2011 Legacy..Unsafe, cheap junk, If you value your family don't get it

[idosubaru]

you don't like Subaru's, commenting here will not help you or anyone else.

 

in general large swaths of rural america are resistant to Subarus or foreign cars, there's really no need for those people to gang up on a forum of cars they don't like.  it is very common to hear "I won't work on foreign cars", in the southeast, rural areas, midwest, slower economies.  a  general distaste for something always makes one less likely to learn, discern, and compare. and it's then approached with disdain...this is widely know and i have first hand experience - i'm just like those people!  except i dislike american cars.  every time i have to work on one for a friend/family i hate it, make fun of it, exagerrate, and talk about how stupid it is.  it's probably 25%-75% true depending on the situation - most of it is my attitude.

 

i would never in a billion years think to go complain to a Ford forum about what a stupid purchase an Explorer is due to transmission bands frying every other week..and well a litany of other things that have earned them well the moniker "Exploder", and Buick Lacrosse's for having every transmission failure mode possible and people needing 4 or 5 transmissions installed.  every vehicle has a fit for someone, i'm not going to go try to "inform" or change people's mind.  nothing would come of it even if i'm "right".

[darsdoug]

My reaction to the OP's rant.

[Gloyale]

I did. That was my point all along. The NADA book on the car is $8150 retail and $5925 trade-in and she paid his aunt $2000. This made it worth the money. There is no way I would have let him buy it at even the $5925. A much better car could be bought for that money. We'll see how it goes. If all he gets sick of it he can sell it and make a little to buy a bigger, safer, less expensive upkeep, car that get better mileage. My other son drives a Buick LaCross FWD car that is actually better in snow and gets 30MPG. The Subaru is so short that the rear always wants to come around even with Blizzak snow tires. It's so light. 

 

The rear wnats to come around cause it's all wheel drive and you are giving it too much throttle.

 

So.....All the teams all over the world that run Subarus as rally cars  in snow.........I guess those guys should get Buick Lacrosses  LOL!

[86BRATMAN]

I've been driving subarus in all sorts of conditions since I was 11 years old. Dad taught me to drive a stick shift on an 84 wagon, by 13 I was driving on back roads all year round in that same wagon. My first winter was spent with an 86 brat, since then I've had about 20 different vehicles ranging from Toyota trucks to random front wheel drives from Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Ford, and a few front wheel drive Subaru cars. I have never had any trouble with any of the subaru cars fwd or awd but none of the others except for the 4wd Toyotas could get anywhere near my house when there is snow and ice on the ground. And I'd love to see you get a Buick Lacrosse up my driveway in the crap my Legacy will do it in.

[MilesFox]

Based on thehandling comment, i would say (based on my driving techniques) that the rear is coming around because you would be braking or letting off the throttle in turn-in. The car will want to rotate when decelerationg while turning. As with the dynamics of handling with an AWD car, apply throttle to straighten out. Do all your slowing down first before entering a turn, and lightly accelerate through the apex. If the car gets sideways, stay on the throttle and steer the direction you are going. It's when you abruptly let of the throttle or brake you are set up to spin out.

[heartless]

i was gonna stay out of this thread, but seriously - the OP came in here specifically to rant, made his/her post and will likely never be seen again - why are "we" still posting in this??????

 

time to let it go, folks...

 

not everyone is going to agree on any one vehicle - part of life.

[topsecret]

this is wayyyyy off topic but I had to replace a starter on a Cadillac northstar engine.  The damn thing is underneath the entire intake manifold.  I had to remove a whole bunch of junk just to get to it.

YIKES!

*Also, a serpentine belt on a ford has a little tensioner and takes 5 minutes to change if you know what you are doing.  Let's not exaggerate the differences that much.  I love my ford focus as much as I love my legacy.

