By the fourth generation, wagons were being phased out for taller crossovers, but Subaru brought the factory turbo engine back in the GT.
The silver GT was purchased in October 2018 from Austin Direct Auto Sales in Austin, TX. Based on CARFAX it has had six previous owners, starting with Prestige Subaru in Asheville, NC, making its way to subsequent owners in the area around Atlanta, GA and Greenvile, SC. The fourth owner moved it to the San Antonio area, where it changed hands a couple more times before being traded into Carmax. It was auctioned off to Austin Direct with all the aftermarket modifications.
- power locks with remote keyless entry
- power 4-channel ABS brakes
with 12.3" front and 11.3" rear discs
- dual airbags
- trunk pass through
- dual zone climate control air conditioning (that shuts off automatically at full throttle, providing max power)
- rear heating ducts (under the front seats)
- trip computer
- 6-speaker 6-disc stereo
- cruise control
- dual powered, heated, and folding side mirrors with turn signal repeaters
- power windows, driver
one-touch down feature
- rear defroster
-
rear trunk light
- dual front map lights - remote fuel door release
- auto on/off headlights - 160 mph speedometer
- photochromic rear-view mirror with compass
- Momo steering wheel
2005 Brilliant Silver Metallic
Date
miles
Service and Modifications
2014.02.21
128085
clutch replaced with Duralast kit
2018.06.28
165000
timing belt replaced
2018.10.25
165189
acquired car
2018.11.04
165475
complete body wax
2018.11.25
166140
replaced driver side fog light
2018.11.30
166140
mounted new Bridgestone Potenza RE71R 245/40/17 tires on OEM 2012 WRX takeoff 17x8"
wheels
2019.02.02
166737
oil/filter change with Mobil 1 synthetic
2019.02.16
166737
high brake light changed
2019.07.03
166954
heads rebuilt with new valve stem seals and 3 new exhaust valves, valve lash adjusted
2019.08.11
166954
short block swapped from Legacy wagon, oil pickup tube gasket replaced
clutch replaced with Exedy FJK1001 OEM replacement kit, flywheel replaced with ACT ProLite (10.1 lbs), camshaft bolts replaced with Turn In Concepts bolts, turbo coolant tank replaced with Rev9 aluminum tank, downpipe replaced with 2015 STi takeoff
clutch fluid, head gaskets, valve cover tube seals, camshaft oil seals, cylinder head plugs, water pump, water pump gasket, timing belt, timing belt idlers, driver side rear timing belt cover, passenger side timing belt cover bolt, block to breather crossover pipe vacuum hose, oil cooler gasket, coolant, thermostat gasket, spark plugs, driver's side oil pipe banjo bolt and gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, water pipe gaskets, air conditioning condenser, condenser gaskets, header gaskets, downpipe gasket, turbo downpipe stud, BOV hose, top passenger side timing belt guide, negative battery terminal clamp replaced
oil/filter change with Mobil 1 synthetic
2019.08.16
166954
replaced passenger side headlight assembly
2019.08.23
167381
replaced water pump hoses, refill coolant
2019.08.24
167381
replaced valve cover gaskets
2019.08.27
167381
replaced power steering pump suction line gasket, turbo oil return line, uppipe to turbo gasket, transmission oil, turbo coolant tank
2019.09.04
167522
replaced crankshaft sprocket
2019.09.05
167582
evac and recharged hvac system
2019.09.12
167582
mounted new Indysport F Gravel 225/45/17 tires on OEM 17x7"
wheels
2019.12.08
168306
replaced rear driver's side wheel hub assembly
2019.12.27
168355
heads rebuilt
2020.01.27
168355
short block, head bolts, oil pickup tube gasket, oil pan gasket, oil pump, oil pump gasket, oil pump bolts replaced
clutch replaced with Exedy FJK1001 OEM replacement kit
turbo replaced
BOV replaced with 50/50 dual port
head gaskets, water pump gasket, oil cooler gasket, oil cooler hoses, coolant, radiator hoses, valve cover breather hoses, PCV valve, intercooler to throttle body inlet hose, spark plugs, intake manifold gaskets, water pipe gaskets, rear ignition coil harnesses, cylinder 3 ignition coil, header gaskets, uppipe to turbo gasket replaced
oil/filter change with Shell Rotella T1 SAE 30
replaced front driver side axle and axle seal
battery swapped from Legacy wagon
2020.02.08
168384
replaced front driver side axle, axle seal, passenger side TGV sensor harness
2020.02.09
168584
oil/filter change
2020.02.11
168584
replaced cabin air filter
2020.02.13
