Is the Subaru Liberty/Legacy the best used sedan to buy? Well... | ReDriven used car review
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- Опубліковано 16 чер 2024
- G'day guys! Looking for a more affordable, everyday vehicle to get you around town? The 4th-gen Subaru Liberty could be your best bet! But there are a few things to look for that may be a dealbreaker... Subscribe Here! youtube.com/@ReDriven?sub_confirmation=1
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Are you in the market for a more budget-friendly sedan to accompany you on your daily journeys around town? Then the 2005 Subaru Liberty 4th gen, or the Subaru Legacy in certain regions may be for you. However, here's the catch - when considering a used one, caution and diligence are key. Before you make your decision, it's crucial to conduct a comprehensive inspection to ensure that the 4th gen Subaru Liberty aligns with your requirements and we'll show you what to look out for!
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The Bilstein suspension has been replaced with very low km items (~20,000km) and the exhaust is an xforce catback (mild steel)
Skip ahead:
00:00 - Intro
00:31 - What is it?
04:44 - How's the interior?
08:58 - Tech, features & safety?
10:54 - What's it like to drive?
15:38 - Pricing, fuel use & warranty
17:15 - What goes wrong?
24:36 - Should you buy it?
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At ReDriven, we’ll be taking you through the pros and cons of a huge range of used cars to see how well they’re going now that they’re a few years old, have thousands of kilometres on the clock, and are coming toward the end of their warranty, or maybe don’t have one at all.
Plus, thanks to our resident mechanic, Jim, you’ll find out what commonly goes wrong with them and what might need to be fixed.
Most importantly, we want to make ReDriven a voice for the most in-the-know used car experts there are...you guys.. See, you’re the ones that actually buy, live with, love and sometimes unfortunately hate the cars we’ll be reviewing.
So we want to hear your thoughts. Hit us up in the comments, or on Instagram and Facebook.
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"I really had some bad issues with my floppy knob but Jim got his hands on it and with his expertise the knob got firm and confident all over again, almost immediately."
Noice.
Kudos to you mate, alot of car reviewers aren't willing to talk about floppy knob issues. Even though as car reviewers they almost certainly have loads of experience of floppy knobs
Well, I can attest to how safe these things are. My 2004 Liberty 2.5i Premium met an unfortunate end when I went straight into the back of a Lancer that got sideswiped by an unregistered Commodore on the Monash Freeway at 100km/h. The car flipped 270 degree and slid down the freeway for a couple hundred meters with my head just cms from the road surface. When i was finally stationary I managed to unbuckle myself, find my glasses that were bent from the airbag punching me in the face and wrangle them back into place. Found my phone sitting on the tarmac next to where my head was and climbed out the passenger door with the Liberty still sitting on the driver's side. The ambos were shocked that I was walking around let alone completely unharmed apart from a bruise from the seatbelt tensioner. The girl looking over me reckoned it looked like I had glitter on my face... which was actually glass shards.
Also been a part of club.lib for decades now
I love my Subaru liberty 3.0R the only problem is all the blokes that come and drool whale the woman don’t care lol 😂 I love the sub roof and the sound of the flat six when you get on it
I HAVENT EVEN WATCHED THIS VIDEO YET AND I CAN TELL BY THE GRILLE ITS THE 3.0R MODEL, AND THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY THE PERFECT CAR, THANKS FOR LISTENING HAVE A GREAT DAY
YOU TOO MATE!!
SO MUCH ENERGY HERE!!!!
Love the enthusiasm here. We're listening
OK MATE MESSAGE RECEIVED
Can confirm. Drove a Blitzen (which is just a 3.0r in a pretty dress) from one side of Tasmania to the other today.
Car was perfect.
I was this close to buying a GT manual back in 2008 and to this day I keep looking at them, wishing I could re-live the experience. One of the best looking sedans ever made in my view.
Yes this and the accord euro was my top 2 choice
I had one, wasn't bad.. the B4 I had before it was better
Did Subaru sack all the designers of the 4th Gen Liberty/Outback cause they never made a well proportioned model since that time, in any model. So sad.
