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Subaru Legacy: Typical high-mileage repairs?
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Comments
The tire size changes can be done on the stock wheels? I looked at the tire calculator. Pretty neat. I like the thought of a little lower and wider, but the tires are barely in my budget, so no new wheels. (as much as I would love to get some alloys.)
Thanks again,
Kevin
-mike
oil and filter
air filter
fuel filter
spark plugs
O2 sensor
PCV valve
trans or ATF oil
rear diffy oil
full alignment, rotate tires
bleed brakes, replace pads if worn
check rotors and drums
check shocks, replace if necessary
Can't think of anything else now. Those ought to keep her running for another 30k miles at least.
-juice
-mike
Yeah, could be the cat. Something is choking the engine, so it's got to be the intake or exhaust. If you ever put regular gas in the tank, that could be clogging the cat.
Just a thought, but my wife's 626 started hesitating, and the injectors needed to be cleaned. We did all the other stuff, but that service made the engine feel like new.
-juice
-mike
-juice
-mike
BTW, the other procedure has worked very well on my 2 other cars.
-juice
thanks again for any thoughts on this prob
It can't hurt. Even if it's not the only problem, you'll probably gain a bit of pep.
Funny, I'm talking myself into doing it on the Miata.
-juice
Suco: My Mazda mechanic recommends the big treatment at least every 50K.
I opened the hood and found the engine still there. What a relief!.
Joking aside, does anyone know if this is a preprogramed pollution control warning that can be ignored, or do I need to have this checked out.
Interesting enough, we are seeing the best fuel performace ever for the last several weeks.
I'm almost afraid to have anyone tinker.
Also
Is there a way for me to adjust the headlight aim?
We had some front end repairs after taking out a deer last year and the lights are aimed too high.
I had both my body guy and the local Subie dealer look at these and they say they are in spec.
Prior to the front end repair the lighting was exceptionally good. Now it is mediocre and we are being flashed by on-coming traffic with some regularity.
Owners manual was of no help.
If yours is solid you can try an ECU reset. Make sure the engine is cool, and pull the negative battery terminal. Wait 30 minutes, then reconnect.
Start her up and let her idle until she warms up, then drive off. That works a lot of the time because a CEL can be for a single misfire.
If not, check all the vacuum hoses to make sure they are air tight. Tighten the gas cap several clicks, too.
I can adjust my Forester's headlight aim from behind the unit itself, but I'm sure yours is different.
-juice
Mine went like "thunk" "grind" and "@#$%" (that's me cursing), and ripped flesh.
But,... I got it to like I want it. :-D
-Dave
I heard a rumor and don't know whether it is true or not. I own a Subaru Legacy. Subaru's as you probably all know are all wheel drive. My front two tires are wearing down, the back two are okay. I could rotate them, but I guess the back two are worn badly because I needed an alignment, but failed to get one. News to me...the car seemed to be driving straight.
Anyhow, here is the rumor/question...do I need to replace all of the tires on my car, or just the ones on the same axle?
Do the tires I used to replace my current tires need to be the same brand/model as those that I currently have, or can they be different.
My last car was front wheel drive. I rotated my tires often and would buy tires an axle at a time. No big deal. I feel, however, as though someone mentioned that since my car was now all wheel drive, I could no longer do that.
Please let me know what to do for those of you out there that know.
Thanks!
We have a 90 Legacy Wagon with 250 000Km's. The rear struts are starting to rub on the inside of the strut towers when we hit a bump. The
struts have been changed (20 000Km ago).
Any idea of where I should start to look? Suspension bushings? Strut mount?
Also have 00 Legacy wagon- love it.
You could measure, but given the front are worn and the rears are uneven, I would definitely get 4 new tires. They are your only contact with the pavement.
I would also get a full 4 wheel alignment from the same shop that balances and mounts the new tires.
That's a lot of miles, Rob! :-)
I don't have much experience with suspensions, but I would suspect the struts themselves. Maybe they are defective?
-juice
Strut mount problems on older legacies are common from what my mechanic says, I will probably need it done somepoint on my 92, one is gone for sure but he said to wait till both went or it sounded real bad!
It also makes a large difference if the miles are city or highway, city driving means more wear and tear on everything,motor, brakes, suspension, tires,even bushings,it is better to avoid a car with a lot of city miles.
In a previous post Juice outlined a list of things to have replaced and I am in total agreement, I cannot remember if he advised timing belt replacement if it has not been replaced recently I would advise replacement of the belt and water pump,also top and bottom radiator hoses.
Finally if there is any doubt about the age of the battery IE: more than 3 years old replace that also, and allow a cushion of at least $1000 over your final purchase price for the inevitable repairs which you are going to encounter in your first year of ownership this applies to any high milage cars not just Subaru,s.
This advice might seem to be in the extreme but believe me I speak with the experience of having bought and owned a lot of high milage cars in my life.
Cheers Pat.
Also alocate $100/month for maintenence and repairs. Any extra is saved up for the next down payment. It has certainly relieved a lot of pressurem, and has avoided racking up the credit cards.
front axles and CVs @ purchase time $400
fluids changed
t-fluid changed again
raidiator flush, T-stat $20
Water Pump and T-belt $550
air->nonair suspension conversion $600
I've put on about 30K hard miles plus 2 seasons of auto-x. This car is un-beatable!
-mike
You ever hear a seller say "oh, by the way, these were mostly city miles"? If you did, they are far and few between. So unless the owner is from a large city (which then raises the question of why his car HAS high mileage - unless its well along in years) most owners are going to say "my car has mostly highway mileage".
It's always "highway miles"
-mike
Ther are many other ways to determine city and highway miles and that is the reason a professional inspection is the best money you will ever spend.
Cheers Pat.
The advice asked for was in regard to buying cars that had anywhere between 70,000 and 100,000 thousand miles and in that instance miles are definitly not miles.
A well maintained car with 100,000 highway miles has as much or more life left in it while a well maintained city car with the same milage is definitly well past its use by date, city miles are hard miles and no matter how well maintained it will wear out a lot sooner than a car that has mostly highway miles.
Cheers Pat.
-juice
It runs like a top, juice even drove it once (and that was before I tuned it up)
-mike
Of course, really really low miles on a ten year old car can be a problem too, but that's really another topic.
But some Folks are buying cars with a lot of miles and the best advice is still have any!!! prospective used purchase checked by a professional that you trust.
This would not apply in the case where not a lot of money is involved.
Juice I agree a deal like you got is the way to go little roadsters like the Miata are usually a summer toy and do not as a rule rack up a lot of miles, but methinks there are more rocks than gems out there concerning older cars and low miles.
The xt6 that you found Mike is the exception rather than the rule.
Cheers Pat.
Greg
-mike
never heard of a Sube needing one but have had bad experiences with Acuras and Hondas and Fords needing them at "low" mileages - 50-70K!
Ed