Paranoia

My everyday car is a stock 06LGT MT with 72k miles. I'm the second owner and purchased the car with 6k miles on it.

My LGT leads a modest life with a 25 mile round-trip weekday commute from the suburbs to downtown KC. Half residential/half Interstate miles. Plus, I take 400 mile round trip drives to Nebraska ~5x per year.

I change the oil every 3.5k miles and check the oil levels at least 1x per month. I have also been diligent RE regular maintenance according to the prescribed schedule. Frankly, I rarely push this car. In fact, I baby it.

All these posts about these cars needing replacement turbos and/or worse yet, replacement engines has me seriously wondering how much longer I should keep this car. Pre, my reading of this board, I planned on keeping the car for at least four more years up to an estimated 125k miles. I still may do that. It is a blast to drive and still looks great.

Are the turbo/replacement horror stories I read on this board more the exception or the rule? Based on my above described use of this vehicle, how concerned should I be that a blown turbo is in my future? Anyone have an idea of what percentage of 4Gen LGTs have this issue?

Any words of wisdom from the LGT masses would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Just check the turbo if you're worried. If it needs to be replace it and continue on.

there are two things that are completely normal outcomes from owning a LGT and reading this site. Paranoia about engine sounds (ringland failure, rod knock, turbo whine) and lust for endless expensive aftermarket parts. If you can't hang with either, or both of those, you might want to tap out.

Poorly tuned and maintained cars blow up. Keep calm and carry on.

joking aside, there are four things you can do.

1. pull the downpipe and check the shaft in the turbo for play.
2. check the screens in the banjo bolts, if they are clogged you may have an issue.
3. get a compression/leakdown test.

if these all go well,
4. get your car off the stock map.

Very helpful chato. Much appreciated.

I was going to write basically the same thing that chato did.

It is always easier, and less mental/heartache, to inspect for problems and feel good about things, rather than to get blindsided and get all bent outta shape.

If you do a compression test, you may as well change the spark plugs then too.

The FSM has lots of simple inspections that you can do. Especially, w.r.t. electronic gadgetry (like for instance, checking the injectors, plug wires, sensors, etc).

couple more thoughts which are more on the basic side, if the above tests are good, just run good oil and filters, religious about check your oil level.

Another consideration are the known smaller common maintenance items that can really add up, especially if you are not doing work yourself like: valve cover gaskets, power steering pump and rack, front LCA bushings, starter, clutch, wheel bearings, axle boots and seals...

Hey you've about covered all the issues there. Good Reading.

At 141,000 miles my wagon gave me the heads up the turbo is going. CEL P0011 and P0022, mechanic pulled the banjo filter, it didn't look bad. I still have it here at my desk.

After that the trubo whined for the next 100o miles, during that time I did my homewrok and picked out a vf52 when needed. The morning the whine changed to a whistle I stopped and replaced the turbo. Went to the dyno and got a good tune.

Drove the car another 12,000 miles and replaced the short block because of oil useage that was from abruse early on my me.

The vf52 now has over 34,000 miles on it and is still quiet.

Oh the first 154,000 miles on the car were on cheap 5w-30 from Walmart and Fram oil filters.

Originally Posted by chato

there are two things that are completely normal outcomes from owning a LGT and reading this site. Paranoia about engine sounds (ringland failure, rod knock, turbo whine) and lust for endless expensive aftermarket parts. If you can't hang with either, or both of those, you might want to tap out.

No paranoia here. But still waiting to wear out parts to replace them with "expensive aftermarket" ones.

Who would've thought I wear out my struts before my turbo

I was the second owner on this car. Bought with 59K, drove by ex-wife till about 90k. Went stage one shorlty after and 2k on stage 2. All regular service done by the local dealer.

The motor is being rebuilt and I'll find out all the details on the low compression later.

Typically you see people posting up problems on cars, but rarely so commonly problems that lead to very costly motor problems. Furthermore if you do your research you'll find Subaru has a known problem with their Turbo'd cars. LGT, WRX and STI - all suffer similar problems.

I'll get the replies to this "The online posting is blown out of proportion to the actual failures" which in itself is laughable. Subaru America goes out of their way to prove abuse on their performance cars and claim that you damaged the car.

It's well known that ringlands can fail and cars be driven for some time like this. I'd go as far as to suggest most drivers wouldn't know the feeling of a flat tire if they didn't have the caution light now to tell them.

Based on my experience, and my research, this isn't a reliable enough car to keep. Some folks will report high mileage, but for every one of them there is the 'blew my motor' thread.

As for paranio, that's a bit much, just keep $6k aside to rebuild your motor. No problems there right?

Sell your car and buy something reliable. Any N/A subi will last longer if you're a fan boy, or a Toyota or Honda will do.

FYI - I rebuilt mine because it was the most cost effective and I'm not willing to dump a problem on someone.

Originally Posted by chato

joking aside, there are four things you can do.

1. pull the downpipe and check the shaft in the turbo for play.
2. check the screens in the banjo bolts, if they are clogged you may have an issue.
3. get a compression/leakdown test.

if these all go well,
4. get your car off the stock map.

This. My car just rolled over 140k KMs (stock turbo / intercooler, stage 2) and I took it to my tuner shop friends for an inspection. they pulled the DP and inspected the turbo, checked all connections, checked the intercooler, etc. they said it was all in great shape.
However my LCA bushings are worn out and I need new rear brake pads, and likely change the spark plugs and coolant, and fix the A/C in the very near future. But that's all maintenance on wear and tear items.

With regular oil changes and other maintenance / inspections you are doing all you can to keep the car. the percentage of LGT owners who have blown up their car is small.

Yeah a well taken care of car will last. I bought mine 1.5 yrs ago with 125 k mi and only minor things have had to replaced such as struts, pass cv, seized front left caliper. Preventive I replaced the up with a non catted and have a BNR 16g sitting on the shelf waiting for install and tune. Car was well taken care of by previous owner and I am religious with the oil changes! Now have 153 k mi on the odo!

Most of the people if not all that report turbo failures and engine problems are people that has the car modified to stage1, 2 or 3. Additionally they do their own maintenance, seldom visits to the dealer. If the rate of failures for a stock car were even similar to the posted here in the forum any company will be out the business in not time. I had a WRX before the Legacy and drove her for 300.000 km before I totaled. Not a single issue with the turbo neither the engine. That is why I got this one. The reliability of these cars in stock form is excellent. Now when the car is modified to get more that the car was design for, well these are the consequences. The more power you get the more risk that the components fail. Even if you built the engine to big HP , they will fail sooner or later. It depends what you want to do with the car. If you want enjoy the car with a little sport drive without any modifications, I would recommended to keep it, however if you want go the limit and do stage 1 or …444 well be ready with your wallet because this hobby is very expensive, I already did that. I enjoyed a lot however the cost were getting too high, now I am in other stage of live where I not want to break any speed records.