel. Start the engine and let it to warm up to dry the rest of the engine as well as evaporate any moisture that may have collected in electric parts. If you do not start the engine immediately, often moisture will seep inside parts and it now will take a long time for things to dry out. If this occurs, use an ordinary hair dry to heat ignition systemparts like distributor and coil. Once everything is dry and has completely cooled, you may want to coat hoses, weatherstripping, shields, gaskets and other rubber parts with a rubber protectant. However, do not use it on rubber belts since it could cause them to slip.

Thanks for all your feedback. It’s been very helpful and informative. My rotors appear to be clean with no rust but I haven't taken the wheels off to take a really close look. The car is always garaged and I don’t drive it in the rain unless I get stuck on a long road trip. However, I do remember that there sometimes is a noticeable hesitation and a loud snap (like something getting unstuck) when the car finally starts moving when I back my car out of the garage after it’s been sitting for a long time (first drive of the spring, etc.). It’s almost time for my 30,000-mile service so I think I might just take it in and get everything taken care of. Now there’s another question. I know the 30,000-mile service is a bit of a boondoggle for the dealer but it’s a convenient one-stop service for busy/lazy owners. What do you think? I do have an extended warranty so I think I’m required to do it but otherwise would you pay for the service? As far as the discussion on the quick-lube and other service places, caveat emptor. I’ve learned to double-check everything after going. Years ago, I used to bring my own synthetic oil before all the places carried it. One place actually took my synthetic oil, didn’t change it, and charged me. I only found out at my next fill-up when I routinely checked my oil and found it black and dirty. I’ve had everything from improperly installed brake pads, oil spilled all over the engine (what a smell!), over/under fills, leaking oil pan plugs (goofed up gaskets), savaged aluminum rims after tire changes, etc. etc. I think everybody has a few horror stories… One of the nice things of being a regular at your pricey local Subie dealer is that they make more of an attempt to get things right.

I’ve noticed that my 2002 WRX has developed a light metallic scraping noise that is changes in direct relation to the speed of the wheel rotation. I’ve noticed it when I drive slowly down an alley with my windows open and the radio off, There also seems to be a bit of a light metallic rattle when I’m stopped and idling (a bit early for the heat shield to fail?) A little background: My WRX is parked most of the time (summer, fair weather car <30,000 miles). I’ve been quarreling with the dealer over the infamous cold clutch chatter, which is very intermittent with my car. Maybe 25% of the time when it’s cold I get that weird jerky clutch thing. I honestly don't beat on the car (no drop clutch starts -- O.K. maybe a couple of times...) Do I have a sticky/rusted brake caliper? Is my clutch chatter getting worse? Does Subaru make flimsy heat shields? Do I take it in to the Subie dealer to get hosed by the service department for a non-issue? Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks! P.S. I do remember people talking about "normal" brake caliper noise depending upon temp/humidity, etc. but I don't remember if was valid or just bunk.

They're older model Imprezas circa 1995-2000/2001 before the "bug-eye" look started. They've added ground effects packages and aftermarket wheels. A lot of them are probably 2.2's and possibly just FWD (before Subaru started making all its cars AWD). I did like the old style better than the bug-eyes from the new Impreza's from 2002 on have much better body rigidity and structure and make the older Impreza's seem a bit like a "wet noodle" (in the words of a famous car magazine editor).

The idea of a legacy wagon barrelling down the highway at 130+ is a bit scary. I think there is a good reason for the limiter. While I love my stock Legacy, the steering and tracking on the highway isn't exactly ideal for high speed blasts. The suspension is way to soft for quick high speed lane changes to avoid the left lane cell phone users. The Bridgestone Blizzaks in the winter make it much worse. I leave that to my WRX which does inspire confidence at speed with great linear tracking... By the way, I have some scary visions of somebody steering with their knees at 130+ mph while taking a snapshot of their speedo... Yikes... Very cool pic though...

Sorry for your loss dude, Back in the old days, the car theives had a code of minimizing damage. They'd smash the smallest rear window (remember the "opera" type windows) and skillfully extract the most valuable components leaving personal items alone. Apparently, doing things the right way is faster and quieter than smashing and ripping out stuff. After getting my cars hit a few times, the consolation was that the thieves followed an etiquette that made repair and insurance compensation an easier task. The persons who took your car were not only amateurs but idiots. Possibly meth-addled morons desperate for anything. It's sad. Hopefully the cops were able to get prints if they even bother with that thing anymore. They would probably get a match from previous drug offenders.

LOL. "...if the WRX was a looker, it would be too good to be true..." --quote from a car mag about the 2002 WRX. The Subaru fast-ugly tradition continues. Subaru is good at building ugly cars that run great. As a very small auto company, they put their limited resources into engineering and skimp on the "look pretty" design end. I must admit though that the boy racer look combined with the Alfa-Romeo nose job does go a bit over the top. Subaru needs to make a "stealth" STI without the "ticket-me-I'm-speeding" body add-ons --especially that spoiler... Anyone over 17 might feel a bit silly in it in the company of their peers.

Your battery is probably a bit low. I used to notice that on my 95 Legacy. I've since been more careful about keeping the battery cells topped off with distilled water (yes, "maintenance-free" Subie batteries are NOT "maintenance-free" (my first battery went bone dry and died). I also picked up a trickle charger to keep my battery topped off from time to time and especially in the winter when it gets cold and dark. Now it doesn't dim the lights even when I have to jump start my less fortunate friends...

