This may come as a surprise; I always had old British cars plus the odd modern when it was needed for long commuting. So why a Subaru? I had looked at them when I had to select a new car in 1997, but they were too expensive for my lease budget. I chose a Renault Laguna then.
In 2006, a year after I sold my Citroën Xantia wagon, we were starting to rebuild our home and garage. That wagon was much missed, as it was so practical with its huge luggage space.
There were a couple of reasons for buying another modern wagon.
- The versatility: very practical for moving things from my garage to the barn, or to get stuff for the rebuild of our house, or to get things for the new garden, etc. Much more will fit in a wagon compared to a car with a boot.
- Ability to tow a car transporter, or a just a trailer. Sometimes I had to move a car and had to borrow a car and transporter. Would be much more easier if I already had the towing car. A trailer is practical to haul long stuff—often needed when building a house or garage.
- Bad-weather car. I used my classic cars all year round, but the trips in rain and snow were not nice. Window demisting is much less effective in a classic, as is the heater.
- Winter sports car. Possibility to use the car to drive to winter sports countries in the winter. Not really doable with a classic car.
So I started looking for another wagon, but it had to be a little different; not just any wagon. Of the modern brands, I liked the way Subaru operated—they stood out with their slightly different approach to things. They were more or less an independent car company, which had individual ideas about cars. Maybe not so much, but I liked the idea of getting a car from a car brand that is just a bit different. Quality was always first-class, which resulted in good reliability records. The top-specification Legacy wagon had air suspension; frameless windows; four-wheel drive, and that wonderful boxer engine. It seemed to me a first-generation Legacy wagon, the type I liked best, would be a good buy. The second generation was a sleeker car, but it lost some character points. Not that the first-gen Legacy wagon was a particularly beautiful car; you could say it was a very generically styled car, and you’d be right; it did not stand out. But it had those other peculiarities I admired. If only I could find one! Because I would not take just any, but wanted the 2.2 GX—the biggest engine, and with the air suspension. And it had to have the automatic gearbox. And preferably without a sunroof. Well, these were nearly impossible to find, as very few were sold new here. Most had the 1.8 or 2.0 engines. Add the fact these Gen 1 cars were already at least 13 years old, and it was hard to find a decent example.
The Red Legacy
I found one, but it was not completely to my liking: it had many KMs; the red paint was flat on the hood and roof; it had dings; its interior looked a bit worn out, and it had awful aftermarket cheap plastic wheel covers. It had a non-original sporty, thick, leather-rimmed, small-diameter Momo aftermarket steering wheel. Also it had a sliding sunroof, one of my pet hates. On the other hand, it was the only one I could find. It was very cheap and was supposedly in good mechanical condition, so why not? We needed a wagon!
This turned out not to be a good buy. The front driveshafts were noisy and that sliding roof was leaking.
Cement truck delivering my new garage floor
Still, it was very useful in the half-year we owned it. It had a strange rear-lights problem, I had to put in an extra wire from under the dash all the way to the rear because there was no power there, probably a broken wire somewhere. Annoying, because in my view such “modern” cars—it was only 15 years old at the time—should not have these problems. I was not happy with the car, so I kept an eye on the market for a better one.
The Silver Legacy
A much better-looking car came up. Wearing (boring) silver paint, this wagon almost looked new although it was 13 years old. Paint was very good as was the interior. Better stil, it had air conditioning and no sliding roof! The second owner sold it because he became too old to drive.
This silver Legacy was everything the red one was not. It had low KMs, was more expensive of course, but so worth it. It was a one-owner car, being sold by the (now ex-) Subaru dealer where it was always maintained. I went to that garage and they were happy to show me the service history over the years.
I was glad to have found such a good car. I would keep this one forever, or at least many, many years to come.
It was the perfect car for accompanying my classic cars. Excellent in bad weather and winter with its 4WD. It could be kept on the street; no leaky sunroof or window rubbers. It could tow heavy trailers (garden rubbish, old cars) if needed; the air suspension could cope well. It was a bit dull on the outside, but that was fine, it showed personality in its boxer engine sounds.
