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Subaru Legacy/Outback

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Comments

  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    When I picked up my 01 OB, it had a warped rotor that I picked up on right away. Only explanation is wheel lugs that were too tight. Dealer replaced both front rotors and removed the rust from the rear. Been fine since. Now have 7K miles on the car. I do not brake hard. This car replaced an incredible 92 Camry. I would say that the Camry had a slight advantage on refinement, however I enjoy driving the OB more. The OB is a more stable car. As for long term reliability - I'll let you know after 180K miles. Stay tuned ;-)

    Greg
  • evilizardevilizard Member Posts: 195
    In the H-6 there have been two reports of Timing chain issues. Once a chain snapped, the second a part of the timing chain assembly went bad. Both very new cars that got their engines replaced.

    As far as the bean that shimmies after a while of running it sure sounds like rotors heating up. It could also be the tires heating up.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The CR-V's AWD is part-time only, and even the new one won't match the power output of the Subies. Other than that it looks like it'll get incremental improvements, though, nothing radical.

    The CR-V compares more closely to the Forester. Have you driven a Forester S Premium? It's lighter than the Legacy, plus its size makes it nimble. I personally find it more fun to drive than my dad's Outback.

    Legacy turbo is just a rumor right now, but I sure hope so. 2003 or 2004, most likely. Subaru simply cannot ignore the huge success of the WRX.

    -juice
  • theobtheob Member Posts: 148
    Juice, thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, I started noticing it some time after I rotated the tires and torqued the lugs to ~65 ft-lbs. We hadn't had a chance to do much mountain driving up until then. It does seem to be temperature dependent also.
    Theo in CO
  • dmcdonald9dmcdonald9 Member Posts: 2
    We've had our '01 Bean for about three weeks now, and just love it. Like many of you, we walked into the dealership looking for a Forester and walked out with an OB. Got it for $700 over dealer cost. There are only two dealers in Oklahoma; OKC and Norman. Both are multi-brand dealers and both seemed to tell us whatever they thought we wanted to hear in order to sell us a car. I was even more unimpressed when it came to our trade-in('91 honda civic). Even with three estimates, (Edmunds, KBB, and USAA) they refused to give us what the car was worth, stating that the estimates were all wrong and that they (the dealer) were the only ones that knew the true value of the vehicle. Needless to say, I now own three cars. Had they not had the exact car my wife wanted I would taken my business elsewhere. Other than that the car drives like dream. Thanks to many of you who have posted thoughts, ideas, and suggestions on this forum and helped us to pick a great car. Some of you really know your stuff. Thanks again

    Doug
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Congrats, Doug.

    I like the 3-car formula myself, but if you want to sell that car try CarMax. Or try private listings on the internet. A friend sold her Civic on the first day, with multiple offers (though hers was newer).

    -juice
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    enjoy your bean! I too was low balled with my trade in. I ate it considering it was a 92 Camry with 180K on it (got $1700 for it, BB was 2.5K-3K). One thing we Subie owners agree upon, is that the dealers are the weak link here, both sales and service. There are some exceptions though. Overall, I am not impressed with any dealers in my area -of any make. Anyway, welcome to the club and hopefully our OBs will prove to be as great as our last cars.

    Greg
  • 20llbean20llbean Member Posts: 83
    To Taxman: Good luck, random players have a memory requirement in the Disc player, that sounds like the problem. My replacement went well from the service perspective, they didn't hassle me to claim it was my problem. Took less then 2 hours to replace the 6-disc unit.

    To Doug: Congrats. I was seriously low balled on my trade in but that was a 1991 Ford Taurus station wagon that was on it's 4th transmission. I wanted 1000 but settled on 600. I really could not sell the car in a private sale, too many things bad with it. The dealership sent it to auction and the car has probably been sent oversea's or strip for parts.
  • viktoria_rviktoria_r Member Posts: 103
    if so, it will make me regret less not getting Bean (got OB 4-cyl) - with gas prices topping $2/gal here again.
  • jregen7243jregen7243 Member Posts: 91
    I find it amazing how people think, if you buy a Honda/Toyota, you're not going to have problems. It's like an urban legend.

