JT95

Oh--one more thing to add. If you can jack up your car and set it on 4 jack stands, that extra boost will help you reach the spots better. To do this the "right" way, you should take the bumper covers off and spray them. But, that's a hassle and this is a 10 yr old car. To be honest, this turned out well, though.

Nope--I went real generic. This was the spray cans I bought. They did have a larger container of the paint you could run through a paint gun, but, to be honest, something like this with the texture it has and the matte finish, a spray can gives the same results with the finished product and you don't have to fool with cleaning anything afterward. For a "real" paint job I'd never dream of doing this, but for this type of job, the actual paint gun wasn't a necessity. If the finish ever gets damaged, all I have to do is whip out a $7 can of spray paint and--presto--all fixed.

Thanks for the feedback. I've had to drive by a lot of big windows the past week. :cool: It took three cans of the stuff to cover what I painted. I'd go ahead and buy 4, as I was cutting it close near the end. I'll have to check at the store to verify the brand name. In regard to doing the wheel well lips differently, I'd either make the sprayed area bigger or not do it. It gets kinda funky taking that line across the crack there on the back door--hard to get a clean look where I ran the tape because of the spray inside the door jamb. It doesn't look that bad, but it could have been better. As far as prep for the spraying, I hit everything I was going to paint with 120 grit sandpaper. Then I sprayed the areas with the air hose and wiped all the sanded parts with mineral spirits on a rag. I laid sheets over the whole upper portion of the car and had my hood popped with a sheet over the engine. Everything else was masked off and covered with newspaper. I did remove the grille. When I started painting, I lightly sprayed all the cracks and edges of things lightly. I mean a light spitting of paint. I put two light coats on these areas, and then hit everything with a very light coat. By the time you get around the car, you can go ahead and start over by hitting a good solid real first coat. Take your time. This stuff dries fairly quickly, so I didn't wait very long between coats. I gave the car three good coats. Let the car bake in the sun and let the paint around the fenders dry a bit before taking off the tape. Peel slowly when you get this area. I had to take my thunb nail and make a few light corrections as I peeled the tape off these areas. For anyone who has never done paint work (and I've not done a whole lot), the key to a good paint job is 80% prep work. Light sand what you are gonna spray, wipe it down, and do an amazing masking job. The actual painting is the fast and easy part.

I had mentioned a bit back that I was consider buying one of those bed liner kits from my local auto paint supplier and spraying my bumpers because I was sick of a chipped/scratched painted bumper. Well, I got cheap and just went to Wally World and bought 3 cans of the generic bed liner spray. I figure I could at least see if I liked the look before I spent the $$$ on the real deal. Anyway, it turned out pretty well--for a $30 investment. Now, I've ruined the "classy" look my LSi was originally supposed to have, but I like the rugged sportiness look better. The bumpers turned out well, as did the rocker panel. For anyone who would like the look of higher ground clearance on your car but don't need it or want to pay for it--painting your rocker panel flat or semi-gloss black will probably help you get the look you want. (These pics aren't lighted the right way to show that.) I masked around the wheel well lips and painted a bit of them to connect the black bumpers to the black rockers, but the rear ones where the door is was a pain, and I'm pretty darn good at masking. I would do it a little differently the second time around. Now, this stuff is more like a hard rubber coating than an actual hard plastic coating like the real bed liner spray, so it is not near as durable/tough. Still, for $7 a can, I can always do touch up spraying. We'll see how well it holds up over the following months... The lighting is bad on this pic--I'll try to replace it with a better one soon...

Are factory CD players from the 95-99 Subes the same fit? I have seen quite a few factory CD players on eBay for pretty cheap. Lots of folks pull the factory model out to put in a more oomphed after market unit. If they fit, that would be a good, cheap route--it would plug right up w/o anything else to buy. Check the feedback on the seller and ask if he'll guarantee it not to show up dead. I bought a new in-the-box 6 CD factory changer for my 95 wagon for $11 off eBay and it has worked perfectly. Hey--did Subaru have factory 8 track players in the 70s? Now that would be cool to stick in the dash of a newer Sube as a dummy radio to freak people out. (Of course the real system would be hidden elsewhere...)

