Purchasing a new Legacy, a few questions for the vets.

New to the forums and soon to be new to the Subaru family! I have a few questions before I go to the dealership and test drive... First I will give some background info. I am born and raised in the Bronx and for the most part am a "city" or local driver. I put approx. 10k miles a year on my cars/suvs and am sick and tired of having huge car notes each month. I am coming from a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2014. I have done endless research on the Legacy and it seems to be the most reliable, safe and price friendly vehicle for my needs/wants, and to be quite honest I really love the aesthetics of both the exterior and interior of Subarus; especially the Legacy.

1) I have always had 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder cars/suvs(mainly 6 I had a Land Rover Discovery and then LR3 many years ago) will I be that inconvenienced/annoyed with going with the 2.5i limited over the 3.6r? I will test drive both but that short time test driving will not give me the necessary evidence to make a smart decision. So anyone who has owned or drove both versions for an extended period of time please help a newbie out.

2) Is the black paint really that bad? I have read some stuff on the forum and I am a bit apprehensive getting the silica black now. For the most part I have always had black cars besides my current Grand Cherokee which is white.

3) this one may be silly so I apologize in advance... is the interior roof/ceiling on the black leather interior grey or tan? Some images seem like it is grey others tan. If I purchase the black leather interior I would hope the interior ceiling is grey not tan...damn OCD!

4) I have only leased and for whatever reason cannot commit to buying a car/suv(but I commit to marrying my wife in 2015, go figure!) what are the negatives of first leasing the 2017 Legacy and then buying it out after the 36 months is up.(If I am satisfied) I believe this is safer bet, as God forbid it is a lemon or gets into accident I am not committed to owning the car.

Sorry for be lengthy post and I have used the search for most of these questions above. I really appreciate any and all help I really am a fan of Subarus I drove an Impreza( I believe a 2008) a few years back and really like how it handled, especially for a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

PS: I have only leased American or European vehicles, what can I expect different from a Japanese car such as a Subaru?

New to the forums and soon to be new to the Subaru family! I have a few questions before I go to the dealership and test drive... First I will give some background info. I am born and raised in the Bronx and for the most part am a "city" or local driver. I put approx. 10k miles a year on my cars and am sick and tired of having huge car notes each month. I am coming from a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2014. I have done endless research on the Legacy and it seems to be the most reliable, safe and price friendly vehicle for my needs/wants, and to be quite honest I really love the Aesthetics of both the exterior and interior of Subarus; especially the Legacy.

 

1) I have always had 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder cars(mainly 6) will I be that inconvenienced/annoyed with going with the 2.5i limited over the 3.6r? I will test drive both but that short time test driving will not give me the necessary evidence to make a smart decision. So anyone who has owned or drove both versions for an extended period of time please help a newbie out.

 

2) is the black paint really that bad? I have read some stuff on the forum and I am a bit apprehensive getting the silica black now. For the most part I have always owned black cars besides my current Grand Cherokee which is white.

 

3) this one may be silly so I apologize in advance... is the interior roof/ceiling on the black leather interior grey or tan? Some images seem like it is grey others tan. If I purchase the black leather interior I would hope the interior ceiling is grey not tan...damn OCD!

 

4) I have only leased and for whatever reason cannot commit to buying a car(but I commit to marrying my wife in 2015, go figure!) what are the negatives of first leasing the 2017 Legacy and then buying it out after the 36 months is up. I believe this is safer as God forbid it is a lemon or gets into accident I am not committed to owning the car.

 

Sorry for be lengthy post and I have used the search for most of these questions above. I really appreciate any and all help I really am a fan of Subarus I drove an Impreza a few years back and really like how it handled, especially for a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Just my thoughts:

1) like you said, you really have to give it a test drive because heck I drive 8 cylinder old vans a lot at my work but they are just terribly sluggish. todays car on the other hand, feels completely different, so even if you have drove a lot of 6,8 cylinder big chunky old school trucks, there is still chance you might find 2.5 legacy just fine for daily commute.

2) Black paint is not always bad, it looks badass on some cars. but in my opinion, and it's just my opinion, black color is boring on Legacy. car is already boring in terms of external design and black just makes it even more blend. Some cars that look really mean..like the New CTS-V works well on black I think. Black shows fine scratches like crazy and it makes car interior hotter in summer.

3)interior of my 3.6R Limited with black leather seat has tan headliners.

4)This really depends on situation, if you don't drive much, it might be a good move but if you are high mileage person, leasing is going to be very limitting. Why not just buy it in ther first place if you are already planning to keep it. And being a leased car can mean more restrictions on insurance coverages.

Just my thoughts:

 

1) like you said, you really have to give it a test drive because heck I drive 8 cylinder old vans a lot at my work but they are just terribly sluggish. todays car on the other hand, feels completely different, so even if you have drove a lot of 6,8 cylinder big chunky old school trucks, there is still chance you might find 2.5 legacy just fine for daily commute.

 

2) Black paint is not always bad, it looks badass on some cars. but in my opinion, and it's just my opinion, black color is boring on Legacy. car is already boring in terms of external design and black just makes it even more blend. Some cars that look really mean..like the New CTS-V let's say works well on black I think. Black shows fine scratches very well and it makes car interior hotter in summer.

 

3)interior of my 3.6R Limited with black leather seat has tan headliners.

 

4)This really depends on situation, if you don't drive much, it might be a good move but if you are high mileage person, leasing is going to be very limitting. Why not just buy it in ther first place if you are already planning to keep it. And being a leased car can mean more restrictions on insurance coverages.

Thanks for the quick reply fellow New Yorker, I appreciate your help!

1)None of my 6 or 8 cylinders were before the year of 2000(i'm 31). But you make a good point a 2017 is different then even say a 2000 Chevy Trailblazer or 2004 Land Rover Discovery.

