Crossed the 250K mile mark today

Congratulations!

Sure would like my Subie to duplicate the accomplishment. Any maintenance tips you care to share? Oil type, synthetic, regular, how frequently changed?

M.J.

Thanx for posting. Some folks think all soobs are trouble prone piles of junk - just because folks turn to the net with their problems.

Carl

Thanks, Carl. I've been thinking, when I first got the car it averaged around 26mpg. It's still using the original O2 sensor, and I wonder if replacing that might get my mileage back.

It will take somewhat longer to complete the second 250K. I bought a motorcycle in the Spring and I use that for 90% of my travel measured by number of trips, although the Subie does most of the long trips. In general I try to drive very smoothly, even though I run pretty fast on the highway and out in the boonies. So I'm not stressing the mechanical bits very hard. I think the brakes have been done only twice, and the fronts are still less than half used. In a run along I-95 from Providence to Stamford, which I do frequently, I may not touch the brake for 100 miles.

I change the oil myself, at 3K mile intervals using Purolator Pure 1 filters exclusively and 10W40 dino oil - Castrol is in there now. I tried Shell Rotella synthetic for a couple of changes. It has superior cleaning/neutralizing ability being a diesel truck oil, and I use it in my bike, but the 5W40 is too thin at startup and it's noisy for the first couple of miles.

The interior still looks almost new - rubber floormats in the front protect the carpet and good-quality saddle dressing (RM Williams) applied twice a year on the leather seats. It's available at tack shops. I clean all the vinyl and rubber parts with Meguiar's. The car has always been garaged. That's about it.

Hi,

Congratulations!

Now that it's "broken in," you're gonna keep us posted on the next milestones, right? I got 360k miles on my Loyale before it broke something bad, and it was WAY "less than pampered" when I bought it used at 209k, so it "only" went another 150k or so on a "compromised immune system" as it were. My understanding is some of those older ones made a half mil or better being driven as postal delivery vehicles. I'd like to see some 400k and 500k reports from more "current" owners. Hope yours is one of 'em!

Rick

I'd say you got about twice the life outta the O2 sensor than most folks, but in all fairness, your usage pattern may lead to fewer rich conditions and less moisture buildup and perhaps other favorable conditions I can't dream up at the moment. There are ways to use a scope and maybe even an analog voltmeter to see if lambda sensors are switching lazily. But if you can't do the tst yourself, the cost of that service would probably pay half towards a new sensor - so yeah, probably wouldn't hurt to change it and maybe clean the MAF/throttle body (with the soob or other 'MAF-safe' solvent) maybe run a bottle of Techron through the gas tank just to see if the injector spary pattern needs a little improvement. Certainly doesn't sound like anything severe is wrong.

keep up the good work!

Carl

Just thought I'd add in that my mom's 95 Legacy L wagon is at now 306,000 miles and running strong after the tailshaft seal fix last week. Her vehicle has done ALOT of interstate driving and 2 lane mountain driving. I've contributed a ton of mileage to that. But most of her mileage came from driving from Nothern Virginia down to Southern Tennessee for my sister being in college. She hasn't been as super kind to it as you have with yours, although she's maintained it properly using nothing but Castrol Syntec 10w40 for the life of the vehicle. The only major issues to have happened on the vehicle in recent memory are replacing the rear brakes last year, the catalytic converter, CV boots, rear brake rotors/pads/calipers, ABS brake pump, usual seals, gaskets, timing belts, water pump, etc.

For the entire time of ownership when she purchased this new, she's never had any axles replaced, no transmission replacements/teardowns, or engine replacement or teardowns. No leaky headgaskets, no failing cooling systems, etc. She keeps it garage kept and minus the small dings in the body from gravels and others opening doors without looking, i think she can keep this to 600,000 miles. I told her it'd be well worth it to let it go and go and go and see if it gets beyond 500,000 without major engine overhaul work or tranny work.