Hi folks:
I bought a new 04 wagon and have since put almost 40K on the car. It is my daily driver and I drive daily, a lot! I love this car more than any other I have owned...and I have owned over 30 cars. I do much of the simple maintenance myself and I am constantly impressed by the engineering and quality that went into the design of this car.

I thought I might pass on a few observations that might be of use to someone.

Seats:
I found the seats comfortable at first sit; then over 20 minutes of driving my back would start to hurt. Luckily, SUbaru provided excellent access to the lower back area with zippered panels on the back of the seats. I just unzipped and inserted various thicknesses of media behind the springs and that completely transformed the drive. Now I have lumbar support...and long trips are way more comfortable.

Interior:
QuietCar liquid dampening in rear compartment
Added pollen filter (amazing how much crud this gets out...had to change it already)
Momo shift **** - I like the looks but the stocker is more comfy.

Audio:
Pioneer 7500MP - great head unit
Pioneer XM tuner (don't leave home without it!)
Infinity components 6.5 front, 5.25 rear
Infinity Basslink subwoofer in rear corner (great unit, highly recommended)
MTX Thunder 4244 amp driving the mids and tweets



Chassis mods:
Front:
Whiteline hd end links on 20mm bar
Whiteline Anti Lift Kit with Sport bushings
Whiteline steering rack bushings

Rear:
Whiteline HD end links
Whiteline adjustable rear bar set at 22mm
Whiteline camber kit
Nothing gives a better bang for the buck than the rear bar...go get one now!

Wheels/Tires: We all know stock tires stink so...
17" Rota fitted with Falxen ZIEX in 215/45/17. Great tire for highway use and comfort.
I also used Kumho Exsta 712 and found them sharper in handling but very noisy when old.
Tires make a HUGE difference on this car.

Engine:
helix flex uppipe
Borla Hush twin outlet catback
Cobb AccessPort Stage 1 - very highly recommended! Smooths out engine greatly.
Amsoil synthetic oil

Trans:
Amsoil synthetic
Kartboy shift bushing
Subydude short shifter
I find the trans gets better with age...It goes into gear easier and doesn't act as notchy as when new. No grinding and no worries here.
Clutch is slightly less grabby than when new but no slippage detected.

Rear Diff:
Amsoil synthetic


Problems:
Driver window regulator slightly noisy but liveable. a few rattles that had to be chased down and fixed. Nothing major.

Observations:
If you need service go to MPJ - very trustworthy, very fair and friendly.
If you need alignments or suspension bits or tires try Auto Innovations. Great service! Don't go anywhere else.
Pay attention to the service intervals in the owners guide; dealers try to jack you around.
Do the work yourself; this is a rewarding vehicle to work on.


And use sunscreen.


c77

 

Hi,

Noticed that you put some Quietcar dampening liquid in your rear compartment. How is it working for you? notice a great difference in road noise? and how do you like the sound now?

I am interested in QuietCar product line!

thanks for you info...

 

hi- quietcar seems to work as well as Dynamat, Brown Bread etc. The only drawback is you need to apply three coats or so. It is easy to apply and dries very quickly.

I still have one gallon unused, leftover (I bought more than I needed). Let me know if you want to buy it cheaper than you can get it from Quietcar.

PM me if you like.

 

I will let you know if I go that route!

Btw, what color is the QuietCar?

Thanks

 

Hi I am in Fremont and I saw you mentioned MPJ for services. Could you tell me where it is and maybe more info about it? Thanks.

 

HI:
their website has the address and other info :



www.mpjperformance.com


good luck!