axgutt Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 So I'm sitting on 359,000 miles with my 95 Legacy wagon, and for the first time I'm having trouble pulling the trigger on yet another timing belt, plugs, wires, etc. One half of my brain tells me this car will never die, and the other half says "Are you crazy? It could die at any minute!" My wife doesn't want me to do it - she thinks I should get something nicer - i.e. less than 1/3 of a million miles without dents and peeling paint. Her 95 Legacy Wagon only has about 270,000 miles on it but I think her replacement auto tranny will die before my car will (mine's a manual). To think I spent all of $2300 on this thing back in 2003 (and $2500 for hers back in 2005). I suspect there aren't too many Chrysler owners dealing with this sort of dilemma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Great to read a Subie story, that your car has served you well for so many miles. If it were me, I would not be inclined to put much money into this car. I would replace inexpensive parts like spark plugs and brake pads. I don't think I would replace the timing belt, unless you would do the work yourself. That job is rather costly, as you know. Your 95 is a non interference motor, so if the timing belt breaks, the valves in the motor would not be damaged. All you would need to do is replace the broken belt. I don't think I would drive this car too far from home, in case the belt, or anything else breaks to leave you stranded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 One half of my brain tells me this car will never die, and the other half says "Are you crazy? It could die at any minute!" I feel for you friend, that's a real dilemma! Personally I'd go for the new belt and tuneup but since I'd be doing the work myself the investment (and potential loss) wouldn't be that great. Would you be doing it yourself or paying a shop to do it? The total cost is really the determining factor. Good luck with your decision, let us know how you go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbeerd Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Do you do the work yourself? or have a shop do it? if you do the work yourself, i would say do it! but then i dont know the other quirks your car has. and also i just did a Ej swap on a car that rotting away in the midwest. LOL. if it were my car, i'd probably get a timing belt kit and do the job. great to hear its served you well for so long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbeerd Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 I feel for you friend, that's a real dilemma! Personally I'd go for the new belt and tuneup but since I'd be doing the work myself the investment (and potential loss) wouldn't be that great. Would you be doing it yourself or paying a shop to do it? The total cost is really the determining factor. Good luck with your decision, let us know how you go! ha, you beat me to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 ha, you beat me to it. They don't call me Flying Fingers for nothing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbeerd Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 They don't call me Flying Fingers for nothing! i bet thats what ALL the ladies say..... hey arent you on a motorized bicycle forum too? or maybe its someone with your screenname. ok back on topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 if you can do the job yourself i'd definitely do it. if the belt breaks you'll be tempted to get rid of it - when a new belt (only $60 for a complete kit of pulleys and belt on ebay) may get you another 60,000 miles. i just did a 2.5 liter DOHC timing belt last weekend...it only took like 2 hours to just do the belt, they're easy. totally worth it. if you have to pay someone to do it then only you can gauge what that's worth or costs. if it's running great, lots of highway miles - then it might be worth it - got a good chance of another couple years. if it's lots of city miles, beat, running poorly....then maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 If you don't feel like working on it I can put a timing belt on it for you in an hour or so. Chances are if the belt was changed at 300k it probably doesn't need immediate attention. You might just throw a set of plugs in it, check the condition of the belt and call it good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 i bet thats what ALL the ladies say..... hey arent you on a motorized bicycle forum too? Off Topic: Thanks but I'm afraid the ladies would say just what your emoticon is saying! Motorized bicycle forum? Nope, 'taint me! Sorry. Back On Topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 360k is just an arbitrary number - it's all about how the car has been driven and serviced up to this point. You could easily see another 120k out of that engine - a local board member just picked up a 2001 with around 470k (IIRC) on the original motor and it had just developed a rod knock. Learn to do the timing belt yourself and the kit will run about $120 off ebay. Keep driving it. I mean - don't you want to find out how long it will go? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo'J Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I wanna know how long it will go! I'm not really personally worried about looks when it comes to my dd subi. Now if it drives funny, that is a different scenario. I would dump it if the cost were prohibitive of fixing it, well parts wise for me. If you want a newer car then thats up to you but any car well maintained usually isn't up for sale cheap. My rig looks like a hick rig but drives great and I use it for work. Without more information about the rest of the car from you OP, I would just do the belt, its kind of a fun job. When was the waterpump changed? ball joints? Steering stuff checked? wheel bearings? Brakes? Filters? All good and you still want a new car? Do the belt, then sell it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 A 95 would be non-interference. So the car doesn't really care if you change the belt or not. It's up to you if you're OK with potentially being stuck on the side of the road for a while as you wait for a tow. Timing belts will last much longer than they are rated for. They're rated conservatively so that they don't have a chance to break and leave people stranded. So, I'd say don't change it. Just keep driving it until it goes. You're just as likely to be left on the side of the road by any of the other 350k mile old parts, so don't worry about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikec03 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 You make me jealous since I only have 210K on my '95. But I have had so many rust holes in it, I'm buying Bondo by the gallon, and it will never make 300k just due to the rust alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdjdc Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Where are you in VA? I can do it for you and make it well worth the money to keep the car. That is, if the car has been maintained and isn't a rust bucket, ready to fall apart, etc. I am in Richmond. I hope he comes back to look at his posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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