I work at a plant nursery (high subaru traffic), and I keep seeing these 00 legacies with absolutely perfect bodies. Were those years exceptionally rust proofed or are these all just extra nice?

The early 2000 Legacys around here are all rusted out. You can open the rear doors and see rust holes in the top of the rocker, and in the wheel arch. And they still rust in the normal rear quarter area as well. So I'd say the ones you're seeing are just clean.

There must have been some improvement in either the quality of steel used in the bodies, and or, better primer and paint. My 91 Leggie formed paint and rust blisters at nicks in the paint, my 98 and 99 OBWs haven't done that. However, still seeing rust form in rear quarter area. We get some salty roads here in Indiana over winters, but not as bad in states with heavy winter snows.

The 00-04's are all rustbuckets around here. As bratman said, the rear dogleg and the triangle inside the rear side door openings where the rubber door stop hits are a major trouble spot. It's caused by a lack of seam sealer on the pinch weld at the front of the wheel arch.

So are lots of the rear subframes, where the lower links attach. And the usual spot on the rear quarters at the back of the wheel well.

 

95-99's the rear strut towers go bad from inside the wheel well. Door bottoms rot out. Rear of the rockers rot out. Gas tanks rot out right around where the filler tube nipple goes in, as well as the filler necks rotting out. Rear quarters of course, and rear subframes occasionally.

hi, i recently bought a 94 legacy and the paint is in the best condition.....with some  scratches but it has nos rust at all......looking at subaru tutorials i use to note this problem in more of them. Fortunately mine is in prist condition...maybe older editions were better...

I think I just got lucky too! Found a nice 99 Legacy SUS that is rust free and the paint is still pretty good. During pre- purchase inspection, I was delighted to see the frame and most everything else all undercoated. My fleet of 3 used Subys today are all pretty clean for NJ cars with the lowest mileage over 150k.