Subaru Legacy/Outback

originalbitman

1-The OB, L and GT all handle a little differently. The OB has taller tires and sits an inch higher than the GT which has lower profile tires and a "sport tuned" suspension. But I think their road manners under normal driving conditions are not all that different.

2-Yes. Hold both buttons on the remote down for 2 seconds and you can disable the horn. Just the lights will flash.

3- H-4 87 octane and the H-6 needs 91 octane but can run on 87 with reduced performance.

4- I put a full size spare in my GT. Not sure about the OB.

5- Map lights are also on the GT. Not sure about the L or OB.

6-The "P" turns on parking and tail lights.

7-Don't know.

Ask away. We love to answer.

bit

reblack_jr

After spending several days on the roads in the Midwest last week in rain storms I developed a leak inside my 01 Limited Outback. A drip through occurred from the drivers light above the center console (the one with two map lights and switches) I have had the 01' since late July 00' and not noticed the leak before. The only way I see that water could have come in is through a faulty seal of the front moon roof gasket since the roof was closed. There are three courses of action: 1) do nothing, 2) let the dealer fix it and possibly mess something else up or 3) repair it myself. I really do not like options 1) or 3). Anyone else had this problem? Is there a simple self repair with some sealant? I wonder about this and the brown rust spots referred to earlier on the Edmunds site. If I do not fix it perhaps I will get "Rusty" too (Is this only an OCD problem or a real concern?).

dervish

My 3 months old OB also has some stone chips on the hood as well. I got the first chip after a couple days of ownership. Upon closer inspection, I noticed the paint coat was a bit soft and thin. I do not like the idea of putting any kind of cover (bra?) on the hood so I may just as well have to live with it.

After 3 months of ownership my feeling toward the car is mixed. The overall quality of parts as well as fit and finish just doensn't measured up to other Japanese brands I have owned. I'm wondering if OB made in Japan or other parts of the world are any better.

jregen7243

It is crazy to think that getting stone chips on the hood or window are Subaru quality control problems and that they do no happen to "other" Japanese cars. In my family, we have a 2001 Lexus GS430. This vehicle cost more than $50,000. There are paint chips on both sides of the car as well as several on the hood. This car only has 10,000 miles on it. A friend of mine as a 1999 Toyota Camry Solara. It has more paint chips in the body and windshield than you have ever seen before. On my '00 Outback, I have several minor paint chips. But every car I've ever owned had them. If you have to drive on the road behind trucks and other vehicles that are kicking up rocks and other things, it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE not to get chips unless you are extremely lucky or have some kind of protection.

Jon

cptplt

While I don't think there is a problem per se with Subaru , there may be a problem with certain colors. I have had a winestone, onyx and rio red Legacy and I am convinced the winestone got chipped a lot more easily than the other two colors. Though the winestone was also made in Japan and the other 2 in the US so maybe some production quirk. (?Indiana weather????)

breckco

I'm considering getting the Subaru plastic hood deflector. Does anyone have experience with this? I have a few stone chips and would like to prevent future chips. Does the install require drilling? Is it easy to remove to clean/wax under it? Does it cause any wear on the paint? Finally, does it help protect 1-2 feet of the front of the hood from chips by deflecting the air?

When we bought our 2000 OB we got the interior air filter kit. It say's to replace it every 6 months or 6000 miles. I like it but don't really like spending over $30 every time I replace it. Any ideas to address this?

Live Happy,

Chris

vdchawk

The VDC, and I assume the LLBean, have a compact spare. There is a dense foam tray with storage compartments above the tire and below the floor. It adds some storage and eliminates noise from the road. You would need to remove that, or cut it apart to fit a full size spare.

The tow package, factory or dealer installer, does include the lighting adapter with 4 pin harness.

The air filter is an option, you could remove it. I find that it does help to eliminate interior dust.

The deflector does require 2 screws on the lip under the hood, mine was factory installed so I'm not sure if the holes are there or drilled. There are also a number of plastic clips that hold the unit on. Removal for waxing should be easy, but be warned: the parts are not available outside the full kit. I had one of the silicon bumpers fall off the deflector and the dealer needed to order (and replace) everything.

