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I've decided to try tinting the windows myself, and I've found a website that has pre-cut kits for the Outbacks. The problem is I have a regular '95 Legacy wagon. My understanding is that for that for the early years (maybe even today) the body was identical between the Legacys and Outbacks with the exception of the roofline being raised. Is this true? I would normally be worried about getting bubbles, except that I'm already losing some paint on the rear gate, plus I'm going to hit 300,000 miles within two years. Lifetime warranties don't mean much to me. Of course, in five years I may have 400,000 miles and be kicking myself for not getting someone who knows what they're doing to install it. Adam

The interval is definitely 60k. I just had my fourth one done (240,000) on my '95 Legacy L wagon. There is a California spec belt which is rated to go for a longer interval (I believe 100k). At this service interval I had pretty much everything replaced that could be easily reached when doing the timing belt (engine seals, water pump, other belts). I've been driving like an old lady on the interstate and I'm getting 32 mpg, and not burning any oil. Barring an accident, I fully expect to get 300,000 miles out of it pretty easily.

I have a '95 Legacy L wagon, AWD, 5-speed with 241,000 miles. I just had another 60,000 mile service performed which included replacing the differential/transmission fluid. When I bought the car a couple of years ago (with 175,000 miles), the shifter was really loose. It shifts just fine, but there was a ton of play. A mechanic who checked it out at the time said that it was probably just missing a bushing. Anyway, it's worked just fine so I haven't messed with it. Well, now it seems to be a bit looser. For example, when I put it in 5th, the shifter goes all the way to the right of the opening. Also, I'll get a little bit of rattling from the shifter when I'm cruising in 4th. It's not jumping out of gear or anything, and the shifting action is still smooth. At first I thought it could be the new fluid, but I wouldn't expect it to make that much of a difference. Any ideas? Thanks Adam

I have a '95 Legacy Wagon, 2.2L, AWD, 5-spd. I'm going to hit 240,000 miles in a few weeks so I'm it looks like I'll have to have the 60,000 mile service performed for the fourth time. It's kind of annoying having to get a new timing belt every 2 1/2 years. (grin) The car seems to run great. I never have to put in more than a quart of oil between changes (every 3000 miles), though cruising at 80 does seem to use up more oil than when I drive slower. There is some minor engine ticking, and it makes a high-pitched whirring/chirping/squealing sound when I really gun it which sounds like a belt to me. Anyway, I plan to keep driving it for a few more years, so I don't mind spending dropping some money into the service. What sorts of things (i.e. seals, hoses, belts, plugs) should I have the mechanic do in addition to the timing belt? Thanks

If it's in really good shape, I think $2500 is reasonable. I paid $2300 for my 95 Legacy L wagon with 175,000 miles almost two years ago. This was down in Newport News, Virginia where Subaru's aren't too popular. It now has 232,000 miles and I think it's finally broken in. Other than oil changes I've put about $1000 into it, but I'd consider all of it to be maintenance. The bulk of that was at 180,000 for the major 60,000 mile service interval - I got a timing belt, new plugs and wires, brakes, filters all around, fluids all around . . . The only other things I've had done were one wheel bearing and a new battery. I'll get pretty much the same stuff done in a few months when I hit 240,000. I also keep expecting the clutch or some engine seals to go out at some point, but in the grand scheme of things that's no big deal. Given that I drive 30,000 miles a year, $1000 every couple of years is pretty great. With a little luck I should hit 300,000 in 2007. Adam

My wife and I both have 95 Legacy Wagons. Both are 2.2 AWD models. Mine is a 5 speed with 231,000 miles, and hers is an automatic with 131,000 miles (the baby). We're thinking about getting a trailer hitch installed on one of them so we can pull a trailer for hauling Home Depot stuff, occasional auction furniture, mulch, etc. What are people's feelings about the 5 speed versus an auto for towing a trailer? If it makes a difference, we live in a really hilly area, so we could occasionally need to get a load over a mountain (Afton mountain in Virginia - a few miles long). Thanks Adam

