Subaru quality/reliability, lack thereof???

[ams]

This is my first Subaru, and I'm wondering what I've gotten myself into. It seemed a really good bargain at the time ($27k for fully loaded 250hp, easily moddable AWD sedan? Acura TL is FWD torqueless equiv, and cost mid $30s...), and I wonder what the hidden cost is?

 

I've had the extremes of quality before, a late-80s Chevy (3 alternator replacements in as many years, among many other issues) and 97 Dodge Neon (maintenance costs exceeded entire car value many times) and two Hondas (97 del Sol VTEC and 03 S2000) which were routinely flogged and abused and never had any problems of any sort.... ever.

 

So, I just bought this 05 Legacy GT (needed auto for traffic sanity ), and I've already run into problems, and haven't hit 3000 miles yet!

 

Primarily, the brakes (or something) are totally f*cked, when I brake at 50+ it shudders so hard I'm forced to remember to exercise because the fat on my arms jiggles so violently. And this is AFTER I took it to the dealer to get the problem fixed.

 

I've also run into issues where under hard acceleration the RPMs will just DROP and hover around 3k for a second or so before it returns to normal. WTF?

 

 

I know by asking on this forums that my audience is a bunch of die-hard fans, some of which are deluded ("yeah, I could beat a corvette any day! I'm on stage 2!"), but most of which are reasonable.

 

Please, honestly, what have I gotten myself into, maintenance/reliability/quality -wise? Am I going to be at the dealership evey few weeks to get stuff fixed? Or is this just an unfortunate start to this automotive relationship?

 

Considering that one of the main reasons I purchased this car is because the aftermarket mods (e.g. COBB AP) seemed so easy and compromise free. Now I'm worried about voiding my warranty for because I seem to be USING the warranty so much.

 

 

Help! Honest evaluations please!

[John M]

The brakes weren't fixed right, period. If they turned the rotors and it kept happening, make them give you new rotors. I drive quite spiritedly and haven't had a problem in a year now.

[jerami1981]

As with ANY car..no matter what brand you look at, there wil be problems...we have somewhere north of 7,000 members...scattered problems will arise...just keep on them and get it fixed under warranty. I have only had one problem in 11,000 miles..a faulty purge valve. No biggie. My last car was perfect till it had a run in with a river..still drove after that, but started having troubles..these cars are great, an unless the styling just goes horribly wrong...i will be a subaru owner the rest of my life.

[eles1]

Primarily, the brakes (or something) are totally f*cked, when I brake at 50+ it shudders so hard I'm forced to remember to exercise because the fat on my arms jiggles so violently. And this is AFTER I took it to the dealer to get the problem fixed.

My brakes started doing the exact same thing around 2k miles - severe vibration under moderate to heavy braking at highway speeds. I was pissed. But before I even had a chance to make an appointment to have them fixed, it went away on its own, believe it or not (about 1k miles later). It's never been back, and the car's at 11k miles. I'm not easy on it either, by any means. I'm not saying yours will spontaneously correct itself, but I've heard others on this board relate similar experiences. The brakes seem to have a break-in period.

 

I've also run into issues where under hard acceleration the RPMs will just DROP and hover around 3k for a second or so before it returns to normal. WTF?

Don't have an auto so I can't offer any comments here.

 

 

I know by asking on this forums that my audience is a bunch of die-hard fans, some of which are deluded ("yeah, I could beat a corvette any day! I'm on stage 2!"), but most of which are reasonable.

Depending on the year/options of the vette it may be closer than you think. A stage 2 leggy should have no problem with a C4 (excluding ZR-1's and LT4's, of course).

[laz]

I am a new owner that has not hit 500 miles yet, but my car has a a light defect on the windshield that makes it a little hard to drive. I have owned a few new cars before (Toyota, Honda, Nissan) and they all have their issues, but so far the Toyota had the best quality build, and I am still debating on the Subaru (first Subaru). My first service visit will be as soon as my windshield comes in, so I can rate their service then. I am hoping that I don't have to visit the dealership too much, and if big problems arise that they happen before the warranty expires.

 

X

[jagcars26]

I know this site has alot of Subaru "fanboys" ,me included, but Subaru reliablity and dependabilty has been proven over and over in many venues not just in automobile forums.

That being said,,your brakes were prob done wrong at the dealership.Have them turn the rotors again or replace them under warranty.

If you still have a prob,go to another dealer or call 1-800-subaru 3.

Safety issues like brakes ,airbags etc get high priority when you call.

 

my two cents

Rudy

[rony]

FYI, had my rotors turned last week for vibration and shudder on braking.

 

Pads had deposited material on the rotor, causing what is refered to as "Warpage".

 

Edit: Spelling

[Chris112]

just like posted above the brakes should be a simple fix. They could be slightly warped or even have rust on them from sitting in a parking lot for a little bit of time. The usually work fix themselves by working the rust off or need to be resurfaced.. Not a big deal. I also do not have an AT so I can not comment on your dip in RPM, although its a problem I never heard before.

[leggyman]

I had the same issue with my brakes, off the lot with only 12 miles on the odometer. I had an Acura previously, and had the same problem, so I recognized it as warped rotors. Took it back to the Subie dealer, and they turned the rotors. 7K miles later, no problems. Perfectly smooth braking, even at hwy speeds. The svc manager told me that a small percentage of all their cars come in with warped rotors. He said that if the problem ever returned, they'd replace the rotors.

