Anything bad about the 97 Legacy Outback (engine, etc)?

[PCB]

I've been reading here the the 96 Outback Legacy wagons had probs on
2.5L engine, and were not fully fixed until 1999. I want to know about
the 97. What could be problematic with it?
Thanks.

 

[Subie25L]

I've got a 98 2.5L legacy\liberty with 110,000Km and have had no problems.
It has always had synthetic oil in it after the break in period though

 

[Greg]

I've owned, bought new, a 96' OBW and 98' OBW (also a 91 Legacy and an 02
Impreza and 04 OBW). The 96' slid on black ice and rolled down an embankment
ending up on it's roof with no collapsed panels and only the windshield
broken due to a tree stump poking thru it. It had about 50k miles, only a
leaking front seal (common) repaired under warranty. The 98' was traded in
last year with 110k miles, several issues with it but nothing major. Front
wheel bearing (dealer screwed up on that repair), 3 recalls (alternator
master cylinder and center differential seal), leaking front seal, drivers
door would not turn on interior dome light (dealer really screwed up this
repair). I would not hesitate to buy a 96 or newer Subaru as a used car if
it checked out good and had service records. I would not take a Subaru to
any of my local Subaru dealers for repair.

 

[John Eyles]

I have this car and the ENGINE has been quite reliable, except for:

-alternator, fixed under warranty

-leaking front crank seal at about 90K miles, which I had fixed
(along with camshaft seals) at minimal cost as part of
an almost-due timing belt replacement

I've also had grief with the clutch, which began after
getting a new one at about 85K miles. I'm optimistic the
dealer who did the clutch job will make it right when I
finally get off my ass and take it in.

John

 

[LC Brian]

The 97 you say??? My 97 OB with the 2.5 just blew head gaskets. It's
got 140K on it and has been ok until now. All the typical signs, mucky
overflow container water, overheats... . I'm trying to figure out
whether to do it myself or where I can have it done somewhere nearby
(southern california). This is the first major problem I've had since
I bought it at 28K. I think my problems began with a slow oil leak
somewhere. My wife and I noticed a oil burning smell for sometime
beforehand that in retrospect I should have paid more attention to.

If I can get past this problem I would admit I've been pretty happy
with the car. A lot better than my sister's 525i on the snow in
Mammoth that's for sure. I'm not feeling very happy about it getting
it fixed. It broke just after I paid it off and just after I got laid
off. Now I'm relying on our 87 CRX... that car just goes and goes and
goes.

 

[Edwin Hurwitz]

I've been reading here the the 96 Outback Legacy wagons had probs on
2.5L engine, and were not fully fixed until 1999. I want to know about
the 97. What could be problematic with it?
Thanks.

My local independant Subaru shop, Super-Rupair, here in Boulder has
checked out all the cars that I have bought (3 used Subarus so far).
Their experience has been that the 2.5 engine needs meticulous attention
when it comes to servicing on a regular basis. If everything is kept up
according to schedule, it should be fine, but the older 2.2 engine has a
reputation for going forever. Thus, instead of getting another Outback
when mine got totalled (idiot 20 year old driver taking a left into
oncoming traffic, but that's another story), I got a '95 Legacy instead.
It's got the 2.2 engine and should go to 250k, if I take reasonable care
of it. Plus, it was only $4,600, so it was easy on the wallet.


Edwin