RE: Subaru Outback 3.0R | Shed of the Week
Discussion
mclwanB said:
Had a spec B 3.0 manual for 4 years/ 15k miles. Great noise, good to drive,ok economy on a run (33ish)but terrible on more local trips and a lot of repairs/ difficult to source parts.
This sounds distinctly overpriced, going rate for the much more desirable manual spec B is way below this...
Please feel free to share some manual spec Bs for way below 2k. This sounds distinctly overpriced, going rate for the much more desirable manual spec B is way below this...
Edited by mclwanB on Friday 24th March 20:31
IIRC Subaru got a massive nationwide order from the US Postal Service for RHD Subaru estates, back in about 1989/1990. Probably helped to convince them the build the cars in the US (or maybe vice-versa!) A nice bit of thinking out of the box: cheaper to buy than the old Jeep-type postal service vehicles, cheap fuel meant the fuel economy was largely irrelevant, and RHD meant the delivery person never had to get out and walk around the car to get to postboxes and houses. Nice shed!
We ran 2 of these over a 10-year period and they were virtually bullet-proof. The first was a 54-plate. The second was a late registered 10-plate. Front brake callipers seized and required replacing at 100k-ish miles. Exhaust rusted around the Y intersection - full replacement (stainless steel) was £1k plus. The bigger bills came between 90-110k miles. This one has 143k on it and should have had most / all of these jobs done. They are also sensitive to wheel alignment issues so if you hit a pot hole or are unlucky around kerbs, get the 4-wheel alignment checked. If you don't, the 4-wheel drive system will destroy your tyres. Around town, consumption would struggle in low 20s. Longer motorway runs at vaguely legal speeds would return 25-27 mpg. Our Scoobie mechanic reckoned the 3.0 engine was good for 250k before major work. Avoid anything post 2006 because the Road Tax is horrid - over £600 p.a. That was the killer blow for us. The boxer engine is an absolute gem and will rev to 7,000 rpm and sounds awesome - If you do modest annual mileage and want the security of 4-wheel drive, along with decent handling due to the low centre of gravity offered by the boxer engine, this could be a great buy. Just check out the service history for work completed.
I had one of these in New Zealand in 2006 and literally drove it to places on off road adventures it was never meant to go with insane approach angles that smashed the bumpers and ripped off the mud-flaps and still got me out of places where other 4*4's (even a toyota) had been abandoned to the sea, so i know these cars are awesome and under-rated and appreciated in the UK. Add to that a car that is pretty quick, drives and handles really very well on the road, was versatile in every situation asked of it and had decent equipment levels and solid build quality. Not your average car!
asimmalik said:
Please feel free to share some manual spec Bs for way below 2k.
Have a look at the subaru forums. Prices might have bounced now but manual spec Bs were not selling at 2k earlier in the summer. Mine did sell (lowish mileage for age) but not for a lot more than 2k & there were several more struggling at a similar time such as this one:https://www.subarulegacy.com/forums/index.php?/top...
Sold for £1800 for scrap 😥
mclwanB said:
Have a look at the subaru forums. Prices might have bounced now but manual spec Bs were not selling at 2k earlier in the summer. Mine did sell (lowish mileage for age) but not for a lot more than 2k & there were several more struggling at a similar time such as this one:
https://www.subarulegacy.com/forums/index.php?/top...
Sold for £1800 for scrap ??
12 months ago wasn't the greatest time to sell one of these with fuel prices at an all time high, prices are definitely not that low anymore. More recently they've been 3-4+, what they actually sell for might be another thing. I certainly would want a fair bit more than 2k if I were to sell mine. https://www.subarulegacy.com/forums/index.php?/top...
Sold for £1800 for scrap ??
Had an ‘06 3rn: as others have said, these weren’t sports cars (though mine revved easily to 7000+ and sounded great with S/S replacement pipes, and handled in a nice neutral way). It was completely reliable from 18k when I bought it to 115k; proper regular servicing is essential. One of the best things about it was incredible traction with the standard Yokohama tyres; mud, wet grass, deep snow and even ice, far better than its replacement, a Disco 4. Its engineering and build quality were also streets ahead of the Disco but the Disco could tow 3500kg which the Subie couldn’t. I sold it - in perfect nick - five years ago for a pitiful £2k and wished I hadn’t. I think the 3 litre and the short lived 3.6s were the last of the classic Outbacks; the 2.5 litre CVT transmission cars that followed seemed to have lost the plot.
Wadeski said:
Weird how Subaru UK is failing, as others have said, they have had an incredible decade of success in the USA (until COVID chip shortages got in the way).
They shifted their wagons to crossovers early and really clicked with younger middle class families and women. They ditched focus on enthusiasts (WRX etc, which created associations with vape pen sucking brodudes with acne) and embraced women buyers, with a big focus on LBGTQ / gender equality....and it worked for them.