Great review, I've owned my 4th gen 2006 Liberty manual 3.0R wagon for 6 years now, and its just ticked over 250,000km. I do all the mexhanical work on my car and I can confirm that pretty much everything in this review is right. The EZ30 flat 6 is the most reliable of the 4th gen motors without the headgasket issues of the EJ25. Only other thing to add is that HVAC blend door actuators are starting to get to that age when they go on these, the parts are affordable but it does take a bit of labour to get in behind the dash to repair them. The intermittent check engine light is usually the variable valve timing solenoid actuators that are fed by oil pressure. They get blocked up by oil sludge intermittently with age and can often clear up themselves or be pulled out and cleaned. Genuine Subaru parts at the dealer or online are still plentiful and affordable, and for the major service with spark plugs, coolant, brake fluid and timing belt service the dealers are actually priced about the same as Subie specialists. Figure about $1000-1200 for that service. On a plus side everything is very DIY able due to the compact nature if the boxer engines. I've never come across a car that has a starter motor, alternator, and exhaust headers that are as easy to remove. Also the parts quality of coil packs, clutches, alternators, cooling systems etc. is from top notch Japanese OEMs like Denso and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries so these things dont eat parts like European cars will. Similarly plastic trim doesnt get brittle like European cars either so you can pull stuff apart and it goes back together like new.
My mate a year ago brought a 3.0 flat 6 2007 liberty and 3 weeks in blew the head gasket of it mind you it had about 270k on but still head gaskets are an issue.
@@ar12. Head gaskets are definitely still an issue on all old cars including the EZ series. The difference is that the EJ NA motors had defective head gaskets from the factory as they were made of a composite material that was not up to the job. The EZ and turbo EJ engines used a proper multi layered steel head gasket that is much more robust. At higher mileages head gaskets can still be an issue but it's not an inherently bad design, more likely due to wear and tear in the cooling system or overheating, poor maintenance, or overheating.
Headgaskets can be an issue but they can also last a long time as well, I know of a few h6 owners that have done over 300k without touching them, only the time chain and guides as they can stretch, I found out the hard way 😅 just replaced my head gaskets at 257k kms so well see how long she lasts. Bought mine 11 years ago now at 189k kms and shes been amazing to own. Lots of maintenance but as expected with any car.
Love this video. This channel keeps getting better and better.
This is a welcome video, Top of my list for my next car is a 4th gen liberty wagon 6 cylinder. So this video is actually very helpful lol.
One of the few carmakers who (briefly) had the perfect car for me when they made AWD turbo manual wagons with the spec B & STI tuned models which are pretty decent cars until the problematic 2.5 engine needs rebuilding. Sadly they’ve gone the way of so many other manufacturers who’ve stopped bringing in performance manuals to Australia. Definitely like their old stuff better their new stuff.
The imports come with the 2.0 T I’ve got a 2008 wagon gt spec B on the way with 57k
I just bought an immaculate 2004 liberty spec B 3.0, what a car! Rebuilt motor and did the diff on purchasing and this thing is an amazing driving experience, and my Weekender is a built V8 but this thing is just awesome! I love it, it's my daily to get to and from work and I couldn't be happier, so glad I managed to pick up a smooth running 6, I am a changed and converted man, love the subies
Bought my flat 6 Liberty 3 months ago with 180,000kms. Only 1 previous owner who had it from new! Needed some minor attention and cosmetic fixes like tiny dents taken out, but otherwise in immaculate condition. In the beautiful deep blue colour as well. Absolutely love the feel and sound of the car and 100% intend to keep it around for a long time. Maybe with some tasteful mods along the way.
great review, i still daily my 2008 liberty gt tuned by sti sedan on e85 flex fuel tune(owned 7 years and 5 years on e85) no major problems so far :)
Had 4 Subaru Outbacks between 1999 and 2008. Loved them. Wifey had tears in her eye's when I traded the last one in. Last car was a Premium R H6 with all the bells and whistles. Certainly up there with the C Classes I also owned. I used them for company work vehicles - could carry a 6 foot set pf steps inside the car with only one back seat partition down - Something which couldn't be done in the Generals station wagon or many large 4WD wagons.
Cars were serviced at the stealers. Carbon cleans were done from the first service.
Subaru's are not Robinson Crusoe's when it comes to 100,000K timing belt changes
Great review, my own 07 GT wagon is still going strong. Don't planning on replacing it anytime soon.
I've also noticed the clutch was very heavy. Had it replaced and it's light as new but I still don't understand that mechanics of it getting stiff as they age though.