Sorry if you got excited and read this too late--I just now say this car on eBay and the auction is over in a few hours. Sounds like a great deal for someone with some tranny experience or some $$$ to invest. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31869&item=4536281069&rd=1

To be honest, I have no idea how old that fuel filter was. I was a dork for not changing it sooner as routine maintenance, as I bought the car used. I know the vehicle went back to the deal for all scheduled maintenance with the original owner for most of the time he owned it, but don't know anything about the fuel filter specifically.

Well, I swapped in a new fuel filter when I got home from work yesterday and that seemed to fix the problem. My wagon is driving back to normal now, so that was a lucky break, as the fuel filter was a pretty simple task. Thanks for the input. We'll see how driving goes for the next 2-3 weeks.

Thanks. Yeah, if the other things don't point me anywhere, I might ask you for those cat procedures. I'm popping in a new fuel filter this afternoon. In the past I have always changed those before there was ever a problem, so I don't have the experience of "feeling" a clogged fuel filter. It's like everything just happened all at once instead of a gradual change, though. Thanks for all the input from everyone.

In neutral--auto trans--I can rev the engine, but it still does the drop in RPM. Doesn't really make any sounds--which is why I don't think it's anything mechanical--just sounds like it's choking if you give it too much gas. Since it does this in N or 3 or 2 or 1, I assume it is not transmission related. I drove it about 6 miles home on the interstate at about 55mph---the car normal so long as I didn't give it much gas. I've never had a fuel pump go bad. When they go do they go suddenly or gradually? I doubt this is the problem, but I don't know... As far as TPS or other sensor failure, if it were having that kind of effect of the engine, wouldn't that throw a check engine ligt and give a code? My gauges all have stayed normal and no check engine light has ever flashed. Thanks.

Look for what, specifically? I did a visual check of hoses.

I'd appreciate some direction from anyone who might have some insight from experience here. I was driving home last night on the interstate and exited to pick up something. My 95 2.2 has been running perfectly fine. After the quick stop, I get back on the interstae and my car has no oomph. The engine would push to about 2K RPM and then it would do nothing--pushing the pedal further got no response. The RPM would try to go up, but then level off at about 2000 again. No warning lights. No error code. Gauges looked normal. No engine noise. Anybody know what it probably is? I was going to go ahead and swap in a new fuel filter and start there. I know that's not it, but it will let me be doing something while someone points me in the right direction maybe. If it was a fuel pump problem would it still run normal at a low RPM? Thanks for any help.

I would have to say no because they are different generation cars, but do you mean "fit" or "fit" correctly? I have a 95 Legacy. I scarfed some nick-nack parts off a 91 in the local salvage yard and they looked similar in some regards, so you might be able to get the hoods to swap out. I would guess them to be pretty much the same deminsions, but you could easily take a tape measure and find out yourself. It might be a doable thing with some light modification. Let me guess, you want that hood scoop, huh? Why not try adding an aftermarket scoop to the hood you have? That might be easier and cheaper too...

Check the library. Or try a salvage yard. Dealers have them, but some of those guys are weird about sharing them. The bank keeps a current one, but I bet they have them a year back as well. I'd try asking the bank where you do your banking and see if they can help.

