1996 Subaru Legacy L from North America - Comments

Wiper motor (221,000)

Gas tank fill pipe (222,000)

Exhaust system (244,000)

Wheel bearings (243,000)

Crank position sensor (238,000)

Engine knock sensor (constant)

Timing belt (225,000)

Clutch (needs replacing)

Front seats have very poor support. Hard to drive long distances.

Bought this car because the engine had been rebuilt at 135K. Also, we wanted AWD to get to a cottage during the winter months.

Overall this car has been a disappointment. Reliability is not great and the cost of replacement parts is very high (there is very little in the way of after market parts producers). I researched Honda, Toyota, and Subaru carefully before buying the Subaru. Next car will be a Honda or Toyota (1999-2002).

Most of what you mention is fair wear and tear on a car of this mileage.

Agreed. Potential buyers should know that Subaru parts are expensive and labour for some repairs is quite high (e.g., each wheel bearing takes 4 hours labour). If you need AWD this may be a great car, but be forewarned that this benefit comes at a significant cost.

May I point out in your review you say the car has 135k miles. Fair wear and tear like the previous posters said.

Just sold the Legacy. Final mileage was 248,000km. Bought a 2000 Honda Accord with only 55,000km. Miss the Subaru when it snows, but not the expensive parts and labour bill.

Agree with comments above. Those are just wear and tear items that you can expect to occur in any car with such high mileage, and it's poor judgement to base a manufacturer's reliability on it. Subaru's reliability record wasn't earned without reason, and is close to or matches that of Toyota and Honda.

I think the main concerns I had about my old Legacy have been misconstrued by some of the reviewers. To clarify, my concern was less with the reliability of the Legacy than it was with the high cost of parts. I was told by parts dealers that Subaru owned the after market for most parts. This meant that the car was dealer dependent and sometimes very costly to repair. Potential Subaru buyers might take this into consideration.

I understand your point about Subaru parts and labor being extremely high. On that same token, would you recommend going to the junkyard for Subaru parts and shopping around for labor?

Any input is appreciated.

I find it very difficult to get SUBARU parts. The dealers in the LA area don't stock much. I have several times ordered and paid for parts and been promised them in several days, and that they would call, and the call did not come, and the parts were not delivered in time for me to use them to put my car back together again. I call the dealer parts counter the no SUBARU parts for you counter. I recently paid around $600 for a 90,000 mile service on a 2003 WRX. 4 hours of labor. For what, I'm not sure. I can definitely contrast my good experience with Honda with my bad experience at Subaru. At the track, I see more EVOS than Subarus. I also see Toyota at the track doing everything they can to improve their SCION product. I think Subaru has great products, especially for extreme conditions, and I think you're paid a lot of attention when buying a car, but once the car is purchased, I don't believe they are listening to their customers and responding to their customers' needs. I tell them that, but I don't think they're listening.

A used, comparable year and mileage Subaru Legacy, is about the same price as a Volvo 850 sedan or wagon. They last a long time like the Legacy, but are FAR more comfortable, safer, and more luxurious. It's a lot more car for the same cost used. Repair costs are high too though and AWD wasn't available. Unless you are climbing snow capped mountains, front-wheel drive is plenty of traction. The 850 does come with traction control and a winter setting on the transmission for better traction. Aftermarket parts and repair shops are plentiful for Volvos. Legacy is a great car, but the 850 is lightyears ahead in terms of safety, luxury, and comfort for virtually the same cost.

You must've bought a bad car, and should have looked into it a little more on your behalf.

I own a Legacy Wagon Brighton Edition, and it's got 2700,000 k's on it and it has never had any major problems. As long as you take basic care of them, they will be the most dependable car on the road today and tomorrow.

The all wheel drive is amazing; there is not a bad thing for me and from almost anyone who has owned a Subaru to say about these cars if maintained properly. I have personally seen 500,000 k's and still running strong.