The sound of the 6 is great. Very different from a straight 6. And there is some very good performance stuff available from the USA with the appropriate expensive postage. Another good video Adam and Jim.
Love the review! Where did you get the Speak & Spell voiceover?😊
Had a Gen 4 Outback 4cyl and boy did I love that thing! Unfortunately it fell victim to the head gasket prob you mentioned and gave it away cheap but I'd so own one again. They were simply amazing over snow which I drove on once a week
Love my 2007 pearl white liberty sedan 2.5l N/A got 270,000 kms on it still running like a dream
Thought you guys might do a Japanese car today but not the one I thought it'd be lol.
I didn't realise that you guys had managed to get Steven Hawking to do the safety features overview via seance 😂. Must've be hard to convince him to do it.
I lost it at the problem with your knob mate and I'm still snickering at it now.
Didn't realise how expensive the Liberty is to repair compared to it's competitors. Makes me wonder if the Outback has the same problem there.
Also congrats on 170k subscribers guys massive achievement 👏.
All in all a good video guys and as always have a good weekend and look forward to next week's videos as per usual 👍.
Im still the first owner of my black Liberty GT Wagon MY2004 with black roof bars. 251,000 km so far. Replaced with Bilsteins a year ago, otherwise all original. Still performs and fun to drive, no major issues. I don’t intend to replace it soon. I'm 71.
My 05 gt turbo has bilsteins all round with king springs to match love it just put light weight rims excellent tyres.Handles really good,but the poly bushes are overkill exept when pushing hard in corners.
Awesome vid, should do another one on the 5th gen wagon
This is my favorite gen of the Legacy/Outback wagons. It had power, a great transmission and granted a few issues, but overall it’s really the best in both the 2.5L turbo and 3.0R platforms. And you Ausies were so lucky in getting the 3.0R in manual! My former ‘05 OBXT currently has 218k miles and it’s still going..
Proud owner of an 09 Outback XT here. Love my Subaru, headaches and all.
Well balanced review - the list of potential problems seems daunting!
Not that many of these 4th gens legacy/Liberty saloons around in South Africa any more. Still looks attractive. Seems to be underappreciated as well. My daily driver has 290 000km and I have owned it from when it was only 6 months old in 2006. Its the manual 5 speed two litre NA that redlines at 7 500rpm. My fuel consumption averaged 7,6 litres per 100km/37mpg Imperial/31mpg US (mostly open road when I was commuting/working) to 8,4l/100km/34mpg Imperial/28mpg US now (mostly suburban/retired). Zero oil or coolant usage between services.
Apart from the normal maintenance, what has worn out from wear and tear over that time? One clutch, one set of front brake discs, two sets of front brake pads, one waterpump, some suspension bushes, two batteries.
What has broken over those 17 years? Both front door actuators, centre diff became noisy and clonky so was replaced, same with outer CV joints. And that's it!
Gripes? Standard tyres 215/45/17 gave a great handling feel on owner track days, but too firm on our rather rough and patched tarmac roads for everyday use so I upsized to more air in 225/50/17 for the last 10 years. Creaks from driver side door card. Rubbish stock sound system so I improved that a bit. Old tech halogen headlamps so I recently changed them to Xenons. Not the quietest car around, but the faster one drives the better the car feels - unlike many other cars of its vintage. Loves to rev but lacked torque below 3000rpm so I decatted it and fitted K&N air filter - a pleasantly noticeable improvement.
The big service (incl timing belt+tensioner+spark plugs) at 100 000km intervals has just cost me R14 000 (ZAR) at a Subaru specialist workshop, so all good for another bunch of km! Wonderful car.
i used to have several legacy tt's, twin turbos 1999-2003, imported them from uk to finland, where i'm from, and sold them there 4 good profit after a few months (and flew again to uk to buy another one). i loved all of them. except the one i bought to serve as spares car (and to transport a broken autobox to replace a broken one). but really good and fun 300hp cars.
Amazing review, Owners without a doubt taken incredible care of this Liberty
Ty big man👌
3.0 Spec B wagon owner here. Absolutely inlove. If you are thinking of buying one - go for it. Good review.
I have one too. black/black. Items from 3m fit in it. Good practical car. Have it 10 years already.
I've owned a 2.5 GT-B wagon for over 5 years now. I purchased it as I wanted rear or all wheel drive and manual transmission in a wagon. The only other choice was a VE SV6....