2)I actually like the exterior, I will go to my guy and get tints(20%) and possibly do something with the grill but for the most part I am fine with the exterior(I guess I'm getting old at 31, I've had Rovers, Lincolns, and some other waste of money expensive vehicles) but for whatever reason really love the simplicity of the Legacy. I was referring more to the paint quality?

3) Interesting what year if you don't mind me asking?(EDIT: I see that it is a 2015, are the 17s as well with tan lining?) Surprised doesn't seem quite right to me black leather with tan lining...

4) I really only drive to work which is like 20 miles combined but you know what kind of miles I mean, Cross Bronx/Fordham Rd. traffic 20 miles. So it is a good hour and fifteen minutes commute combined. I currently have a tad over 25,000 on my Grand Cherokee and it goes back in March; after a 36 month lease. I think my insurance is going to drop a bit soon as I plan to move from the Bronx to lower Westchester in the next six months. Interesting though, I didn't realize you save on insurance when you buy vs. lease. My real goal is to one day actually not have a car payment every month! I am so sick of it, since I been driving for about 15 years I've always had a payment. I just was trying to weigh the option from buying initially to waiting until the lease is up, am I saving monetarily?

Thanks again man!

1) Drive both and on a highway. I've driven both and find the 2.5 perfectly fine for a daily driver/commuter. The 2.5 is very noisy compared to the 3.6 and not as smooth. If you enjoy a hardy romp of the go peddle from time to time the 3.6 may suit you more. With all your city driving, if MPG is important at all to you I'd lean towards the 2.5.

2) Subjective. Buy what you like. EDIT: I see you said "paint quality" above. Paint quality sucks in my opinion, regardless of color. I highly recommend clear film material installed on as much of the car as you can afford in an all city environment. The paint is soft and chips easily, SIA using duck and tree friendly shit on the cars.

3) As said above, tan.

4) Also subjective. I don't know the laws about leasing where you are so cannot give advice. All I can say is that local Subaru salesmen say "Subaru leases suck, if you want a lease buy another brand." I bought my Legacy but my GF is an SIA employee and the employee lease program is outstanding.

1) Drive both and on a highway. I've driven both and find the 2.5 perfectly fine for a daily driver/commuter. The 2.5 is very noisy compared to the 3.6 and not as smooth. If you enjoy a hardy romp of the go peddle from time to time the 3.6 may suit you more. With all your city driving, if MPG is important at all to you I'd lean towards the 2.5.

 

2) Subjective. Buy what you like. EDIT: I see you said "paint quality" above. Paint quality sucks in my opinion, regardless of color. I highly recommend clear film material installed on as much of the car as you can afford in an all city environment. The paint is soft and chips easily, SIA using duck and tree friendly shit on the cars.

 

3) As said above, tan.

 

4) Also subjective. I don't know the laws about leasing where you are so cannot give advice. All I can say is that local Subaru salesmen say "Subaru leases suck, if you want a lease buy another brand." I bought my Legacy but my GF is an SIA employee and the employee lease program is outstanding.

Thank you for the reply, hkshooter!

1) Yes, that is what I will have to do, I am leaning towards the 2.5i to save some money monthly as well as on gas. But I deff. need to test both on the highway

2) Yea, I was speaking of paint quality and from my understanding with the bad paint quality and issues that black paint reveals scratches so easily scares me away from the black, especially if I buy. How does the white hold up?

3) Surprised by this when I build or view images on the official Subaru site it seems that some pics have tan liner while others have grey(odd if you ask me) deff not a deal breaker but I did assume that with black leather the lining would be grey/blackish.

4) Well here is my situation, my family friend knows the owner, yes the owner, not a salesperson from the dealership in my neighborhood. Her company purchases all their company cars from this same dealership. So I believe I am getting a good, if not great "deal"(I will update you guys once I head to the dealership around MLK Jr. Day.) If the leases they offer are that bad maybe I will just buy and worse case scenario sell in the somewhat near future if I am unsatisfied, as I hear they hold their value fairly well.

By the way, does anyway have any idea what kind of deal I may be looking at from an owner of a dealership?

One last question....

I have priced, built, compared countless cars/suvs(only four wheel drive), and do not find anything coming even remotely close to the Legacy's specs and the price between 32k-34k fully loaded(depending on 2.5i limited vs. 3.6R ). I know above you mentioned the cheap paint... Is there anything else that I am missing? Sorry if I'm skeptical(its a NY thing), but it almost seems to good to be true. This price, safety, and features for under 35k. Any other vehicle is at least 38k with less features.

Thanks again, and sorry for some noob questions!

EDIT: Sorry, but another question what is with the sway bar concerns. have never really "modded" any of my vehicles before besides tints. Is this a necessary upgrade? I am use to some heavy vehicles. Is this an issue that affects the car's body moving on windy day? Again, I apologize for my car illiteracy this is all new to me...

About 3) it's a very very light tan, almost more of an off white. In certain light conditions and reflections it can look any number of colors so it doesn't surprise me it looks gray in some pics.

White. Ah, yes. I like white cars, it hides the imperfections easier. But it isn't of any better or worse quality than any other color that I'm aware of.

I don't have a lot of new car experience so am not really qualified to answer your skeptical question. A few things I've noticed, the body metal is paper thin and bends easily. This makes the car light for MPGs but it dings easier. I swear if one isn't careful he could dent the hood waxing it with too much pressure.

The glass is also thin and there have been reports of many broken windshields. My car has taken a good ding or two without breaking it but it is a common complaint.

The cars seem to lack noise reduction material and therefore, many people complain they are noisy. This has been brought up here, also, but be your own judge and drive the car on various surfaces. To me the car is the quietest I've owned.

