outback_97

Carl: Thanks, that one looks great, a bit more than I'd like to spend though... what I'm wondering is if there's any reason the $50 ones posted will not work for our Subies. I did some searching before starting this thread (!) and I found one instance of the HF one being recommended, and also some mentions of another one (from ebay) that gave some erroneous codes and was throwing off the diagnosis of a problem. So I'm just loooking for any additional feedback to be more confident before purchasing something in the low price range. Steve

On a Christmas trip to Billings, MT, our 03 TS decided to throw a check engine light. This was in a somewhat non-populated area and caused my wife to stress out despite my attempts to play it down as most likely a loose gas cap (although IIRC I did in fact tighten it and it had been 100 miles since the last fill-up). Eventually we came to a smallish town that had a garage (this was a Saturday morning) and I asked if they could check it out. I assumed (whoops) the fee would be nominal since I've heard that AutoZone type stores will do this free of charge. We walked across the street, had a bite to eat, and then drove away $100 poorer, but with no CEL, and as expected, the code was probably from a loose gas cap. I'd like to get a cheap, small reader so that in the event this happens again on a road trip, we can check out the CEL and clear it if necessary. Any reason something like one of these wouldn't do the trick for our 97 Outback and 03 TS? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=94168 http://www.amazon.com/Actron-CP9125-PocketScan-Diagnostic-Post-1996/dp/B0007LEG2K/sr=8-5/qid=1168532687/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5/103-9804386-9519846?ie=UTF8&s=automotive Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. While it would be cool to track more parameters (like with a laptop connected to the car) what I'm looking for is something very small that we can just carry with us on any road trips. We have a laptop but don't necessarily travel with it all the time. Steve

You're correct... but going from the all seasons the OP probably has to the higher rolling resistance AT tire I recommended will make your ACTUAL gas mileage decrease slightly. I'm talking real world results here, and I'm factoring in the larger diameter / lower odometer. And FWIW the speedo is probably more correct now than before... stock speedos usually read a little bit high. Steve

Martin: I recommend the following: + + Steve

I have 205/75/15 AT's (Firestone Destination) on mine and am happy with those. I can say they will definitely fit as I have the same setup on my 97 (Scorpion springs and GR2's). These fit before my spring lift but rubbed slightly on turns + dips. With the spring lift I have had no rubbing ever. MAYBE you could go 215/75/15 but I can't confirm that, I'd probably not try it myself. Your mileage will drop somewhat with these versus a regular all season tire. Handling is slightly sacrificed due to higher sidewall and beefier tread. But the pluses off pavement and in snow more than make up for that IMO. Steve

What does that mean? In snow like what we (OP and I) have here, I think that'd be a step backwards, not an upgrade And where can one find a 225 or 235 width tire in an AT or "offroad" style the OP is seeking with a low enough profile that it'd fit a Subie? I think such an animal does not exist, please correct me if I'm wrong. Steve

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html ^ Excellent for finding tire size differences, odo + speedo, etc. As to how much was gained, I probably gained a whopping 1/2" to 5/8" clearance. But, these tires are much more capable in areas where you want clearance than the all seasons were. That is the reason to get them, not for the difference in clearance. The springs added another 1 1/2 to 2". Steve

205/75 15 Firestone Destination AT's on mine... but it's an OB, not Forester... I had the slightest bit o' rubbing when turning + going thru dips (rectified by lifting with Scorpion springs). Not sure how the Forester will compare but there may be more room in there than mine had. These are not an LT tire but definitely seem tougher than the all season Michelins they replaced. So far at around 12K miles I'm pleased with them, they've done really well in a variety of situations. Sharp handling is not the forte of a 75 series tire... but they're great on sand and gravel, in snow, etc. and on the road they're really not that bad either. (You might recognize this from Hwy 12!) Steve

Do some searching and reading on "torque bind", sounds like that may be what you're experiencing. Steve

Earlier this year I got a set of KYB GR2's for the Outback from http://www.tirerack.com. Very satisfied with that company, I've had good service and pricing from them. Have you priced them vs. replacementshocks.com? Steve

FWIW I just bought three replacement bulbs I need (2 each 72351AC061 and 1 72351AC051) from a local dealership for $2.95 each. Reasonably priced IMO, not worth the hassle of fiddling with Radio Shack bulbs. My $.02. Steve

