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Comments
Engines are purpose-built to run on E85, and those can run on gas, but not the other way around.
-juice
One is that several reviewers said that the A/C is horrible - and I live in a *very* hot place. Is this a real concern?
Another is gas mileage in the real world can be as low as 16mpg. Is this for real?
The LLBean has power passenger seat - - does this make putting an amp for the stereo in this car an impossinbility?
My other option is to get a 2006 but it would be the 2.5i ltd as the llbean is too pricey.
Thanks!
If you get a 2006 i model I get around 27-28 (expect post katrena whic costs about 2 mpg) with my 05i, I expect you can do the same. Actually mpg was the reason I got the i and again this was before the run up in price.
I don't know much about adding amps and the like to the car, but there is a storage area under the cargo floor, which also holds the spair tire where anything you can store under a seat can fit in. You would just need to keep the wires flexable so it can be placed aside if you needed the spair.
You should average 20-22 mpg or so with the H6, which can run on regular fuel, too, unlike the turbos.
-juice
I live in MN where we run 10% ethanol all year round, and this can have an adverse effect on mileage. On my 06 3.0R wagon I am getting about 19 MPG on typical suburb to suburb commuting. It seems to be getting gradually better but I only have 2600 miles on it.
The Subaru web page let's you pick the subwoofer as an accessory when building an LLBean so I assume that it will fit. I thought I also have seen the sub on an LLBean before but I am not 100% certain.
Karl
FJ-60
IF YOU WANT A READER/SCANNER IT CAN COST YOU $500. TO 10,000
REMEMBER CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE A PLACE TO START NOT
THE ANSWER SO DONT SPEND A LOT TIME/MONEY CHASING A GHOST
Larry
Of course a week later it went on sale at NAPA for $99, so with tax it would have cost exactly the same!
-juice
Also, dealer or mechanic for the 90,000 mile service? My experiences the Oakland and South SF Subaru dealers have been horrible and costly. I have not been to the Albany or new SF dealership. Any thoughts on them would be welcomed.
I do have a shop that I somewhat trust. ( A couple of years ago we were having trouble with the mass flow sensor and he could have gouged us by replacing it. Rather, he just cleaned it and everything's fine.) I'm thinking about having the shop do the 90,000 mile service. Is this advisable or should I just have the dealer do it?
If it's the front seal, go ahead and change the timing belt, since the labor is basically paid for.
-juice
If I got them from tirerack... I would have only ended up saving maybe $40 when all was said and done and I'm not sure if I would have gotten free rotation.
My gas mileage can average as low as 13 mpg if I'm just driving around the neighborhood! But I average 20.7 with a mix and I have the NON-turbo 2.5.
When the weather warms up, I average 22.2.
The seats have no room under them...besides, the power passenger seat doesn't have height adjustment as far as I remember (so what's the point?). My collegue has his subwoofer on the floor in the back seat in his Legacy GT.
Subaru want CAN$379 for this part and the government will want another $53, and a mechanic another $70 or so, yet I see websites (only in the US of course) selling what may or may not be the right part for US$80-130.
There seem to be a lot of different sensors depending on the year, transmission, and perhaps the paint colour, but I think I found one...Denso part # 2349018 replacing OE-type #22641AA00A (my car is a 2.5L H4 manual). I'm loathe to order something from the US, pay duty and tax, and then find out it's got the wrong number of wires (like the cheaper part the mechanic ordered initially from Lordco).
I drive a '98 legacy/outback wagon, which now is now 65k miles old. I've had it for the past 30k. Starting yesterday, I've noticed what seems to be clutch slippage - if I apply heavy throttle in 3rd or 4th gear, the tach climbs for a second w/o the car speeding up appreciably, then settles back down to pull the car. As far as I can tell, this is an abrupt development over the past 3 or 4 days.
Is this a problem that can be corrected or temporarily fixed by some kind of adjustment, or will I need to replace my clutch imminently? Anyone have an idea of the timecourse I can expect - ie how long should I expect before it's undriveable and actually in need of a new clutch? I'd also like to know how much I should expect this to cost.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
It's usually the camshaft seals, or the front seal leaking. The oil runs down the front of the engine and the breeze blows it back to the exhaust manifold behind the engine, where it burns.
It's probably most noticable after a stint of hard driving on the highway, as the oil pressure is high, the breeze is strong, and the exhaust is hot. At most garages it runs around $600. Probably worth changing the timing belt and the o ring seal on the oil pump as well at the same time.
Change it before you get stranded somewhere. Plus you can price shop a little, if it strands you, you're stuck with the closest mechanic plus a towing bill.
-juice
Anyone have thoughts on dealer v. shop service?
Anyone able to comment on what kind of price I should expect? My excellent local mechanic estimated 750-800, which seems reasonable given the quality of work they do.
