I am thinking of replacing my 99 Outback with a 2002 Outback 3.0 H6 with
50K miles. Any advice on things I should be looking out for ?

TIA

BrritSki wrote:
> I am thinking of replacing my 99 Outback with a 2002 Outback 3.0 H6 with
> 50K miles. Any advice on things I should be looking out for ?
>
> TIA

Look for all 4 tires to be the same brand/model with equal wear. Make
sure the FWD fuse is NOT in the fuse block under the hood and the FWD
light is off on the instrument cluster. THEN, do some slow, tight turns
or figure eights in a dry parking lot somewhere and try to sense any
'jerkiness' while maneuvering.
Take it on some clear highway - try to cruise at 75mph. Then stomp the
gas as if to pass. Try to feel for a very hard downshift. Ours has done
this since we bought it. It is only annoying on cross-country trips and
no mechanic seems to be able to duplicate it. Setting the cruise on 75
or 80 and going up a grade in southern Colarado will make it downshift
VERY hard - 'most' times. If you will be using the car in this way a lot
- make sure it doesn't exhibit this behavior.
If you hear wind noise - likely the 'gussets' near the mirror on the
doors need squeezing together. Lowere the windows and squeeze the rubber
together. There is some kind of TSB I think for internal
adjustment/rubber replacement - but if you squeeze them together
occasionally and train yourself to avoid pushing the galls when closing
the doors, they stay OK for a very long time.
Make sure the A/C is working. I think some bad hoses have been found
around that year model on the compressors (had my wife's 03 a/c hoses
replaced barely under warranty).
Consider paying a good mechanic $100 or so to inspect it "as if he were
buying it for his wife/daughter" if you have the slightest concerns.
Also, be aware that car is probably gonna run best on hi or maybe
mid-grade gasoline.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
> BrritSki wrote:
>> I am thinking of replacing my 99 Outback with a 2002 Outback 3.0 H6
>> with 50K miles. Any advice on things I should be looking out for ?
>>
>> TIA
>
> Look for all 4 tires to be the same brand/model with equal wear. Make
> sure the FWD fuse is NOT in the fuse block under the hood and the FWD
> light is off on the instrument cluster. THEN, do some slow, tight turns
> or figure eights in a dry parking lot somewhere and try to sense any
> 'jerkiness' while maneuvering.
> Take it on some clear highway - try to cruise at 75mph. Then stomp the
> gas as if to pass. Try to feel for a very hard downshift. Ours has done
> this since we bought it. It is only annoying on cross-country trips and
> no mechanic seems to be able to duplicate it. Setting the cruise on 75
> or 80 and going up a grade in southern Colarado will make it downshift
> VERY hard - 'most' times. If you will be using the car in this way a lot
> - make sure it doesn't exhibit this behavior.
> If you hear wind noise - likely the 'gussets' near the mirror on the
> doors need squeezing together. Lowere the windows and squeeze the rubber
> together. There is some kind of TSB I think for internal
> adjustment/rubber replacement - but if you squeeze them together
> occasionally and train yourself to avoid pushing the galls when closing
> the doors, they stay OK for a very long time.
> Make sure the A/C is working. I think some bad hoses have been found
> around that year model on the compressors (had my wife's 03 a/c hoses
> replaced barely under warranty).
> Consider paying a good mechanic $100 or so to inspect it "as if he were
> buying it for his wife/daughter" if you have the slightest concerns.
> Also, be aware that car is probably gonna run best on hi or maybe
> mid-grade gasoline.
>
Carl, thanks for some great tips.

Not sure what "the galls" are though - can't see an obvious typo, so
could you explain please ? Thanks again, Roger

> Not sure what "the galls" are though - can't see an obvious typo, so could
> you explain please ? Thanks again, Roger

Pushing the windows, perhaps, to close the door? You're not supposed to
push against the window when closing a frameless door as the window has no
support until closed, and may not close correctly because you can be forcing
the window out of alignment, along with trim / moulding pieces.

~Brian

"BrritSki" <BrritSki@iname.com> wrote in message
news:5hjr17F3j25f6U1@mid.individual.net...
> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>> BrritSki wrote:
>>> I am thinking of replacing my 99 Outback with a 2002 Outback 3.0 H6 with
>>> 50K miles. Any advice on things I should be looking out for ?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>
>> Look for all 4 tires to be the same brand/model with equal wear. Make
>> sure the FWD fuse is NOT in the fuse block under the hood and the FWD
>> light is off on the instrument cluster. THEN, do some slow, tight turns
>> or figure eights in a dry parking lot somewhere and try to sense any
>> 'jerkiness' while maneuvering.
>> Take it on some clear highway - try to cruise at 75mph. Then stomp the
>> gas as if to pass. Try to feel for a very hard downshift. Ours has done
>> this since we bought it. It is only annoying on cross-country trips and
>> no mechanic seems to be able to duplicate it. Setting the cruise on 75 or
>> 80 and going up a grade in southern Colarado will make it downshift VERY
>> hard - 'most' times. If you will be using the car in this way a lot -
>> make sure it doesn't exhibit this behavior.
>> If you hear wind noise - likely the 'gussets' near the mirror on the
>> doors need squeezing together. Lowere the windows and squeeze the rubber
>> together. There is some kind of TSB I think for internal
>> adjustment/rubber replacement - but if you squeeze them together
>> occasionally and train yourself to avoid pushing the galls when closing
>> the doors, they stay OK for a very long time.
>> Make sure the A/C is working. I think some bad hoses have been found
>> around that year model on the compressors (had my wife's 03 a/c hoses
>> replaced barely under warranty).
>> Consider paying a good mechanic $100 or so to inspect it "as if he were
>> buying it for his wife/daughter" if you have the slightest concerns.
>> Also, be aware that car is probably gonna run best on hi or maybe
>> mid-grade gasoline.
>>
> Carl, thanks for some great tips.
>
> Not sure what "the galls" are though - can't see an obvious typo, so could
> you explain please ? Thanks again, Roger