    I know plenty of people who have them who have nagging problems constantly. A coworker of mine has an '00 Accord EX 4cyl. His CE light comes on at least once a month, and the problems are not gas cap related like on Subbies. A friend of mine has a 99 Camry V6 that had to have all 6 fuel injectors replaced at 26k miles. Dealer told him its a very common problem with that engine. Another guy I know had a '95 Tacoma that needed the engine rebuilt after 60k miles, and he swears he'll never buy another Toyota.

    I'm happy to say that on my '00 Outback, I have not had one problem after 20,000 miles.
  • evilizardevilizard Member Posts: 195
    For maximum performance use premium. The car should run fine on regular (no knocks) you just won't get the pep.
  • dill6dill6 Member Posts: 120
    I think to understand the almost legendary reputation for quality that Honda and Toyota enjoy you have to go back to the 70s when they first started kicking Detroit's behind all over the block. My father, who was a WWII vet, So. Pacific, wasn't keen on buying Japanese products, but his last American car was a Pontiac Bonneville that, among many other things, came from the factory without the inner seal around the windshield so that in the first rainstorm he drove in water just poured in all around the windshield. It was literally running in sheets off of the dashboard. And that was just the beginning. He finally broke down and, at my urging, bought an Accord and never looked back.
    Nowadays everyone's quality is a lot better than it used to be, or else they're out of business. I still think Honda products are pretty remarkable though. The Integra I'm currently driving is 11 years old, with 150K miles. Other than normal maintenance it has required: a brake master cylinder, a muffler and 'B' pipe, one CV joint. And the motor that runs the antenna up and down would never last more than 3years, so I disconnected it. That's it. The car's been parked out the in the summer sun and winter ice and snow all its life, and the clear coat just started peeling this summer. The interior looks nearly new, no plastic cracking, no holes worn through the upholstery. There are lots of old Subies around here, and my impression, which may be wrong, is they don't hold up as well.
    I'm glad you've had zero probs after 20K w/your OB, and I hope you get to 90K w/zero probs like I did with this Integra. As you can tell, I don't think the rep is 'urban legend' though. Hey, don't get me started on my Honda lawnmower!
  • 99gs99gs Member Posts: 109
    How long before the WRX comes in? Please post when you get it. Jack - Ohio
  • taxman10taxman10 Member Posts: 59
    I thought I might be nuts so played Allen Jackson this morning and heard cut #9 first and fifth - there are at least 13 cuts on the disc. I'll get that fixed, I hope, with first service.
    Understeer: 1) I know about running slightly more psi in front - done that for years but there is only so far you can go. 2) Bigger rear sway bar. Interesting. Other than knowing that we can get K&N filters and PIAA bulbs, what other after market performance stuff is out there for Subie Outbacks? If its on the market , it must be a secret. Larger rear anti sway bars ? where, from whom?
    Is there an outlaw Subie underground I don't know about ? I thought we were all just green earth outdoor weenies - I'm one so I can say it.
    This could get almost as interesting as VW Vortex, if its true. Those folks know how to modify a car and be subversive.
  • mikenkmikenk Member Posts: 281
    I believe that Toyota has the best reliability in the business because of their unique product development process. In my opinion, Honda and Subaru are right behind them in base reliability, well ahead even today than the big 3, although the gap is narrowing. I believe that BMW, of all the European companies, has also moved to the upper tier in reliability.

    Subaru often gets a reliability knock on these forums because of its cheaper interiors, but that is more based on their design philosophy and really is not a measure of product reliability. As they move upscale, Bean and VDC, then Subaru really needs to improve the look and feel, but their reliability is already world class.