I have the same complaint about the paint on my VDC, and have seen complaints on other boards as well. Seems as though the Subaru paint is not as durable as some others. My Chevy Suburban has less chips after 4 years than the VDC after 6 months. Same roads, same locality, same highways, just inferior paint. I actually have seen a couple of chips through the primer to the metal, I have never seen that on the Chevy.

paisan

Hmm interesting, all legacies and outbacks have been made in Indiana, for US sale, except for the Legacy Sport 2.2l Turbo models.

-mike

cptplt

it was a 92 LS wagon, some where still from the mother country back then I guess!

jay_24

I put my hood deflector on last May. There are no holes to drill. The deflector comes with two plastic inserts that snaps into two big existing holes, then two small screws go into these pieces of plastic. It does help eliminate most of the rock chips.

I had a 91 GMC Jimmy that had a painted front bumper when it was new. Within a year rocks and sand removed 60% of the paint. I had it repainted, and then gave up. When I sold it this spring the only paint remaining on the bumper was behind the license plate. Otherwise a great truck.

99gs

jay24 do you have to remove the deflector to wash and wax the car? Thanks.

evilizard

Have one on my VDC. I don't remove it to wash the car, maybe if I was going to abuse my paint by going to one of those places with the roller brushes.

chriso1

I have a free (shipping excluded) Subaru hood deflector for anyone who wants it. It's 5 years old and will fit a '96 to ?? Legacy/Outback.

sowr@earthlink.net.

nygreg

My winestone was one week old when a pebble/ rock hit the hood going through some construction. Only very small nick. Had the car another month or two before installing the hood deflector with no further nicks. The deflector has two plastic pieces that snap into two existing holes under the hood (as mentioned earlier by Jay) with screws that attach the deflector to the plastic. There are five or so bumpers to keep the plastic deflector from touching the paint. You are also given five matching pieces of "plastic tape" that are placed on the paint of the hood to protect it from rubbing by the bumbers. Easy to install. I typically wash the car by hand and have not removed the deflector. However, I plan to wax it soon, therefore it will be removed. Just the two screws will do it.

Question: Is it possible that the new paint on Subies chip relatively easy until they are cured with time and thus are then more durable? Just a thought.

Robert- An earlier post mentions that there is a drain hole for the moonroofs. This might be clogged, not allowing the water to drain properly and thus your leak. Just a thought. I would have the dealer look at it, if for nothing else, to make sure your on the record.

Greg

kmclean

Greetings, all,

I've noticed lots of comments on this and other boards about paint chips - it's a pretty common event from what I can tell. One thing for sure is that they made the basic pigment layer a lot thinner ever since they came up with the "clear-coat" sealant (since at least the 1980s - maybe 1970s?). Compared to the old enamel (non-metalochrome) paint on my 1966 Mustang, the new paints don't have much "depth." Mike - you noted the effects of intense sunlight in the southern regions. I remember my recent years in San Antonio where these new paints would start "dissolving" after about 7-8 years if you had to leave your car outside. It was also hell on the headliner adhesive (lots of "flappers" down there).

Had my 2000 OB tinted (the back five) with the metallic-type film. It's been 18 months, and no complaints - glad I had it done. For folks up north, I wouldn't bother with the sunroofs - heck, in Seattle, you don't even need the A/C!

For you who need to protect your back seat from your dogs - I think I saw an item in a recent LL Bean catalog designed for just that purpose - a cover for the back seat. Given their connection to Subaru, I'd expect it would fit the OB perfectly. I've used their products for years and found them to be of top quality at a reasonable (not really cheap) price. Great customer service, too.