You've made a valid observation that the car's value seems very good and it's true. There is no magic that makes it happen, it just is that good of a value. You get some top of the line features (in my opinion) and a whole lot of car for the price. In fact, the AWD technology is about the best in it's class and cheaper than most other brands.

It just is what it is and part of what makes the cars so popular.

My own car is 11 months old and I've had none of the problems some people come here to whine about.

And that leads me to the sway bar thing.

I'll leave opinions out of it and simply say, my 3.6r is perfectly fine, with zero problems mentioned here in these forums, just as it rolled out of the factory. I don't drive like an ass and my teen Ricky Racer years are over but I do like to test the tires in curves occasionally and bump triple digits every couple of months.

Do with that information what you like.

Many of your questions will be answered when you drive the car, just don't drive it around the block. Go all out, insist you want to hit the highway, test the car, drive it like it's yours. Feel. Listen. Smell. Step out of your emotional ride and sense the details, bumps, sounds, butt feel, everything. Make sure you adjust the seat to fit you before you leave the lot, adjust it again after a couple of stops if it's not perfect. Be thorough, otherwise you may be here whining like so many others.

And if you decide you really like the car buy as much car as you are willing to afford. Half the threads here concern people adding shit to cars that they weren't willing to pay for in the loan but are willing to pay out of pocket to add to the cars. Make sense, eh?

I have leased my last three subarus. Chase is the leasing company. Nothing wrong with it. I have a '15 2.5i Limited and love it. I grew up in NYC and know how the commute is. I drive a lot more here and the car has held up well. For some reason I want to say that my headliner is gray. I have black leather seats.

thanks for the reply and feedback. Good to know Chase is the company as I have all my accounts with them and a credit score of around 800. Glad you love your 15' 2.5 limited even after 2+ years(assuming) that reassures me more that I am going in the right direction! I bet you don't miss the traffic that's for sure!

About 3) it's a very very light tan, almost more of an off white. In certain light conditions and reflections it can look any number of colors so it doesn't surprise me it looks gray in some pics.

 

White. Ah, yes. I like white cars, it hides the imperfections easier. But it isn't of any better or worse quality than any other color that I'm aware of.

 

I don't have a lot of new car experience so am not really qualified to answer your skeptical question. A few things I've noticed, the body metal is paper thin and bends easily. This makes the car light for MPGs but it dings easier. I swear if one isn't careful he could dent the hood waxing it with too much pressure.

The glass is also thin and there have been reports of many broken windshields. My car has taken a good ding or two without breaking it but it is a common complaint.

The cars seem to lack noise reduction material and therefore, many people complain they are noisy. This has been brought up here, also, but be your own judge and drive the car on various surfaces. To me the car is the quietest I've owned.

You've made a valid observation that the car's value seems very good and it's true. There is no magic that makes it happen, it just is that good of a value. You get some top of the line features (in my opinion) and a whole lot of car for the price. In fact, the AWD technology is about the best in it's class and cheaper than most other brands.

It just is what it is and part of what makes the cars so popular.

My own car is 11 months old and I've had none of the problems some people come here to whine about.

 

And that leads me to the sway bar thing.

I'll leave opinions out of it and simply say, my 3.6r is perfectly fine, with zero problems mentioned here in these forums, just as it rolled out of the factory. I don't drive like an ass and my teen Ricky Racer years are over but I do like to test the tires in curves occasionally and bump triple digits every couple of months.

Do with that information what you like.

 

Many of your questions will be answered when you drive the car, just don't drive it around the block. Go all out, insist you want to hit the highway, test the car, drive it like it's yours. Feel. Listen. Smell. Step out of your emotional ride and sense the details, bumps, sounds, butt feel, everything. Make sure you adjust the seat to fit you before you leave the lot, adjust it again after a couple of stops if it's not perfect. Be thorough, otherwise you may be here whining like so many others.

And if you decide you really like the car buy as much car as you are willing to afford. Half the threads here concern people adding shit to cars that they weren't willing to pay for in the loan but are willing to pay out of pocket to add to the cars. Make sense, eh?

thanks again hkshooter for the in depth feedback. I'm in between the white, grey, or black. Was initially leaning towards the black but if the paint quality is really that bad I will probably play it safe and go with white.

Thank you for the honest objective perspective on issues that others have been experiencing on the forum. I understand that that things happen and I don't expect any vehicle to be perfect without any mishaps. However, the thin body and glass alarms me but again isn't a deal breaker to me based on the value and loads of features for the price.

At 31 years old I am deff. not hear to whine about problems, or drive like a mad man these days. I just want(and have been thanks again guys!) to get some valuable info and I hope, like yourself experience none of these issues such as the concerns with sway bar.

Correct, once I drive the car I will have a much better idea on almost everything. Love the imagery used to describe the test driving experience makes me want to stop by the dealer tomorrow and take some for a spin!

But I'm leaning towards the 2.5i Limited fully loaded, especially with all my city driving, unless I can get an amazing deal on the 3.6r.

Sticker price is about 32,500 for the 2.5i limited fully loaded. Do you think I am being unrealistic to think I might be able to get it for around 28k being that my family friend is friendly with the owner of the Subaru dealership around my way?

thanks for the reply and feedback. Good to know Chase is the company as I have all my accounts with them and a credit score of around 800. Glad you love your 15' 2.5 limited even after 2+ years(assuming) that reassures me more that I am going in the right direction! I bet you don't miss the traffic that's for sure!

 

 

 

thanks again hkshooter for the in depth feedback. I'm in between the white, grey, or black. Was initially leaning towards the black but if the paint quality is really that bad I will probably play it safe and go with white.

 

Thank you for the honest objective perspective on issues that others have been experiencing on the forum. I understand that that things happen and I don't expect any vehicle to be perfect without any mishaps. However, the thin body and glass alarms me but again isn't a deal breaker to me based on the value and loads of features for the price.

