1997 Subaru Legacy L review from North America

Cruise control does not work

Leaking oil pan seal

Oil leak when hot (seals probably, but don't know which one?)

Clutch problems!

Exhaust rattle.

The ride is quite solid and comfortable, but I have a lot of other gripes! The acceleration is horrible, just doesn't want to move in first gear. However, keeps up with traffic at higher speeds. The car definitely feels underpowered. It needs to rev up to 3400 rpm and higher to hit 75 mph, whereas a 2.2 L Honda accord does it at less than 3000 rpm. Also there is lot of engine noise inside the cabin. Oil started leaking soon after I bought it and it started smoking when it dripped on to the exhaust. The mechanic said it was a leaking oil pan seal and replaced it (240$). But it still seeps somewhere, especially in long drives! Clutch is starting to act weird, especially in cold start its hard to get moving and shift to second gear, but just fine when hot. Recently I hear a ticking sound in cold start, which could be a valve or fuel injector. Brakes are spongy and does not give you the most confident stop. The cruise control doesn't work now. The interior is quite cheap, but I am not too bothered about it. The position of the cup holder is just outrageous, its located just above the CD player, how convenient!!

What I feel good about this car is its quite solid feel on the road. It is awesome in snow, but I'm in SW-Virginia where it doesn't snow that much anyway. The gas mileage is kinda OK, 20-23 in city and about 27-29 on highways. The visibility is great and there is just an amazing amount of space inside. Looks of the car is good, but nothing great. (How much I miss my Integra!!)

I bought this car based on Subaru reliability reviews. So far it's a mixed bag, hope this car treats me well at least for a couple more years as I am a student on tight a budget.