ThosL

I don't think dealerships can just palm off problem vehicles, even by writing "as is" on the title. You can check in with your state AG consumer affairs to discuss options with them if the dealer does not help solve the problem: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/consumer-protection Many used car sellers are notorious for leaving buyers with significant problems like this, it is bad business practice and unethical to flip vehicles without doing their due diligence on the car before flipping it to you. Bearings usually go slowly, as I indicated at least a year and a half on my 99 Outback with no noticeable effects on any other functions of the vehicle. I would definitely have the dealer make good on the car especially with likely buy price as a trade in, etc., of $1000 or so and sale price of maybe $4000, just a guess.

By coincidence I am having a rear wheel bearing done today, roughly an hour and a half job, plus $60 or so per bearing. I am just having the one needing it done, and the mechanic upped his labor charge to $180 from $100 this morning maybe because it was going to be a pressed in job. This wheel has been making noise for a year and a half, sometimes alarming during all that time. Usually bearings, CV joints etc. take a long time to go totally bad, regularly examine them would be my recommendation. You could go back to the seller letting him know what the problem is, in some states buyers of used cars have a lot of options working through the state AG especially if the seller knew he was palming off a problem on an unsuspecting buyer. But first give the seller a chance to address the problem, which he may do if he made a significant profit on the deal.

Thanks for the advice here; we took the 96 Legacy 2.2 to Smitty's and they said MAF sensor needed replacement to the tune of around $400; and plugs and wires to address the sister's misfire code on the car, they want $200 for that but plugs were just changed. I picked up $35 wires from Advance with the replacement guarantee and MAF sensor cleaner for around $8. Smittys says it rarely works, I will probably look for a used MAF at the junkyard if needed.

Thanks for the responses. I was asking more in terms of how much does the dedicated Subaru mechanic invested in their own tools, etc.?

How expensive is it to be a dedicated Subaru mechanic? What is the collective cost of tools, books, and other vital aspects of servicing other people's cars? How does being a Subaru mechanic differ from serving other similar foreign cars? Is it easier or harder?

From what I've seen here that a reasonable proximity in tread, wear, etc. should be the objective. Not replacing all four tires with brand new ones every time you have a serious blowout. That is way too religious for me, and a budget buster. Oh and by the way with the price of oil hitting recent lows why are petro products like tires and anti-freeze so expensive?

Tire dealers love to sell the story that you have to replace all four; I don't buy it. With $400 minimum for a complete change look at all other options unless you are independently wealthy.

I just pulled it out of my sister's car and the engine was going to die and then reconnected the sensor and it revved up again and was normal.

So what's the remedy for the mass air flow sensor malfunction? Also I had a misfire code on my 99 Wagon, I don't want to open thread on that. I checked the plug and reversed the wires, no change. Remedy? Thanks.

The CEL on the dash went off spontaneously yesterday. I took it for a drive this morning--no problems whatsoever. The problem comes and goes, but seems to come on in the morning. Also I saw the tell-tale drip coming out from under the water pump, I added fluid to the overflow tank as it was low; I don't think a water pump issue would trigger a CEL. Again, a 96 Wagon with the 2.2.

None of the mechanics have been able to figure this out; but the sister always brings the vehicle in after it has warmed up.

Thanks for the feedback. I drove my sister's car and same thing first time in the morning, cold start, goes up hill, CEL flashes, engine loses power. Numerous mechanics have already looked at the car and could not get to the root of the problem!!! One changed a fuel injector, to the tune of $250; another did a tune up with change of spark plugs and wires. Same problem. Car runs like a top once it warms up for a while.

How reliable are the computer codes? I got an O2 sensor code on my 2.2. Is there an alternative to the $100 replacement part?

When I've pulled the plugs on my 99 Outback with a 2.2 I've never noticed fouling. On my sister's car which I just took for a drive, and frankly drives perfectly as far as I could see, the plugs and wires were changed recently. Her CEL flashing problem only happens in the morning and has happened a couple times this week, the days are colder. She is alarmed by any CEL code, I told her it is not a performance indicator. She tends to push the panic button, I will try to reassure her that if she lets the vehicle warm up the in morning for fifteen minutes it will probably not be so much of an issue.

My sister's 1996 Subaru wagon with a 2.2 engine has had that problem of the CEL flashing from time to time; she had Auto Zone check it out and they had the two codes come up; PO302 and PO420. She drives like an old lady which is to say just a few miles a day. She had the plugs and wires changed and a fuel injector and the mechanics have not been able to get to the bottom of the problem. Symptoms are loss of power. At other times without any problems.

OK, thanks. Usually I have gotten misfire codes when the wires were compromised. Also got an O2 code.

I was wondering what triggers the CEL to flash vs. their just going and staying on? I checked the codes and it showed a couple misfire codes, so I will pull the plugs to see how they are and if that is part of the problem.

Or the hot water will keep it open and make it more supple; hard to know. It looked like the auto part store has bent hoses that would work for around $12.

Thanks for the professional advice; I tried to work with the fuel line, got it on, but not the hose clamp #2 yet. I figured the hot water moving through there would probably cause it to get better.

This hose recently went from bad to worse on me, glad I caught it in time. Auto Zone could order it for around twenty, but I got a comparable fuel line section for a buck fifty. I took off the old one and tried putting in the new one with the hose clamps; the old one was curved, am I going to have any problems with this replacement? Also did the same thing with the two finger width hoses over the engine. They have pre-formed sections you can get and install.

I am seeing many Subaru wagons well under 180K miles being offered on CL and Bargain News in my area. Never be afraid to walk away from a "deal", it is what the sharp chiselers do all day long, arrive with cash in hand and make lowball offers, if they are serious about getting real market value for it they should do their research before selling. There are many Subarus that come up around here in the early 2000s and before for under $2K. But I agree that looks like a deal if everything checks out.

I would also check all cooling lines as there are many people miss, also the hose clamps to make sure they are secure.

I tried them all, Blue Devil is supposedly the best with the guarantee, but it did not work with my internal leak; I got two refunds though!! One with the standard product and another with the PourNGo. So at least their word is worth something. I also got the $47 Bars product at Auto Zone and did a chargeback on my credit card. I would call them explain what the problem is and see what they have to say and see if anyone here has any recommendations. Heck, even with a blown head gasket I am now over 300K miles and it runs great!

Good luck with that; amazing how those with the high end four wheel drives like Range Rovers pussy foot over the sticks laying in the road while Subarus have been built for off road travel for years. I once had my CV joint come out of the joint on a class four road hiking near Monson Maine, amazing I was able to get it back in and to a shop.

These are under $50 parts, not that hard to replace but be careful--pulling wires or couplers apart. I did mine as the mechanic didn't have the time, and I didn't want to spend over $100 for the job. I have gotten the code still once in a while after doing the job.