Topic: 2005 Subaru Impreza RS pings!

[Shnak]

Isn't this a 2005 model? If so, why wouldn't you keep it at least until its warranty expires?

[Craig]

To quote Barrie, "Nobody makes a perfect car".  There are many reports of problem-free Subarus.  You can find plenty of problem-free VWs, GMs, even the occasional Ford product (though difficult to believe).  Then again, we hear of problematic Toyotas and Hondas on this site - manufacturers who are typically lauded for their reliability.  It's all probablility and statistics, which is hard to keep in perspective when your car is sounding like a wounded animal.

You may have zero issues until 100K.  Let's hope so.  Shnak is right - now is not the time to sell unless things go horribly wrong, and you can't trust it to get you to work in the morning.  The depreciation hit will be huge, compared to the inconvenience of working with your dealership to correct the problems.

OMG.  I quoted Barrie.  Is GM ownership far behind? 

[ovr50]

New update on my car, I do seem to have one that's having lots problems...

Found out that the vibration/noise was due to transfert case bearings.  I had actually never heard of that one.

Also replaced the relays for the headlights to remove the buzzing sound in the radio.

Thinking real hard now of selling this car before it starts to cost me money... (more than the payments that is). To quote the saleman: "Sure Subaru's are problem free, no worry before 100k km".  Yeah right...

Too bad you got a problematic one, but I think you are getting the problems solved and hopefully, it should be OK going forward. It's warranty stuff, but still time consuming. You will get badly hurt selling right now. I'd tough it out.

[barrie1]

As the car is still running faithfully everyday i agree with the other posters in their views. Keep the car and rive it as the loss will hurt you fairly hard at this time. 

[evilhomer]

Just an update on my Impreza pinging problem.
Until now I ignored the advice that I should try higher octane gas because I just coudn't justify it.
Then I happened to read a couple of articles saying pinging can cause poor gas mileage.
So I filled up the last two tanks with 89.

TaDa.
95% of pinging is gone.
Even the remaining occasional 5% pinging is very short (like a half second).
And gas mileage was up almost 10% for the last two tanks.
I used to get 11L/100KM (Winter and Summer with A/C on), 10L/100KM (Sping/Fall).
The last two tanks were 10L/100KM even though it's Winter.

So I pay $2.5 more for 89, and the pingings almost disappeared and I saved $5 per tank due to the better mileage.
Awesome.

[AVToller]

Uh, if you used to get 9.5L/100km, and now you are getting 10L/100km, in winter, your gas mileage has gotten worse, not better. I fear you have mis-written yourself. Glad to hear, but not surprised, about the pinging removal. As my Golf approached 100k it would often "ping" with regular. 89 octane solved the problem.

[Panzer]

Just an update on my Impreza pinging problem.
Until now I ignored the advice that I should try higher octane gas because I just coudn't justify it.

TaDa.
95% of pinging is gone.

Glad to hear this solved your problem.  I know it didn't for me (see previous posts on this thread).  Which gasoline brand did you try?

[evilhomer]

Sorry for the confusion AVToller.
Haven't had morning coffee yet.
I fixed the post, but I will do the math again in the afternoon.
Still sleepy.

I used Chevron Regular Plus (89), Panzer.

[AVToller]

Ah, that is better (or at least makes more sense)!