Cheers from the PNW (and home of the Mariners!),

Ken M.

kem1

I very much doubt that the problem is with the OB paint. As an engineer, I can tell you it has more to do with the shape of the front end of the car and hence, the wind aerodynamics. Depending on the car's aerodynamics, the wind can carry small pebbles up and over the car (at highway speeds) or right into the hood or windshield. In Colorado, where they use more sand and gravel in the winter (vs. more salt in other areas) for the roads, bug/rock deflectors are a very good thing to get - because they do help change the aerodynmics along the hood - and protect the "front edge" of the hood.

Comparing the amount of paint chips the Outback has to an SUV is ridiculous. The SUV's hood is much higher off the ground and generally "flater" (almost parallel to the road). If the hood is higher off the ground, then obviously, it won't catch as many rocks. The OB has a typical sedan hood style; its lower to the ground and slopes more from the front edge to the windshield.

My Jeep Cherokee's hood is looking pretty good after 8 years of driving in Colorado, but the front bumper is horrendous.

Get the hood deflector.

-Kris in Denver

ateixeira

IMO, a couple of things come into play.

Many Subies have painted lower cladding that is close to the ground and therefore more succeptible to gravel and debris.

My solution? Go with a Forester L. The unpainted cladding is like teflon - no dings or scratches even after severe abuse. No wax needed, and it's easier to clean to boot.

The other thing is that the whole industry has moved away from the old solvent-based paints, because of the harm they did to the environment. This is true across the board.

My Forester is holding up well. I had some dog nail scratches along the door, but wax buffed them right out. There are probably one or two "pits", but less than usual.

In comparison, our Miata has far more nicks (all touched-up). Our 626 has so many dings and scratches it's incredible. So I'd rate Subaru's paint far better than Mazda's.

My previous car was an Escort, and the paint on that was even worse. It had orange peel when new. In the door jambs you could see paint runs, it was awful. Dirt would stick to the painted cladding like glue, the opposite of my Forester L's cladding. Part of the clear coat was peeling off the doors.

A buddy's Dakota has had the paint peel off its front bumper completely. His wife's Corolla's paint is so faded it's ridiculous. He wants to repaint the whole car. Both of those bake in the sun all day, with no shade for relief. That may have been a factor.

-juice

dill6

I have a WRX on order and am now second guessing myself on the decision. I'm afraid that I'll have a blast with it for a couple of months, and then, right around the time we take our first long road trip be asking myself why I didn't get something bigger. (My wife and I do a couple of long ski trips every year - lots of gear involved. We may be getting a dog too. And she has a '92 Prelude, so we already have a pretty cool little sporty car).

I'm not expecting any help with a WRX vs. Legacy wagon decision - that's a personal problem (may indicate mental instability?) - but I am wondering if there's any significant difference in performance (handling, especially), between the OB and Legacy GT wagon. The GT seems to have decent, if not outstanding, handling. And like someone said - its more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

Any thoughts?

ateixeira

If you ordered a WRX wagon, stick to your guns. Talk about versatility - you can always use the roof rack to carry gear and skis, just get a long carrier or a rack.

Small dogs are fun, and much less messy. Plus they eat less and make great lap dogs.

If you need bulk mulch, just have it delivered.

If you still cannot decide, wait for the Legacy to get a turbo.

-juice

20llbean

I really don't think it is the paint. I am an engineer also (but in electrical field) and it is probably due to the design of the front of the car. I agree that comparing it with an SUV is apples vs. oranges analogy. All SUVs I have ever seen are flat hoods and usually 1 to two feet of ground clearance as opposed to the Subie's having about 10 inches max I believe.

My 1995 Accord has a whole bunch of nicks and chips on the front hood. First, it slopes down thereby allowing any debris one to two feet off the road the chance to nick the hood, roll up the hood and hit the windshield. Second, the car has low ground clearance compounding the first comment. Worse, in the Philadelphia region, the highways are in a continuous state of repair with a variety of junk in the emergency lanes and with a bunch of dump trucks always on the road with gravel and stones spilling out. There is a grass roots push to seek some relief as the windshield replacement business is booming in the Phila region. I have had the windshield replaced ( on the accord) from debris that cracked it from the bottom to the top in the original hit. As for the hood and front bumper on the accord, I just keep waxing them each time I wash the accord. I plan to do the same for the subie (mine is timerline green color). I do have one question: What is the paint type and number that is used for the front bumper and cladding? I could use some as I have several nicks.

lark6

I rode with my wife in her '91 Accord on I-95 yesterday; all scraped down for repaving between the Vine Street Expressway and the PA 413/Bristol offramp. Stones everywhere and the front of her car looks like braille. My 19-month-old Forester has its share of flecks too; I plan on avoiding that stretch of 95 at all costs until the job is done. I don't understand why they can't scrape and pave small sections at a time instead of scraping 10 miles then paving 100 yards at a time.