I don't have much experience with the newer gen of Subaru cars, so you'll have to rely on the other owners here for specific info regarding them. Several people have mentioned specific model years of the 2.5 engine to avoid because of the head gasket problem a portion of them seem to experience. My car has the 2.2 engine, and I've heard lots of people her rave about how great of an engine it is. Been driving the car for 6 months, and I'll have to say with 160,000 miles on it, the little 2.2 boxer is pretty impressive. A very smooth running car. Anyway, I'll toss in what I can to your questions: 1. In my opinion, unless you just really want the "look" of an Outback or you honestly need the extra ground clearance for some reason, they are not really worth the extra cash a seller wants for an OBW over a Legacy wagon. Nothing wrong with them--great cars--but if you don't absolutely want one and you want to save some cash, go with the regular Legacy wagon. 2. I think the basic Subaru 4 cylinder engine has what you need for everyday driving. I'm not even for sure what hp my 2.2 is rated. It scoots well enough to get on the Interstate in tight traffic and pass people with ease on a two lane road. I wouldn't drag race the car, but it's peppy enough. (I would never brag about the car being powerful, but I'm a guy who has driven V8 cars for a good portion of my life, and the Subaru keeps me content.) I remember in the 80s when SS and GT model cars sported a whopping 180hp, so 168 from a 4 is pretty good. I have no turbo experience, so can't advise you there. Personally, I'd avoid buying a used turbo anything unless you really know the car's history. 3. Again, find out the specific 2.5 engine years to avoid (or at least expect the possibility of HG failure.) My Legacy wagon is a 95 model. 160,000 miles on it. I'd feel safe taking a big road trip in it anywhere. I've got very little $$$ invested in it, but I know it was well maintained before I got it. It's an LSi, so it has the nice interior and sound system. It replaced a 99 Alero that has 50,000 fewer miles and there's no comparison between the two cars. Personally, depending on what you have to spend, I'd look for a 95-96 Legacy wagon with low miles on it and feel confident with the 2.2 engine. Take the cash you save from buying a 2000 model car and invest a little in the older Sube. There are some 9-10 year old wagons out there with under 80,000 miles, if you don't mind driving a bit to pick one up. You find a 2.2 with 80,000 on the odometer and you drive what you say you do, you should expect a good 4 years easily from the car with only routine scheduled maintenance. (Get that timing belt changed.) Find a car with a clean interior to start with, and it will stay a nice car for you. People sit in my car and ride in it and say "What year is this thing?" 4. I've got an auto tranny, so I can't help you here. I've not heard of specific clutch problems, but who knows. People recommend to sport for the manual tranny, and I like 5 speeds, but I'm pretty content with my auto in this car. I would find a car with good mileage and a nice interior and go with whatever tranny it has if the deal is right...

Been driving my 95 LSi wagon for almost half a year now. Love it. Great car. My only other Subaru experience was a Subie wagon (80something--I don't even remember the model year) that my dad bought used when I was in high school. I actually took my driver's test in it. Didn't like driving it too much to school, though, because I was 16 and it was a station wagon. I remember thinking "those crazy Japenese designers" when I popped the hood for the first time and saw the spare tire resting inside the engine bay! It did have the 4WD lever, though, so I had fun telling dad I was going "driving around" and then go generic 4x4ing in the wagon down at the creek... Anyway, my 95 wagon has 160,000 miles on it and it still runs smooth. The engine sounds and feels like a car with half the mileage. Only drivetrain complaint is a little bit of tranny vibration when I sit at a stop light, but I probably notice that more than anyone else. My wife rolls her eyes if I mention it. I love having a car with an engine that isn't "sideways" and the AWD is a blessing because I hate FWD cars with a passion. The little things I have done on the engine have been smooth--these are great cars for do-it-yourselfers. I had a little Honda a few years ago and I HATED working on that thing! Everything is easy to reach on the Sube. It runs smooth, handles well, hauls the family, and I expect to push 200,000 miles with it. The interior is really solidly put together--not a bunch of little things coming apart or breaking like most 10 year old cars. My only complaint is unimpressive gas mileage, but with everything else that's good, I can live with it I guess. When I get the rest of my student loans paid off, I plan to grab myself a Baja.

Okay, I'm planning on repainting my Legacy wagon soon. I'm doing all the prep and painting myself. I like the look of my car--Glacier White--but to be honest, painted plastic bumpers are a pain in the butt. I hung a new front bumper on this car about 6 months ago, painted it to match before installing it, and then hit some retread on the interstate a month later and scratched/scuffed the paint off across the front of it. I'm thinking of covering the bumpers and the very bottom of the rocker panel of the wagon with that indestructible truck bed coating. I can buy the kit and gun to spray it for about $170--anybody want the bed of his Baja sprayed with the leftover?--from my paint supply store. This is the real deal stuff and not some Wal-mart paint section spray bed liner stuff. My car is white, so I figure black bumpers with a little strip of black right at the bottom of the sides would look pretty good anyway. Any thoughts on this? I can't find printed anywhere any problems with spraying this stuff on a plastic surface instead of a metal one. I figure bumpers with an indestructible coating would be nice. The only bad thing I can think of is bit of a weight gain over paint alone, though I doubt that would be significant.