    Just my opinion,
    Mike
  • originalbitmanoriginalbitman Member Posts: 920
    Cobb Tuning http://www.cobbtuning.com/legacy/

    SPO Motorsports http://www.spomotorsports.com/

    SPD http://spdusa.com/

    ISR Perfomance http://www.isrperformance.com/default.html

    Teague http://home.att.net/~teaguesauto/index.htm

    Flateline Motorsports http://www.flatlinemotorsports.com/html/legacymain.htm

    The Sube Directory http://home.earthlink.net/~gndiamant/subaru.htm

    i- club http://www.impreza-rs.com/
  • taxman10taxman10 Member Posts: 59
    Now we're talking !
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    The squeaking on turns and going over bumps is probably the rubbers on the sway bars needing slackening and lubricating. I had this and dealer fixed it in minutes.

    Cheers

    Graham
  • 20llbean20llbean Member Posts: 83
    I have a 1995 Accord and the car has been fantastic in performance and reliability. The only major prblem has been the replacement of the distributor and rotor that was causing misfirings. Honda replaced it under warranty. The car is not the best in snow even though it is front wheel drive, so I'm looking forward to taking the Subie out in the snow up here in NE-USA. But the Honda interior is no great thing. It's lay-out is good but the parts are standard fare. Cloth seats are standard stuff. I will say that the Honda has mostly manual switches on the dash whereas the Subie (2001) has mostly push button switches controlled by computer. My experience has been electronic-controlled switches fail quicker then manual/mechanical switches. We'll see with the subie.

    Aussie: Some of us Yanks are pretty mad that the Aussie Men's swim team kicked some US butt at the Goodwill games! I'm sure the US women will return the favor against the Aussie women.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    but I wouldn't be too proud about saying "You men kicked our butt, but our women beat your women" sounds kinda butchy :)

    On a side note, I bet that most of the 01 hond switches are electronically controlled like the subies.

    -mike
  • ffsteveffsteve Member Posts: 243
    I too will attest to the reliability of the Toyota products, but have also experienced problems with their in-line 6 cylinder engines. I had an 82 Supra that, when parked facing downhill, would burble, bubble, gurgle and burp until it emptied the coolant overflow tank into the street. Most embarrassing. Never would do it on the level or facing uphill. After two head gasket changes, it still did it. Other than that it was trouble-free and sweet running.

    Another in-line 6 (90 Cressida) blew the head gasket in a more spectacular way at 90K miles, requiring a new short block. Like the Supra, otherwise it has been touble-free and sweet running.

    I don't expect my Bean to do the same!
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    Being on my third Toyota, they are wonderful. Now my current Sienna only has 30K trouble free miles (not once back to the dealer) so I have a ways to go to see if it lives up to our 92 Camry which was running like new at 180K miles. My expectation of Subaru is to match or come close to Toyota or else I wouldn't have purchased it. Overall, from what I've read and experienced so far Subaru needs to work a little on initial quality but is great for long term reliability. This is what I expect. BTW, I enjoy driving the OB more than the Camry and that counts for something.

    Greg
  • skibaruskibaru Member Posts: 1
    I've been a Subaru fan for a long time, ever since my '81 GLF, which was indestructible. Three years ago, as I was getting tired of my Cherokee, I decided to return to Subaru, as I was hooked on AWD, but wanted a car.

    I got a brand new '98 Legacy GT sedan with all the toys. I initially really enjoyed the car. However, over the last three years, I have had a number of problems and wonder if other people had similar experiences.

    The sunroof broke after 14 months, numerous leaks in the rear dif., squeaky clutch, rapidly wearing breaks, bad wheel bearing, worn out sway bar bushings, burned out dash lights.

    The car has only 50K miles and I don't race it. I have come to expect much better from Subaru. Is it the fact that it is US-made now?

    I still love the car in the snow and gets plenty of looks, but I am starting to doubt if I'll get another one.
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    image


    Just a reminder that the Subaru chat is on tonight (6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern). We look forward to seeing you there!

    http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/chat/subaruchat.html


    Pocahontas

    Host

    Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I read that if you use 87 octane in the H6, it gives up about 4 horsepower. So you have 208hp, look at it that way.

