WARNING: Newbie car enthusiast. 3.0 Spec B

[Joshuz101]

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forum and am still learning about cars in general. I'm going to sound like a massive newbie here, but whatever.

Just bought a 3.0 Spec B 2006 Automatic and I absolutely love it. It's at 103000kms and hadn't had its 100k service so I got that done with the next one too (all fluids, spark plugs, air filter etc). So 2 major logbook services at Subaru and got a couple of other things fixed up (replaced radiator hoses, pulleys on timing chain). I've noticed after the service the car is a little more sluggish and uses more fuel... I thought at first it was just my imagination but it I can't help but keep thinking it.

Now I've read on the forums here that it could be due to an ECU reset during servicing and eventually the car will go back to normal. Am I on the right track? A "Kido" tune is also recommended from reading on... would this be available in Brisbane? I'd prefer to actually take the car somewhere rather than do it myself due to my lack of experience. Some other questions:

- How do I switch to "sport" mode?

- 98 Octane premium for every fill? Any particular brand?

- Oil? I heard it's wise to top up every month due to excessive oil consumption with these cars. Once again, any particular brand?

- What other maintenance is crucial for running this car? As I said, I've never had a car like this before.

- General mods I can get to increase performance? I'll eventually be looking into aesthetics as well (STI grill is all I can think of right now after tinting and personalized plates)

- The car has a couple of scrapes on the front bumper and a few nicks on the bonnet - Subaru were going to charge me over $500 for a touch up. I'm assuming I can buy my own touch-up paint and do this myself pretty easily, right? Or even have it done somewhere else cheaper?

- The Macintosh head unit is killing me... no AUX port. Are there any easy ways around this? I heard something about using the CD changer input as an AUX?

I really look forward to hearing some feedback from the community here and I appreciate your patience! I know most of my questions have probably been answered already, but I would also like some general advice in what I should be doing first in getting started on my 3.0R journey, so fire away if you have anything useful to provide.

Josh

[BillyCorgi]

- Just bought a 3.0 Spec B 2006 Automatic
So sorry. 6 Speed Manual is Bliss on a Stick

-How do I switch to "sport" mode?
SI Drive came in with the facelifted MY2007 model.

- 98 Octane premium for every fill? Any particular brand?
You really only have two Shell or Caltex. Then there is Premium 100 from United.

- Oil? I heard it's wise to top up every month due to excessive oil consumption with these cars. Once again, any particular brand?
Good quality synthetic. Look at the OIL threads on the forum.

- What other maintenance is crucial for running this car? As I said, I've never had a car like this before.
The engines do not like skipped servicing. Change oil at 6,000km /six months. The factory tune is rich.

- General mods I can get to increase performance? I'll eventually be looking into aesthetics as well (STI grill is all I can think of right now after tinting and personalized plates)
Get a Kido tune. DRIVEABILITY. Contact Matt through the forum and make an appointment for his next visits. You may also then be able to discuss an E85 tune in the future.

- The car has a couple of scrapes on the front bumper and a few nicks on the bonnet - Subaru were going to charge me over $500 for a touch up. I'm assuming I can buy my own touch-up paint and do this myself pretty easily, right? Or even have it done somewhere else cheaper?
Contact the tough-up-guys for a quote

- The Macintosh head unit is killing me... no AUX port. Are there any easy ways around this? I heard something about using the CD changer input as an AUX?
Look up YATOUR CD Changer. It plugs into the CD changer port in the head unit. costs less than $100 shipped out of china. Comes with Bluetooth options. I got mine through AliExpress.

Sorry, forgot to tell you to upgrade the rear sway bar. It makes the car so beautifully neutral

[patrickbateman]

Lots of threads about oil with good advice in them.

I prefer BP premium, seems to run a bit better in mine than Shell. Always use 98 - lower octane not worth it IMHO.

The stereo is a bastard - I cannot believe they didn't include MP3 playback as a feature. There are detailed threads about replacement options on this forum - the short answer is, you can replace the whole unit (messy/expensive), get special adapters which hook into the CD interface, use an FM tuner, or live with it. I live with it - you can burn an audio CD in 2 minutes on a modern PC and the car has a big glovebox... But IMHO for what it is it's a very nice stock stereo indeed and not worth messing with.

