jon38iowa

Awesome Car:Flame: Take that Toyota. I love the interiors on these, they put my Forester to shame (and its very good). I am partial to the brick Forester for my ride, but am happy to be in any Subaru. Cheers to your find! John

I have the '99 with the simillar 2.5; Were I to buy one again, I would want hear it start from cold. This, because mine had the infamous cold start up knock. I found it quite anoying, and the only remedy is to have the engine rebuilt- Which I had to have done twice! Oh what a hassle that was. Obviously not all 2.5s have these issues, moreover, my friend's '00 Outback runs like a flawless top with 80k and nary a problem. I looked it over with a fine tooth comb before recomending she buy it (35k at the time).

I just replaced my top door seals last Fall; Though expensive, they are relatively easy to do for the do it yourselfer. John

My '99 does the same thing when cold and always has. I am extra gentle with it until warms up, which doesn't take long, moreover, I have become rather adept at helping it change gears, that is, I know when it is going to change to second, and take a little pressure off of the gas pedal before it does.

I think the show Mythbusters just did an episode on just these devices.The verdict? Not worth a plug nickel.

Also as you probably already know: if you don't want to buy the Haynes book,you can read it anytime at your local library

The lesson she learned here:If Accelerator sticks, turn ignition key part way off while holding down on the break pedal or throw the car in neutral(though it might not like it). Sorry about your luck, haven't heard this on a late model Subarus.

Sorry about your luck,but at least you don't have to deal with having body damage repainted. You might consider posting a search on Ebay,moreover, Most times when I do this I find what I am looking for within a few weeks. Good Luck

For the mirror, you might check out ebay; I've found and purchased quality parts at fraction of the cost otherwise. John

Yes indeed! Why is it so hard to fill and is there a trick to it? I had the fill funnel all tight (so I thought) in the dipstick hole and yet the fluid managed to creep out and make fine mess of the floor.

If the transmission is truly shot, then I would recomend one those miracle in a can a products. If nothing else it might buy you some time.

Your thinking is right on the money. My '99 had the same rusty bolts/brakets that you describe,moreover, last year when I removed the carpet for replacement, I found the rest of the subfloor to be dry and rust free. It was easy to paint the rusty parts with the seats out. We have a real winter here, thus I use heavy rubber (they hold liquid) mats, and I put pet pads (they're designed for puppies) on the floor, and against the seat anchors-no more rust. Hows that for anal.

In over 25 Years of driving (at least 900K) I have only seen a handful of Subarus on the side of road! Numerous others of course. I like Hondas and Toyotas, but only a Subaru can make me happy .

[QUO I asked the counter person about the coolant additive that subaru is using on the 2.5 to "correct" the head gasket issue. He recommended NOT using it because it tends to clog up heater cores and radiators.... I'm sure it's already common knowledge/suspicion that the OEM subaru additive appears to have the same destructive consequences as using other radiator "stop leak" products. I must disagree with this persons advice; My Forester had the conditioner added for six years with nary a problem. Heater still works awesome, radiator flows perfect, etc,. I did though, yearly fluid changes as I do all my cars.

TC: Get well soon! I am glad your still here to tell us about it. Not to be preachy, but every hour I recomend visualizing yourself as healthy and strong again, overlay this image on how feel/look now. Tell yourself I Want To Feel Good. I was a passenger in a bad accident myself with injuries as well, thus I know this method helps. God Bless you for speedy recovery! John

Keep in mind if you swap to the EJ22 (Very well made engine) you might also have to replace some of the expensive electronics, but you have to talk with your mechanic to know for sure.

One question - who changed the oil last? You read my mind. Oil plugs don't usually fall out; Perhaps recourse may be found from the garage where the car was last serviced, that is, if that was the case.

I spent four months searching for a used one. The 2.5 sohc is hard to find used; Morever the few I did locate, had 50k or more in mileage and only a 30 day warranty. I found this unacceptable given the $2500. to 3000. price tag. Since having mine rebuilt was such a major hassle, I would definately consider CCR or simillar, should I cross this bridge again. John

I think that why they call them (''") lights, because the damage might already be done. I will be installing a full gauge package in the clam shell on my center dash. And I do check my dash every few minutes, I learned this on my first few cars lol.

Sounds strange- No lights came on, and usually if a car runs low on oil one will here the engine making odd noises. I made the mistake of having my'99 rebuilt; It had to be removed and rebuilt again to the tune of four weeks in the shop! If had it to do over again, I would go with the replacement.

I am in your camp,moreover, my tires usually outlast their expiration date. That is, the tread is still thick, though the rubber itself is old.

My '99 Forester has never had any leak whatsoever. I have not heard of Foresters having leak issues any more so then other cars. One exception, the Subarus with Sunroofs seem to have more leaks then without them.

I say: Both should be replaced at the same time. Short of that,then I would want the dealer to at least agree to replace the original HG if were ever to leak, regardless of mileage. My'99 Forester has now had its second rebuild. Ironically it has never had the HG issue, nor the wheel bearing problems so much associated with it.