Consumer Reports kudos for Subaru

a "realistic" test of a possibly fatal design flaw? might be hard to find volunteer test drivers under those circumstances. how would YOU propose to test cars for rollover stability?

C&D doesn't do CotY, do they? (website is thin)

But, try 1978.

I drove my 1984 Horizon to about 150,000 miles, on the original clutch, one replacement alternator, and basic maintenance. (lots of mufflers, tho) The engine (Mitsubishi) was bulletproof, the body was a POS. It was my first new car, and I never regretted buying it for a second.

-John O

tom wrote in news:2005030809531443658% nospam@ecologicaltechcom:

It's already being done:

It was cheap roomy , and performed well in the GLH trim for 10K or so. I had an 86 Daytona and loved it. My Brothers Shelby Daytona 89 kicked a lot of cars' butts and it was under 12k.

The belt on my H6 Outback was replaced under warrenty at 12500 miles. The reason was that it was glazed; that't why it squealed. Why was it glazed so soon? No answer.

Will it glaze again and not be under warrenty? If you don't know why it happened, you can't fix it.

Al

Preuming you mean the drive belt, the most probable reason is that it dit not have enough tension and slipped on the pulleys causing the glaze. I think your user's handboook tells you how to check for a properly tensionned drive belt.

In the old days, we called it the fan belt, the alternator belt, the power steering belt and the A/C belt. Now there is one belt that does all. When it fails, all fails. On one car, I had the alternator seize up. The belt broke, but I was still able to get to work and then home after work on the battery. Try that if that damn serpentine belt breaks.

Yes, I checked the tenssion and it was correct. The H6 has an automatic tensioner anyway.

Al

But its easy to carry a spare and if it does break its easy to swap it on your own. Changing individual belts is a pain and requires tools. The all purpose emergency belts they sell are iseal to replace a serpentine belt.

It's my wife's car. She wouldn't have a clue. And also isn't strong enough to horse around with car mechanics.

Many years ago, she drove her '71 Pontiac home with almost no coolant. She told me that she thought the red light meant, "Get home, quick." Fortunately, the old big block V8 was durable and it was several more years before two hydraulic valve lifters had holes worn into them by the cams. Since I only lived 2 miles from work, I drove that beast on six cylinders for about half a year before I sold it for parts for $75. The whistling from the engine would drive the local dogs crazy. Yes, I removed the spark plugs from the two bad cylinders so there was no compression. Try that with your Subbie!

Al