Now that I've been driving it for a month, I have several questions.

 

I can push on it and bounce it up and down in my driveway, very springy, bought new shocks n struts because I figured that is what that means. However, while driving I get no bouncing, in fact I feel the road a bit too much and its pretty noisy. Is this normal for these?

 

How does the AWD work? Is it all active all the time, only when the drive wheel slips, work well enough to help on wet pavement or just out weelin?

 

What is up with my windshield wipers? Replaced the bushing, still had the wrong stroke, seems to work better without the bushing in place almost. Is this common on these things?

 

Mixed driving I got around 27 mpg. All highway the last tank and I got a hair over 30 mpg, pretty happy about that. Replaced the PCV valve right before, the old one was shot.

 

Vibration seems to be pretty common in this car, according to the PO. Brakes are good and it doesn't seem to be speed sensitive.

 

I have a very weak sounding horn, is there more than one? If so, where are they?

 

A few more things I forgot, I'll add them as I remember.

The answer to your awd question depends on manual or auto tranny.

 

Your gas mileage is good for these cars. At least its above average.

 

The horns *should* be infront of the battery. Thats where they are on my mom's 98 legacy, the impreza line could differ.

 

The rest seems to be more directly associated with that model in particular, so not having any ownership experiance I can't be of much imput.

Thanks for the info. It's an auto trans.

The horn (just one) is in front of the battery. I spent $20 at the Pep Boys on one that's much louder and a lower note. It was much easier to remove the battery than it was to try to work around it.

 

Your gas mileage is better than mine, I'm a little jealous.

 

I asked the same question about AWD a month or so ago (http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=77660). It's full time 50/50 split between front and rear. The differentials are open differentials, so you can have wheel on one side spinning in the mud and the other side doing nothing. I guess you're alright as long as you only have one corner stuck or just a little bit of traction on all 4.

^^^^ What he said, except its only a true 50/50 in 1st and 2nd gear, then goes to 90/10 in the higher gears. With the duty c soleniod giving more rear distribution when conditions demand.

^^^^ What he said, except its only a true 50/50 in 1st and 2nd gear, then goes to 90/10 in the higher gears. With the duty c soleniod giving more rear distribution when conditions demand.

 

Is the 90/10 split also true for the MT models as well?

Subaru AWD 101 Review

 

The car has a forced 50/50 split in reverse, low and full throttle. Any other time the computer vaires the split from 10/90 to 50/50 amd anything inbetween.

 

The Manual is a 50/50 split.

 

nipper

Is the 90/10 split also true for the MT models as well?

No, because the Manual Transmission is 100% mechanical in its use of AWD. The viscous coupling unit provides 50-50 bias front to rear. The auto is controlled electronically.

Any info on the bounciness of the suspension. I've got these new struts in my garage but I'm thinking about selling them since it seems to handle fine for now.

Generally speaking, the test for struts is to give the car a good hard shove down, and if it takes more than three bounces for it to stop the struts are in need of replacement.

Generally speaking, the test for struts is to give the car a good hard shove down, and if it takes more than three bounces for it to stop the struts are in need of replacement.

 

actually its 1.5 bounces. At three they are shot.

 

nipper

Crap... I don't have enough money for it to be 1.5 bounces...