I had a clog in my air conditioner/vents in my 95 that was causing condensation to drip on the front passenger's feet. It actually poured out when I was making turns (pretty funny stuff). There was a drain that got clogged. I was running the air conditioner/defrost and it was always really bad during a rainstorm. The dealer fixed it.

Thanks for all your tips and ideas. The weather's warming up so I'm going to give some of those rust treatments a try. The 95 Subie is too good looking to have rust spots. I hear you on the car washing tips. However, it's not a very doable thing in Chicago. The car gets completely coated with salt on the way BACK from the car wash. It literally looks like a frosted mini-wheat the salt is that bad. Chicago salt kills cars. It also kills the roads. You DON'T want to be a Chicago commuter... The high curbs in Chicago also scrapes the bottoms of the car doors. I've been negligent in touching up the bottoms of the car doors. It doesn't help when you've got the party wagon tasked with carrying the gang to the bars... My bad. The underside of the car is fine. I just was negligent attending to the nicks that my car accumulated (parking lot dings, etc.). I'm doing a much better job with my WRX. I also don't drive my WRX in the winter to keep it away from the salt (the high performance tires are also worthless in the snow and ice).

The salt has finally gotten to my 95 wagon. It's starting to get rust spots by the wheel wheels and at the very bottoms of the doors. It it worth my while to grind out the spots and bondo/prime/paint it? A bodyshop guy I trust told me that he wouldn't take my money to do it because it will just come back again. I did a little spot by the door last year and it's starting to rust again. The sad thing is that the car mechanically is in great shape at 150K and I'd hate to see it get rust ugly... Any tips or should I just learn to accept rust on my old Subie in rock salt country...

The French are joining the Aussies in using Subaru WRX's to catch getaway crooks. http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/funonwheels/03/30/subaru_police.reut/index.html They said that Peugots and other French cars were too slow. I think they just kept breaking down. LOL.

My compass/rear-vew-mirror on my 2002 WRX went south on me and I had it replaced under warranty from my dealer. He told me that Subaru received a bad batch of mirrors and were replacing a bunch free of charge. You should check with your dealer. GPS is worth every penny. I highly recommend anything made by Garmin. Just remember that those DOD satellites were originally used for targeting nukes so they're pretty reliable. Nothing like triangulating a fix from 3 satellites to figure out where you are and where you're supposed to go...

I get bicycle chain grease on my seats all the time. I use bike chain cleaner (the organic "orange/citrus" based cleaner. It works pretty well. However, test it on an unimportant spot first to make sure it doesn't fade the material. You can also try the "orange/citrus" cleaning solutions that you find in the store. Good luck...

Here's probably the most impressive link, with color pics! http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/sho...hp?threadid=91 P.S. Disconnect the battery and wait for a few minutes before messing with the dash (air bag).

Welcome to the club. Here's a great link in the message board (in the "sticky's" for the new gen. Everything you need to know about replacing the climate control and switch lights. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2498&page=1&pp=10&highlight=climate+control+backlight P.S. Read carefully and all posts. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble. Disconnect the temperature control cable from the BOTTOM. Just unhook from the post. DON'T REMOVE ANY CLIPS!

Check out BOTH the Chilton and Haynes manuals if your autostore carries them. Depending upon the repair, one may have more information than the other or better diagrams/pictures. I actually purchased both and have more than made up for the cost in savings from avoiding dealer "service".

Before a head gasket blows, it sometimes leaks and some people pour all sorts of stop leak gunk into the radiator hoping that $10 can save them a +$1,000 repair job. Unfortunately, that stuff ruins the radiator; hence the replacement. There are threads that warn people against using that stuff.

Check out this awesome post on Cold Air Intakes and other mods for normally aspirated Impreza's http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345720 The the NASIOC site out for everything you ever wanted to know about Impreza mods....

Subaru's do tend to leak oil over time if they've been pushed hard. It might be nothing out of the ordinary. Ask to look at the seller's garage floor (or where he parks the Subie) and look for oil spots. If it's leaking from the back of the car, it's the differential. If it's from the front it's probably engine oil but also could be from the front diff. It depends on the color and smell. Your husband should be able to tell the difference. If you're concerned about the environment, some of the seals can be a bit expensive to replace. Make sure the oil isn't oozing out around the head gasket(s)... It also could also be the result of a sloppy oil change (spilled oil on the block). Caveat emptor. Buyer beware. That's what the $150 is for. You're getting a deal on Forester so I think it would be prudent to get it checked out. It doesn't have to be a Subie dealer but any independent shop that has serviced Subies. The mechanic can check the fluid levels, put it on a hoist, and locate the source of the leak. He/She will also be able to tell you if there is something wrong with the car and save you from making a mistake. Good luck.

The same thing happened to my brand new 95 Legacy. I went to a store and when I came back to the car, it was completely dead. I opened up the hood and opened the fuse box (right behind the battery on the right-hand side when you face the front of the car). I made sure all the fuses were pushed in. Some were loose. That fixed it. If that fixes it, it means that some moron in the Indiana Subaru plant is still screwing up Subaru's. Good Luck

Subaru Impreza mods are everywhere. You can google it or go to huge Impreza message board: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/index.php? More info than you'd ever want to know about an Impreza. Cheers

I wouldn't bother with the manufacturer type roof racks. I have two subie wagons with the manufacturer racks and use Yakima racks on top of both. I have friends who swear by Yakimas or Thules. They are both great rack sets and with the proper setup, you can carry anything. The standard car rack from Subaru (or any other dealer) is a bit limited. You can buy a fairing if you are worried about wind noise or aerodymanics.