    How? It will retard ignition timing slightly to compensate for the lesser octane, and to avoid pinging.

    Toyota reliability? True, they are. But in a forum with lots of participants, you're bound to find a lemon or two in any batch, even Lexus'.

    My dad had a Camry in Belize, and while driving on the highway, someone pulled up next to him screaming for him to pull over. They did and got out, and proceeded to watch their Camry burn down in flames, to a crisp. I wish he had photos.

    I'm sure it's a freak occurance, but it happens even to the Gods of reliability, Toyota.

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Are known for:
    Wheel Bearings (over-torqued @ factory and then over-torqued upon repair by dealers)
    Brakes (usually 10-15k max is what you get out of brakes)

    Other than that I can't comment on em, my dad's '97 is great other than brakes often.

    -mike
  • otis123otis123 Member Posts: 439
    I'm new to Subaru having purchased an LLBean 2/1/01. It blew me away in the snow this past winter, and continues to grow on me. Just did a 10K oil change last night...so far, so good... Sold a "like new" 92CamryLE4cyl. with 161K (you beat me Greg) to a friend (which says alot) who is still enjoying its reliability (sold it for $3K, beat you there Greg!). The Camry still has original exhaust system, CV joints, generator, radiator, rear brake pads to name a few items. Replaced the struts/shocks and the front pads/rotors a couple times (poor design). My friend had to pry the keys away from me. Just hope my LLBean stays tight and reliable like the Camry did....
  • evilizardevilizard Member Posts: 195
    I got about 40K out of my front brakes and 45 out of the rear and I probably could have pushed them another 5K (hadn't hit the scratcher yet).
    I haven't heard of Legacies eating brakes like that (But I have heard of Volvo's doing the same).
  • tocatoca Member Posts: 147
    IMO, I don't think the Legacy lineup in the '98 model year was the best we've seen from Subaru.
    Besides the 4 recalls (AT lever assembly, master cylinder, alternator and the latest, possible corrosive front spring) my '98 OB had a loose oil pump rotor plate (seal), lock actuator, a leaking DOJ boot and most recently a short block replacement. All covered under warranty.

    I still think it's a decent vehicle, but out of the 5 Subaru's my wife and I have owned this one has given us the most problems. I also have an '01 OB and it hasn't seen the dealer yet (almost 15K miles).

    A.Z.
    '98 OB
    '01 OB
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    My 98 GT had a leaking transmission on the first day, fixed and no problems since. Security system sensitivity too high when delivered, fixed and no problems since. Radio antenna died at 50K (replaced under extended warranty). Some lights on AC controls are out too. Squeaky brakes last few thousand miles (apparently those new semi metallic pads).
    I grew up in a Honda family but my personal experience with them has been atrocious. My 86 Integras engine disintegrated at 68K (timing belt and water pump were replaced at 60K as advised), at 30 K I needed a new clutch. I know it wasn't me as I have never had to replace a clutch on any other car that soon! I suspect it was never adjusted properly at factory. AC totally died and ECU gone at 75K at which point I dumped the beast. My wife had a 90 Civic whose transmission literally fell off after a year and less than 8K! They also forgot to set the camber on the front wheels at the factory (Canadian) and the tires wore out real quick though they did replace them free. I know my experience may be at one end of the bell curve but it makes you think long and hard about getting another one.
    My Dads experince of GM cars kept me away from one for 20 years. Got the wife a new 2000 Chevy Venture. After 25K it has had zero problems (unless you consider disintegrating seat upholstery from a 3 year old constantly kicking it a manufacturing/design problem!) My brother is bringing his Odyssey back to get niggly little mechanical things fixed all the time. An in laws Sienna has more rattles than the kids toys! Even our 95 Windstar (Ford had so much trouble with blown head gaskets they extended the engine warranty to 100K - did better than my bros Odyssey). Sometimes its just plain luck!
    Don't even talk to me about my Audi 4000Quattro. Its an experience I wouldn't wish on my worse enemy!
  • cardhu1cardhu1 Member Posts: 9
    Hi all,
    I have a 2001 OB with 3000 miles on it.. I came out of work yesterday afternoon to find a 24 inch crack in the windsheild that wasn't there earlier. The crack extends from middle of the passenger A-pillar to almost the center of the windsheild. There is no evidence of anything hitting the window and it is pretty clear that the crack starts at/under the a-pillar molding. Anyone else have any problems with new OB windsheilds?