Pennsylvania roads have to be the nation's worst - a second-world country here in the USA. I swear sometimes I'd rather drive on the dirt and clay roads in SC and GA where I grew up than this mess.

Ed

20llbean

I even contacted PENNDOT to complain about the excessive road construction and junk all over the place. They informed me that the construction has been advertised on local radio and TV (Like I don't own any of those new modern devices!) and to take an alternate route. I have been careful with the subie on these highways so far. Another thing, I can't remember a highway that has some many cars on the side of the roads with flat tires. Be careful driving on I-95 in Phila, if it isn't the stones chipping paint and cracking windshields, it's the junk on the road that flattens your tires. Go EAGLES!!!

taxman10

Hey anybody - am I the only one with a CD that repeats cuts on a CD several times in random mode ?
Where are the audio folks ? Over on the VDC board all they care about is pinging, here its paint.
Help me out.
Taxman, Ridgefield

kem1

sorry, dude.

Actually, on the VDC board, they were requoting and discussing postings from this board - pinging was the topic-dujour last week. Sorry, I don't know about the CD players. Unfortunately, due to uncertain future employment situation, I've put off buying an LL Bean until early next year - the good news, the 2002's have better cup holders and center consoles (and maybe better CD players?). :-)

vdchawk

If you don't own a VDC don't look at that board for help on the CD. The system in the VDC is unique to the VDC. I have never had a CD skip on the Macintosh system in the VDC. (Never had a pinging problem either)

As for SUV vs Outback, I would agree except I know that the truck has taken far more hits, sandblasts, and flying debris than my Outback, and still has less chips and has never had a chip through the basecoat exposing the metal. On the Outback I have a lot of chips on the bumper and some on the upper end of the windshield pillars. The hood seems to be fine, guess the deflector helps.
Keith

grahampeters

G'day

I have a Japanese manufactured 99 OB and have also wondered about the paint finish. It appears to scratch and chip more readily than past cars did. Could it be that this is a consequence of water based paint spraying?

Cheers

Graham

c2t2

I seriously waffled, just like you, and actually spent a couple of near-sleepless nights trying to decide. When I went to the dealer one last time, I actually brought suitcases and a beach chair to see how they would fit in the WRX wagon! (It was tight, but then again I also have to fit a couple of little kids.) Finally, practicality won over, and I got the GT wagon (just got it this last weekend!). Its pretty fun to drive (I would imagine a 5-speed would be great), even if it is overshadowed by the WRX. I also think it handles better than the OB when driving hard into curves, but that's just my own limited impression. If you can find a 2001, you can get a great deal right now. (Fitzgerald's in MD, where I got mine, has one left. A very nice dealership, by the way.)

ateixeira

Rich: Titanium Pearl, I believe. Touch-up paint is just $5 or so.

-juice

20llbean

Taxman,

I will take a stab at your problem as I have tinkered around audio equipment in the past. First, I will presume you know how random mode operates on a CD player. Now the questions:

1. Do your CDs play from start to finish in normal mode? If so, then the CDs are good, the laser is good (that is, it's not dirty), and the springs that control the laser movement are good. The mechanical operations of the unit all seem good at this decision point. Now you can conclude that the unit has a problem with random operating mode feature which could be anything from a bad push switch, bad memory card or screwed up software code in the unit. Random mode selection software is real easy to develop into machine code logic which is stored in a ROM in the unit. Either way, Try to get a warranty replacement.
2. Is the repeating occurring on only one CD or all CDs that you play? If it's only one CD then that CD could have damaged tracks that the CD unit will not read but can detect that the CD has x number of tracks. Just can't play the damaged ones. If it's occurring on all CDs then your back at number 1 above, a bad CD unit.
3. Now for the hard question: Does it always occur when you use random mode or after the unit has been turned on for a while? This could indicate a temperature related problem ( a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to determine) which should also result in a replacement under warranty.

