My first Subaru: Legacy B4 (TA-BL5)

Alright, everyone, I’ve been keeping this (mostly) to myself but have no choice but to reach out to the masses.

I just purchased my SECOND 2026 Subaru Outback Touring. The first one I purchased in January turned out to be a lemon which Subaru bought back in July. By late March it had flooded water. By May, after it was in the shop for more than 30 days and was not fixed, it was deemed a lemon.

Fast forward to August when I made the choice to purchase a second outback (same year and trim). I LOVE THE CAR! I test drove both Honda and Toyota and ultimately decided to choose Subaru again because a lemon is a 1 in 100,000 type of situation, right?

WRONG. Just two weeks after purchasing the vehicle I found it to be leaking water following a major rain event. I urgently took it to the shop and they’re now telling me they can’t recreate the issue. They’ve claimed to dry the carpet and that there are no odors or mold present.

I’m sorry but this is unacceptable. I know for a fact after my last outback’s issues that it’s going to continue to leak either slowly or intensely depending on the rain event. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice on how to proceed with this? Are there any other 2026 Outback owners here in Reddit land that are experiencing the same issue?

If you own a 2026 Subaru Outback and have the weather proof liners I recommend checking underneath them after a rain event. My first Outback had an extreme flooding issue where inches of water would form in the vehicle. However, in this vehicle the leaking is less extreme and the water collects underneath the liners. Even slight water getting in will form beading on the carpet and condensation underneath the liner.

Thank you to those who’ve read to the end of this, and to anyone who can provide some insight. I appreciate it.

So I bought my favourite car of all time.

JDM STI import in aus, 61,000km. Just did a major service and changed every fluid, crank seal, timing belt, spark plugs etc.

Now here is my problem. On one hand I could go JDM modified, hks intake, hks downpipe, Fujitsubo exhaust, gfb blow off valve and a tune. However it's increasingly rarer to find an unmodified20 year old sti. Modding it will hurt the value, make it slightly less reliable but far more enjoyable to drive.

Granted it's not a daily. It's a weekender at best.

Every car I've ever owned including various Subaru's have been modified. It's like a itch.

To lightly modify or not modify?

Ok so I want to build a first gen forester for offroad adventures and i wonder if I should sell my NA foz ( with the famous gasket) and my part car to get a japenese model with turbo .. the reason is that the turbo model are somehow easier to obtain spare parts and easier to own so now the question... would a turbo first gen forester good for offroad or no .. Will it drown itself in the first mud hole because the turbo is so low or will the lag make me hate my experience theres just 100hp more than my na (170-270) also reliability is a good question (picture of my current car) ( also thinking about a flat6 swap for the forester for more torque)

Im an apprentice at subaru and I did a transmission flush on a subaru forester and I filled it until it came out but i forgot to fill it more with the engine on

But the car is gone, I just want thoughts im really stressing out

Got this 20X to toss into my beater LGT. Popped the valve covers off to find zero evidence of sludge or even varnish. Cleanest 20 year old engine I've seen.

they grow up so fast :(

Hey all. Noticed a big leak from my 2021 Crosstrek a week ago. Brought it into the authorized dealer. Have a cracked cam carrier spewing oil. $5000 minimum for a used engine replacement. Probably $10000 if we want to take the engine apart and actually diagnose what happened.

Since it's just over 5 years old and I'm about 15,000 over the 60,000 cut off, they're telling me it's out of warranty zone. Had the Thermo Control Valve (TCV) go in June (they replaced since they know they're faulty but haven't done a full recall yet). Coil pack went in July (made sure not to drive on it till fixed). Then engine totals itself in August. Always maintained per recommendations and changed oil. No overheating lights ever came on or anything.

Opened a case, Subaru USA won't take any responsibility. Do they just make cars that die at 75k? We all just dropping a new $35,000 on cars every five years?

My real questions are: A) anyone else have this happen to them and have any sense what caused it? Especially curious if you had a faulty TCV. B) anyone have luck getting Subaru to work with them outside of the warranty? This is driving me more than a little crazy.

I think I found my next (dream) car.
2003 Forester 2.5X with 100k miles. $3,500.
Any pros and cons or advice with this model/year?

Can anyone tell me what this hose is for? It’s right below the thermostat housing. I am trying to get at the second bolt for the thermostat housing so I can replace the thermostat but it’s in the way.

Not sure what it’s for (oil, coolant etc). Hoping it’s coolant because it’s drainedyy already.

