First oil change on the '18 Crosstrek.
Interval: 6036 miles, 6.5 months
Oil consumption during OCI: ~0.5 qt, almost all during the first thousand miles. No make-up oil added.
Out: Subaru factory fill (took a sample, will send it in to NAPA this week)
In: Idemitsu Zepro Eco Medalist Advanced Moly 0W-20 (got two 5-qt jugs for $21/ea on Amazon a while back)
I did a conventional drain through the drain plug and put on a new Subaru filter and drain plug gasket. While I was underneath there I saw that there is a plastic kinda-sorta skid plate (with a little cutout for access to the drain plug) that should provide a modicum of protection, so maybe next time I'll put a Fumoto valve down there.
I needed a cheater bar to get the drain plug loose - it appeared to have been painted over AFTER being screwed in - but overall the oil change process itself was real easy. I like the top mounted filter. What was a PITA was rotating the tires, because I found to my chagrin that my floor jack couldn't extend far enough to get the tires off the ground - the ground clearance and suspension travel were too much! I ended up using the scissor jack that came with the vehicle to get it up on jack stands, which worked but took forever and a day. On the plus side, I was able to break the lug nuts loose with just a lug wrench, no breaker bar needed. Rust levels on the lug nuts were low despite the first half of this OCI being during road salt season.
Not sure whether I should get a floor jack with more travel, or find a 2x8 or something similar to put under my existing jack.
