9098

The lights on my '05 are the worst I've ever had in any car. Silly for such an otherwise great car.

I've gone to http://soobiesurgeons.com/ in Hudson WI across the river. It's an independent Subaru only shop. My experience was fine. I did read some negative reviews afterwards.

Who suggested that?

I don't like the exterior & interior looks of the 2010-2014. Had a 2015 Legacy loaner for a few days this winter. Much better. Touchscreen is nice. Fuel door is still a pain to get open when it's cold though. I'd wait a couple years for a used '15.

Economy of scale should help with turbo cost & maintenance. I will not consider a hybrid. Diesel is the way to go.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/325670/subaru-set-to-follow-downsizing-trend-japanese-brand-could-phase-out-six-cylinder-expand-diesel-engine-range/ Looks like the 3.6 will be history. A turbo 2.0 in the Outback should be interesting.

Don't buy ethanol crap gas if you don't have too. I get 34mpg without it. http://pure-gas.org

Thanks GD. It's been 2 years.

I thought I read that the special stuff could be harmful for ones not designed for it?

New

It's time to replace the coolant on my '05 Legacy 2.5i. Does anyone know if it requires the special Subaru stuff or is conventional 50%coolant/50% H2O the ticket? Thanks

My Honda Odyssey has Toyo studless snows. They worked really well for a front wheel drive but the Subaru climbed the hills way better with only normal tires.

This weeks freezing rain & snow proved why Subaru's the best. It's an animal.

Non-Ethanol Fuel! 21/28 to 25/34 http://pure-gas.org/

Be sure to check the octane listed as non-ethanol in the site. It's a user updated site. If you know a place that sells real gas, add it! http://pure-gas.org/

I made the switch in my '05 Leg 2.5i and could not be happier. Mpg's went from 21-28 to 25-34. It's worth repeating...check out this site for real gas.: http://pure-gas.org/

Not with today's used car prices. I'd fix it. I should have done that with my '90 Leg. I sure miss that car. It handled better than my 2005.

Fair enough. I had the ecu flashed last year & it threw the code a month later. The dealer said that the flash is the most up to date one & said the cat would need to be replaced.

Yeah....That fuel comes from Canada. What was I thinking?!

I have the same problem with my '05 Leg (51k). When I'm in Northern Minnesota I buy the 91 octane non-ethanol gas. It's the only place I can find it. I keep a 96 olds 88 at my place out there. When I made the switch the car went from 27 mpg to 35mgg (no lie) on the highway. The locals say that is common in the gm 3.8 engine. 4 bangers do not show as big of an improvement though. However, I suspect ethanol plays a part in the HG issues of the 2.5. Ethanol will be the death of this country in more ways than one.

http://allwheeldriveauto.com/whats-new-with-subaru/ A great blog from the shop I go to: I have had a pretty Busy Summer and havent had as much time as I would like to Post new articles, but as we head into fall and my son goes back to school I will have more time to post some new articles. Here is a peak at what I will be posting in September Subaru has finally come back to earth with Oil recommendations and Turbo Chargers. First they recanted what was originally in the Owners Manual for the 2005 and up Turbo models in a bulletin suggesting that the oil needs to be changed every 3750 miles regardless of use, and recently have jumped on the full synthetic band wagon while maintaining the more frequent service intervals. Its always been my suggestion to use Synthetic oil, and to change that oil every 3,000 miles. We are now starting to see the 2007 Models develop turbo failures. I have just about finished an article about how to prolong your Subaru Turbo charger, and your Subaru Engine. I would like to point out that if you dont frequent a Subaru Repair shop or a Dealership you may be in the dark on both service intervals and type of oil to use. We have noticed that the newer model Subaru’s have trouble holding their alignment angles much more so than Subaru’s of the past, this is do to the greater number of moving parts involved and the desire to make safety improvements, alignments are not an expensive thing to add to the list of should do’s to your Subaru, and as such we have added a new alignment rack and the new state of the art vehicle alignment system offered by The Snap on Corporation. Starting in 2005 Subaru has drastically updated the suspension systems in most models, and the ride has improved, but there is also now the need for additional maintenance. While alignments have always been important to how a vehicle tracks down the road, and as good prevention to tire wear it is also now a bigger drag on fuel economy than in years past. Look for an article about alignments and Your Subaru soon. I also have a few new videos to share, including a service point video pointing out where and how to check your Subaru’s vital fluids. Thanks for reading and please stay tuned Justin

Thanks. It's not a turbo. As for the Fram controversy...I've used them for ten years without a problem. I'm not saying the stories are bogus. Just my experience. I like being able to grip the filter when my hands are covered in grease.

Anyone ever use a '90-'04 type oil (Fram 3593A) filter on an '05 or newer Legacy? The book calls for a 9715 but the old style one is bigger & would last longer (I would think)

I had the exact same thing on my '90 Legacy @187k. I sold it to a mechanic. I should've fixed it. I miss that car. Don't make the same mistake.

Consumer Reports' guide shows the '04 had major engine issues. However, '05 was given the thumbs up in the engine section. I remember Subaru was getting the most grief over the HG issues during 2003. It would make sense that they figured out the fix for the '05 year.