1997 Subaru Legacy

Rating from Ner in Pennsylvania

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Bought a 97 Brighton wagon used in March of 97. Car had 19k on it. It now has 172k. It has been extremely reliable mechanically, requiring only replacement of normal wear items such as brakes, head gasket, and timing belt. Interior has also help up well, no rips or tears in seat fabric, all gauges and control knobs still work, Exterior has no rust, although the paint on the front bumper began peeling several years ago. Fuel mileage ranges from 25 to 28 mpg depending on type of driving. AWD is fantastic, and has gotten me through 16 Pennsylvania winters which can range from mild to harsh. The car has hauled the family on many long trips from PA to South Carolina as well as the mountains in northern Virginia and always performed flawlessly. I have even hauled firewood and building materials in it. I recently bought a four door, four wheel drive Nissan truck and briefly thought about selling the Subaru, but couldn't bear to part with it. I refer to it as the Wagon Queen Family Truckster (reference to National Lampoon's Vacation movie), and plan on keeping it until the wheels fall off"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Subaruman

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"The best car i've ever had! Extremely reliable and fast. Excellent fuel economy. When everybody got stock in snow last winter i was helping my neighbors to pull their cars from snow with my Subaru. I love this car!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Having fun

Rating from DC Dad

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"A little over a year ago I was looking in to trading in my Minivan for something more economical and less lame. While one can not argue the practicality of the form of the Mini van it is not really something that a dad can be considered to be "Cool" whilst driving around in. In the end I purchased the 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback Station wagon. At the time of purchase it had around 98,000 miles on it. 30,000 miles later it is still going strong. We had a tough winter, many times my Outback and I were the only ones able to make it out of the neighborhood. The spacious back seat comfortably fits 2 booster seats and 1 adult. There is plenty of cargo room in the back and roof racks for anything that won't fit within the hold. And this isn't your Dad's station wagon! Gone are the days of wood side panels. The Sporty trim and stock pioneer CD/radio make enjoy driving with my kids in the back. The vehicle has decent acceleration even when fully loaded for a family vacation. The model I purchased even came with a power sunroof and heated bucket seats for chilly winter days! I will admit that I have had to do some work on the vehicle. Right before the winter I ran over some debris that separated my muffler from the mid-pipe. The ground clearance was enough that I was able to do all of the work without raising the car up at all. Just put some wedges behind the tires and I was good to do. I regularly change my own oil without having to raise the car up as well. All in all, I must say that this is the perfect vehicle for the modern small family. 27MPG highway is better than any SUV or minivan available for a similar price. And your image won't suffer from driving it either..."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from Tony

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"Was looking at VW's and BMW's, before I came across this Subaru. I have been very impressed with the build quality. I purchased with 107,000 miles on and have put a further 30,000 miles on. It has never let me down. When the snow flies, it comes alive. I have driven 4wd in snow, but they do not hold a candle to this all wheel drive system. You can really tell what the symmetrical AWD thing is all about, no torque steer or fish tailing, just forward motion. My primary use when I first purchased was my 64 mile commute each way to work, I never missed work, this vehicle got me through, even before the snow plows got the roads clear. But its not just for winter it is a great all season vehicle. I will buy another, and I keep recommending them to all who ask. Cabin layout is excellent and servicing is easy. The only difficulty is replacing spark plugs, because of the horizontally opposed engine, access to the sparkplug is from the side,very tight. Drive one. Very impressive Vehicle."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Grafton

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"if subaru keeps making them as good as my 97 legacy every cr i own for now on will be a subaru the AWD works wonderfully and the 2.2 in my L sedan gets the car around just fine"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Mr. Fixit

(5)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"This car won't win many races, and doesn't hold a candle to the comfort of a Lincoln Town Car. But this is the most reliable and versatile vehicle I have ever heard of! The interior design of this wagon is second to no other car on the road in space and versatility. The plastic barrier guards the entire rear of the vehicle from spills that would otherwise ruin the vehicle carpeting. It is also very easy to work on; in one day, I changed the timing belt, oil & filter, coolant, thermostat, water pump, front crank oil seal, and V-belts (it is best to do all of this at the same time if you are going to do the timing belt). Other than that, we have only put brakes, oil changes, and tires on the vehicle since we bought it 3 years, 30,000 miles ago (currently 117,000). We purchased a base model manual everything Legacy Brighton. The service manual is available on Subaru's website which makes maintenance a breeze. Watch out if buying for rust, it plagues most used Subaru's. Even with rust, the car would still not be eliminated from consideration for our next vehicle, but obviously less rust is better. The AWD is exceptional in snow and better than most 4WD trucks! Subaru is the greenest manufacturer you will find, their plant has no garbage, everything is recycled. That's right, you throw away more garbage from your house than Subaru throws away from their entire plant that puts out thousands of cars a year! They are even located on a wildlife preserve! You can't lose buying a Subaru, but how much you win depends on how thorough you are in your buying research and investigation."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A