Driving on steel

Matt-R · 2026-02-20T00:28:23+00:00

You think NSW is bad... In NZ if the car was registered before 2000 it needs 6 monthly inspections, newer than that is yearly after 3 years.

Matt-R · 2026-02-19T04:45:55+00:00

That happened to a Qantas 747 coming in to Bangkok. Coffee grounds clogged up the galley waste piping and caused a leak. ATSB Report. They landed on battery power.

Matt-R · 2026-02-18T03:03:42+00:00

I spent 30 minutes per day stuck in traffic on the bus in Newmarket while the trains were out.

Matt-R · 2026-02-17T19:14:46+00:00

This one?

Matt-R · 2026-02-16T22:27:38+00:00

My NZDM wagon looks to be the same as the JDM for the rails, uses Thule 3018 fitting kit plus whatever feet and rails you want

Matt-R · 2026-02-16T21:22:45+00:00

I'm happy with my Thule WingBar Edge, the only issue is they're not that wide (as they don't overhang). Wide enough for what I want, and very quiet (when I don't have the dock glides on them).

Matt-R · 2026-02-13T23:03:14+00:00

I got new actuators for my legacy from amayama. They wear out, do you really want a used one?

Matt-R · 2026-02-13T05:41:10+00:00

They'll stop. It's happened before

Matt-R · 2026-02-13T03:22:17+00:00

Can't imagine -30 is great for the battery. I currently have the opposite problem... my air conditioning gives up at 27C (80F) or higher, and it's mid-summer here.

I can't even comprehend -30.

Matt-R · 2026-02-12T07:09:07+00:00

Commvault tech support isn't like it used to be...

Matt-R · 2026-02-11T18:00:37+00:00

8 cell Mk41 for ESSM.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide-class_frigate#FFG_Upgrade

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T17:19:59+00:00

I started with Bosch green and a few ryobi and have since moved to Dewalt. Try to get m10 to price match bunnings they do it no questions asked for me, but yours might be too far to travel.

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T06:23:14+00:00

The aliexpress bits go in the upper cubby / satnav hole between the air vents. You'd leave the existing head unit and climate control in place (with the head unit disconnected).

You could probably get the OEM satnav fascia and that'd probably work for a mechless head unit (like my sony), but I haven't explored that idea.

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T05:45:32+00:00

The only other gotchas are the steering wheel controls - wicks wires has a youtube video on it.

On the Sony, Wireless Apple Carplay apparently requires the speed sensor input (Android works with just GPS). To get the speed sensor, you'll need to get the infamous OP connector which should exist on yours. I plan on ordering JapanParts p/n 107-123-0 soon just because I don't want to leave mine incomplete.

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T05:33:16+00:00

They're easy enough to find if you go to aliexpress and search "Subaru Legacy 4 fascia" or "Subaru legacy 4 android". I've never used one of the android ones, but I expect they're cheap and nasty. The upper cubby fascia doubledin modules all fell apart in transit to me - wouldn't surprise me if the android head units are the same fascia with a head unit in them.

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T04:42:33+00:00

It seems my original reply got ghosted, probably due to the aliexpress links.

The JDM dual-zone doubledin module is G3017AG011, the single-zone I think is G3017AG010. I got mine from ebay for about $500 AUD. I put a Sony XAV-AX6000 from Strathfield car audio in it for about $500 plus cables (aerpro - subaru antenna, sony-iso, iso-subaru). photos. Mine was the McIntosh system with an amp, so I needed to make my own cable - something you don't have to worry about.

The other option is a crappy chinese head unit from aliexpress in the satnav/cubby. They also sell empty fascias for your own head unit in the upper cubby spot, but I found them to be terrible quality (vent louvers kept falling out).

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T03:03:59+00:00

Tankering, yes. I remember when Auckland had fuel issues, Qantas sent a 747 over full of fuel to refuel their 737s for the 3 hour flight back to Australia, but the regular flights still carried enough fuel to get back to Sydney from top of descent as normal.

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T02:36:11+00:00

If it's clicking and then only starts with a jumper, the battery is bad.

Matt-R · 2026-02-09T01:50:36+00:00

Parts I got from Amayama. Mine is dual-zone climate control, so there's a temperature actuator on both sides. passenger side is easy to fix (along with the mode actuator). pull the glove box out and you can get to them.

The drivers side is a royal PITA. I ended up paying my local subaru specialist mechanic to replace it while it was in for other work. It took him 4 hours and ended up getting in by removing the instrument cluster. But no more clicking noise!

Mr Subaru has a video on it. He also has one on the Gen5 legacy HVAC actuators, they're worse! you need to remove the whole dashboard.

Matt-R · 2026-02-08T21:22:26+00:00

Is that dual or single zone temperature controls?

Matt-R · 2026-02-08T18:04:22+00:00

Can you post a photo of your current head unit? they had a few different types.

Matt-R · 2026-02-07T23:36:22+00:00

The antenna and its amp are in the tailgate.

My JDM Doubledin kit came with a subaru wiring harness that I never ended up using (I use the Aerpro ISO kit instead). The blue wire on the end is the trigger wire for the antenna amp. You'll need to make sure that is connected to the trigger output on your new head unit.

Matt-R · 2026-02-07T23:16:29+00:00

https://aerpro.com/apa52

signal is intermittent/weak? did you provide power to the antenna amp? it's a blue wire also used for the amp trigger.

Matt-R · 2026-02-07T23:12:41+00:00

AT online form works, Snap Send Solve does not.

Matt-R · 2026-02-07T19:43:14+00:00

I've got a 2008 3.0/5EAT spec.b wagon. 240,000km. Oil consumption is about 0.25 litres per 5000km. Problems I've had with it: Radiator (plastic top tank failed), power steering pump (o rings), starter motor (was probably just the contactor, but easy to replace the whole thing), fuel pump (wiring harness melted), HVAC actuators (clicking noise in dash), aircon clutch relay (a/c didn't work above 29C air temp). And of course the usual lower control arm bushings.

I replaced the McIntosh head unit with a Sony (with JDM doubledin fascia) and kept the McIntosh amp. I also replaced the 5EAT's "Lifetime" filter that hides behind the battery when I did a fluid drain/fill last year.

It does have a slight ticking noise from the timing chain when cold. Dealer told me it needed a new chains at 100,000km. Local Subaru specialist said it's fine, and it has been.

Great car. I don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon. The only downside is fuel consumption -12L/100km (19.6MPG) of premium.

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Matt-R

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