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Subaru Legacy Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1005 messages,  Last post on May 03, 2013 at 6:18 PM

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

Messages Page 101 of 101

#996 of 1005 Re: Best Quote out the door on 2013 by luvmy2gs

Apr 10, 2013 (1:27 pm)

Ateixeira,
It does include taxes and all. I do have it in writing to confirm it is taxes, title, and dealer fees. This dealer is about 1.5 hours away. While I am willing to travel, I do hope to get my local dealer to beat, or the very least, match this price. Sounds like this is a good price.

#997 of 1005 VIP discount by cathyv1

Apr 12, 2013 (3:26 pm)

Does anyone know is Subaru still doing the VIP discount and if so did anyone recently get the advertised 2% below invoice they say you get? Thanks

#998 of 1005 2003 Legacy L with head problem by msmb

Apr 25, 2013 (7:15 pm)

I am looking to buy a 2003 Legacy L with standard trans. The car only has 68000 miles on it and the price seemed to be right, around $6750 from an apparently reliable private party. But when we took it in to the dealer for inspection it turned out that there is a problem with the head. Not sure if there was also a leak or if that is related to the head. Estimated cost for repair, including the timing belt (which the owner says he just recently replaced, so I expect the part can be reused) is $2500. Dealer said that he was figuring conservatively, that was probably at the high end of possibilities. Present owner said he would cover cost of repair from the dealer. Since I am not familiar with Subarus I am seeking advice. Does the repair that needs to be done suggest this is a risky car (a headache waiting to happen); and is $6750 minus the cost of repairs ($4250 if the repair costs $2500) a decent deal? do you think that I will be able to trust this car to 200,000 miles if the repair is done well and it is maintianed properly? What i need is highly serviceable and relative headache free trasnportation.

#999 of 1005 Re: 2003 Legacy L with head problem [msmb] by lifeson34

Apr 25, 2013 (8:02 pm)

Replying to: msmb (Apr 25, 2013 7:15 pm)
Haha. Welcome to the Subaru brand. You have just discovered the most important thing you need to know about Subaru engines: they suffer from severe head gasket issues.
 
Here is a cute experiment for you. Google, oh, "Honda head gasket". Note the search results. Now google "Subaru head gasket".
 
Oh the horror! I know it's difficult, but pay close attention to the personal accounts of leaking head gaskets! But wait - isn't Subaru supposed to be as reliable as Honda?
 
Are leaking head gaskets the only reliability issue? No. Google also, oh, "Subaru wheel bearing". Yeppers.
 
Let me tell you about my 2007 Subaru Legacy 2.5 Special Edition - the car the sales folks swore in 2006 would outlast any Honda.
 
At 135K miles, that car developed a leaking head gasket. Didn't quite have the funds ($2K) to fix it. Now the engine is dead.
 
...Then there are the three wheel bearings I had to replace during the life of that car. Was it just how I drove? Hm. I am quite the careful driver, but don't believe me. How many hundreds of complaints can you find in your Google searches of "Subaru head gasket" and "Subaru wheel bearing"?
 
The car does drive very nice for an affordable midsize sedan. In the winter, it is golden. But, unless you have patience, time and money to sink into this piece of metal, you might want to consider other brands too. And the 2003 model is smack in the middle of Subaru's reliability issues - that's why that car is selling for so little!
 
Just know that you are buying trouble. Fun trouble, but trouble nonetheless.

#1000 of 1005 Re: 2003 Legacy L with head problem [lifeson34] by lifeson34

Apr 25, 2013 (8:11 pm)

Replying to: lifeson34 (Apr 25, 2013 8:02 pm)
Just basking in the glory of posting the 1000th message...

#1001 of 1005 Re: 2003 Legacy L with head problem [lifeson34] by ateixeira

Apr 26, 2013 (7:17 am)

Replying to: lifeson34 (Apr 25, 2013 8:02 pm)
A Honda transmission would likely not have lasted 135k miles. You might be on the 3rd trans by then.
 
Every brand has its achilles heel.
 
For fun, though, let's Google:
 
subaru head gasket = 2.89 million hits
honda head gasket = 4.81 million hits
honda transmission problem = 6.93 million hits
honda a/c problem = 105 million hits (had to double check that one).
 
Hondas are perfect, totally fault-free. Go for it.
 
To to OP - I'd say it depends.
 
They have an alloy block, so what you don't want to buy is a car that overheated a lot and warped and won't mate up well to the heads.
 
Try to find out how long it's been leaking. If it just started, and that could be why they're selling, then the repair should meet your expectations.
 
If it's been neglected and driven that way for a while, I'd pass.

#1002 of 1005 Re: 2003 Legacy L with head problem [ateixeira] by lifeson34

Apr 26, 2013 (8:42 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Apr 26, 2013 7:17 am)
True. I can't refute your argument. Hondas did have a reputation for transmission problems. I myself drove a Honda Odissey van whose ultimate demise was a slipping transmission. It cost 2K to fix it.
 
Engines and transmissions are sacred. I see evidence that Honda addressed its transmission problems. Two brothers and my mother drive Honda accords, two with high mileage. No transmission issues.
 
With Subarus, the story is different. I don't even know that many Subaru drivers, yet two of them have personal accounts of leaking head gaskets - as do I. The problem is that this issue first came to light nearly 15 years ago. Subaru claimed to have fixed the issue in models after 05 - yet that is not true. My 07 Legacy suffered from exactly the same issue 03 drivers complained about.
 
Honda is not perfect. But it is more trustworthy. Every brand has its issues, but I have more confidence that Honda has made strides to address theirs. Subaru seems to be clueless.

#1003 of 1005 Re: 2003 Legacy L with head problem [lifeson34] by ateixeira

Apr 26, 2013 (1:28 pm)

Replying to: lifeson34 (Apr 26, 2013 8:42 am)
My concern now, with the Accord for instance, is this is Honda's first foray in to CVTs and also their first try with DI engines. Kind of a risky gamble, a v1.0 of both the engine and trans.
 
Subaru's FB25 was a big improvement, but their CVT is also kinda new, so another risk.
 
The EJ was an open deck design and has a lot of passages through the gaskets. It took a full redesign to address that 100%. The gasket materials improved over the years so the issues became less frequent, but never completely disappeared.
 
To be fair Dodge Intrepid ate gaskets at a higher rate than Subarus did.

#1004 of 1005 Re: 2003 Legacy L with head problem [lifeson34] by msmb

Apr 26, 2013 (8:44 pm)

Replying to: lifeson34 (Apr 25, 2013 8:02 pm)
The Honda that the Legacy i inquired about is replacing is now 20 years old. it has 239,000 miles on it. I had to replace the transhission at around 135,000 miles. The cost was around $1200 back then (i found a great deal on a transmission from Japan). It has been fine ever since.
 
By the way, I also have a 2003 Camry and had to replace the catalytic converter. Cost of around $800; not of the magnitude of the trasnsmision or the head; but still an important part. It has been fine and now has 185000 miles and is going strong. But the head and the tranny are really important and I imagine can make your life miserable; thus the question if a repair job typically is effective. If the repair has a good possibility of being as successful as the repair of my Honda's trasnmission, with 68000 miles and a fair price (apparently not great but not bad either) it is my kind of car.

#1005 of 1005 2013 legacy sport by jumpy

May 03, 2013 (6:18 pm)

A 2013 sport with alloy locks, mudflaps, all weather mats, cargo tray, dimming rear view with compass (not home link) and rear bumper applique for $22933....what do you guys think? Doc fee is $190 + tax/license

Messages Page 101 of 101

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