Thanks
thx,
jon
On the drive home it sounds very different - A tiny bit of noise when started, very quiet after 5-10 minutes. It's below freezing here today and the car was outside for a while before I got it. I'll start it in the morning and hear what it sounds like then.
There is an odor of burning anti-freeze, but I'm not going to worry about it for a week or so unless I see green in the driveway or the level in the bottle drops. I figure there's bound to be some misc crud that needs to burn off.
BTW - Saw the warranty slips and it was about $1760.00 for the entire thing.
Regards
Larry
Steve
The ACT didn't have any chatter issues like some early RS clutches did.
-juice
Looking at the parts list I was surprised by how few parts were actually involved. I guess I'm a little puzzled by why both valve covers were pulled, but there's new bolts and gaskets on both sides.
Also looks like they ordered 4 pistons for it, two normal and two oversize. But could they replace all the pistons without pulling both heads?
Anyway, I'm not going to think about it very hard, just enjoy the piece and quiet.
Larry
This is an "upstream" sensor (before the catalyst). Has anyone experience with replacing this? I'm sure it can't be too difficult.
For those posting about clutches, I had my slipping clutch (only 57,000 km) replaced last week for under CAN$800 including tax. Not by the dealership and not with a Subaru clutch. My mechanic told me that the supplier he uses not only is cheaper, but offers a warranty that includes labour if the clutch fails. I don't feel bad about a non-Subaru clutch, given the reputation and pathetic lifetime of the original.
Strangely, five days later the clutch pedal got stuck down, but after being pulled up manually has been OK.
My dealer said both the clutch master and slave cylinders needed replacing. Fortunately, I had $600 Subaru bucks to cover the cost.
Jim
Plus side! I got a 2006 loaner with 2500 miles on it. AWD is much faster to kick in. Drives much better than my 01.
I'm not sure I like:
- the seats. Seat back feels more like a bench seat.
- lack of numbers/tick marks on gauges. (speedo)
- door handle opener on inside. (too high)
- radio look. cheap plastic aluminum look-a-like.
- center console design. console too far back.
- side mirrors slightly smaller.
- almost hidden window controls.
- heated seats too hot even on lowest setting.
What I like:
- quieter
- quicker? 150lbs less and extra hp? just feels quicker.
- slightly more leg room? seeat feels lower and can go back farther?
- Feels more stable and planted to the road.
- shifts better/easier?
- red needle on gauges.
- drive better. because my old one is really broken in?
--jay
It needs the 90K tune-up, might as well since its there. $650. Add a new battery $100 since the old one if 5 years old (original).
He also said it needed front brake pads and turn rotors for $250. I passed. I had the brakes check about 4 months ago at a independant mech. They were about 70% left. Too me the rotors aren't too bad. only very slight pulse to them. I'll have them double checked the next oil change.
Ouch.
--jay
Having a loaner is nice, it's like an extended test drive.
-juice
The dealer offered to replace the flywheel for free, but told me the clutch was a wear part, so they would replace it for the price of the clutch disk. I said okay, but give me the old part.
The original clutch disk had almost no wear on it. That tells me it probably would have lasted 100,000+ miles.
As they say, your mileage may vary. It probably has a lot to do with how you drive and what kind of traffic you drive in.
FWIW
Jim
Do you know who made the clutch your mechanic installed? My mechanic wants to put in a part made by Daken, who I can't find much information about, and he's not willing to install a customer-supplied part. I dunno whether I should go for the replacement he'd use (I do trust him) or try for something else.
The clutch in my 99 OB lasted for about 145,000 km (say 90,000 miles)but had been increasibgly off form about 125,000km. The replacement of it also resulted in the clutch master cylinder failing, leaving the clutch pedal halfway down.
I had suffered the shuddering clutch problem from new and disovered that it was worst on cool wet mornings and improved as the clutch material warmed up.
Cheers
Graham
Any tips on removing the rest of the "utback" logo and the adhesive underneath without damaging the paint? Or is this something best left to a body shop?
The interior covering on the pillar seems to be plain, gray plastic. Anyone know of the best way of getting it off? Regular warm water doesn't make a dent in it. I figured I'd ask before trying a more drastic cleaner.
Thanks in advance.
Someone stoly my "AWD" logo a few years ago and the dealer put another on.
I guess I am inclined to remove it completely or put another entire one on. So any thoughts on removal?
I have heard a hair dryer and "goof off" works.
I have a 2001 Outback Ltd Wagon with about 96,000 miles. My traveling partners complain that their feet are cold on the passenger side (especially their right leg). Has anyone else out there heard from their passengers that their side is just not as warm? If it matters, I have the air filtration system too.
The glue is released by applying heat froma hairdryer or similar You can then run a lengthc of dental floss behind the logo then eases it off.
Cheers
Graham
I just drove the 2003 Murano 50 miles today on snow and ice. Original tires with 34,000 miles. The ABS rarely kicked in... and the Murano stopped nice and short.