 

At 31 years old I am deff. not hear to whine about problems, or drive like a mad man these days. I just want(and have been thanks again guys!) to get some valuable info and I hope, like yourself experience none of these issues such as the concerns with sway bar.

 

Correct, once I drive the car I will have a much better idea on almost everything. Love the imagery used to describe the test driving experience makes me want to stop by the dealer tomorrow and take some for a spin!

 

But I'm leaning towards the 2.5i Limited fully loaded, especially with all my city driving, unless I can get an amazing deal on the 3.6r.

 

Sticker price is about 32,500 for the 2.5i limited fully loaded. Do you think I am being unrealistic to think I might be able to get it for around 28k being that my family friend is friendly with the owner of the Subaru dealership around my way?

If your driving is MOSTLY city, like more than 70%, 2.5i will save a lot of gas compared to 3.6, A LOT. But I chose 3.6r because Legacy is one of the slowest in the segment in the first place and has to lug around with extra friction and weight from AWD system. It's ironic because one would usually lean towards more fuel efficient engine because of those reasons, but I chose to have more power. On top of that, 6 cylinder gives you much more luxurious feeling. Smoother power delivery, less whining noise, less vibration, etc. I also believe that in the past, Subaru's 4 cylinder used to be more prone to failures than the 6 cylinder version. It's gotten much better but most people still believe 6cylinder is usually more reliable.

As per the paint, I don't really know why black would be inferior quality? Isn't Silical Black also a three stage paint?

About the thin exterior metals, honestly, Most of modern cars have really thin sheet of metal compared to old days, not just Subaru. However Legacy,Outback windshields are indeed weak. Mine haven't broke yet but one of my friend's did and Subaru is giving you extended warranty for the windshield because they know there is a problem with the design.

I think 28k is gonna be hard. Subarus don't offer a lot of discount. Ask all Subaru employees how much discounts they get if they buy their product. it's laughable amount LOL. But nothing hurts to ask.

Yeah, agree, getting a Limited that low is going to be about impossible. My GF is an employee and she got her nicely equipped Premium 2.5 for $26k+, probably would have got the Limited for a couple more. I won't discuss the rebate as it won't apply to you. But that's employee pricing so....

The dealers don't actually make much on the cars because there isn't much room to play. You can see that yourself, you've admitted that for what you get the price seems very good. If they upped the price another $8-10k to be in line with the others, sure, they could give a bigger discount. Those are numbers you'll have to hash out with your owner friend. Isn't car buying fun? lol

to be quite honest I really love the aesthetics of both the exterior and interior of Subarus; especially the Legacy.

Because I am from Aust. and we get our cars from Japan, then probably my opinion is not as valuable to you as compared to the "local" posters, but for what it is worth I went for the 3.6lt. I test drove the 2.5lt, but I decided on the 3.6lt because in my opinion it was a more comfortable drive. While the fuel costs might be more than with a 2.5lt, I didn't consider the difference to be enough to become a deal breaker. I have just returned from a road trip (mainly highway) and achieved 33MPG, which I was happy with.

New to the forums and soon to be new to the Subaru family! I have a few questions before I go to the dealership and test drive... First I will give some background info. I am born and raised in the Bronx and for the most part am a "city" or local driver. I put approx. 10k miles a year on my cars/suvs and am sick and tired of having huge car notes each month. I am coming from a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2014. I have done endless research on the Legacy and it seems to be the most reliable, safe and price friendly vehicle for my needs/wants, and to be quite honest I really love the aesthetics of both the exterior and interior of Subarus; especially the Legacy.

 

1) I have always had 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder cars/suvs(mainly 6 I had a Land Rover Discovery and then LR3 many years ago) will I be that inconvenienced/annoyed with going with the 2.5i limited over the 3.6r? I will test drive both but that short time test driving will not give me the necessary evidence to make a smart decision. So anyone who has owned or drove both versions for an extended period of time please help a newbie out.

 

2) Is the black paint really that bad? I have read some stuff on the forum and I am a bit apprehensive getting the silica black now. For the most part I have always had black cars besides my current Grand Cherokee which is white.

 

3) this one may be silly so I apologize in advance... is the interior roof/ceiling on the black leather interior grey or tan? Some images seem like it is grey others tan. If I purchase the black leather interior I would hope the interior ceiling is grey not tan...damn OCD!

 

4) I have only leased and for whatever reason cannot commit to buying a car/suv(but I commit to marrying my wife in 2015, go figure!) what are the negatives of first leasing the 2017 Legacy and then buying it out after the 36 months is up.(If I am satisfied) I believe this is safer bet, as God forbid it is a lemon or gets into accident I am not committed to owning the car.

 

Sorry for be lengthy post and I have used the search for most of these questions above. I really appreciate any and all help I really am a fan of Subarus I drove an Impreza( I believe a 2008) a few years back and really like how it handled, especially for a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

 

PS: I have only leased American or European vehicles, what can I expect different from a Japanese car such as a Subaru?

1) By asking this you are starting another 2.5 vs 3.6 pissing contest:lol:

Here's what I recommend - get on and off the highway a few times to get a feel for merging, and do some 30-50 and 50-70 acceleration runs to get a feel for passing power. Start with the 2.5i and if you find yourself wanting more take out a 3.6R. Don't bother driving around a city block or something as there won't be any difference between the two. The differentiating factor is power so do something that requires power.

2) The paint will chip easily, it's watered-down eco-friendly save the polar bears stuff. My front end is covered in nicks, it sucks but basically every new car I've seen is this way, thank the EPA. Clear bra if you intend to keep it for a long time. Color is a personal preference but I'd maybe look at Carbide Gray as it'll hide chips better than black.

