itzed Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Hi, I'm 44 and I've always loved to drive. I've particularly loved my VWs over the years. I'm 6'4", 190lbs, and comfort is important to me as well. I recently moved and live on a fairly steep hill, and the wife wants us to own at least one AWD vehicle. I'm currently splitting my driving between a '97 Audi A6q (automatic) and a '95 VW jetta (manual). I've always preferred a manual for the involvement, and it always seems to be in the right gear. <g>. I do all my own service work, and it seems I'm always fixing either one or the other of these two cars. I don't mind doing it, but the cost is about equal to a new car payment, and my wife is complaining she never sees me anymore. So recently I began wondering if there was a car out there that could give me what I want in a single vehicle: Comfort; Reliability; Fun; Reasonable cost; and AWD. I've identified the base 5 speed Legacy as about the only contender that I think might initially meet all those criteria. I've never owned a Subaru, and I'm seeking your opinions on what could be a rather fast decision because of the incentives currently offered. I'm interested in: Reliability: What are the weak points of this 2.5i engine? Is the maintenance schedule reasonable? What about the "Subaru common problems"? Trust me that Audi A6 blower motor is NOT an easy job. Comfort: I'm very concerned that the seat be comfortable for me, as my work commute is 1 hour each way daily. I sat in and drove a Legacy GT that I found comfortable, but there was no standard SE for me to try out. I've read some complaints on the web about the seats, which scare me. Any comments on this? I know I'm asking a lot here, especially for a first post. But I promise if I buy this car, I'll stay here on the list and pay it all back. Thanks, Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f15xxx Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 lemme tell you about subaru seats -- they stink. on long trips you'll arrive with a dislocated right hip. i'm now experimenting with a piece of 2" foam cut inside of the side bolsters and about 3-4" back of the thigh support. since foam will degrade and marr the seats with direct contact, it is contained within the packing plastic bag that it came in. this is a real jerry rig but the other choice is some nice aftermarket seats -- at least the driver's side! the seats are too thin in width, the mid-40's rear end was not considered by the 6-sigma design group. this problem really is a PITA. 99 leg l sedan 2.2l 5mt 30th anniv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 now i think subaru seats are fine. Only way to tell is to go drive one. Maintanece they are fine, you can do everything yourself . www.cars101.com has all the info you need. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstwagon Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I'm 6'2", 190 lbs and I think Subarus seats are great. I've been in several Subarus including long trips in my 91 Legacy and my sisters 05 Forester and never had a problem. Nipper's right though, the only way to know for sure is to drive one for as long as possible. Everyone is a different shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnlyfnd Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I love my '96 legacy seats. My g/f just got a '05 legacy yesterday. I love it, she loves it, and the seats are very comfy. It has sport shift which is pretty pointless but is nice to have in certain situations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Subaru seats are the worse seats I've ever sat in, I've gone as far as replacing them with ones out of a buick. My girls Impreza is much better though, but long trips are still a pain in it. But it might just be the ones I've sat in, just set in it yourself because apparently there are some good years. By the way 6'0 180 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 Never noticed any problems with the seats in the Subaru. We are slender people by today's standards, may make a difference. The newer Subaru engines are interference engines. Not a problem unless you ignore the timing belt replacement interval. You might find a used Subaru is a manageable work load for maintenance. Just get one that has been well maintained. But, there is nothing like a new car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzed Posted July 5, 2006 Author Share Posted July 5, 2006 Thanks for all the replies. I did it. I picked up a new Legacy SE Monday night. Black, with the spoiler 5 speed. Very sharp looking car, and I love the growl of the engine. I find the seats OK so far, but have not taken any longer drives yet. I'm taking it to work today, which is a 1 hour commute, so I'll know better at the end of the day. My biggest thing with the seats is that I need rake adjustment to tilt the front up and the back down, which this seat has. So I'm optimistic. I'm now a Soobie guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Welcome to the club buddy. And its good knowing you have a Subaru meaning your guaranteed that commute to work every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firstwagon Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 One of the things I love about Subarus is how many people still buy them with 5 speeds. Of the half dozen people I know that bought a new Honda in the past year, not one bought a manual. 3 of the 4 new subaru owners that I know got a 5 speed manual. It just makes me smile Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzed Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 Thanks for the welcomes. My 1 hour commute to work and 1 hour back from work was totally enjoyable today! The seats were fine, and the arm rests were the right height, and the steering wheel was well positioned. It seems to fit me just fine. And I just absolutely love that growl the engine and exhaust combination makes! The clutch is easy and not a problem, although the shifter is a little balky in 1'st and 3'rd sometimes. I expect the linkage might loosen up a litte in time. Overall, a very positive experience and I'm looking forward to talking about it with you all for many years to come! Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnlyfnd Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 although the shifter is a little balky in 1'st and 3'rd sometimes. What do you mean?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itzed Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 What do you mean?? I mean it's not buttery smooth going into 1'st and 3'rd all the time, and it's a little notchy - like you have to push it a little harder and past a very slight bind. It usually happens when going slow. It's really not a problem for me, but if my wife drives the car I'll have to mention it to her because you COULD be tempted to think it's in gear and let out the clutch when it really isn't quite there yet. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 I'm glad you enjoy your seats, it might just be a year by year thing because I've talked with an 00 Legacy owner and the seat is actually different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 Sometimes its good to have manual and sometimes good to have auto, but its funny because my mom struggles to get the car in D I said HIT THE BUTTON AND THE BRAKE!!! THEN SHE FORGETS!! Then i get out and hold my head after 14 years of owning the vehicle. LOL.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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