Thinking of a Legacy Tourer 3.0 type B manual

Thinking of a Legacy Tourer 3.0 type B manual

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300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Sunday 26th July 2020
quotequote all
Looking for a cheapish £3k quick estate for general duties. Dog moving, fishing etc. but want a decent drive,

I have never owned a Subaru what are these things like to own? I am looking at a pre 2006 lower tax bracket £330 instead of £565. I know they are fairly juicy but will do less than 5k miles per year.

What should I check for on purchase other than normal used car stuff, anything specific? I usually do my own maintenance what are they like to work on?

Is anyone thinking of selling or can anyone in Essex take me for a ride in one and discuss the car?

Colin RedGriff

2,535 posts

264 months

Monday 27th July 2020
quotequote all
Manual 3.0 Spec Bs are not common so you might be waiting a while for the right one to come up.

I've got 3.0 auto (couldn't wait for a manual) facelift. It's a lovely car to drive and the auto is very good.

Check when the suspension was last refreshed, at that age I would have expected new dampers and springs to have been needed.
Check suspension bushes and also the body for rust.
The mechanicals really benefit from regular fluid changes.

Have you joined http://www.uklegacy.com/forums/index.php a few cars come up for sale here and there is a lot of knowledge.

Straight forward to work on, they are well engineered and come apart quite easily when they are not corroded. Biggest complaint on the H6 is getting to the spark plugs especially at the back. Spares seem easy enough to obtain I've had to get couple of things direct from Japan via Partsouq but not really a problem.
US factory workshop manuals are available on line which really helps.

300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Monday 27th July 2020
quotequote all
Many thanks much appreciated are they a very quick car? and I assume the manuals would have the performance edge.

Where do you normally buy things like brake pads, discs etc? Having owned Mercedes for 25 years just fancied something a bit more sporty.


Colin RedGriff

2,535 posts

264 months

Monday 27th July 2020
quotequote all
They aren't the fastest thing on the planet but fast enough to embarrass a lot of other cars, and they handle nicely for a big estate. They are definitley a sporting estate. Have you looked at the JDM 2.0 twinscroll which a lot of the Legacy guys really like? I test drove one - it's possibly quicker than the 3.0 but needs mapping for UK fuel, the speedo/odo converting from km and the ICE will need changing. that was too much faff for my daily driver.

Yes manuals are quicker although the paddle shift on the auto is pretty quick in #S mode.

Consumables I've bought from eurocarparts and autodoc without issue. Import car parts (https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/) is a good source for some of the other items I've needed (genuine Subaru). Subaru dealers will also supply parts if you have one nearby but prices are often higher than Import Car Parts.

300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Tuesday 28th July 2020
quotequote all
Colin RedGriff said:
They aren't the fastest thing on the planet but fast enough to embarrass a lot of other cars, and they handle nicely for a big estate. They are definitley a sporting estate. Have you looked at the JDM 2.0 twinscroll which a lot of the Legacy guys really like? I test drove one - it's possibly quicker than the 3.0 but needs mapping for UK fuel, the speedo/odo converting from km and the ICE will need changing. that was too much faff for my daily driver.

Yes manuals are quicker although the paddle shift on the auto is pretty quick in #S mode.

Consumables I've bought from eurocarparts and autodoc without issue. Import car parts (https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/) is a good source for some of the other items I've needed (genuine Subaru). Subaru dealers will also supply parts if you have one nearby but prices are often higher than Import Car Parts.
Many thanks found and bought a car collecting on Saturday, never even driven one so hope I will like it.

Colin RedGriff

2,535 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th July 2020
quotequote all
Before the Legacy I had a Volvo V50 D5 which was quick, economical but boring. Before that I had an Alfa 156 which I loved, but just got too expensive to keep going (2 faulty turbos and premature cambelt failure).

Hope you enjoy it they are really nice cars and I love mine. Post some pictures


300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Tuesday 28th July 2020
quotequote all
Colin RedGriff said:
Before the Legacy I had a Volvo V50 D5 which was quick, economical but boring. Before that I had an Alfa 156 which I loved, but just got too expensive to keep going (2 faulty turbos and premature cambelt failure).

Hope you enjoy it they are really nice cars and I love mine. Post some pictures
Thanks I will put some up early next week one I get it home, and if I remember I will get the obligatory first fill up petrol station shot.

Only slight negative is it is 4 days! over the cheap road tax date so it is £580 per year eek

Edited by 300sl-24 on Tuesday 28th July 21:56

P9DH

144 posts

83 months

Thursday 30th July 2020
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I had the 2005 Outback flavour of the 3.0r auto.

Treat it really badly and kicked poo out of it for the 5 years or so I had it, Serviced yearly but other than that, no cares given... never saw a bucket and sponge in my ownership and was always full of muddy bikes, horse tack, wet dogs etc.

Only time it let me down was the bearings in the tensioner on the serpentine belt failing and shredding the belt. I heard the warning signs of the chirping noise coming from under the bonnet but happily ignored it till it failed. Even then it was an easy bearing replacement (£9) using a homemade bearing press and new belt (£18).

Other than that, sailed thru it's MOT every year only ever needing brake pads and front drop links replacing.

Fab motor.

300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Friday 31st July 2020
quotequote all
P9DH said:
I had the 2005 Outback flavour of the 3.0r auto.

Treat it really badly and kicked poo out of it for the 5 years or so I had it, Serviced yearly but other than that, no cares given... never saw a bucket and sponge in my ownership and was always full of muddy bikes, horse tack, wet dogs etc.

Only time it let me down was the bearings in the tensioner on the serpentine belt failing and shredding the belt. I heard the warning signs of the chirping noise coming from under the bonnet but happily ignored it till it failed. Even then it was an easy bearing replacement (£9) using a homemade bearing press and new belt (£18).

Other than that, sailed thru it's MOT every year only ever needing brake pads and front drop links replacing.

Fab motor.
Many thanks for your input appreciated!

300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Saturday 1st August 2020
quotequote all
Colin RedGriff said:
Before the Legacy I had a Volvo V50 D5 which was quick, economical but boring. Before that I had an Alfa 156 which I loved, but just got too expensive to keep going (2 faulty turbos and premature cambelt failure).

Hope you enjoy it they are really nice cars and I love mine. Post some pictures
Picked up today, fantastic engine, slick gearbox, handles great just needs some fettling and tidying.

Not sure why the photos are rotated?








Colin RedGriff

2,535 posts

264 months

Saturday 1st August 2020
quotequote all
Looks good, yes the H6 is a lovely engine.


300sl-24

Original Poster:

538 posts

101 months

Wednesday 5th August 2020
quotequote all
Given it a clean up, new overmats, engine steam clean, interior valet, polished the cloudy headlights etc.

Love the drive, an estate car that goes like a hot hatch and the engine sounds great as the revs rise with the stainless exhaust.