1995 Subaru Legacy L 2.2 from North America

Summary:

Very good car

Faults:

Replaced front brake pads at 150000.

Taillight bulbs.

Trunk light was finicky, cleaned the switch and it works.

Nothing, really.

General Comments:

I bought this car to replace a Volvo 740, which was totaled in a hit-and-run. Bought it for $2500 as-is, at a Subaru dealer. It came with 4 good Michelins and virtually all service records; needed a taillight bulb for safety!

It has been great. It has the characteristic gas gauge demons, radio light has quit, there is some rust happening at the back of the rear wheel wells, but every mid-90's Legacy seems to have this problem.

Everything else works, including the air conditioning. Original exhaust (heat shields rattle a bit - annoying but not a problem).

Burns no oil, gets 35 mpg on the highway. Cruises nice at 100-120 kmh. Has enough punch to pass with authority on the highway, even with four passengers.

Handles exceptionally well in the snow. The day I bought it there was an 18 inch snowfall. Had to get my kid to a hockey game. Was absolutely stunned by the performance in the snow. For fun, I found myself stopping on steep snow-covered inclines and taking off with no surprises. Like driving on dry pavement.

It sits a little low to the ground for my liking, but I can live with that. Even though mine is a sedan, the trunk carries a lot of stuff. 2 huge hockey bags, for instance.

Once in a while it didn't turn over to start. I disconnected the starter lead, cleaned off a bit of corrosion - not more problem. Replaced the brake pads myself, spent $25 on the pads and took less than an hour. Cracking open the caliper mounting bolts was very easy, nothing was seized - pretty good for a 13 year-old car. This car is easy to work on.

I rely on this vehicle more than our other one, which is 5 years newer and has 50,000 less kilometers.

Mid-to-late 90's Subarus with the 2.2 litre engine are probably the best vehicle Subaru ever built. I will drive this one into the ground, which may take a while.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 7th October, 2008

1995 Subaru Legacy GL V6 from North America

Summary:

Ultra Reliable

Faults:

At around 140,000 Kilometers, the air conditioning stopped working.

At around 120,000, the trunk stopped opening, but was fixed by lubricating the latch.

Other than that, it has been a great, ultra-reliable car that hasn't needed repair, other than the usual tune ups.

Bland interior.

General Comments:

Handling is what you'd expect from a small wagon, engine stutters a bit, but other than that, it runs fine, body and engine are otherwise in great condition.

Bought the car in 1995, haven't had do any major repairs ever since. Mechanically the car is amazing.

Style wise it's a bit embarrassing to be driving, and in my opinion, is an eyesore to look at, which is the only reason I would not buy another Subaru. Besides that, I have no other complaints.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 19th June, 2008

1995 Subaru Legacy LS 2.2 from North America

Summary:

A tank, but make sure you look after it!

Faults:

The water pump blew on me a week after I purchased the vehicle. That was covered under the used car dealership warranty.

The exhaust hanger came off, so I hear the sound of a dangling pipe every time I drive or idle hard.

After a long period (let's say 3-4 hours) of sitting outside, the car fires up after a few good cranks. I have consulted my mechanic regarding this matter, only to be told that it could either be the cold weather or the car being so old. If anyone has this similar problem, PLEASE help me! I changed the spark plugs and had the fuel pump tested, but what else could it be?

Power window regulator blew on my driver's side, but I bought a cheaper part off the internet. Go to Autopartsway.ca for a good selection of parts. Canadian, but American friendly prices.

General Comments:

Despite what I've gone through, this car is a tank! Subaru's are hard to kill as long as you keep them serviced. The AWD kept me out of sticky situations this terrible and snowy winter.

Gas consumption is to be desired, but remember that this is a heavier wagon that uses AWD. If you don't mind using a higher octane gas like 89, do it. It will help our Legacy go further on a tank. Plus it is better for the car in the long run.

Mine is fully loaded, but it's still really outdated. Then again, Legacy's aren't known for kick-ass interiors anyway. Even the new one.

This is a message for ALL 95-99 Subaru Legacy owners!

Please read!!! I've seen many of you complained about sluggish acceleration. I know exactly what you mean.

I bought a K&N air-filter and noticed some improvement. It's not much, but it also gave me a bit more mileage out of a tank. Not to mention better highway performance.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 30th March, 2008

11th Sep 2009, 13:54

Another owner commented about the EV sensor or like it. It could cause the stalling issue.

7th Feb 2012, 17:55

Here's the cure for your cold-start problem... trust me... this works!

Before activating the starter, do this:

1) Turn the key until all the dash lights come on, but do not activate the starter.

2) Wait 5 seconds.

3) Do this three times. You now have a fully pressurized fuel injection system.

4) Now turn the key to activate the starter. Trust me: it will start within one second. My starters last much longer using this trick. Honest.