Used 1998 Subaru Legacy Wagon Consumer Reviews
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Great family wagon
Duke_jw, 10/06/2004
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited 4dr Wagon AWD
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Bought used in April of 2001. Was impressed by the solid feel and obvious quality of this car. Has many features, ABS, AWD, strong enough 2.5 litre engine, killer upgraded stereo, heated leather seats, lots of room in back, dual moon roofs. Will carry bicycles inside with back seats down, very stable and great steering.
Impending Doom of Head Gasket Failure
Angry Goose, 04/25/2004
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited 4dr Wagon AWD
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Purchased '98 Outback with 71k miles, owned for just over 1 year. At 80,312 miles head gasket failed at 4th cylinder. Warped heads, burnt one exhaust valve, total cost $1900. Repaired by independent trust-worthy mechanic, he repairs 12/year atleast. Subaru is aware of this problem and has started a "campagn" that includes a coolant additive to any of the '99 or newer engines. Very common problems in all 2.5's. Absolutely loved the car when first bought, it was well maintained by myself and prev. owner. Now the car runs differently and has lost much of it's soul. Don't trust Subaru or its dealerships.
saved many trucks from the snowbanks...
brucifer, 06/19/2011
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This past winter we had record snowfalls in the northeast and I've never had more fun drifting the subie around in the drifts. At one point we were tearing it up in 18 inches looking for deeper drifts just to see if we "could" get it stuck. We eventually succeeded when we fell into the valley of a hill and we were up to our windows. In general though the car is great at 131,000 it's still chugging along fine. I had to repace the clutch after my friend thought he could drive a manual.... but so far I've gone trough two sets of tires and the car corners surprisingly well for all the ground clearance. The interior is kinda sucky but hey for the price nothing else can offroad at 24mpg.
Expected better
Stoney, 01/11/2007
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Was expecting "great," but only got "average." Two oil leaks - one at 15K and another at 95K miles. This car seems to run best when used primarily on the highway - lots of city driving adversely affects engine performance for some reason. Driver seat padding is not firm enough and wears thin after 2+ hours of sitting/driving. AWD works very well and mileage is pretty good at 21/29.
Reliable and Comfortable
Genericman, 09/01/2003
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
85k in five years with minimal problems - replaced rear axle clutch plates last year, and some A/C and button lights have been out for years (expensive to replace). Handles lovely on curvy roads, although a few more horses would be nice; perfect suspension balance between handling and comfort. Extremely comfortable. Never been in a better snow (or other inclement weather) vehicle. Piston slap is normal and disconcerting, but three dealer mechanics have told me it does not cause problems.
Subarus are solid, well-built & strong!
Kyle, 10/12/2008
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Subarus are well-known cars for their reliability and durability, esp in weather conditions like the Northeast. So I bought one and don't ever regret it. Change the oil every 3k and general maintenance and you can log 200k+ miles on these machines. As other posts have mentioned, it does like to leak oil, so have them check for leaks during oil changes. But parts are cheap and mechanics love working on Subaru's because they are easy, albeit, when you need them to. They will rarely leave you stranded!!! Goes right through the snow and rain, the engine is quite peppy for a 4 cyl and good on gas and can run just fine on 89. Your overall cost owning a Subaru is one of the best.
Major engine problems at 70k
m202spot, 06/14/2004
1998 Subaru Legacy Outback Limited 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I am a liyal Subura owner. I purchase my father's 90' Legacy and sold it with over 200k miles. I then purchased my friends mother's 1998 Outback Limited with 20k miles on it. A67k miles I had major head gasket problems resulting in $1,700. worth of repairs. After investigating this I have come across this is a very common problem. Waiting on subura to reply to my complaint letter
Great all around vehicle
mcm, 04/17/2008
1998 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought this car with 142k miles for $3700, it was a one owner in pretty good shape. This is the 5th Subaru that I have owned, just like all the others it has proved reliable, easy to work on, and excellent off road and in snowy climates. I live in SLC,UT and ski quite a bit at Alta, this winter they have recieved over 650" of snow. This car does great in the snow, especially with dedicated snow tires. While most other cars are creeping up the canyon, this car is totally stable on snowpack. I would recommend these cars for people who need the space of a larger SUV, but don't like driving the extra mass. With the 5 speed, power is never a problem.
Good solid basic transportation
Philippe, 03/21/2002
1998 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My second Subaru and probably not the last, the Legacy L wagon has been a good partner for our family. I would wish for a bit more torque at low rev and a more refibned interior design. I experienced the "classic" valve tapping assigned to many Subaru models. I will get that taken care of by the dealrship soon. Good gas mileage (27/35), enough room for 4 plus camping gears, safe (all wheel drive, ABS).
Solid & dependable
pmaison, 11/12/2005
1998 Subaru Legacy L 4dr Wagon AWD
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Overall, this car has been (and still is) a remarkably solid machine. As of Nov. '05 we've accrued 176,000 miles, yet the car's only substantial mechanical issue has been replacing front wheel bearings and standard brake overhaul: not bad at all, I'd say!
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