1997reduxe

'K, you win.

And one last one... Personally, I'd prefer buying one that was a "regular" Legacy that had the outback package equipment, if you really wanted the outback deal, as then you could get one with the 2.2 engine. If you buy the real Outback model i think it only comes with the 2.5. Of course, that's just me. 245K today and counting...

Or, for 4000 bucks, http://www.cars.com/go/search/search_results.jsp?ct=22&tracktype=usedcc&searchType=22&cid=&dlid=&dgid=&amid=&cname=&rd=&ddrd=30&zc=63101&makeid=45&modelid=410&pageNumber=&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE%20descending&certifiedOnly=false&criteria=K-|E-ALL|M-_45_|B-4000|H-|D-_410_|N-N|R-250|I-1|P-PRICE%20descending|Q-descending|X-popular|Z-63101&aff=national

And as an example of where I found mine: http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;?tracktype=usedcc&searchType=83&pageNumber=0&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE+descending&certifiedOnly=false&ppFilterOn=true&criteria=K-%7cE-ALL%7cLISTING_TYPE-_2-3-5_%7cM-_45_%7cB-3000%7cH-%7cD-_410_%7cN-N%7cR-250%7cI-1%7cP-PRICE+descending%7cQ-descending%7cX-popular%7cZ-63101&aff=national&paId=251760950&recnum=0&leadExists=true

Don't they have any info at all on it's service history? No papers the other owners left behind? for I think about 200 dollars or so there is a service at Subaru dealers where they go over the car to give you all the facts. And then if all turned out ok you could pay a little more to get compression check. Or, you might be able to go to Subaru (or call them) with the vin number and see if they have any info. (Or take to someone else qualified for check out if anyone on this list can recommend...) There's no way I'd put 4000 into that car unless it was checked out first. It looks really nice, but that's a lot of money. '97

If you mean actual Suby parts, I know of 1stsubaruparts.com but I also found a place through ebay that is a dealer in Colorado, http://stores.ebay.com/FLATIRONS-ACURA-AND-SUBARU They have (I think) just as good (oem) prices--better check both. But then of course, there are the aftermarkets. I did a search on ebay for you and came up with this kit, supposed to be by the company that makes parts for Subaru, I'm sure many on this list would know if they truly are: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SUBARU-IMPREZA-LEGACY-FORESTER-89-02-NEW-CLUTCH-KIT_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33730QQihZ006QQitemZ160214337055QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW (Of course, you'd have to check out whether if fits your car.) '97

Yeah, I didn't mean to disparage the Fiat totally. Actually I had a 128, I think like a '75 or so, and it was one of the most fun cars I've ever driven. It had those (remember these?) old Michelin XZXs I think they were called, with the really jagged tread, and it felt like the car was all the front end-- you literally felt like you could drive it around curves sideways and the rear would always just catch up later. You're right about the snow too. It's just that I was young then and in college and had no idea about cars and after about the fourth time of taking it into the, believe it or not there was a Fiat dealer in Altoona, PA, after the 4th bill of 300+ dollars in a row, and this is in 1980 money, it was impossible to maintain for me.

Yeah, I don't know why I've been so stupid. I'm just going to take it into the nearby dealer-- Mcree in Dickinson and ask them about the version of the engine. they've been really helpful so far. Dumb. Dumb. Dung--headd!! (Gotta find the path again anyways down to spring break in Galveston.)

ooops, found another one. this one is stamped into the metal of the block: 609841 i think that's it.

Hey all. I have been looking for the engine id number for my 97 Legacy. I only see two number (sets) so far. Both are on the driver side top of the engine. right in front of where the starter bolts on, there's the number: TZ102ZACAA-DR, with the number 104533 slightly behind that. Toward the front of the engine, right behind the A/C pump, is the number 73110AC030, and the number 404020-0501 next to that number. Can anyone let me know if they look like engine numbers? Or give me an example of a number so I know what to look for? I have a pic of where it's supposed to be in a Haynes book but for the life of me I can't see how that looks like my engine. :-\ '97