I just bought some Dayton Daytona HR tires for my Legacy and love them. I can corner like a madman on these things compared to what was on there. They don't have quite the mileage rating for a real long time like you might get from other model tires (40,000 mile warranty), but they are performance tires speed rated at H and depending on what you are replacing, you should like the feel of them. They have a 30 day test drive--not for sure how much of a hassle it is to return tires on this policy, as I liked mine and kept them. BTW, I live in an area where we don't get a lot of snow and I don't take my Subie off road. So far, these things do seem to go really well in the rain, which is what I wanted--something safe in the rain and able to let me play racecar driver on the dry days. I noticed no change is gas mileage after putting these on.

Took a road trip yesterday in my 95 LSi wagon. I've used my cruise control on the big road many times, though I don't always use when traveling. I live in a fairly flat part of our state, but my parents live in a hilly area, which is where I drove to. I set the cruise at 70mph, but noticed that the car downshifted a lot when I got to hills--not monster mountains or anything, just your regular interstate hills. The RPMs at 70mph are usually right under 3,000, but on the hills the engine frequently kicked to 3,250 and often 4,500 until hitting the cap of the hill. On the way home I didn't use cruise control, and although the mph sometimes dipped by a couple on the bigger hills, my RPMs stayed level at 2,850. Anybody else had similar experiences w/ their Sube cruise? I assume the rounds of hitting the higher RPMs killed any dcent gas mileage on the trip down. My only other cruise control experiences are with V8 engines and, obviously, V8s don't huff up hills the way a 4 banger can. Normally, my Legacy cruise control works fine, but it seemed to downshift excessively on this hilly road.

I'll put the O2 sensor on hold until I have the spare cash to pick one up. I'm gonna pull my air filter and see what it looks like. Been busy the past few days, it's terribly cold out, and I have no garage, so I've been lazy and haven't looked yet. It's only 4 months old, though. As far as short trips and warming up, I drive 30 minutes on the interstate to work and then 30 minutes again to get home. I've never really noticed a significant decrease in gas mileage in the winter with other cars I have owned, but then again I watch the Sube a bit closer and probably anyway so due to expensive gas prices. Thanks for all the responses. If I track anything down I'll let you know.

Yeah, I try to make sure I don't have the defog button pressed unless truely needed--I usually run the mixture setting of floor/windshield, which isn't supposed to activate the compressor.

Okay, the Corvette guys have had a special Corvette wave for years when they pass each other. Some PT Cruiser owners were actually trying to get theirs going. Is there a Subaru Wave for when we pass each other on the road? (Or off the road for that fact....) While I realize 99% of Corvette drivers are "enthusiasts" and a lot of Sube drivers are simply driving their transportation, I have been surprised as a new Sube owner to discover all the I'm-Crazy-For-Subaru people out there/here. When I pass another Legacy or Outback wagon I sometimes pop a smooth wave to my fellow Subie brethern, which is almost always ignored or returned with a who-the-hell-are-you type glance.

operose was dead on about the 2.2 liter EJ22 NON-INTERFERENCE engine. The 2.2 seems like a super engine. Go for a manual if you can find it--if not the auto isn't all that bad. I have a 95 LSi wagon. It's got all the goodies, so I'm spoiled by it. Great drivetrain. These cars seem very well assembled in regard to their design and fit & finish of the body and interior...compared to a Honda Civic, Chevy Cavalier and Oldsmobile Alero I previously owned. (People scoff at GM here, but I drove a Caprice Classic before my Sube and except for screwed up rear power glass, that thing was very solid in design and assembly.) The leather interior is nice, but the power sunroof is what I could not live without. I could care less about the sometimes annoying security system. The 6 disc CD changer is sweet, but CD players aren't an expensive upgrade anyway, so why bother making that a priority. The alum wheels that came with the LSi package are nice, but mine are needing a new shot of clear coat as, cosmetically, alum wheels don't age near as well as steel. Find a whatever package wagon with a well maintained interior, but keep your eyes open for the factory sunroof. A crappy interior is a pain and huge expense to replace/fix. I love ABS and will never buy a car without it. This car is a joy to do routine driveway maintenence on. Get one--if you've never owned a Subaru and get the 2.2 wagon, you'll be a happy person. Mine has 160,000 miles on it and is still a nice little car.

