dresch

Greg, No one will give you grief for asking questions here. And so you don't feel silly, I thought it was a good question. I have no idea what the answer is. What I do know is that you should never use tape on a torn gasket and then put it in the engine. The end result isn't pretty. (Wasn't me. It was my husband...aka Mr. Badwrench) Welcome and good luck.

Not so sure that this is accurate. I have an 02 OBW that had a BHG last month with only 33k on it. Mine is a 2.5L engine... It appears to still be a problem for some late model 2.5L engines.

My husband had to get new keys cut for his vehicle so he went to a discount store to get them done. They wouldn't work right with the ignition. He went to the dealer with his VIN and got the correct keys made on the spot. It was quick and reasonably priced.

Ain't that the truth!! I was involved in a 55mph head-on crash back in June. I was driving a company owned Chevy van when a Ford pick-up truck turned directly into my path. Both vehicles were toast and both of us lived, but 2 surgeries were needed. I can't imagine what would have happened if I was driving a car at the time of the accident. At least our bumpers were at the same height level. Wear your seatbelt and sit as far back from the airbag as possible.

I specifically asked the dealership to look at the passanger axle for a leak because of what I learned on this site. They tell me it isn't leaking, but they did confirm that they can smell it when the car is idling. I went to a few of the parts websites listed on USMB as clickable links. What was listed as splashguards can't be what the dealership is talking about. The splashguards that I saw were mud flaps. And yes, I suppose I should be glad that my head blew before hitting 50k, but that still doesn't remove the nagging feeling that my car is destined to have significant problems down the road.

Or so I've been told by the dealer. I didn't smell it until they did the HG two weeks ago and now I smell it when the car idles. I'm still hot about a HG going with 33,000 miles on the car. The cost to replace the splash guard is $170. Do you think this is a legit reason for the smell? I'm seriously getting ready to sell my dream car. I don't think I can stomach many more problems. I bought a car with low miles so I could avoid exactly what is happening now. My Toyota never gave me a problem. So much for quality.

Thank you for posting that link!!!!

Thanks Blitz. That was what I was looking for!

I've seen quite a few posts here refer to piston slap. What exactly is piston slap? What does it sound like? Please excuse my ignorance... Also, I just had my HG replaced on my 02 OBW. I've noticed a burning rubber smell lately. I notice it when the car idles while warming in the morning. (Only warm it when below 20 degrees and for less than 5 minutes total) I also smell it when I park the car after driving from point A to point B. Any clues? Thanks!

I don't know that I would pay 10K for a '99 with over 100,000 miles on it. I bought an '02 in October with 29,000 miles on it for under 16k at a Subaru dealership in NY. Shop around. You may find a better price out there.

Has anyone purchased the new car extended warranty after having the car for a while? I own a used 02 OBW with 33k on it that just suffered a BHG. If I purchase the new car gold plus extended warranty from the dealer in the next 3k miles it will cover the car until 100k. The cost is $1375. What are your thoughts and experience with this? My confidence is so seriously shaken in Subaru. I keep thinking that more unkown damage was done when the HG blew. I hope SoA knows that they have a public relations nightmare on their hands. Ack! Could sure use some advice.

Many thanks for the positive feedback on the car. I really do love the sense of safety I get during the winter months. Peter wrote: incomplete filling of the C. S. What is CS? Sorry if it is a stupid question... Chatham is about 45 minutes east of here. It's on the state line with Massachusetts. Really pretty place to live...except the Troopers live to ticket in that area--especially Austerlitz. There must be a barracks there.

Thanks so much for helping ease my mind. Like I stated before, I wanted the OB for many years and just couldn't swing one new. I saved and saved and finally got a low mileage used one that checked out in great shape. I was able to speak with the previous owner. He is a older single man that trades in every 2 years and has for years. The car appeared in perfect condition and all maintenance was done as scheduled by the dealer. Is there anything else, besides continuing to maintain with dealer, that I should be doing or looking for? Any other "known" problems that I should look for? I need this car to last a long, long time.

I've wanted a OBW for years, I saved and saved and finally traded by Camry with 65k on it for a 02 Outback. Bought it with 29k miles in late October. I started smelling antifreeze about a month ago. I looked for a leak and didn't see one. I kept an eye on the controls and didn't notice the temp gauge running hot at all. We got a fresh snow last week and I saw a very small amount of antifreeze on the snow. I took it in to the dealer to learn that the HG was bad. They've replaced it and I picked it up today. I have 33k on it and only 3,000 miles of warranty left. I average about 20k a year. I'm a mom with 2 small kids, live in the middle of no where NY and just happen to live on top of a mountain in snow country. I'm now terrified that this car will turn into a nightmare for me...a nightmare that I can't afford. Should I sell it now and cut my losses or hang on to it and see what happens? Thanks, Dresch