JT95

Oh yeah--one more thing. 96 was the last year of the non-interference 2.2 wasn't it? I know my 95 has that 2.2, but I wanted to double check on the 96 model's 2.2 engine.

I've got a friend who is looking at possibly buying an OBW. This will be his first Subaru. He is looking at two different ones right now. The first is a 96 five speed--the other is a 2000 auto. Both have edged just over the 100,000 mile mark, so they have similar mileage on them. The 96 is a 2.2 and the 2000 is a 2.5. I told him I thought the 2000 had the phaseII 2.5 and that the head gasket failure is more an issue with the phaseI 2.5 engines. Those of you in the know, was this correct info? He likes the color and body style of the 2000 better. Those of you who have a newer 2.5 wagon with an auto tranny, what kind of highway mileage do you get? Those with a 2.2 manual, what do you get? I've got a 95 LSi wagon (w/ auto), so my Subaru experience is limited to it, but I was trying to give him some info to go on if he needs to choose between the two cars. Thanks

If all you are doing is having it pulled from a ditch, then you'll be okay. Just put 'er in neutral and let the tow dude pull your Sube out. A short move like that will be okay. Now, if you are actually having the car towed somewhere, hauled on a flatbed is the only way to go.

The word is that you can't do a one or two tire replacement on AWD Subarus--you have to have all 4 tires of matching make/model and tread wear. Mix-matching could damage or at least screw up your AWD system from what I understand.

I'm kinda new to Subaru too, so I can't give you any Subaru-Jedi wisdom for power. As far as the look, get a set of used WRX wheels from someone who bought aftermarket ones. Do some custom work to your grille/nose, but don't go all crazy with body kits. You might want to put an intake kit on the car. You might want to check with MSD and see if they have anything for your engine. That might give you a little bump in power and gas mileage. http://www.msdignition.com/1support.htm

I've got a 95 LSi as well (wagon). All aluminum wheels come with a clear coat sprayed on to protect them and all experience the peeling you speak of as they age. The peeling will get worse and your wheels will get uglier in time. If you own aluminum wheels you have to invest some extra care with them to prevent/postpone the peeling. As it worsens, your wheels will get tarnished/pitted where they are exposed. Mine have been peeling for some time. I'm going to strip them with Aircraft Stripper (from Wal-Mart or any parts store) and re-paint them with a clear coat from the local auto paint store. The wheels on our cars are just clear coated aluminum, so you won't want to spray primer/paint on them unless you want to get a different look. I couldn't find anyone who has done this before to give me advice, so I'll take pictures and let you know how the wheels turn out.

What's with the nutless jab at cyclists? Cyclists/outdoorspeople won't go for this thing. It is targeting the soccer moms of the world and the people who aren't already a Subaru customer. Cyclists will still go for the wagons and the Baja. Stick a burrito up your nose, Juan.

My wife's Volvo wagon has a nice 100,000 mile metal badge on it. It just rolled 200,000 and I've got to look into how we can get another badge for it. (The car sounds like a minature tractor, has little oomph, but is solid as a tank and impressive as hell as far as reliability.) Anyway, are there any high mileage badges fr Subaru owners? Mine will roll over 200K in 30K miles and I was just wondering. As a side note, I bumped into an old college friend last night at a restaurant. (I may have inspired him to rekindle his old Brat interests...) He's driving a 96 Chevy Silverado and it's got about 218,000 miles on it and he said he's not done a thing to the engine yet. (There was a past discussion on American trucks because the engines didn't last that long but were cheap to replace.) I was impressed, considering it had been a work truck before he bought it.

