Considering Purchase of Baja

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formerFordRangerMan
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:24 pm

Considering Purchase of Baja

Post by formerFordRangerMan »

Hello everyone ... I'm new here (*EDIT*- the "Lurker" - lol), and am seriously "considering" the purchase of a Baja.

Looking for info on, say, `04-`06 Baja's (?). Ups/downs-ins/outs - good, bad, and indifferent.
If a few folks could fill-me-in on what their experiences have been I'd be very appreciative.

I do have some experience with Subaru ... my folks have owned a `98 Forester (since autumn, `07), which I have done the great deal of maintenance on. Am familiar with some of the more common issues.

Theirs needed a new short-block installed last summer @ 125,000 miles (give or take a thousand) due to a cracked block. It had-had more than its share of overheating/cooling-system issues over the years despite pretty much "by the book" cooling system maintenance (and in spite of rather "manic" ["anal"?] oil-change practices).

I am fairly well-versed in most of the more common problems & issues with Subaru's - noises, and "terms" such as "piston slap", cam/timing-belt tensioner noise, etc. I was hoping some of this had been ironed-out in the later model Sube's, however I'm still seeing a good number of issues/complaints about that online.

That's it - just looking for some "heads-up" - wherever I can get it!

Thanks in advance,
FFRM
PS - By the way - please let me know if this is not the appropriate forum for this thread/post, and I'll do my best to move it.
Hawk296
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 295
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 5:21 pm
Location: Waterford, MI

Re: Considering Purchase of Baja

Post by Hawk296 »

It sounds like you are off to a good start. Non turbo motors... head gasket problems, cam tensioners on earlier SOHC 2.5s (can be swapped for the old 2.2 l cam tensioner and that solves it. Piston slap occurs regularly unfortunately as there is a very short skirt on the pistons to allow them to clear the counterweight. Oil leaks from the oil pump/front crank seal, rear main and cams are all probably going to happen eventually. It seems to be more time that kills them than miles in the cases i have experienced.
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