Legacy Outback advice please

[scooters]

All, We are in the market for a new car for ferrying the kids about etc etc.

One car that has caught out eye is the subaru legacy outback circa 2002/3, the 2.5 version.

Now, apart from driving one around for a couple of days whilst on hols I have little knowledge of the vehicle, but some do pop up for reasonable money.

Would there be any chance of you good PH'ers giving some advice on the car, i.e. is it really any good, are they good for big mileage, approx mpg and what are the expensive things that go pop. Also anything else which you think I need to know.

Any help would be hugely appreciated

Thanks all

[GravelBen]

scooters said:

is it really any good

Yes.

scooters said:

are they good for big mileage

Yes.

scooters said:

approx mpg and what are the expensive things that go pop

General ballpark is 25-35mpg depending on use. Thats for a manual, not sure if autos are much different but the manual is a better drive anyway.

Very little really goes wrong with them - as with other AWD cars the clutch is usually the weak point in the drivetrain if its been abused, but they tend to appeal to more 'relaxed' drivers than the turbo Subarus so problems are unlikely.

Most expensive service item is usually the cambelt which needs doing at 60k mile intervals - someone more local than I may be able to give you a rough price for that.

scooters said:

Also anything else which you think I need to know.

You should probably be aware that people who become Subaru owners often stay Subaru owners and find themselves unsatisfied with other forms of automotive transport. Other than that, go for it!

[ScoobieWRX]

I love my Subaru so much i wouldn't even trade it in for an intergalactic hyperspace cruisehopper powered by Kraptonite!!

[AJH1972]

I can’t comment on the 2.5, but I’ve owned a 2001 3.0 H6 outback for just over a year now, it’s a great car and hasn’t let me down. Plenty of room in the back for the dog. It’s got the toys, very comfy on long run. Was great in the winter and even though it’s an auto it has plenty of punch when overtaking. The only downside with the H6 is the fuel consumption round town (20 mpg), but otherwise general running cost (Servicing and Insurance) aren’t bad, no cambelt to change on the H6 as it's chain.

Can't fault it.

[tgx4776]

I have a 97 Legacy GT here in the USA and love it. Check to see if your year has a problem with the head gaskets on the 2.5. I know they had an issue here in the USA but japan's were just fine so you might be alright.

[GravelBen]

It was only the pre-98 2.5 motors that had headgasket problems, but anything later should be fine - Japanese market cars had the problem too but you won't find it associated with a GT as I think it was only the USA that had a 2.5 with a GT badge - the Japan, NZ etc GT was a 2.0 twin-turbo at that time.

Edited by GravelBen on Saturday 26th June 00:53

[5678]

Bumping this as I'm in the same position.

These seem to be very rare cars? I'm looking for something around 4-5 years old and want to spend around £6-7k max.
Can anyone suggest what I should be looking at model and engine wise? MPG isn't a huge issue. Just need one for the space and the ability to cope with difficult terrain come the winter months (as fitting winter tyres to my 6 series seem pointless as well as hugely expensive!)

[Colin Mill]

I've had my 56 plate 2.5SE manual for about 18 months and I'm delighted with it. Its the only car I can recall owning for that long without anything at all going wrong (unless you count a slightly noisy power-steering pump that was cured by a change of fluid).

Used prices seem to have firmed up a lot, perhaps because of the winter we have just had. I paid about £11.5k to a franchised dealer in early 09 for the car when it had only 13k on the clock which is a lot less than the franchised dealers are asking for that spec, age and mileage now. Manual cars seem quite scarce.

Edited by Colin Mill on Wednesday 11th August 12:25