    -tac
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Otis: that was a great Camry. But keep in mind that's not exactly typical, even for Camrys. Hope you get lucky like that again, though!

    tac: try this. Get a sharp object, like a pen maybe, and trace the line to see if it is pitted any where. If so, it was a rock or something. If the crack is smooth, then you're right.

    -juice
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    What your looking at is probability. You are less likely to get a problematic car with Toyota, Honda, Subaru then say Ford. My 92 Camry, IMHO, was an exceptionally well designed and built car. I doubt the new Camry's will do that well. Still it ripped through brake pads every 30K miles. For me I concentrate on the reliability of major assemblies (i.e. engine, tranny, cooling, etc). I look at the ratings in CU and see how many years that component stays as a red dot. That gives me an idea of long term reliability. As all cars will need work and things will need replacement, I enjoy doing the work myself and the reason I like simpler 4 cylinder cars that are easier to work on. Subaru is perfect for this. Bulletproof drivetrain, H4 engine, car (not truck) and very safe. IMO, Subaru spends the money on the mechanicals rather than the cushy stuff. BTW, I get to do my first oil change this weekend. :-)

    Greg
  • tauyeungtauyeung Member Posts: 12
    I owned a Ford before my 2001 Legacy L. My Ford had 140k trouble-free miles before I sold it to my brother-in-law, who continues to praise that it is strong and fuel-efficient.

    Then my Ford is an Escort, it's pretty much Mazda parts throughout 8).

    At any rate, this relates to the 180k examples (Greg). I hope my Legacy L will have the same reliability.

    --Tak
  • jamesnoeljamesnoel Member Posts: 8
    Does anyone find it funny that for years people have been whining for more power and a 6 cyl for their Subarus now that its here they want to fill their tanks with reg gas! I would like to read the story about how using 87 octane gives up only 4 hp. Why build a high comp motor that only gives 4hp more on 91 octane? And please no more stories about how your Subaru gets 27 to 34 mpg!! Anyone who owns one knows this is just not true.

    Peace
  • drgordodrgordo Member Posts: 6
    Just past our 1 year anniversary and 21K miles on our 2K OB without fault except for the spontaneous crack that appeared in our windshield. Of course it was on a minus 20 day with the defroster blasting away so the circumstances were a bit different. The crack orginated under the driver's side A-pillar about midway between top and bottom. Has reached ~1/3 of the way across the window. At the 15K service the crack was pointed out to the dealer and they would not acknowledge that the cause was related to anything other than a stone. There are no indications of a pit or other irregularities along the crack as Juice alluded to in his message and the crack originates under the window trim. In our case I blame the problem on the hot/cold contrast and uneven heating of the window by the defroster. Perhaps solar heating of the window and body pillar generated some uneven stress that caused yours to crack. I have not seen that this identified as a frequent problem on any of the Subaru boards. Our OB has been absolutely trouble free (oxy sensor recall was done at 15K service) except for the window crack. No brake squeals, no CE light, no clunks or rattles, just the crack in the window.
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    I don't own a H6 ('98 OB), but I do get 27mpg Hwy on 93 and 94 octane with heavy foot off the toll, city driving at destination, and some lenghty slow crawls mixed in there. With the right conditions (roads and driver) I think 30 mpg isn't far fetch. :-)
  • theobtheob Member Posts: 148
    James,
    OK, I won't tell you any more about how my VDC get's 26-27MPG on the Hwy. I thought it was a fluke on the first tank, so I double checked it on the second tank, made the gas pump click off several times on the second tank. It still came out 26.4 mpg in the mtns. Typically in mixed driving we get around 22 mpg. In CO they only sell 85 octane as regular unleaded (Oxy-fuels). We started using regular unleaded at Subaru's recommendation as a workaround for hard-starting when cold. We did not notice a substantial performance penalty, particularly compared to the gas pump penalty for premium. High gas prices did nothing to encourage us to go back to premium.
    FWIW,
    Theo
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    My dad get's well over 30MPG close to 34mpg with his '97 Legacy L. It's a 2.2l and weighs under 2900lbs. With my H6 2.7L 145hp, '88 XT6, I get 27mpg @ 85-90mph on the highway.