3) The headliner is the same for all interior colors. It's not really tan as in like beige nor is it gray. It's a sort of light-taupe/oyster-ey color. I have black interior and it looks fine. Here's a shot from my dashcam install that might give you an idea. In person is really the only way for you to tell if you like it.

http://i.imgur.com/31cKGo3.jpg

4) That's what I'm doing, party because at first I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to keep it as I went with the Legacy due to a cheap lease with the features I wanted, and partly because payments on a $31k car aren't cheap. A lease when done right is a great way to go. Considering the typical nationwide Subaru special runs around $200/mo for a base model I thought this was a pretty solid offering:

http://i.imgur.com/ZB4AMRH.png?1

See below my answers in red and let me know if you have any other questions.

New to the forums and soon to be new to the Subaru family! I have a few questions before I go to the dealership and test drive... First I will give some background info. I am born and raised in the Bronx and for the most part am a "city" or local driver. I put approx. 10k miles a year on my cars/suvs and am sick and tired of having huge car notes each month. I am coming from a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2014. I have done endless research on the Legacy and it seems to be the most reliable, safe and price friendly vehicle for my needs/wants, and to be quite honest I really love the aesthetics of both the exterior and interior of Subarus; especially the Legacy.

 

1) I have always had 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder cars/suvs(mainly 6 I had a Land Rover Discovery and then LR3 many years ago) will I be that inconvenienced/annoyed with going with the 2.5i limited over the 3.6r? I will test drive both but that short time test driving will not give me the necessary evidence to make a smart decision. So anyone who has owned or drove both versions for an extended period of time please help a newbie out.

 

If you are mostly going to drive in the city 2.5i will be just fine. (Can't believe I am saying that)

 

2) Is the black paint really that bad? I have read some stuff on the forum and I am a bit apprehensive getting the silica black now. For the most part I have always had black cars besides my current Grand Cherokee which is white.

 

Yes, it is that bad if you are a drive through car wash person. If you hand wash with 2 buckets you will be fine. But Subaru's paint is very soft and needs extra attention.

 

3) this one may be silly so I apologize in advance... is the interior roof/ceiling on the black leather interior grey or tan? Some images seem like it is grey others tan. If I purchase the black leather interior I would hope the interior ceiling is grey not tan...damn OCD!

With Black interior you will get a light gray headliner. Black headliner is not an option for Legacy. And those who call a gray headliner, tan should go get their eyes checked!!!

 

4) I have only leased and for whatever reason cannot commit to buying a car/suv(but I commit to marrying my wife in 2015, go figure!) what are the negatives of first leasing the 2017 Legacy and then buying it out after the 36 months is up.(If I am satisfied) I believe this is safer bet, as God forbid it is a lemon or gets into accident I am not committed to owning the car.

 

I have always leased my Subaru's (all 6 of them) Next to BMW, Subaru has one of the best leasing programs out there. There is no need to dump bunch of $$$ on it unless you like keeping your cars for a long time. Also do not let all the BS about mileage scare you. You can do a high mileage lease on a Subaru.

 

Sorry for be lengthy post and I have used the search for most of these questions above. I really appreciate any and all help I really am a fan of Subarus I drove an Impreza( I believe a 2008) a few years back and really like how it handled, especially for a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

 

PS: I have only leased American or European vehicles, what can I expect different from a Japanese car such as a Subaru?

Yes, Japanese car's are much more dependable.

 

Oh at 31, stop calling yourself old. You are still just a youngster.

1 -- 2.5i is more then fine BUT go with 3.6r I had the 2.5 2013 legacy and it was fine, good gas mileage, point a to b, comfortable, etc. etc. etc. but 2 yrs in I was just missing the extra "manly" feeling and traded it in for 3.6 and I love it. When I feel the need, I push down on gas and I am gone.. It's a great feeling and I was just telling my wife, I am set with my car for a long time to come. Again 2.5i on normal highway, in city, etc. its just fine. The only time I really had an issues was on an uphill highway entrance in columbus, the car would struggle to get to highway speed, but it wasn't that bad.

4 -- If you go with a lease, look into a single payment 3 yr lease. I bought an impreza with that option and I was told that I saved a lot in extra fees the dealership add on the monthly lease payment option. I am not a financial person so I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I feel like I got a good deal.

New to the forums and soon to be new to the Subaru family! I have a few questions before I go to the dealership and test drive... First I will give some background info. I am born and raised in the Bronx and for the most part am a "city" or local driver. I put approx. 10k miles a year on my cars/suvs and am sick and tired of having huge car notes each month. I am coming from a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 2014. I have done endless research on the Legacy and it seems to be the most reliable, safe and price friendly vehicle for my needs/wants, and to be quite honest I really love the aesthetics of both the exterior and interior of Subarus; especially the Legacy.

 

1) I have always had 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder cars/suvs(mainly 6 I had a Land Rover Discovery and then LR3 many years ago) will I be that inconvenienced/annoyed with going with the 2.5i limited over the 3.6r? I will test drive both but that short time test driving will not give me the necessary evidence to make a smart decision. So anyone who has owned or drove both versions for an extended period of time please help a newbie out.

 

2) Is the black paint really that bad? I have read some stuff on the forum and I am a bit apprehensive getting the silica black now. For the most part I have always had black cars besides my current Grand Cherokee which is white.

 

3) this one may be silly so I apologize in advance... is the interior roof/ceiling on the black leather interior grey or tan? Some images seem like it is grey others tan. If I purchase the black leather interior I would hope the interior ceiling is grey not tan...damn OCD!

 

4) I have only leased and for whatever reason cannot commit to buying a car/suv(but I commit to marrying my wife in 2015, go figure!) what are the negatives of first leasing the 2017 Legacy and then buying it out after the 36 months is up.(If I am satisfied) I believe this is safer bet, as God forbid it is a lemon or gets into accident I am not committed to owning the car.

