nornet

Are you still confused as to what you own? Just post a pic and we'll tell you

There's no confusion about the vehicle, it's an 07 Outback Ltd. I just don't understand why the inconsistencies in registration since everything the same (dealer, model, salesman). I have enjoyed this car so much I replaced our second car with an 08 Legacy SE sedan (you can still get the wagon up here).

1. Your state is calling it a Legacy Outback on the registration, I think? What state do you live in?

 

2. Check your tire pressure. Dealers used to under inflate tires. Now with the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems) they tend to over inflate them.

 

Check out: http://www.cars101.com/outback.html

 

Sorry for the delay but I just found your post. This is a NY vehicle I imported (new) into Canada. My registration says Legacy Outback and I talked to someone who imported the same vehicle (also new) from the same dealer. His car is registered as an Outback. This difference in registration is the source of my initial confusion.

From 1996 until 2000, the Outback was known as the "Legacy Outback" as a trim level of the Legacy (Much like in the early 90's there was the Legacy L, LS, LSi...)

 

From 2000 onward, the Outback was marketed as a seperate model than the Legacy, but still built from the same body. It got a few different features, first being bigger tires, more ground clearance and bigger fog lights, along with the body cladding.

 

The difference in ground clearance 8.1", 8.4" and I think one had 8.7" is due to the engine and exhaust configuration.

 

The Legacy sedan and wagon both have ~6.5" of ground clearance.

 

Easiest way to tell a Legacy and an Outback apart from the side is the body cladding. I'm not quite sure where you would have tested a "Legacy Outback". The ride shouldn't have been different between Outbacks unless they were of a different model year, or one underwent a suspension revision part way through the prouction run or something...

 

But anyway, welcome to the forums. Since the Outback really is just a jacked up Legacy, almost everything around here for the Legacy applies to the Outback, except for some of the wheel/tire/suspension stuff.

 

 

Sebbery,

Many thanks for pointing out the differences between the 2 Outbacks, especially the regarding ground clearance and suspension. For the record, I tested an 07 Outback and received an 07 Legacy Outback but I swear the suspension feels different. Now it could be the shocks on the delivered car are still stiff and will loosen in time but the demo vehicle couldn't have had more than 3000 miles on it so it should have still been tight. The Legacy was also delivered with a few more psi in the tires than recommended so naturally it would ride firmer than the Outback (they both had the same tires). AS for me, I'm off on a cross country trip in this vehicle in a month and will be putting snows on it for lots of travel in snow country this winter.

You ordered an Outback, and you got what? What does it say on the back of your car?

Sebbery, that's sort of the point, I ordered an Outback and got a Legacy Outback (both say Outback on the rear). I personally have no intention of initiating or participating in a class action suit, it was merely an observation. There are some extremely touchy people on this forum. From what I have been able to gather the Outback has 8.4" of ground clearance and the Legacy Outback has 8.1". All the other dimensions appear identical so I assume there is slightly different suspension between the two. During my 3 test drives of the Outback it seemed to have a slightly softer ride than the Legacy Outback. Whether my vehicle is a Legacy Outback or an Outback matters little, what does matter to me is the difference in ride.

 

Paul

The Outback has always been a trim line of the Legacy, sort of... It started out that way anyway..

 

But, why would there need to be a class action suit if you got what you asked for?

 

The class action suggestion was for those (like me) who ordered a full sized Outback (not a Legacy) and were delivered another vehicle. There is a substantial difference in resale value. My bill of sale does not mention Legacy nor did the salesperson.

I'm not sure what I have. The outside of my car simply says "Outback" and "H6 - 3.0"

 

But in the manual it calls it a Legacy and it says "Leg" on my CA registration. So it seems to be a Legacy Outback.

 

I'm in the same situation. I ordered an 07 Outback 2.5i Limited. (nowhere does my purchase order mention Legacy), the car was registered as a Legacy and the Subaru transportation sticker and the owners manual both say Legacy. It was titled as a Legacy. I think Subaru was playing around with the Outback name too much. It should be clearer for the 08s, if you buy a sedan its a Legacy, if you buy a wagon, it's an Outback. It wouldn't surprise me if there were some class action suits regarding this for the owners of older vehicles.