Is a New Zealand '99 = '00 US market, in other words third gen Legacy? If so the directions could be different. Sorry if I'm wrong, but IIRC in Australia they are one MY ahead of us here in the States. If nzbaru's is a third gen legacy, he should be searching for '00-'04 instructions on US websites. Steve

If you're considering an '02 WRX, you might also consider an '02 or '03 TS wagon. Relative to the WRX, the non-turbo is: -Cheaper to purchase -Cheaper to fuel -Cheaper to insure -Less likely to be abused Obviously I agree with what others have said about not spending lots of money on a vehicle. We really love ours, it's been a great sporty little wagon that can haul a fair amount of stuff, though not as much as the Legacy platform of course. http://www.cars101.com has some good overviews of the newer models (and archives of older info), and it sounds like you need to do some test drives to see what you like. Steve

Unless you have body work or a tall lift kit, there's no way you'll fit tires that would affect it by more than 5% or so. Even then, when you account for the fact that the stock setup reads too high, it may in fact be more accurate. ^^^ 97 OB with 205/75/15 AT's, speedo is accurate. Not much more room in wheel wells for bigger tires if you want to do things like go over bumps, through dips, or turn your steering wheel. Steve

Also a google search on "subaru recommended maintenance schedule" yields this, click on the link at the bottom of the page for a popup of the source of the cars101 link I posted earlier: http://www.subaru.com/owners/schedules/index.jsp?navid=SCHEDULE_2004 Might as well get it straight from the source. Steve

Here's a link to Subaru's recommended maintenance schedules: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/subaru_maintenance.html Plugs at 30K for your engine. I believe all this is in your owners manual too. And are you sure about the fuel filter? Never heard of one that's good for the life of the car. That doesn't sound right. Steve

TZ: I haven't had to get much work done on my car, and with the help of sites like this I've started doing a lot more of my own wrenching. I had a good experience with GT Automotive back when they were in Murray. They have since moved to South Jordan and I think their rates have climbed to pay for that shiny new shop. I have heard good things about A&C Automotive, I think the guy to talk to there is Charlie. Nate Wade (dealership) has in my experience done a decent job on more complex things and screwed up easy things, mixed bag. For brake work I've had good luck with the Midas at 6180 South State. What kind of work do you need done? Steve

Just so you have another tire option to choose from, I've been happy with my Firestone Destination AT's in 205/75/15. Can't answer your questions about gearing though, mine's also a 2.5 Outback. Steve

http://users.sisna.com/ignatius/subaru/hg.html Some reading material for you. It does sound like it could be the HG. Steve

One's personal experience does not constitute a universal truth. VW more reliable than Subaru? Steve

IMO you'll run out of gearing, clearance, approach angle, etc. long before you'll exceed what an AT tire can do... but you could put Swampers on there, a 27" will fit. I have 205/75/15 AT's on mine and that's plenty for me. Still well behaved on pavement. Where do you plan on taking your car that you need something super aggressive Steve

More history please... this was after trying other things like changing ATF, checking tire PSI, etc. I assume? My wife's car had slight TB, went away after changing ATF, that's my only experience with it. Steve

Have you seen the video comparing the AWD systems in Tribeca / Murano? http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1097949 It's not objective in the least if you listen to the narration (produced by Subaru, what do people expect?) but highlights some differences in the "AWD" systems. Not that I'm a huge Tribeca fan... but the AWD system in the Murano is unimpressive as shown here. Steve

The www.cars101.com site has a wealth of Subaru info, and I have often referred people to pages there. The statement about replacing tires at this page: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/tiresandwheels.html was previously a little confusing because it made it sound like they could be up to 1/4" tread depth different, rather than circumference. Example here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58302 I emailed Joe about it and he has edited the entry to indicate 1/4" circumference. Big thanks to Joe for maintaining the site! And I can personally vouch for the fact that at 10K miles my front and rear tires were 1/4" circumference different when I rotated them. Now, since these tires are slightly larger than OEM, that 1/4" doesn't make as much difference, does it... Steve

Most likely you either need to have your rotors "turned", which is machined back to a flat surface, or install new rotors. You will get differering opinions and info on whether the rotors actually warp or have pad material deposited on them, but in either case most mechanics will use the term "warped rotors" causing the pulsation and vibration when braking. I got Brembo rotors for mine, I did a google search on "brembo sweden" and this is the first link, might be helpful to call them: http://www.brembo.com/ENG/AboutBrembo/CompanyOverview/BremboGroup/Europe/BremboScandinavia.htm You've done really well with them lasting that long... I'm on my third set of rotors IIRC. Steve