For the record, I had to replace my 6-disc changer after it decided to ingest ones of my CDs. The unit would not accept only CDs and would not eject the CD in the unit. I had it (6-disc changer) replaced under warranty and the disc was eventually returned to me all cracked and chipped. Good luck.

ateixeira

Did they reimburse you for that CD? I would have asked.

Of course nowadays I just use Aimster and burn those bad boys for free.

-juice

20llbean

Thanks. I will order some this week.

In defense of Subaru, my Honda accord bumper is all chipped up as I previously mentioned. I hate those car bras so I bear with it though I may purchase the deflector for the Subie. My other cars: Chevy cavalier (1985) had the paint flake off the bumper after 5 years of ownership. My piece of S*@~ Ford (1991) actually didn't have a problem with the bumper as the bumper was a hard plastic piece while the Honda, Chevy, and Subie are softer pieces. The softer bumpers no doubt allow for more surface penetration. The Ford had a ton of problems in other areas that I won't go into. I will mention that it's paint (Ford's) was terribly and showed signs of clear coat erosion in 2 years.

20llbean

No, they didn't and I didn't follow up, yet. I am willing to take the cost hit for the broken CD and save my compliants for bigger problems that may happen with the subie (I hope none occur!). Plus I can make a new one,,,

paulsgt

Add me to the list of new Subie owners (we've had Subies before but not since the 1992 Legacy we sold in 1996). We picked up our Wintergreen LL Bean wagon last night. We had an excellent buying/delivery experience at White Bear Subaru (Twin Cities, MN) with Eric Peterson. I highly reccomend Eric and his crew. The deal was $500 over invoice with Subaru financing (rebate to dealer). He will go $100 over invoice with other financing. The Bean will take some getting used-to after putting over 100,000 miles total on 2-1999 Hondas (V-6 Accord and Odyssey) The Hondas were/are great cars. Too bad Honda doesn't make something like the Outback. We are planning to drive it a lot this weekend to get the feel for it. My wife drove it home last night and says it's not nearly as fast as her V6 Accord was. I told her it needs to get 'broken in'. I hope it grows on her. This arrangement (wife driving the Bean) is only temporary as sometime later next year, she will wants to get herself an Acura RSX Type-S and I'll get my Bean.
I will keep you posted as we get more familiar with the Bean.

Paul in MN.

ateixeira

Congrats, Paul.

Tell your wife the Accord is FWD with an open front differential. One tire on ice and it's like ice skating. Wanna bet which one is faster on snow/slush/ice/rain?

It also can't carry as much cargo as your wagon, not even close. It's too bad Honda doesn't offer the euro Accord wagon here.

Do yourself a favor and test drive a WRX. You may change your mind about that RSX. If she likes straight line acceleration, the WRX is quicker under any circumstances.

-juice

nygreg

Wintergreen is a great color. My daughter was trying to get us to buy that color, but, in the end it was Winestone (wife wins again!).

Greg

hypov

there's many 'drive-smiles' to come. :-)
Give the Bean a chance to settle in.
Hey it may not be that quick off the line, but think of all the advantageous Juice mentioned it has over the Accord and somemore. Wanna bet which could take a corner more aggressively and still be in confident control?

subie_problems

We bought an OB last Aug (2000) with a lot of enthusiasm. Since purchasing it, we have had several problems and I am at a point of getting rid of the car. Has anybody else had similar problems? Who do I contact at Subaru to address these problems?

The inside roof (headliner) is spotted with hundreds of rust marks. Over the last couple of months the dots have increased steadily. The dealer says he has never seen anything like that before and recommended changing the headliner. It is a three day in-shop job.

