Can someone help a noob. I have a few questions.

[mfrieze]

I found a 1995 subaru impreza with the 2.2l ej22. it is an automatic, I wish it would have been a standard but oh well. I ended up getting it for $900. You can tell it was in an accident. it was hit in the passenger side. The car looks great it just needs painted on that side now. the interior almost looks brand new.

 

Then enging has 120,000 miles on it and it sounds pretty good. no tics or knocking sounds.

 

I just have a couple concerns

 

When I was test driving it, the car sort of feels like it sways to the left a litttle every now and then. How serious is this issue? I figured it could have just been the awd in the gravel. it really only did it in gravel. also the left front tire and rear right tire was pretty low.

 

also the low beam passenger head light wont work but high beams work fine. he said the wire isn't connected right or something. im not sure how to fix this.

 

also the car when it is in park, still moves. but the transmission is shifting fine.

 

thats really about it.

 

oh and the cd player wont turn on and the cigarette lighter outlet doesn't work. i figure that would be an easy fix.

 

so do you think I got ripped off? or is this car worth it? what do you all think. I am excited about the subaru's. i have been reading a lot about them.

 

I am still a noob when it comes to cars but i am learning.

 

Since this is my car now. what all should I get done to get it running good? i know i should probly change the timing belt and all that. already got the oil changed. any good advice would be much appreciated.

 

Thank You

 

edit: oh and now that i think about it. the car sways to the left and the right. sort of feels like its hovering. but its not to bad. it could be tires i will put air in them soon. i havn't had time to drive it much yet. i hope its nothing serious.

[idosubaru]

make sure tires match in size and tread wear. AWD Subaru's have to have matching tires and be rotated frequently to prevent damaging the AWD transmission.

 

yes, good car. you could easily get another 100,000 miles out of the car if you keep up with proper maintenance, don't let it overheat or run out of oil.

 

due to age and mileage both it would need a complete timing component replacement for me to consider it "reliable". timing belt, pulleys, tensioner, and water pump. kits on ebay are only $89 or so for all the pulleys, tensioner, and belt.

 

the swaying needs to be checxked out, i would suspect the steering rack bushings. easy to replace.

 

tie rods should be inspected as well since they are a serious safety concern and are simple to check (takes 2 minutes).

[The Chad]

Sounds like a good little car you've found! Great engine, too. Your engine is the non-interference engine I believe, which is safer if the timing belt ever breaks. A very reliable engine.

 

Doesn't sound like you're able to contact the previous owner, but if you can, find out what was done to the vehicle in terms of maintenance (mainly when/if the tranny was serviced and when/if the timing belt was replaced). You said a tire was low, do you know if it was driven while it was low or if it was just sitting for a while and lost air? As Gary said, and he's among the most knowledgable of anyone on here, driving with a difference in tire pressure or even tires with more than a 1/4" difference in circumference in relation to one another can cause issues with your AWD.

 

Speaking of AWD, does the car jitter or feel rough if you're accelerating from a dead stop with your wheels turned sharply? Like if you're making a left or right turn from a stop sign or parking lot? Let us know if it does, as this is called torque bind and we can help you fix it.

 

I wonder if your cig lighter or CD player issues are due to burnt fuses? Check your fuse chart to identify which fuses correlate with them and then pull them to see if they're bad.

 

Always monitor your tire pressure, read the owners manual closely (useful AWD info), and use genuine Subaru replacement parts for most everything.

[mfrieze]

thanks everyone for the replies. im gonna take it to a shop and get it all checked out before i start driving it everyday.

 

i got the pressure in the tires all the same and it still sways a little so i think its important to get this checked out

 

everythig else seems to be doing well. im gonna get the timing belt and all that changed.

 

and I have no contact with the previous owner. allthough, i can ask one of the guys where i bought it. they mite know. ill check into it.

 

Thanks again

[wtdash]

....

also the car when it is in park, still moves. but the transmission is shifting fine.

 

 

 

Moves/rolls, as if in Neutral, or just a few inches and stops?

 

Make sure they look @ this during the inspection, too!

 

Good luck,

TD

[Rooster2]

Regarding the low beam out, high beam still works........sounds like a bad bulb to me. Replace the bulb to see if that fixes it. If you do it yourself, don't touch the glass envelope of the bulb with your bare fingers. The slight oil from your skin will cause hot spots on the bulb, and substantially shorten the bulb's life. Clean with rubbing alcohol and paper towel should you accidentally touch the glass envelope.