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Growing trend towards putting the filter in the tank. My '02 Odyssey has it there. I agree, that it seems like potential trouble, but one person mentioned that the in-tank unit is considerably larger (higher capacity) than the one formerly found under the hood.
Steve
-Wes-
I have a '95 Legacy wagon and lately I've had trouble with the car hesitation as I accelerate, usually in first or second gear. Once I'm at crusing speed, there's no problem, but pulling out of a red light is getting scarey. I was told that it's an air flow sensor problem, does that sound right? The air filter was just replaced in August.
Steve
Things went from bad to worse yesterday. I phoned a local rebuilt parts company yesterday and they had an air flow sensor for $50 and would let me return it if it wasn't what I needed, so I went to go get it and broke down on the way (two small girls in the car with me!) My AAA tow guy got there and turned the engine over and said,"Oh, fuel pump for sure." I'm seeing big dollar signs as well and a very bleak Christmas ahead. But then I called the garage and spoke to the mechanic who said in all of his years as a mechanic, he had never had to replace a fuel pump on a Subaru and it most likely wasn't the problem. He hadn't had a chance to look at it yet, but will call me today with the verdict. It was like running out of gas. The engine turns right over, and it idles well at about 1 rpm for about 30 seconds and then begins to idle rough and slowly stalls out & if you try to give it any gas, it just dies out. Any guesses? ps...there's gas in it.
Ally
The fuel pump should be easy enough to eliminate as an issue. Put a pressure gauge on the line and verify a steady output (something like 35 psi). But from there, there are too many possibilities to guess at.
Steve
I know that the 05 model is new. Can you give me some advice as to the best model to purchase? I really only want to spend no more than 20K. Thanks for the advice.
The 2005 model greatly improved the interior fit and finish over the previous model. You should take a look at them to see if the difference is worth it to you. I'm not sure if you can find one used for <20K. Otherwise, the 2003 and 2004 models shold be relatively similar to each other.
Ken
The '05s should be getting harder to find, as the '06s are being sold now, and there's no way you'll get a new '05 for under $20k, since invoice is $24k and the rebate is $1500, leaving a cost of $22.5k. Check with a Subaru dealership that offers loaner cars to find a used '05 from their fleet. You may need to specifically ask for one as these would probably be in use rather than sitting in their used car inventory.
An '04 Limited would've been nearly $26k at invoice only 1-2 years ago, so I think you'd have a hard time finding one for $20k, though maybe not impossible.
So that narrows it down to a used '03 Limited or a used '05 "base" model, probably within $1000 bucks of each other. Unless you absolutely have to have leather and a moonroof, I'd go for that '05, since even the basic model comes pretty loaded, has better build quality and design, has many improvements over the previous model (including more ground clearance), and would have two years more remaining warranty coverage. Head to a dealer and check them out first-hand to see which you prefer.
You can find measurements for the Outback, including the space between wheel wells, here: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2005.html#dimensions The link goes directly to the '05s, but all the other years are on that site as well.
Hopefully some other folks here can offer their first-hand camping experiences. I can only say my '04 is very comfortable and rides like a dream on rough, graveled Forest Service roads. The rear seatbacks don't fold down quite flat unless you flip the seat cushion forward, which reduces the length of the cargo area a little. A salesperson can demonstrate - the release pull for the seat cushion is located down between the cushions and can be hard to find 'til you've seen it done. The '05 seatbacks fold flat without having to do this.
Happy car hunting!
Wondering what the little plastic "wind deflector" flaps were for under my 2003 Legacy SE wagon. One was ripped away by a close encounter with a curb, so I removed the other. Do they deflect or direct air from the brakes? These are not to be confused with the behind-the-wheels "mudflaps" on the outside of the car.
Thanks
Are you pleased with your XT's? Do you like the short throw? HOw's the pricing? What's your mileage like. :shades:
Thanks,
Mark
Hox
were to start,
befor i take the belt off i line up the cam sprocks marks with the marks in the belt cover, i take off the crank pully bolt, breaker bar levreged on the fender bump over the motor, no problem, off comes the pully and the center cover, check the cam sproks, need to be moved, turn crank srock line up cam sprocks, notics that arrow in crank sprocks is not in line with mark on oil pump, take off belt, marks on new belt are a half of a tooth different than old belt, call napa..thats the right belt.. turn crank sprocks back 4 teeth to line up arrow with mark, put belt on, left side mark on belt wont line up with with cam sprocket mark, half tooth off, call napa..thats the right belt, guy at napa says that the picture he has shows that the right side cam sprocket belt mark is a little to the right of the mark on the cam sprocket, put the belt on like that, put car together, does not start, check spark # 1 plug, spark ok any help.....thanx
It's hard to justify the cost right now. In the past, I've had no trouble with all seasons in snow storms. Will the snows make a huge difference?
Thank you
If you have lots of tread on your new all seasons, they probably won't be too bad, when they start to wear it will be very noticeable compared to true winter tires.
you may want to consider using Nokian WRs which have the snow traction rating like true winter tires and can be run in the summer without losing all your tread like most snow tires. they are quite good in the dry also, in fact , I would say better than the stock Bridgestones which come with most subarus. If you drive aggressively in summer though, they won't be good enough.