I have a '95 Legacy wagon, 2.2l, 5sp. manual, and I just hit 228,000 miles. When changing my oil tonight I noticed a very small puddle next to my oil catcher and looked up at the bottom of the engine. I was very disturbed to see some green liquid on the bottom, which I assume can only be coolant. There wasn't a whole lot (maybe 5-10 drops worth), and it must have done all of the dripping within a few minutes of me turning the engine off (I had just drivin 30 miles). The leak appeared to be next to the oil pan on the driver's side. Looking back to this morning, when I started it up it smoked a bit from the tailpipe, and I remember smelling some coolant (that could have been when I got home). Fortunately I have another car that I can drive as long as I need to. There are tons of Subarus in Charlottesville where I work, so I should be able to ask around and find a decent mechanic. Am I right in assuming that it's probably the head gasket? If so, what else should I have them take care of while they've got it apart? There's a pretty good coating of dark gunk on the bottom of the engine, so I'm assuming there are some other seals that are bad. I was expecting to hit 240,000 in a few months and having the timing belt done then anyway. I don't mind "investing" $1000 in it if it will help keep it on the road for a few more years. I really like not having a car payment, and hitting 300,000 miles would be really cool. Thanks in advance for any advice. Adam

To reset my CEL I was told to disconnect the battery for 10 minutes or so, reconnect it, then start the car without touching the gas pedal at all. Then let it idle for 5 - 10 minutes. This has worked for me when the CEL has come on.

I have a 95 Legacy wagon, 5 spd, AWD with 226,000 miles. I think it's finally starting to get broken in. Anyway, I've noticed that when I accelerate pretty hard, I'll hear a whistling sound. It's more pronounced starting around 4000 RPMs or so. If I just level off and hold it at any RPM, the whistling stops, and it starts back up again when I stomp on it. The belts don't appear to be loose, but they may be old. I bought the car in the summer of '03 with 175,000 and I had the timing belt replaced at 180,000, but other than that I've just replaced fluids. Also, I tend to cruise at about 75 on the Interstate (almost all my driving is on the highway) and I seem to consume about 3/4 quart of oil every 3,000 miles. From what I've read on the board that's not too bad. However, when I crawl under it it seems like theres a fair amount of shiny gunk underneath the engine. Nothing drips onto the driveway, but I'm wondering if I'll need to have some work done next spring when I hit 240,000 miles. I currently run Castrol 20w50 high mileage oil. (When I bought it a mechanic suggested I run heavy stuff in it). Thanks - Adam

We're about to move out to the mountains of the western part of Virginia and I'm looking to get rid of our faithful 91 Camry in favor of another Subaru. When were the 2.2L engines available in the Imprezas? I'm assuming that they were available more recently than in the Legacies - is that correct? Adam

I have the identical Subaru, and that range sounds right. I very nearly got 30 on my last tank, but I filled up at about 1300 feet above sea level before heading to the coast, so the first 1/3 of the tank was all downhill. I'm usually in the 27 - 28 mpg range on the flats. Adam

For heavy drivers like me, used is definitely the way to go. We bought our 95 Leagacy wagon with 175,000 miles back in June for $2300 cash. I'll hit 200,000 in the next week or so and I've spent about $1000 on repairs, all of which I'd consider to be maintenance (timing belt - due at 180,000, plugs/wires, brakes, a tire, coolant, tranny/diff fluids). I'll probably need a clutch sometime in the next year or so, but other than that it's perfect. I obviously drive lots, (fortunately on the Interstate) so I expect to hit 300,000 in about three years. Even with replacing the clutch I should be able to get through the next 100K for $2,000 or so. That'll put me up to $5300 total expenditures, and there won't be much residual value left. Still, that will only be about $110 a month. Adam

My 95 Legacy wagon will turn 200,000 miles in a few weeks. I change the oil every 3,000 miles, so I'm due now. I was thinking it would be a good idea ot run an engine flush to get all of the gunk out and I've heard it's best to take out off the oil pan when you do this to give it a thorough cleaning. (You put the stuff in, run the engine for a few minutes, then drain it). I should have a new gasket by tomorrow, so I think I'm good as far as parts go. My Haynes manual says that I'll have to raise the engine a couple of inches, but an earlier thread didn't mention this. The extent of my mechanical experience is changing tires, headlight bulbs, and oil changes. Am I getting in over my head? If it matters, it's the 2.2L with a 5 speed and AWD. Adam