Sounds like you've got a fun project for a great price. I'm still new to Subarus, so probably not much help. I have a 95 LSi wagon--been driving it for 8 months now and I've been converted to Subaru. Anyway, mine is pushing 170,000 miles and my auto tranny is doing just fine. When sitting at idle with the car in gear, it does vibrate some, but that's not enough to complain about. I still run 5W30--what the manuals said to run. I've heard some folks putting 10W30 in a higher mileage Sube in the summertime. Think I'll go half-and-half on the 5/10W30 this next change. I have been using the Valvoline Max Life oild since I did my first tune-up to this car and I have been very pleased with the oil. As far as tranny fluid, I've got to check out my Haynes manual because I'm planning on my summer maintenance next week and I want to do the tranny. I would assume ours are similar transmissions, if not the same. I don't think all Legacys had the 4 wheel disc, but maybe it was just the non-AWD ones that didn't. Mine does, but it was the top trim/option package, so I always assumed the 4 wheel discs were part of the nicer package. As far as the hood latch, make sure the striker is hitting the latch where it should. If the hood had ever been removed or messed with, that's a point to check out. If the latch unit is screwed up, they shouldn't cost much to replace. You gonna do any paint work to the car?

You should be good to go with that hood. I replaced the hood on my 95 Legacy last year and wish I'd have gone ahead and got an Outback hood to add a little sportiness. Oh well. I bought an aftermarket hood--Taiwan one, but forgot the name of who made it. It came in black primer, stiff and straight, and cheap as all get out compared to what OEM or salvage yards wanted. I also got my grille aftermarket from the same shop I got my hood (and fender). It is all charcoal black--no chrome on it--and of course no emblem. Still, it was dirt cheap compared to OEM and it came with all the clips. Had I got the grille from the dealer I'd have paid twice as much and still had to pay even more for the mounting clips. If you got the cash and want the chromed grille, go factory though. I would assume any Legacy grille would fit, but it wouldn't hurt to check with the dealer to see pics. I know the OBW had a different inner bumper than the Legacy. Headlights--spring the cash and get the name stuff. That's what I've heard. Some people may not have an issue with it, but I've heard some complain about the less expensive non-OEM headlights. What are you planning to do with the old headlights? If you're just gonna toss them, let me know. Here's a link to a pic of my 95. I haven't gotten around to getting a new emblem for this grille yet. I painted my bumpers, wheel lips, and the rocker panels. The car used to be solid white. If you're doing some painting after the repair, I thought this added a sporty flare to mine. http://jtweb.topcities.com/Pix/sube1.jpg

I don't know if it's a die hard Chevy guy or a die hard Subie guy who left the note. I've heard more Subaru fans complain about the Baja than anyone else. As a previous owner of many kick-butt Chevrolet cars (which they don't make anymore...), I must say I had been longing for a 4 door El Camino and was blown away with the coolness of the Baja when it came out. I've heard several people who "aren't into foreign cars" compliment the Baja. It's sad that the Baja hasn't been more successful. If Chevrolet is smart, when Subaru axes the car, they'll stick a Chevy nose and emblems on it, drop the plastic panels, and sell the thing as an El Camino in a couple years. (Kinda like how Chevy sells the Forester overseas.)

I bought a used 95 Legacy wagon last year. My 2.2 now has over 140,000 miles and runs smooth and solid. I think the 2.2 swap would be a good bet for you. With as many people who brag about this engine, it'd be a good route. (Why did they ever stop making the 2.2 anyway...)

Slam that baby in neutral, floor it, and blow that motor, then collect on the warranty replacement. Okay, maybe that's not a good idea. Sorry to hear about your woes with the car. A troublesome car(especially one you owe money on) is one of life's great frustrations. Witha debt greater than trade-in value, there may be no easy way out of this. Is the car a looker? If it is clean and sharp, you may want to find a car that is a little older or a little less valuable than this one (but a more reliable drivetrain) on a used lot and see if they will swap you. If it's a not-as-popular model car as your Sube, most lots would be happy to deal with you. You're still stuck with a payment, but at least you're paying on a car that works. Or, foot the $1,000 and get the engine replaced (would they do a 2.2 swap for ya?) and then sell the car to get what you can of your money back. If they'll do a 2.2 swap for you, keep that baby and drive forever... Either way, you'll probably wind up on the losing side of the dollar. Sorry about your bad luck.

