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2 or 300,000mile Club?

38 messages,  Last post on Dec 02, 2011 at 6:47 AM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Car Buying, Car Comparisons, Wagon, SUV

Messages Page 3 of 4

#19 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [igozoomzoom] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (1:32 pm)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Jan 02, 2011 4:28 pm)
"Prior to that engine flaw, Subaru was generally regarded as one of the most reliable brands you could get! It was right up there with Honda and Toyota. "
 
Is that around the time they switched to 4 valve heads? Just trying to figure why the problem surfaced during that time period. Relatively recently in my old books..

#20 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [ateixeira] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (1:35 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 03, 2011 9:59 am)
Too bad that new block is so new. I need my car to have depreciated more than a new car. But i don't drive many miles, but my car sits a lot. Would that be a bad combo with a Subaru I wonder? Maybe a bit of harmless enough oil smoke if sitting on an angle maybe? BMW inline 4's bikes did that. The engine was laid right down on its side.

#21 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [xwesx] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (1:44 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Jan 03, 2011 12:16 pm)
Ahh, yes. that also sounds familiar and was affecting my impression of Subaru's...the stop leak part
This is all good info...thanks.
 
Just for everyone's info here, I had an 89 XT6. Bought it used, it was an auto...one of the reasons i didn't keep it. That, and i kept banging my head every time i got in and out. But in many ways it was an incredible car. Wonderfully smooth flat six. Of course I had the AWD.
 
One of the few cars I've ever owned that I drove for a year and sold it for 2000 bucks more than i pd for it. It was a fluke looking back. I suppose i was not 'up' 2000 tho cuz i also did an oil rust proofing, and due to some driveline vibration I had a few trips invested to the city (under wty) until they replaced the fr to rr driveshaft, and that solved it. To this day i was curious that that fixed it. There was no play in the hanger bearings or anywhere else.
It was so smooth you could set a beer on the top of the engine at idle and barely create a wave in it.
 
Then a few years later along came the ....darn i forget the name, the bigger car with the sidewindow within a window, one. SRX maybe? They went way upscale and it was an expensive beast. Bigger 6 in it too.

#22 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [xwesx] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (1:46 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Jan 03, 2011 12:16 pm)
How many miles on both your cars now? Juice and u?

#23 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [ateixeira] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (1:47 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 03, 2011 12:47 pm)
"MY2003 Subaru added a force-limiting clutch to prevent clutch drops, and complaints plunged. "
 
also good to know

#24 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [gimmestdtranny] by xwesx

Jan 03, 2011 (3:09 pm)

Replying to: gimmestdtranny (Jan 03, 2011 1:44 pm)
Let's see....
 
First, the head gasket issue came into existence with the introduction of the EJ25 motor. That was 1996 if I recall correctly. In that year, you could get either the 2.2 or the 2.5 in the Outback. In 1997 the Legacy line switched entirely to the 2.5 (dual overhead cam). In 1999, I think, they went from the DOHC to the SOHC motor. From then through early 2003, they actually issued a TSB that covered early head gasket failure and offered up an extended warranty on gasket failures (or some such, I am pulling this all from [foggy] memory!).
 
They also switched the Impreza over to the 2.5L around the turn of the century, but it was later than the Legacy line. The Forester, which started in 1998, received it from the start. I believe the 1998 MY used the DOHC, but that was the only one.
 
They still used the same motor from 2003 through 2010 in all models, but they included the "improved" gasket material and came from the factory with the coolant conditioner. While failures are still reported, they are markedly less frequent.
 
As for my 1996 Outback, I do not have it any longer (wrecked it on Dec 30, 2006), but I had it at 220,000 miles at the time. I replaced the head gaskets at 192,000 miles myself. I don't consider that premature necessarily, but it certainly wasn't long life for a head gasket. Mine were not causing any major issues (such as overheating), but I was getting signs that they were deteriorating. I did not buy it new, though. It had 83,000 miles on it (Aug of 2000), so it is *possible* that the head gaskets were replaced prior to then, but I doubt it judging by the state of the engine, belts, etc., the first time I cracked into it. Everything looked original in there.
 
You will likely have pretty good luck with anything 2005 or newer, but I would personally want to have a service history on the car, if at all possible.
 
2002 was the hot-spot for Impreza clutch judder. I think it was material transfer on the clutch plate, which was corrected with revised material. I am almost positive a TSB was issued on that as well, so if it was within warranty, they should have replaced your friend's clutch free of charge. It was a big deal, though, given the problem part. Since everyone drives their clutches differently, dealers were quick to point at the owners as the problem rather than the cars.

#25 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [gimmestdtranny] by igozoomzoom

Jan 03, 2011 (4:34 pm)

Replying to: gimmestdtranny (Jan 03, 2011 1:44 pm)
Then a few years later along came the ....darn i forget the name, the bigger car with the sidewindow within a window, one. SRX maybe? They went way upscale and it was an expensive beast. Bigger 6 in it too.
 
SRX was close (that's actually a Cadillac crossover)...you're referring to the SVX!
 
It was a very impressive car at the time! I test drove one way back when and it was smooth as silk and looked amazing. The stupid window design was the car's biggest and most obvious flaw...the side windows were fixed and only a smaller half-window would roll down???

#26 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [xwesx] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (7:51 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Jan 03, 2011 3:09 pm)
Lots of good info here, thanks much [thumb up]

#27 of 38 Re: curious to hear updated comments from owners years later [igozoomzoom] by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (7:53 pm)

Replying to: igozoomzoom (Jan 03, 2011 4:34 pm)
Ya that's it! The SVX. Sure was weird what Subie did with the window glass. Somewhere I have an old brochure for that car i think. I wish i could put my hands on it so i could read to you their feature prop proclaiming the virtues of that design. It struck me as something Saab would do...i wonder if anyone knows what i mean and could picture that too?

#28 of 38 handling by gimmestdtranny

Jan 03, 2011 (8:08 pm)

Been reading a lot of threads on the Sube. Handling is one of the most common likes.
 
Looks like A/C can be weak spot even on newer ones. They saying the Forester blew colder than the Legacy. Should be the same u would think unless the evap is smaller in the Leg.
 
What are the heaters like and how fast are they? Having two opposing heads out in the airflow and not sharing heat between them, i wonder if the heater is weaker too?
Best heater in any car I had was my 88 Camry 4x4 5 spd. Didn't buy it new, and it had no A/C but it was a great car. It went up my hill better than the XT6 did. And i never once had to lock the centre dif. It was a viscous coupling which is still one my fav AWD torque splits. My Vista and Matrix were also viscous. They are simple, cheap, no need for electronics to screw up and would last for tons of miles. In fact i have never heard of one failing has anyone else?
The XT was handled in the auto tranny (just like today i believe) and manuals were a 50/50 thru the transfer case. The XT reacted slowly and reminded me of the first gen of CRV's. The fr wheels would turn about 2.5 full turns before torque was split. The 04 and newer i believe are very 'right now' so they have improved on that a lot.
 
Couple random questions..can TControl be turned off in all years and models/trannys of Subes? When it has turned mild and the CRV is chewing thru 4 or 5 " of wet thick heavy snow, (when you need road speed, not crawling) it will NOT go up my hill until i turn TC off. In my opinion, TC is only good for idiots who drive on slippery roads with the stereo loud and cruise set. TC can save u then. Other than that it is a hindrance to forward motion anytime you need all four wheels for traction.

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