 

Sorry for be lengthy post and I have used the search for most of these questions above. I really appreciate any and all help I really am a fan of Subarus I drove an Impreza( I believe a 2008) a few years back and really like how it handled, especially for a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

 

PS: I have only leased American or European vehicles, what can I expect different from a Japanese car such as a Subaru?

I don't get my 'manly' feeling from my Legacy, but I didn't get it from my WRX, either.

If you do a lot of high speed merging, that would be the only reason I would suggest you drive the 3.6. If you drive in typical city traffic, 2.5 will be fine.

I have zero issues with my 2.5 keeping up with traffic, I am not the slowest car off the line at traffic lights, and nobody rides my ass in traffic unless they want to go 10mph over the speed limit, which I choose now to generally avoid, given there are a lot of speed enforcement vehicles on the roads I drive everyday.

As far as color, lighter colors show less dirt. I won't ever buy darker than a silver car now, my current white car looks downright clean even when it is dirty.

Leasing will cost you very little over purchasing, and Subaru's retain their value so the buyout at the end of the lease will probably still be a good value if you want to keep it.

If you want to maintain low blood pressure, get Eyesight, in city driving where you aren't going to skillfully maneuver more speed from your drive, Eyesight can be a great stress reducer because you can relax and let your car flow with traffic. Also, going with the better stereo may mean that, like me, you have a car you basically don't want to change anything about. I spent about 1k on the WRX doing little tweaks, the Legacy as is requires nothing from me but oil changes.

Fully agree on the eyesight comment. I had it on my 2013 and have it on my new one. For me it has become a must have feature regardless for city or highway driving.

Also agree on the 2.5 comment. Its fine for nearly everything. I just personally like 3.6 because I do do a lot of highway and in some situations, its been nice to have the confidence of the extra horses. Very much a personal preference.

I don't get my 'manly' feeling from my Legacy, but I didn't get it from my WRX, either.

 

If you do a lot of high speed merging, that would be the only reason I would suggest you drive the 3.6. If you drive in typical city traffic, 2.5 will be fine.

 

I have zero issues with my 2.5 keeping up with traffic, I am not the slowest car off the line at traffic lights, and nobody rides my ass in traffic unless they want to go 10mph over the speed limit, which I choose now to generally avoid, given there are a lot of speed enforcement vehicles on the roads I drive everyday.

 

As far as color, lighter colors show less dirt. I won't ever buy darker than a silver car now, my current white car looks downright clean even when it is dirty.

 

Leasing will cost you very little over purchasing, and Subaru's retain their value so the buyout at the end of the lease will probably still be a good value if you want to keep it.

 

If you want to maintain low blood pressure, get Eyesight, in city driving where you aren't going to skillfully maneuver more speed from your drive, Eyesight can be a great stress reducer because you can relax and let your car flow with traffic. Also, going with the better stereo may mean that, like me, you have a car you basically don't want to change anything about. I spent about 1k on the WRX doing little tweaks, the Legacy as is requires nothing from me but oil changes.

I also have lease four now. One I bought at end and may buy the 15. I agree with your leasing reasons. Total it in NY and it s fully paid off and you get a new one. Have an oil burner, you get to dump it at lease end. Chase has very good leasing numbers, except WRX from what I ve seen. You can tailor mileage/price for 10K,12K or 15K depending on your needs.

I m not wanting to enter the 2.5 vs 3.6 but preferred the boxer design of the 2.5... All four of my 2.5 never used a drop of oil.

Wow a lot of replies guys, thanks for all the feedback a bit overwhelmed!

If your driving is MOSTLY city, like more than 70%, 2.5i will save a lot of gas compared to 3.6, A LOT. But I chose 3.6r because Legacy is one of the slowest in the segment in the first place and has to lug around with extra friction and weight from AWD system. It's ironic because one would usually lean towards more fuel efficient engine because of those reasons, but I chose to have more power. On top of that, 6 cylinder gives you much more luxurious feeling. Smoother power delivery, less whining noise, less vibration, etc. I also believe that in the past, Subaru's 4 cylinder used to be more prone to failures than the 6 cylinder version. It's gotten much better but most people still believe 6cylinder is usually more reliable.

 

As per the paint, I don't really know why black would be inferior quality? Isn't Silical Black also a three stage paint?

 

About the thin exterior metals, honestly, Most of modern cars have really thin sheet of metal compared to old days, not just Subaru. However Legacy,Outback windshields are indeed weak. Mine haven't broke yet but one of my friend's did and Subaru is giving you extended warranty for the windshield because they know there is a problem with the design.

 

I think 28k is gonna be hard. Subarus don't offer a lot of discount. Ask all Subaru employees how much discounts they get if they buy their product. it's laughable amount LOL. But nothing hurts to ask.

I am leaning towards the 2.5i more for the lower car note, less fuel usage is a plus as well. Sorry if I wasn't clear I know that the black wouldn't be inferior to other Subaru colors my concern is that black(on all vehicles) shows more scratches/scuffs therefore I am concerned that with the inferior paint on Subarus that the black will be even less durable then on other black vehicles.

Being that the family friend buys all of their company cars from the owner and his good friend, I believe I can prob get the the 2.5i limited full loaded for under 30k, prob around 29 and change, but only time will tell and I will keep you guys posted.

Yeah, agree, getting a Limited that low is going to be about impossible. My GF is an employee and she got her nicely equipped Premium 2.5 for $26k+, probably would have got the Limited for a couple more. I won't discuss the rebate as it won't apply to you. But that's employee pricing so....

The dealers don't actually make much on the cars because there isn't much room to play. You can see that yourself, you've admitted that for what you get the price seems very good. If they upped the price another $8-10k to be in line with the others, sure, they could give a bigger discount. Those are numbers you'll have to hash out with your owner friend. Isn't car buying fun? lol

I was probably too hopeful stating 28k earlier, but I am hoping no more then 29K, we will see in the coming weeks, I will keep you guys posted.

