New Subie!

[Laxaholic]

Bought a 2006 Subaru Impreza 2.5 wagon a few weeks ago. Has a manual trans, aspen white in color and black/gray interior. I bought it because I landed a job a few hundred miles away for the summer and couldn't pass up the deal. $6000 flat, with 89,000 miles and excellent on fuel, for my standards anyway. It's in immaculate shape, even had the single, prior owner's DoD sticker still on it. It also has a warranty on major components through the dealer, pretty good deal.

I will have time to retire the 100, save some money while working and decide what to do next, as far as vehicles go, once I have some cash in my account.

Sure, I would love for it to be a WRX, but I can't afford a new one and don't feel like buying into someone's elses problem. The 2.5 will do.

The subaru supposedly averages 30mpg highway on regular fuel, in town around 20 or so. I haven't had a chance to calculate it yet.

Does anyone currently run one of these? How hard would it be to add in some heated seats?

I imagine after the summer that I could turn a profit if I sold it in the right area, like the NC mountains, but would like to make it comfortable for now. I'm throwing in my kickin' stereo and driving it stock. Great little engine, a blast to drive. It feels like it's running on rails, very fun and solid on dirt roads.

Anything to look out for? Little mods that help? Any advice or pictures that you guys could post up would be great!

Thanks again.
-Jack

 

[E.J.]

Sweet deal on the Impreza, we just paid that much for an older higher mileage Foz for my wife. If you fall in love with it and start thinking of venturing beyond graded dirt roads get a front skid plate IMO. The oil pan under that flat four is just hanging there looking for a rock to smash into.

 

[Bdiddy11]

Heated seats is just a matter of hooking up some wires... It may even be prewired and just plug n play. If not, you can run the wires to a fuse block of some sort. That's how I added power seats to a Cherokee once... Just running wires to a buss style fuse block.

 

[Laxaholic]

Got just over 29mpg on the last tank, with some rather spirited driving and 200 of those miles being city driving.

Really think some mud flaps would look good, some rally armor ones. Can't decide between the classic rally and the basic. Anyone have an insight?
http://www.rallyarmor.com/store/ral....html?osCsid=6ec74c295be99ce8e5bf670d48b17e2a

Definitely need to look at a light bar for the front end, seems bare. The bars are just so overpriced.

Since I'd be adding in my stereo and its components, plus some possible driving lights...would I need a bigger battery? Never had a vehicle with a battery as small as the subaru.

 

[Laxaholic]

Have found some things that I would like to add to the Subaru;

1. Some hot USB ports for charging, to be placed in the factory blanks. Could anyone point me toward the best way to do this? I've read to write-ups and just want to see what y'all think.

2. Lighting for the rear hatch cargo area, oddly there isn't any. Can be a pain at night when searching for something back there.

I have someone that will tint the Subaru for a good deal, is 20-25% too dark? I realize it's darker than legal here in Georgia, but that's alright. My brother's have 5% on their vehicles and it's just not functional, can't see out of the back.

Fuel mileage is still good, low 20s in town and approx. 30 on the highway.


Thanks again.

 

[gahi]

If your putting a new stereo in anyway, get one with a usb port on the front.

 

[Laxaholic]

The new stereo is in, and has one usb slot. I would just like to add another, it's a pain to charge from the standard ash tray spot because of its proximity to the 5spd.

I'm also very interested in roof racks for it, any ideas?

 

[WMDunkin]

It depends on what you are looking for. Basket or box? Trailer or Cargo tray? You can DIY your own rack, but Just get a proper bar/mount. I have seen everything from a pallets to high end custom pieces. amazon and google images for ideas.

 

[Laxaholic]

Update:

Took it to the Subaru dealer in my area and had all of the fluids base-lined, washed & waxed, full tank and hitting the road.

