|
Basically a Legacy on stilts thats it, and you get some surprisngly tough cladding round the wheel arches and bottom half of the doors.
The era you are looking at covers two models, changed around 2003 so you can find both shapes on 03 plate, older shape now very cheap to buy if avoid dealers and not a great deal of mechanical change, check carefully the rear subframes for rust and look straight down at the front drive shafts with the bonnet open, the inner CV joint boots sit right over the CAT's and perish and can split, very easy job to do as the drive shafts are all circlipped, the whole car is designed to be maintained properly...for example three dipsticks under the bonnet.
Good cars, capable and satisfying to service and look after for DIYers (except for changing spark plugs which is a horrid job), 2.0 and 2.5 have cambelts, 3.0 is a chain drive, not a cheap car to own if you rely on garages, but can be very cheap to own if you DIY.
|
|
Forgot, 2.5 can have CHG problems, as with the spark plugs due to engine layout an unpleasant job, 3.0 doesn't seem to suffer the same problem which is just as well cos it's a snug fit down there.
As an aside, why is that over the years even going back to the 70's and Fords V4 petrol engine, 4 cyl variants often suffer numerous problems that the 6 pot versions of thye same design don't, it can't just be a balance issue.
|
|
Subaru parts can be VERY expensive.
DIY neighbour tried to buy parts from USA.
Although models had same name US manufactured models ("same model") differed from Japanese supplied UK models.
|
Subaru parts can be VERY expensive.
DIY neighbour tried to buy parts from USA.
Although models had same name US manufactured models ("same model") differed from Japanese supplied UK models.
The same applies to many other brands with superficially identical models built in the US and also Europe/Asia - that's my one remaining national prejudice - I won't have a US-built car.
Parts/labour is more expensive - but I found my Outback cheaper to service/repair than any of my previous Vauxhalls - it doesn't matter if a repair costs twice as much if it's four times less likely to happen!
|
|
>>I won't have a US-built car.
My first Honda in 1995 was a USA built car - sold at 90+K and had cost us zero in repairs - tyres, servicing of course but no actual repairs.
I know the 2nd owner and it blew up on Skye @ 165K in 2007/8 - probably due to their lack of care - never looked at, never washed - MoT time they spent the least amount to get it through..........plenty cash just no interest in looking after a car or house.......
|
|
|
|
Forgot, 2.5 can have CHG problems, as with the spark plugs due to engine layout an unpleasant job, 3.0 doesn't seem to suffer the same problem which is just as well cos it's a snug fit down there.
As an aside, why is that over the years even going back to the 70's and Fords V4 petrol engine, 4 cyl variants often suffer numerous problems that the 6 pot versions of thye same design don't, it can't just be a balance issue.
The 2.5 head gasket issue was fixed a couple of generations ago.
|
The 2.5 head gasket issue was fixed a couple of generations ago.
So before or after the period the OP is looking for? " I'm specifically interested in the 2000-2005 era."
|
The 2.5 head gasket issue was fixed a couple of generations ago.
So before or after the period the OP is looking for? " I'm specifically interested in the 2000-2005 era."
The 4th generation Legacy (3nd generation Outback) from 2004
|
|
some of the models have horrendous road tax costs/VED or whatever it is called.
I have an old 52 plate Forester SF (MK1) only non turbo 2l but £290 for tax. Did see a well priced nice Outback but IIRC the tax was around £500.
It's a great car though, paid £1450 for it 18m ago with 99000m on it.
Know someone that uses an Outback for doing rally pacenotes in to a professional standard also as a 00 rally management car. He told me it is cheaper to buy a replacement car than a replacement exhaust!
The H6 sounds lovely.
Absolutely hammers his but they seem to stand it well.
Edited by jgrahampo on 28/03/2016 at 09:43
|
|
Yes it's £300 VED on our H6, and as predicted the changeover dates are having effects on used car prices, those in highest bands (all makes) regd before March 06 or worth more than those regd after when £500 VED is payable, i can live with the £290 but will not pay £500 to be squandered by those i neither respect agree with in almost anything nor voted for.