We used it for skiing holidays and summer holidays with our old (1971) Constructam caravan in France. I would love to say it was without problems but it was not. On our way home from a holiday in France, towing the Constructam, the front driveshafts (which had made some noise since buying the car, but far less than the red one we had before) became louder and louder…too loud to go on. We were able to reach a typical French small village garage.
When talking to the garage owner I noticed he had a stack of nice early-’70s tin Michelin advertisement boards; these now adorn my garage wall. We had comprehensive car insurance which also covered repairs needed when on holiday, or it would transport our car back to a dealer in our town to be repaired. We managed to call in help from the Netherlands; the Subaru and caravan were transported home, and we were given a rental car.
When the Subaru dealer repaired our car, we were allowed to have a loan car. Problem was he did not have a ‘usual’ loan car—meaning a traded-in car a few years old or so. So we were given a brand-new Impreza.
My old Triumph 2500 in the background
My daughter liked the car!
It proved difficult for the dealer to locate new driveshaft components for our old Legacy, so we had this Impreza for a full three weeks. My son loved it, but I was less impressed. This was a flashy car with a big air scoop and too-shiny wheels. Of course it was frighteningly fast; it also was very firm, and comfort was nil. However I did not miss the opportunity to have a couple of fun trips with it. 🙂
My red Citroën CX on the right
This was the only big problem we had with the car. Over the six years we owned it, there were a few other age-related things. The air pump stopped pumping air, which turned out to be a simple worn rubber O-ring in the pump. I changed the front air bladders, as one was leaking a little. The rears had been replaced a year before my buying the car. These were quite expensive, but I did not mind the high price, as the idea was to keep the car for a long time and this would prolong it for many years.
I quite liked the car, which was strange for me because it did not stand out much and looked just like any usual Japanese station wagon. But I liked the typical Subaru touches. I was looking forward to many more years with it.
With a friend, I had started a small business in my garage, specializing in adding modern electric power steering to classic cars. For the one or two days we need to convert a car, clients could use the Subaru because it was so user-friendly and in good condition. One evening a client called; he’d had an accident on the motorway.
Repairable…
… not!
The left side of the car was damaged, and the right side even worse. The right rear wheel was hit and there was damage to the rear suspension.
Luckily it was just damage to the car, not the client. When checking the car it became clear to me that the damage was too much to think of repairing it. It was 19 years old now, and worth almost nothing, even though before the accident it was in very good condition. So this was the end of the silver Legacy. I was quite upset because I had not seen this coming, and it was not even my fault! Well, maybe I should not have loaned a cherished vehicle.
A year later. Sylvia got work elsewhere, so she had to travel to and from in a half-an-hour motorway journey. This meant a modern car was required. Times had changed, and she did not want to use a classic car for this. I agreed, it had to be more safe than a car designed in the sixties.
So the search went on for a third Legacy, hopefully like the Silver one. But the situation had changed in seven years, and they all had disappeared. Newer versions of the Legacy did not appeal to me much.
The Outback
Somewhere I read about the Outback, which had been available with a six-cylinder boxer engine! That made me search for one, even though I did not much like its exterior. As with the top-spec Legacy, these were hard to find; most had the 2.5L four-cylinder engine. Subarus always have been a bit more expensive over here, and the top of the line was quite rare.
But I found one to my liking, twelve years old. Dark green, with scratches to the paint on both sides—its (only) elderly owner had a narrow driveway with big bushes alongside it. The tan leather interior was in good condition, but was dirty. Because of the scratches and the dirty interior there was not much interest in the car, maybe also because it had the larger engine, too thirsty? Whatever; it was not too expensive, so I bought it.
The weekend was spend deep-cleaning the car. It came out admirably. We used the car for two years. I liked that engine, so smooth and powerful compared to the Legacy. What I feared happened: one of the two sunroofs started leaking. I inquired about renewing the rubbers around it and was informed they were not available. On a Subaru forum I learned this was a common problem and not easy to solve. There was a solution but it was a hell of a job and time consuming. I tried to blow out the drain hoses but was not very successful.
The auto gearbox started to develop a small problem: sometimes the change up was sudden and too late. Most of the times all was well. I changed the fluid to the correct spec, but that did not help. Then one morning, I could not select reverse. After a few tries, it worked. I feared an expensive trans out repair would be necessary soon.
