any one know any major problems with the late 90's EJ20 twin turbo legacys! i've got me quite a mint one lined up but just wondering if there could be any common problems! cheers
bevharris1938,
Dec 24, 3:54am
check for oil leaks
leonard57,
Dec 24, 4:08am
here's my advice=dont.an hour to change the spark plugs and 1800-2k for a second hand trans (removal and fitting included !)
arrithedog,
Dec 24, 4:45am
WORST thing I ever did ! would pass anything except a garage. Spent over 4 grand on it, just to keep it running while I found some sucker to buy it off me. BLOODY GOOD FUN TO DRIVE THOUGH (when it worked).
lazzo,
Dec 24, 5:28am
A liability. If you can't afford something better, find something more sensible.
outbidyou2,
Dec 24, 5:41am
As long as its had a good service history you should be fine. We had ours for 4 years and went strong till we sold it
franc123,
Dec 24, 5:44am
Most of these are at the point where they should be avoided, they're simply too old and abused to be practical for most motorists, especially so if you can't DIY on repairs, no matter how 'mint' it seems and how shiny the paint is. Personally have seen too many people get badly burnt financially by twin turbo Subarus, they were meant to go fast for a few years and then be trashed and replacedwith a new one. ALL of the major drivetrain parts can give issues, engine bearing and piston failure, primary turbos, head gaskets, gearbox and diff wear, auto failure, tuning problems caused by heat damagedunderbonnet plumbing, and then theres fuel use, insurance costs, bad mods by previous owners etc to deal with too.These things are very highly stressed as engines putting out that amount of power from such a tiny capacity always are and you need to be seeing proof that regular and complete servicing has been carried out with high quality products, and that it hasn't been driven too hard, this means a thorough assessment by an expert, including a test drive from cold. If any abnormal noises show up or the car generally seems suspiciously worn and/or smoky and/or doesn't run right then walk away, big expenses are imminent.The behaviour of the turbo system especially should be paid close attention to.
outbidyou2,
Dec 24, 5:46am
Yep, as I said, check the history of servicing, be sure, not just what your'e hoping to hear.
r15,
Dec 24, 11:50am
i don't know if anyone is aware of this, but most cars from new have a service history, especially ones in nz- its hard not to really.
you can service a car as often as you like though, but if someone is driving it mongrel you probably will only find this out when something lets go.
if you have 3 identical make and model cars and lined them up for a race; once a rental car, one a leased company car, the other privately owned.
RENTAL CARS are the fastest cars in the world. simply because you're obliged to give any sh1ts about them
Leases Company cars-similar effect to rental cars, but with a small amount of sh1t given this is the medium paced car
privately owned cars-if you break it, you have to fix it.this is the slowest of the 3 cars
ryanm2,
Dec 24, 12:55pm
a lot of Subaru haters in here, probably justified too. Sure, the twin turbo models are getting pretty old nowand they have heard their issues, but there are still plenty on the road still going fine. If you get it for a good price knowing you can flick it on later then go for it. What is it GT , GT-B , Blitzen , GT-B Etune.
stinkydog1,
Dec 24, 10:31pm
GT, might be a GT-B its has a full service history and has been done every 5000 k's and i thought it had quite low k's for a late 90's one usually see them with 200-250+ k's on them and this one im looking at has just done a bit over 150 not too woried about gas or insurance prices, and yeah thats what i was thinking my old man was a car dealer and said that i could easily pass it on after 6 months or so and make an extra buck on it,
icemans1,
Dec 24, 10:34pm
wouldn't touch one with a 10 foot barge pole - but that's my opinion
mazzyz,
Dec 25, 2:26am
I owned a '96 gtb for 7 years, great car. A few years ago I'd have recommended one in an instant, but they do need a lot a care and are getting quite old for that type of car. I would stay away from the older models and get a newer one if possible imho.
poohbear011,
Dec 25, 10:31pm
like any performance car, good services etc and will be a good car, if u cane it service it more often, use decent oil, alot of subbi owners use magnatec and seems fine, rocker covers seals leak a fair amount so check and see if they've been replaced, had better luck with my subarus then turbo nissans ive had :)
doug207,
Dec 25, 10:41pm
They an odd thing to give advice on, I've seen a heap of them be properly reliable. Yet I've seen some exploding left right and center
If you're confident it has been checked competently, go to clubsub website and ask there, or ask your local Subaru madman (every town has one) on what to look for when checking it over
Get a competent Subarau nut to service it, will save you lots. Spark plugs aren't hard once you acquire the right tools (funny length extensions) and even rocker covers are easy enough
Manual is the only way to go though They do like to pop turbos, so never switch it off straight away after a spirited run, always "warm it down" They like to do airflow meters every now and then Cambelts are a walk in the park, very easy (anyone who says otherwise should avoid it) Clutches are easy as to do If you're not too careful they'll do head gaskets, no fun to do They also like to leak from the main seals.
If a muppet does your cambelt and it has the belt guide plate above the idler, make sure they know how to set the spacing, too close gets a big buil;d up of heat and they stuff the idler bearings and even closer will see you bend a valve very, very fast
Nice cars to drive!
leonard57,
Dec 26, 4:29am
shadez,hoodz,gangbanger soundz in da suby-coz dats aw we rollz bhey
leonard57,
Dec 26, 4:31am
oops,and big chrome rims!
skiff1,
Dec 26, 4:31am
I quite like subarus, but have never owned one. Pretty much every one I have known who has, has regretted it though. I get the impression, rightly or wrongly, that they really are disposable.
steve56467,
Dec 26, 4:27pm
Bought RSK-B4 a year ago, no problems what so ever, more than happy with it. I had the inside knowledge on the car though - I know the previous owners who had it for 9 years and only ditched it due to a growing family. Car had a bearing failure(common) when it was young,trouble free motoring for the last 120.000k or so. Ten times more reliable than my parents ford BA problem is proving itself to be, steaming turd those
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