Just purchased an 01 OB Wagon, manual tranny with 35k miles.. I have had it for a few weeks now. Love it.. Had a CRV which i liked, but the OB I love.. I have the cold weather package.. One question tho.. when I purchased the car, they told me there was a TSB for the car to be undercoated.. Is anyone famaliar with this? I'd appreciate any input and advice for a new owner.. all hail to the skipster...

Congrats on the buy, I have a similiar '02 OBW, no cold weather package though (darnit!!). When I was at the dealer having some other stuff done they told me I needed the undercoating.

 

Apparently part of the rear subframe will rust and possibly break due to the salts and other crud on the road in the northeast. Yikes!

 

You can do a search here, it was listed for mine:

 

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm

 

All they'll do is clean up the rear subframe and control arms and soak 'em with some undercoating. Which, by the way, smells pretty strong when it gets on the exhaust and heats up!

You mean to tell me Soob doesn't undercoat their cars anymore??? My 90 and 91 BOTH have what appears to be factory or dealer under coating, preventing any major rust under the car. The whole underside looks damn near brand new! Geez, what a gyp. I hope they don't charge you for that!

 

ScoobySchmitty:banana:

Covered under the recall!

 

No kidding, I know at least Jeep offers a dealer undercoating for some extra $$, maybe subaru does the same?

 

About all that's undercoated on mine is the wheel wells with that rubbery type stuff. Maybe I'll do some additional coating myself, anyone have recommendations? I think I have a can or two of 3m rubberized undercoat, not sure if it's still good though...

My Legacy has the undercoating, my XT doesn't. Both were originally sold in the NE, the Legacy is completely rust-free underneath, and the XT's is very minimal. No body rust on either.

Subaru used to offer the Rusty Jones system through the dealer network, as an option. (What a ripoff!) My GL10 has it, and the front fenders and rear quarters are almost completely gone...

 

The newer Legacies/OBs are almost all galvanized steel (65% according to the factory lit), so there should be minimal rusting on newer models. Time will tell.

Not that much rust is likely here in SF.

Ahh yes, good ole Rusty Jones. My 81 rabbitt was rusty jonesed. I had to pop rivet on a ton of sheet metal to keep my feet dry.

 

Yea, they use waayy to much salt on the roads around here, cars will turn white after a good snowfall, and not from the snow.

Rico, I can ask my bro-in law if he knows about it.

Maybe he can get a copy of the TSB and or find out what models it applies to.

 

Nick

Apparently part of the rear subframe will rust and possibly break due to the salts and other crud on the road in the northeast.

 

you should see some of the NE saltbelt junkers we on the old gen board drive,

yep I'll say YIKES

 

ever heard of "death rattles" - my old 87 had them - you go over RR tracks and the doors hitting the jambs give you the DR's

HI skip!

Getting wiser and wiser.

There are a bunch of cars out there that didn't get enough underbody paint near the rear suspension. All they're gonna do is rattlecan around the rear strut areas (I think).

 

My tire shop checked ours and said there is no sign of any defeciency or rust (NW Montana). No salt, but that liquid stuff (which is probably a different salt in suspension).

 

Anyhow, I wouldn't worry about it, do it if it makes you feel better.