I have WRs on a Tribeca and I hvae had them for 3 years on a Windstar all year round and I use the NRW, its predecessor, on my Legacy as a winter tire. Its not quite as good as a real "ice" tire like a Blizzak but is much better on dry roads than those types of winter tires yet still has far better snow traction than all seasons.
My general recommendation to friends that ask this question is if the existing tires are new (first winter), they will probably do reasonably well. First year you have full tread, and the rubber compound is still soft. By year two, everything changes, and a good set of snows will be a serious improvement.
Where are you located?
Steve
Just for the record, I have 76K on my all-seasons right now and while they do not perform as well as they did last year (I did not notice any significant difference between winter #1 and winter #2), I have had no problems on the black ice, glazed roads, and whatnot that Fairbanks has experienced so far. Then again, I really like driving on hazardous roads, so my tolerance level may be higher than many drivers'. I only plan to have the car as a primary driver for another 2 winters, so I am not going to buy dedicated winters for it (since I need to purchase new summer/all-seasons anyway).
When we purchase a new car, I will get a set of rims and winter tires for it because they DO perform so much better and I will get full use out of both tires and rims since I keep vehicles for ~8-10 yrs as primary drivers. They make the difference between 100% precision driving required to get you there safely and tolerating the occasional "oops!" That, in my mind, is important especially if you do all city driving. Mistake tolerance is much lower when you're sharing the road in tight quarters. None of us are as good as we can be all of the time.
Keep in mind, though, that I am not overly technical about my tires. If I have a tire that gives me good traction in a variety of conditions, is quiet, and lasts for 60+K miles, then I'm happy with it.
Subaru did address the "marginal" IIHS side-impact score. This is the most severe side-impact test, and it finds issues that the ANCAP/EuroNCAP/NHTSA tests did not. Just because the Legacy does great in ANCAP and NHTSA's side-impact test doesn't mean it automatically stands up to the IIHS test.
The 2005 scored only "marginal" in the test, with a "Poor" score for Torso protection of the driver:
Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. Loading to the shoulder was excessive. A fracture of the pelvis would also be possible.
But Subaru has apparently made significant design changes:
Beginning with 2006 models, changes were made to the side structure, front seats, and front seat-mounted torso airbags to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes.
And the 2006 Legacy now gets a "Good" and "Best Pick" score in the test!
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=602
And, to make it better, the 2006 got a better score in the IIHS rear collision test (head restraint testing); it went from "Acceptable" to "Good"!
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_subaru.html
Thus, the Legacy is one of very few vehicles that are double Good+Best Pick in the front and side impact tests, plus "Good" in the rear collision test.
Kudos to Subaru.
Unfortunately, it would have been better had they gotten it right the first time (or the second time; last year's 2005 bad score was after a change had been made). And given that the changes are in part structural, it means that 2005 owners can't upgrade to a higher level of protection for this type of crash. That's too bad.
Well, I'll add the Legacy back into my list of vehicles I'm considering again. That bad test turned me off, and I figured they'd eventually address it. I didn't want to get stuck with the first year with a weak crash test result. I'm glad that Subaru did.fix the problem with the 2006's.
PF Flyer
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E.g. get a load of these terrible Honda scores:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_honda.html
Toyota didn't do much better!
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_toyota.html
By comparison, Subaru is doing much better:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_subaru.html
The restraint tests aren't as critical as the front and side impact tests, as those focus more on life-threatening injuries. But with automakers making their vehicles better and better at such tests, there's more focus on injuries that, while not usually life-threatening, require significant recovery time and cause a lot of pain.
For each seat/head restraint, rear-end crash protection is an assessment of occupant protection against neck injury in rear impacts at low to moderate speeds. Although such injuries usually aren't serious, they occur frequently.
Overall, Subaru can be very proud of the modified 2006 design. Look how it's at the TOP of this list:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=30
Even when you factor in more expensive vehicles, the Subaru belongs in the top class:
http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=15
My question is how is traction managed between left/rear wheels on each axle, and specifically the front axle. I understand the XT is VTD+LSD, with a "viscous-type limited-slip rear differential." So it sounds like if one rear wheel is spinning, some power will still get to the other rear wheel.
What happens if only one wheel has traction, and that one is one in the front? (I know this is infrequent, but am curious, as there doesn't seem to be any traction management on the front axle. I know that with VTD+VDC, traction control is employed, but that's not available on the XT.) Does the vehicle get stuck?
Thanks in advance.
One technique that I've read about, but not personally tried, is using ABS to get out of situations such as the above. Since ABS works in almost an opposite manner to AWD by clamping down on the wheels that are spinning, I believe the thought process is that you simulataneously apply your brakes and throttle. ABS would clamp down on the three wheels on ice and allow torque to get to that one wheel with traction.
Ken
The same thing that happens when you pick one up one front off the ground: nothing.
There's no LSD on the front axle because it makes the vehicle difficult to steer. Real off-road vehicles get around this by locking the differentials. You can get Subarus stuck. These scenarios haven't happened to me in 249,000 miles of Subaru driving, but more impetuous folks have done it.
