Opinion...

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
02/06/2016 at 16:04 • Filed to: BABBY GRAMPS

Some guy with a 2000 Subaru Legacy (auto, 2.5l NA) has offered to trade for my Miata. Should I? How fun/easy to work on/mod are these cars? AWD kind of appeals to me. This is basically what his looks like.

Except the wheels are more of a bronze color.

DISCUSSION (12)

djmt1 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 16:11

Do you not know of MightyCarMods?

despite the tag.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > djmt1
02/06/2016 at 16:16

Yeah but this is neither manual nor turbo. If it was manual I would add a turbo, if it was turbo I would swap a manual into it, but this is neither.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 16:18

My only concern would be the head gaskets, and if it has 4 matching tires. Other than that it should be a pretty solid car.

Frenchlicker > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 16:19

I have no clue but for me any and, almost, all Subarus bring forth more passion from methan any Miata.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Frenchlicker
02/06/2016 at 16:26

Oh? How so? It seems like not much power for a lot of weight. AWD is kinda neat, but I don’t see how it can be as good as a Miata.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 16:55

IIRC, neither was at least one of the Gramps builds.

Frenchlicker > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 17:18

I don’t know how to explain it to be honest. Have you ever just simply fallen in love with a brand? Also I can complete more of my life in a Subaru than I could a Miata. I’ve camped in a Subaru, popped the hatch at a drive in movie, cleaned up after a puppy got sick, laid in the back with air con on on a hot summer day after being out at a local park, stopped at a state park in the middle of the night and just laid in the back enjoying the sounds of the Midwest in the summer time. A Miata may be fun but it could never give me that.

Dusty Ventures > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 17:31

If you want something that feels quick and fun to drive, keep the Miata. If you want a car that lets you DO ALL THE THINGS then it’s hard to top a Subaru wagon. It’s like Frenchlicker said, when you have one it feels like you can just go out and have all kinds of adventures. I camped in mine for five days as I drove across the country, and it was fantastic. On the way back across the country the other direction it got me to a campground that was at the end of an ATV trail. Also I don’t know where you live, but they winter like nobody’s business. we as a family have had three Subarus (two Outbacks and a Forester) and each has only ever been stuck once in winter. The first Outback became stuck when it got high centered on a block of ice and all four wheels were off the ground, the second Outback got stuck when it slid into a ditch, and the third got stuck because it was literally on its side.

You do need to watch out for timing belt and head gasket issues with that generation Subaru, as well as rust, particularly in the rear fender wells. They’re reasonably easy to work on for the most part, the simpler mods are cheap and easy, and if you get ambitious the sky’s pretty much the limit in terms of possibilities ( STI swap, anyone? )

Dusty Ventures > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
02/06/2016 at 17:32

Ooh, good point on the tires. That’s an important bit a lot of people unfamiliar with AWD cars don’t check.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Dusty Ventures
02/06/2016 at 17:40

Yep. I know from experience. Almost bought a 2012 Outback last year with 3 25,000 mile tires and one wrong sized new one. My mechanic said that it could cause serious damage to the Diffs. The Toyota dealer selling the used Outback insisted that it was fine to have uneven tread and wouldn't replace the other 3, so I ended up just paying $2,000 more for a new outback.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 19:56

Everyone whines about the head gaskets. Those people are dumb.

Yes, you’ll be replacing the headgaskets, usually in time with the timing belts. Total cost of the job is like $2500 at the dealer, but that includes the teardown, new plugs, new timing belt, oil and coolant change, new water pump, new tstat, and other stuff I’m forgetting. Just plan on HGs being regularly scheduled maintenance.

Otherwise the early Leggies and OBW are pretty awesome. Better AWD than Subaru uses now; most of the other parts are the same so they're cheap.

plak424 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/06/2016 at 22:03

If you want an unreliable car, then yes get it. They need a ton of work and love rust. My fiance had one for years and I was constantly replacing parts on it.