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Subaru Legacy/Outback 2005+

10833 messages,  Last post on Feb 26, 2013 at 5:40 AM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Sedan, Wagon




Your Community Leaders are ateixeira and rsholland.

Messages Page 1022 of 1084

#10210 of 10833 Replaced my Outback by mithrandir

Sep 06, 2007 (8:03 am)

Yesterday, I traded-in my 2003 Outback for an 2008. I'm taken back by the improvement in refinement and smoothness of my new car; it is very different! Whereas the 03 had a mechanical and tactile feel, the 08 drives more like a luxury car. The engine spools up so smoothly, it's hard to believe it's the "same" 2.5 liter. The clutch pedal is feather-lite and engagement is smooth, almost silky. And, hooray, they "fixed" the highway wind noise problem. Of course, to do this Subaru made the side mirrors a little small (the old ones were huge).
 
The 03 wasn't rough, just more direct and Subaru made fewer efforts to hide NVH. I knew that with the 2005 redesign Subaru was trying to bring the Legacy platform closer to class-leader standards but I never realized the difference between revisions was as great as it is. On paper my new 08 is not appreciably different than the 03 - and this is one reason why I delayed buying. But now that I have the 08 in my driveway I'm thinking that I should have replaced my 03 sooner.
 
Perhaps the best praise I can offer is, oddly, that I feel guilty when I look at, sit in and drive my new Outback. It's so much nicer than the 03 in those "touchy-feely" characteristics that I actually feel like I made an extravagant purchase, like I'm living above my means (I'm one of those people who max out their 401(k) contributions so I'm sensitive about money). However, I look at the price paid ($22,040) and realize I simply got a lot of vehicle for the money. It's funny that the magazines and the media focus on the Limited/L.L. Bean high-trim packages and the 3.0 H-6. Why? The real deal is with the high-volume 2.5i model. Good one, Subaru.

#10211 of 10833 Re: Replaced my Outback [mithrandir] by ateixeira

Sep 06, 2007 (8:38 am)

Replying to: mithrandir (Sep 06, 2007 8:03 am)
Congrats, and it's very encouraging to hear you impressions.

#10212 of 10833 Re: Replaced my Outback [mithrandir] by jeffmc

Sep 06, 2007 (11:25 am)

Replying to: mithrandir (Sep 06, 2007 8:03 am)
Last year, we had an '04 Outback and added an '06 Legacy sedan. We liked the '06 Legacy so much better, we traded in the reasonably new '04 Outback for an '06 Outback. So now we've got 2 '06 Subies.
 
Like you said, nothing wrong with the earlier style, but the newer models were a big leap forward. We felt guilty as well, getting rid of a vehicle that served us well & had nothing "wrong" with it. I get over than feeling when I drive the either of the new ones, though.

#10213 of 10833 Re: Replaced my Outback [mithrandir] by tifighter

Sep 06, 2007 (1:05 pm)

Replying to: mithrandir (Sep 06, 2007 8:03 am)
I had a OB 2.5i loaner this week while my Forester was being serviced. I must say I was impressed. It is much quieter, which makes everything seem a little nicer (like the stereo) and more comfortable. The interior is on a completely different level of detail and refinement. I was expecting to not like the 4eat but it was better than I expected; sportshift makes up for a lot. I would still take a 5MT to get the most from the engine, but overall, I agree that the 2.5i is the real deal. My dealer has a few 07's left (I like the earlier grill) that taunt me endlessly; I am afraid to price them...

#10214 of 10833 Weirdest thing by mithrandir

Sep 06, 2007 (6:23 pm)

My 08 is a PZEV (partial-zero emissions vehicle) and it has dual exhausts! I suppose Subaru realizes the irony here so they hide the pipes from view unless you stoop low or lie on the ground.

#10215 of 10833 Re: Replaced my Outback [tifighter] by mithrandir

Sep 06, 2007 (6:27 pm)

Replying to: tifighter (Sep 06, 2007 1:05 pm)
Apparently the new grille is contentious and I'm not a real fan of it. Frankly I am worried about having a problem with the radiator: the gaps in the grille are huge and there is no screen to filter out gravel and other road debris. The radiator is very much exposed.

#10216 of 10833 Re: Replaced my Outback [mithrandir] by paisan

Sep 07, 2007 (4:13 pm)

Replying to: mithrandir (Sep 06, 2007 6:27 pm)
Your radiator actually isn't in the front. That's the AC Condensor that you see there.
 
If it really concerns you a lot, get some mesh wire from home depot and hot-glue it to the back of the grille, it will be both stylish and functional.
 
-mike

#10217 of 10833 Rough idle when cold by mithrandir

Sep 08, 2007 (9:03 am)

I am dismayed by how rough my car runs when I first start it in the morning. It sounds BAD: it sputters and chugs as if it wants to stall, the rpms bounce up and down and the engine makes a lot of clanking noises. On a new car??? I know Subarus are generally rough and loud when cold but still... Once I put it in gear and drive off it's fine, and it's also fine during midday restarts, but that first startup in the morning, yuck, it's like I've got a 15 year old car!

#10218 of 10833 Re: Rough idle when cold [mithrandir] by paisan

Sep 08, 2007 (1:28 pm)

Replying to: mithrandir (Sep 08, 2007 9:03 am)
Thank the federal gov for that. The cold-emissions starts are pretty bad unfortunately. Hopefully they'll be able to engineer around them better.
 
-mike

#10219 of 10833 Re: Rough idle when cold [mithrandir] by jeffmc

Sep 09, 2007 (11:04 pm)

Replying to: mithrandir (Sep 08, 2007 9:03 am)
Before you turn the key all the way to start up in the morning, try waiting until the needles in the gauges have made their full sweep up and back, then turn the ignition all the way. Gives the fuel pump time to prime. Maybe that would take care of the worst of the problem.

Messages Page 1022 of 1084

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