I chose the 3.6R even though I do a lot of city driving. I've been used to less than 300 miles per tank of premium fuel in my last two BMWs that I'm happy with regular fuel on the Subaru. Shop around. I got my 3.6R in August of '14 when they first came out for $29k. I have every option except EyeSight (was not available yet). I average 23mpg. On long road trips I do get to 30mpg sometimes.

I understand your reasoning... Coming for a 2014 Grand Cherokee, I just don't want to feel like I'm in a toy with the 2.5i thats my only concerns. In reality the only thing I believe I'll be missing on my Grand Cherokee is the heated steering wheel, and being elevated but I'm currently getting approx. 15miles per gallon in NYC(I know disgusting, damn city driving!)

1) By asking this you are starting another 2.5 vs 3.6 pissing contest:lol:

Here's what I recommend - get on and off the highway a few times to get a feel for merging, and do some 30-50 and 50-70 acceleration runs to get a feel for passing power. Start with the 2.5i and if you find yourself wanting more take out a 3.6R. Don't bother driving around a city block or something as there won't be any difference between the two. The differentiating factor is power so do something that requires power.

 

2) The paint will chip easily, it's watered-down eco-friendly save the polar bears stuff. My front end is covered in nicks, it sucks but basically every new car I've seen is this way, thank the EPA. Clear bra if you intend to keep it for a long time. Color is a personal preference but I'd maybe look at Carbide Gray as it'll hide chips better than black.

 

3) The headliner is the same for all interior colors. It's not really tan as in like beige nor is it gray. It's a sort of light-taupe/oyster-ey color. I have black interior and it looks fine. Here's a shot from my dashcam install that might give you an idea. In person is really the only way for you to tell if you like it.

http://i.imgur.com/31cKGo3.jpg

 

4) That's what I'm doing, party because at first I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to keep it as I went with the Legacy due to a cheap lease with the features I wanted, and partly because payments on a $31k car aren't cheap. A lease when done right is a great way to go. Considering the typical nationwide Subaru special runs around $200/mo for a base model I thought this was a pretty solid offering:

http://i.imgur.com/ZB4AMRH.png?1

By no means am I trying to start another pissing contest between the 2.5i and 3.6r just concerned as I stated above because I have never had a 4 cylinder vehicle.

Thanks for the image that clears up a lot for me, and it does blend well so I am not too concerned, I quit smoking 6 months ago, so I am not worried about any ash stains or burns.

I am leaning towards leasing first and then buying it out if I am satisfied after the 36 months, but I will have to see what the dealer is going to offer. I am hoping to have my payment on a 2.5i limited fully loaded, no more than $250 a month with no more than $2,000 as a down payment, am I dreaming or is that quite possible on a lease?

See below my answers in red and let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks again for your feedback, I only do hand wash and I'll be sure to have it waxed and what not to protect it before I begin heavy driving. Glad to hear about the grey lining as I think it looks much better with black leather.

I will likely lease first and then buy if I am satisfied, I know I aint that old, but I am starting to feel it. But my students keep me young!

1 -- 2.5i is more then fine BUT go with 3.6r I had the 2.5 2013 legacy and it was fine, good gas mileage, point a to b, comfortable, etc. etc. etc. but 2 yrs in I was just missing the extra "manly" feeling and traded it in for 3.6 and I love it. When I feel the need, I push down on gas and I am gone.. It's a great feeling and I was just telling my wife, I am set with my car for a long time to come. Again 2.5i on normal highway, in city, etc. its just fine. The only time I really had an issues was on an uphill highway entrance in columbus, the car would struggle to get to highway speed, but it wasn't that bad.

 

4 -- If you go with a lease, look into a single payment 3 yr lease. I bought an impreza with that option and I was told that I saved a lot in extra fees the dealership add on the monthly lease payment option. I am not a financial person so I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I feel like I got a good deal.

And in less than 15 minutes I'm again now conflicted between the 2.5i and 3.6r as you make a good point!(lol, ugh car buying/leasing is so fun!) But with approx 70% of my driving city, and I only put approx 600 miles on my vehicles a month I may just go with the 2.5i I will deff. inquire about the single payment 3 yr. lease as well.

I also have lease four now. One I bought at end and may buy the 15. I agree with your leasing reasons. Total it in NY and it s fully paid off and you get a new one. Have an oil burner, you get to dump it at lease end. Chase has very good leasing numbers, except WRX from what I ve seen. You can tailor mileage/price for 10K,12K or 15K depending on your needs.

I m not wanting to enter the 2.5 vs 3.6 but preferred the boxer design of the 2.5... All four of my 2.5 never used a drop of oil.

Yep and I would go with the 10k a year as I don't do much driving.

Thanks again all hope I replied back to everyone(or almost everyone), I really appreciate the feedback and cannot wait to return my Grand Cherokee and hop in a new Legacy!

Sorry for the double post, just saw these comments as well and wanted to respond....

I don't get my 'manly' feeling from my Legacy, but I didn't get it from my WRX, either.

 

If you do a lot of high speed merging, that would be the only reason I would suggest you drive the 3.6. If you drive in typical city traffic, 2.5 will be fine.

 

I have zero issues with my 2.5 keeping up with traffic, I am not the slowest car off the line at traffic lights, and nobody rides my ass in traffic unless they want to go 10mph over the speed limit, which I choose now to generally avoid, given there are a lot of speed enforcement vehicles on the roads I drive everyday.

 

As far as color, lighter colors show less dirt. I won't ever buy darker than a silver car now, my current white car looks downright clean even when it is dirty.

 

Leasing will cost you very little over purchasing, and Subaru's retain their value so the buyout at the end of the lease will probably still be a good value if you want to keep it.

