Used 1996 Subaru Legacy Wagon Consumer Reviews
Used Legacy for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Poor Suby! It got totaled.
Gregsly, 02/18/2005
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought this car as a lease return. During warranty coverage an engine seal went out (about $700). Had one alternator, and a sensor go out. The car has 3 oil leaks which would cost $2,000 to fix, but use only 1 qt/3000 miles, so I opted not to fix them at my mechanic's suggestion. He said that these leaks are endemic in this car and will just return if fixed. Dash lights have failed bit by bit. That said, I loved this car. Great to drive in snow/ice, reasonable power, reasonable economy. It was totaled a couple weeks ago so I'm in the market for another one.
After 275k miles, still a great car!
Jim, 03/06/2005
1996 Subaru Legacy Brighton 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My Legacy Brighton was purchased new in 1996 and has remained in my family since then. It has been subjected to hard driving and New England winters and still looks and runs great! After 275,000 miles, I have had minimal repairs except for the transmission, which has been rebuilt each 125k miles (approx.). Can't beat the all-wheel drive for the snow and body integrity is excellent - just one spot of rust after 8 years. I will definitely buy one again! Too bad they've become pricey in recent years - I guess the secret is out.
1996 Subaru Legacy for sale near you
Showing 1 of 1 listings
- L WagonMSRP: $3,9991,846 mi away
Proves Reliable Year After Year
Russ, 04/05/2005
1996 Subaru Legacy LSi 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I could not be more satisfied with acar. I bought it used with 76k miles on it, and 4 years later I have 149k and going strong. Routine maintenance issues, a gasket here and there, and an alternator, and it is still going strong! No tranny issues. Just a great car!
White 1996 Subaru
L.Lewis, 10/12/2006
1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I've always loved the Subaru's. The Outback was a change from the Legacy sedan but I was not disappointed in the performance and reliability of the 96 Legacy Outback. I've owned 4 Subarus now and would recommend the cars to anyone.
The all weather wonder
Donalds, 03/08/2002
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
With a 125,000 after six years the only major trouble I've had has been two oil leaks (front engine seal & the oil pump) I've also replaced the front cat coverter. This car continues to serve me well, from towing a sea doo jet boat to trips thru many winter wonderlands. You can't beat the beauty of all wheel drive :-)
ALL OWNERS SHOULD KNOW
Subaru Owner, 04/23/2003
1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
All 1996 owners of the Legacy wagon should know that there is a major design flaw with the altenators/regulators. Subaru has a bulletin out on this problem, but will not stand behind their cars outside the warranty. The altenator was pumping out 29 volts on a 12 volt system and blew out the airbag module/ABS module/Altenator/main fuse box/condensors on the radio. No warning signs were evident at all. Get you altinator checked to be safe.
96l wagon
pbotz, 05/28/2003
1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
great car, extremely reliable. I love the AWD and you cant beat the usefulness of a wagon. next car will most likely be a subaru. It has 115k on it now, and I am not planning on getting rid of it for a LONG time.
Very good car
Bogey, 05/30/2003
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
A very reliable , comfortable and well- equipped car. Only one major servicing in 7 years- and that includes this past terrible winter. Not garaged, but started first try every day. Enough power for major highways and comfortable in any conditions. New car will be same make and model.
Legacy of Subaru
Romeo Enciso, 06/08/2003
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Our Subaru is reliable & sturdy. Excellent car in cold wether or heat. Very durable and stable, excellent road handling & pick up. Ours has heated mirrors & seats. Fold down seats & rear cover. We like the interior layout. Seating seems stiff after long drives.
Very dependable
Dan C, 12/04/2007
1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I am at 186,000 miles and have experienced very few problems. Automatic door lock malfunctions have recurred a number of times however. Also, don't let your drink drip or sweat too much or it messes up the neutral-start switch (under the shift console). Have replaced an oxygen sensor and speed sensor; TPS probably next.
1996 Outback Wagon
Dane, 03/29/2002
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Overall very happy with AWD performance. No reliability problems, did have spark plug wire come loose twice and gas guage is not very accurate, but otherwise pleased. Performance could be better but HEY this IS a wagon and I didn't expect WRX performance. Would definitely buy again.
