RockyRoad said:
I'm thinking of the original body shape from (I think) 1997-1999.
Might have a chance of buying one off a relative who has landed a
company car.
I have an older GL series Subaru Sportswagon. Had planned on going to
the current looking model (2000-2003) sometime in the future, but if the
price is right...
Was it a good model? Was there any major improvements when the body
shape changed? I think this particular car is a 1998 or 1999.
Thanks for any help.
For the record, the original Legacy ran from 1990 to 1994, a restyled
model went from 1995 to 1999, and the current version came out in 2000.
The first so-called Outback came out in 1995 and was really just a
Legacy with some decals and minor trim changes. The 1996 Outback was
derived from the Legacy but was a totally different car with a higher
roof, bigger wheels, stronger suspension, and various other changes. To
add to the confusion, Subaru came out with an "Outback Sport" that was
derived from the Imprezza. I had a 1990 Legacy, which I traded in for a
1996 Outback. The Outback probably could have handled rougher terrain
than the Legacy (although I never ventured onto anything worse than a
poorly maintained dirt road), but I always felt the Legacy was a more
comfortable car - quieter, smoother ride, more power. The 1996 Outback
performed well but somehow I never felt good about driving it. My 2003
Outback seems to have finally captured the better features of both cars.
My only complaint about Legacy/Outback is that they seem to go through
clutches rather quickly.
What year is your old GL? I had a 1984 GL wagon. By any metric you
choose to employ, it was a lousy car. It was noisy, underpowered,
difficult to handle (no power steering), small, rusty. But like an old
pair of boots, it was reliable and trustworthy and reassuring to drive.
I sold it to a relative who delivered mail with it for a couple years
until every mechanical part in it failed more or less simultaneously.