    -mike
  • kmcleankmclean Member Posts: 173
    James -

    Ditto on good mileage. My 2K OB H4 w/5-spd regularly pushes 30 mpg on the highway. At lower speeds (55-60) with no A/C: 30; at higher speeds (70-75) with A/C: 28. Around town with many very short trips (often only a mile to the Park & Ride) and Seattle traffic: around 22. I attribute this to a light foot, the manny tranny, keeping the tires inflated properly, and just pure, simple, unadulterated driving skill.

    Cheers from the PNW -

    Ken M.
  • supersoobsupersoob Member Posts: 6
    Jimmy said: "Does anyone find it funny that for years people have been whining for more power and a 6 cyl for their Subarus now that its here they want to fill their tanks with reg gas!"
    Not really - there's plenty of 6 cyl. engines out there that don't require premium fuel.

    Jimmy also said: "And please no more stories about how your Subaru gets 27 to 34 mpg!! Anyone who owns one knows this is just not true."
    All the 2.5 H4's are rated 27/28MPG highway. 2.2's are 30MPG. If these highway MPG are averages one could easily assume some will do better - and some will do worse.
  • kazanskykazansky Member Posts: 9
    Dear all,

    I just bought '99 Legacy Brighton with 93K on it. This is my second Subaru after '95 Impreza 1.8. I sold it recently with 120K and quit a few problems...
    I have mentioned that my odometer has been acting strange - sometimes it DOES NOT work at all, sometimes it does, but could jump from 93 010 to 93 120 in just couple of miles.

    The vehicle has been chenging dealers for the last year, so I suspect one of them "played" with the odometer, unless it is a common problem with this type of car.

    Any comments will be very appreciated.

    Thanks!
  • vdchawkvdchawk Member Posts: 40
    Supersoob,

    If the engine has less compression and runs on regular without pinging wouldn't that mean it generates less HP per Liter? My last 2 cars are a perfect example, '97 Chevy Suburban 5.7L on regular gas generates somewhere around 180HP, my '94 Formula 5.7L-LT1 generated 275 but required high test. There are many other issues in the equation between engine volume and HP. But the one constant is that higher compression gives more HP and eats high octane fuel.

    I'll run high octane to get the 212HP out of my 3.0L engine in the happy knowledge that it generates more HP than my Suburban!

    Keith
  • rgarbacciorgarbaccio Member Posts: 42
    I wanted to tell the story of how I came to purchase a 2001 OB STD Wagon. I appreciate these boards, and their champions for all of the great information. I hope that my story will help to assist others in making a tough decision.

    I started on a Honda Civic EX bent. I had owned a trouble free 1988 LX, and loved the cars economy, safety and reliablity. These were my selection criteria. As I researched..I expanded my list to include two-hatchbacks - the Mazda Pro5 and the Hyundai GT..we wanted the ability to throw something big in back on that rare occasion. This price range 14-17 was acceptable.

    The hatchback bug led me to the OBS...which added the special AWD dimension to my safety requirement. I felt, however, that the storage was too small with the seats up for my wife and two kids and their entourage of items.

    We then - staying near 14-19 range (notice the upward movement)- started looking at the Legacy L and pre-owned OB. Settled on Legacy L - didn't like the 22/27 economy - but felt it was safer (w/ ABS and AWD) and loved reliability I was reading aobut.

