Hello all,

I've just discovered your wonderful site. I've been looking for some guidance on my 5-speed 2000 Legacy GT Limited. I hope you would like to help!

1) Has anyone else had problems with the driver side door arm rest? I'm a lightweight (165 lbs) and keep cracking them down the middle. They are replaced (over and over) under warranty, but I would surely like to find a better solution.

2) Is there a service manual available for this model year? I've found none except the very expensive factory manual.

3) I've had probems downshifting into 1st and 2nd gear since the car was new but adjusted over time. The dealer asked that I wait until it really broke before they took the tranny apart. I agreed. After a front and rear gear oil change to Mobil 1 at 30k miles, the problem got worse. Now, at 47k miles, I gave in and they agree it is nearly imposible to downshift into first gear. Is this a known problem? It sounds like bad synchros and possibly a bad first gear.

4) Related to the last question, what gear oil works best in this puppy, front and back?


5) Does anyone make a kit to get the rear seats to fold down?

6) Are there reasonably prices replacement headlight bulbs available? With the lights I have seen on other cars, the Scooby's don't work so well.

7) Does anyone make a kit to replace the key fob and related car pieces to get a remotely openable trunk?

8) Is there an easy way to put a screen in front of the heat inlet in the passenger side of the engine compartment? I'm tired of picking leaves etc. out of the heater blower.

I absolutely love my car, but these few things do bug me!

Best wishes,

brad

 

For the gear oil, use Motul Gear 300, its a bit expensive but is fully synthetic and works wonders. Another thing, why are you trying to downshift to 1st gear? No wonder you are having problems with your gearbox, the only time you should go to 1st is when you are at a complete stop, not being able to downshift into 1st is normal, unless you double clutch.

 

I have two questions about your post.

1) Why is Motul 300 better synthetic than Mobil 1? From everything else I have read, the problem is that there isn't enough friction.

2) Vehicles have been able to downshift to first without double clutching for decades now. I can't imagine that is the problem. I've owned standard cars for many hundred of thousands of miles (bikes too) and have always downshifted before a complete stop with no issues. The Legacy has a gear 2 to 1 synchro that takes care of this.

 

It is just proven that the Motul gear oil works a lot better in Subaru gearboxes than most other oils, and it reduces friction, im not saying that the Mobil 1 bad, just that it doesnt work as good as the Motul with Subaru's.

And as for the downshifting issue, if you did a bit of research on this site you would find that just about everyone has this problem, its not really a problem, thats just how suby gearboxes are, you say you've been downshifting into 1st with other cars but you have 2 rememba that not all gearboxes are created equal.

 

Thanks for the info. I'll do better about not downshifting to first! Im curious what the owner's manual says and will check it out when my car returns from the shop.

No takers on my other questions?

Thanks!

 

Don't know of any other service manuals, don't think there is a kit to make the rear seats fold down (would be really nice though), never had a problem with any door arm rest, you might have to fab a screen yourself for the air intake, not sure about the gear oil, and I'v eexperienced the same thing with shifting into first. although I don't try to down shift into first unless going less than 5 mph. But I've never had a problem doing that with hondas or nissans.