[bratman2]

First timing belt I ever changed in my life was a Subaru Legacy. Took way less than $100.00 and about 2.5hrs. under the carport. The 2.5 hrs was because it was my first and I was taking my sweet time. Have owned 5- Subaru vehicles over the years and still own two. Only had any trouble beyond service items with one. No way any FWD car comes close to Subaru all wheel drive system, it is top rated! Just Google best all wheel drive system and see what hits you get!

[86 Wonder Wedge]

With all the apples and oranges comparisons in here, its a laugh a minute. While yes, the G37s is sportier and has a higher price tag and yes, the Cadillac is a nicer ride and has a higher price tag, I invite you to look at both maintenance schedules for the aforementioned cars and join me in laughing. That nice, powerful VQ37VHR in the infinity? Requires special Ester-based oil to protect the diamond-like coating to reduce wear. From the dealer. At $12/qt. The trans? Non-serviceable without the Nissan scanner. And have fun with the 30k mile OCI for the rear diff. I also invite you to just google the Caddy 3.6/3.7 V6 in the CTS. Now please go and ask about headgaskets, exhaust manifolds or even the O2 sensors to any mechanic. Should we even LOOK at the electronic suspension? Didn't think so.

 

if you have a hard-on for any specific brand or car, more power to you. But by the numbers and book, financially and logically, its hard to beat a Subaru.

Edited December 22, 2013 by 86 Wonder Wedge

[1-3-2-4]

Since the OP is from Greenwich where I'm from lol I have to laugh.. the Greenwich Hospital here uses impreza's wagons around town to drop and run errands around town.. I bet that miffs him.

[hohieu]

We're often up in Vermont, and Subarus are the de facto state car.  This was especially true when AWD passenger cars were few and far between, but their prevelance persists.

 

Cadillac electronic suspensions have been around for over 20 years, and they've always been a money suck, but what I couldn't stand were the premature water pump failures.  I had one fail at 60K miles when the impeller shaft sheared in half, ball bearings flying everywhere.  From what 86WW says, I'd probably never wander back in to Caddy country. 

 

As for Ford, I had the broken intermediate band on a 2nd gen. Explorer.  No second gear.  But the car was otherwise solid and the tranmssion went over 160K miles.   We had a couple of these cars in the family.  I have an '04 F150 w/ 195K miles on the clock that's needed nothing outside of the ordinary: alternator and ball joints, one coil over plug, rear axle seals, and regular maintenace.  It's still running with the original water pump and all other cooling system components.

 

As for ease of maintenance, it's a tradeoff.  Flat layout eases timing belt work, but plugs & valve adjustments are more time consuming.

Edited December 23, 2013 by hohieu

[Gloyale]

As for ease of maintenance, it's a tradeoff.  Flat layout eases timing belt work, but plugs & valve adjustments are more time consuming.

 

True for the DOHC engines.

 

SOHC engines plugs are super easy.  Valve adjustment is pretty easy too.  Tight on the back cyls. exhaust but simple. 

 

Way easier than the Cadillac for sure!

[hohieu]

SOHC engines plugs are super easy.  Valve adjustment is pretty easy too.  Tight on the back cyls. exhaust but simple. 

 

Way easier than the Cadillac for sure!

 

Agreed.  Working on a V-8 stuffed into a passenger car is no cup of tea.  GM 4.6s of '90s had the oil filter mounted on top of the block so there was no way to replace it without oil running all over the engine. 

 

But I was going a bit off topic here, comparing these jobs on a 2.5 SOHC to doing them on an I4 or even I6. 

Edited December 23, 2013 by hohieu

[Mythical Creature]

I <3 my Subaru.  I have owned 17 vehicles in the last 17 years.  My Legacy is by far the nicest.  Sure I've replaced some parts.  Big deal.  Do I feel safe in it?  Absolutely.

 

Stopping is a little bit of an issue, but only because it's tempting to drive WAY too fast for conditions.

 

Haters gonna hate.  I'm thinking about trying a BMW next but I've heard some real horror stories.  I'll probably stay with Subaru because I can literally do the work in my sleep.  Very simple to work on, and that's comparing it to a '71 Ford truck.