Servicing - don't skip it. Read the pinned thread at the top of this sub-forum, oil is the biggie - if this isn't topped up/changed regularly, you can destroy your engine.

Performence - mine has a full aftermarket exhaust and has been tuned, dramatically better performance than stock.

There is a long thread here about fuel economy here which you may care to read - in summary some people seem to get much better performance than others, no clear reason why. Most likely factor IMHO is driving conditions. If you are in the city you have to accept that this is a thirsty car.

[kiks]

- How do I switch to "sport" mode?
No clue, it's a family car.

- 98 Octane premium for every fill? Any particular brand?
Yes, 98 every time. Brand irrelevent. You have been warned.
They still ping on 98 sometimes, like up a hill in 5/6th at 100kmh. Autos prone to that lazy low rpm work at high ign advance that makes them det.

- Oil? I heard it's wise to top up every month due to excessive oil consumption with these cars. Once again, any particular brand?
If it uses oil, replace oil.
TOTAL 10/40 full synthetic is all I ever used except right before selling

- What other maintenance is crucial for running this car? As I said, I've never had a car like this before.
Nothing major. Lower control arm bushes on front will be fucked. Search forum. Thrash the nuts off it, they dont break.

- General mods I can get to increase performance? I'll eventually be looking into aesthetics as well (STI grill is all I can think of right now after tinting and personalized plates)
Buy a fast car if you want a fast car. You're about as useful as a dick in a chicks fat rolls for gettin her off by trying to make a h6 or even a turbo 4 subaru fast. Its a stupid fucking idea.

Luckily aesthetics are one thing they do well. It's all personal taste.

- The car has a couple of scrapes on the front bumper and a few nicks on the bonnet - Subaru were going to charge me over $500 for a touch up. I'm assuming I can buy my own touch-up paint and do this myself pretty easily, right? Or even have it done somewhere else cheaper?
Get the front resprayed for $500ish if you care enough. they'll just come back because well...cars travel on roads.

- The Macintosh head unit is killing me... no AUX port. Are there any easy ways around this? I heard something about using the CD changer input as an AUX?
AM ABC radio on saturday morning has the gardening show, sunday morning is Macca. 6 slot CD changer for pearl jam, credence, hendrix, acdc, and 2 cold chisel cd's. No other CD's work (not that I ever tried any others, who would?

I really look forward to hearing some feedback from the community here and I appreciate your patience! I know most of my questions have probably been answered already, but I would also like some general advice in what I should be doing first in getting started on my 3.0R journey, so fire away if you have anything useful to provide.
There are no dumb questions...Scratch that...Research then ask.

Josh

[bigBADbenny]

Hey guys,

- How do I switch to "sport" mode?
put car in D and foot to floor

- 98 Octane premium for every fill? Any particular brand?
Unblended premium petrogas from Little Sam's Garage

- Oil? I heard it's wise to top up every month due to excessive oil consumption with these cars. Once again, any particular brand?
check it every time you fill up with petrol, adjust weight according to usage within reason and with a 3-5K oil change interval

- What other maintenance is crucial for running this car? As I said, I've never had a car like this before.
see above, get a member with a Tacrix to Learning View and or log it every once in a while.

- General mods I can get to increase performance? I'll eventually be looking into aesthetics as well (STI grill is all I can think of right now after tinting and personalized plates)
Matts tune aka Kido,Thottlehappy, raptor headers, 100cel cats, xforce mid pipe, any good muffs, Whiteline susp bits, $2k+ coilovers eg MCA, Ohlins, 3D Mats - see my Group Buys

- The car has a couple of scrapes on the front bumper and a few nicks on the bonnet - Subaru were going to charge me over $500 for a touch up. I'm assuming I can buy my own touch-up paint and do this myself pretty easily, right? Or even have it done somewhere else cheaper?
DIY FTW or the shop cruisn uses in Abbotsford

- The Macintosh head unit is killing me... no AUX port. Are there any easy ways around this? I heard something about using the CD changer input as an AUX?
What model Mac: see the headunit compatibility super thread (using the search link in my sig)