The 2022 Crosstrek is a solid first vehicle to wrench on — good ground clearance, logical layout, and the FB/FA boxer engine is more DIY-friendly than Subaru's old EJ series. On a $500 budget we're building you a safe, capable foundation: you'll be able to do oil changes, tire rotations, brake pads, and read your own codes. That's 90% of what keeps a car healthy. Spend this money right and you won't need to replace anything — you'll only be adding to it.
The FB20D and FA24F are both chain-driven non-interference engines — a huge improvement over the old EJ25. Your biggest Subaru-specific gotcha is the cartridge oil filter: it uses a 64.5mm cap that will crack if you go at it with pliers. Get the right cap wrench. Also, Subaru still builds to tight tolerances on the boxer — check your oil every other fillup, especially in the first 50K miles.
Brand: Pittsburgh (Harbor Freight) | Category: Lifting | Store: Harbor Freight | Priority: CRITICAL
The Crosstrek sits at 8.7 inches of ground clearance stock — you don't need a low-profile jack. The Pittsburgh 3-ton is heavy (68 lbs) but it's reliable, has a legitimate lift range, and Harbor Freight will swap it no questions asked if something goes wrong. The Arcan ALJ3T aluminum jack is better and lighter but it's $180 — that's 36% of your entire budget. Save that upgrade for later. With the ITC coupon this jack often drops to $79-85.
Alternative: Arcan ALJ3T 3-ton aluminum low-profile jack, ~$180 at Amazon — worth every dollar as your first upgrade when budget allows
Brand: ICON (Harbor Freight) | Category: Lifting | Store: Harbor Freight | Priority: CRITICAL
Never, ever work under a car supported only by a floor jack. The jack is for lifting. The stands are for holding. These ICON 6-ton stands have a wide tripod base, solid ratchet-lock mechanism, and a 6-ton rating that's laughably overkill for a Crosstrek — which is exactly the point. Buy rated higher than you think you need. The Pittsburgh 6-ton stands are also acceptable, but verify they're post-2020 production (pre-recall units had a locking issue). The ICONs are cleaner.
Alternative: Pittsburgh 6-ton jack stands (Harbor Freight) ~$35/pair — acceptable but ICON locking mechanism is more confidence-inspiring
Brand: Camco | Category: Safety | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
The floor rolls. The car rolls. Put chocks behind the rear wheels before you lift the front. This is a $10 item that prevents a $10,000 injury. No further commentary needed.
Brand: 3M | Category: Safety | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
Working under a Subaru boxer means you are directly below fasteners, fluid drain points, and brake dust. One shot of rusty crud in your eye ends your weekend and possibly your vision. Two pairs means one is always findable in the garage.
Brand: First Alert | Category: Safety | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
You're working with flammable fluids — brake cleaner, oil, gas. A Class ABC extinguisher handles fuel fires. Mount it on the wall near the garage door, not buried under a shelf. If you ever need it, you need it in three seconds, not thirty. This is the one tool on this list you hope you never use.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Sockets | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
The 2022 Crosstrek is pure metric — nearly every fastener you'll touch is between 10mm and 19mm. This 3/8" drive set with the included ratchet covers 95% of your maintenance jobs: drain plug, caliper bolts, valve cover, battery terminals, suspension bolts. The 6-point profile is non-negotiable — 12-point sockets round off stuck fasteners on a Subaru that's seen a salty winter. Tekton's lifetime warranty and direct-from-manufacturer pricing make this the best dollar-for-dollar socket set you can buy. Do not buy a 200-piece 'combo set' from a brand you've never heard of.
Alternative: GearWrench 80300P 1/4" & 3/8" Drive 6-Point Socket Set ~$65 — great ratchets but more money than needed at this stage
Brand: Tekton | Category: Sockets | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
This $6 piece lets your 3/8" sockets work with the 1/2" drive breaker bar below — critical for removing lug nuts (19mm on the Crosstrek) and any high-torque fastener without buying a whole second socket set. Buy this alongside the socket set.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Hand Tools | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
Lug nuts, drain plugs, and axle nuts are torqued to spec with an impact gun at the factory and then sit there for months or years. A ratchet won't break them loose — a 18" breaker bar will. The longer the handle, the less force you need. This will be the first tool you reach for on every job. Tekton's breaker bar is solid steel construction with a non-slip grip and costs a third of what a Snap-on version would.