I certainly wouldn't want to have an LSD in the front.
Subaru does have a solution, and that's the VDC system (which of course is on a VTD vehicle). Using four-wheel traction control seems to be how most newer AWD vehicles are dealing with this. A VTD+VDC vehicle can move when any one wheel has traction.
Hahahah. I am definitely one of those. But, I have never stuck it somewhere that I was unable to unstick it on my own. If you have fear of that happening more frequently than you find tolerable, chains, a recovery strap, a small shovel, cat litter (or relative equivalent), and even winches are all good equipment to consider.... though I'd personally pass on the winch unless I really had a knack for being where I should not!
Braking while applying throttle does tend to help in those "sorta stuck" situations, but ABS does not engage on my car when it is <15 mph or so and you'd have to have the brakes clenched down pretty tight to even test that notion. I would not want to subject my old torque converter to that much slippage force to overcome solidly applied brakes... I'd suggest lightly applying the brakes just to help reduce the amount of torque between tire and surface if you are stuck on ice, but I cannot imagine that happening!
A typical "I'm stuck" situation for a Subaru is high-centering / packing too much snow under it. In that case, get out, shovel away enough snow from under there to reduce the friction, and move out. Once moving, you can probably make it back out.
If worse comes to worse, never forget that there are recovery loops on all four corners of the vehicle!
I would appreciate any and all feedback you could provide. Thanks in advance
Is this good? It's over 5k off. Are you seeing anything better out there? The rebates only $1,500 off.
Thanks for the feedback!
Hox :shades:
For that car with those options I calculated an MSRP of $30,492 and an invoice of $27,756, both including $575 destination (your region may vary) and a $275 advertising surcharge passed along from Subaru to its dealers. If they're giving you an MSRP of $32k, perhaps there's additional options or additional markup. I based my calculations off of the invoice and MSRP listings at http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2005.html#prices
So I'd work from the $27,756 invoice number, subtract the $1500 rebate to get $26,256 and go from there. Even at invoice, they'll still be making good profit from their factory-to-dealer incentives, particularly closing out the '05 models.
So I think $27k is very fair, and anything below $26k I'd consider pretty good. Maybe offer $26k and ask them to throw in a cargo net and hood deflector or something. The remaining '05 XTs are starting to become hard to come by, so act quickly if you're sure this is the car for you or be prepared to buy an '06.
Good luck - sounds like a sweet package!
I guess it means that WRX STI and Evolution are more difficult to steer than XT.
Krzys
I have justified it to myself (and my better half) as costing about the same as our insurance deductible if we get into a collision. She agrees that the peace of mind she gets from the winter tires makes the cost worth it. I couldn't agree more. By the way, you could also consider getting a set of steel wheels from the Tire Rack and save a few bucks over the cost of alloys.
We live in NJ and probably get around the same amount of snow as you get on Long Island. I hope this helps you out up there on the fence!
Len
Even with only 10-20 days of winter, it is more about how much you run the car with winter tires on DRY roads than anything. Blizzaks and their contemporaries are not designed for dry roads. They are designed for snow and ice. If you can limit the amount of time they spend on dry roads, you will extend their life dramatically. Having them mounted on their own rims, you can put them on and take them off whenever it strikes your fancy, so while it would be nice if that 10-20 day winter hit all in a row, you can probably get a good idea of when those days are and plan accordingly. If you guessed well and only had the tires on the car for, say, 30 days a year, those tires would remain effective for at least 5 or 6 years and that (in my opinion) would be a good investment: peace of mind AND longevity!!!
Maybe the best option at this point would be to see how you like the all-seasons you put on the car and go from there. If you have the ability/time to take a trip to nearby countryside that has some of the fluffy white stuff while Long Island is still dry, you could test out your comfort level with the all-seasons.
If you live on the North Shore or out near the points, I would definitely do it. In the milder zones I might simply retire my all seasons when they get down to 5/32 (about half tread), and skip the inconvenience of a second set of tires.
Steve
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On a recent long summer highway trip, I noticed some smoke and a burning smell coming from top of engine when pulled over at rest area, a bit rear of center part of engine. No longer ever see smoke, but when in garage after a ride, I do smell something a bit like a burning odor.
No noticeable oil loss.
What could this be? Would appreciate any suggestions
-juice
All leaks start slow, but untreated they will get worse. It sounds like your '99 has treated you well (and vice versa!) thus far!
No noticeable oil loss.
Probably the common problem with these engines, pushing oil out the front camshaft seals, where it leaks down and is then blown onto the exhaust. It happens on the highway because oil pressure is high and breeze is strong. Along with the head gasket problems another reason why CR now gives this engine black marks.
Have you changed the cam drive belt yet? Many Subaru owners now change the front seals, oil pump gasket, and a few other items at the 100K+ service. Runs around $600 at a garage.
I replaced my head gaskets preemptively at 140K after noticing bubbling and combustion byproducts in the overflow tank after highway driving. Better to sink $1,200 than lunch the engine.