Jump to content
LegacyGT.com

2016 owner!!! 2 important questions.


Recommended Posts

So I had a 1999 for 5 years I loved driving it but it always seemed to be plagued with Issues. Spent an insane amount of time under the hood for what it was. Car has some minor electrical problems that cause an occasional no start and I'm always fighting with used tires brakes and rust. 283k.

 

I have a 1996 GMC K1500 diesel. The wheel bearing went out the same day. I had piled endless time into that as well.

 

I reached a breaking point when both were broken at the same time and started looking for a new vehicle. All I did was work on these two wrecks...

 

I drove a pile of cars but this 2016 Legacy 2.5i Premium fit me best. As you can see my previous vehicles were not nice and I am not rich. To get this car, I had to finance 7 years and push the limit on the finances with a down payment. I did get an ok deal on the car. 22k with 5k miles.

 

They pushed two items... Rust proofing and a 100k bumper to bumper warranty. I can cancel both of these with minimal penalties like 75 bucks. I declined many other gimmicky things. Rust proofing is 649 with free touchups and a 9year corrosion warranty, and the bumper to bumper is 2195 for 100k. My little brother paid almost double to warranty a 2014 Charger. There is existing powertrain left.

 

I have had frames rust out on my trucks and my Subaru has had lots of problems with rust. They pump stuff in the insertion holes like.in the bottoms of the doors etc. The stuff they put in the door isn't the same as the stuff that goes on the bottom of the car. I

 

I'm wondering about cancelling these services or if you got them. Here, we have 2008 trucks that are quite rusty. I think it's a good value. The warranty I just don't know. Any thoughts?

 

Did not buy from a Subaru dealership bought from a Dodge dealership. Originally looking at Awd Chargers.

 

I liked the speed of the Chargers but the transmission tuning was a bit out of control for me. The Legacy's paddle shifters were also very crisp and made the car thrashable. Also the steering in the Legacy transmits way more road feel. Plus all the safety and value retention benefits...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keep them both most likely you will spend more for the warranty than get from it, but that's how insurance works.

 

Most new cars are much better resisting rust, imho.

 

Enjoy the car, will probably last a good long while.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That 100K bumper to Bumper warranty is probably not a Subaru backed Gold Warranty. The Subaru warranty you can cancel within 90 days for a full refund with no fees or charges. I just paid $1500 for a Subaru backed Gold warranty with 100K miles, 7 Year, $0 deductable that is bumper to bumper except for normal wear items.

 

I'd look closely at that warranty to see what is actually covered. It may be worth canceling and obtaining the Subaru backed one for cheaper.

 

Rustproofing? That cost seems high. But, if you live in a state that uses lots of salt in the winter it may be worth it. Easiest way to see... look around you at the older cars on the road. Are they rusting out after only a few years? Probably not.

 

Like the previous poster said, just enjoy the car. With proper maintenance it will last you a good long time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did not go for the rust proofing. During winter I wash the under side at least once a week.

 

IMO, washing salt off the undercarriage frequently during winter is a far better investment than aftermarket "rustproofing," which is redundant at best. Like virtually all modern vehicles, Subarus already have several levels of "rustproofing" applied at the factory.

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." ~ The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem with a Subaru backed one, is my dealer really really sucks. They sold my brother a car that the headgasket went out in right away. They have treated me like utter s*** when I was hot on buying a BRZ wouldn't even unlock a door for me!!! And I didn't get to drive a Legacy there because their salespeople were too busy with "scheduled appointments" to realize that all the keys they handed me were to cars that would not start. I got pissed and left...

 

Id have to drive around 100 miles each way to get service. A friend bought a WRX there and regrets every single transaction with them.

 

I am the type that would jack the car up and put Fluid Film on everything if it would help. I'm ready to do work if need be, but I'm no body man... 2008 and 2010 even 2012 cars I've looked at do have rust. Even the 2015 Focus ST I looked at had significant surface rust on underbody but also 43k miles. The city I work in uses calcium chloride.

 

Problem is, I don't have the cash to go out and change warranties, so I'd need to talk to the lender about switching. Thanks for the input on that, will evaluate trying to switch... As long as the Subaru​ warranty is not centric on the dealer service it will be a good deal to switch.

