I just purchased a 2003 Legacy Outback with the H6.3.0 engine and VDC. It has 74,500 milkes. This is my first Subaru and I really like it. To my chagrin, I learned that it requires premium fuel and NO ethanol.

What has been other owner's experiences? Why is the ethanol bad if the octane rating is acceptable?

I would appreciate any comments. Thanks.

i think it's "recommended", not required...or that varies by year, so check.  i don't think ethanol makes any difference at all - where did you hear that?

 

in any event my 02 and 03 H6's...and many others...have 210,000 and 170,000 miles and run perfectly on the *cough* killer 87 octane and ethanol blends i feed it.  i've given it high octane non-ethanol blends when towing and noticed no difference.

I have never seen a warning against 'normal' amounts of ethanol for the H6, up to 10% should be fine.

 

It does not 'need' premium, it runs fine but with less power on 87, with the caveat that there have been reports of excessive carbon build-up with lower octane fuel.

I give mine mid-grade and sometimes 87.  Seems to run a bit faster with the higher octane stuff.  118K on mine and loving it.

Thanks for all the comments. Both my mechanic and the dealer said the same thing. The manual also recommends non-ethanol premium. Non-ethanol is getting increasingly hard to find particularly in the northeast.

I also have a McIntosh sound system and it has great sound but the CDs tend to skip. Any comments?