subject: Right Parts For Good Cars [print this page] In my part-time job as a delivery driver, I put a lot of miles on my vehicle. By a lot, I mean between 50,000 and 100,000 miles a year. So do all the other drivers. So sometimes we stand around and discuss wear and tear on vehicles, how to maintain or repair, good places to trust mechanics, or about self servicing our vehicles. One of the guys has a Subaru wagon that he loves. He has over 300,000 miles on it, so it piques our curiosity as to whether all Subaru's get that kind of endurance.
In my reading, it appears the owners of Subaru vehicles love them and would buy another one if possible. The AWD is a big plus for winter driving. In this economy, it is more likely that one would fix a Subaru than buy a new one. Subaru parts then become an issue. You do not need to know these things if you take your favorite car into a dealer service department, but if you are trying to repair your Loyale, you need to make sure you get Subaru Loyale parts.
If you go to a neighborhood repair shop, make sure your Subaru Legacy gets Subaru Legacy parts, not generic equivalents if you want the longevity Subaru is known for. If you are doing your own repairs and trying to get the cheapest thing possible, you will probably lose value if you replace parts with another brand. If you wanted Subaru Legacy parts, but got a hold of Subaru Forester car parts instead, they are not interchangeable.
Knowing how to read the manual for each type of vehicle and ordering the correct year and make can be really critical. I have been given the right part but from the wrong year of manufacture and there is no way to get bolts lined up or the spacing right if you have the wrong year's parts.
If you want to extend the life of a car you have gotten good service out of, maintenance is important. Oil changes, tune-ups, transmission check-ups and tire care save more money than major repairs cost. Most men like their vehicles to look nice, so being able to keep body parts repaired simply is an advantage worth looking into when you choose a car. It seems Subaru owners manage service and repair pretty simply, and get great longevity from their vehicles in return.
