ThosL

I ordered a "Draw tite" unit and finally got around to checking out trying to install today. But no way to install with non power tools. There is just too much rust on the tie down bolt/nuts that come out to make way for the hitch installation. I'll check with a mechanic who has the power tools.

I have a couple local mechanics that charge $50-$90 an hour. I had an ignition coil blow today, was not sure what it was and one of the mechanics ordered a unit that I could have gotten myself and saved some money but that was not an option. The key for people may be to not get risky vehicles, Subarus are well known for head gasket failures which can easily be a cause for junking a car. If Subarus are premium performance cars then the answer may be getting lower maintenance vehicles. Maxing out credit cards, burning through life savings on a repair, or taking desperate measures are painful decisions people should not have to make. People just don't have the money for major repairs in many cases. We're not talking about pizza delivery drivers here folks. We're talking about the vast majority of the population working in the service job economy. The average weekly income these days is under $1000 a week before taxes. So with rent, healthcare, food, and all the other costs of living, a car that suddenly costs thousands of dollars more, can create dire circumstances for people. There usually is an affordable solution, checking around for a Saturday mechanic who does good work, looking for a mechanically sound less expensive vehicle; maybe using public transportation or other non car options for a while, carpooling. When I have had vehicle breakdowns I've walked to work, no big deal for me, but would have been for others.

Those are scary high prices for many customers. Statistics are that the great majority of the working population is making a lot under $20/hour. So how many hours do they need to work to pay in order to save the vehicle? Practically I would be looking at any and all alternatives to maxing out credit cards or blowing much of my savings. I'd look for a competent mechanic, explaining my situation. Is there an affordable option? You have single people, family people, the disabled and many other groups of people needing good transportation.

I went to the auto junkyard today as they said they had a Forester with a hitch. $65 for the hitch from the somewhat rusted vehicle. $75 for one from another junkyard, new, but no bolts. The somewhat rusted one may or may not have salvageable carriage bolts. If I get the new one without carriage bolts how many will I have to get?

I use "Legal Shield", about $25 a month, consultations and letters are part of the deal.

I'll defer to the expert. If the head gaskets need to be changed out what is the likely price range on that job for this vehicle?

You could pull out the thermostat; could even put the heater on full blast, should suck some heat off the engine. Just don't use crap like Blue Devil or other fixes that don't work. Do your research.

I don't see the place where a tow hitch designed to bolt up would actually fit. I did not see plastic grommets in the chassis that would pop out to make way for a hitch, are these in all these cars?

I checked it out with a friend today; made sure the connection was good though a little loose. He commented on the connectors not being solid enough. Code was still up; is a continuity test indicated?

Thanks so much. I pulled the cable off the battery which usually clears the codes, but it came up again. I checked the connections which looked OK to me. The previous unit was in rough shape. Is there any performance issue with these? Also saw the green connector under the engine to check solenoids, not sure if that would help. I'll go back to Auto Zone to check the code. I got 25% off at Advance Auto with an online coupon.

Thanks very much for all the excellent advice by knowledgeable members here! I hopefully learned years ago to defer to the experts when they are doing their job.

If they pull it I'm probably still looking at $75, which may be the way to go in this case. Ffld County CT. Cost of doing business.

Thanks, I got a call back from a junk yard connected to another location where they have the new hitch without the carriage bolts, and they said they had one in their Norwalk location and for me to come check it out. What are these really worth used?

The bolt was frozen, I tried a 12mm and 11mm--would not budge. So I wiggled it until it broke off the flange. I put the new unit in, the plug, the inlet and outlet hoses. Still have the CEL. I'll have to do a code check. How long if these are properly connected does it take to have the CEL go out? Do these need to be grounded?

A good video on this job:

Are there any stress triggers on these? Running the engine too hard, sudden jerks back ups, etc.? Is there any way to know they are at risk as when these break it is tow truck city?

Ok, they said it was in a box, I will call them. Basically a new unit, looked to be quality. I did not see the bolts with the unit.

Exactly, a pain in the rump roast job, not sure what mechanics get for that. Beyond my ability.

Ok, so if the hardware is not included I assume that could add on a lot?

Code was P1443.

I got a code on this. Since they said it is hard to get off at the junkyard, I assume it is tough to install, right?

I stopped at a CT junkyard today, LaJoies in New Milford as I was going up RT 7, they had a unit @$75 they said was compatible, looked underneath the car, and said the holes would have to be drilled. Is there any cheap or easier solution to this?

Yeah, the code came up later. I went to Auto Zone where other owners were trying to find what the CEL meant on their cars. One guy had a 97 Mazda with an EGR code that is affecting performance. I advised him to join the Mazda online forum and try to clean out his EGR with carb cleaner, etc..

Thanks for the offer. The code I was getting was p1443, does anyone have a link to a good source for that?

I'm ironically in New Canaan, how about ordering the part that AZ said I needed?