Sylvia had found other work at biking distance—she never was a fan of the daily car commute. That, plus the fact I never really grew attached to the car; not in the way of the Silver Legacy, made us decide to sell the car.
I looked around and again would have liked a gen-1 Legacy wagon again if I could find one, but none was available. I test drove a few fourth-generation Legacys and Outbacks, but these were too expensive, and the thrill was gone. I did not want to spend a large amount of money on a car which for us was just a car, not commuting transport anymore.
In hindsight, I should not have sold the green Outback so quickly. It was fairly rare; I was only the second owner; it was in a nice condition; top specification, with low mileage and full service history. Why did I not have the transmission repaired, and the leaking roof?
Its replacement was quite surprising, a kind I never had thought of before. All will be revealed in a next COAL!
Even a half-world away, Subaru owners in the US tend to be a loyal breed. (Or is it Loyale? ) I have never come under Subaru’s spell, but I can understand the attraction.
The concept of auto insurance that will pay for repairs when you are on a holiday is an unfamiliar one to me here in the States. Insurance will pay for crash damage, but if you have a mechanical failure, then you are on your own – unless you buy an extended warranty that usually doesn’t cover as much as many people think it will.
Breakdowns are covered when you have a decent insurance. It will also cover for costs you have to make for hotels and car hire.
Repair costs are not covered which seems reasonable.
Well, I was reading along and the I thought “Dion has been very lucky all this time to not have an accident” and then of course I got to the accident. 🙁
Subarus are like Porsche 911’s and Austin Healey Sprites and many other cars: As time went on they got more capable and comfortable but the original charm decreased every time.
I did get a chuckle about you wife finding work within cycling distance. My wife has an interview tomorrow for a job that is within cycling distance, so rare in the Toronto area! I hope she gets it, fingers crossed.
I hope it is not too usual to frequently have car accidents. 🙂
Toronto is a big city so I would guess there is more chance to a job at biking distance than there is at some rural place. One of the niceties living in a city.
My first Subaru experience was a Subaru Legacy wagon in the early 90s as a rental after a car accident. It was bog slow, but was very charming and capable and turned me onto the brand since.
They’ve managed to carve out an ever-larger niche by just offering something that nobody else here will or has done consistently – a station wagon with AWD and offered at a reasonable price. Yes over time those wagons have morphed into ever larger things now termed CUVs but the latest Outback is still more of a wagon than anything else. And still immensely popular, with the Legacy itself no longer offered as a wagon (here) and the sedan version selling a small fraction of the total.
While Europe has always had dozens of wagons playing in the same space, we haven’t for decades now, which is baffling. One would think there would be a market for something like a Hybrid Toyota Corolla wagon with rear wheel electric AWD, individual components/configurations available in multiple places and cars but not as that specific combination over here.
30+ years after that first experience I’m currently daily driving a 2008 Outback. Still bog slow, but still very charming and capable. Just like the first one I drove.
“They’ve managed to carve out an ever-larger niche … “
Indeed; they certainly have (to my mind). Their ads are quite entertaining, and for worried parents of teenage drivers, comforting as well.
I know this is a tiny sample, but as young 20-somethings (and not really “car-people”), Debbie’s son and daughter each had late model turbo 4-door Honda Civics.
Now that each are married with their first children, they have almost matching Subaru Foresters. It appears that some 30-somethings assume Subarus are great for responsible young adults with children.
They seem nice (I’ve not yet ridden in either of them), but the daughter has quietly said that her Forester is “kinda pokey” compared to her turbo Honda. You said it best: ” bog slow, but still very charming and capable…”.
Almost matching Foresters:
2008 is still a good year for an Outback or Legacy in my book. They lost the styling at the successor from 2010 onwards I think.
(new) Wagons are getting rare here too, which is a little strange. I read at a nationwide second hand car site that one of the most searched car types of the last half year was for a wagon. Greater than for SUVs! So there still is a big demand for a proper wagon.
I owned a turbo Forester for about ten years. It was a very capable car, never needed any work except oil and filters, and one set of tires. Oh, and a dash light bulb, very easy to replace. But after the initial thrill of the turbo power and manual transmission, the excitement wore off. A little snug for our growing family, thirsty (and premium fuel to boot), a little rough around the edges in comfort and ergonomics, and too low ground clearance and too tall gearing for my increasing interest in off-pavement exploring. With grown kids and different expectations, I’d consider a Subaru again though. Crosstrek sized, plug-in hybrid with the Wilderness package. When they make such a thing. And make it orange or that metallic lime green. I’ve owned to many beige, white and silver cars.