Yeah--why was the odometer "replaced". (I assume it isn't digital.) Still, unless the car was a one owner, the title from a previous sale would list the mileage. Ask to look at the title anyway as, depending on your state I think, when a person transfers the title they are supposed to list actual mileage on the vehicle and what the odometer reads if there is a difference. (Selling a car and transfering the title with fewer miles than the previous title is supposed to get a person in big trouble.) I did replace the odometer on my El Camino years ago because I was bored with the instrument cluster and wanted to swap in some gauges from an older Monte Carlo. It was a pain getting the odometer reset to match the mileage actually on my car, so I understand why people don't do that. Did the dealer replace the odometer? If so, why and what was the reading on the old one? Was the car wrecked? Occasionally, a good smack into a tree or another car will jam an odometer. Get your hands on the car's title and see what the story is on that paper. If it was a one owner car, trace the previous owner and give him/her a call.

I bought a 95 Legacy wagon this past year. It's the same body design as the Outback, only less "rugged" trim package, a little bit lower ride height, and the 2.2 engine. The 2.2 seems like a fantastic engine. Mine has 146,000+ miles on it and purrs. I have no experience with the 2.5, and I've heard mixed things about them. Some love their 2.5 car and have had no problems. Some complain of head gasket failures. Is the car a local one? I have no idea what the coorelation is, but several people have mentioned that the head gasket issues seem more prone in the colder states. If the car has had the top end worked on, find out who did the work and how recent it was. Will the seller guarantee the engine for a few months to be free of problems? If so, $4000 sounds like a decent price for that car. As mentioned, if what you're after is cheap, reliable transportation, then this car may not be the best choice. I like my Subaru 50 times better than my Civic I used to own, but it's not quite as economical. Toyota cars bore me silly, so no experience there. I do think the OB wagon has better safety reports than your typical Toyota or Honda car. If your daughter doesn't do a whole lot of long driving, then the lesser gas mileage of the Subaru shouldn't be that much of an issue--though premium gas might be a real cost issue. My 2.2 takes 87 octane. On the coolness meter, though, the Subaru ranks much higher. If your daughter needs a wagon or is an outdoorsy person, the Subaru wagon can't be beat. I would try to get a 2.2 if you are actively looking, as they are truly amazing engines. Although you may not get much snow compared to other colder states, the AWD is a nice feature and makes the car handle much much better than any front wheel drive car. My Legacy wagon is 10 years old, still solid, and has had minimal problems.

Okay, I'm not at all impressed with the nose of the car. It looks like they tried too hard in the styling department. Still, after looking at more pictures of this thing, I think it's the rear shot of the car that is ugly! It looks awkward and unbalanced. Why all that empty space and the unnecessary sunken rectangular part. If you have that much sheetmetal/bumper (the rear on this baby screams "minivan") then they could have put some larger, more aggressive tail lights on it. From the side, though, the car looks pretty good as just a profile shot. Kinda sad--the car seems like wasted potential as a true cool SUV. Still, they will sell because they look distinct in the driveway and soccer moms will be happy to buy a Subaru that hasn't been voted #1 lesbian car in America.

I normally average an unimpressive 24mpg. 95 LSi wagon w/ auto tranny. I do about 70% highway miles. (My V8 Caprice got 23mpg on the highway, so the Sube irritated me at first in the mpg area.) My car has had new plugs, new air filter, new fuel filter, but nothing impacted gas mileage. My plug wires look fine, but I'm swapping them out this next plug change... Still, I love my Subaru. My goal is to somehow hit 26mpg, so let me know if anyone discovers the magic to that aspiration.

This is the first car I've ever seen drop in mileage during the winter, so I wonder if that's a quirk of Subaru's? (Or maybe just 4 cylinder Japenese cars...) I can live with 24, so I'm not gonna worry again until January rolls around again...

I used to do that too, but the local Advanced takes all of my old oil after a change, so I started buying oil from them because I appreciate the convenience of them taking my used oil.

I've been driving my 95 LSi wagon for about 7 months now. I too am amazed at how it seems designed for the owner to work on. After wrenching on a 4WD Honda Civic wagon I drove a few years ago, I had sworn off Japenese cars...and pretty much front wheel drive cars in general. The 2.2 is a great engine. I've got 164,000 miles and mine is purring along smoothly. Power isn't bad for a 4 cylinder, but it's still just a 4 cylinder. My only gripe has been gas mileage, but I can live with it I guess consider how great everything else is. I'm lusting after the new Bajas now...

