mtsmiths

We couldn't live in NW Montana without a Subaru. After spending over an hour doing our l-o-n-g driveway in almost 18" of new snow (some drifts were over the maw of the snowblower), and getting ready for work, we headed out. What HO! At the top of the driveway, which is a fairly steep grade we are confronted by a nice fresh berm higher than the hood ... courtesy of our friendly neighborhood snowplow driver. I was afraid to hit it TOO hard, but even slowed down we pushed right through. Snow predicted through the night, temps falling to minus 12 F. Maybe NOW the ski mountain can open!

It's pretty straightforward, but you WILL end up aith a big pile of parts before you get to the plugs. Go s-l-o-w, lay all the parts out in order as you remove them, and keep all the bolts, nuts, etc in order (I like to put them back on loosely after I remove the part). Then after you have replaced the plugs and wires (do both), you just work your way backward down the line of parts until there are none left on the floor!

Well, well, a fellow Flatheadian ... welcome to the board John. Smitty from Whitefish (but I work in Kalispell). Wave at the green 2000 Legacy 'HONU' or the black Tracker/Sidekick '"pick-up" 'IIAWAH'.

Also, replace the PCV valve, clogged PCV doesn't let the engine lower ends 'breathe' and moisture accumplates in the block, cheap and easy fix.

I agree 'by the gallon?' One spray can lasts me all winter for the Legaback AND the snow blower (shoot it into the throat and chute to keep it from pluggung up).

I ferried a friends car to town to the Subie dealer, and then back after work. Outback wagon, so I got to experience the driving lights. THAT'S IT!, the next step on the deBrightonization of the 2000 is llights in the fascia nostrils. I couldn't believe how much better the lighting was.

No, this is when only the owner shows up and verifies that it is indeed his car (if possible without the perp knowing he's there), steps back and calls the cops. He can video the arrest and transport, then share it with the board. Maybe the perp will get a really big mean, been-locked-up-a-long-time bunkie for the night. The other idea does sound like fun, but vigilantes get worse treatment by the law than the criminals they're trying to 'correct'.

What they were thinking was to make a woody station wagon that harkened back to the forties, and early fifties, when woodies were actually built out of wood. Not to the sixties and seventies, when the paneling was plastic and vinyl decals (a la Pinto as previously mentioned). Which is why not the front fenders. I like it, but they shouldn't have brought the rear wheel well wood all the way down to the lip. The flare should have been metal to make it look authentic, also the spare should be mounted on the tailgate. I would buy that Forester in a New York minute. Taste varies. And I agree on the transmissions, if they would bring back the D/R, I would go back to a manual.

pair of snows ... aye, there lies the rub. Should always shoe all four feet the same, even tho your rear wheels aren't powered. The difference in grip between ends of the car make it do funny things on slippery surfaces, as you found out. The only Time I've ever slid out in ten years of Montana winters was exactly as you did. Pulled off the gas coming down a slight hill, and whoa nelly! I was doing fishtail switchbacks across three lanes. I finally nailed the brakes to force the spin befor I got to a REALLY steep drop-off. That was in an empty Chevy 2WD S-10 pick-up, so I was basically doomed from the moment I drove out the driveway! Actually, I drove that thing all over our first winter, but that was enough ... sold it and we started on our current run of Subarus.

'woodlands' camo! That dark brown is the perfect base to start from. Looks good.

They've sold very well here in NW Montana, but then this is Subaru country. Coming to work today I stopped at a light, of the six vehicles waiting, four were 'Roos, one was an F-250 and the other was a logging truck. Not unusual.

FIberglas, need fiberglas ...'specially if we relocate to Molokai, on that island it's impossible to get more than seven miles from the ocean, and THAT's off-road! Every road on the island except the one to the airport is within 100 yds of the sea. OOOps, now you know why I want to retire there.:cool:

When I retire in Hawaii, I want something like a Thing body on a Subbie D/R 4WD drivetrain. 'Cept that the thing is that Thingss rust like crazy in salt air, anf ther's nothing you an do about it, so I need a fiberglas Thing body, or something like a Thing, thingie. Anyone know anything about a fake Thing thing.

Mana means 'power' or 'energy' in Hawaiian ... dat crowd looks plenny local.

We had exactly the same problem, and after new plugs, wires (the O2 was 'fairly' new), new fuel filter, new air filter, checking fuel pressure,it was, in fact the MAP sensor. Sokay, prolly needed all those things anyhow, sure needed plugs!

LOL, but if you actualluy want to GO somehwere ... our '00 does it's best at about 63 mph (picking a 'realistic' speed you can actuall live with. For real world use, the difference is minimal up to about 70, above that consumption increases rapidly. But even so ... long trip mileage at 65 and below is around 30.4, at tyoical western highway speeds, 75 - 80 about 28. I realize that gas is spendy but frankly I'm not gonna risk getting my @$$ smashed in (even in the slow lane) on a Montana, Idaho, Washington interstate for 2 1/2 mpg. Not to mention the sheer torture of crossing the prarie at less than overall traffic speed.

Although we own a wagon, I really like the sedans too. Far as I'm concerned the best thing you can do to improve the sedans is free ... remove the silly wing.

I think your '01 Brighton has a 2.5L engine, unless they still put them in the manuals (but, I don't think so) our '00 has a 2.5 A/T. But don't worry about HG, just put in Subaru Slime, and you'll be OK, so long as you never airlock it. We bought ours with 100,00 MILES on it at 13 mos. old, and we are at 185,000 trouble free miles now. If like ours, yours does have power windows, but manual mirrors and door locks (both of which you can live with). Our debrightonization progeam to date: Map light, lighted mirror sunvisors, remote starter, cruise, roof rack, Outback struts/springs, alloys. To come: mud guards, two-tone (bottom repaint, it's all sandblasted, but NO rust) bed liner coating, fog/driving lights, hide wiring for the windsheild-sucker mounted GPS, rear deflector (if I can ever find one). This is our fifth Subaru, and after 85,000 miles, and as an owner of over 100 autobmbiles/trucks of all kinds, I can say I enjoy driving this car better than any I have owned.

Or, even cheaper (like I do in the Barbie Jeep, cause the airplane is in my half of the heated garage) 100 watt bulb in a metal trouble light holder under the hood, padded moving blanket over the hood and windsheild. Redneck block heater? :-\

Well, I put one on our 2000 Legaback, and there are a LOT more than two wires! Ours is an A/T, so maybe that is part of the equation. Still, read the instructions carefully, go slow and you shouldn't have any trouble. After living with the remote last winter, I don't know how we ever did without it. Bulldog remote starter kit - $49.95 (0n sale). Six-pack of beer to support installation crew (moi) - $6.95 The difference between climbing into a warm toasty windows defrosted car insted of a minus ten degree freezer locker - PRICELESS!

Kimo, you nevah wen answer which islan' you stay go?

Crikies! That's more than our stealership charges. I think your 'new' mechanic has a BIG boat. I also think he's engaging in scare tactics to get work (well, why not, it works for Bush, eh?). I think I'd shop around, unless he's replacing absolutely EVERYTHING under the front cover, new water pump, seals, tensioners, the lot. Which is how it SHOULD be done. Then the price sounds OK.

Yes ... and check/clean/replace the PCV valve.

Well, at $550 for a full headgasketectomy and replacement, even if you didn't 'really' need it, it's worth it for the peace of mind. You'll never have to worry about THAT one again!

Well, our 2000 has endured winter temps of down to -27 deg F, and we're at 185,000 miles with nor leaks internal OR external. We DID do the Subagoo 'fix'.