boostedbar Posted December 25, 2003 Share Posted December 25, 2003 What is the difference between the outback model line and the legacy? and which is better to mod/has a better aftermarket support? thanks in advance btw is there a good site taht sells subaru legacy/outback performance parts? i find alot for the impreza's but not many for the other ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted December 25, 2003 Share Posted December 25, 2003 Hehe... the difference between the Outback and Legacy/Impreza is some beefy body cladding and cool nameplates... That's about it The engines/transmissions are the same, parts will interchange all day long (a lot of people are calling Scoobs "Legos" recently because so much from one Sub will fit another Sub)... That said, if you're an Outback owner looking for performance mods, pretty much everything that will fit the Legacy or Impreza will fit your car, an Outback or Outback Sport, respectively. Try: http://www.isrperformance.com http://www.scoobymods.com http://www.xcceleration.com http://www.spomotorsports.com That should give you a good idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boostedbar Posted December 25, 2003 Author Share Posted December 25, 2003 so if i do end up buying a 2.5 legacy, i can theoretically buy engine parts that were made for the 2.5 rs imprezas, and they will pretty much fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myles Posted December 25, 2003 Share Posted December 25, 2003 Originally posted by boostedbar so if i do end up buying a 2.5 legacy, i can theoretically buy engine parts that were made for the 2.5 rs imprezas, and they will pretty much fit? Be careful! There are two 2.5's: The Phase-I (DOHC, HLA's), and the Phase-II (SOHC, "roller rockers" acting directly on the valve stems). I'm sure there are other differences (MAF vs. MAP, etc.). Check the "Tech Articles" section of Cubb Tuning's wesite: http://cobbtuning.com/tech/index.html If memory serves, Subaru started using the Phase-II in the Impreza lineup (MY1999+) before cutting the Legacies over (MY2001+?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commuter Posted December 25, 2003 Share Posted December 25, 2003 The Outback (96-99) is based on the Legacy platform. Since 2000, they have tried to distinguish the Outbacks from the Legacies by simply calling them "Outbacks", but they are still built on the same platform. Watch the Outback Sport. This is an Outback looking model, but built on the Imprezza platform. The Imprezza vehicles are a different platform (smaller). Both platforms have been using the same engine and transmissions for some time. There is a lot of interchangability there. Once you get into the remaining drivetrain and suspension however, it is a different story. I don't know if there is cross over on the braking systems or not. Probably. What Subaru did in 1996 was to essentially take the Legacy wagon and bump the roof up, change the bumpers, add a (non-functional) scoop to the hood, add 2 tone body coloring, and raise the suspension (raised and longer travel), use only the larger wheels and brakes, use only the 2.5L engine, and give it 'mild' off-road capability. Then they called it an Outback and hired Crocadile Dundee (Paul Hogan) for their ad campaign. First (yeah, debatable I'm sure) cross over vehicle. An SUW (Sport Utility Wagon). I have a 97. I like the character of the vehicle. Don't expect it to ever be a performance vehicle unless you are willing to spend several thousand dollars. It's heavy. The engine pulls well, but the car is not speedy. The AWD is nice, but gas mileage is only so-so. The ride is ok, but firm. The extra ground clearance does help in the winter. Earlier models were a bit sparse on features (IMHO, I think Subaru did this to offset some of the AWD costs). They have a few weak spots. The most significant one being head gaskets. They are very good all around vehicles though. In the current generation, it looks to me like they designed the Outback first, then stripped it down to make the Legacy Wagon. The Legacy looks top heavy to me, with the bumped up roof and the smaller tires and lowered stance. The Outback went a little nuts with the cladding. However, there is the 3.0L H6 engine now... for a price. You do have to watch things with the engine. Subaru made changes almost every year with these things. For example, the 1999's have a film style MAF sensor instead of the prior hot wire style. With 2000, they went over to MAP sensors (I think... someone verify please). So if you are looking to do some sort of cold air intake or the like, you need to know exactly what you have. That's just an example. Commuter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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