later, Peter

If the ground connection is weak or loose you will wear the brass contacts in the starter. I had this trouble with the Trooper... replaced the starter & it happened all over again.... took it in to an auto electrical tester... found a loose ground, & I replaced the contact in the starter (bought an extra for ~a buck) & have never had to use the spare... never had another problem. It was that simple... not easy just simple. Later, Peter

I use Mobile One 10 -30 in both OBWs (96 & 99)... started with lower viscosity but am sticking with the 10- 30 I think. Costco @ $4/qt. in 6 packs... or WalMart (my less than favorite place) in a gallon jug... same price but MUCH harder to figure out the 4.7 qts for the oil change. Later, Peter

I suppose that this honest mechanic made a few bucks for being the "middle man" as well... 1. don't be afraid to ask other Subaru Drivers where they get their work done.. most people like to tell the good the bad & the rip offs. You might also call: Click & Clack, the Tappet Bros. on PBS for a referal. 2. WARNING! WARNING! NON-P.C.:next time have a male friend take the car in. YOU MAY BE AMAZED that this bullsh*t still happens ALL the time. 3. Any local High Schools that teach Auto Shop??? talk to the teacher. -------------------------------------------------- In any event... eventually you will either: A. find a good mechanic 2. get a job that pays so well (or win the lottery) that you won't even care when you get ripped off III. learn to repair your own vehicle... IN FACT a class at a local C.C. may be in order... at least you'd know enough to perhaps diagnose the alleged problem or see the rip off coming. GOOD LUCK. Later, Peter

Weird indeed. I have a genius dog that figured out how to bump the cargo cover from underneath & squeeeeeze through between the back of the back seat & the gate... I tried to move the gate as close as possible to the back seat with out the cargo cover & it didn't go... I had to construct a wooden frame that also tied off to the gate & the head rest brackets..... BTW: two OBWs... 99 & 96. Later, Peter

There was just a recent thread regarding mileage... gas mileage in winter months is usually 10 - 20% less than in warmer weather... the gas being sold has additives for pollution control. Other factors come into play... O2 sensor, air filter clogged, type of driving & then there's that pesky fuel guage... drive, fill it up, set the tripmeter, drive, fill it up, check the # of gallons to the tripmeter, & do it all again.... Later, Peter

With two Legacy OBWs...96 & 99, I have each aligned when purchased... the 99 needed front & rear (badly) the 96 front (not too bad).. for the safety issue it may pay to check. Most reputable alignment places will also check contigent parts... brakes, frame, ball joints, cv joints, etc... Later, Peter

As they say here in Central Oregon: Only outsiders don't wave. Later, Peter

The gas/oil companies are required to use more ethanol or is it methanol in the winter... this also decreases mileage & also decreases emissions... (do they cancel each other out? I wonder).... I'd try a can of Seafoam to clean things up a bit & maybe tankful of + or premium gas... then again & new o2 sensor might just resolve the whole deal... I once had a hg leak (Isuzu Trooper) into the O2 sensor & the mechanic took it out blew it with compressed air & told me " it may work for awhile"... that was nearly 4 years ago. Later, Peter

He's making excuses. the 2.5 engine has what's known as "piston slap" & SHOULD decrease if not totally disappear within (5) minutes. it's the design of the pistons NOTHING to do with a "longer stroke for that year". It is nothing but annoying. This vehicle should have had the timing belt replaced within the last 10k miles OR ELSE big timing-belt-breakage-interference-troubles... there is a history of Headgasket dilemmas... the current theory is that this comes from poorly drained & refilled cooling system (trickier than normal but not a tough job) or the other theory is at 140k +/- they will just blow. Having said that... I have 2 2.5 engines... a 96 with 147k & a 99 with 72k... they are great vehicles if properly mantained... this salesperson is making excuses for what he doesn't know. so: document the timing belt change & request an independent prepurchase inspection. Later, Peter

When you see people driving the same vehicle as yours (or any Subaru for that matter) ask them where they get their work done... do they like & TRUST their mechanic?? Maybe you need to "interview" one or two (bring them some homemade cookies?)... Honesty is better than "bedside manner"... experience more important than a white smock... You get the idea. This can end the fear of the unknown... Subarus, as you have read, can run for quite some time... Dishonest mechanics can make small problems appear large & expensive. Like my daughter's brake replacement instead of the tightening of the lug nuts by the previous genius. Later, Peter

It seems to me my brother had some similar problem with his BMW... some sensor tended to freeze... the dealership knew & neglected to tell him. It was a minor/easy fix, if I remember correctly. However, this sounds less like that & more like some frozen linkage or wheel cylinders??? Does it happen all the time or is it sporadic. Later, Peter