BrritSki wrote:
> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>
>> BrritSki wrote:
>>
>>> I am thinking of replacing my 99 Outback with a 2002 Outback 3.0 H6
>>> with 50K miles. Any advice on things I should be looking out for ?
>>>
>>> TIA
>>
>>
>> Look for all 4 tires to be the same brand/model with equal wear. Make
>> sure the FWD fuse is NOT in the fuse block under the hood and the FWD
>> light is off on the instrument cluster. THEN, do some slow, tight
>> turns or figure eights in a dry parking lot somewhere and try to sense
>> any 'jerkiness' while maneuvering.
>> Take it on some clear highway - try to cruise at 75mph. Then stomp the
>> gas as if to pass. Try to feel for a very hard downshift. Ours has
>> done this since we bought it. It is only annoying on cross-country
>> trips and no mechanic seems to be able to duplicate it. Setting the
>> cruise on 75 or 80 and going up a grade in southern Colarado will make
>> it downshift VERY hard - 'most' times. If you will be using the car in
>> this way a lot - make sure it doesn't exhibit this behavior.
>> If you hear wind noise - likely the 'gussets' near the mirror on the
>> doors need squeezing together. Lowere the windows and squeeze the
>> rubber together. There is some kind of TSB I think for internal
>> adjustment/rubber replacement - but if you squeeze them together
>> occasionally and train yourself to avoid pushing the galls when
>> closing the doors, they stay OK for a very long time.
>> Make sure the A/C is working. I think some bad hoses have been found
>> around that year model on the compressors (had my wife's 03 a/c hoses
>> replaced barely under warranty).
>> Consider paying a good mechanic $100 or so to inspect it "as if he
>> were buying it for his wife/daughter" if you have the slightest concerns.
>> Also, be aware that car is probably gonna run best on hi or maybe
>> mid-grade gasoline.
>>
> Carl, thanks for some great tips.
>
> Not sure what "the galls" are though - can't see an obvious typo, so
> could you explain please ? Thanks again, Roger

HAH! yes - sorry that should be 'glass'! I really should learn to use
spell check I suppose!

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
> BrritSki wrote:
>> Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
>>
>>> BrritSki wrote:
>>>
>>>> I am thinking of replacing my 99 Outback with a 2002 Outback 3.0 H6
>>>> with 50K miles. Any advice on things I should be looking out for ?
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>
>>>
>>> Look for all 4 tires to be the same brand/model with equal wear. Make
>>> sure the FWD fuse is NOT in the fuse block under the hood and the FWD
>>> light is off on the instrument cluster. THEN, do some slow, tight
>>> turns or figure eights in a dry parking lot somewhere and try to
>>> sense any 'jerkiness' while maneuvering.
>>> Take it on some clear highway - try to cruise at 75mph. Then stomp
>>> the gas as if to pass. Try to feel for a very hard downshift. Ours
>>> has done this since we bought it. It is only annoying on
>>> cross-country trips and no mechanic seems to be able to duplicate it.
>>> Setting the cruise on 75 or 80 and going up a grade in southern
>>> Colarado will make it downshift VERY hard - 'most' times. If you will
>>> be using the car in this way a lot - make sure it doesn't exhibit
>>> this behavior.
>>> If you hear wind noise - likely the 'gussets' near the mirror on the
>>> doors need squeezing together. Lowere the windows and squeeze the
>>> rubber together. There is some kind of TSB I think for internal
>>> adjustment/rubber replacement - but if you squeeze them together
>>> occasionally and train yourself to avoid pushing the galls when
>>> closing the doors, they stay OK for a very long time.
>>> Make sure the A/C is working. I think some bad hoses have been found
>>> around that year model on the compressors (had my wife's 03 a/c hoses
>>> replaced barely under warranty).
>>> Consider paying a good mechanic $100 or so to inspect it "as if he
>>> were buying it for his wife/daughter" if you have the slightest
>>> concerns.
>>> Also, be aware that car is probably gonna run best on hi or maybe
>>> mid-grade gasoline.
>>>
>> Carl, thanks for some great tips.
>>
>> Not sure what "the galls" are though - can't see an obvious typo, so
>> could you explain please ? Thanks again, Roger
>
> HAH! yes - sorry that should be 'glass'! I really should learn to use
> spell check I suppose!
>
Thanks for the clarification (and to Brian too). Fortunately I don't
ever do this, so shouldn't be a problem.