LOL! It's like someone who has such a good situation they need to find something to do. The biggest thing I'd worry about for you, is to check the brake fluid and the system, though I'm sure you have. That's kind of the funny thing I've been thinking about today after writing back and forth on this topic. It's like we're talking anti-OEM parts and how they're a rip off, and yet why is the very existence of this website possible? Because there was a lot of great engineering in these cars, period. I can't count how many times my brother and I, on working on the brakes or whatever, have noticed small or big design things that made us comment on the thought and background involved in producing my Legacy. And I would hope that there are specifications in Subaru's choice of vendors/producers of their parts that specify quality? I have actually thought at times that there are plateaus of failure built into these systems/parts on my car, where as pulleys, bearings etc go bad, they actually give you a long period of notice so you can not have a sudden catastrophic failure, but get it fixed at your leisure. Maybe it's just good stuff. In contrast, I remember growing up with cars in the 70s and 80s when you were lucky to get 125000 good miles out of many cars. And then, there was the Fiat I once owned! I literally remember once taking the jack out to change a flat tire at home in the driveway, and upon starting to crank it up it fell completely apart in peices on the road.

some Carpet Fresh might be nice, and perhaps super gluing one of those old wooden ramp-type incense burners to the dash... have you tuned it up lately? or just tired of the same old... i got used struts from a junkyard (they happened to have parts from a 99 that were low mileage) they were 4 for 160 bucks. snatched them up. i've actually considered sometimes replacing the carpet and door carpets on mine. i think one subaru dealer said they'd do it for like 350 or something.

oh that's nice! i always wanted one of those--the green one too! they're like a small suv without all the real estate to lug around. i am assuming it's the 2.5? do these all come with the 2.5? i guess you wouldn't like to suggest the price you got it for so i can know whether to start looking for one myself? congrats...

I hate to say this, but damn I wish I saw this post earlier. The same thing happened to us a long time ago. My girlfriend took her 95 Legacy to Walmart for an oil change, and they couldn't read the (albeit funky) oil stick, and overloaded it with oil. Blew the seals. Then the dealer gave a 3500 dollar estimate to fix. Or, hint hint, "SHE COULD BUY A NEW ONE". That's why they do that. I know a guy in Lake Jackson who's going to replace the timing belt and oil pump, labor at 210.00. Very honest. Very nice. Water pump wouldn't be much more. CV joints--there are places around Houston, I know of one off of IH-10 and one on 225 in Pasadena, where they do the entire axle for 100-225 bucks. They won't even replace boots, some of them. Not worth it. Definitely not for thousands of dollars! Let me know if you need a mechanic again. I remember you asking me on my first post here about my Houston mechanic question, only now sorting it all out. Good you got it done though. '97

Yeah, it's amazing what they charge at some of the dealerships for maintenance. I've actually seen prices of like 500-700 dollars for some mileage intervals, maybe 60 thousand or 90. But on the other hand, I have to say that the dealerships have often been very nice and helpful, sometimes looking my car for over an hour and their evaluation at no cost! I have always just bought one of those Haynes books for my vehicle at pep boys or wherever, and follow the maintenance there in the front of the book. And/or, do an internet search for mechanics specializing in subarus, or look on cars.com, they have a "find a mechanic" section (with reviews) somewhere on their main page. i just re-found a guy through that that site that i'd forgotten about down here outside houston. he's very honest and fair on prices for labor. I really miss the two mechanics i used to have up in PA. One was very very honest and charged like 80s prices (early eighties), the other was an ex-subaru mechanic who had his own shop and did all the same work as subaru but for like 1/2 the cost. wonderful.

And you know, it makes sense what you guys are saying about years etc. I was just driving to work yesterday and saw 09 vehicles in already, and this is only just March! Amazing.