I love it, but as summed up at the end of the video, if you're not a car nut, don't buy one.
My engine was ok, if a bit oil hungry when I pulled it out earlier this year, but it came out because:
A) because the clutch needed replacement and it's easier to pull the engine and
B) It was leaking coolant and oil in hard to access area's.
I then found the engine had a mildly leaky exhaust valve, so now I'm committed to a full rebuild. Did it need it? Probably not, but I wasn't happy with it either.
Personally though I've had so many things fail/need repairs, it's too much to list.
Interiors are definitely variable and down to how well they've been cared for.
6 vs 4 is definitely a personal preference. I went the turbo 4 as it has much better fuel consumption than the 6 and a heap of punch with a few minor mods.
Also the steering feels rubbery because it literally has a rubber coupling on the column shaft. This can be fixed with either a Perrin locking kit or a solid shaft.
I will always love hearing you talk about how gross smoking is.
@ReDriven would you consider doing a video on different transmissions? Might not be as useful for manual drivers, but knowing the difference/issues between auto/dct/cvt would be great, and differences between manufacturers would also be handy (hello to the suspiciously high number of auto Nissans on the used car market)
I had a 3.0R 3006 Outback from new snd that thing did over 370k before I sold it. Leather and suede, it was my first new car. Loved it.
I got a spec b 3.0 na 04 6 speed manual with 435ks on it. Kept the original McIntosh system and head unit. Spic condition from its engine, gearbox and sunroof :D. Fun car to drive.
Did a whole bunch of preventive maitainence since I bought it but can't go wrong!
Oh, I'm excited for this one, because I actually happened to buy an Outback in the generation before this one as my first car a few months ago! A later example with the 3.0R engine and everything!
… I know I shouldn't be excited, but, still.
The smile face of Adam said it all.
Still owned a H6 turbo and Tbsti wagon. Never disappointed.
Even better with a boosting H6 liberty / Legacy with DCCD box. A smile in your face. 😂
I've had Subaru's for 25yrs last one was 1998 GT Forrester, but the new one's 🤔 have Hyundai 120n now love it
I love my 2004 Outback H6, possibly the best looking wagon on the planet 👍🇦🇺
I have the 2008 legacy for about 2yrs and I haven't had major issues with it. My only gripe with it is the low beams being subpar, wheelbearing always failing blame that on the roads. Other than that, I am happy with it.
I have a 09 2.5 GT Legacy sedan aut. A really nice car IMV
Have read so many things about them, but here two years I still put it over the Audi A4 2.6, Benz C 180 kompressor and the BMW 520 e39 I have owned.
I used to own pretty much the exact spec of this car and I still miss that glorious sounding. Smoooooth boxer 6 and brilliant sti 6sp. Great car. Practical too. They would be Getting a bit old and tired now though.
Had a 2007 3.0R auto wagon for 6 years. Loved it, sold it, no regrets.
Engine and tranny absolutely bulletproof, steering feel improved lots with a sti front tower strut. Pretty much zero oil consumption.
Power steering pump disintegrated at 100kkm, radiator went at 180kkm, and the top bolt on the front left shock completely snapped off at about 150kkm which could've ended real badly if it happened at speed. Check engine light used to pop up during motorway driving, and the local Subaru dealer and a non dealer specialist could not find out why.
Fuel consumption was around 15.5L/100 of premium with mostly city driving. Brake rotors needed replacing every 50kkm. Interior plastic trim kept popping out for no reason, and for a 2007 car it had no traction control, ESP, or reversing camera. The Nakamichi system sounded amazing, but let down by the the door trim which rattled at average volume.
Overall mixed feelings really. It was wonderful on a nice, twisty road, but I felt it wasn't great in terms of reliability.
Yes to a part 2.
Like a toddler Adam, anything you put in front of me I'm going to consume.
Oh and we got our 2016 XC90 just as your video came out and boy oh boy, issues but it's red and we'll love it regardless.