I have a 99 OBW (now with 71K) & decided that alot of the HG issues are arising from inefficient draining & refilling of coolant. That is, the poor design of the cooling system tends to trap air & therefore overheats & causes the HG to fail.... Having accepted that as my "higher power" I bought a 96 OBW (148K & the early early 2.5) with no HG replacements done. I have talked to MANY folks with this engine most with 135K & up with NO HG problems. One lady has never changed her coolant for fear of doing something bad... others have had the work done by shops (perhaps aware of the burping necessary to release that evil trapped air bubble). Whatever.... Headgaskets go some don't... some transmissions are designed for failure others aren't.... All I can say is... this is the nicest looking Subaru since the '83 & I like my pair of OBW's. Later, Peter

you may want to look at this though: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7955761556&category=46098 Later, Peter

Nope. so there fore no security system? what's with the label on the driver's window... theft deterence... It's some sort of tracking device (or just the label)... not to stop you from stealing my double din Subaru stereo system but from stealing my vehicle.... lo jack located on board? Later, Peter

Yes, used the link. Yes, have the '99 grey/grey remote. but no noise upon "breaking into" my car... could this have been dismantled? the lady from whom I bought the vehicle seemed like she may have set this thing off on a regular basis... by accident. Thanks. Later, Peter

Well, now I have horns tootin' when I lock & unlock doors... I gotta disable that thing... I do have a sticker on the windshield that states I have theft deterance built in... but NO blinking light on the dash... Do I have an alarm system? 99 OBW 30th Anniversary edition with all sorts of options. Later, Peter

Ahh, that's what I like to see... logical resolves to odd dilemmas... Keep up the good work & dealers beware! later, Peter

I wonder if it's the temp sending unit (or it's getting grounded) ??? I'd put in the new thermostat & test (or replace) the sending unit & BURP that car's cooling system... see if those cure the problems. Later, Peter

There's Dan's near the Tigard GI Joe's... they know Subarus... they also know $. BUT they get it right. later, Peter

this may not be helpful at all... I have found that the key to this mess is the secret code on the back of the keyless remote... that is the FCC number (as I recall)... if these are different then they shouldn't work the alternate vehicle's system... however, the same numbers will allow you to work each other's systems.. I do recall a notation in the reprogramming for the '99 that states: all the disconnest turn key stuff then ...."repeat the door open/close remote set for up to 4 remotes. If less than 4 remotes program all FOUR channels with your existing remotes." Help or not there it is.. Later, Peter

I have a '96 (147k) & a '99 OB (71k)wagon.... AND once again I agree with RWEDDY in that this is the best looking Subaru until the newest ones... I tend to believe the bruhaha regarding the headgaskets are in direct relation to the poorly designed cooling system. The system has a tendancy to trap air pockets which heat too high too fast & cause the HG to fail. My fears of driving the Phase I engine kept one eye fastened to the temp guage... until I started talking with everyone I could (10 - 15) regarding their cars (same engine) NOT ONE PERSON HAD ANY TROUBLE & ALL APPEARED TO HAVE THE OIL/FLUID CHANGES REGULARLY (by others).... most had over 140k>>>NO PROBLEMS<<<< then there was quite a post by an airplane pilot that uses this engine... he figured out how to remove the trapped air (a special bleed valve & container) & has NOT had the HG problem.... So, as in all manners of this life, believe what fits your needs or as Paul Simon said: "all lies & jest until a man hears what he wants to hear & disregards the rest" hummmhumm hummm hummmm Enjoy. Later, Peter

I just put a Sony unit in the '96 OBW for under a hundred bucks (oddly enough from Wal-Mart the place I love to hate)... just took out the cassette machine & spliced (a bad bad thang to do) into the wires instead of cutting the old connector off... fits great! works great! sounds great! looks cool! (it's my wife's car)Crutchfield was another choice but wanted immediate gratification.... Later, Peter

I had to make that choice recently...Toyo Observe Nokian (?don't remember the model) Blizzaks Ended up with Michelin's new Ice-X tires (studless snows)... great price at costco & they worked well during a recent ice problem... Later, Peter

ENJOY!!! I had the same concerns, even though I have past history with Subaru wagons ('83 GL)... I always liked the lines of the '96-'99 OB wagon with the Phase I engine (didn't know what that meant though). After I found out, I was paranoid about the HG problems listed on these pages. My research showed that the problems were probably caused by: 1. the poorly designed cooling system (tends to trap air) & B. incomplete filling of the C. S. I now have two: a '96 OBW with nearly 150k and a '99 OBWan with 71k I plan to keep them both for awhile... Hey I have a great friend living in Chatham... you near there? Later, Peter This site's a gas!

Skip:As far as I can tell, the remote is "trained" to operate by the receiver in the car. My '99 will accept 4 remotes... however, after the first you must program some of the remotes at least TWICE... I don't quite get why. I found that the Caddy remote needed to be put throught the cycle two or three times (forgotten already but I know it didn't take after the first attempt). There is a warning regarding programming... not to do if anyone around you is programming OR USING another remote... don't try this in a parking lot. It would also seem SKIP, that your other remote didn't program because it's from a different manufacturer or a different model (frequency) that's why I bought the only other one with the correct code GOH-MM6 on the back... even though there were alot of other remotes that looked the same & were for the same year.... there may have been a change by the code people then. Later, Peter