MarkInAustin

I am almost 81 and a product of an earlier and simpler age. It remains true that lower octane gasoline ignites more readily and thus in a higher compression engine pre-ignites [knocks] more readily. But the electronic control of timing in our now computerized engines changes the simple calculation, I think. The car will run well on the prescribed octane. If it runs better on higher octane than on the prescribed octane that would have to be either a timing issue, now computer controlled and not subject to manually advancing the distributor, or a product of altitude - Houston driving requires slightly different octane than Santa Fe driving for the same result [unless the computer has also controlled the density of the air charge - IDK about this - someone here probably does]. For those too young to remember, there was a time when you could advance the spark by rotating the distributor, say by an extra five degrees before top dead center, switch to high octane gasoline, which would ignite only from spark and never compression, and gain significant HP. Advancing spark while using low octane gas was a recipe for knock, in those days. Finally, carbon buildup can raise compression! An older engine used to be subject to knock because of it. I wonder if the DGI engines will begin to act this way. I suspect, but do not know from either experimentation or engineering analysis, that a catch can would limit carbon buildup in a DGI engine. All your comments from experience or actual analysis are welcomed by me, anyway.

Agree on tires, which I changed immediately for 4 Conti DWSs. At the same time I ditched the donut and added a full size spare on a steel wheel. That required placing two 2'x2'x1" gym mats on top of the new spare to even the surface under the trunk "floor" after the molded inserts were ditched, and the purchase of a tool bag to carry in the trunk. The mats double as comfort for the knees when actually changing a tire. The OEM battery should last two years in Texas, garaged, with the auto stop start turned off or disconnected. Then I will replace with an AGM. I am going to replace the OEM speakers with Pioneers and while I have the door panels off I will sound dampen. The car is quiet, but eliminating unwanted speaker resonance is always a must when replacing door speakers, or the job is only half assed.

On our now 5 month old 2022 Legacy I have added a full sized spare and junked the donut. I placed two 2' x 2' exercise floor squares stacked on the spare wheel to level the base under the trunk carpet pad backing, for strength and stiffness, and to have mats to put on the ground when changing a tire. I ditched all the foam inserts, of course. The tools are now in a tool bag in the trunk and include an electric pump inflator and an offset torque wrench from Harbor Freight that allows a full turn without interference from the body. The only other addition has been magnetic black carbon fiber look protective covers for the door handle cups. After the 24 months of dealer service I will install a catch-can in the PCV circuit to forestall carbon buildup on the intake valves.

I was going to upgrade the door and deck speakers myself with a Pioneer unit and bass door baffle from Crutchfield now in hand. Your experience has me thinking I want a shop to do it. Without a very explicit wiring diagram from SoA I think I won't touch any wiring, even though it seems logical that if I don't change the wiring from the power source nothing could go wrong. This is our first post partially self aware car, really - I am 79 YO and still have my '06 Forester, which now seems as easy to work on as a '72 VW in comparison to the new Legacy. Each generation of vehicles after 1972 became progressively more complex, in reality. Not that I would trade GDI for a carburetor, or electronic ignition for distributor points, but while those technologies were subject to regular mishaps they sure were DIY friendly.

We took possession of our 2022 Legacy Premium Saturday 4/23/22 after an 82 day wait. Today I got rid of the donut and added a full size spare on a 17x7 steel rim. I have never kept a donut in a car since the inception of donuts! The foam insert which carries the tire tools must be eliminated. I bought a tool bag at Walmart for the tire tools. It fits pretty neatly in either one of the side spaces behind the wheel well, leaving the trunk floor basically unobstructed. One other note: the rear carpet mat is flimsy and without the support of the foam insert you might want to reinforce it over the spare tire well. It's easy and cheap to do, of course. Flat strap steel works well. This is less of an issue if you have the rubber protective mat from Subie or from WeatherTech. As I am never going to carry truly heavy weight in the trunk and have a Subie protective rubber mat I simply doubled two 2' squares of workout interlocking mat over the spare well and under the flimsy carpet mat, for leveling. The workout mats are useful for comfort when you actually have to change a tire.

This will be my wife's sedan and will replace her Altima SL.

