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Any car gearheads?

P

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ah. The plague of being a single, non-automotive inclined woman in the city:

I've a 2002 Subaru Legacy Outback sedan with around 37,100 miles on it. I bought her new, and for the first year and a half that I owned her, I put on a ton of miles; for the last 3+ years, I drive at most 2 times a week, but sometimes less frequently. I don't have any add-on gadgets like a GPS or DVD player.

Anyway I brought her in to the shop -- which I've never gone to before because I'd always gone to Subaru dealership off in the boonies -- today for a long-overdue oil change and was told that I'd need a new battery, stat. I know batteries die and I know that 5 years could be nearing the end of a car battery's life. And, it would really be crummy to be out in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery. But, does it matter what type of battery gets put into a car -- ie, from a dealership's service department vs. a service station's mechanic, whom I haven't had any sort of relationship with in the past? I'm assuming that the mechanic has some sort of thingamajig that he can use to test the battery's charge, right? And I'm also assuming that, theoretically, my battery could just decide not to work one day, without any prior sign. Is this true?

Any thoughts from anyone more car-innards savvy than me?

Thanks!
 
I have an Outback as well - older than yours, though. At 5 years, it probably isn't a bad idea to replace the battery. The key is "cold-cranking amps." Since you're not in a super-cold region, this isn't paramount (it sure is here in Maine). Whichever route you go (I'd personally do dealership), just make sure that you get a warranty with it, which most dealerships do provide. Sears does as well, they make a good battery (Die-Hard) with a good warranty. Plan on spending about $75.

The one heads-up about Subarus that I will tell you about is that there is a high incidence of head gasket failure for Outbacks made prior to 2004. This has something to do with the 2.5 liter engine. This is a big, nasty, expensive repair. Happened to me a couple of years ago, but mine had 110k at the time. Watch for oil drips under the engine, also "funny"/strange smells (that's oil burning on something hot when it drips).

Don't mean to scare you or anything, especially if you just need a battery!! But it's a big problem with Outbacks made between 95-03, google "Subaru head gasket failure" for more info.
 
Thanks. I just bit the bullet and got the new battery from the mechanic. I figured there was probably a reason the warranty was for a certain period of time, and then I figured the car had spent the first 1.5 years of my ownership parked outside in New England (albeit, driven daily for up to 2.5 hours). Then I read the Click & Clack article and realized I had no idea how long the car was on the lot before I bought it.

Now about that gasket.....(I think I actually had brougt the car in on a recall for that one, but I need to check). :smile:
 
Pequenita---LOL, you listen to Click & Clack, the Tappett Brothers? too funny, I get them on NPR radio on Saturdays (when I'm not skiing, of course).
 
I like their credits: Legal Firm of "Dewey, Cheatem & Howe"
Limo service by "Pickup Anddropov"
 
Argh. Picked up the car and now there is a rattle coming from the front right area when I brake with the car in gear -- it has the consistency of a woodpecker's pecks, but it's definitely a rattle (as opposed to a knock). Nothing physical is going on as I'm actually braking, though (ie, not a warped brake disc), but as long as I have my foot on the brake and the transmission in drive (but not neutral), the rattle is there. So, it rattles as I sit at a traffic light, and it rattles as I slow down to the traffic light. Got the transaxle pan gasket replaced and some filters replaced, so I'm hoping that it's just something not bolted down. :(
 
I just took my outback in for some seriously overdue maintenance. Literally within an hour of making the appointment, I was driving down the road and out came this obnoxious squeel. ( I thought for sure I was too late ) I pulled over, it stopped, started came back. Anyway, I had an airline mechanic in the car with me ( of all things ) and he said hit the brakes hard a few times to see what happens. So I did. His hunch was that I had gotten something stuck in the disk brakes. He must have been right, because after I did this a couple of times, it was fine. He said and so did the mechanic I take it to, stuff can get stuck in there and make weird noises especially common in the Outbacks. Hopefully this is all that you have going on too... Try slamming your brakes a few times and see if you can't knock something out of there.
 
Just noticed

I missed the part about the tranny. The other thing you have to watch with the outbacks is the "low-rev clutch piston seal" what happens is there is a bunch of dinner plate like things in your transmission that push together (whatever) when you stop to build pressure to go. ( I am not a mechanic bear with me here ) Anyway the auto tran OB's are prone to getting leaks in these piston seals so there isn't enough pressure to effectively slam the plates together. You may have a leak and they are getting stuck even for a second and then knocking together as the pressure builds or something like that. You want to check this one out sooner rather than later or you will buy the whole tranny. Mine was $2800.00:yell:
 
Ah, Subarus.....so the clutch pistons act up on the automatic trannies too, more specifically the seals....:eek: A clutch piston went out on mine a few years back, and this is a stick shift. Fortunately, it had a tell-tale sound that DH didn't like, so off to the dealer it went. Things got remedied before it was major big bucks.

Don't mess with the brakes, Peq. Take it in (again :mad2: ). I do feel your pain. Mine has been a real wallet-burner in the last 3 years. Doubt I'll have another.
 
Yep. Brought it in this morning, and told the skeptical mechanic my issue. He stared at me, sat down in the driver's seat and lo and behold, everything I described was happening (that's a small victory in and of itself). Anyway, he called around lunchtime and told me that a filter housing wasn't bolted down or was loose or something from yesterday, which is what I was suspecting in the first place. Phew!
 
Way to go! :clap: Don't you just love it when these mechanics think we're nuts and we turn out to be RIGHT ON???
 
Kiragirl said:
Gloria, what is your picture?
Click to expand...

That is "The auditor" when he was young and feisty. You will have to google him he lived at the Berkely Pit in Butte Montana. I love the story behind him, and his expression is better than any emotican I can find for I am just kidding, most of the time. Look him up, he is a bit of a hero to me in some ways, he has a great story behind him...
 
wo, what a story! I started reading, need to finish it tomorrow. very touching
 
Stop me I am hijacking again

The neat thing about this dog is his life is such a tribute to the attitude of the people whom live in Butte. Around here we affectionately call it the "toughest hill on earth" , because the people whom live there are so tough. I have strong family ties to the area and I tell you, people from Butte never complain about anything, and god forbid if you so much as wimper in front of them, they'll tell ya right off the bat, "Life is as hard as you make it" period, no sympathy. And coming from them, it means something, because there is nothing easy about living there, nothing.
 
My husband's father and his family were from Butte. Boy, are there some tales to tell from growing up in the 20s and 30s. DH's grandmother shot a man once. (Someone was trying to get in the front door, so she pulled out her gun and Bang. No one there the next day, just a lot of blood.)

There were 5 boys and a girl. All the brothers eventually joined the Marines (WW2, or Korea, for the younger ones) and left, and none moved back. I think the Marines were a softer life! lol
 
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