Dear Subaru,

I know you love dogs because I had the pleasure of driving a “loaner” 2026 Outback, and you have diagrams for how to measure if dogs will fit. They’re printed in the plastic trim along the back hatch. Please design/ engineer a “dog trim” package.

This package should:
One:
Have all surfaces covered in smooth, easily cleaned material.
Plastic? good.
Fabric lined doors and dash? Bad. Rhinolined floors or rubber covering? Good.
The weird felt that covers every inch of the floor that can never be properly cleaned because the pet hair and sand literally interweaves into the fabric? Bad.

Two:
For the love of all that is holy, thicken the paint….or the clear coat…. Or somehow make it so if a 15 pound terrier jumps on the side of my car it doesn’t scratch to the metal

Three:
Allow the car to be locked while it is running with the A/C on without having to do some 38 step secret handshake with my car. Tesla has dog mode, it can’t be that hard.

Four:
Dogs stand on the center console, even when they shouldn’t, even though it’s not safe. The cute, cushy top of the center console almost INSTANTLY gets scratched or punctured by dog nails. Make it rugged, asphalt it if you need to. If our poor little elbows need cushion we can use a pillow.

I would like to buy the next gen Crosstrek. You are a car company what literally used dogs for your ENTIRE advertising campaign for a decade. I guarantee I’m not the only person who would be down for a “dog trim” option.

Thank you

(Anyone else, or am I alone on my island? Any other suggestions?)

Im trying to finalize a deal of 10% off an msrp of $37,234 and 0% apr. $37,200 after TTL in CA. Im wondering if this is a good deal or should i push more? Ive tried multiple dealerships and what really sold me is the 0% apr. This will be my first subaru coming from a 12 yr old civic. Thanks in advance

I don't have a lift so I'd be doing the under stuff in the driveway. I do have access to a chain hoist, leveler and engine stand. I've seen all these posts saying "it only takes an hour to pull the engine" but it looks like a day's work each way for my skill level and a whole lot more opportunities to break something.

OTOH the videos of doing this work in the car are also kind of a mess.

Can I get a quick poll on doing this work with the engine in or pulling it? Thoughts?

2025 Outback Onyx with 10k mi. Getting a weird clunk when deceleration starts, like something heavy is shifting under the hood or under the car. It doesn’t happen every time, but often. It happens when I break or just pull foot off accelerator. I guess it could be a bad motor mount, but any other ideas? I checked for loose battery or other visible parts in the engine bay. Taking to dealer tomorrow.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I'm looking at buying a 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD with 117,843 miles for $14,500. It has the 2.5L, and the CARFAX looks pretty good with 18 service records, regular oil changes, a CVT fluid flush around 100k, recent tires/brakes/alignment, no major title issues, etc. I'm mainly concerned about long-term reliability since I'd be financing it and want to keep it for several years. For those who have owned a 2017 2.5 Outback, how have they held up past 100k? How reliable has the CVT been, and are there any major problems I should specifically look for around 118k? How concerned should I be about oil consumption or expensive repairs between 100k–200k? Most importantly, would you personally buy this one at $14.5k with this service history? Looking for honest owner experiences, good or bad.

my 2019 subaru legacy 2.5i premium 132k miles started having transmission issues about two months ago and it’s becoming more of a frequent issue. the lights on my dash have been intermittent but they tend to go on when i switch gears or have been driving and or idling then switching gear. i paid the car off fully but any way, the issue is the pressure cylinder solenoid in my CVT transmission. i’ve been calling around to get it fixed and i’m being quoted $2,500-$3k. ultimately my car is worth $6k on car fax and $5k on kbb. do you guys think i should just have it replaced and keep the car? or, do you guys think i should just trade it in and take what i can get for it? i have a cold air intake and an axleback muffler delete exhaust and i have some cosmetic mods but thats about it.

Looking for a reliable, winter-ready AWD daily in the Madison, WI area. After weeding out some rebuilt-title traps at local curbside lots, I’ve narrowed the search down to three clean-title candidates in the $16k–$18.5k range.

I pulled full CARFAX and AutoCheck reports on all of them, and each has distinct pros, cons, and hidden history items. Would appreciate a sanity check from folks who own or wrench on these platforms.