Thanks, all - those of you who suggested that the catch-can was to mitigate direct injection related carbon buildup on the intake valves understood. Fuel injection type cleaners will not clean valves that aren't being "washed" by gasoline, at all. But I do use PEA type cleaner at reasonable intervals [see, Techron]. In an aluminum block motor I am not much concerned about tiny iron or steel particles; it is just that I have used magnetic drain plugs over the years as a cheap safeguard on remanufactured engines. Seemed a cheap insurance policy on a new motor as well, but probably overkill, as suggested. Tests show miniscule difference in MPG with 5W30 oil and in Texas summers, say on the drive from Austin to EP on IH10 at 80 mph, I would be more comfortable with 5W30. Personal choice and not a warranty issue at all according to the manual, provided it is high quality synthetic. I will wait on the catch-can for 60 months, but [aerosol] clean the intake valves at 30 mos and 60 mos. I can tell you from experience that a catch-can works to remove a significant amount of carbon from the intake system on any vehicle. As for the filter: I have deconstructed the Subie blue and I think it is good for 6K mi of "normal" driving - but it is not comparable in construction to an M1, a Bosch, the best WIX, or a Puroil Boss, and probably some others that I haven't sawed apart. I only mentioned the "Boss" because it has the same unusually high spring pressure, 20lbs+, as the Sube blue, and that bypass pressure is "recommended" by Subaru. Because I don't race [any more, I used to SCCA in a Porsche when I was in my late 30s, but now I am 79] and I change oil and filter plenty often enough for it to never sludge and I am not in a cold climate and my car is garaged, I cannot imagine ever seeing anything near a 20# pressure drop across the filter, even on a cold start winter morning [after all, that is what 0W weight is supposed to prevent]. I have read an engineering paper that suggested in my situation I would never see a 10# pressure drop! Thus I am personally happy with the synthetic medium in the M1 filter, as well. But I have no problem with any of the four I have mentioned for 6mo/6000mi oil changes and I wonder what problems you have had with the Pure, MoleMan? I would be glad to follow your advice, as there are other choices available, that I use, anyway. One thing I have noticed over the years is that oil filters keep changing construction, and they change who manufactures them regardless of brand. I am thankful for all your replies, as I am new here and it is not as active a site as Forester, for example. I will post photos in late April, if the delivery is as scheduled.

1. Have you asked for 5W30 or 0W30 in place of 0W20? If so, what result? 2. Have you brought your own OF, say a Purolator Boss, and asked the dealer to use it instead of the Subie blue? If so, what result? 3. Have you offered to provide a magnetic oil pan drain plug to the dealer to install? If so, what result? 4. Have you asked SOA for confirmation in writing that a closed system oil/air separator or catch-can in the PVC circuit will not void the warranty? 5. Have you asked a dealer to update all software during make-ready? If so, what result? I am expecting delivery of our new Legacy April 20 or so after an 11 week wait. These are questions I may ask, but wondered whether there was collective experience here to guide me.

Price of pending purchase, Austin, TX, 1/29/22 Legacy Premium Could not find a dealer in central Texas who would currently honor True or Consumer Reports discount pricing and all were marking up over MSRP - some were doing it openly and some were inflating "mandatory" dealer add ons. This is how our Legacy order, as we finally entered it, looked [rounded pricing to nearest dollar]: 2022 Legacy Premium ice silver metallic/titanium gray cloth includes: all weather floor liners, cargo tray, rear seatback protector, body side molding, door edge protector, splash guards, fog lamps, 2yr/24k maintenance MSRP list includes $925 delivery fee $27,577 "market upcharge" 1000 "install charge fog lights" 459 TTL 2033 various dealer doc fees 188 Starlink 3 yr subscription 80 Drive out [in April, maybe] price $31337 Obviously the markup is what the market can bear here, but is a bit painful. To go out of state to negotiate created just enough hassle to deter us. The dealer install charge on the fog lamps struck me as bogus, but it might not be, IDK. BTW: the asking price for certified 2020 and 2021 Legacy Premiums is currently higher than for new at three central Texas dealerships - taking advantage of folks who would not wait 10 weeks for a promised delivery, I guess.

Were you referencing a 7th gen when you wrote that a full size spare tire would not fit in the trunk's wheel well? Were you referencing the 225/55/17 tire and wheel combo?