1. At 500 miles the steering column started wobbling while braking over 50mph. The dealer resurfaced the rotors.
2. Same problem at 3000 miles - rotors, front and back, pads, replaced. Was at the shop for 5 days due to lack of spare parts availability.
3. 7000 miles - security system stopped functioning. Dealer said he "reset" the sec. system.
4. 15K miles, problem resurfaced. Have made an appointment with the dealer to have it checked.

ateixeira

It sucks to have to keep going back, but it sounds like the dealer is trying. Call the 800# to get SoA to pitch in some effort.

-juice

jay_24

Jack (99gs),

sorry I didn't reply quicker, but I leave the hood deflector on and wash best I can behind it. I might take it off for the next waxing...

Paul,

Congrats on the new bean. Glad you had a good experience with Eric. I thought he was better than most.

On the CD front, I haven't noticed any repeats. I have noticed that disk #3 in the 6 disk changer skips the most. Home burned CDs are the worst, but they play well in all the other spots.

--jay

20llbean

At the 3K maintenance check, I had the service department address a 'shimmy' in the steering wheel at constant highway speeds. Essentially, the steering wheel was shaking back and forth (subtle but still shaking) when the Bean was at a constant highway and less noticeable at highway acceleration speeds. I never experienced it in street type driving or during braking though. They balanced the wheels and after 800 miles since the balance, problem has not occurred.

Since your's keeps reoccurring and happens when you brake have them check the wheels, tires and the alignment also. There have been several postings on the wheels in which the owner described and even gave photos of what a bad wheel looks like (check some past postings). This owner had a steering shake problem that was correct by warranty replacement of the wheels. The tires could also be the problem.

As for the spots, do you see any leaks? I wondering if it is mildew or mold that is forming. Best thing and probably the other thing is to replace the material.

20llbean

I have been on this town hall since I purchased my Outback Bean in June. What I have gathered from the various postings since June is a summary of problems that Outback owners have experienced. They are:

1. Some Outbacks ping, mostly the H4 engines, don't recall any pinging with the H6's
2. Some Outbacks have paint issues, mostly winestone color
3. Some Outbacks have chipping (paint) issues, many
4. Some Outbacks have shaking wheels problems with different fix solutions
5. Some Outbacks have squealing brakes when the car is first driven after a rest period

Any thing else?

twrx

dill 6--i have a 2002 WRX. I traded a Forester in on it. The length of the cargo bed in each is about the same. I took 3 two week vacations in the Forester. My wife seriously overpacks and so do I. In 1999 we were planning a two week trip to South Dakota. All of our luggage was pack and I was planning to pick up my wife at the local airport because she had been in Maine for a week on business. She called to tell me that her flight was cancelled but the first one out in the morning would get her to St. Louis which was on our way. So I loaded up 4 large pieces of soft luggage in the Forester, a laptop bag, an electric cooler and two backpacks of geology tools for myself. Upon arriving in St. Louis I loaded her weeks worth of luggage (large hard side suitcase, small soft case and laptop bag) into the Forester.Presto--3 weeks worth of luggage and gizmos into the car. Granted the WRX is not as tall but that should give you some idea how much stuff you can pack in a small Subaru. Plus wait till you drive the WRX wagon. I have test driven a GT and it is nice--same wheel tier size and ground clearance as WRX so it should be more fun than any Outback except maybe the sport but the acceleration of the WRX is such a rush it is unbelievable. (OK so gas on trip will cost more)

TWRX

taxman10

I think we've identified a small problem that I'll take up on my first FREE ( nice feature)scheduled maintenance.
My single CD player does repeat tracks in the random mode 1) done it with different CDs 2) done it cool, as in not overused or hot 3) standard, consecutive, mode is no problem.

My simple mind thinks that you should play all the tracks randomly just once then the machine should stop and you should change the CD - I think we'd all agree.