 

Other than that, no issues with the car. Sure it has some quirks (AC cycles bizarre on a less than hot day, funny smell of antifreeze at times, but no leaks....). But so did my 350Z, Acura and Stealth. In fact, I had so many problems with my Nissan that I decided to abandon ship after only 18 months.

 

Give the LGT some time. You'll grow to love it.

[GBY]

Thread moved to Warranty Issues & Problems.

[JRittStopTech]

The problem with your brakes is that you have an uneven pad deposit. This is a common problem when street or race pads are run outside of their max operating temperature. Have you ever used the brakes really hard and heated them up a lot? I'd have to see your rotors, but my guess is that you probably have some visible pad deposit. Please check out these articles from our website to understand both the phenomena.

 

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

 

This type of problem is typically related to how the car is used. If the car was driven normally on the street with the factory pads, then yes, you really shouldn't run into this problem. Subaru may have 'under-spec'd' the pads on this car however. OEM's have minimum performance standards for brakes. Their testing most likely includes mountain descents, etc., but you may have operated outside of their test parameters.

 

Your best bet is to either find an aggressive friction compound and try the techniques outlined in this article:

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_padremoval.shtml

If this doesn't work, you may need new rotors. It will be between you and Subaru if they will foot the bill. Good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions.

[Balrock]

i think i would have to agree that SUBARU quality is questionable. I have had my car just under 1 year and it has been in the shop over 30 days. most recently 17 days for that piece o' shat clutch. no one had parts. i have had the ECU replaced, speaker went out, front differential is leaking, waiting for parts again. i am thinking about LEMONING it under OH law (over 30 days in 1 year or 18,000miles), but it IS fun as hell. Maybe i should go for a buy back and get an 06. its just bad when the other sales guys know me by name and that my car is screwed up again. love hate relationbship

[StringFellow]

Any brand car can be a lemon. Nothing anyone can do about it. That is why there are warranties and lemon laws to protect the consumer.

 

As for the posters problems, warped rotors and a hesitation during hard acceleration doesn't mean Subaru lacks in quality or reliability. Get the rotors replaced or turned and have a tech look at the hesitation. Warped rotors are quite common, especially after rims/tires are removed and reinstalled (lug nuts torqued too much after a tire rotations, tire replacements, etc.).

 

-S

[Balrock]

i had h mazda that had to have rotors shaved twice and then replaced, i can deal with thta. its the ECU, stinky and then bad clutch and then having to wait 17 days for a clutch. that is stupid that i had to wait that long for a part. the only reason it came in "early" is because the wife was bitching everyday at the dealer and SOA. i had a civic that i have to say i abused and never had 1 problem. i just wish this car would not have to go back to the shop all the time, its too much fun to let sit or not have.

[Tedduc]

I've had the brake shudder since the car was new, it continued to get less noticeable as I put mileage on. I've got about 9k on it now, and is pretty much gone.

 

As for the rpm hang, I have the AT as well, and that has not happened to me.

 

This is my first Subaru, the main thing that is driving me nuts is the seemingly high number of interior squeeks and rattles. I came from an Audi which had a very nice interior.

 

But overall, the car is a blast to drive and practical, which makes up for the minor annoyances.

 

One other irritation is why the oil has to come out of pan like an explosion, and it's very messy. On all my other cars (Ford, VW, Audi), the oil came out in a nice stream as soon as the drain bolt was removed.

[TSiWRX]

Tedduc -

 

You're not alone on the rattles and squeaks...a few other members here have reported them.

 

Coming from older DSMs, though, I'm a bad judge of such things I'm not noticing anything of the like at all.

 

Have a search around for this issue, some members have been able to successfully address specifics, and I sincerely wish you the best of luck.

 

As for the oil-change....ROFL. Sorry, bro, I'm laughing with you - not "at" you.

 

I've just put in a Fumoto Valve with my oil-change this past weekend, which should promise easier, less-messy future jobs. Overall, it does seem very strange that the oil on my wifey's Rex should come out - as with all of my past cars and with all other cars I've ever worked on - in a nicely controlled stream, whereas Winky's seems like an arterial gush! :lol:

[Duke of Lawnchair]

...whereas Winky's seems like an arterial gush!

 

HAHAHAHA

 

No kidding!

 

When I did my first oil change on the LGT the oil sprayed everywhere.

[TSiWRX]

^ At first, I though you were going to "misquote" me like brother BoxerGT2.5 always does.

[fancub]

My LGT is my first Subaru, and outside of a little dash rattle, which may be fixable according to a few posts in this forum, no problems at 15k.

 

I can sympathize with your brake issue, the brakes on my '02 Jetta were replaced at 100 miles due to warped rotors. This can happen when a car is allowed to sit for an extended period.

[Prog]

12k on the clock and so far ive had none of the problems mentioned here. *knocks on wood* 05 GT (non limited) 5MT

 

Also wanted to add : warped rotors are something that ANY car can get real easy. As easy as going thru puddles while the brakes are hot (common ocurrence). If you normally encounter traffic = hot brakes and rain, you will most likely get rotor warpage SOMEtime.

[mccorry]

I'm at 22,500 miles and the only issues I have had was a rear view mirror problem, a paint issue on the rear bumper cover, and an issue with the headliner sagging.

[PhiTauFord]

I have a 5EAT and have not experienced the drop in RPM after driving 11K. I am running Cobb stage 1 and have been for the past 9.5K so that might have something to do with it, but I don't remember any issues like what you are explaining.

 

This is my 2nd Subaru. No warranty issues for me as of now (knock on wood). Previously I had a Forester with no warranty issues. That is my testament to Subaru quality. Hope that helps.