Yes the exhausts are something else, 98 to 03 Legacies have a single rear pipe but because the rear silencer is a two stage jobbie it's nearly £1000 alone and no aftermarket versions, we only paid £1077 for the car 2 years ago, the rear pipe fitted at present is wrong, probably for 2.0 or 2.5 litre, not being a two stage (understandable) and will, when i get round to it, be swapped for a custom stainless made to second stage flow rate.
03 on are twin rear pipe, and again as you mention is getting on for £1000 for a genuine system, again a stainless is the obvious answer.
It seems to be a Japanese thing, my petrol engined Landcruiser has a two stage centre silencer and that too is nearly £1000 alone with no correct aftermarket replacement, luckily the Diesel version can be made to fit and around £150, so guess whats going on when the present one blows..:-)
As you say these are otherwise excellent cars and the chances of us coming away from Japanese, Toyota or Subaru, is remote unless bought so cheap as to be disposable.
Edited by gordonbennet on 28/03/2016 at 10:01
|
|
Just FYI, aftermarket exhausts ARE available for both the Gen III & Gen IV Legacy from a supplier in Germany via ebay at very reasonable cost (for all versions, inc the H6). I have one fitted on my 06 2.5 Tourer and it's absolutely fine considering how little I paid for it. [Seller I used is 'only-exhaust']. A Gen III central silencer is listed at £30.
Other parts (not that you need many, except for suspension bushes & ball joints) can be sourced from Japanese Import Car Parts - avoid Subaru dealers at all costs! Fluids (eg transmission fluid, from Opie Oils). There's also a company in Poland (Febest) that produces a vast range of decent-quality pattern parts (also via ebay).
My Legacy is 10 years old and I honestly don't know what I could replace it with (except another one).
|
Just FYI, aftermarket exhausts ARE available for both the Gen III & Gen IV Legacy from a supplier in Germany via ebay at very reasonable cost (for all versions, inc the H6). I have one fitted on my 06 2.5 Tourer and it's absolutely fine considering how little I paid for it. [Seller I used is 'only-exhaust']. A Gen III central silencer is listed at £30.
Yes i've seen that seller, unfortunately the H6 tail pipe incl silencer on gen 2 is unique to the enginel..but don't worry all is as ever, without fail i manage to buy the one model that was only made for about 3 years tops so aftermarket parts are a permanent headache..:-)))
Many thanks for the post though advising where to get parts, all is handy knowledge in trying to keep costs down.
|
|
|
|
Yes it's £300 VED on our H6, and as predicted the changeover dates are having effects on used car prices, those in highest bands (all makes) regd before March 06 or worth more than those regd after when £500 VED is payable, i can live with the £290 but will not pay £500 to be squandered by those i neither respect agree with in almost anything nor voted for.
Yes the exhausts are something else, 98 to 03 Legacies have a single rear pipe but because the rear silencer is a two stage jobbie it's nearly £1000 alone and no aftermarket versions, we only paid £1077 for the car 2 years ago, the rear pipe fitted at present is wrong, probably for 2.0 or 2.5 litre, not being a two stage (understandable) and will, when i get round to it, be swapped for a custom stainless made to second stage flow rate.
03 on are twin rear pipe, and again as you mention is getting on for £1000 for a genuine system, again a stainless is the obvious answer.
It seems to be a Japanese thing, my petrol engined Landcruiser has a two stage centre silencer and that too is nearly £1000 alone with no correct aftermarket replacement, luckily the Diesel version can be made to fit and around £150, so guess whats going on when the present one blows..:-)
As you say these are otherwise excellent cars and the chances of us coming away from Japanese, Toyota or Subaru, is remote unless bought so cheap as to be disposable.
As I recall on the 2.5, the header manifolds are simple affairs, linking the two cylinders on each side and then joining together, giving the typical off-beat burble - from, I think 2003, the header manifold is a real spaghetti with the two pipes from one bank going round the front of the engine with the other two pipes going forward then back to give equal length headers and destroying the off-beat burble.
Again, as I recall the twin exhaust was only the tail silencers, with a single central silencer - the US version was only single tail silencer - so more money could be saved but recreating that.
Modern production exhausts across most brands are so good that any genuine exhaust will be expensive - so you might as well go for custom stainless, even if you won't see the benefit as it's likely to be cheaper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