The Bean is great , just quirky and thats not bad. I've been driving it to work this week and enjoy the ease with which it moves between 60 and 80 mph on 684. Figured out the rear wiper and spritzer tonight

Welcome to the Wintergreen Bean club Paul.

Anyone notice the new Audi Outback knockoff has a very close match to Wintergreen ?

Now, how bout some tire talk. Other than Ultra high performance stuff , what are people riding besides the OE junk on their Outbacks/Beans? Any quick fixes for the understeer?

theob

I've recently noticed a slight steering wheel shimmy on our VDC when braking for extended periods. I usually notice it when driving down from the mountains. If the brakes are allowed to cool a little, the shimmy will disappear until the brakes warm up again. Patti, any ideas from Engineering what's causing this? Could it be that the rotors are warping slightly when they heat up?

BTW, we have almost 7 months and 9500 miles on it. On a trip weekend before last, we got 27MPG on the flats, and 26.4MPG over the mountains, all at ~80 mph and all using regular unleaded (85 octane in Colo), crossbars removed for reduced noise & better efficiency. Did some heavy-footed passing in the mountains. So flatland, 70mph, premium, light-footing, should yield close to 30MPG.
Theo in Colorado

99gs

Taxman: I recently put some Yokohoma Avids on my CR-V. They are a better riding tire than the OEM's, T/A Touring. Very quiet and smooth. I plan to look at those as a replacement on our Wintergreen LL Bean to be.

hypov

Mike (taxman10) - the tires on my '98 OB are Michelin MXV4 Energy, and they have worked very well for me in Dry, Wet, and Snow so far. The tires and AWD seem to compliment each other. On asphalt, it's like you're floating on air (silence). My only gripe on the tires is when running over expansion joints and concrete stretch... pretty noisy but I'm sure it's quieter with the Bean, and I think its successor MXV4 Energy Plus is more improved.
Understeering, try increasing the psi to the front tires.

ateixeira

Tires - I have Nitto NT460 in the same size as current Outbacks (i.e. yours), 225/60HR16. If you don't get a lot of snow, they are great. No visible wear in 12k miles, good dry grip, great wet grip, but poor in the snow. They are also very quiet. Discount Tire Direct carries them.

Understeer? Get a fatter rear sway bar. Cost is anywhere from $80 to $200 or so.

Theo: the first thing to try is to torque your wheel lug nuts to spec. Loosen them and then apply about 65 lb-ft to each. Odds are they are way overtightened with the air tools the shops use.

-juice

megawatt1

one more item
Front end noise with wheels turned while going over bumps at low speed.

-Ralph

dill6

Thanks for the responses. I've driven them both now a couple of times and I find I really prefer the interior finsh and roominess of the GT, while the WRX is, of course, in its own world performance wise. Tough to choose.

Meanwhile, I'm a little concerned by what appear to be pretty frequent problems mentioned here with Subie brakes, especially, but other reliability issues as well. Not that they appear to be anywhere near as bad as, say, VW, but I, and my whole family for the last 20 years, have been driving Honda products exclusively and I guess are pretty spoiled by their nearly bulletproof reliability. Makes me think I'll wait and see what the new Honda CRV 2002 will be like. Its supposed to be "all new" - it'll have to be to interest me, as the original provided a pretty bland driving experience in my opinion.

By the way - is there really a possibility of a turbo Legacy coming out in the US anytime soon? That, with the appropriate suspension tweaks, would really be the best of both worlds. I'd jump on that like a duck on a June bug.

originalbitman

I've been on this board for over a year (since I bought my GT) and I think the problems mentioned here have been for the most part minimal. The only real brake problem I see has been the squeal that some have when they first apply the brakes in the morning. A few mention a soft pedal but I think that is subjective. I have neither of these problems. Actually I have had only one problem and that was a subtle clunk noise in the roof. We have had several Hondas (my wife still has her 92 ci) and we would have bought a Honda wagon if one were available. That is until we found the Subaru. We love it. Ours has good fit and finish (including paint), handles great, performs well with the 5 speed, and gets pretty good gas mileage.

bit - 2001 GT Wagon