charm

They're rather easy to install, most even come with instructions. Past experiences tell me to not bother with the el cheapo ones. But, please, please, please don't use them on the road. You'll have great visibility as the oncoming driver you've blinded with them is careening towards while he struggles to regain his sight. Personally, I think that the lights look assume and have their place on those lonely highways, late at night when there is nothing to light the road but the stars. But around town, I think they should be banned and a large fine associated with their use.

Sounds great but, I'm having trouble finding a solid procedure for cleaning the TB. In fact, many posts I've come across say do not clean the TB. Something to do with the black goo from the factory. So, any good place to hunt the procedure on how to clean the TB in a 97 Impreza 2.2?

I just gased up the other day, but will try using higher octane on the next tank (as painful as that will be on my wallet). I do use the better brands, so I'm not concerned about actual fuel quality, but octane may do the trick. I suppose a can of octane booster would answer the question sooner.

I got NGKs. The ones with grove in copper flavor. I just find it odd that the hesitation would return so soon. Oh, and 1.1 mm is about 0.043 inches, so, I can't imagine that .007 inches would be a huge issue, but I suppose it could lead to fouling?

Last week I replaced my plugs, fuel filter, air filter, and ran Seafoam through the intake. The first couple of days were great. The car was running smoother then ever, no hesitation, great acceleration, and I think it was quieter then it was before. Well, that's all over. Had a little hesitation this morning. I'm not sure what it could be. Plug gap? I went with the gap that was on the plugs I removed, about 0.050 inches...does that seem correct? What else might it be? There's only about 30k on the plug wires, so I doubt it's them. Oh, it's a 97 impreza, 2.2 and an auto tranny.

I've found posts on changing your own tranny fluid, but, I'm lazy. Is the method that the oil change places use a good idea? You know, they connect the tranny to some pump machine and pump the oil through. I was thinking about having them do this with Mobil 1.

Went to by a Chiltons, Hyanes, or similar manual for my 97 Impreza and it isn't made! While I can figure out just fine how to change my spark plugs, things like the timing belt might be nice to have a manual handy. What do people do with cars that don't have manuals available. Speaking of all this, changing my plugs would have been hard had I not read about what to remove to make it easy. Did my tune up, new plugs, new fuel filter, new air filter, new PCV valve, and a nice sea foam treatment and things are running great. There is no way to warn anybody about just how much smoke will be produced when you suck that stuff into your intake, WOW!!! It clears up fairly quick, but I felt sorry (and a little embarressed) for the folks behind me in traffic for a few miles.

Yeah, it's rebuilt, installed, and aligned.

So, I just got back from Les Schwab who did a fresh aliglnment; it wasn't too off. I was informed that the steering boot is torn and the seal on the steering rack is leaking. The boot I'm not so worried about, it can be replaced inexpensively, the leak however is of great concern. Is there some way I can deal with this, even if it's only for a year or so without spending $700+ that I don't have at the moment. I'm planning on doing some tune up stuff this weekend, new fuel filter, O2 sensor, spark plugs. What kind of plugs do people out there use? The plug wires were replaced about 30k ago so they should still fine, right? Anything else I should do while I'm gettin' greasy?

The firestone shop is closer to my office...the business park west of the freeway behind Olive Garden, but I've had such great experiences with Les Schwab, I was hoping to hear a yay or nay on their alignments. Took my girlfriend's car into Smart Service and was very impressed with them. If I need something that I can't or don't feel like doing, I will take it there. But I still need to know what folks think of the Les Schwag alignment. I guess it depends on whether or not the Impreza is particularly tough to to do a good alignement on. Also, should I have give a little extra toe in? Any modifications from specs?

Does Les Schwab do a good alignment job? I love them for buying tires. If not, where would you recommend in the Seattle area? I work in Kirkland, about a mile from a Les Schwab.

I saw a commercial for Mobil 1 extended (or something like that) says it has a longer change interval. According to the commercial it was nearly what Amsoil claims to get. Anybody have any info on this stuff?

A guess, and this is just a guess, is that you need an alignment worse then I do. The shimmy is what raised my eyebrow.

This is how I've been doing it, but my gas mileage is terrible. Although the gas mileage could have something to do with curb I slid into 2 winters ago, I really should get that done.

Several years ago I was having a discussion with an ex-gf who had previously dated a mechanic who told her on the street to not drive in the OD gear, but the drive gear. In my auto impreza, that would be 3. What are the pros and cons of driving in the 3 vs D and vice versa?

No, I'm not sure. But, A) it's the light that's on when the E brake is on and usually goes off when the E brake is released and I can't imagine that low fluid would be as intermittant as this.

My E brake dummy light has been coming on intermittantly for a few days now. I noticed it right after my shifter wouldn't move out of park, a little jiggling got it to go. It's a '97 Impreza with (obviously) the auto. What might be causing the E brake dummy light to come one?

I am looking for a good mechanic for my GF's '97 Impreza, and mine if it ever breaks...and it will, in the Seattle area. The closer to downtown the better.

Chop the windshield an inch of two (the wing will have to be chopped propotionately) and you'll have something outstanding. If you chop too much it will look modified, you just want to shave enough off to make it elegant. Other then that, it looks incredible...I need to learn to play with photoshop, it looks like fun.

Unless they are asking VERY little money for the unit, most people would be happier with an inexpensive after market stereo. They are almost as simple to install (they're still really easy though). For around $100ish, you can have a much better sounding radio.

There is an adaptor harness made for most mass produced cars, not all, but most. The bolt holes are a standard on the side of any radio and will match up with the brackets in the Sube. That means that you do not need to buy a Panasonic for this to work, you can buy any brand you want. And, in my less then humble opinion , there is a huge difference in sound quality between stereos. Also, there is a huge difference in ergonomics. Go to a local shop and play with them, find one that suits your ear as well as your finger tips. They are very simple to install and can be done with simple tools...including the attachment of the wire harnes to the radio which can be done at your dining room table in less then 10 minutes.

You might want to contact this company... http://www.pac-audio.com/ They build equipment for adding various items to stock headunits. A quick look did not show anything for Subarus, but, with enough requests, they might build 'em.

IF it's just the switch that controls this, could one (I don't know, maybe, say, me) go to the junkyard and grab the switch from the driver's side and put in place of the switch for the passenger side in the drivers door console? The goal would be, just for clarification purposes, to make so that the driver can one touch down either front window.

My old deck was an eclipse, I was EXTREMELY pleased with its sound quality, not so much its ergonomics. It looks like the newer version of this deck has worked out some of the ergonomic 'bugs.' As far as the subwoofer, any opinions on whether I should stick with my single voice coil or go to a dual voice coil? What about amps, monoblock?

I enjoy the fact that my high end CD player uses a CD key. Anytime the power is disconnected and specifc CD must be placed in the CD player before it will turn on. So, the $400- CD player that they tore from my dash, is now a paper weight. And the mental image of some moron running down the street at 3am in a high end neighborhood in Seattle carrying a 40 pound subwoofer cracks me up. I wish he hadn't taken the amp though. Unfortunatly, because I bought the car used and have a loan, the check from the insurance company is made out to me AND a shop. They do this to ensure that the work gets done. This means that I can not take the money and buy the parts and do the work myself...although very simple, I'm forced to pay somebody. I will work it a bit to hopefully get the alarm paid for or at least partially paid for. I almost had an alarm installed yesterday. The shop suggested that it'd be cheaper to wait. Besides, there's nothing in my car at the moment worth protecting.