Newer Subaru

[Snailmaillady]

Anyone delivering in one of the newer Subarus using a conversion kit? Ground clearance and cargo space on the Wilderness Edition for the Forester and Outback are similar to the current Jeeps.
I love the space in my van but it isn't made for dirt roads.

 

[Unclewolverine]

I'm not up to date on the newer stuff, not even sure if they still use boxer engines. Older ones ate headgaskets and I think were fairly maintenence intensive. As always on anything with A arm suspension, keep an eye on those ball joints!

 

[Snailmaillady]

I'm not up to date on the newer stuff, not even sure if they still use boxer engines. Older ones ate headgaskets and I think were fairly maintenence intensive. As always on anything with A arm suspension, keep an eye on those ball joints!

Yeah I definitely will be checking with my local mechanics about the maintenance side. They more less talked me out of a Jeep unless I fix up my XJ.

 

[Unclewolverine]

Yeah I definitely will be checking with my local mechanics about the maintenance side. They more less talked me out of a Jeep unless I fix up my XJ.

They are right. My last xj hit 416k before it got totaled. All jeeps built past the discontinuation of the 4.0 are basically junk, not mail rated anyhow.

 

[Snailmaillady]

They are right. My last xj hit 416k before it got totaled. All jeeps built past the discontinuation of the 4.0 are basically junk, not mail rated anyhow.

Well I have my 96 XJ at the shop to see what it will take to run again. I'm guessing fuel pump and alternator. It sounded good until it started running rough like it was starving. 285K Factory RHD 4x4. I still have other stuff like fixing the rear bumper and back hatch so it will open, but it has to run first.

 

[DB.Cooper]

I'm not up to date on the newer stuff, not even sure if they still use boxer engines. Older ones ate headgaskets and I think were fairly maintenence intensive. As always on anything with A arm suspension, keep an eye on those ball joints!

Supposedly the boxer generation that came in about 2010 fixed the head gasket problem.... I've got a 2012 that has close to 270K on it and it's never really had any engine issues.... so actually, pretty impressive....

 

[Morty]

I bought a new Forester in 2014 and ran it 3 years with a conversion. I bought Subarus commercial warranty with it. Everything that broke was fixed...they even replaced my seat because it was getting worn.

I actually hate having ground clearance. I've had it up to here! having a postmaster or ungrateful pos "customer" demand I go down someone's logging path/rut path/unplowed unmaintained suspension destroying cow path because I have a subaru or jeep. My 5 inch clearance van works just fine. And now I don't drive down cow paths or unmaintained roads. Vans are nice.

 

[Unclewolverine]

Well I have my 96 XJ at the shop to see what it will take to run again. I'm guessing fuel pump and alternator. It sounded good until it started running rough like it was starving. 285K Factory RHD 4x4. I still have other stuff like fixing the rear bumper and back hatch so it will open, but it has to run first.

Hopefully you have a competent mechanic! 96s are referred to as the b*stard year because they have a lot of one year specific parts, one of which is the fuel pump assembly, most places have it wrong. The best way to replace it is buy the fuel pump by itself and put it in your old assembly; I've heard you can't even get the correct complete unit at all any more. Lucky its easy to test the fuel pressure, and the fuel filter is easy to replace on its own. Have the alternator rebuilt, usually costs half as much and will last longer than the chinesium parts store replacement.

 

[Snailmaillady]

He knows XJs. A couple of coworkers recommended him. The 96 is odd. I couldn't use much from my 95 and the parts for a 97 were also different. My dad used to work on it with/for me until he decided it was more than he wanted to do.