Had outback’s of some sort since 1998… but only owned the 2014 for months before I flicked it and went back to a second hand 2006 3.0 outback…personal opinion but one of the best allrounders. I’ve got faster and flasher cars supposed to be main car…but it’s the outback we always climb into to go anywhere
I own a 2.5 legacy estate love it wish I bought a suba years ago
Ive owned a 2.0l twinscroll tbsti wagon imported from japan to Scotland for 2 years now and i absolutely love it. The only way it could be better is if it was manual but im.not that fussed tbh
soob guy through and through. have had wrx's, a JDM RSB, GTB and more latterly an RS30. Had the rs30 for 8 years and its between that and the RSB for my favourite soobs of all time. but i recently bought an Audi S4 Avant (b8) as an impulse purchase (was looking for a tidy 3.0R wagon with a good dash - an oxymoron in NZ), and i have to say - this car is a revelation. it has the sport diff and frankly handles like no AWD car should ever be able to handle. coming from JDM subaru land, i frequently ask myself how it corners the way it does.
I miss the porsche sounds of the flat 6, but the DSG fart noises and the mind bennding handling (thanks to the sports diff) absolutely make up for it, helps thats im running a stage 1 tune too, so basically rs4 power.
you really do need to get one of these on your channel
I have a JDM B4 RSK and used to have an RS4, even on snow tires my B4 has more grip than the RS4 on Pzero.
I watch all your vids
But I'm impatiently waiting for you to do a ford focus st one preferably 2017 as I'm very interested in buying one but, be good to know what you think.i know you did the rs version and yes besides it's firm ride, you loved it But please do the st version?
“Floppy knobs fixed by a bush …” - c’mon Adam and Jim be honest how many takes did you have before managing to say it with a straight face …
Funny at the end - after that list of potential issues, I was asking myself, "would'nt you just get an Aurion?" Dunno about this one. My partner has an 2011 Outback and my god, the servicing costs are outrageous in Perth, and there are very few places you can take it. That said, although I have only driven an older Outback, whatever Subaru does with their steering, road response and handling is absolutely magic. If I could get that in my 2015 Aurion, id be a happy man (yes i'm a little biased, but seeing those maintenance bills the missus brings home make me cry ;)
4 cylinder manual outback wagon with the dual mode transfer is my personal pick
This is the best generation of Subaru Legacy/Liberty made. Fantastic vehicle, flat6 and a manual, yes please!
There was also the rare 3.0R Spec.B Blitzen which was intresting variant of this H6 Liberty sedan sold here in Australia. That and Tuned by STi wagon was really nice cars.
Subaru mid 2000s were certainly peak Subaru. Not that their products now are bad, they're actually really good just the competition no longer behind.
Loved that Blitzed red Wagon. Was on sale when I brought my 2006 3.0R Outback Duotone.
What a great review. The owner has taken such good care of this
I agree, I believe the owners name is Nicholas. Must treat this car like a queen!
😂
I know how you love wagons AK, I just wished you reviewed that version of Legacy/Outback.
Edit: Oh now I know. Sorry for talking before watching
A 4th gen wagon with the Flat 6 has always been my dream Subaru. It's a shame that from where I live, nobody bothered to buy one even if it was offered back then...
This is the best Subaru, period. End of the 90s, beggining of the century sweatness, nice. Best era for cars in general
My daily is a 4th gen JDM twinscroll spec B. It’s such a good all rounder - Practical, reasonably reliable, decent performance (265hp in Auto form), comfortable and you just never see another on the road… I won’t be getting rid of it because nothing else fits the brief. My only problem with the car is the awful fuel economy unless you religiously drive as gentle as possible.
I loved my Liberty, and the interior was in perfect condition until the airbags had to be replaced and the dealership damaged/broke so much stuff if the dash. It honestly broke my heart. Id definitely buy another, great drive and never had any serious issues with it.
I bought a 2008 3.0 model just a few months ago and it needed so much work before I could get a RWC for it. At this age, everything needs replacing. All the bushings (including diff), leak from cam cover and rear of timing chain cover and replaced timing chains, guides, tensioners, dashboard had cracks (common fault) so had to replace it. Most mechanics didn't even want to work on it, was going to cost $12+ grand. I did all the work myself but parts alone cost me $5 grand. I love driving it and I now have a good car but if you don't do the work yourself, don't touch it.
That’s why I didn’t go for one…
Curious. Why did you need to replace the dash for roadworthy? And what was wrong with the tensioners? just did them while the cover was off? i mean seems the only things it really required was the oil leaks, and the bushes. On the leaks though, they're usually very slow and a degreasing before trying to get a road worthy can get you through . then you can choose to ignore it, or not. (I chose to ignore them) Anyway I guess on the plus side all that stuffs done now, so can just enjoy the car .
