12th Jun 2008, 15:48

I have the 95 manual 2.2 Legacy L - had it since in (8/31/2004). As the first writer wrote - I've not taken care of this car, besides oil changes... It has done well until about 150,000 miles - had to install new water pump, cam shaft, pulley's, and the timing belt. Not bad for a first major tuneup (cost about $1500). Then, the heater went and the clutch started slipping (another $1700). And just today, the radiator failed at 157,000 miles. Another $200 and I'm back on the road.

A couple of minor things that are odd on this car, besides the major work above, is that I've had to put 2 heater cores in it - one around 75,000 miles and the one referenced above at 150,000 miles. You have to pull the whole dash to get to it, so labor is expensive. The other item that is odd is that the right CV joint has failed about 5 times. It seems to fail about every 15,000 miles now on the right side. The left side has never been replaced. The good news is I bought it at Pep-boys, so the part has a life time warranty - I have only had to pay for an hour of labor each time after the first time.

Overall I have been thrilled with this vehicle. The interior still shows brand new - the cloth has not worn at all.

29th Mar 2010, 23:36

Problems with MPGs?!

I drive a 95 wagon with 217k miles... Subaru rates it at 23MPG (hwy/city mix)

In the winter I get about 25mpg, in summer up to 29mpg (mix).

- Car has 5spd transmission, I shift at 2100rpm.

- Car has 2.2l engine, not 2.5l.

- Car has Mobil1 (full synth) oil.

- Removed roof rack cross members, has no roof spoiler.

- I do not have hills or mountains to climb.

- 16in Subaru rims (slightly less RPMs at higher speeds.

- I hit 3000rpm at 70mph and cruise below the 3k rpm mark.

Contra: I still drive on 225s from the previous owner and will replace them with 195s or 205s soon.

The engine design is late 80s, I WISH the car would have push-button AWD like the 80s Subarus - so it drags around the 4WD at all time. If you want a station wagon with less reliability (on average) and better fuel consumption, get a Ford Escort, Toyota Corolla or a Saturn... Volvo, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Toyota Camry from the mid 90s with 4cyl. engines do NOT get significantly better MPGs.

Oh, and buy one with a manual transmission.

6th Jul 2010, 10:18

To the above commentor:

I drive a '96 Corolla. It has an automatic transmission and the larger of the two engine options available for the Corolla (the '96 Corolla comes with 2 engine options, a 1.6L and a 1.8L. My Corolla has the 1.8L), and it's rated at 31 MPG Highway/23 MPG City. I get 42 MPG highway, and that's with the automatic. In the city, I get 36 MPG. In mixed driving I get 39 MPG. And like I said twice already, that's with an automatic transmission.

Now I'm just saying, but I think my 39 MPG mixed driving is significantly better than your 29 MPG mix. And I know for a fact you won't even come close to the 42 MPG I get on the highway. Heck, I don't see any Subaru from that era getting 36 MPG on the highway like I get in the city with my Corolla.

Check your facts, any one of the other cars you named will get better mileage than a Subaru of the same vintage.

22nd Jan 2011, 11:26

I had a 90 Legacy with 220k miles on it with a manual, and it did 42 on the freeway, but only about 33 in town, so I wouldn't be acting like a Toyota is any better. I'm looking at a 95 currently, so I'll let you know if it changes, though they have the same engines in them, so probably not. Sounds like the guy with bad mileage has something wrong with his car, especially having to replace the CV axle every 15k.

1st Mar 2012, 00:04

What's all this MPG talk? If MPG is high on your list, why drive a Subaru. Subaru drivers from where I come from buy it because of the AWD.. it isn't a "novel feature", it is a needed tool.

Instead of a big heavy Jeep, it does everything Jeeps do, but with twice the MPG. (I love it when people claim Subarus can't do "real" off-roading - oh yes they can). We drive them because we NEED an AWD, not because it's supposed to get 40 MPG. Subarus around here are to save our lives in snow storms, while keeping driving costs low and reliability high.

27 MPG in a car that is reliable in the snow is more important than 35 MPG in a car that just can't hack it. And all the Midwest and back east people who think 10 inches of snow is a big deal... here it snows for hours on end at about a foot an hour. Plowing out of 2 feet of snow without chains is a daily occurrence with our Subarus. No one I know with a Subaru... even with 175,000 miles and even a lot more... ever gets stuck or breaks down without months of warning. In the high Sierras of California, we get snow... real snow, not pansy 1 foot at a time snow... Jeeps and Subarus are the only way to go.. and after you drive a Subaru... and use it a lot in the summer too... a Subaru is the only logical choice.

And I've had plenty of Jeeps until I broke down and bought a Subaru... At first I thought they would be too hard to work on... but I found quickly they are really easy to work on... they look hard and complicated, but they are not. At least the older 2.2s with noninterference engines are quite simple and logical.... Heck, I only buy ones with 150k miles that I get for cheap... and here they have no rust here... none at all! So even if a head gasket needs to be done, it's an easy job, and it's quick and easy to do... And once the head is shaved, the repair lets the car get to well over 300,000 miles.

Reliable, easy to fix. What more could I ask for?

And the Legacy is American made with American made parts (85% vs 65% for Chevy and Ford pickups). I used to live in Michigan, and was surprised to learn that they are really American made. I met many people who used to work making parts for the big 3... but now they make parts for the Subaru plant in Indiana... I didn't believe it at 1st... but it's true for the Legacy and the Outback. I like to buy American... and with a Legacy or Outback, it's an American made car. More so than a Ford or Chevy. (and the Dodge 4wd is totally made in Mexico, so it's not even on my list of possibilities).

PS... I just saw a comparison of Subi vs Audi-Honda-Nissan-Ford and Toyota small AWDs... the comparison had an incline ramp with rollers. One roller set was covered with a flat piece of sheet steel... all... and I mean all... of the other AWDs could not climb the ramp when only one tire had the sheet steel under the tire. Only the Subaru could make it up the ramp.

Well... we get a lot of ice here, and sometimes even an AWD can get stuck if only one wheel has traction, but not with the Subaru. It makes it just fine. Even with only one tire getting traction.

So... I could care less if it doesn't get 35 MPG... 27 MPG is fine with me if I know for a fact that I'm not getting stuck in a snowstorm... a really bad snowstorm (and I never have even come close to getting stuck in any kind of weather... and that why I buy it... plus its reliability).

35 MPG just isn't on my list. 27 is just fine If 35 MPG is really really important to you... please... please... please... just go buy a different AWD or 2WD... and I'll be glad to pull you out when you get stuck in a snow storm... and you will... I assure you... you will get stuck right when you don't want to. But don't worry, I keep a tow rope in every car I own... and I'm a nice guy. Just tip me half of what the tow truck would cost. I can use the 60 dollars.