legacy Looking at buying Subaru Legacy GT 05

[JapCarFanboy]

Hello all,

I am new to the Subaru cars and wanted to ask about their common problems. I am looking at buying 05 Subaru Legacy GT. What should I look at when buying one?
What are common problems?
How reliable are they?
If I would be thinking of making more power, what weak points to look at?
Any tips for owning this model?

[lmdew]

Turbo makes a lot of heat and all the hoses will be hard.  I know GD has noted some turbo lube issues.  Head Gaskets...

I stay away from turbos.  It makes a nice engine bay a hot and hard place to work IMHO.

[idosubaru]

On 12/3/2021 at 1:49 AM, JapCarFanboy said:

Hello all,

I am new to the Subaru cars and wanted to ask about their common problems. I am looking at buying 05 Subaru Legacy GT. What should I look at when buying one?
What are common problems?
How reliable are they?
If I would be thinking of making more power, what weak points to look at?
Any tips for owning this model?
 

All non diesel turbo engines are unreliable when compared to non turbo, so it depends what you mean by “reliable”. 

They’re unforgiving of heat, non synthetic oil, extended oil changes.  Even a minor oversight means needing a new block (which are in high demand)

By now a 2005 has a long unknown history. 

If they’ve got a known documented history of maintenance, never been run hot, synthetic oil changed very frequently, and taken care of, and it’s never eaten a turbo or turbo replaced with a cheap aftermarket garbage….they can a decent vehicle. 

Practically that almost never happens. So yes they’re reliable but no you probably won’t find one in the condition I described. 

It also needs Subaru timing belt pulleys tensioner and water pump no matter what it’s timing belt history. It’s probably old or has aftermarket parts or the pulleys and tensioner have never been replaced. “New timing belt” isn’t good enough. Has to be Subaru or AISIn and all new pulleys too. 

[el_freddo]

I recall GD saying somewhere that the 2005 models are the ones to skip as they have a different turbo to other models and this makes for an expensive fix when it fails unless you go aftermarket and a tune etc. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[GeneralDisorder]

We have a saying in the shop - "Friends don't let friends buy Legacy GT's"

Many reasons for this. They are MONEY PITS. I just bought a 2005 Outback XT with only 110k on it for $1000 with a blown turbo that had 50 MILES ON IT. We know for sure that it's AT LEAST on turbocharger #3 and we highly suspect it's probably #4. We know how to fix these cars but based on their value it's very much an upside down monetary situation. They are a VERY big risk, and usually for the uninitiated they are a VERY big loss. 

If you are an expert in the Subaru EJ turbo (like we are) and you have tons of parts and connections - great. They are an excellent value when you get one that's broken with low mileage. For EVERYONE ELSE they are your WORST NIGHTMARE. 

Expect to pay roughly $10,000 to replace the engine when/if it fails (quality work done by a knowledgeable and skilled shop) . And they fail ALL THE TIME. You see where this is going?

If it's an automatic car - the 5EAT is problematic. Wiring harness and valve body issues and sometimes torque converter. It can easily cost $3,000 to address all that stuff. And parts for 2005's from Subaru are rapidly becoming obsolete in the system. Once that happens things become even more complicated and expensive. 

GD

Edited December 29, 2021 by GeneralDisorder