That comment is way off. Yes, a person should be aware of the special needs of his/her car, but that isn't always the case and in a situation like this it is not the person's responsibility. Now--I TOLD the tow company to send a flatbed when my Subaru was towed, but when the good ol' boy showed up, he commented that "those Subarus have to be towed on a flatbed truck." If they don't know all about their job then they have no business towing for $$$. (Is it your responsibility to tell the auto paint guy he must add a flex additive to the paint he applies to your bumper? If you didn't tell him that your car has plastic/rubber bumpers, then is it your fault when the new paint peels and chips off when the bumper flexes? No--he should know what he is working with.) If someone works on cars they are responsible for knowing what they are doing. End of story. Anyway, I was curious, so I poked around a little. Linda--if you are still checking the site, then please read on. Here's what Subaru says about towing: Yes, you have to use a flat-bed truck. Towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission rotates the gearing through the transfer clutch. However, since the engine isn’t running, there are no fluids lubricating the transmission or carrying away the heat generated through friction within the transmission. This can result in permanent TRANSMISSION damage. And a link... http://www.subaru.com/owners/care/carcaretips/middle.jsp?pageID=towing I'm gonna ramble about some other stuff, but since you called AAA, here is what I discovered that should help you recover $$$ for possible damages and have a solid argument against this towing company. Here's a cool quote for you: Even AAA, the largest member-supported roadside assistance service in the United States, offers a towing manual for tow truck operators that has "more than 350 pages of details involving every make and model," said Larry Keller, editor at AAA of Michigan. As each year progresses, AAA sends out further towing news via service bulletins, Keller said. As a AAA service place, they have been educated on how to properly haul ALL vehicles and if they don't know then they have the AAA provided manual--no excuses there except laziness and/or carelessness. In a court you could probably prove negligence with that info. I got that info from this site: http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4022110&src=News This might be of interest--2a: Attachment A - OPERATOR LICENCE CONDITIONS Section 20 Tow Truck Industry Act 1998 (1) A licence may be granted subject to such conditions as may be specified in the licence. (2) In addition to the conditions specified in a licence, a licence is subject to the following conditions: (a) the licensee must take all reasonable precautions to prevent loss of or from, or damage to, any motor vehicle that: (i) is towed by a tow truck operated under the licence, or (ii) is being held in the licensee’s holding yard, or (iii) is otherwise under the control of the licensee, From this site: http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/towtrucks/licensing/operator-info-pack.doc Hey--there's a WreckMaster.com that has online certification for towing. Here's something they say: Always consult all manufacturers booklets for recommended towing or transporting procedure. From this link: http://www.wreckmaster.com/Spint2/Spint15.htm And this isn't too specific, but they have a page about towing all wheel drive vehicles: http://www.wreckmaster.com/Spint2/Spint16.htm The advice to contact AAA first is the route I would take, but I would also call the tow service if AAA does not address the situation and offer a remedy very quickly. Getting a lawyer involved would cost you money and defeat the purpose of a claim, but don't forget the tow company would lose money to a lawyer as well, so they don't really want to go there either. If you have your facts and evidence straight when you talk to them, they may be less likely to brush you off and assume you won't bother litagation. Them being AAA will probably help your argument. Let us know how things go for you!

See--I thought I was a freak for wondering that this morning on my way to work. My bad mpg directly correlates to the cold weather. I don't know why this would be--not like the a/c is running like August. I honestly thought the new tires and alignment would help, as I had a pretty worn, out-of-whack one that didn't roll true. No difference though in mpg. Handles like a sticky-fingered chimp on a monkey vine though... I'll look into the O2 sensor. Can you get any info on the sensor's status if the car has not flashed a "check engine" light? Called the parts store and they want $92.99 for it. I'd rather throw away a hundred dollars on extra gas over the next 6 months with a bad O2 sensor than spend $100 at once to replace one that may not need replacing. I replaced the thermostat back in November and the mpg was fine after that. Actually averaged 26 one way on a road trip a couple weeks after the install. The temp gauge does the same thing it has been doing since I started driving the car.