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Subaru Quality


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My Legacy GT, built 06/04, now up to 15k miles and beating the snot out of it everyday, I have only had 2 problems. One is the carpet hook and the other is water intrusion in the left front wheel hub's bearing, a fluke.

 

I'm amazed at how Subaru is able to maintain the high quality of manufacturing and assembly in the US. Being it's assembled in the US, this helps drive prices down, which is good for us, compared to if they had imported them into the US.

 

Other factors that drive the cost down:

- US manufactured parts are cheaper, than imported Japanese ones

- No expensive standard options like HID

- Basic, reliable and no-frills electronics, e.g. auto-up, need pinch sensors

 

Even though I'm leasing, it looks like this car is gonna be a keeper.

 

Mojo

 

P.S. I've got the 5EAT, Stinky 5MTs eat your heart out.

I keed I keeed
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The whole drivetrain comes from Japan which keeps the quality up. Japan is still a relatively low cost producer due to their amazing assembly productivity. Even if the labor costs are very high. Same with Germany. What they lose in high labor rates is made up for with high productivity and good production design requiring less manufacturing hours.
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My thinking is its not where the cars are built its the mindset of the company building them that makes the difference. Some companies cant seem to accept and react to legit constructive criticism--others can and improve their product. Franklin
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Its "I'm drunk, but your ugly!! In the morning ill be sober but you will still be UGLY!"

 

And i agree 10000%. Ill never get an automatic. Never! If i get my left leg cut off ill find a way to drive w/ a prosthetic!

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Oh come on now, don't make my AT/MT decision harder! :)

 

It looks like Legacies built in 2005 and on don't have the MT stink anymore. So go for the MT.

 

Btw, I smoked an Auto V8 Thunderbird,(280/286,3700LB), with my 5EAT so I'm not disappointed.

 

I love this car. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

 

Mojo

I keed I keeed
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subaru, like a couple of it's counterparts who build their cars here, are a good example, as well as a wake up call for american auto manufacturers, that build quality can be great.

 

it has been for a while that any car not built in the states (with some exceptions) have superior build quality - quality parts, fit and finish, etc. than that of GM and ford.

 

i know not everyone will agree, but that's how i broadly feel about the whole thing.

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Guest *Jedimaster*
Rallying helps them see what breaks and needs to be beefed up. Not in the case of the WRX trans though :lol:
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subaru, like a couple of it's counterparts who build their cars here, are a good example, as well as a wake up call for american auto manufacturers, that build quality can be great.

 

it has been for a while that any car not built in the states (with some exceptions) have superior build quality - quality parts, fit and finish, etc. than that of GM and ford.

 

i know not everyone will agree, but that's how i broadly feel about the whole thing.

 

There are some bad examples too, though... Mercedes' worst model for reliability has been the M-Class "Rich Soccer Minivan" truck pile. Assembled in the good old USofA, it makes good contributions to the mortgage payments for my friend the Mercedes technician. ;)

 

DKB

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I think Subaru could have sprung a little more for the paint quality. If something goes wrong mechanically with anything, then I know I can at least order a replacement. In my professional opinion I think the paint job on the Legacy is substandard at best. They could have done a much much better job at reducing orange peel and making it not chip, scratch, and swirl quite as easily. I'm glad that I'm equiped with the tools and knowledge to fix the paint when I need to, but it doesn't exactly have a part number that I can call up and order if I didn't know how to fix it and needed it replaced. Subaru has done Legacy drivers a great injustice by painting the cars this way. In one way I'm glad because my car will be truely unique in 5 years when it still looks new and other 05s are swirled to death and chipped everywhere. On the other hand, its going to be a lot of work that I really shouldn't have to do in order to keep it looking nice.

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“Cleanliness becomes more important as godliness becomes more unlikely.”

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I really think the paint depends on the color. After a good winter up here in NH, i am acutally surprised it wasn't worse. I have a few chips, but i also took MANY more hits that showed up. I don't have any of the orange peel issues either....it may not be the thickest or most durable paint, but so far nothing better or worse than any other cars i've had.
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There are some bad examples too, though... Mercedes' worst model for reliability has been the M-Class "Rich Soccer Minivan" truck pile. Assembled in the good old USofA, it makes good contributions to the mortgage payments for my friend the Mercedes technician. ;)

 

DKB

VW and MB both have lousy quality/realiability. Again I believe due to corporate arragance. "the car is fine -its beautiful ... " GM same thing. Step one is to be able to accept that you need to improve at top mangt. level and then DO IT. The other side of getting it right is Hyundai, a worst to near top company. Think about the makers that dont get it and the ones that do. Franklin:cool:
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  • 3 weeks later...
I think Subaru could have sprung a little more for the paint quality. If something goes wrong mechanically with anything, then I know I can at least order a replacement. In my professional opinion I think the paint job on the Legacy is substandard at best. They could have done a much much better job at reducing orange peel and making it not chip, scratch, and swirl quite as easily. I'm glad that I'm equiped with the tools and knowledge to fix the paint when I need to, but it doesn't exactly have a part number that I can call up and order if I didn't know how to fix it and needed it replaced. Subaru has done Legacy drivers a great injustice by painting the cars this way. In one way I'm glad because my car will be truely unique in 5 years when it still looks new and other 05s are swirled to death and chipped everywhere. On the other hand, its going to be a lot of work that I really shouldn't have to do in order to keep it looking nice.

 

What colors seem best? Worst?

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I don't have a GT... but my base model pisses me off left right and center...

 

I don't know if I got one after the company drinking lunch or something but it's got TONS of little stupid problems that drive me nuts...

 

Lots of clips/interior pieces have either broken or jammed or sqeek/rattle

Freaking headlight is out... I mean I guess that's just a fluke... but still

Idles like poo

Smells EVERYTIME I get on it... sometimes its obviously the clutch but others it's not.

Poor gas milage

Fit/Finish sucks

I'm 90% sure it burns oil

Pass window switch doesn't work intermittently

CD player randomly comes on while I'm listening to the radio.

 

Worst part is I bought it because I was tired of all the little problems that were happening with my old car that I was dumping too much money into to fix...

 

Now this thing is worse...

 

I'm actually in the process of re-registering my old car and turning it back into my daily driver.

 

Try to leave this thing at the dealer so they can either fix it or I can start talking to them about them buying it back.

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lemon law.

I agree. There's no reason to put up with a car that's giving you that much trouble new. Subarus are known to be pretty damn solid and reliable cars, in particular the legacy seems to be doing very well.

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Rust...

 

Some technically aware friend that I have mentioned that Subaru steel leaves a lot to be desired and that many Northeast Region Subarus see their sheetmetal perforated by rust prematurely. Come to think about it... there are a lot of rusty Subarus around that are not too old.

 

Any experience or thoughts on the accuracy of this?

 

- SuperSubie

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Rust...

 

Some technically aware friend that I have mentioned that Subaru steel leaves a lot to be desired and that many Northeast Region Subarus see their sheetmetal perforated by rust prematurely. Come to think about it... there are a lot of rusty Subarus around that are not too old.

 

Any experience or thoughts on the accuracy of this?

 

- SuperSubie

 

If I remeber correctly its guaranteed against rust for more than the drivetrain is warrantied...

 

Subaru I believe is in the process of using better metal and trying to rid themselves of the reputation.

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