Nice Wagon, but Starter issues & constant repairs
Andrew M, 10/08/2018
1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Overall, a nice wagon in the Subaru Legacy L tradition. BUT, I have had very BAD STARTER issues, every 6 months to a year, of owning the car. The car suddenly WON'T START, & why? Most mechanics can't figure it out. Once, I had to tow it over 100 miles, used my AAA card, to a mechanic I found in my hometown, that knows how to get it running. What did he do? Change the radiator, water pump, & a couple other items, and voila, it ran again! At least 2 times, for a $1000 each time, he did that, once every 2 years. Other times, it was some other repaOnce he did the repairs, it ran fine for another few months or a year. No other mechanics could even figure out what to do about that problem, so at least his garage knew how to "fix it". That included a Subaru specialist I used that couldn't fix the starter issues, so I finally found the other mechanic that did. Don't you love a Lemon Car like that? Simply not reliable, when your car can't start, suddenly! Or a few times, it would just give out, while driving on a local highway, & I had to pull over, & luckily never had an accident. Once the power (not a lack of gas or oil or fluids, at all) went out, I couldn't restart it, so I think it's the same starter problem. At that point, I had the mechanic who knew how to get it running again, so towed it there. What I did learn from my own research, is that from 1996 to 2004, Subaru made a lot of bad cars, all their models had either starter issues, and head gasket problems-expensive. (I was told when I bought the car that the gaskets had been replaced & were new. The Carfax & repair records verified that. So, I don't know if the starting problems are related to that, just a mystery.) They also had defective exhaust systems requiring repairs, & a few other repair items that are chronic. I've experienced almost all of those while owning this car. I had to replace a couple hundred dollar exhaust system items, including 1 that finally stopped the steady yellow light on the dashboard. The light coming on happened 1 week after I bought the car from a sleazy dealership! Oh, joy! I hated that yellow light, but in reality, it wasn't much trouble, except for I had to fix it every time I smogged the car every 2 years. So, it cost me extra. Finally, I got it permanently fixed 3 years ago. The door locks and keys are poorly made, so that my keys broke off in both door locks, and rendered the car doors unopenable from the outside, if locked from the inside, and you can't unlock nor lock them from the outside. Really ridiculous. Have to enter or leave from the hatch door, if one is locking the car doors to prevent theft. There's only 2 outside door locks, on the 2 front doors, the 2 back doors, strangely, have no outside locking mechanism, you only lock them from inside. Crazy! I will still have to find a cheap locksmith, and spend $100-200 fixing the door locks. Many locksmiths charge outrageous sums, so you have to shop around. If the hatch door isn't properly closed, the electrical system will cause the car not to start also! Think that's all the problems I've had. 1 more, the engine overheats, w/ white steam, going up very steep hills. Moderate inclines are fine, & don't cause that, so it can be avoided. I live in the SF Bay Area, full of steep hills, but once I realized what was going on, I stopped driving on the steepest ones. Moderate inclines like highway 101 going to San Francisco from Sausalito, is pretty steep, but it's gradual, so no problems there. It's only the steepest hills in San Francisco & the Bay that trigger the overheating, but if it's a slow drive, sometimes it won't overheat, but if it's very steep, here comes the white smoke! Then I have to stop the car for a while, and let the engine cool down. Never had it meltdown, or cause any damage, but it does cause stress, & it is dangerous. I wonder if that's the head gaskets, since I've read they do that when defective, I don't know. Well, I've told you of all the problems I've experienced with this defective model. From now on, I'm never buying Subarus made from 1996-2004. If you research it, there are a few models where problems begin in 1997 or 1998, but most of them start with 1996. I've poured more money into repairs for this car than any other car I've ever owned, & I've always owned old used cars, not new ones. I've had other Subarus, before 1996, & most of those were great, & didn't require much repair other than normal things for that age (hoses, belts, brakes, and sometimes a clutch in the clutch era). I've had Honda hatchbacks (great cars, but unsafe, not good in accidents, while the Subarus are outsanding in safety). I do like this car though, I feel an affection for it, despite all the money drain, and the horrible stress of a sudden starter problem. What I like is the roomy hatch for storing, & moving items, it's great. The maneuverability is outstanding. I love the safety of Subarus, traction control is great in storms, and the hill stopper is amazing.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
5 SUBARU Outback Legacy AWD wagons
Donald Tenn, 07/07/2019
