Bmm001

When our Subaru garage replaced the main bearing ('98 Legacy), they replaced the flywheel with a resurfaced used one, didn't touch the clutch. Said there was nothing wrong with the clutch, the flywheel was all chewed up. Find a place that will be honest with you, not just try to sell you the maximum amount of parts/services. The guys I go to are all about trying the simple things first. Brian M.

Well, I did some crawling and investigating today when I got home from work. It seems to be cracked/rusted-out directly behind the 2nd Cat. I can't tell which because I can't get far enough underneath to get a good look. Still OK to drive on short/gentle trips until I can get it fixed? My shop is booked solid until the end of the week.. unless any of you central PA people have any recommendations for other shops. I live 10 miles north of Lancaster. Thanks so much, Brian M.

It started out very mild. Now it's really loud, and I'm noticing some power loss. It sounds like it is up near the engine. Car is a '95 legacy sedan A/T with 117,000 miles. My Subie mechanic can't look at it until Friday. My question is this:Is it OK to drive the car around town all week, or will this be bad for the car?

Alpine, those numbers sound about right. I average anywhere from 22-27 MPG with heavyweight oil. Brian

Mine is stuck. Let me explain. At my college, they plowed us in, and all that pushed snow froze solid--there's a 8-12 inch layer of frozen, pushed snow up against the backs of our cars not to mention ice under the wheels. I cleared my car off, put it in gear, and spun all 4 tires until I could smell rubber. It won't budge. But I don't feel bad because my roommate couldn't move his Explorer with brand new tires either. Not even Subies are invincible. Brian

This might complicate things a bit, but mine heats up much faster (3-4 min.) since I had a tuneup of new plugs and fuel filter at the beginning of the month. My T-stat and coolant were changed in June. Would this have an effect? I'm not disagreeing with Nipper or anyone else, I'm just bringing up an alternate idea that I myself am curious about. Brian

My '95 does it too. I just ignore it. The engine idles very smoothly, its the halfshafts. Seems to do it worse when warming up or with the A/C on. If it really bothers me, I just slip it in neutral, then put it back in drive. Brian M.

I'm having a similar problem in my '95 (116,000 miles) but during the top half. When I fill up, it doesn't quite register full, then after about 40 miles, it reads that I've consumed 1/4 tank. By 90 miles, it's down to half a tank, and then doesn't budge until around 150 miles. From there, it will be at only 1/4 tank left by 200 miles. When I then fill it up, I'm only putting in a little more than 10 gallons. Is this the same problem? This only started happening about 2 tanks ago, and I tried a bottle of techron--that didn't help. Brian M.

116,000 mi. on mine. Brian M.

There are probably some different sensors since '95 is OBDII. Additionally, I believe that changes were made to the exhaust system resulting in more power (135 HP vs. 130). Brian M.

I agree with Manarius... get the WRX, or, if you must have 2 doors (for reasons beyond my comprehension), get something else! I guess I don't understand what is so bad about 4-doors. Apparently noone else does either!

It's also possible that your gas stations have switched to the "winter" fuel blend. It is getting colder; my mileage is never as good in the winter, as is the case with most people in cold climates. Brian

Wouldn't the STI WRX's engine be a better place to start? It already has almost 300 horsepower. Brian M.

High mileage oil is a marketing gimmick; I'd stick with 10W-30. I live in central PA and use 15W-40 all year with no problems. Brian M.

My garage puts 15-40 in our Subarus year-round in central PA. I wouldn't worry too much about using a slighly heavier oil, especially in Texas. I'd want more protection too. Seems every manufacturer switched to 5-30 mainly for the miniscule fuel economy improvement. I've been getting 26-27 MPG in my '95 even with the 15-40, so I don't think it's that big of a factor. I have also heard that "new engines are built to closer tolerances so they need the thinner oil." But, again, I don't think switching to 10-30 or 10-40 would hurt. I'll trade piece of mind for 1 MPG any day. Brian

I'm planning on replacing the air filter in my '95 Legacy tomorrow. I usually go OE, but I've noticed they've been becoming increasingly pricy. Anyone have recommendations of a brand that is just as good and cheaper? Or, should I suck it up and stick to OE Subaru? Brian M.

The twist-and-lock style OEM wheel covers on my dad's '97 Impreza are crap too. I thought I heard they stopped making them that way and went back to the old "pry it off with a screwdriver" style. Maybe not. In any case, I have aftermarket covers on my Legacy (14") and they work fine, although they are quite ugly; I'm just too cheap to get different ones. My brother's '99 OBS has aftermarkets as well. No problems in either case. Brian M.

How many miles are on it? If you don't know when any of the following was last done, the best way to improve performance and mileage is to do a tuneup: plugs, plug wires, PCV valve, air filter, fuel filter, major fluids (trans, diff, brake, coolant/thermostat), etc. Brian M.

Looks like an Outback Sedan to me; the cladding/foglights give it away, at least in my book. Brian M.

I've always heard that you should stick with a Subaru PCV valve... Brian M.

I have found that things like seat comfort, pedal angle, etc. are very personal issues. Do I wish my '95 Legacy had better lumbar support? Yes. Other than that, I think it's very comfortable. I bought it used so the seat is very worn to begin with. Juan is right; test drive the car for a while and see what you think. Brian

I average about 24 in my '95 2.2 legacy auto. My PR is 29.5, but I usually get between 22 and 26, depending on how much city driving I do. A/C really hurts it as well. Regarding oxygen sensors: My whole family has Subarus with over 100,000 miles. All have their original oxygen sensors and our mileage seems fine. My dad's Impreza gets 25, my mom's Legacy gets 26-27 (hers is 5-spd). I just am a little skeptical of that assertion. Brian

My dad has Kumho 732 all-seasons on his '97 Impreza and has been very pleased with the performance, low noise level, and great price. Brian M.

Because they hardly sell any.

What's the best way to increase gas mileage? Drive like grandma! Easy on the acceleration, keep it under 70-75 mph on the highway, and see a 3 MPG jump like I did.