168584
replaced TGV sensors
2020.02.15
168655
replaced HVAC mixer actuator
2020.02.16
168953
oil/filter change, replaced turbo to downpipe gasket
2020.03.06
169651
oil/filter change
2020.05.09
169837
repaired fuel jet pump delivery line
2020.06.25
170170
complete body wax
2020.10.17
171032
replaced front driver side axle
2020.10.24
171032
oil/filter change
2020.12.05
171485
replaced rear passenger side wheel hub assembly
2021.01.10
171864
changed to Yokohama Advan Sport A/S tires
2021.01.22
171895
changed to Bridgestone Potenza RE71R tires
2021.04.11
173414
complete body wax
2021.04.16
173414
replaced front driver side axle, passenger side axle seal, control arm, knuckle, and lower ball joint
2021.04.25
175177
mounted new General Exclaim HPX 225/45/17 tires on OEM 2012 WRX takeoff 17x8" wheels
2021.05.01
176116
oil/filter change
2021.06.26
176295
replaced passenger side control arm
2021.12.26
177592
oil/filter change
2022.08.12
179682
changed to Yokohama Advan Sport A/S tires
2023.01.01
180584
oil/filter change
2023.02.17
181842
replaced front passenger side wheel hub assembly
2023.02.19
181850
replaced front driver side wheel hub assembly
2023.06.24
183257
replaced front driver side axle, control arm, lower ball joint, and sway bar endlink
2023.11.15
184212
replaced front driver side axle, axle seal, and sway bar endlink
2023.12.18
184212
replaced front passenger side axle, axle seal, sway bar endlink, and control arm
2024.02.21
184212
replaced rear differential
2024.05.04
184282
replaced rear axles, axle seals, lateral arms, control arm bushings, shifter linkage, EVAP canister
2024.06.19
184414
rotated Yokohama Advan Sport A/S tires, alignment
2024.07.20
184500
oil/filter change
2024.08.29
185406
replaced HVAC blower motor
2024.09.04
185522
rear struts replaced with KYB Excel-G
2024.09.11
185813
front struts replaced with 2004 STi struts, rebuilt gravel spec by Feal
2024.11.14
187346
oil/filter change
-
Subaru Legacy L Wagon Driven by What's Inside
The Subaru Legacy wagon has been the top selling
wagon in the United States since the early 1990s. While the boxy American station wagons that characterized family transportation in years past were replaced by the minivan and later the SUV, Subaru found plenty of people willing to buck the trend and drive a wagon since it came with an AWD drivetrain. Now it seems like we have come full circle with the latest trend in family transportation - crossover vehicles. Subaru has made this "crossover" vehicles for over two decades now.
I drove second generation Legacy wagons for 15 years. Through that time I took advantage of high interchangeability between Subarus, and it served well in everything from daily driver to weekend racecar.
Pictures Thumbnails below reference to the pictures in
higher resolution:
1998 Ruby Mica Red
The red wagon was purchased in December 2002 from Jina Auto Sales in Elmhurst, IL.
There was one previous owner, apparently a lady with kids, sold it
(probably a trade-in) to a Toyota dealership in the Elmhurst area.
1995 Glacier White
The white wagon was purchased in March 2009 from Cyanne in Fairview Heights, IL. The first owner of the car used it around the Sacramento region, based on the CARFAX information I have, until 2004 when Cyanne bought it and used it in Arizona. She didn't bring it to Fairview Heights until 2008, so the car has spent most of its time in The Southwest.
Modifications - Parts that are now on the white 1995 wagon:
- EJ257 shortblock - 2.5L H4, 8.4:1 compression
ratio - EJ25 SOHC 16-valve heads - EJ25 SOHC intake manifold and fuel injectors from a 99 Forester
- Exedy FF02 lightweight flywheel: 12.7 lbs, solid one piece billet chromoly steel - I think the stock one is almost 30 pounds, it was pretty
gross.
- Exedy Stage 1 clutch - ATE TYP 200 DOT 4 brake fluid, dry boiling point 536F, wet boiling point 396F.
- Apexi
S-AFC - fuel computer
- TD04L-13T
turbo - WRX top-mount intercooler -
TurboXS Catless Uppipe - Stainless steel with flex joint
- HKS downpipe -
3" custom midpipe - Flo-pro
muffler, stainless steel tip - WRX front
crossmember - STi Group N motor mounts - STi Group N transmission mount - STi 2004 Struts and Springs rebuilt gravel spec by Feal
- JVC KD-G300 CD audio receiver
- Front seats
from a GC8 RS Coupe
- Outback hood from a 1999 Outback SUS
- Boost Gauge from a Volvo
- Center armrest from the red 1998 wagon.
