ccrien

Hi,. The Haynes US manual for the forester/ legacy is very good for my uk forester, and to be honest, a lot of the info is equally applicable to my non turbo Impreza but they are both a little older than yours and within the date range covered by this manual. Haynes US only do an Impreza manual for 2002 onwards, but despite this you might find some of the info is relevant in a general way, and may be an interesting read anyway? Try Amazon, or https://wordery.com/subaru-impreza-and-wrx-automotive-repair-manual-anon-9781620921203?currency=GBP&gtrck=RDdua0J0blkrRG9jNFVzeWl5Nnd6eTFvdjhrVFpLMmRUNk51bXRiZmd6elJDcmdFN0pCUkpMNHpDY1crWnZXRmVyTjU3UjZDV2lzbDJyd2ZjQVdvd3c9PQ&gclid=COHEyMGUgc0CFYpAGwodL_wMpg

Hi Don, Did you not get into bother for parking on the bowling green to take that photo? It looks Like a bowling green, either that or you're in a really posh place - never seen a lawn like that in a park since I was a kid!

Making me jealous! Enjoy getting it tidied up into a fine fettle.

Hi, welcome. Nice looking car, what mileage does it have?

Hi there,. A decent backbox will give a nice deep tone and extra noise, and are dead easy to fit so long as you buy one such as the Hayward and Scott specially made for a GX and not a WRX box where the flange angle and size is different To get a "burble" you need unequal length headers that are pretty expensive, not a simple task to fit, and harder to find in the UK. ( Also because typically the non turbos are cruising at higher revs the burble won't be the same as a WRX.) I tried an ex WRX Prodrive backbox on my non turbo, with a special adaptor needed to fit to the centre pipe. It gave a lovely deep rumble tone, ( no burble) but the innards broke up and when it lost most of the fibre stuffing it was too loud for me. Replaced with a cheap copy of the original box from React Catalysts (euro car parts) and the original chrome tail trim. if doing it again would get an H and S backbox and maybe centre pipe. Leave the original headers/manifold and a cheap cat from React if you need one because of rusted through flanges. Hope that helps.

Great little write-up Mark.

Cheers,. Looking at the pics again, there are little details like the silver one has both headlight washer jets still in place. No idea what it might cost you to get through an MOT, but not a bad looking car for the money. Watch out in case you need ( to borrow?) a cat to get emissions through an MOT on either car.

Sounds like that rebuild can be trusted. Should be a sound engine. But, also sounds like you like the look of the other one better though - Will you regret not going for the blue one if you went for the silver? Heart versus head decision coming up. Your decision. Good luck and best wishes either way

Depends how much you trust the quality of the rebuild ? Difficult decision.

Try tensioning the belt first,. Maybe the extra load on the alternator / battery in winter is causing the belt to slip just a little if it's a tad loose. When it's slipping the power steering won't work. Dead easy to adjust on the non turbo models, a locknut to loosen then a threaded rod / bolt to adjust, expect yours will be very similar layout.

No idea really, sorry, but to try to pinpoint it a bit better, first question, is it possibly a small water leak dripping onto somewhere hot, in other words more like steam and coolant rather than smoke? 2. Is the coolant still clear and clean or frothy or oily? 3. Check the radiator by taking the cap off and make sure the rad itself is full, not just the expansion tank? might be worth a can of rad weld in the system to see if it seals any small pinhole or smaller leaks. If it's something more serious, a proper fix is needed. good luck

Happy Christmas and a great new year to all. Also that the new year brings a new lease of life to all of our Subarus, since many of them must be getting on in years a bit!

Welcome along,. Pity the forum is so quiet but sure someone will be along with some ideas soon,. Cheers.

Pleased to help. Great news it worked out well and also we're keeping the forum useful and alive!

Well done Mark, great little write up

There's a Subaru cover appeared on gumtree, search under Subaru Northumberland, or. https://www.gumtree.com/p/car-part-accessories/subaru-inpreza-2001-2007-waterproof-car-cover-/1138755528 Any use?

Hi Mark, Are you taking one of your summer wheels as a full size spare instead of the space saver? Something I sometimes do when going on a remote trip up the border hills just in case of a bad puncture. Mind that's just Scotland/England ha ha. Enjoy the trip.

Good luck Mark, sounds like a great adventure worth posting a few pics up here once you've made it.

Welcome.

Cheers, will have to buy that book next.

Bought a Haynes book a few years ago but sounds like a different one -for just a few pounds from bookworks or something like that ( the bargain shops at outlet centres). Lots of reading in there, certainly makes you realise how many different versions and "special editions" of Impreza there are, and the book really covers a fraction of them. Didn't spot any convertible in mine? Only fault is that it's a compilation of Autocar road tests over the years, so it's written from the point of a professional road tester ( and from the perspective of a new Impreza for "joe public" against other cars available at that time - rather than from a Subaru enthusiasts point of view. If that makes sense? ). They also did a similar book but just the history of the Impreza rally cars. Bargains. Sad case that I am, also bought the US Haynes workshop manual for the forester and legacy from Amazon, and sometimes just read through that to understand how my foresters built, and prime myself ready for any minor fixes!

Yup. The lawyers over there will be drafting out mass "class actions" already, claiming fortunes for the mental torture caused to Eco conscious buyers who thought they were doing the planet good buying a low polluting VW, then they found out they were actually doing harm ! Seriously though, if they payed a premium for a respected German brand, then found out it's no better then others on low emissions, they have a case. Should have bought a thirsty V8 or a Subaru in the first place and be done with it.

Mine are steel grey for summer and gold for winter. Winter wheels were a bargain from gumtree ( ex new age WRX), self- refurbed in bronze originally, then gold, but going bright silver this year.

Welcome along.

Get a set for winter with winter tyres and have your summer and winter wheels totally different colours then you won't get bored with any one colour quite so quickly?