rweddy

I concur, I hate this feature, I rent a lot of cars that have this feature and it drives my crazy when I travel.

Get the Thule, I have them on all my vehicles, they are the best you can get. I deal with used racks a lot and thule hold up much better than yakima. I personally use the 889 on my outback and love it.

Debunking aside, it is more of a squeaky wheel issue than anything else. You do not find people looking on the web for sites and posting topics when the cars have no issues at all. So the bulk of reports on this board are from people who have had 2.5 HG failures or issues. I know of many 2.5 that have gone 200k+ with no HG issues. I do believe there are issues with maintenance, climate, etc that can cause issues but the 2.5 HG failure rate is nowhere near as bad as one would believe from this list.

This is actually a totally untrue statement about mpg and AWD. You can read on this board that many have put the fuse in their AWD legacies and only got 1-2 mpg gains at best. An AWD system is not gas hog a part time 4WD system is. This can also be seen in factory specs for a 90s front wheel drive legacy vs. an AWD legacy. Yes 4wd is much better for off-road use, but in rain, snow, and all handling situations AWD is superior in all ways. If you want to climb or rock crawl then 4wd is the only way to go.

Unless you are using your vehicle for pure off-road AWD is superior to 4wd in every way, this is why. I would never want to go back to 4wd now that I have AWD in my Subaru, I just wish I could get dual range in N. America. Changing a AWD to 4WD is a step backwards in technology.

Actually this is WAY to long between changes. The fluid/filter should be changed every 36k. Who did the service? I am asking this because a quickie shop or a less sophisticated ship will use machines that actually damage the tranny. The machines use high pressure to flush the system which in turn damages the transmission. A high end or sophisticated shop uses the car’s transmission pump to flush the system this way the vehicles spec pressure will be used to flush the system.

200 easy, taken care of 300 range.

I agree totally, the HG issues are not as bad as what we read about on this board. And even if they do go, you can get them done for $1200 at most shops or do it yourself for less.

I have a 96 legacy obw 2.2 with mobil 1 get 28-31 mpg mostly highway.

What model do you have? You are looking at the part of the seat that when folded down secures it to the seat bottoms, this is not where the headrest go. If you had headrest on your subaru then you would have 2 peg in holes. Only top end subarus LS models had headrests, FYI.

Yes I am sure Subaru’s are plentiful in Utah, like they are in Colorado. Colorado is the number one state for Subaru’s, and I believe Utah is number 2. They way you can tell a native Coloradan is because they drive a Subaru with Mtn bikes on top worth more than the car!! (This is me) I need the extra clearance, actually close to 2 inches, because the places I go to Mtn bike and climb so I need it. If you do not need this, then get a regular legacy. As far as years of Legacy OBW differences 95 are just re-bagged legacies, 2.2 outback front ends 96 2.2 5spd 2.5 auto 97-99 2.5 all 5 spd or auto

I could not agree with you more,:cool: yes the 2.5 has some HG issues, but not as bad as one would think on this board. I love the 96-99 Legacy OWB styling the best of the Outback line. I have a 96 2.2 5 spd but I would have not issue getting a 2.5/ 5 spd either and would love the extra power now and then.

If you plan on keeping the car for 3 or more years fix it. As long as they use the updated HG and mill the heads you should be fine for a long time.

Keep your fluid fresh and you might be fine. It is a total hit and miss. I know of many 200k 2.5 that go to my local subaru shop.

Only issue with these is they get horrible gas mileage, AWD version gets 20mpg and their AWD system is terrible. Front wheel drive until slip then rear kicks in after it is too late. But I do like the all weather flooring and such, but they are damm ugly cars.

Have you fixed pesky little heater hose on your cruiser yet? That was a giant pia, I loved my 97 but could not justify a 12mpg vehicle with my 100 mile commute!! Do you know any good forums for Audi, my sister-in-law has one and was looking for a good site for info.

I was not trying to blindly bash Audi’s; I think they are great cars. They have some of the best technology and fit finish I have seen on vehicles. They are beautifully crafted and are put together superbly. But are they are not inline with Subaru in quality control and reliability. And of course like you stated they are more technological based so there is more to break, and when it does their parts cost way more than Subaru to replace.

I was told this by a porsche fan in the office, he had an artile about the porsche 959 and subaru. I will see if I can get it when he come in.

I was asked to compare the outback vs a jetta, there is no available Quattro option in the US. But let’s talk about Subaru vs Audi. First you state that Consumer reports has a bias against Audi, but then say how the rate them as good as Japanese’s vehicles?? So which is it? Are Audi awesome machines? I totally appreciate them, they are wonderfully complex great vehicles. Would I take one as a daily driver? Only if I had lots of cash to burn. I drive 100 plus miles a day and there is not way I would depend on a vehicle like a Audi to last to 200k unless I was a certified Audi mechanic or had one ridding shotgun in my car!! I have owned Audi’s and have lots of friends who own them today, ranging from Allroads, A4/A6 even a buddy who has a very rare S6. They are incredible machines but even the top Audi purists will tell you they are maintenance nightmares. They all trade them well before the warranty is over or get extended service contracts. My friends 03 S4 has averaged $3700 for every 6k service since brand new, this goes without saying all the small annoying issues that pelage the entire product line. Not a day goes by that someone in my office is not saying how a door light is out, or a power seat quit working, etc. Yes Audi has some great wiz bang features but they are problematic in nature for sure. The back seat of the jetta/a4 is one of the smallest on the market, and most anyone will tell you this. I am not huge person, 5foot9 165 and I can only ride in my friend’s S4 for very short rides. I would love to take a comparison from a Subaru AWD vs. an Audi Quattro system test. When Porsche needed AWD technology for its line who did they go to? Another German manufactor? No they went to Subaru. This speaks volumes about Subaru AWD system. My outback will handle just as well as any Audi until you throw in acceleration, then I get smoked, just need to get a 05 XT!! Terrible resale? Yes I consider a Audi that costs 45k new and 4 years later can be purchased for 19k to be terrible resale. This is the same for VW, compared to Subaru especially in mountain states like CO Subaru’s hold their value very well. And yes Subaru’s are well built and simple design. They are cheap to fix also. Even with the 2.5 HG issues, that is a relatively inexpensive fix, $1000 range, compared to Audi were any standard service cost well over that. You are also comparing your views from your 99 bottom on the line Subaru. A base legacy come with not much that is very true, but compare apples to apples Audi vs limited model and there are not that many creature comfort differences.

No harder than any front wheel drive vehcile, the AWD is in the center diff not the front.

Exactly!!! The Jetta and VW/Audi for that matter have always been very unreliable. Check out consumer reports year after year and you will see this to be true. They do have some cool features, but they also have unusalbe back seats, are terrible in inclement weather, bottom out on small bumps, have terrible resale value, …….should I go one on???

This topic is a constant on this board. MPG is more about drag, weight, gear ratios, etc. Putting the fuse in will give you 1-2 mpg at best, so instead run synthetic motor oil and you will gain the same without the possible damage of the solenoid that will cost hundreds in parts since it is not built for long term use.

97-99 I like the style of the first generation obw best.

Looks like my insurance might total my OWB. What kind of mpg can I expect from 2.5 5spd combo? My current 2.2 gets 28-30 highway. Will a 2.5 get close to the same? Thanks

I have heard that 96 2.5 get poor mileage, friends 2.5 98 gets 28-29 mpg.