Is a 2007 Subaru Legacy gt wagon a good first car or is the maintenance too much?

Hey guys I have my eyes set on a 2007 Subaru Legacy gt with about 120000 miles on it. I have been reading that the turbos on these models are really really bad. But I mostly read that it’s on the 2005 ones and less so on the other ones. While I can change the oil frequently enough I am worried about the turbo being destroyed. Any one know if this a reliable enough car or should I just keep looking? The guy I am buying from also has a Cobb system on there, should this make turn around and run ?

Honestly as a first car, I would hesitate to recommend an LGT. As cool as the wagons are, you almost need to buy these cars with the mentality that you're going to have to replace the engine at any given time. If you don't have the financial means to keep potential new motor money on hand, I would look into something more reliable and cheaper to run.

 

That being said, you can take precautionary measures before you get the car to cover most of your bases. I would recommend a thorough mechanical inspection, including compression test to see the health of the motor. I would also ask to have the turbo inspected for shaft play as well. Cobb system (I'm guessing you mean Accessport?) it's something to be scared of. I would say the big run away would be aftermarket intakes and downpipes without a proper tune or if the owner says the turbo has been replaced (usually indicates previous turbo failure which has a pretty high possibility it sent metal into the engine).

 

There's a wealth of knowledge on this forum so what I would recommend is read, read and read some more. These cars are great but definitely require more care and attention to certain things to ensure they're running right

100% NO as a fist car unless you are a mechanic or have one in the family.

100% NO as a fist car unless you are a mechanic or have one in the family.

 

 

Yes and to extend that NO turbo Legacy is good as a first car, the potential for issues is simply too high at this point:eek:

 

 

If the "issues" cycle is over then maybe but still prob a solid no.

I disagree that replacing the engine or turbo is inevitable in an LGT - it all comes down to how it was taken care of. If the car was properly maintained, then it could be ok - if not, it could be a total horror show. The car is modified (running a tune at least... maybe more?) which is a red flag. You'd want to do compression and leakdown test, go over all everything to see if anything is damaged or the car was obviously returned to stock, etc. - plus the standard sort of things you do for a 120k, 11 year old car - there is going to be some wear - it might need brakes, tires, various bushings and suspension parts (e.g., struts), and so on.

 

there's definitely a lot of risk, as these cars are often driven hard. You want to make sure you look past the cosmetic stuff (interior might be pristine, but that shouldn't be your focus) - it's all about the engine and transmission.

 

Given the risks, it might not be the greatest idea as a first car, particularly if you don't know how to do all your own work - you could end up putting a ton of time and effort into just keeping it running if there are issues.