@@mAJORDEE the dash had some cracks near the passengers air bag (very common with these cars) and that won't pass a RWC. I had to buy another dash from a wreckers and it took me hours to replace it. Also, I wasn't planning on replacing the chains and tensioners but there was a leak behind the rear chain cover so I had to remove the whole timing chain assembly in order to replace the hardened rubber o-rings causing the leaks. In the process I discovered a collapsed tensioner so I just ended up replacing everything, including the water pump since it all had to come out anyway. It was a huge job.
@@mrnicktoyou fair enough! thanks for clarifying. I didn't realise the cracks around airbag would fail rwc..seems pedantic on their behalf
@@mAJORDEE I did find a couple of dodgy mechanics who said they would pass even with the cracks but I wanted to do it properly, 😆
We've owned a 2L 2008 wagon since 2016 and love it so much we kept it after we updated our cars. It has done 230000k and outside of a head gasket, cam belt @ 200000k and sway bar links have spent nothing on it except oil changes and basic maintenance. The only issue with it is the dash which has started to crack.
Take it to subaru we had the Dash on b spec changed for free.
A common failure
This is the beat Legacy ever! I miss mine one so bad.
It’s been many years since I have seen a Legacy of this generation in good condition.
A new trend for these is to cut the front bumper and install loud speakers and drive around the city as sound cars.
As an owner of a 06 Outback 3.0 H6 I totally agree! I live in southern Europe and due to tax legislations and pricing, the 6 cylinder Legacies cost more or less the same as a 3 litre equivalent from Bmw-merc-audi. So very few people bought them, and that makes them true Unicorn cars today!
The sticker price of my Outback when new was around € 90k, in 2006! 🤣
Was working in a caryard back in the day, and got a chance to give the Liberty GT wagon a go. Even in an auto, 8/10, would still love one. Definitely suited me more than the WRX. Sadly never got a chance to play with the 6 cylinder, but I imagine it would have been a smooth ride without the lag in the turbo.
Hence I bought the 3.6RS 6cyl model over the turbo version. Best thing I like is Instant torque and it runs on 91oct fuel for marginally less performance at half the price to purchase. I own two RS models and prefer the 2017 model with harsher suspension for more road feel. Good to know you weren't so much a fan of the WRX if ya had a choice?
@@peterlattimore6013 Yeah, sounds like the wagon with the 6 would be the go. But I do have a bit of a wagon fetish. ☺
Finally man love my Lib GT
Careful when buying one of the 6 cylinder variants - P platers love them.
Man i miss my 2010 GEN 5 Liberty GT Premium. Had a good reputable tune and a great aftermarket exhaust. Poor thing was with me 8 years before a hairline crack in the oil cooler happened, leaking coolant into the gearbox and hello strawberry milk and a 5k blown box. Sucked to have to sell it. I miss it everyday.
Mate of mine has a 3.0R manual - it's been a bit of a moneypit, but it goes like hell and sounds great with an aftermarket exhaust. Pretty comfortable, too (even though the interior is falling apart, lol)
ive had ez30 for going on 50 years now, never bat an eyelid
And thirsty af
@ReDriven i have a legacy in germany in black sedan its awesome its my first own car as well i love it (2004 3.0R) its a auto as well and it has 294700 KM has its faults like rust on the left Panel at the back and the door one time i needed to pick up my Parents from the Airport as they were on vacation and i was driving my Legacy to the airport when suddenly my car engine goes off and i was thinking quickly putting Hazard Lights on drive into a park station and i discover the Crankshaft sensor was broken so i replaced it it was fun to do it
I'll get a Lexus IS instead. Best rational choice. Unfortunately, we didn't have that Subaru model in France.
My wife had the 3.0l r wagon in manual, and it was an epic car. Was the best car we probably ever had, but it unfortunately come to a tragic end. The car got left in a multi-storey car park while my wife was in hospital for a couple of months. The rat's ate the wiring and the car wouldn't start. We got RAC to get the car going again so we could get home, but unfortunately we got home and parked the car in the garage the car caught fire. I managed to extinguish the fire.
