I just bought my first Subaru. 1998 Legacy Outback wagon 5spd, 81k miles, from my regular trusty mechanic. He goes to auctions looking for good condition cars of any make, fixes any small thing they need and sells them. He only has less than a dozen for sale at any given time. This Outback had needed rear wheel bearings and had one owner.

 

 

 

The clutch works fine, but gets real heavy as I push it toward the floor. He said it is a hydraulic clutch and may have a different feel than I'm used to in older model manual shift cars.

 

I notice if I just push the clutch in a couple inches it is light and will shift fine (might have to go in a little further for downshifting to 1st). I'm just used to pushing a clutch until it stops.

 

The Subura clutch pushes in easy for 2 inches, then feels harder before it reaches the definite stop point. If I don't think too much about it, I suppose I'll just get used to it.

 

I'm just never sure how far I should push in the clutch, and I tend to push in until it stops, then shift. But then I think, why should the clutch be harder than on my 1998 Saturn SW2 5spd.

 

Any opinions? Thanks.

 

 

 

I had the same problem when i bought my 2000 outback sport. I drove a Jeep before where you did have to push the clutch to the floor to shift. but after a couple of months you get used to the new one and learn how far to push it.

 

find the point where the clutch fully disengages and then push it just a fraction farther. this is where you need to be to shift. downshifting is just a fraction farther then that.

it is tough getting used to, but youll get the hang of it.

the only problem i have run into now is that the clutch only needs to be pressed so short that it is my arm motion slowing down my shifts. Im putting a short throw shifter on as soon as i get one. they are cheap on ebay. that should take care of that.

 

Bust rest assured your not alone. I think Subaru clutches are the strangest i have ever driven.

I had both a 96 Saturn and a 96 Legacy for a while, and I noticed the same thing comparing the two clutches. I just had a new clutch put in my Legacy, and it is pretty nifty, shifts more like my gf's 02 Forester.

Thanks. Glad to know others have felt the same about the Subaru clutch!