 

Thanks I really hope I enjoy the car. So far so good...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone. I've done more research about 3 hours worth... And it's not conclusive. Less enabled people who would object to laying under the car applying rust coating get the rust coating... some claim it can hold moisture and rust the car worse. It's a Mopar product, so unfortunately it's a weird precedent to assume a Chrysler dealer is going to stand by a Subaru product if it rusts with their coating. I'm very inclined to cancel the appointment on that principal alone, and save up for some Fluid Film. Biggest benefit would be reduced road noise.

 

As far as the warranty goes, I'm not impressed with the Subaru dealer I have locally as I've said above. However I did find out quickly with my 99 that non OEM parts were pretty sketchy at best. Every​ time I used one I had some sort of issue and or failure. Especially because I had a mid year car used a mixture of 98 and 2000 parts. I just have a feeling that if I did have issues I'd want it fixed correctly through Subaru with real OEM parts to avoid headaches from that. Read over the warranty contract carefully and just need to see if I can cancel and transfer to the Subaru one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those Subaru Gold Plus warranties cost varies widely from dealer to dealer. Yet, one can be bought over the phone from any Subaru dealer. I bought mine at Stamford Subaru, CT, even though I didn't buy my car there or ever have service there. Mastria Subaru, in MA also has good prices as do some in NJ and KY. Shop around and also search the forums.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a 2005 legacy GT for 12 years until it was totaled, and still have an 05 outback. I live in New England, the salt capital of the US and have had no rust issues under the car. "Rustproofing" may make the car a bit quieter, but I am not a fan of it for the intended use as it does chip over time and water gets under parts of it in my experience. It is a money-maker for the dealer IMO. Ever see the movie "Fargo"? Just my 2 cents...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a 2005 legacy GT for 12 years until it was totaled, and still have an 05 outback. I live in New England, the salt capital of the US and have had no rust issues under the car. "Rustproofing" may make the car a bit quieter, but I am not a fan of it for the intended use as it does chip over time and water gets under parts of it in my experience. It is a money-maker for the dealer IMO. Ever see the movie "Fargo"? Just my 2 cents...

 

 

But that Trucoat!

 

PS: anything a dealer adds to a sale is a profit maker for them, and you will be likely not benefit from it in proportion to what it costs you.

 

Peace of mind, it has a cost. Dealer makes money selling it to you, or they wouldn't sell it.

 

If you are financing this peace of mind, you probably should decline it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO, washing salt off the undercarriage frequently during winter is a far better investment than aftermarket "rustproofing," which is redundant at best. Like virtually all modern vehicles, Subarus already have several levels of "rustproofing" applied at the factory.

 

Rust proofing that goes inside doors and cavities is a must here. You can't wash those parts.

 

The factory rust proofing is a joke for any vehicle driven in salted areas. Here we have 6 months of salted wet roads every year and that sucks. And it's obvious on vehicles just a few years old that it's worth the cost of a rust proofing.

453747.png
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did I mention I have the worst luck ever? I won't go into the details, but, I've had 3 frame breaks (rust), 2 transmissions, 3 head gasket jobs in the last 5 years. But... 90's vehicles bro? I'm handy enough to own a vehicle like that and not lose my a$$ but i'm getting tired of this crap. Rust proofing and that warranty really are tempting to keep... But also will look good chopped off my loan.

 

Talked to a dealer tech that used to apply it. He stressed that the mechanics aren't given enough time to really apply the coating thoroughly, even though the sales staff say it takes hours to apply.

 

So far, gotten advice to just wash the car and take care of it, cancel the services (which would apply them to the loan balance, because I've already agreed to them) and adhere to the scheduled maintenance.

 

I'm thinking about doing an annual POR15 touchup on the underbody where surface rust starts, and a Fluid Film application when I switch the snow tires/lube the calipers... Pull the door panels to apply it to the seam at the bottom of the doors, etc.

 

I called the dealer to cancel and argued with 2 people about cancelling before they told me that the guy who could cancel wasn't even there. Gonna suck trying to do this today and stay in a good mood.

 

Thanks everyone who replied and helped me think through this!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rust proofing that goes inside doors and cavities is a must here. You can't wash those parts.

 

alternately, rust proofing can block some of the built in drainage, trapping water and salt where it should not stay, or be unevenly applied, or not applied at all in areas where you think they apply it.

