2005 Legacy GT Limited wagon 5 spd. manual

[bond007]

I test drove one of these today and was pretty impressed with the car . I have been considering Acura's, BMW 325ci. Having now driven all three I can say the Subaru held it's own quite well in all respects. I have questions for veteran Subaru owners---- How do you feel about long term reliability of turbos? Also I have concerns about rust over a period of years. I keep my cars 8-10 years. Upon leaving the dealership I was behind what looked like a mid 90's Legacy that had large rust spots on the trunk lid. I understand that the '05 Legacy wagon has aluminum tailgate, hood and front bumper probably more for weight saving than corrosion resistance although that may be part of the benefit. How about undercarriage rust? Any worse than other Japanese cars?, although the Legacy is Indiana built. Finally a small point for some but this Legacy wagon has no splash guards available as an accessory. It looks like there may be mounting points for them in the future. Thanks in advance!

[SUBE555]

I have a 97 Legacy GT and ther isn't a spec of rust on it (other than in the brake rotors as one would expect.) Nothing on the body a bit. I had it coated though by a place that has done our vehicles for years. In the cancer belt of the U.S., it's just extra safety. Splash guards, none of our 4 Subaru's have them and I don't see a need for them. They would probably look really silly with them. Turbo reliability? Subaru has been known for making reliable turbo engines for years. Why others can't do the same is beyond me. It is very, VERY rare to hear of someone needing a new/rebuild turbocharger on a Subaru. Not the case with brands like Audi and the old Nissan Z to name a few.

[jk]

i had a 1988 turbo subaru gl-10 wagon which finally died about 2 years ago after 14 years of service in the salt belt - i live in connecticut. by the end it did show some rust. never had any trouble with the turbo.