[Pierobon]

In the snow (no stopping power) Cheap tires,

...

For the money spend on a new one you could get a 2010 used Mercedes C class all wheel drive. Thats what I'm doing.

 

I don't know about the Mercedes, never driven them and the reviews on the net, specially the ones from the now extinct UK TV show Top Gear, don't make me want to drive.

I can talk about BMWs, I love them and they have that sporty feel I love.

My grandfather have a 08' Outback, and I have to tell you the ABS feels so different on both cars!

 

Subarus are more tuned to the safe side of the equation, and BMWs a little more to the sporty side of the equation.

For this reason I can say the ABS cuts in a little earlier on the Subarus then they do on BMW, and I can confirm they really feel that way. I bet it's the same sporty feel on a mercedes. This might make no difference at all in a dry tarmac, but in a very ice-slippery surface the difference is such that on a BMW you have more wheel lock, meaning more snow piling up on front of the tires, meaning more stopping power... while on the subaru you have less wheel lock, meaning more wheels spinning, meaning more control of the car, meaning in the end that you can steer the car and avoid a collision while still breaking easier on a Subaru then on a BMW or probably a Mercedes.

I live in Sao Paulo-Brasil, no snow here, I can say that in a dry surface the cars behave like that, I can only imagine what a huge difference this would do on the snow.

 

And come one, Michelin on a japanese car? Try Yokohama, they are a bit more expensive but it's the original stuff Subaru uses in japan! I'm sure that will make a bigger difference than the ABS thing.

[CNY_Dave]

The funny thing is, the poncho SD455 was a total smogged-out wuss engine.

[86BRATMAN]

Top Gear UK extinct? That can't be right...

[Pierobon]

Top Gear UK extinct? That can't be right...

 

Well, I'm sorry if i'm wrong about that, there was a lot of speculation about this a few months ago, and I still don't know if they are recording more seasons, there is nothing on their website...

[86BRATMAN]

I follow them on Facebook, Jeremy posted a month or   so back about the new season. I hope it hasn't been canceled, love that show.

[Pierobon]

Hope that too, love the show too!!!

[ivans imports]

Anyone looked at how a jet is putt together or how there safty standards are I will take my chances driving a legacy around than taking a cheap flight. At least the subarus wings don't flap and flex down the road. But they are building cars super cheap nowdays its the only way they can be competitive with all the cheap crap hundyis and kias and Toyotas. And the money you spend makes 0 diff in quality ask the jag Guys who spend 4500$ changing one timing chain guide how mutch the saved spending more money of the get go. Rant rant rant lol

[luko]

Anyone ever done a timing chain on a front wheel drive Cadillac? talk about a pain in the rump roast, you have to drop the whole front sub frame off with the tranny and engine still attached then when you have to time it back back that's a whole chore by itself.... give me a Subaru any day to work on, when ever a Subaru comes into the shop where I work I always hop on it 

[hohieu]

I think there are at least 3 types of participants in this thread:

1) Those who drive their cars until the doors fall off (and do all their own work). 

2) Those who get a new car before they ever hit 100K (maybe even 60K) miles.

3) Professional mechanics.

 

If you fall in to the #2 category, it shouldn't really matter what you buy.  I fall in to the #1 category.  What gets me are the unexpected failures before the 100K-mile mark. 

[Subaru Scott]

Well, I fall into 1) and 3) and I've worked on practically everything. I've owned many different makes and models, but I can say without a doubt, there is nothing on this planet easier to work on or cheaper to maintain, hands down! I've got more invested in my stereo!! And if you have a problem driving one... you need lessons!

[ivans imports]

#3 for me subarus feed my family and have for 15 years or more if wasent for subarus have no idea what I would be doing now. Subaru is not just a car brand its a way of life ! And after fixing mostly subarus for 15 years and having worked on everything else subarus are by far the best cars to work on. { Subaru feeds my family }