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Thanks Scoobywagon! Great info . Very helpful since I'll be getting the windshield replaced probably this month or the next. Much appreciated .

Good point. What kind of bit do they use for drilling? I have a diamond bit that might do the trick ... lol. I also saw online that there are some kits you can use yourself that are pretty effective at filling in chips, but they don't usually work on cracks just as you stated. I guess I'll have to call around and see what kind of prices I can get down here . EDIT: Lowest I found today was $185 installed. That's not too bad .

Hi Scoobywagon... got a question for you. I have a crack in my windshield that somewhere between 12 - 16 inches long I'd say, and is s-shaped. One place I talked to said that they can't repair that, and that I have to replace the whole windshield. Is this true? And why can't they do a repair? I'd rather not have to spend all the money on a new windshield, and just get the crack repaired. I thought that would be cheaper...

That's a good possibility . I read that there are fragrances you can spray into a car to maintain that "new car smell." So it's possible that it could have been cleaned in this way. But it does smell the same as just about every other car out there...

Cowgirl, there is a lengthy EPA article on the effects of ozone... http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html It says much about the ill effects of ozone, and little about it's positive effects, and that "available scientific evidence shows that at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone has little potential to remove indoor air contaminants." Furthermore,

I know how you feel ... I have a hard time riding is vehicles that are only a few years old, not to mention brand new ones! What's the difference between an ozone machine and an ionic purifier? EDIT: Never mind, found the answer .

If you read the above linked articles you will find that there have been studies done. The VOCs found in cars, many of them anyway, are carcinogens. Some have been linked to developmental problems in children. Either way you look at it, they do have detrimental effects on the nervous and immune system. Phthalates for instance are a known carcinogen... Interestingly, European car manufacturers have already been producing cars without these chemicals, as have been Japanese auto makers. At least in those markets... Ericem, yes I first noticed it in my family's Audi back in the early '90s. I would always get car sick, which was significantly aggravated by the smell.

Indeed . But yes, ventilation is the best option for now. I prefer driving with the windows down anyway... and I might get that ionic purifier maybe. The B.A.S. might be a good option to just leave in the car though and let it absorb the crap.

Ever since I was a kid I've always hated the "new car smell" because it makes me nauseous. Just thinking about it makes me feel funny, and I have a hard time being the passenger in a car where this odor is pronounced. It's not as bad if I am behind the wheel, fortunately. Older cars do not have this smell, in part because I don't think the same chemicals were used in their construction back then, and in part because of time. Until recently, older cars is all I had owned... so when I purchased a '93 Legacy this month, which is far from "new," I didn't think there would be an issue. To my surprise, the moment I opened the door I was hit with a strong odor that started to make me feel a little nauseous. Funny how that smell doesn't seem to go away even after 15+ years! After doing some research, I found two good articles that explain the reason for this odor. From Chemical & Engineering News... NEW CAR SMELL: VOCs account for the characteristic "newness" From the San Francisco Chronicle... Factory Air One particular important bit of information I found was that VOC concentration peaks when the car heats up with windows closed, but once you open the doors will dissipate quickly. That's good news. Even so, while there are a lot of articles talking about the problems with chemicals inside the cabin, none of them offer any solutions other than letting it air out for a few minutes. Fortunately there do appear to be some solutions available. The first being an ionic air purifier which does appear to at least reduce the smell (according to this article: link), and therefore the VOC concentration, available from Brookstone (link). The other is a gel that absorbs airborne allergens and chemicals, apparently used in buildings as well as cars, called Bad Air Sponge (link). Neither of these has undergone the testing that provides the origianl VOC data, however. Prices for these products are low enough to make them worth considering though. If anyone has additional ideas about how to neutralize these odors, I would be glad to hear about them. You would think that there might be a product for washing the interior with which accomplish this to some degree. Especially for the foam in the seats, which I think is a major contributor to this odor.

I figured as much, thanks! So yeah, I guess once those parts come in next week it's time for the install...

Got my Exedy clutch kit in yesterday . I took it out of the boxes to check it out and snapped a couple photos... As it turns out, the manufacturer for this kit is Daikin. Also, seeing that the components were made in Japan made me feel better about the purchase. Going on GD's recommendation, I ordered OEM bearings and won't be using the ones in the kit. I also opted to order clips and the fork. Might as well get that done while we're at it . Don't know how fast of a delivery to expect from 1stsubaruparts.com, but those bearings should be here sometime next week. I'm looking forward to getting this done and driving my new Sube!

Don't mention it . I'll be installing this unit in my Legacy soon, just waiting for the harnesses in the mail...

Thanks guys, I will stick with the part number. Might call to confirm, but the clips question would be good to know about as well. I already ordered new clips for the release bearing, but I guess the pilot bearing uses clips too?

Cool... thanks again. So one more question before I order that bearing... the site lists two bearings... link One is the "all models, w/o justy" for under $9 and the other is the "all models, w/ justy" for under $17. The part number listed by lostinthe202 refers to the first one. Going by the description, the second one should also work and I'm wondering if there is any point in spending an extra few bucks on that? I wouldn't care with it being such a small difference if it meant the bearing was better... But as GD said before, I'm over thinking this and it probably doesn't matter all that much... .

Thanks you very much for the information and links. I noticed that the schematic you linked said "4WD" and mine's 2WD. So I looked that up instead, and the schematic was the same. I guess either way it does have that pilot bearing in there...

I sure hope so, because the guy I talked with this morning gave me information that conflicted with what I have been told from the local dealer and here on the forum... (link). I do plan on ordering from them because their prices are good, but I'm still figuring out the details...

I talked with a guy at 1stsubaruparts.com today, think his name was Kent, who said that my car DOES have a pilot bearing. At this stage I'm more inclined to believe my local dealer and you, GD... cause that's two against one . However, I wanted to make sure before ordering the bearings from them. Any other way that I can confirm whether I need the pilot bearing on this one?

Glad to hear it, Bluestone . Seems like a good option for some Subarus, but it also sounds like with the engine I have it's not necessary since the EJ22 2.2 doesn't seem to be prone to head gasket issues... (according to this thread).

I called them today to place and order and asked for Jason in parts. The person on the phone said they didn't have a Jason in parts, but there was a Jason in the service department. So do you think that's still the same guy? And can he still look up parts even though he's in a different dept.?

Good to know! That should save me a few bucks .

Wow... LOL! That is one crazy wagon . Is that an air intake on the side? What in the world!?

Checked the local dealer today, and they said that I've got a free floating clutch which doesn't use a pilot bearing. Just wanted to run that by here to confirm...

Would love to check these out, but the photo links are dead ...

Thanks GD. Always appreciate your insight! I went ahead and ordered the kit from Amazon. It's an Exedy kit, and also happened to be the cheapest option, so I feel pretty good about that. Regarding the bearings, would you elaborate why filing a "cheaper" bearing would make it better? I am considering ordering the bearings from 1stsubaru.com, on account of them carrying the same OEM parts as the dealers if I'm understanding it correctly. I'll compare their online prices to what's available locally and we'll see what the difference is .

No problem . Glad it worked out for you! I guess you had the harnesses and didn't need to do too much soldering? Hmmm... ice cream sounds great right about now .