Setright

Well, I went from 1st gen Legacy to a 1st gen Impreza. No question there is big difference in percieved quality. The Legacy was more luxurious and quieter. 2001 Imps have a more sturdy feel, so you shouldn't worry about that. For some stupid reason the hill-holder is not standard across the model range, so you will have to check the specific car(s) in question. OR, get the automatic transmission, it actually gets marginally better mileage too!

Original Equipment Manufacturer means an outfit that makes parts under license. OE - Original Equipment - is the same as saying "Genuine Parts", but not in anyway the same as saying OEM. Anything labelled as OEM Parts is likely off the same production line as the Genuine parts, but the quality control may not be quite as strict. That's why they are cheaper. For instance, Kyaba or KYB shock absorbers or "Subaru" shocks, are the same thing. Same goes for Exedy clutches, Brembo brake discs, and so on. Of course, there are the even cheaper non-original, non-genuine, non-OEM produced parts. These are the ones to stay away from. I agree that pump and ESPECIALLY thermostat should be Genuine parts. I would also sleep better at night knowing my timing belt had the Subaru signature on it.

Weird, my 1990 Legacy "2.2 GX" had a stern sump guard, standard. I am glad it did too, it saved me once when I was showing off in a quarry!

I can't answer that, but I would like to share this view on the Honda SH-AWD: Looks the business, is the logical progression for AWD, but I expect that it is BORING to drive. The system cancels out the drivers influence on cornering line via the throttle. If I want the back wheels to slide out, I will step off the throttle sharply, and no Honda ECU is to deny me that!!! Besides, all those electronics make me uneasy. I prefer the mechanical AWD in my MT Sube. It won't pull any weird stunts because some programmer didn't find a bug in the software... Once you have had one tail-out skid moment in an ESP equipped Mercedes, you lose faith in all these modern electronic systems.

There is a Jag SUV in the pipeline :-(

I must disagree. Almost any manufacturer, of almost any product will always try to force the cost of production down. Accountants have a very big role in product design. Synth IS better, and that's why Porsche uses Mobil 1 as factory-fill. Same goes for AMG tuned Mercedes. The price of the car itself can easily cover up the addded expense of oil. However, if you are seeking to produce millions of cars and selling them in a competitive price range, then the oil price is a deciding factor. Please don't try and tell me that "economies of scale" would reduce the cost of synthetic if all car companies switched. One of them has to make the first step, and car companies are far too conservative for that.

First generation of Legacy was 70% galvanised. From 1993 on, the then new Impreza and the facelifted Legacy were 100%.

200,000 miles and 12 years on the original CV boots???? Holy makerel, Batman! Do you ever turn the steering wheel?? I have the nagging suspicsion that all the parallel parking I do stresses my boots.

Oh, and the synthetic oil will not veer from it's viscosity rating under shear load in bearings - mineral oil with VI's will.

Just for the record, those Hella FF75 ARE driving lights, they cast a long straight beam, not quite a "pencil" though.

I fail to see what is so immature about humour. The oil debate will never end, and I was only trying to bring a smile to people's faces. Besides, I run Mobil 1 5W-50 and that improves mileage over the dealer filled mineral 10w-40. You can't explain that away with viscosity indexes. Oil has internal friction, and I would argue that Mobil 1 has less than most other oils.

Sorry Ron, didn't recall they were that different. As you say, the bolt is probably in there, so you are guaranteed a "hard point" for mounting if you dare to cut of the fog blanking plate.

Bobistheoilguy is heresay. His "pocket theories" don't impress me. And that STUPID timken machine that he uses to back everything up is a useless instrument. It does not model any load that oil would be under inside an engine. Particularly because the oil in the timken is not pumped in under pressure, but simply dragged onto the test sample. Timken and "four ball wear test" are designed to test lubricating grease, NOT OIL!

Yes sirree! But don't tell the mineral-oil-only crowd, they'll think we're nuts!! Let them waste fuel in peace :-)

The oil film on your coolant is worrying. Sounds like a headgasket failure.

DONT put 10watt bulbs in standard lamps. The 1993 Legacy is perfect for extra lighting. Look underneath the leading edge, you should find four bolts that hold the bumper to the rail underneath. These can be swapped with slightly longer bolts and a lamp housing inbetween! Like so: http://www.geocities.com/vik2r/Sube/ff75close.jpg

Hmm, take it easy on the drive to the dealer, last time I heard these symptoms they stemmed from loose caliper carrier bolts! (On a Toyota Corolla) Try pushing/pulling on the caliper through the wheel. If you can rattle it, have the car loaded up on a flatbed truck and delivered to the dealer, don't drive it. For goodness sake, DON'T tow it with two wheels on the ground, you will destroy the 4WD system.

Yeah, Hella FF75 are compact and provide a lot of light for the price. Easy to install, too.

Heated rear window, heated door mirrors, heated seats, heated steering wheels, heated screen jet nozzles... Enter: The heated console switches !

The material surrounding the gearstick is called gaiter. In English anyway, what's the American term?

And again! 1990-94 Legacy :-)

What kind of tyres is the car wearing? Summer tyres will have very little grip in snow and the ABS is only doing it's duty of preventing wheel lock-up. On Bridgestone Blizzak I find that my ABS braking distance is only marginally longer than without. However, with ABS you still have some influence on where the car goes. Remember to steer around stuff. ABS does not reduce braking distance. NO professional driver can pump four wheels independently like an ABS system. The ABS system Lotus and Delco developed nearly ten years ago is probably the best idea ever. It doesn't pulse the brakes, it controls the line pressure variably. That means reduced stopping distances. Ice is the only exception, ABS should be shut off, and the car shod with studded tyres. When these lock up on ice, the provide the shortest stopping distance.

Head gasket vote from me too. A tiny leak of compression and exhaust gas into the coolant.

Loose. Even though a little wear has made them quite, I would recommend tightening them a tiny bit.

WHAT? The head bolts must not be used again! Once they have been stretched, that's it. Makes me wonder if this point could explain why some people have had their EJ25 HG's fail repeatedly?