Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Shopping

From everyday essentials to big purchases, swap tips and recommendations. For the best deals without the hassle, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Any Subaru Forester or Legacy owners out there? Can you recommend them?

30 replies

MuffinMclay · 03/08/2007 20:02

We've come to the conclusion that our Audi A6 Avant is not the car for us. Lovely on motorways but not suited to poorly maintained rural roads and speedbumps. Dh thinks a Subaru Forester or Legacy would be better able to cope with this style of driving.

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 03/08/2007 20:03

my dad has a forester
it is just an impreza with a different top, not massive clearanc ethough

I have impreza it is fab

My dad has had a legacy too, it was really good. We are thinking of changing as have vast dog and would like to camp

CountessDracula · 03/08/2007 20:03

don't buy brand new though they halve in value ina day

Original poster
MuffinMclay · 03/08/2007 20:42

Would never buy a new car. I prefer to let others take the hit on depreciation.

What are they like to park? Are they (relatively) cheap to maintain?

OP posts:
MiggyPop · 04/08/2007 02:47

We have a Forester and it's a great car. We like it so much we're getting another one as they one we currently have are getting a bit long in the tooth.

eidsvold · 04/08/2007 05:05

subarus are very popular here in Aus especially the forester.

Db and SIL have one and they love it. They live up a dirt road here in Aus and the car is great.

Countess Drac - can you get the new 7 seater subaru in the UK??

MrsJohnCusack · 04/08/2007 07:02

EVERYBODY in NZ appears to have a Forester or Legacy, precisely because they are great for rural roads and mud.

zippit · 04/08/2007 08:35

subaru forseter super cool car...the turbo version is great, a real drivers car and none of the antagonism that a discovery or similar gets

drive is great..I had one and drove a hundred miles every day taking ds to school on country lanes...superb

but shop around for insurance on turbo version as high group (was the highest but i had one when they first did the turbo so may be better now)

none of the roll you get in the rear unlike a discovery which drive like tractors

brilliant

CountessDracula · 04/08/2007 13:48

they are great to drive
All wheel drive
and the power steering decreases the faster you go so it doesn't leap about at fast speed

bobbiewickham · 04/08/2007 16:41

I love, love, love my Forester.
Best car I've ever had.
Drives like a dream, great load bearer, and you don't feel a twit in it, like you can in other 4x4s.

Also, they're not that common round our way, which I always like

zippit · 04/08/2007 17:18

feel every time I see mine

Original poster
MuffinMclay · 05/08/2007 19:08

Dh went to our local Subaru dealership at the weekend, and seems quite taken with them. If we get one, I think the choice is between the Legacy and the Outback, and the latter might be more suitable for our needs. The Forester didn't have enough ground clearance (dealer said it wasn't a great choice for speed bump ridden areas).

What are they like to park?

OP posts:
eidsvold · 05/08/2007 22:44

the outback (here in Aus) is more like an estate and sits lower to the ground than the forester which is interesting that he said the forester did not have enough ground clearance!!

zippit · 05/08/2007 23:07

surely the forester is the highest

zippit · 05/08/2007 23:08

and it's easy to park it's the same size as an estate and has a dinky steering wheel..atleast the turbo does..leather seats etc and you're away

Original poster
MuffinMclay · 06/08/2007 10:31

In the brochures we have, the Outback has the greatest ground clearance by some distance.

I'll need to test drive one. I really struggle to park our Audi estate, so need to see how it compares.

OP posts:
eidsvold · 06/08/2007 13:18

an outback here in Aus would be comparable to your audi estate. Foresters have greater clearance. Not sure what a legacy is - we don't have them here - perhaps the liberty is our equivalent.

Forester is narrower.

As I said db and sil live in country Australia and along a very bumpy holey dirt road - SIL would drive up and down it a number of times a day and she says the Forester is coping well with it.

nomdeplume · 06/08/2007 13:20

My DH has the Legacy estate, the top of the range 3.0 Spec B on an '06 plate. It is great, realiable, fast, practical, comfortable and great to drive.

zippit · 06/08/2007 13:22

if you are going off road ground clearance might be an issue but on road including speed bumps it won't be i'm sure

speed bumps are only really an issue for sports cars and low slung saloons

nomdeplume · 06/08/2007 13:23

DH's legacy is good to park but it does have a heavy clutch which results in a few stalls until you get used to it . It is a long car though, the estate over 15 feet long. If you find the A6 hard to park, I guess you'd have the same prob with the legacy estate.

Original poster
MuffinMclay · 06/08/2007 14:05

No magic self-parking button then. What a shame!

They are all a little bit shorter than the Audi, which might make a difference.

I think the issue with parking isn't just the length, but visibility and handling. I'll only know that by test driving one.

OP posts:
zippit · 06/08/2007 14:18

you'll find the subaru easy i had a very awkward 1920s garage to reverse into off an alleyway and no probs (but then I am pretty fantastic at parking)

zippit · 06/08/2007 14:18

the forester that is

Piffle · 06/08/2007 14:29

they suck fuel IMO

zippit · 06/08/2007 14:32

true..I think it's about 25 to the gallon for a turbo forester

they are not cheap cars to run..that's why i don't have one any more

but if you are comparing like with like then they are better than a land rover discovery in every respect including economy or a bmw 7 series

if you want cheap then get a fiat doblo

Original poster
MuffinMclay · 06/08/2007 17:06

25mpg

The Audi I want to replace does 45mpg (is diesel though).

Our mileage is very high (live in rural area) so that is a big consideration.

May need a plan B....

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread