New Impreza has easy access oil filter...

It's great that Subaru made the oil filter on the new Impreza easy access. The oil filter on the n/a 2.5 is a pain to get to. Between removing plastic access panels and reaching between the exhaust pipes, it's a bear.

 

I'm new to Subaru, so the Legacy 2.5 may be one of few that have difficult to access oil filters, please forgive for my exuberance if that is the case.

I've never had a problem with the filter in the 2.5GT (2006). It's pretty much on the bottom of the car, and there's a hole in the plastic skid plate underneath so you can stick your arm up and get it.

The Impreza has the new FB engine while the Legacy still has the EJ engine, and both oil filters are easy to access.

 

The EE engine also has a top-mounted oil filter, and it may well be a method to cut costs when doing service of the engines in the workshop. If you don't need to lift the vehicle when changing oil and filter then you save time. And there are solutions where you insert a hose through the dipstick (I have seen such a device) and suck out the old oil and then you fill new oil in the engine and while the process is running you swap filter.

my filter sometimes get stuck on but i use a strap wrench to get her off.

I'm just wondering if Subaru is bringing back the black oil filter. All the engine bay pictures of the new Impreza have a black oil filter.

I'm just wondering if Subaru is bringing back the black oil filter. All the engine bay pictures of the new Impreza have a black oil filter.

 

Sounds like the black filter is better made.

 

Thanks for everyone sharing the location of other filters.

If you feel the locatio on the current 2.5 is bad - try changing a filter on the Accord. Changed the oil and filters on both this past weekend. On the Accord, you pretty much have to lean in and put your face on the engine to reach it from the top or - do the same from the bottom, with a side benefit of oil splashing into your face if you do it from the bottom, while also spraying all over the frame cross member.

 

After that, removing a little plastic on the Legacy really does not seem like a bad deal!

Same thing on the 12v mercury sable, but you almost always will burn your wrist on the exhaust if you go in from the top.

any photos of the new location?

Same thing on the 12v mercury sable, but you almost always will burn your wrist on the exhaust if you go in from the top.

Or the '94 Miata. I'm only able to touch the filter, not grip it or see it. My arm is too thick for me to access that filter.

 

On the subie - a filter socket and you get it off in the blink of an eye.

any photos of the new location?

right next to the fill neck (means no more pre-filling the filter, I guess)

 

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza12-engine1.JPG

Nice! Now, are these things getting HIDs?

Nice! Now, are these things getting HIDs?

 

Nope. Not even getting projectors, only halogens.

Nope. Not even getting projectors, only halogens.

 

Damn! Is it too much to ask for a wagon with leather, HIDs, CVT and the new engine?!

Nope. Not even getting projectors, only halogens.

 

Unless you live here:

http://www.bedug.com/pics/Impreza_2011.jpg

(OK, it's the 2011...)

 

 

 

So if your local dealer says that you can't get it you can prove them wrong. And you can't get them with anything but HID:s here.

Are those headlight washers too? PSH. Who needs those? Lazy asses.

 

USDM = watered-down versions. U Jelly?

Are those headlight washers too? PSH. Who needs those? Lazy asses.

 

USDM = watered-down versions. U Jelly?

 

I'm thinking of disabling mine - headlight washers means a huge increase in consumption of washer fluid.

 

OK, I will mount a switch so that I can enable them when I want them.

So if your local dealer says that you can't get it you can prove them wrong. And you can't get them with anything but HID:s here.

Well - you need to look at what your car costs as compared to the USDM models - on the Subaru Sweden website, it lists the Impreza 2.0D Sport at 269900 swedish krona - that works out to be $41140 in USD - to compare, list price for the USDM WRX ranges from $25495 for the base model to $28995 for the limited (so that's 167260 to 190221 in local currency for you - the limited version coming with the HID lights as well) - so the car costs around 30% more for you than it does in the US - so I guess those are some pretty expensive headlight washers...

 

(looking at the STi - 429900 for you (65528 $US) vs. 223024 for us (33995 $US) - so if the info on the Subaru website is correct, you pay considerably more for the 2.0D than we pay for the STi over here...)

However - one correction here, the price listed on the Swedish web site is including VAT of 25%, which if you cut it gives you a price of US$32912. Still higher than the US price, but not as bad. And the diesel engine version is a bit more expensive too (About US$3000), so to compare you end up to compare US$29k with US$30k if you are targeting the same model.

 

But you are right - generally we pay more for the cars here, however it varies a lot by brand too. Some parts of it depends on the fact that they are transported to Europe from Japan.

so to compare you end up to compare US$29k with US$30k if you are targeting the same model.

While the only US trim with the HIDs is the limited, it also has a number of other options which yours does not (sunroof, leather seats, etc.) - so the difference is probably a bit more than $1k if you were to compare comparable vehicles - anyway, my point was more that while in countries outside the US you get lots of nice little features here and there, they aren't included at the same price point.

 

Does the diesel really command a $3k premium? Seems a tad excessive - comparing the LEgacy 2.5i and the 2.0D on the Subaru-sweden site, the price is a wash - so that should be the basic 2.5liter and the diesel - the turbo engines here are more expensive than those (the 2.5i lists at 165hp/170ft-lbs (pretty much the same as the 170/170 for the USDM version), the 2.0D at 147hp/258 ft-lbs on the Subaru-Sweden site, while the USDM 2.5 turbo in the WRX is rated at 265hp/244 ft-lbs and 265hp/258ft-lbs in the LGT)