Faults:

- Driver's door lock motor failure.

- Shifter bushing worn out.

General Comments:

This being my first experience with Subaru I'd say I've enjoyed the Legacy so far. I haven't particularly bonded with it like some other cars I have had, however if I'm to be impartial I would give it pretty solid marks across the board. Reliability has been decent for a 28 year old car with 90k miles on the clock. The only things that have gone wrong are a shifter bushing has worn out and the driver's door lock motor packed up (which inconveniently meant I had to remove the motor to be able to lock and unlock the door since it had seized).

As for performance I would say it holds up pretty well for a car of its age. The suspension is soft by today's standards, and even though there is a decent amount of body roll when you lean on the chassis, the Legacy still maintains good body control and doesn't seem to have any nasty habits. Combined with a hefty helping of suspension travel and it would be well at home on a difficult and undulating back road. Turn in is relatively sharp and if you press too hard the front end will push into understeer, but it is easily managed and the natural attitude of the car is surprisingly neutral. In actuality I might actually say the RS feels like it would be easily coaxed into a four wheel drift/oversteer with a bit of lift off on turn-in. 247hp/228tq is still respectable in a car that weighs just a shade over 3,000 lbs and I would definitely consider it quick, but while the twin turbo setup was designed to boost power, improve driveability, and spread the power over a broader rev range, it does suffer the requisite lag of turbocharges of yore. Get used to the power delivery (as well as the plateau around 4.5k rpms as the sequential turbo system de-spools the primary turbo and then spools both primary and secondary up together for the full monty) and it's a thrilling and soulful engine that reminds us of how forced induction engines actually used to have character, as opposed to the sanitized and humdrum turbocharged engines of today that drone and make weirdly flatulent noises out of the exhaust when you shift.

The interior is sparse by today's standards, but still very livable. Automatic climate control, power door locks (when they're functioning), power windows, power mirrors (folding), cup holders. The seats are generously bolstered and both very supportive during hard cornering and comfortable. Fatigue is almost never an issue, although I haven't done any long drives in the vehicle as of yet to truly test this. Partly because its a classic and I don't want to risk anything happening, and partly because, as the RS model, this Legacy is not equipped with cruise control. If you were to opt for the GT model I believe it was available. The seats are also upholstered in a very 90's red/grey/black confetti pattern which I am quite fond of, although it may not be to everyone's taste.

On to running costs and I have to add a bit of a caveat here. The EJ20H that is the heart and soul of the Legacy RS is a fantastic engine, however it was designed to run on premium fuel in Japan. We in the U.S. have to make do with, at most, 93 Octane fuel, whereas premium fuel across the way in its home market is a more potent 100 RON (which equates to about 96/97 octane here). This simple fact means you either have to find a way to tune the car to deal with the lower octane (not as easy as it sounds since the early revision ECU's are not flashable) OR you have to do what I do and consistently add octane booster to prevent constant knocking/pinging and eventual permanent bottom end damage. Apart from that, running costs are pretty typical and nothing to be wary of. I think the car makes an interesting alternative to all the Impreza WRX's, Skylines, and various other JDM vehicles being imported into the States, so I would definitely say it's been a positive ownership experience so far.

Faults:

Upper radiator hose leak.

Cloudy plastic headlight lenses.

Clear coat peel.

Oil leaks.

Window switch stopped working.

Power steering pump leaked.

Front left wheel bearing went bad.

Wrinkled sun visor.

General Comments:

I love this wagon. It has been very reliable, capable, spunky and thrifty.

This is the car for the budget minded adventurer. It is a great bargain in today's market. The car has plenty of storage space, plenty of roof rack space, enough power and ground clearance to take you to where you need to go.

Snow & ice are laughable joke when you outfit the wagon with killer snow tires. Long distance trips are comfy and the motor does not mind cruising 65-70 mph at 3K RPM. Washed out dirt roads heading up into the back country can be navigated with ease. City commutes and parking are a snap. Visibility is 360. Controls and levers are in the right spot. Tach, electric windows, A/C, good radio... what more could an adventure bum want!?!

The transmission gear ratios seem to be perfectly matched for the motor. Steep hill climbs are easy and the RPM ranges don't leave the motor struggling to build steam. Also uphill starts are aided by a clutch brake assistance feature which holds the brake on while you slide your right foot from the brake to the gas. This helps the driver keep from stalling the motor, even when navigating rough dirt roads.

One of my favorite features is that Subaru made sure that you'll never accidentally leave your lights on. Unlike every other auto company out there, when you turn your key off, all your lights turn off. So no need to worry about dead batteries.

I travel with ski gear, mountain bikes, hiking gear, 15 foot canoes and other outdoor stuff in my wagon all the time, so I opted to remove the rear bottom seat cushion. This allows the folding rear seats to lay flat, while giving me the option to recline my driving seat back a bit.

When I bought this wagon I took it straight to my mechanic. I had the timing belt replaced, along with the oil pump, water pump and had all the gaskets and seals replaced too ($1000 bill & peace of mind). Subaru motors are leaky motors due to their design. Starting with fresh seals, pumps and belts is the only way to fly. I also had the cooling system flushed. You never know how the last person treated the motor, and your cooling system / oiling systems are the most important part of the motor. Don't cook your heads; they'll work and crack and that job is way more than $1000.

When I visit the wrecking yard, I'll look for Legacy Wagons. When I find one I take a look at the odometers. 3K - 35K is typical. Doors shut great, never sag, seat fabric in great condition, motors which have not been picked apart... the cars look like they are in fantastic condition. I think the owners simply grew tired of waiting for the car to die. Of the parts that went bad on my car, I sourced most of the replacement parts at the local wrecking yard. The power steering pump, and window switches were some of the items I got. The used parts worked fantastic.

I polished my head lights, now they are like wet ice. The upper radiator hose simply developed a small split. Replacing that was easy. I took both front hubs off and had a local NAPA shop press new bearings in. I swapped in new front drive lines, new brake rotors and brake pads at the same time.

My biggest complaint are the auto seat belts. I learned that Canadian models did not have this auto feature. So I did some homework at the local wrecking yard. I discovered that Subaru Outback (gen 1) seat belt systems will bolt right in. So I removed the auto buckle crap and bolted in the Outback belts and buckles. My wagon has standard seat belts and I love it.

Properly maintained and wisely driven, these cars should be able to take you on many long journeys. These cars are a dime a dozen, but they are built like a million bucks. They are not fancy or racy, but they are strong and just right for the action adventurer on a budget.