I've driven a few new Subarus and they are utterly uninspiring, with slow CVT and ponderous "safe" handling....and people can't get enough of them.
Coincidence or not, I've experienced an epidemic of 2 mph below the speed limit/obnoxious political bumper sticker laden Subarus lately. No thanks.They shifted their wagons to crossovers early and really clicked with younger middle class families and women. They ditched focus on enthusiasts (WRX etc, which created associations with vape pen sucking brodudes with acne) and embraced women buyers, with a big focus on LBGTQ / gender equality....and it worked for them.
I've driven a few new Subarus and they are utterly uninspiring, with slow CVT and ponderous "safe" handling....and people can't get enough of them.
Yes I'm biased but only because I've owned one for the last four years! It's on 157k miles and feels utterly solid and ready for another 157k miles.
The auto does stime the performance a little but anyone slagging the engine off has obviously never been within a 100 yards of one, they are silky smooth, almost turbine like, every single person who has been in it including non-car people have commented on how quiet and smooth it is. Until you rev it out when you get a very nice flat six howl.
MPG is s
te, I've averaged 24mpg over four years and 30k miles. With cruise set at 70 I've seen 33mpg but that is definitely the exception.
I justify the MPG by the fact that it has been totally reliable during my ownership, requiring nothing other than basic servicing and preventative maintenance. We go to the Western Isles regularly for holidays 550 miles door to door. And I would happily jump in it now and drive there.
Recent picture after a quick wash.
SOTY, so far!
The auto does stime the performance a little but anyone slagging the engine off has obviously never been within a 100 yards of one, they are silky smooth, almost turbine like, every single person who has been in it including non-car people have commented on how quiet and smooth it is. Until you rev it out when you get a very nice flat six howl.
MPG is s
te, I've averaged 24mpg over four years and 30k miles. With cruise set at 70 I've seen 33mpg but that is definitely the exception.I justify the MPG by the fact that it has been totally reliable during my ownership, requiring nothing other than basic servicing and preventative maintenance. We go to the Western Isles regularly for holidays 550 miles door to door. And I would happily jump in it now and drive there.
Recent picture after a quick wash.
SOTY, so far!
Snow and Rocks said:
That's a couple of posts now that have suggested these handle badly - it's been a while since I drove one but I found exactly the opposite.
Compared to leaden nose heavy, crashy riding German cars the Outback felt great, almost like a more surefooted version of a 90s Peugeot with nice steering, good body control and with a lovely supple ride. Certainly a much better chassis than it's main rival, the XC70.
If Subaru UK still brought in the decent engines I'd be quite tempted by the current version. Looks great and would suit us quite nicely.
It stuck to the road fine if pushed, but it was very willowy, bumps in road could unsettle it, moving directly to an xc70 it felt more planted on the road somehow Compared to leaden nose heavy, crashy riding German cars the Outback felt great, almost like a more surefooted version of a 90s Peugeot with nice steering, good body control and with a lovely supple ride. Certainly a much better chassis than it's main rival, the XC70.
If Subaru UK still brought in the decent engines I'd be quite tempted by the current version. Looks great and would suit us quite nicely.
richinlondon said:
It stuck to the road fine if pushed, but it was very willowy, bumps in road could unsettle it, moving directly to an xc70 it felt more planted on the road somehow
How old was it at the time? Sounds like the suspension might have been tired, normally bumpy roads is where they shine.GravelBen said:
richinlondon said:
It stuck to the road fine if pushed, but it was very willowy, bumps in road could unsettle it, moving directly to an xc70 it felt more planted on the road somehow
How old was it at the time? Sounds like the suspension might have been tired, normally bumpy roads is where they shine.In any part of the driving experience.
I really like this generation of Legacy, but not sure about running one as a shed. I think the costs to keep it running well would quickly get on top of you, & if it's been used in winter in the UK & not looked after as most woulnd't have been, there's really no avoiding the inevitable impending rusty doom.
Something like a recent import Spec B however makes much more sense. Purchase costs are higher but you can easily get on top of the rust issues early, will be in much nicer condition, less neglected/more reliable, better drive.
Something like a recent import Spec B however makes much more sense. Purchase costs are higher but you can easily get on top of the rust issues early, will be in much nicer condition, less neglected/more reliable, better drive.
DaveCWK said:
I really like this generation of Legacy, but not sure about running one as a shed. I think the costs to keep it running well would quickly get on top of you, & if it's been used in winter in the UK & not looked after as most woulnd't have been, there's really no avoiding the inevitable impending rusty doom.
Something like a recent import Spec B however makes much more sense. Purchase costs are higher but you can easily get on top of the rust issues early, will be in much nicer condition, less neglected/more reliable, better drive.
Not to mention the important fact that an import would avoid the extortionate annual tax on 2006+ UK modelsSomething like a recent import Spec B however makes much more sense. Purchase costs are higher but you can easily get on top of the rust issues early, will be in much nicer condition, less neglected/more reliable, better drive.
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