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Obviously I either love the rig or...I am nuts! I consider the vehicle to be extremely safe, I bought these vehicles with safety in mind for my family. I found the first Subaru a 95' to far superior in safety, technology, road handling and reliability. I put 400,000 miles on this vehicle before giving up on the TURBO engine. Yes,it had TURBO, air shocks that I could raise and lower the vehicle as necessary and a very high tech, for it's age, sound system. I blew the turbo racing with hotshot Porsche on a Southern California freeway. YES, I won but it cost me the Turbo which no mechanic could ever repair... THE SUBARU WENT DOWNHILL in every facet with the newer 2-96', 97' and 98 models. No matter what ANYONE SAYS... I know for a fact that in 96' Subaru changed to a lower quality more cost efficient head gasket material. THIS IS WHAT HAS TAKEN MOST OF THESE YEARS OFF OF THE ROAD. ALL 5 of my Subaru's suffered the same fate, blown head gasket. I did the research and found out that Subaru changed the head gasket material in 96' and did not rectify the issue until 10 years later in 2006-2007 when they apparently either finally found out OR, they deliberately used poor material as they could not sell cars that got 400,000 miles and opted to sell cars that only lasted for 150,000 to 220,000 miles. IF YOU OWN A SUBARU IN THIS AGE RANGE, YOU WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET OR THE ENGINE. The passenger side bearings and hubs are also problematic. After replacing THREE MYSELF, I noticed at the auto wreckers ALL OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL HUBS WERE GONE, I could not find one anywhere! WHY IS THAT? They are problematic, a manufacturer defect. CAN ANYONE SAY, 'CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT'? I still love Subaru for their safety and am buying a 99' Subaru Forester with 130,000 miles on it today. I KNOW I AM ONLY GOING TO GET 20,000 miles before replacing the engine and/or head gasket and passenger side hub and/or wheel bearings but... If I can get 20,000 miles(I don't drive much anymore) I will be happy. This MAY be my last car purchase,but most cars have some factory issues... Dodge Caravans are notorious for losing BOTH the transmissions and engines at 200,000 miles and there was a date and time in our history where American made cars rarely got 120,000 miles so... we have come a long way baby!
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Value
1996 LSi wagon with 145k miles runs well
Ryan, 01/29/2023
1996 Subaru Legacy LSi 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
My ‘96 Legacy LSi has 148k miles on it and its 2.5 liter engine still purrs like a kitten. I average 20 mpg in town. Biggest issues I’ve had were the alternator and a stolen catalytic converter. Couldn’t be happier with this investment.
DON'T BUY OVER 60K MILES!
T Paul , 10/01/2004
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought this car with 65K and had to put a miminum of $1500/year to keep running! MINE HAS 100K NOW. Multiple failures and trust me, YOU CAN'T FIX THEM YOURSELF! You can't even change sparkplugs without a special tool. DON'T BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK! My short list of repairs: window switch $250, oil pump $1000, DASH LIGHTS $250, rear hatch stuck $150, starter $400, alternator $400, FINNALY transfer case seals $1500! I did all dealership visits thinking I would prevent breakdowns but I WAS WRONG! I'M SELLING. ANYONE WANT TO BUY?
Subaru Snafoo
Subaru snafoo!, 04/15/2002
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Failed dream car! Since the two months we've had this car, the valve sleeve has slipped. 1600 dollar repair job. Two weeks later, car completely dead on side of highway. Fuse box melted. Need new fuse box, new battery, and poss new alternator. Toyota, I'm coming back!
Subaru is a mistake
Subaru buying mistak, 05/23/2002
1996 Subaru Legacy LS 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Purchased Subaru for Safety ratings and what a mistake. I am convinced the safety rating are good, because its never out of the shop long enough to drive. Warrenty repairs: radio repaired twice, window repaired twice, battery terminals corroded, clutch adjusted. Everything else is not diagnosed until after warrenty: replaced front axle, replaced clutch, replaced wheel bearing, timing belt and replaced clutch. Guess what? It needs to be replaced again after only 18,000 miles. This is a family garage kept car. It is only 6 years old with mostly highway miles. The national and local dealer claim it is my driving and these repairs are "normal."
Overall great car!
SLC Subie Lover, 03/25/2003
1996 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Subaru really makes an amazingly reliable car. My 96 Legacy AWD Wagon has been great. Very little maintenance needed all the way to 100,000 miles. The AWD is unstopable in the snow, and the versatility of a wagon is hard to beat. I get pretty good gas mileage (22 city/27 hwy). Only improvements I'd recommend are more powerful engine (even the new 2003 6-cyl Outback is still sluggish) and lumbar support in the front seats.
Watch Out
Hollander, 03/24/2003
1996 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Overall, I've been very happy with the Outback, a great alternative to SUVs. Generally reliable until my 95K mile gotcha -- exhaust valve replacement for $2,400. Apparent design defect; my local dealer said they see this sometimes on the '96s. I opted for the repair since I had had no other problems in 7 years, just routine maintenance.