When I got home I drove the Outback around the block. Just as I thought. As soon as I hit the brake, the damn ABS kicked in and I almost slid through the intersection. Every time I tried to stop on snow the ABS would kick in. This happened with my last tires several weeks ago and now with my brand new expensive Yokohamas.
Is there something wrong with my car or is this how over-sensitive Subaru's ABS is ???
This is rediculous. Do I have to disconnect the ABS fuse when I drive in the snow?
I just need some feedback before I bring it to the dealer. :mad:
This is rediculous. Do I have to disconnect the ABS fuse when I drive in the snow?
I think it is more likely due to the weight of the 2 cars, the Murano is much heavier and able to 'punch through' to the pavement while the OB simply can't.
To improve things you would need to downsize the tires on the OB, which is typical for snowtires.
Has anyone else had a similar problem? I know there is a button in the trip computer area to control the illumination level, could that be shorted?
The tire width issue mentioned above is sound. A Legacy L uses 195/205mm, the OBW 225mm, yet they have very close to the same weight. Wide tires are great for dry pavement, but they work against you on slippery surfaces.
Remember that ABS 'reacts' when a wheel locks. That said, it is also entirely possible that you have some kind of brake system imbalance that is prematurely locking up a wheel and invoking the ABS response. Pulling the fuse and testing to see if one wheel is the culprit is a sound diagnostic approach. There are distribution valves on the brake lines, and one could be screwed up, or a caliper could be dragging.
There are hardware (like number of channels) and software (like pulse rep rate, rotational speed differences before invoking, and line pressure clamps), but I doubt that Nissan is doing anything drastically different.
Steve
I think there IS something wrong with the brakes... sometimes I get a clicking sound from the caliper and the brake light when on the other night when I hit the gas! It stayed on for 1 minute. I didn't mention that.
I removed all of my labeling on my '96 a while back after "suffering" a lost CK. After being an "outba" for a while, the car was feeling rather sheepish. I could not remove the Subaru badge on the opposite side of the tailgate because it had studs that penetrated the sheet metal and it would have left two holes in the gate. So, I pulled out my leatherman, pried up the "outba" and "awd" labels, then doused it with the afore-mentioned solvent and scrubbed it with a terricloth rag. A final rinse/buff and it was better than new.
My wife calls me (I am still at work) at 1830 to say that the car had a breakdown about 10 miles from home. She said that there was oil everywhere and it was smoking, blah blah. Okay, great. She is with a friend, so I requested that she go home and I would call her there. I secured help from a friend who also works in town, and he takes me out to the car at about 2100. We tow it back to my place and I call it a night. At 199,891 miles, my wife was talking replacement for the rest of the evening, but I urged her to allow me to diagnose the problem first (I was bummed that this all happened 109 miles short of the 200K mark! After all, I am still going to get another 2+ years out of this old workhorse).
Next morning, I am greeted by a temperature of about 35F (Yes! That is extremely warm for mid-Feb and I was working outside), but there were 10+ mph winds. After popping the hood, I see that the crank pulley for the engine accessories has come loose. That's fine, but does not explain the oil. So, I set in to get to the heart of the matter.
After pulling off the normal stuff to gain access to the timing belt (radiator, A/C compressor, alternator, power steering, etc) and remove the belt cover, I see plain as day that the front crankshaft seal has blown. I went ahead and pulled the oil pump to inspect the O-ring, and it was fine. So, I call up a friend and secure a ride to the parts store, then go outside and reinstall the pump with a new o-ring, install a new EGR valve that was waiting for a good exuse to go on, replace a couple of other vacuum parts, and the friend has arrived! 2 gallons of coolant, crank seal, a bolt (to replace one for the a/c system), a socket to reinstall the crank bolt, and 1' of vacuum line = $36.XX. Win, lose, or draw on this one, I could stomach that much of an investment!
I get home, slap it all back together (the timing was a real boar due to low light, one-man operation, and that darned wind (which was starting to feel cold!)), and fill fluids. I tapped the ignition switch and she fired right up... 100 miles on it now with no problems and it will have 200K by the time my wife picks me up this evening. Darn it all, I am determined to keep that thing on the road another 2+ years!
Oh..... but the whole reason for the problem is that I must not have torqued the crank bolt properly on my last repair (at 192.5K). I think that it first came loose, then the back pressure on the timing pulley slacked allowing it to slip forward on the crank. Without the front pressure on the seal, the direct-fed, high-pressure oil lubricating the crankshaft just blew the puppy right out of there. It did not look damaged at all, but it was literally just hanging on the shaft when I first tore it apart - it was completely unseated. Oh well; live and learn.
FYI related to the pin on the crankshaft: It is a half-circle that is simply set into the crankshaft. So, if anyone ever shears on of these off, you should be able to pop it out with a chisel or someting and replace it with a new one. I know that we briefly discussed a sheared pin situation many months ago and the talk was leaning toward welding a new one on.
(good pun on the "Outba" feeling sheepish)