Our town has recently gotten a couple of O'Reiley's and I really like them. I've bought stuff from NAPA, Advance, and Auto Zone. I say go where the counter folks treat you well, know their stuff, and make you happiest, regardless of the name on the sign. I have had trouble with alternators from Advanced in the past. We bought one from them for the Caprice Classic we used to drive. (I still miss that car.) It had a lifetime warranty. 10 months later the Advanced alternator goes bad. No problem--free exchange. 6 months later that one goes bad. No problem--free exchange. I bought one for a Honda I was driving at about the same time from Advanced. Six weeks later it went bad. I took it back, got a full refund, and then forked out more bucks for one from the Honda dealership and it was dandy. (I had to remove the master cylinder on the Honda to get the alternator out and did not want that hassle repeated. Swapping a Chevy RWD alternator is a ten minute job--if that.) They were always nice to honor my warranty, though--even if I didn't have my receipt. My guys at O'Reiley's treat me well, I like their stuff so far, and so I've been going there. I still get a few things from Advance or Auto Zone like plugs, oil, etc.

Should be on the driver side. My 95 is Glacier White, but I think there was another white that year as well. Go to an auto paint supply store and get a little can mixed up for you. Don't get base coat/clear coat supplies, as you can shoot the one step and it'll match just as well--that's what I did with my car. (No touch up paint will ever match perfectly.) If you don't have a paint gun/air compressor, there are these nifty little aresol spray nozzles that screw onto a skinny jar that are made for touch up spraying. I have an air brush I use for little paint jobs and it's a charm. Stay away from the Dupli-Color cans of touch up paint at Wal-Mart. It would save you a few bucks, but not worth the quality cut, IMHO. I was visiting my parents a couple months ago and had my wagon in Dad's garage doing some work on it. I caught him with a can of gloss white paint from his wood shop hitting some small rock chips on the front of my hood and fenders with a little paint brush. At first I was like "What are you doing??!!" but then I saw where he had hit and it looked fine. Unless a person were inspecting the paint on the hood (and who does that on a 95 wagon), you'd never know it. He just smiled and said "It looks better than the little paint chips did and you can put real paint on it later."

Not w/ my Subaru, but with other cars I have owned over the years, i have swapped in seats from a newer car...even seats that were from a different make. I imagine this compromises safety by certain standards in some swaps, but roam through a salvage yard and see what bolts up similar to yours. I'd be cautios of buying from a slavage yard mail order unless they guarantee quality as described. LOTS of salvage yard interiors get lots of water and weather on their interiors very quickly. (There's a slightly wrecked Lexus sitting at a garage near my house that has its windshield busted out and all that leather interior has now been rained on several times.) My 95 LSi has leather seats and they are still in good shape, so that might be an option. Fronts would probably drop in fairly easily--not sure about the rear. Anyway, good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

Some players have the little hole already mentioned that you stich the end of a paper clip in and push, which mechanically ejects the CD. If your CD player is dead and you can deal with tapes for a bit, keep your eye open for eBay deals. My 95 LSi wagon came with the 6 CD changer from the factory, but when I bought it last year someone had stripped out the changer. I bought a brand new Subaru changer still in the box for $12 off eBay! (The seller had listed it with "changer" spelled wrong.) But I've still seen several good deals. Apparently lots of guys rip out the factory players and install the top tech stuff. Something that plugs into a factory Subaru unit is only of interest to Subaru owners, so the price on auctions is on the side of the buyers...

Okay, if a couple of other guys on the board hadn't mentioned it first, I'd think the idea was crazy, but the winter killed my Subaru's gas mileage. I started driving my 95 Legacy wagon last fall and it averaged 24 mpg for the most part. When winter hit it dropped to 22 first and then to 20. I was disappointed with 24, but 22 and 20 was obscene. I read a couple people say that their Subaru cars went down in gas mileage during the winter. Sure enough, it's been warm (even hot) and sunny out and now I'm hitting 24mpg again. Weird...