jwag74

Sold it last week at 191k on the original untouched short block, still running well. Pretty amazing given that it had a number of things that generally are frowned upon for longevity. #1 SPT intake on a stock tune. #2 Drove 20+ miles after a turbo failure at 140k miles. Put on a new turbo, changed the oil twice and after another 50k miles still no signs of the dreaded YNANSB. #3 Lightweight flywheel and lightweight crank pulley. #4 Didn't remove the catted uppipe until 180k miles.

I took mine off, I got tired of removing it every time I had to work on it...... I couldn't notice any discernible difference.

I've spent enough to make me personally consider my 05 Legacy GT to be single worst purchase of my life. I'm 41 and have put more money into repairs in 2 years of ownership than every single repair combined on every other vehicle (10) I've owned since I was 16. Honestly I'm lucky I didn't end up buying a short block. It was -11F when my turbo died so I drove it 20 miles to a dealer instead of waiting/freezing 8+ hours for a tow due to a winter storm towing backlog. Somehow I managed to not grenade the short block and have run over 40k miles since the turbo failure. Additionally I have done all the repairs myself except for the turbo so I could easily be out a few more grand in labor if I wasn't handy. Car $9k (total with tax, tags, etc) Turbo replacement by dealer (too far from home to fix it myself) $2k Repairs due to my failed crank pulley trying to destroy all that is holy+better replace it while you are in there parts..... Perrin crank pulley $120 New belt $20 Used A/C Compressor (used from site member) $65 Timing Belt Cover $30 Timing Belt Kit $240 OEM Thermostat+gasket $25 Coolant crossover pipe $27 Repairs due to clutch failure 06 WRX ACT Streetlite Flywheel $260 Exedy clutch and pressure plate $294 TSK3 Kit $175 Misc repairs Valve cover gaskets (leaking) $40 Struts (All 4 bad) $250 Axle (cracked boot throwing grease on exhaust) $65 Redline shockproof/Motol 300 (bandaid for bad 4th gear syncro) $65 Grimmspeed uppipe (cat was plugged causing massive power loss) $235 Grimmspeed gasket set $100 Rear Wheel Bearing $50 So I've put $4061 in repairs into a $9000 car that I still owe $5k on. After the aforementioned $4k in repairs I still have a 180k mile ticking time bomb I won't drive further than 30 min from home that still has a cracked window from the stupid wiper defroster, a rusty dog leg, bad suspension bushings, and a broken windshield wiper mechanism that needs fixed. And like I said.....honestly I'm still "lucky". By all rights I should of needed a shortblock and if I had not done all the other work myself I could easily be pushing $9k in repairs if you add a short block plus all the labor on everything else. My only hope is now that I really don't drive it, it'll hold up long enough for me to pay it off and ship it down the road. I bought this car based off my 02 WRX going 170k miles with the only non routine maintenance out of warranty parts replaced being rear struts and the A/C belt tensioner pulley. I just can't see myself in another Subaru. Every morning I wake up and it's still in my yard I die a little inside......

Truer words have never been uttered.......

Well.......I guess I bow out at 185K. Throw out bearing pretty much disintegrated last Friday. Motor's coming out now.

Michigan, but that was exceptionally colder than normal. It was -20 F a couple times during the polar vortex of doom last year, the worst morning was -35 F IIRC. The car also puffs a huge cloud of blue smoke during a -20ish F or lower cold start, my 02 WRX (2.0 L) also did that so I'm not sure it's actually a problem or just a Subaru flat 4 trait.

185k, not sure how I'd categorize the holding up as it has a lot of problems.......but the mileage is high. Passenger's side valve cover leaking. Passenger's side inner CV Boot torn. Blower motor whine. Bad struts. 4th gear Synchro going south. Power loss issue over 1/2 throttle (suspect plugged cat). Still driving with the windshield that cracked when I turned on the wiper defroster last winter on a -20 something degree morning. On a positive note the replacement turbo hasn't failed yet.