    Many of you know how purposefully Subaru dresses down the L compared to the OB -even though they are really the same car according to our criteria (except for rear slip). I think it was inevitable that we came to dislike the look of the L, the small wheels, the monotone appearance (which is present on every car!) etc.

    So - now we were in the OB preowned market. 2000 with 25k miles for 18,300 was offered in blue (which we liked). I thought long and hard about it.

    Then...knowing that I was moving to NE PA, I called Becker - some of you know him. Well - salesman there asked "Why would you want a preowned when you can have a new 2001?"

    I said - to save money.

    He said - you won't save much.

    I said - how much for 2001?

    He said 20,600 - no options.

    I said what color?

    He said blue.

    And all of a sudden I had had enough of this long and exhausting car search. Put down 500 over the phone, drove there, and left within one hour beaming in a new blue OB.

    Thanks board - I love the car -having barely driven it. I love that this search is over. And I never would have come to this conclusion without these message boards which guided my concerns and criteria to the right car.

    That being said - the slope from 15k to 20k is slippery.

    Got 6.15% for 5 years there too. Really - by far - the best deal on a 2001 I found. And I searched like crazy.

    Good luck to you...I'll be lurking on the maitenance board for sure.
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    And thanks for sharing your story. We look forward to hearing more about your ownership experience.... See you around Town Hall! ;-)


    Pocahontas
    Host
    Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards

  • ffsteveffsteve Member Posts: 243
    Cool story. I've owned my OB only 3 months, and love it. I'm sure you'll not regret your choice.

    Welcome.

    Steve
  • kkoomarkkoomar Member Posts: 5
    I own an 01 OB, 2.5, a/t, with Firestone Wilderness tires.

    I am moving to Boston by end of the year. I am hearing that I will have to make a lot of changes such as
    1. Change to Snow Tires ? is the one above not eoungh ?
    2. Chains ? what's that ?
    3. Anti-corrosion paint under the chassis....to prevent from salt corrosion used for snow.

    Give me your thoughts ( The newengland Subie loyalists ) & also let me know if I need to anything else.

    Thanks
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    I don't own a Sube but live in the greater Boston area. Some thoughts on driving in the winter here:

    "1. Change to Snow Tires ? is the one above not eoungh ?"
    It depends. If you will be living in metro Boston, most likely you won't need snows. Although we can get lots of snow, the plows are usually out there early and often. If you will be living/commuting outside of 495, you may want to consider them or if you are a salesperson who needs to be out on the road every day. Given that, I live inside of 128 but got snows for the very first time this past winter for our Ody. It was just added security for my wife as she drives our kids around. I haven't had snows on any of my front drive cars.

    "2. Chains ? what's that ?"
    To put on the drive wheels. You won't need them - they are illegal in Massachusetts. As are studded snows IIRC.

    "3. Anti-corrosion paint under the chassis....to prevent from salt corrosion used for snow."
    You mean rust-proofing? Naahh. Many times that is more harmful as it can trap moisture and plug drain holes. Most if not all cars already use anti corrosive agents to protect the steel. Just be sure to go to a self serve car wash in the winter to get most of the crud off.

    Subarus are very common here in New England (within 10 miles of me are 3 Sube dealers) and people get around just fine. Just remember though that the AWD will not get you around any faster than anyone else in the winter. If a good storm hits during the commute hours, just deal with it. Go slow, be careful, and be late for work.
  • kkoomarkkoomar Member Posts: 5
    Thanks.............

    Which I pretty much don;t need any of the 3. I will be living north of 128....say andover for e.g.

    My office will be in Burlington....strange huh.

    My impression is that AWD will not get you faster but may be safer.......i notice the benfit of awd in houston even in rain.....when we compare our subie to our MPV.....but MPV has its great utility for the family......which we don't want to give up either........

    Thanks for your advice......
  • kkoomarkkoomar Member Posts: 5
    I have read 3to 4 spontaneous cracked winshield on OB....in this townhall........

    I own an 01 OBW.....same problem.....it has cracked on the passenger side for about half an inch..
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