subaru legacy modifications : I haven't driven the Legacy but I have noticed how stable the outbackfeels. It takes potholes and general rough roads extermely wellcompared to my last car, a VW Jetta.I think this is real, not just hype. The car seems extremely stabledispite the higher than normal ground clearance.Your dealer is wrong, but neither do you quite have it right - 90/10 isthe *normal* power split for the auto, but it can reach 50/50 whenslippage occurs.It's different - the crossbraces and such are actually thicker and lookbetter-made (esp. on the front, where it's most noticeable).Well, it's not really necessary to warm up today's cars, but I reallydon't think it has anything to do with the layout of the engine. TheBoxer engine, though, DOES make the car more stable - it contributes to alower center of gravity. Note, though, that the Outback's raisedsuspension negates some of that advantage (as opposed to, say, a Legacy2.5GT).It smoothes out with usage. My '96 still has a rough 1-2 shift sometimes,but all other shifts are usually very smooth and there's little hesitationwhen needing a downshift.
subaru legacy modifications : Can't comment on the paint, but wouldn't think it would be more expensivethan any of the similarly-painted SUV's. Regarding other repairs, somethings are cheaper and some are more expensive than the American cars weowned, but I find the costs on a par with other Japanese cars.more power, better economy. Most smaller engines today have dual overheadcams.If you want some more info, feel free to drop by my web page (see mysignature, below). I have no affiliation with Subaru other than lovingthe cars.--+--------------------+---------------- -----------------------------------++--- -----------------+---------------------- -----------------------------+Let me stick my oar in here: I think the Outback is silly. If you _really_need to go off-roading, buy a true all-terrain vehicle built with a real,dedicated frame. Unibody construction is a bad idea in a vehicle that willsuffer heavy twisting forces throughout it's lifespan.The Outback is a Ford Bronco for liberals with environmental guilt. It'sgot the cachet of an SUV without the planet-killing impact. It's just anAWD Legacy with plastic rocker panels and a push bar. And a little morebody clearance...which is effectively negated by the differentials beingjust as low as on a vanilla Legacy.
subaru legacy modifications : A standard Legacy is quicker and more nimble than an Outback, and hasvirtually the same snow/ice/bad road capabilities. Unless you're drivingin those conditions constantly for a substantial portion of every year--butstill want a car vs. a truck-like SUV--you don't need an Outback.Lay in the oil? Does your dealer think Subarus are built with no oil sump? The minute you crank the engine, the valve stems are bathed in oil by thepump anyway. I bet this is a standard Subaru salesman's line to offset the"weird" sideways boxer config. "See, it's an _advantage_ to have thepistons flat." They'd be better off pointing out the great reliabilityrecord of tens of thousands of Porsche 911's over the years. Or millionsof Beetles.The AWD makes it difficult to discern what factors are affecting handling. You just don't get that classic oversteer/understeer departure profile;every corner of the car is scrabbling around the corner. Based on _bodyroll_, I'd say the boxer config. makes a noticeable increase in lateralhold. In the wagon, though, I sense that what I'm really feeling is theincreased leverage of the raised weight of the cabin extension more thanthe decreased leverage of the engine block being lower.
subaru legacy modifications : The boxer is great for hood profile, too. Your forward vision sweep is asgood as some of the cab-forward designs with transverse-mounted engines.Tell that to Jeep Grand Cherokee owners... they don't find unibody thatmuch of a problem. Remember, not all of us*need* to go true off-roading,but do need to get places that a standard vehicle won't.Nope - the diffs are higher. The *minimum* ground clearance is 7.3",about 1.5" higher than all other Legacys but the GT. And the diffs aren'tthe low point - it's the y-pipe just before the front cat.BTW - the rocker panels aren't plastic - they're just paint. And there'sno push bar - that's on the Forester.The Outback has a larger engine than the standard Legacy, plus has moreinterior room (the raised roof *does* make a noticeable difference, esp.considering the only other Legacy with the 2.5l is the GT, which comeswith a standard sunroof that robs headroom). The standard Legacy is by nomeans quicker than an Outback - only the GT has that distinction.They've come a *long* way with their auto in the last few years. I'd havenever bought an auto before '95, but they're quite bearable now. And '93had come a long way from the mid 80's - want a bad auto, try an '87 GL...
subaru legacy modifications : --+--------------------+---------------- -----------------------------------++--- -----------------+---------------------- -----------------------------+A couple other points I forgot to mention: The Outback suspension IS heavier duty than the regular Legacy (something you will be very grateful for on those rutted back roads), and it has considerably greater articulation/wheel travel, something which you can easily find out if you try jacking up the car (it takes a LOT of jacking before that wheel leaves the ground!) Both of these improve off-road performance: the stiffer suspension has obvious benefits, and the longer wheel travel means the road has to be pretty uneven before one wheel loses contact with the road.Naturally, the suspension is a compromise (Swiss Army Car, right?)---it's not as heavy as a "true" SUV, nor does it have the same articulation as a "real" SUV. But it's a lot more than a regular Legacy, and that's the point---the Outback is essentially a modified Legacy. The modifications don't make it into a Jeep, but they do give it more capability than a Legacy. It's a trade-off. The Outback ride quality, while not as good as a regular Legacy, is still quite good, and handling is also still quite good despite the fact that it's not as good as a regular Legacy or a GT.
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