- Snow/Rally: Black Rocket Gravel Rally Tires BR22 Alpin 195/65/15
Stock Features:
- power locks - power 4-channel ABS brakes
with 10.1" front and 10.5" rear discs - a hill holder clutch! (no
slipping backwards on hills) - dual airbags - split 60/40
folding rear seat with headrests and 3-point seat belts - air conditioning (that shuts off
automatically at full throttle, providing max power)
- rear heating ducts (under the front seats) - cruise
control - dual powered side mirrors - power windows, driver
one-touch down feature - rear defroster and wiper with wash -
rear cargo cover and light - dual front map lights - remote fuel door release
- auto on/off headlights
The 1995 is actually an upgrade from the 1998 car. It seems Subaru made the car worse over time. The 1995 has:
- Dual-port heads, resulting in the most excellent stock exhaust note of any naturally aspirated Subaru I've ever driven.
- 10.2" front disc brakes
- one-piece headlights that offer better lighting than the two-piece in the other car
- larger folding mirrors
- higher quality trunk floor materials
- chrome exterior trim
- 140 mph speedometer, which may not be an improvement since it seems to encourage speeding...
Hood - The hood scoop provides air flow down through
the intercooler.
GC8
RS Coupe Seats - An improvement comfort-wise over stock, and it
does make the entire driving position exactly like a GC8 instead of a
Legacy.
Instrument Cluster - It has the no-nonsense 90s
Japanese instrument cluster with the cool indicator of which door is open.
Folding Mirror - The 95-97 mirrors are larger and fold compared to the 98 mirrors.
Door - It doesn't have an upper door frame so it looks pretty
cool with the windows down.
Center Console - I have a nice home for my little black model
WRX, as well as a compartment for my 110V AC inverter to plug in cell
phones, laptops, battery chargers and stuff.
Center Console - Subaru even included a clip in the lid so commonly used items such as badges and cards don't get lost.
Seat Belt compartment - Here's some attention to
detail: a place to store seat belts in the rear seat so you don't lose
them when you fold the backs down to expand the cargo area.
Cargo Area - Here are the 36.1 cubic feet of cargo area
promised
Spare Tire Panel - The panel that covers the spare tire area
doesn't even cover the whole cargo floor, so you can open it up without
having to take everything out of the trunk.
Organizer - There's a reason why one would access that spare
tire compartment more often - it has a huge organizer in it for tools,
spare wiper blades, service manuals, jumper cables...
Spare Tire - Removing the organizer reveals a deep spare tire
well that has a full diameter spare tyre.
Full-Sized Spare - It's deep enough for a full-sized spare too,
by the way.
Radiator - The radiator has two huge fans to make
sure the engine stays cool while idling in traffic.
oil/filter changed with Mobil 1 synthetic, replaced fuel hose
between fuel rails
2005.12.06
109230
changed to Bridgestone RE900 tires
2005.12.24
110463
oil/filter changed with Mobil 1 synthetic
2005.12.26
110644
complete body wax
2006.01.27
113083
replaced right headlight
2006.02.11
114179
replaced front seats with 2000 GC8 RS front seats
2006.02.16
114566
installed grille from 95 Legacy
2006.02.18
114702
oil/filter changed with Mobil 1 synthetic
2006.02.21
114934
brake fluid flushed with ATE Super Blue DOT 4 brake fluid,
replaced steering gear boots, replaced 1 front right wheel stud,
4-wheel alignment, changed to Kumho MX tires
2006.03.04
115714
replaced left mirror
2006.03.13
116081
replaced front right ABS sensor, front sway bar brackets
replaced rear brake pads, changed to Kumho MX tires
2008.03.15
141384
radiator flush
2008.04.19
142639
replaced broken spring in shifter joint
2008.05.03
142882
oil/filter changed with Mobil 1 synthetic
2008.06.15
144060
replaced front O2 sensor
2008.06.17
144219
brake fluid flushed with Valvoline High Perf Synpower
1995 Glacier White
Date
miles
Service and Modifications
2008.09.18
182737
oil/filter change at Valvoline
2009.03.27
183150
acquired car, thermostat replaced, radiator flush
2009.04.08
183212
replaced front seats with 2000 GC8 RS front seats
2009.04.18
183438
brake fluid flush with ATE TYP 200 DOT 4 brake fluid
2009.04.22
183660
changed to Kumho MX tires
2009.04.27
184411
oil/filter changed, center armrest changed
2009.04.29
184593
HVAC control unit replaced with one from a 97 Legacy
2009.05.02
184809
front wiper replaced
2009.05.03
184809
driver's door sensor replaced, paint touched up on door dings
2009.05.09
185083
front left axle replaced with Hillco remanufactured axle.
2009.06.10
185319
engine, front subframe, steering rack, exhaust, hood swapped from red Legacy,
uppipe, clutch, flywheel, front sway bar, injectors, front right axle, fuel filter, oil, oil filter, coolant, thermostat, spark plugs replaced,
Apexi S-AFC installed,
and Road Tuned by Raw Performance with LM-2 wideband