Subaru are a nice alternative. But in the UK they are seen as a small niche make unlike Australia where they are quite popular and mainstream. They are seen as generally reliable here but parts lead times used to be or possibly still are horrendous, you could be waiting 6 months for a part in the UK depending what it is. As Subaru are a small volume manufacturer here, parts stock was not great in the past, and usually sent on the slow boat from Japan, not sure if this improved. Subaru have a rep for rust in the UK too, but the WRX and STi Impreza are legendary here. Especially the Colin MacRae rally era Impreza's, these are highly sought after and cherished by current owners. Most other non cherished examples eventually rotted away or ended with the tits thrashed off them badly modified and wrapped around a tree or lamp post 😂.
My favourite generation of Subaru Liberty
My dad had a 2004 3.0-R b-spec from 2008-2018 and 15000-295000klms. He drove the wheels off it and it only got traded in after it split its head gasket soon after having a transmission rebuild. It’s suspension was well on the way out too and was just going to need too much money. Such a shame. He’s in an S5 now but still talks about that car.
Great review, this was my favourite generation especially for external look, agree with the Wagon comment I bought a 2007 3.0R-B auto sedan under 150k km 2 years ago for a good price, love it but should have got a Wagon. Unfortunately just had an engine out for timing cover and rocker cover seals, wasn't cheap. Great car, especially the torque of that 3 litre, dash is splitting, anyone know how to stop it or fix it?
Owned 2nd 3rd and 4th gen models all the way into high mileage (200-300k kms). The newer the series the worse they got for quality and reliability. My gen 2 with 350k kms on the clock - original engine, head gaskets, transmission, pretty much everything survived even the dash was not cracked or melted. All bushings apart from the front mains were original. Gen 3 was close with head gaskets at 200k and multiple fuel pump housings (they crack at the connector), the gen 4 was a bucket of trash compared.
Also haven’t watched the video yet, but yes this is 💯peak Subaru. Still looks fantastic inside and out.
Was just recently looking for the wagon version
Thanks for the review - the Liberty was a brilliant car until they ruined its looks and installed a CVT
Had the RB manual wagon for 18 years without any issues , thought i would get a more modern version but cant find a worthy replacement, tried a VWTiguan RLine but got rid of it after a year as i could tell it wasn't going to last.certainly miss the Subaru.
I bought one, 200K on the clock. 3.0R B spec with 6 speed manual. Yes I did have full service history, the car was well maintained. I do like to tinker and have been fixing small issues like window actuator and switches. I have a timing cover leak that is not to bad, overall the car runs well and is a pleasure to drive, in fact I sold my Camry of a similar age to get this car and it is far more enjoyable to drive. Do your home work and you will do OK!
A family member bought this exact car brand new and still has it… a manual 3.0L R Spec B.
It’s just about to tick over 300,000kms. It’s been faultless
I have one too. it is at 315000 km now. Has a new stock exhaust after all those years and i changes the rear brake pads last week. Regards from Belgium. A German autobahn is nearby : )
One of the last good looking Subarus, or any cars for that matter. I had a 90s liberty. Really nice car to drive with plenty of power. Only sold it as I wanted something better on fuel.
The mechanic should start a podcast!!! The mechanic should start a podcast!!! The mechanic should start a podcast!!!The mechanic should start a podcast!!! The mechanic should start a podcast!!! The mechanic should start a podcast!!!
I still miss my 2008 Liberty tuned by STI. It was immaculate with only 95,000km but was unfortunately ruined in a freak flood and I couldn’t move it before it was too late.
I used to owned the previous gen legacy back in 2018, it was a 2002 RS30 B4 with 3.0 lt Boxer 6 engine, and I can tell you that it was a really fun car to drive but not so much to own on the cost side, as it’s required premium fuel and as an uni student I have to eat mie goreng every now and then just to save money to buy fuel💀💀
Please do a review on the Legacy 3.6R
I've owned one of these for 9 years now, also the 3.0 manual, and it's been a fantastic car. I can tell you the exhaust, or at least the rear mufflers, are Ultrex units. If he's done the same as me the centre and Y pipes will be Xforce. Great sounding combo, mine is a bit louder now though after 8 years or so.
I've had several of the common issues and some bigger ones, but on the whole it's been a pretty reliable runner considering the age and the work it's done. Some other things to watch out for though:
- Cheapskate owners who mismatch their tyres. I was unlucky when I bought mine, someone had replaced two of the tyres but did so with a different profile to the originals. The resulting difference in rolling diameter slowly destroyed the centre differential over the next couple thousand kilometres.