I’m surprised the thirsty 3.0 H6 was even sold in Europe, but it has a very good reputation here in the US although it didn’t sell in large numbers.
I once had a go in a Turbo Forester. This version is pretty rare over here. It was nice to have the extra power. The interior looked a bit more simple or basic compared to the Legacy/Outback.
The fact that it was a quite shabby and had high mileage held me off.
Air suspension? I don’t think we got that here, unless I’m forgetting something.
Eugene has been a hotbed of Subarus since the ’70s. They’re everywhere, but not an insignificant number of them have been replaced by Teslas.
Electric power steering conversions on classic cars. I’d like to read more about that in greater detail.
I test flew a turbo Leone with the adjustable suspension of course it didnt work and it was pathetic for a turbocharged car, It was of course ex JDM those were the cars with all the fruit.
The air suspension was one of the things for me wanting to have the 2.2 GX version at the time when these cars were just 12 – 15 years old. It worked well if all in good condition.
I think it would be a disadvantage now when these cars gets so old – the rubber bladders do not have a life expectancy of decades. They were hard (and expensive) to get 15 years ago let alone today.
Our company specialized in adding electric power steering to classic cars. Think of Jaguars, Volvos, Mercedes, older Mustangs, anything really. We converted old fire trucks and campers.
The EPS idea is taken from modern(ish) cars where they have been used since the early 00s. The steering column is cut and a EPS system is mounted in between. A sensor measures a differences in turning torque from the steering wheel side compared to the steering unit side, and let the electric motor help the steering unit side.
We tried our system to an old Wolseley and a TR6, both successfully, before selling the solution to customers.
Air suspensions—yes, indeed; the U.S. got them. As I reached driving age, my family had two relatively high-spec 1990 Legacy LS wagons (consecutively), and both were originally equipped with the air suspension option.
The feature was activated with a button to the right of the steering wheel just above the cigarette lighter. The button was identical to the two on the left side of the steering wheel (R. Def. and Cruise), but this one was labeled “Height”. When activated, the air bags in the suspension would inflate to increase ground clearance slightly.
My understanding is that the air suspensions were problematic at best and that most people swapped for conventional struts when the inevitable air leak occurred.
Our first Legacy’s air suspension had already failed by the time we bought the car used. The second Legacy’s air suspension was still in perfect working order, but the Subaru specialist garage from which we bought the car insisted on swapping for conventional struts before selling it to us. (They also refused to sell anything with a turbo.)
I occasionally think of drafting and submitting a COAL essay about that Legacy. It certainly was a major chapter in my motoring life.
I think it it was a nice option. Regrettably Just was not designed to last for decades. I forgot all about the Height button! Helped me out in thick snow I remember.
A COAL would be very welcome about your Legacy!
I went from a manual 2.1 TDI Pug 406 estate to a gen 1 Subaru Legacy a massive drop in performance and a giant leap in fuel consumption mine had the 1.8 carburettor engine a NZ assembly oddity and zero carby kits anywhere I used a Leonie kit and fettled the carb realising right then why it went so badly whoever had been servicing it had no idea how to tune a carb with 360,000+kms racked up it never used oil wet anywhere it was pointed I liked the 4WD aspect but it remained gutless and fuel hungry, I went back to a diesel yet another wagon but Toyota this time
Subarus are not known for their frugal fuel consumption, correct. Luckily this was never a big point for me. Both the Legacy and Outback never felt gutless to me.
I’m glad you have fond memories of your Legacy, and a warmish-spot in yr heart for the Outback.
Reading the comments, I’m apparently very much in the minority. I ran a ’09 Outback with the 2.5L for ten yrs. It was a gutless wonder, w/ slow windows, a balky, choking tranny which was only rectified by placing it in “sport” mode (lol), flimsy U-joint covers and an endless thirst for pricey fluids. For me, all of this outweighed its utility. When the inevitable oil leak at the head started, I traded it and never looked back. Not a Subey fanboi, but I’m happy for those who are.