Shock absorber life for 2001 OBW?

[John Rethorst]

At 54,000 miles my Subie's ride has slightly but noticably become softer. Tires
and tire pressure and all other variables are the same. Are the shocks wearing
in or out? How long do shocks on this model last? I drive slowly and never go
off road. Thanks,

 

[Dmitriy]

I just replaced the shocks on my 00 2.5RS with nearly 100k miles on it.
They were noticeably soft, but still did their job well. The only
reason for replacement was upgrading to KYB AGX's.

 

[Rick Courtright]

and tire pressure and all other variables are the same. Are the shocks > wearing in or out? How long do shocks on this model last? I drive

Hi,

The folks who sell shock absorbers like to tell us about 50k miles is
the life expectancy of shocks. My experience with several makes is the
first 50k they all seem to work well enough, then, depending on make and
model, between 50k and 100k, they start to become noticeably "softer."
After that, some of 'em are pretty much shot, while others seem to reach
a "wear limit" from which they don't go downhill much for a LONG time.

If you like a firm "like new" ride, you're probably pretty close to
being due for renewal! If you don't mind a "softer" ride, you can just
keep an eye on things and see how it goes!

Rick