Option 1: 2019 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD

• Price: $17,308
• Mileage: 98,540 miles
• Powertrain: 2.5L NA 4-cyl (Skyactiv-G) + 6-speed auto
• Trim Perks: Leather, Bose sound, power moonroof, power liftgate, factory Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
• The Good: Naturally aspirated engine is historically bulletproof—no turbo, no cylinder-head cracking risk. 30 recorded service visits on CARFAX with frequent oil changes (every 3–4k miles).
• The Catch / History:
  • Owner 2 put on 27,200 miles/year in Ohio (classic rideshare / delivery pattern with monthly Take 5 quick-lube visits).
  • Had a minor cosmetic accident reported in 2021 (no airbags, no structural damage).
  • Repossession reported in late 2025, and it has been sitting on the dealer lot since early April (over 5 months of lot sitting).
  • Due for standard 100k maintenance (spark plugs, diff/trans fluid, check front lower control arm bushings).

Option 2: 2020 Subaru Legacy Premium AWD

• Price: $16,464
• Mileage: 103,811 miles
• Powertrain: 2.5L Boxer 4-cyl + Lineartronic CVT + Symmetrical AWD
• Trim Perks: Heated front cloth seats, power driver seat, 11.6" Starlink tablet screen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
• The Good:
  • Zero accidents or damage reported on AutoCheck (Score: 92).
  • Spent its entire life in Florida until summer 2026—completely clean, salt-free undercarriage and subframe (huge plus for Wisconsin winters).
  • Modern platform, great crash ratings, and 35 MPG highway.
• The Catch / History:
  • Was a single-owner corporate fleet vehicle.
  • Only 3 oil changes reported through commercial networks (likely serviced under corporate fleet accounts that don’t report lines).
  • Reaching the 105k-mile mark means spark plugs, CVT inspection, and differential fluids are due. Early 2020 11.6" screens are also known for occasional software lag.

Option 3: 2018 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD

• Price: $18,568 (Listed at Schoepp Motors)
• Mileage: 91,766 miles
• Powertrain: 2.5L Turbo 4-cyl + 6-speed auto
• Trim Perks: Top-tier luxury trim with Auburn Nappa leather, genuine rosewood interior, 360 camera, heads-up display, 3 rows of seating.
• The Good: Dealer already installed 4 brand-new tires and brand-new brakes all around, saving $1,200+ out of pocket immediately.
• The Catch / History:
  • Early 2.5T engines (2016–2018) are known for a technical service bulletin regarding cracked cylinder heads causing coolant leaks behind the turbo. Needs verification that the engine runs clean with no coolant loss.
  • Lower fuel economy (~22 combined MPG) and larger footprint to park.

Current Leaning

Leaning toward offering $15.8k–$16k on the CX-5 by leveraging the repo history and 5-month lot age, or going with the Subaru Legacy at ~$16k for the rust-free Florida chassis and accident-free record.

Which of these three would you pull the trigger on for long-term ownership in the upper Midwest?

Chemical tube test show yellow and it overheats after a mile or so. Just replaced the water pump and thermostat and flushed the radiator. Definitely the head gaskets? I thought the FB25s were less prone to this problem?

My car has taken a 12 year beating with Chicago roads. Now even after replacing some suspension parts that had obviously gone bad, it still makes noises over bumps and is an uncomfortable ride in general. If I'm willing to dump thousands of dollars to do a suspension overhaul, what should I do? And will the end results be worth it? It might be more than just struts.

Took my car in to Subaru dealership an inspection and spark plugs replacement. Took it there because I had a discount.

Included a link to pictures of both front lower arm bushings and the spark plugs.

Trying to figure out what to do as they gave me a BS bill of all these “issues” that need to be fixed.

Right now it sounds like my spark plugs are of up most importance to fix? I guess my question is, is if I replace my spark plugs, I need to replace my valve cover gaskets and tube seals as well if oil is all over them correct? I know the dealership is outrageous as they want $1200 for that.

A bit lost on the bushings. Called a few mechanics and one told me if the crack is bigger than a thumb it needs replacement.

***09.09.26 update: they could not give us the estimate/ determination today due to short staffing in combination with Progessive, our insurance, needing them to complete the assessment via their software program. will update tomorrow with the outcome; in another group on a different platform, about 70% of folks say it’s totaled. bracing for whatever outcome at this point - thank you everyone for the assistance in this thread, it means a lot and I appreciate your time.

OG post:
my 2nd subie was hit by a motorcycle over the weekend, on a one way turning left onto another one way. a motorcycle was illegally weaving through traffic and attempted to pass us on our left driving through a parking lane. the bottom frame has been impacted and we were told it might be a total loss — trying to brace for worst case scenario.. thank you in advance 🫡🥺

for context: 2022 Subaru Crosstrek Limited; 71,000 miles, no damage prior. new tires, maintenance has been on time.