 

I live in upstate NY, we know from salt, there used to be mostly rusting hulks driving around (cars in the 70's, 80's...)

 

Not so much anymore.

 

http://news.wisc.edu/curiosities-why-dont-cars-rust-like-they-used-to/

 

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2015/03/should-you-rust-proof-your-new-car-.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Another amazing factoid:

“Aluminum isn’t prone to rust since it’s an oxidation of iron,” says Brad Stertz from Audi.

 

Of course, since by definition "rust" is oxidation of iron, but that alone is misleading. The article claims that aluminum and carbon fiber are impervious to rust, which is true, but both aluminum and carbon fiber are still subject to galvanic corrosion. Aluminum in contact with carbon fiber is just about the worst combination possible; if you look at a the galvanic series of metals, graphite is at one end and aluminum is near the other end.

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." ~ The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Successfully cancelled the warranty and rust proofing.

 

I've driven the car 500 miles in less than a week. 30.4 mpg. Overall, it is less stress to drive 2 hours a day and I'm largely happy with the cars performance. Still trying to get used to how it looks. I'm happy with the purchase but it's definitely not fast or piles of fun by any means. Kind of be a nice compromise between sanity and the used 335ix I thought I needed but was trying to substitute with newer cheaper cars.

 

The only mechanical gripe I have is that when cold and turning out of a parking spot... Or hard on the accelerator off the line, I'll get a grinding sound and a misfire almost like antilock brakes or something. I'm thinking this is the traction control but wanted to check. It's only done it enough to notice 3 times and it's hard to pin down and extremely brief.

 

I need mudflaps, gravel is hitting the side of the car constantly with all this country driving. Rallyarmor ones are flipping insane cost wise. Going to do some research but any suggestions?

 

Does anyone run premium in their cars and does it make a difference? It made a difference in my 99.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Does anyone run premium in their cars and does it make a difference? It made a difference in my 99.

Not needed.

 

 

Still trying to get used to how it looks. I'm happy with the purchase but it's definitely not fast or piles of fun by any means. Kind of be a nice compromise between sanity and the used 335ix I thought I needed but was trying to substitute with newer cheaper cars.

That is were a 3.6 would have improved the fun factor and with a 20mm+ RSB it really round out the Euro feel.

 

 

 

Laughing at oneself and with others is good for the Soul!😊

Laughing at Oneself and with Other is good for the Soul😆
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OP states he is poor, so why would he pay more for a 3.6 with worse mpgs, or complain that the 2.5 just isn't punchy enough for him, or being unhappy with the looks? pretty sure no way you can find a nicer performing better looking AWD sedan for the price of a Legacy.

 

There are lots of mud flaps on ebay, should be easy to find non-branded urethane mud flaps that fit.

 

Search took me 5 seconds:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNIVERSAL-Set-of-Basic-Mud-Flaps-Guard-Rally-Car-Subaru-Subie-STI-WRX-BRZ-JDM-x4-/172602884765?fits=Year%3A2016%7CMake%3ASubaru%7CModel%3ALegacy&hash=item282fef029d%3Ag%3Ayk4AAOSwTglYmgwC

 

Now you can buy them and complain that, though they are cheap but do the job, they don't look as good as Rallyarmor...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Upstarter:

 

Yeah it's a bit whiny. I'm not used to how smooth the CVT is- used to a manual transmission, a shift kitted diesel truck or friends with modified cars. I guess what I was trying to elaborate is the smoothness is kind of growing on me for taking stress out of the drive. Thought I needed these sportier things. Came out wrong.

 

Didn't know what other people were using for the flaps- there are always the preferred I looked at the stickies and ebay already. The fellas on my local club were making them out of sheets of plastic on their own for older cars. RAs only ended up on STIs

 

Rowlette-

 

Thanks for the tip on premium gas. I probably would have liked the 3.6R better, sure. Maybe next car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I wouldn't say the Legacy is a sleeper, powerwise, but the 2.5 is good enough (I traded from a 2015 WRX CVT), overall I find I am not the slowest car off the line, but that is probably more of a measure about how I drive vs the car, plenty of people have much higher power cars that they drive way too slow...

 

I had a 2012 Impreza and used a knock off mudflap (rockblokx maybe?), worked fine. They are all pretty much the same, just some are prettier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use