Huapakechi

Working on cars and industrial equipment through the years has me less than trusting of anything computerized, having had very unhappy experiences with everything from fuel injected sawmill engines to a Bobcat skid steer that had more issues than my most recent ex wife to a year old Dodge one ton pickup that has permanently soured the owner on anything made by Dodge for the remainder of his life . All of these examples couldn't be fixed by the dealer shops. Then there's a heat/passenger door lock/window/seat adjust/right mirror/light problem on a GMC that requires a thousand dollar computer replacement. All due to putting too many computers where they don't belong. Sometimes I think I should show up to one of these repair jobs in a witch doctor's costume to chase out the little demons and pixies.

Just one of the things to investigate when ya look to put too damned much money in purchasing a vehicle. Just purchased a 2010 Chevrolet 3/4 ton 4WD. The cost to replace the transmission is twice what I paid for the truck. If the trans starts to go soft I'll leave the keys in the ignition and a dollar on the seat, hoping I don't come back to find two dollars on the seat.

And it gets damned expensive when ya don't change 'em.

Decisions like this should be made after careful consideration. I'm skeptical of the CVT transmission myself, but time will tell. Historically, Subaru have been tough little cars. The mail route drivers up here like 'em. Do pay attention to tightening the cylinder head bolts and changing the timing belts on schedule. Good luck!

I haven't been following the small SUV market, and don't even know who has what models for sale. I buy used and abused, fixing what's broke and driving like I have no cares and all the time in the world. It's cheaper that way.

Have you looked at the Suzuki or Nissan lines? They have a decent reputation.

The "cornbinders" are not all that common, and their neat trick of timing the V8s on #8 cylinder makes 'em less than favored. Another problem is the lack of performance parts, prompting those that do have 'em to swap out those near bulletproof engines for something sexier.

They are fun, but as with too many 4WD toys most have been beat to death by former owners. One of the best I've seen was a 1960 International Scout. It had sliding windows, a slant 4 cylinder, and was short and narrow. Like every other manufacturer, they went for bigger, wider and more plush over the years, but they still had the "farm truck" style. The best I can hope for is a "barn find" like my 87 F150 with 47K miles that cost me $50.

Was this a swap or did it come factory with the V8? It's been quite a while but when I worked for an AMC dealer in Colorado back in the late 70s all I saw were 4s and 6s. The V8 has much too much power for a CJ, but if you're towing something they'll do it.

Wimmin are a caution on the road, and driving a standard only makes things worse. Some can do it, but most SAY they can do it. Those old CJs are not boulevard cruisers. Ya almost need a 6" foam pad seat. I'd think about an overdrive, but that short wheelbase and high center of gravity can be scary at highway speeds. Tall narrow tires and they'll go almost anywhere. From my Army experience, if ya can find an old M151, grab it. Just drive real slow. They can handle almost any terrain, but get real squirrely above 45mph. The universals need lubed about six times a year, but everything else hangs together pretty good.

My newest vehicle is a 2004 F150 with 300K miles. My daily driver is a 1987 F150. I'd head to the hinterlands with either one, but I trust the 87 more. The CVT transmissions seem too much like wizardry to me, but I prefer the older technology that does not depend on computers. I've worked on vehicles and then a computer manufacturer doing repairs. They're just too delicate AND there's the sensors, wiring, and programming that can fail. Check the prices/availability on a replacement transmission before ya think about buying a car that has one. The people that bought electric cars are choking at the price of a replacement battery. As I've told owners of some cars, insure the hell out of it, leave the keys in the ignition and a dollar bill on the seat. Ya better hope ya don't come back and find two dollars on the seat.

General internet search and this popped up: To reset the belt light on a 2004 Kawasaki Prairie 700, there are several methods available.3 One method involves turning the key on and unplugging the belt switch connector (2 pin), then turning it back on to clear the memory, then turning it off again and connecting everything back up to its original place.1 Another method involves disconnecting the two wire plug on the belt sensor, finding the black and grey plugs under the gas tank cover, and swapping them.5 Some owners opt to ride with the light on since there is no visible way of resetting the light.0 However, if the belt light keeps coming on and now won't reset, check the toggle switch in the cover and perform the belt light reset procedure.4 If the belt switch is tripped, flip the switch to the rear and reconnect with the five pin connectors to reset the belt light and tell the CDI that you have reset the switch.2

Do yourself a favor and check out the repair statistics on ANYTHING you think of buying. Every SUV has a weakness hidden somewhere, and you don't want to be back in the hills when it goes into self destruct mode. Subaru used to be known for timing belt and head bolt issues. I don't know about the newer ones. Check with an owner or two, explore parts availability, and you might even look up the repair times for the most common failures. If you are buying new (and not new to you) read the warranty carefully. If you are buying used, watch out for anything that shows undercarriage damage. More power usually means more abuse, but if it's cheap enough you can bring the dead back to life and have a good machine.

Good to hear. Keep the oil checked and don't go chasing trees.

I will!