Still trying to figure out some hot usb charge points in the factory blanks and throwing a roof rack on.
Also want to figure out how to come some light in the rear cargo area at night. Any good ideas?
I can have the entire car tinted with 20% for 100$, anyone think that it would be too dark? Would hate to not be able to see out of the back at night.

95,000 miles and running strong.

 

[MoLS]

Just my $0.2 on the RA flaps. I put them on my foz and ended up ripping the back flaps off multiple times by backing over rocks while on some rougher trails. If you're not going to be doing that kind of stuff then they work great. I ended up just taking the rear flaps off for good but still run the fronts as I haven't had an issue with them yet.

 

[Laxaholic]

Just rolled over 100,000 miles, running great. Put new speakers in it and tint, works well.

 

[jonnyquest]

Beautiful car. Pics would be nice. Especially on dirt.

 

[Rosco862003]

A little late to the party, but yes someone does have this exact same car, and I love it. I've been on the beach, dirt roads and snow. As you can hopefully tell from the pictures, the car is more than capable of pushing through some pretty crappy conditions. The pictures are of me on relatively smooth terrain, but this is due to me not really being able to get out and snap a pick while in the deep sand...and yes the sand you see on the bumper is what I had to push through at times, and a Forester lift is in the works. I haven't yet had the opportunity to put my mud flaps on but, I picked up some cheap plastic cutting boards from IKEA for $11 as opposed to going the Rally Armor route. I just can't stomach paying that kinda coin for something that I can get for much cheaper.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50153123/ I'm using the red ones.
The only real issue I've had with the car is the oil pressure sensor for the i-AVLS that requires 12 lb.ft to snug it up. Unfortunately, the (insert bad word here) who had it before me screwed it too tight and it cracked the head causing a slow leak. I just figured it was something minor but after taking a look at it, it fractured the aluminum head, requiring a new head. Car still drove perfectly fine but leaked oil on the header causing it to smoke at lights. $1900 later I'm good to go. So if you do run into this problem, it's best to take it to Subaru and have them fix it, or break it and pay for it. Either way it's an easy fix that can have dire consequences if done incorrectly. These motors reportedly also like to eat oil so make it a habit to check your dipstick to avoid any issues. Due to the center diff on these cars, it's pretty important to monitor your tire pressures as well. If not you can be looking at a new center differential. I ran into this the other day and I'm not sure if you have a new battery or not. But these cars are Drive By Wire and as such when you replace the battery, everything needs to be recalibrated. Now the car does this but if your throttle body is cruddy like mine was, it won't calibrate properly and will simply cut off under load. I found this out after shelling out $85 to Subaru for a simple throttle body cleaning. So when replacing the battery, I would suggest cleaning the throttle body. One very cheap mod that I did on my car was install an 18mm swaybar from a 1996 Outback. It is a direct replacement for our 13mm excuse for a spaghetti noodle, and does wonders in terms of making the car more neutral. Good luck with your car and just PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Laxaholic]

I haven't been too impressed with the Subaru recently. Over the summer, I left the university and headed for the coast for work. The Subaru left me without a vehicle for two weeks, and had to be serviced at the dealer. I thought I had everything fixed, and on my way home on I16 in GA, the check engine light came on, again, and knocked out the cruise control for the rest of the trip. The light remains on and because I live in rural GA for university, the nearest Subaru dealer is 100miles away.

I bought this vehicle to save money, to save on fuel, and still be able to hit the slopes when the snow comes down up north. Any money saved on fuel has been spent trying to repair this computer-ridden pop can. By the looks of it, a Toyota should be on the horizon.

For the time being, I will end up driving my younger brother's '98 Chevy 1500 z71. I just not sure what to do, the thing is great when it's running properly. Hell, I got the N/A 2.5i 5mt, so it'd be more reliable than a WRX, but I should have just gone with the WRX....just ridiculous.

 

[cosmiccharlie]

Why did it have to be serviced at the dealer? Happen to pull the codes and see why the CEL came on?