- A faint gurgling sound behind the dashboard. This can indicate a clogged heater core and/or a head gasket problem. A clogged heater core is a known source of head gasket failures.
Don't worry about the missing undertray, the lowest points are the two exhaust pipes and they can take a fair beating. I've scraped my car plenty on steep gutters and offroad trails I had no business being on and it's not caused any problems. I've always been much more worried about setting long grass on fire with the exposed exhaust (smelled pretty close a couple of times). Also the reversing light sensor might not have completely failed - mine works when I actively hold the gear stick back. If I let it sit where it wants the reverse lights usually don't come on.
My clock mostly works, in winter it usually takes a couple taps of the finger. There is a fix you can do where you take it apart and reflow the solder in the broken joint but I could never be bothered. I also fixed the noisy/semi-nonfunctional blendoor motors by opening them up, very lightly sanding the contacts and bending the fingers a little bit for more pressure. My driver's door lock actuator failed early on but the second-hand replacement has lasted 8 years. Never had any issues with my dashboard. Mine had the floppy knob when I bought it, the polyurethane replacement bushes are still perfect 9 years later.
Overall at this age I'd suggest you want to be able to do a lot of your own mechanical work if you want to keep up with the maintenance. In the last year or so I've had to do some more major work that would have been quite expensive at a mechanic. I'll reiterate, pay attention if there's a faint gurgle behind the dash!
Another thing to add: The power steering suction hose and O-ring are likely to have gone solid at this age, if the power steering pump sounds noisy this is a likely cause. The replacements, along with a surprising amount of other parts, were very affordable from Partsouq (who supply new genuine parts without the stealership margins).
I think the dashboard issue might vary with climate. When I bought mine from sydney yrs ago the dash was perfect, which I was surprised , then after almost no time in qld it rapidly turned to shit haha. The beauty of the sticky dash is , a dash mat sticks to it and moulds perfectly to the shape without needing any of the pos velcro things one normally associates with dash mats
@@mAJORDEE Where'd you get the dash? Years ago I worked at a wreckers and I might have been the one who put it into stock 😆
@@t_z1030 Sorry I meant when I bought the car in syd, and drove it up to QLD. I never replaced the dash :)
Recently sold my 2006 h6 6spd wagon for just under 5 grand. Very love hate relationship, loved driving it and it sounded grouse but just like most other subarus it was a bit of a dog to own. Great car for the money but pretty expensive to own and maintain.
I always had a soft spot for that model too, and I'm not really a Subaru person. Can't believe they're 15 years old.
Definitely the last Liberty I'd buy. And everyone I know who had one loved it.
4th gen turns 20 this month , launched sept 2003.
I drive a 2006 USDM LGT, blown it up a million times but im keeping it forever. At this point the bottom half of the motor is pure 2019 STI and the top half is pure Junkyard EJ mystery.
Every time he says “supple” it gets me😂
Subaru's biggest mistake, making everything with a CVT since
Rubbish... I have two 3.6RS models with the better upgraded CVT. My 18 model is more adaptive for cruising but the 2017 model is better for the Sunday corners...
@@peterlattimore6013 good story champ. It's well known all CVTs are shit. Even stated by the mechanic in this video.. Why don't you think every other manufacturer use them..
After 25yrs owning Subaru's now have got Hyundai 120n love it
@@hobo1704If Toyota and Honda are using them, then they aren't all shit.
@@paulklp8262 yes, yes they are..
Thanks for the thorough review - I'm considering getting one of these. I'd want to upgrade the tech with an Android Auto unit - any further info on the unit in the video? Looks pretty good.
Hi mate, it is a Sony Xav Ax5000
@@nick_sta thanks!
I have the 08 sedan auto in my driveway. The boot lid squeaks like a crypt door when it’s opened. Gives the kids a chuckle every time so I don’t fix it. There is SO much wrong with this car yet it still runs and drives ok. Get the rear dampers replaced if the ass looks saggy
I had a base model 2.5 manual wagon Liberty and it handled like a dream but all the interior soft touch materials fell apart.
I never liked Subarus but i always thought these were such a great design from the moment I first saw one. It's a shame they didn't put a bit more effort into the interior
17:05 lol at that lady running in the background
There are disel options in Europe too
The 4th gen was the best! I finally traded my '07 Legacy in at 179k miles for a '23 Mazda 3 Premium AWD sedan.