 

If you want to maintain low blood pressure, get Eyesight, in city driving where you aren't going to skillfully maneuver more speed from your drive, Eyesight can be a great stress reducer because you can relax and let your car flow with traffic. Also, going with the better stereo may mean that, like me, you have a car you basically don't want to change anything about. I spent about 1k on the WRX doing little tweaks, the Legacy as is requires nothing from me but oil changes.

Yea, I feel you on the 'manly' feeling thing, but I've had so many cars/suvs, that were way above my price range(stupid showoff as a kid) I am content in having something I not only genuinely like but can afford and still buy a condo/co-op in the coming year...

Same here, my current Grand Cherokee is white and it always appears clean even when its filthy, I'm leaning towards white on the Legacy as of now.

I am deff. leaning towards leasing for the initial lower car note and then will buy out if I am satisfied.

I plan to get the 2.5i Limited fully loaded(meaning with the only additional package it offers which i believe is around 2k) so I look forward to all the safety features included with eye-sight. I'm excited for the Harmon-Kardon system as well and as you mentioned I really won't need/want any additional modifications(besides 20% tints as I get on all my vehicles, I may do something with the grill as well though). My wife's uncle owns a shop so I get a good price on oil changes and tire rotations.

Fully agree on the eyesight comment. I had it on my 2013 and have it on my new one. For me it has become a must have feature regardless for city or highway driving.

 

Also agree on the 2.5 comment. Its fine for nearly everything. I just personally like 3.6 because I do do a lot of highway and in some situations, its been nice to have the confidence of the extra horses. Very much a personal preference.

Eye-sight is a must I'm really looking forward to it, my 2014 Grand Cherokee has absolutely none of these types of safety features.

My first Subaru will most likely be the 2.5i engine, in three years if I am satisfied with it, I may bump up to the 3.6r as I am a NYC Teacher and will be making a substantial amount of more income in three years.

This question is for anyone who can help...

Am I being realistic with these figures? I am hoping to lease the 2.5i limited fully loaded with $2,000 down payment(max) and 10k miles a year for around $250 a month. That would be great for me as I am currently paying $420 a month for my 2014 Grand Cherokee Limited. Saving $170 a month on my car note and approx. $50 a month on gas sounds great too me! We get killed in NYC for insurance(I pay approx. $150 a month, I know ridiculous.) Also, is it true due to all the safety features on the Legacy that I will be saving a few bucks on insurance as well?

EDIT: I would be picking up the car in March, from my understanding the 2018s will probably be released sometime in the summer, so I am hoping this helps with a lower price as well. I know its not technically a "leftover" but I will bargain with them stating that the 2018s will be out in a few months, thoughts...?

Sorry again for all the noob questions you guys have been extremely helpful and I greatly appreciate your patience with me.

I have 2.5i l Iimited with black silica and it takes a lot of love to keep the paint scratch free. Car washes do a number on it but it stays nice when I do it myself. I invested in a very cheap DA buffer from harbor freight to keep the paint nice

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On the black paint. It s not a Subi paint issue. Just what dark colors are subject to. Here is a pic of my 15 Porsche which I had to DA polish already with only a few thousand miles.

Now my 15 Legacy (white), still looks new.

So consider a light color if you are OCD.

Am I being realistic with these figures? I am hoping to lease the 2.5i limited fully loaded with $2,000 down payment(max) and 10k miles a year for around $250 a month.

I think you ll be close to that number, esp with a 10K lease which is considered a low mileage lease.

I have 2.5i l Iimited with black silica and it takes a lot of love to keep the paint scratch free. Car washes do a number on it but it stays nice when I do it myself. I invested in a very cheap DA buffer from harbor freight to keep the paint nice

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

On the black paint. It s not a Subi paint issue. Just what dark colors are subject to. Here is a pic of my 15 Porsche which I had to DA polish already with only a few thousand miles.

Now my 15 Legacy (white), still looks new.

So consider a light color if you are OCD.

 

I think you ll be close to that number, esp with a 10K lease which is considered a low mileage lease.

Yea, I've had a few black vehicles myself, Lincoln MKX and BMW 335xi to name a few and have encountered similar issues with scratches/swirls. I'm not too car savvy to be buffing and what not, so I am leaning towards white, I like the grey as well but I have got bored of my past grey cars pretty quickly.

Sorry about your Porsche man that looks pretty bad, thats just from general wear or did someone key your car or something? And yea, unfortunately I have pretty bad OCD thats why I think I had such a hard time committed to buy instead of lease. Strongly leaning towards the white...

EDIT: Thanks for the feedback, that would be the lowest car note I've ever had so I would be pumped especially that I truly do love this car! And being that I am more than likely going to buy it out I am not concerned if I go over which I doubt I will, I currently have 25k miles on my 2014 Grand Cherokee and it goes back in March, I was stupid to go with 12k miles on that lease.

Yea, I've had a few black vehicles myself, Lincoln MKX and BMW 335xi to name a few and have encountered similar issues with scratches/swirls. I'm not too car savvy to be buffing and what not, so I am leaning towards white, I like the grey as well but I have got bored of my past grey cars pretty quickly.

 

Sorry about your Porsche man that looks pretty bad, thats just from general wear or did someone key your car or something? And yea, unfortunately I have pretty bad OCD thats why I think I had such a hard time committed to buy instead of lease. Strongly leaning towards the white...

 

EDIT: Thanks for the feedback, that would be the lowest car note I've ever had so I would be pumped especially that I truly do love this car! And being that I am more than likely going to buy it out I am not concerned if I go over which I doubt I will, I currently have 25k miles on my 2014 Grand Cherokee and it goes back in March, I was stupid to go with 12k miles on that lease.

No , it s the tape line you see between the un polished side (left) and finished side (right),... Notice the brighter color on the polished side due to no micro scratching done by washing, drying etc....