Subaru Impreza Outback Sport & TS

3121 messages, Last post on Nov 18, 2009 at 11:30 AM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum. Your Host is kcram

What is this discussion about? Subaru Impreza, Subaru Outback, Wagon

Outline

Messages Page 305 of 313: 1; ...; 302; 303; 304; 305; 306; 307; 308; ...; 313; Prev; Next; Last

#3033 of 3121: Air Filtration Pics by ateixeira; Jul 30, 2008 (10:52 am)

Found some good ones.

The first shows the cut-out, I had to use the knife to remove the plastic cap.

The 2nd shows me inserting one of the filters.

I bet you do not have it - it was just an option.

MVC-030S.JPG
640x480 (31kb)

MVC-033S.JPG
640x480 (31kb)

#3034 of 3121: Re: Can I put larger wheels on an Impreza sport? [rusoff] by snowboardwoman; Oct 24, 2008 (4:31 pm)

Replying to: rusoff (May 08, 2006 7:32 pm)

Hey!.

I have a 2008 Impreza Sport. I drove through the second half of last winter in Vermont with the original all-weather tires and it was just fine! I have a half mile driveway which is not well-plowed and did not get stuck once. It was also quite nice even on ice with extremely sensitive ABS. Although the ground clearance is not immense, it zooms through the snow. There is nothing like Subara AWD.

I bought this car rather than the Legacy Outback for styling and handling (It is a blast to drive and handles well in traffic when I venture down to the gas-powered flatlands. For the price, this model had a better stereo, upholstery, heated seats. I take my golden retriever puppy in the back. His crate fits with one seat down. I leave the roof rack off unless I need it, as it squeals a bit in the wind when empty and adds 2mpg to the rating!

This winter I plan on getting my usual studless Hakapellitas. They are just fine on any car. My decision is whether to buy rims and a different size tire- 205-55-16. This is listed as an alternative with some Subaru websites. These would be cheaper and more available than the 17 inch narrow tires. The other question would be whether the winter wheels will need some sort of electronic hook-up with the tire pressure monitoring system. (Wish it did not have that!) I plan on calling several dealers for advice before I make a decision.

Good luck making your decision! I don't think you can go worng either way. Just test drive and get the one that meets your needs and your sense of fun!

xwesx (Nov 04, 2008 12:26 pm)

#3035 of 3121: Re: Can I put larger wheels on an Impreza sport? [snowboardwoman] by xwesx; Nov 04, 2008 (12:26 pm)

Replying to: snowboardwoman (Oct 24, 2008 4:31 pm)

The smaller rim diameter will result in less expensive tires. 17" tires are becoming more and more available, but from my research 16's resulted in a larger selection and were typically $15-20+ cheaper per tire.

My friend has a standard 08 Impreza, and I am fairly certain 15" rims will fit on that, at least according to Tire Rack (as an alternate size). 15's are even less than 16's.... I am not sure if there is a hardware (brake) difference between the two trims.

Super sensitive ABS, huh? That would be the poor traction of the stock tires.

Yeah, one can get around just fine with the stock tires, but you may find yourself blown away by the car's performance with those Nokians.

As for the TPMS, you can get sensors for the second set of rims, but you have to get them programmed (I think this must be done at a dealer) for the car. Not sure if you then have to get the originals re-programmed in the spring. You can also run them sans TPMS sensors, if you can stand the (!) on the dash all winter.

#3036 of 3121: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? by aruth; Nov 07, 2008 (2:48 pm)

Looking for an economical winter car - found a 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback for $4,275 with 156,000 miles. Am I nuts to borrow money for two years for a car with such high mileage? It has a clean title and is a local repo. Never owned a Subaru. Any words of wisdom out there?

snowboardwoman (Nov 09, 2008 9:52 am)
- aruth (Nov 09, 2008 10:10 am)

#3037 of 3121: Re: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? [aruth] by snowboardwoman; Nov 09, 2008 (9:52 am)

Replying to: aruth (Nov 07, 2008 2:48 pm)

Hi!

I have had quite a few Subarus, including 3 Imprezas. They are great cars for winter and I have found them to be much more dependable than the Legacy. I sold a 1995 Impreza with 160,000 miles 3 years ago for $2200. That was a pretty good deal for the buyer, but I knew that it had been driven by my high school kids, so I wasn't going to promise anything for future repairs.

Currently, my son in college is driving my 2000 Impreza RS coupe with 170,000. It has had its share of repairs because of his driving style, such as shocks,springs, and manual transmission, but it always starts and goes anywhere with snow tires.

The mileage is not such a big deal if you don't plan on putting a huge amount of miles on yourself. You should be able to get 2-3 years more out of the car. Have a local garage check it for rust, undercarriage issues, suspension, and basic engine stuff, including belts. Find out a little about the driver. Makes sure he didn't do pizza or newspaper deliveries!

The PRICE seems a bit high, so check out Kelly Blue Book online values for your area and then offer a little over the wholesale price. The seller will let you know if they are interested or think you are crazy! If the car hasn't sold for a month, they may be surprisingly interested. Sometimes I print out the values to show the seller.

Put some winter tires on, such as Nokians and you will be able to drive anywhere this winter!

Hope this helps.

aruth (Nov 09, 2008 10:10 am)

#3038 of 3121: Re: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? [snowboardwoman] by aruth; Nov 09, 2008 (10:10 am)

Replying to: snowboardwoman (Nov 09, 2008 9:52 am)

Thanks for the great feedback! Deciding now between the Impreza and a 2001 Forester with "only" 96K on it. Looking forward to becoming a Subaru owner!

#3039 of 3121: Re: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? [aruth] by leo2633; Nov 09, 2008 (5:17 pm)

Replying to: aruth (Nov 09, 2008 10:10 am)

I have a 2001 Forester with 184,000 miles on it. I'm the original owner, and have maintained it religiously since new. It's had a few issues, but is an otherwise great vehicle. If the one you're looking at has been well maintained, it may be a car you can depend on for many more years. Good luck!

Len

#3040 of 3121: Re: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? [aruth] by caliberchic; Nov 11, 2008 (5:55 am)

Replying to: aruth (Nov 09, 2008 10:10 am)

Congrats on your decision! Hey I snowboard too and love it!

#3041 of 3121: Re: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? [aruth] by xwesx; Nov 11, 2008 (1:03 pm)

Replying to: aruth (Nov 09, 2008 10:10 am)

It depends highly on the car itself. Subaru vehicles are fantastic, in my experience, but if they have problems, they can be a complete nightmare. In particular, watch out for head gasket issues. The Forester, at 96K, may be due for a major service (is it 105K on the Forester, as with the Legacy/Outback?) including timing belt. That is several hundred dollars at a shop, so factor that into the purchase price. For me, known history on a used car is quite valuable. Without it, I have less confidence in the vehicle's apparent condition and therefore will not pay as much for the car.

I put nearly 140,000 on my 1996 Outback after purchasing it at 83,000, and had I not lost it with 220,000 miles on it, I would likely still be driving it today with nearly 260,000 on the ticker. Were I not able to do much work on it myself, though, I would have put in a few thousand in repairs over the years to get there. As it was, I would say that I spent, on average, about $500 a year in maintenance and repairs during the six years I owned it.

#3042 of 3121: Re: Am I crazy to buy an Impreza with 156K? [aruth] by ateixeira; Dec 02, 2008 (8:23 am)

Replying to: aruth (Nov 09, 2008 10:10 am)

I would check for oil leaks and maybe do a compression test on that 2.5l boxer engine, to make sure the head gaskets are still sealing properly.

I agree that the Outback Sport was a bit overpriced.