mtsmiths

Urabus, before I would let the warranty run out (and the dealership off the hook) I would pay for an inspection and take the results back to the dealer and DEMAND a field rep. I still say, from a total of 65,000 miles of driving in two different AT, AWD, ABS 'Roos ... sumptin aint right. And that's not counting the approx. 150,000 in three different MT 4WD 'Roos, of the older generations.

Your brake should sound like a quiet little buzz saw, with barely noticable pulse in the pedal. Something is amiss there. Neither of our auto Legacies clunk at any time, and the shifting is almost unnoticable at any speed (did we just get lucky, twice?). In low and second you are locked into 50/50 on the AWD. Try that next time you're in snow and see how it goes ... good to at least fifty MPH in 2nd.

You could hardly find any other way to shorten your engine life than to drive it one mile twice a day in winter. Hook it up, and leave it parked and WALK the mile each way. It'll do the car AND you a world of good. Use the car on weekends.

Didn't the dealer tell you that there is a TSB out on the O2 sensor on this car? I thought not ... ours didn't either. I discovered it on this board and confronted them with the TSB and they fixed it. Stayed off for about three days, so they did it again. Stayed of about three hours and one hundred miles. For the last two years on and off, for several days at a time. IMHO learn to ignore it or get out the official Click&Clack black tape. OH, and stay away from stealerships! An O2 sensor replacement should cost $149.00 per SOA's own flat rate book. And don't believe all that cr@p about replacing the cat, wait until it displays symptoms. Ours has driven 53,000 miles since we were told (by the dealer) that the cat needed "immediate" replacement.

Go to your nearest Auto Zone, Checkers or similar chain auto parts store and pull the codes ... it's free. If you keep throwing parts at that thing people will think you're an SOA techncian!

There ya go ... it's all a matter of personal taste. I was undecided about the new ('05) body style until I parked our '00 Legacy next to one. Having seen them together I MUCH prefer the '00-'04 series. The new body looks contrived and pretentious to me. I like the clean uncluttered looks of the mid model. I especially dislike the hood strakes on the new ones. Reminds me of a '57 Chevy ... my least favorite shoebox, for the same reasons. As for the recent auto show styling exercises from Subaru, if this is the future of the marque, I will be forever doomed to drive OLD Subarus.

WOW, that is tres kewel. I keep threatening to move to OZ when I retire in five years. Both OZ and NZ are really great places to fly, and there's SO much new stuff to see and experience. Monday I heard some really neat new NZ music, Maori chant to a Tahitian rhythem, and hapahaole Hawaiian instrumentation "Gardens of Eden", don't know the NZ group, tho'. Alas, I fear that the Pretty One will insist that we return to Hawaii, where she was born and raised. We sold our Hawaii home last spring, and bought a house for our son on Oahu, and one for our daughter in LaLaLand. When they have built up some equity they'll buy us out and we'll rebuild for retirement. At least we have decided on Molokai, even the Big Island where we last lived (before Montana) has gotten TOO crowded. You'll find plenty of strange and wonderful automobiles to play with in Kiwiland. Just remember to stay on the wrong side of the road. But I'd really rather go waaaaay south (and I damnwell WILL if we have another election like THIS one!).

Well, I've never in my life put anything but tap water and anti-freeze in an angine. I simply can't imagine that you need distilled water in your engine unless you've got REALLY crappy water at your tap ... but hey, I live in Montana! That said, if the engine is warmed up and the hose is running at a trickle (with matching outflow) the engine will be entirely flushed after a few minutes.

Like this href=http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24460 But DON'T tell the EPA

European requirement, and another Subaru Virgin bites the ... dust.

U-Hauls equipment can't tow it? Sez who, their attorney that's who. Tell 'em it's a Chevy.

BJV9999, welcome, use the search function and look for "Battery Dance", there are several postings to help you through this simple process (which we ALL learn).

The early Montana transplants came to start Dental Floss Ranches ... ... Axshully, *I* moved the Hawaii, the Big Island; ya know Kona Gold, Puna Buttah, Maui Wowie, where I discovered, uhhh, Subarus, that's it, Subarus. Montana came much, much later. Someday, ( but not as long as we can still ski) we'll go back, prolly to Molokai.

BLecCCCHHH ... another car that looks like it was designed by NIKE. I'm really NOT a fan of vehicles that look like running shoes. It's CrossOVER, not crossTRAINING, Jim! And I'll NEVER buy a Subaru with that stupid new tacked on Bugatti grille.

While listening to KAML ... far off man.

Hey if a gangbanger wants to get down on his hands and knees and lap up green slime, I'm all for it ... just ask him to turn down his boombox before he expires.

Check for an exhaust leak by running a bit of oil thru the engine and blocking the exhaust pipe. If you don't have a leak the engine will stall out. If you do ... just follow the smoke. Courtesy of Tom'n'Ray, The Tappet Bros.

Mine runs into the compost pile, waaaay at the bottom. And, as I warned, don't do it if the cat is out ... or dog, or hamster, or small children. The dam deer that are eating my garden can drink all they want.

If the engine is warmed up before you start it will flush the entire system. Just check the color of the flush-out.

I just put a set of winter steelies and low profile studded sno's on my Legacy. Don't know what they are, since they are take-offs from my local vendor.

Kev, when we bought our '00 Legacy it had 99,850 miles on it ... and it was only 13 months old! We did the T-belt and front case stuff, and it specced as-new. We're now at 153,000 and have had only one issue, a bad front wheel bearing. As for the smoke, I've had very good luck with Febreeze Auto. Vacuum the interior (including the headliner) and give it a good spray soak with the stuff, it actually works. I know, I smoke the occassional cigar late at night on long trips (nothin keeps you awake like a cup of road coffee and a cheap cigar), and it gets rid of the smell every time.

Here's how I've always done, even before I knew Subarus COULD air lock. Take off radiator cap. Insert hose with water running and engine idling. Open drain cock and adjust hose water flow so they are equal. Allow car to idle with water running thru it until it comes out clear (I usually let it go for ten minutes or so so it flushes too). Close the cock and remove the water hose, turn off engine. Open the drain cock just a teenie little bit and drizzle in the anti-freeze until the jug is empty. Close drain cock and replace radiator cap. Idle engine a few minutes to mix the anti-feeze ('cause it's all on the top, right). Never lets any air into the engine. Oh yeah, don't do this when the cat is around and make sure you dilute any anti-freeze left lying about in puddles (actually it will be diluted so as to be almost non-existant)... and don't tell the EPA.

Doug, it's more likely torque bind. Check tires for size conformity, equal pressure, and even wear. Search the BB, ther's LOTS of info on the symptoms around here.

I feel your pain ... literally. My Legacy has been evicted from it's nice warm heated garage stall by my airplane project. The Pretty One's Subie gets to stay inside (wonder why that is ?). I'm installing a block heater tonight, and putting a small underdesk ceramic heater in the back of my wagon (on a cookie sheet) and setting it on low all night. I'll report on the results when it's cold enought to start the plug-in.

Towing companies are the scum of the earth. When I lived in Honolulu my MG Midget was towed for overtime parking in a movie theater parking lot. They wrecked the entire rear valance and bumper. When I went in to the office they gave me a claim form and asked me to fill it out and sign/date it. The guy then took a rubber stamp and hit it. "Pre-existing Damage Statement" Funny, the stamp was designed so my signature and date exactly fit in blank squares on the rubber stamp. The guy ripped of his 'file copy', flipped my copy back at me and said there's your damage claim. And laughed. And now, during lunch some white Dodge Dually parked next to me sideswiped my car and caved in the passengers door and left while I was in the state store. Grrrrrrrr!