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What's next on maintenance list?

chriswansonchriswanson Member Posts: 13
edited September 2014 in Subaru
My 2002 Legacy Wagon L has:

New head gaskets, seals all around, timing belt, spark plug wires, spark plugs. Obviously valves were adjusted during head gasket replacement.

Right now the car has 110,000 miles.

What is the next thing I should pay attention to? How long do transmissions typically last?

Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Auto, I assume? They're pretty good. You may want to do a fluid flush.

    The ignition coil may be next in terms of electrical stuff. If you start getting misfires, that would be the first thing to change since you're done the plugs and wires already.

    110k is great, keep it running! We have a Forester owner with 311k miles, something like that. Crazy!
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    If you have not yet done so, change the Tranny fluid (assuming automatic), and the front differential gear oil, along with the rear differential oil.

    About a 1000 miles from now (or sooner), change the engine oil again. A certain amount of coolant ends up in the crankcase when they did the heads, and you want that gone.

    As our years still have a serviceable fuel filter, I'd change that as well if it hasn't been done in a while.
  • chriswansonchriswanson Member Posts: 13
    thanks for nice suggestions!

    concievable to go lifetime of car without major tranny work? are there parts within that need replacement, like clutch plates? sorry for ignorance..
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,795
    Yes, it is quite conceivable. I had 220,000 on my '96 Outback and the transmission was still running very strong - no problems at all.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    edited March 2010
    Automatics do you 'clutch-like' friction material to brake the components of the planetary gear set to create the gear ratios, but they can last a very long time if the fluid stays clean. A few months ago on her 8th anniversary I changed the fluid and the external filter. They say it's good for life, but how long is 'life'? To me, a $35 canister filter is cheap insurance.

    The center differential (housed in the tranny tail section) also uses ATF, and is run by an electric clutch. Changing the tranny fluid often can extend the life of this component as well.

    The only thing that I hear of occasionally as a low level problem is a delayed engagement when shifting from neutral to drive. This is caused by an internal seal failure that unfortunately cannot be serviced without an extensive teardown.
  • teacher13teacher13 Member Posts: 1
    Just got outback from a family member. 70,000 miles mostly highway. They did oil change every 5000. New tires at 60000. But thats the only maintennance they did. I brought to Subaru dealer they said needs new brakes and rotors front and back $860 and $480 service( 60,000). What do I really need to do if car is running fine . Going to mechanic, not dealer. How much should things cost in Massachusetts?
    Thanks
    Michele
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,795
    At that mileage, it might need new brake pads, but I doubt it needs new rotors. In addition, it could likely use a new set of spark plugs and wires, run some fuel injector cleaner through the gas tank, definitely change the air filter (if this has not been done, which I cannot even imagine given the number of miles...), change out the tranny and differential fluids, inspect the belts and hoses for signs of aging, etc., and replace as necessary, and flushing the coolant may not be a bad idea. I can see spending $480 to thoroughly service this car and set a good "base point" for future maintenance.

    The brake job is just ludicrous, though. If it needs all that, you would be feeling the front end wobble when you apply the brakes or be hearing the screech of metal-on-metal. On my '96 Outback, with many highway miles, I replaced the first set of front brake pads at about 125,000 and the first set of rears at 192,000. I did not replace any rotors and I drove it to 220,000 miles.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I agree.

    Do a 60,000 service now, basically.

    Change all the fluids to get a baseline.

    Bleed the brakes, but check the rotors and pads before you replace anything. A simple clean up and bleeding of the fluid may be all it needs.
  • chriswansonchriswanson Member Posts: 13
    860 seems like too much for brakes. even if rotors are slightly damanged by overly worn pads, cant they (rotors) be machined to make them smooth again? i had this done for 200 dollars for the rear rotors.

    amazing to use one set of pads for almost 200,000 miles. in L.A. we use more brakes than you do, i guess.
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    It is a crazy amount of money. I bought good quality aftermarket pads and slotted, cryo treated rotors for the front of my '02 OBW for around $350. Of course, my labor rate is dirt cheap!
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,795
    edited March 2010
    I have never heard of a brake job (even at a shop) costing anywhere near $860. That's why I said it was insane. I think pads and rotors at 70,000 is unrealistic, even though the pads may need replacing, but possible. A quote of $860 to do the work, though, means I would be taking my car somewhere else. :P

    Rotors can be machined if damage is minor, but doing so removes some of the material and makes them somewhat more susceptible to warping thereafter.

    Also, with regard to the miles on my '96 Outback's brakes, I brought that up because the miles I put on that car were skewed toward the highway. Since you said the previous owner had a similar bias, I would expect wear to somewhat approximate my experience. Of course, if it was bumper-to-bumper traffic on a highway, that blows that theory out of the water. :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    http://www.cars101.com/subaru/subaru_maintenance.html

    go to a trusted garage to do the listed, no need dealer.
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    I replaced the shocks, rotors, and brake pads at 180k. The rotors were ~$65 each, same price for front (ventilated) and rear (solid)! Pads were ~$58 per axle. (All prices mail order genuine Subaru parts, roughly one year ago.) Fortunately, Subaru bucks paid for all the parts and shipping. :shades:

    Even working slowly, the rotors and pads shouldn't take more than 3-4 hours.
  • fourthrowefourthrowe Member Posts: 2
    About brakes, they are only EXPECTED to last around 36000 miles. If they last longer (and they often do) great, but 70000 is not too few miles to expect a brake rework. Also, most newer cars have such light (and therefore inexpensive) rotors making it more cost efficient to just buy new ones even of they had enough material to machine. Gone are the days of machining a rotor several times before replacing; you can only expect that on a truck anymore.

    As far as hearing or feeling something, I disagree. I had a customer that had a rear brake pad fall out of the caliper so the only braking on that wheel was done by the piston/caliper bracket, and they had no idea.

    Now as far as the price quoted is concerned, the dealership is asking way too much as most have already said.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,795
    It all depends on how you drive it and how much attention you pay to how you drive it. 36,000 is a drop in the bucket and your example of the lost pad with no idea... well, there's no ownership requirement that one cannot be clueless. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wes gets amazing wear life on his brakes.

    We've been doing subie brakes in NY/NJ for the past 10 years. On average you get 30-40k miles out of the pads and 75-90k out of the rotors.

    -mike
    Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
This discussion has been closed.