Adam

Yes, OBD2.

Andyvic... If I'm coming to look at your car tomorrow I'm going to need an address. Send me a Private Message with your details. What time is good for you? I'm going to have to head off between noon and 1pm so not so late that we can't talk, but not so early I'm still asleep!

That's not a problem, I can talk about Subarus all day! Well, not quite all day as I'm going to visit TAG Motors after you, but certainly all morning :)

Impreza 4-pot brakes from a classic STi will fit, you will just need to check they are not too big for your wheels... It looks like you have 16" so it should be OK. I have a couple of sets in my scrap pile I'll bring for you to check for size. Just don't fit them because they are in the scrap pile for a reason!

Why would you want to mod what looks to be an original GL classic? Keep it standard and leave the modding to the turbos!! However, it looks like your original GL wheels are in good condition so should you think about fitting some 18" alloys, let me know as mine are badly corroded and I want to keep my GL standard. What sort of mods are you after? I'm sure I'll be able to point you in the right direction.

Welcome to the multi-Legacy club!

Pistons out of place? Well that's a new one on me. Did you talk to a mechanic or a sales man? Head gaskets are a routine job. The only reason it cost so much is because of the time required to remove and replace the engine. Don't let anyone tell you that you need a new engine because you don't.

None taken. If it were a manual it wouldn't be for sale! Tlag has a yellow Gen2 estate (although it's off the road waiting a new engine at the moment) and Bip has a yellow Gen2 saloon, so you can get them but it was a limited edition colour and they are rare. Edit... Photo of the yellow ones here

Lets see the photos then!

Deal hasn't been done yet, but I've been asked for more photos so I thought I'd share. Took these this morning before work, yes I know it need a clean and vacuum but time is against me!

The car was first advertised on another forum about 3 months ago and didn't sell. I've been busy at work so just parked it up, I haven't bumped the thread and it's long lost now, but he contacted me via that forum within hours of me posting here... Either it's a huge coincidence or he is on both forums!

Not an area I know much about, but I would say it needs to be addressed as the damaged area will start to rust.

I've sent you a private message with a phone number to call. Sounds to me like the head gaskets have gone and exhaust gases have got into the coolant when under high pressure, ie when on boost. The pocket or pockets of gas/air are now moving around the system which is why you may get hot and cold radiator and demisters etc.

I have someone who wants to view the car...

There is always a risk of further unseen problems, no matter what the job is. I would say it's unlikely the heads or block are cracked unless you have really cooked the engine and run it for a long time while overheating. They may be slightly warped but that should be put right with a skim, and whoever does the gaskets should skim them anyway as a matter of routine. A compression test before doing the gaskets wont be much use as there is no way of knowing if it's loosing compression through a failed gasket, cracked block or piston ring etc... It will just tell you what you already know, which is the engine needs to come out. Draining the fluids and removing the engine should take one man about a day, so that is a sizable lump of labour to pay for no matter what issues you find once the heads are off. It's very unlikely you will need them, but I have a pair of AVCS heads for sale... :)

I would say £1,000-£1,200 is about right for just the head gaskets. I really can't see how anyone could do them for £700 unless they were making a loss. Obviously the other items will add to that, but you should only be paying for parts and no extra for labour as the cam belt etc needs to come off anyway to do the gaskets. I do know a Subaru specialist in Kent and I've only ever heard good things about him. I don't have his details to hand so I'll get back to you on that.

Sorry... £2,500 just for head gaskets? I think you need to shop around! Ask Tlag for a quote.

I wasn't! Paid £20 for one that had been very badly painted white. Spent the same again on paints and filler etc, had Bip kindly fabricate the fittings as mine were missing and after a few days work and waiting for paint to dry, all was well.

The car had a rare RFRB grille fitted and at the time I was looking to buy one. With the risk the car would never get back to the UK I decided to steal it! We fitted my standard one to his car and I kept the grille for several months but once his new engine was fitted I had to give it back :( I later found a damaged one on eBay and managed to restore it, so we're both happy now. (RFRB was Subaru's in-house styling department but they never sold it in the UK. Finding their stuff is neither easy or cheap!)

All is well now. The video was shot in October 2011 while heading home from a 2,500+ mile tour of Europe, and the car has since gone in to bigger and better things. For the record, Tlag is the one you hear saying "You can't drive f***ing normally!" when we first open it for a look. And Bip (also a member here) is the one in the yellow top.

Is it an air-suspension version? If so, you could be looking at all sorts of expensive problems and it may be easier to convert to standard :(

Subaru Legacy GX Lux 2.5 Auto Saloon. First registered 1st September 1999 Tax until 31st January 2014 MOT until 14th February 2014 (Valentine Day ) with no advisory 113,750 miles, give or take. Oil and filter service 1,500 miles ago. Super Fast White! 4-speed automatic with "Power" button. 16" Impreza Turbo 2000 wheels with slight corrosion. Loads of tread on the tyres (fronts are less than 6 months old, rears are about 18 months old). Tow bar with working electrics and a spare rear reg plate. Factory fitted "Luxury pack" which includes... Full leather (black) interior with a few scuffs but generally in good condition for the age. Heated front seats, perfect for those cold mornings we've been having. Heated electric mirrors Cruise control, makes the car a great motorway cruiser. Ice cold air-conditioning with climate control. Works perfectly should you like that sort of thing. Windscreen Wiper De-Icer. The body work is showing signs of age and could use some TLC as the paint work has started to discolour in places and there are a few "touch up" areas that were done by a previous owner to a less than ideal standard. If there is no interest on the forum, the car will go on eBay just as soon as I can get some better photos. Make me a serious offer :) I'm based in Worcester.

If you choose a good air filter (Subaru STi for example) or induction kit, and don't mind getting the car to run on higher octane fuel you should be able to get a 10% rise, maybe more. I wouldn't worry too much about an exhaust for an N/A as it's only turbos that really gain from a free-flowing exhaust. N/As tend to work better with a bit of resistance. Try and contact a chap called Bob Rawle at BRDevelopments. He will map N/A cars and has a very good reputation. He is based in Swindon which is miles away from you but he travels all over Europe mapping. Try to find out when he is next up your way and see if he can fit you in. Be warned, he is very busy so you may have to wait a while for a reply.

All the above is sound advice so nothing for me to add other than it was 2010 with the introduction of the hatchback Impreza that the head-gaskets were upgraded. Make sure you use these new ones when you get the car fixed.

Yes I'm sure it does but alas I've never had a chance to try one. But which badge would you prefer to ware... Nissan test driver or Audi test driver?