I noticed the other morning that some of the clear coat is flaking off near the back of the roof of my 95 Legacy wagon. Some moisture must have seeped in - it looked like ice when I first saw it. The paint itself looks fine, but I'm not sure what to do to patch it up. Can I just spray something on? Adam

I bought my Wagon used back in June, and I just noticed (20,000 miles later) that one of my tires is a different model Michelin from the three others. What clued me in was that there was a lot less tread depth. I think it's a lower grade tire, and I would expect the tread to wear away more quickly than the others. Anyway, I know that it's very, very bad to have mixed tire circumferences, especially with AWD. My question is this - are tire stores able to accurately measure circumference? If so, can they install a new tire that's the same model as the others and shave it down to match the rest? Adam

I've had a couple of 400 mile tanks with my 95 Wagon (not OB). In my Honda Insight Hybrid I had a couple of 800 mile tanks, which is pretty extraordinary considering the tank is only 10.9 gallons. Adam

I have a 95 Legacy AWD Wagon, which has 185/70/14 tires. While at the junkyard looking for parts I saw an older (early 90's) Legacy wagon with factory rims that were taller and wider (I want to say that they were 195/60/15). Would I be able to use these on my Legacy? Are all of the Legacy wheels interchangeable?

I unplugged the negative battery terminal for an hour, then reconnected it and restarted the engine without touching the accelerator. I then let it run for 15 minutes, and everything appears to be back to normal. Thanks to everyone for the tips. Adam

Thanks for all of the resonses - I'm going to try disconnecting the battery for a while, then reconnecting, starting, and idling to reset the ECU. As for the green plugs under the dash, I don't know if this helps, but the car does have the terminal for plugging in a code reader - they used it at Autozone to pull the code for me once. They were surprised that a 95 model had it - I guess most manufacturers didn't start installing them until 96. Adam

1995 Legacy L Wagon, 2.2L, 5 spd, 186,000 miles. Having noticed that there seemed to be more corrosion around my battery terminals than there was terminal material, I decided to try and clean it up. I took off the negative cable (couldn't disconnect the positive one) and cleaned everything as well as I could with a wire brush and a special terminal brush. I then hosed it down, dried and reconnected everything. Anyway, now when I start it up the revs shoot up to 2k really quick when it first turns over, then immediately it drops to virtually nothing (or stalls) then kicks back up again. Once it's running, it revs slower than normal, then picks up after about 30 seconds or so. I wasn't sure if I might have damaged something. One more thing which may or may not be related. I also crawled around under the dash trying to fix the vent control - it's not switching between the floor and the regular vents properly. While under there, I noticed two green plugs that look like they would fit together, but they're not. I wasn't sure what they were, so I didn't want to connect them. Any ideas on what they might be? I've attached a picture. Any ideas?

I have a '95 Legacy Wagon, 2.2, AWD, 5 speed, with 185,000 miles. A couple of weeks ago, after some relatively hard driving, my Check Engine light came on and stayed on for a couple of days. I took it to an Autozone to have them pull the code and they said I needed to replace the O2 sensor. I went ahead and ordered one (about $100 for the OEM - I'm not up for soldering wires). However, the light turned off after another couple of days and has stayed off since - it's been a couple of weeks now with no CEL. I'm debating whether I should take back the O2 sensor. Is it more likely that the light will come back on again, or that it was just a temporary glitch and I may go for a few years without seeing it again? Do O2 sensors have a predictable lifespan? If anyone can see into the future, that would be really helpful. Adam

I have a 95 Legacy Wagon, AWD, Manual, 2.2L, 185,000 miles. Lately I've noticed that if I slow down by downshifting (i.e coasting down in 2nd gear), when I finally put the clutch in and then stop the RPM's drop to around 250. Once, on a steep downhill, it did actually stall. Any ideas? Adam