Thanks. I'm going to look for that tag. I have to find out quickly--I am planning to replace all pulleys, tensioners etc and have already started buying some parts. In this car's case the date of manufacture seems more critical to know because from what I've learned the changover from one system of hydraulic tensioner to another (and i assume many other changes) occurred around 1-2/97.

i went through the whole brake thing on my legacy about six months back. my brakes were to the point of grinding, and there was really something wrong with the front left ones. i tried with my brother to do the job myself, but (as someone above said) i broke the bolt holding on the caliper, and that was as far as i got. (i think generally there's a lot more stress on the front brakes, so the frozen bolts, plus of course the 220000 miles on them...) (at the time--245 now) luckily, the caliper still held on really well, till i could get it to a shop. there is a good machine shop/garage in town, and they were able to get the bolt out etc. they also did the pass side, and broke the bolts for me in the back too and i replaced pads there then by myself. they turned all the rotors for me, and it is still amazing to me how well it runs even though these rotors looked very old & shot. but, they said they were still in spec to be salvaged. thus due to already using bad old rotors i used the cheap pads that i think oreilly sold, but for the front left the caliper was bad and the shop got me a warner caliper that was pre-loaded with pads. that's a nice option. i used the cheap pads for the right side. they said pads are pads, it didn't matter about mixing them side to side. this all is very against previous policy for me regarding these cars. i used to be of the mind set (and i was told i think by an ex-suby mechanic that "subaru cars like suby brake parts". over time i thought there was at least some validity to that, in that at least that i think that there are some materials used in some pads (or rotors) that may or not work well with each other. i only know that one time my ex took her legacy to pep boys to get a "brake job", and after a week or two it squealed so badly that i went with subaru brakes and rotors for a long time. if i were to get a whole new set for this car i might get them again. or maybe the warner rotors and more of the pre-loaded warner calipers. it's amazing how struts, tires, and good brakes effect the ride. replace them all and it's like a new car. just late night ruminating...

this thread just reminded me of one thing that's i've finally (only via time) gotten rid of in my car from the previous owner--the smell of her perfume in the box between the front seats! she was this college kid and i guess her parents got her a new car. she must have kept a bottle of her perfume in there for emergencies or it spilled or something, cause for at least a year when i opened that box the car was filled with the smell, and pretty noxious. i couldn't really complain, though. the sight of her walking around in her short shorts when i went to buy it etc made the buy and drive all the way from pottstown pa to elmira, ny worth it that much more.

wow, what a great thread. just what i'm getting ready to do--oil pump, timing belt, etc. can anyone clarify for me--i have a 97 Legacy 2.2 that was manufactured in 6/96. this would be a non-interferencing engine, then from what i'm reading here? (earlier on another post of mine someone said mine was interferencing, but that's when i thought it was made in 97.) thanks, '97

please, oh aircraft engineer of mine, i'm just trying to keep up. by the way, are you really an aerospace engineer? that's what my dad is. fro the old days--he actually first worked with bell aircraft with general dornburger under werner von braun. but thanks so much for the help, and i'm very glad it's the "cheaper" version.

Well, I looked on my driver's side door, on the back of it where the latch is etc, and the date it says there is 6/96. Though I understand and from my vin number it's a 97. Could this be--that it was manufactured in 96? Confused, '97

Thank you. i was thinking about replacing also the two camshaft sprockets and crankshaft pulley, but I have to check into the feasibility of that. good week, all. '97

I found out about the Legacys because my girlfriend had a 95. I maintained that car and updated all maintenance that she never did, and in the process did a lot of research on them. In the process my next car was a 97 Legacy. I think this is one of the best used cars you can get--the 94 thru like 99 models (I think she did consumer reports research when she got hers and the 95 was supposed to be the best--but that was probably when the 97s were just coming out or recently had.) My feeling about buying a Subaru, and I mean this as getting a car that's very reliable transportation, not if you're into fixing them up or high performance etc, is definitely stay away from the 2.5 engine, in any year. Here's a car that I just saw on cars.com tonight in palm springs: SUBARU 1996 LEGACY WAGON. A/C, 80K miles, green. $2895. I'd fly there tomorrow if I had the cash to buy it. (Of course, if it was the 2.2 engine) '97 that's all.

This is just my two cents, but is it an AWD? I have a Legacy with AWD, and had four different tires on it. it made a weird howling sound in rear and i was told it needed a new rear differential. i actually bought a used one. (was stupidly buying cheap used tires for a while cause'a no money) and when i put 4 matching near new michelin hydro's from ebay on it the sound went away. still have the rear diff 20000 miles later...