Brand: Tekton | Category: Hand Tools | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
Lug nuts on the Crosstrek torque to 89 ft-lbs. Drain plug is 33 ft-lbs. Both are in this wrench's range. A click torque wrench gives you an audible and tactile click when you hit spec — you can't over-torque if you stop at the click. Over-torqued lug nuts warp brake rotors. Under-torqued lug nuts lose wheels. This is not optional if you're doing tire rotations or any wheel work. Tekton's ±4% accuracy is as good as wrenches costing 3x more.
Alternative: Pittsburgh 1/2" drive torque wrench (Harbor Freight) ~$25 — accurate out of the box but loses calibration faster over time
Brand: Wera | Category: Hand Tools | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
You will use screwdrivers constantly — interior panels, battery terminals, hose clamps, air filter housing, underbody panels. Wera's Kraftform handles are ergonomically shaped so your hand doesn't cramp during long sessions, and the laser-etched tips grip fasteners instead of camming out. The difference between a Wera and a hardware store screwdriver is the difference between backing out a fastener cleanly and stripping the head and spending an hour with an extractor. Buy quality here once and never think about it again.
Alternative: Wiha 26190 7-piece screwdriver set ~$38 — slightly firmer feel, equally excellent, personal preference
Brand: Knipex | Category: Hand Tools | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
The Cobra pliers are the best hand tool ever made. That is not hyperbole. Push-button jaw adjustment, 25 positions, self-locking grip that gets tighter under load — they will never slip off a fitting, never round a soft hex, never scratch a chrome part if you're careful. You'll use these for hose clamps, coolant line fittings, battery terminals, seized bolts, and a hundred things you can't anticipate. Every professional mechanic owns Knipex. Every one of them replaced Channellocks with them and never looked back. This 7" is the workhorse size.
Alternative: Channellock 430 10" tongue-and-groove pliers ~$15 — works, but you'll replace it with Knipex eventually anyway
Brand: Launch | Category: Diagnostic | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
A basic $20 code reader only sees engine codes. The CRP123X reads all four systems: engine, transmission, ABS, and airbag/SRS — plus it resets them. When your Crosstrek throws a mystery light, this tells you exactly what system and what code before you spend $150 at a dealer for a diagnosis. On a Subaru, you'll specifically want ABS and SRS capability because AWD system faults and STARLINK faults show up in body modules that cheap scanners can't touch. This is the minimum viable scanner for a car owner who wants to know what's actually wrong.
Alternative: Innova 3100j ~$35 — engine codes only, no ABS/SRS. Fine as a code reader, frustrating when the ABS light comes on
Brand: Deflecto | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
Small fasteners — drain plug washers, brake caliper slide pins, clips — are $0.50 parts that cost $40 in labor when you have to fish them out of the floor drain. A magnetic tray holds every fastener you pull while you work. Get in the habit of using it on every job. This is the cheapest tool on the list and one of the most used.
Brand: PB Blaster | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
The Pacific Northwest and northern climates turn bolts into rust sculptures. Even in dry climates, fasteners that have sat for 4+ years need help. Soak the drain plug threads, the lug nuts, and any suspension bolt you're touching the night before you work. PB Blaster penetrates oxide corrosion better than WD-40 (WD-40 is a water displacer, not a penetrant — don't confuse them). This is a $8 can of 'this fastener comes out without snapping.'
Brand: Permatex | Category: Shop Supplies | Store: Amazon | Priority: CRITICAL
After you break a fastener loose, clean the threads and apply a thin coat of anti-seize before reinstalling. This prevents the galvanic corrosion that makes every fastener a battle the next time around. Use it on drain plug threads, spark plugs (if you go that far), and exhaust fasteners. A thin coat — you don't need globs of it. This $8 tub will last you years.
Brand: Lisle | Category: Subaru Specialty | Store: Amazon | Priority: HIGH
The 2022 Crosstrek runs a cartridge oil filter with a plastic cap housing. The FB20D and FA24F both use a 64.5mm cap — this Lisle wrench fits it exactly. Drive it with your 3/8" ratchet. This is the only correct way to remove that cap. I've seen people destroy $60 filter housings trying to improvise with pliers on their first oil change. This is a $12 fix for a $60 mistake. Buy it before you do your first oil change, not after.
Alternative: Any 64.5mm 14-flute oil filter cap wrench compatible with Toyota/Subaru FB/FA engines — verify fitment before purchasing