No kevlar vest here, It's BULLETPROOF.

First off, let me tell you a little about myself and how I have come to this type of review:

I am a 40 year old state of Michigan mechanic, certified in steering and suspension systems. I am considered an expert in the field of undercar diagnoses and repair, having rebuilt and aligned literally thousands of steering and suspension systems, ranging from vehicles as small as a Mazda Miata up to 1 ton truck chassis, and am involved in a continually ongoing cycle of training as new technology demands.


I have read many reviews on automobiles from aesthetic, interior, power, warranty, options, etc... points of view. I believe an important, but always neglected area, though is from an undercar point of view, and let me tell you, most people are missing a very important part of researching a prospective major purchase by not being well enough informed about the running gear.


There are some very well engineered and built suspensions out there, but all the same some very weak and suspect ones in my opinion, and my purpose is to help you make a more informed decision. If a decision is being made between one of a few different vehicles, I hope to help you decide based on my experience, which one will be better for you from the standpoint of strength of, and reliability of, one of the most important parts of the vehicle as a whole, the steering and suspension system.

THE GOOD STUFF:

Now, on to the underneath of the Subaru Legacy/Loyale. I have nothing to say bad about the running gear of this car, or any other newer Subaru vehicles. I have been working on cars for long enough to know when somebody gets it right and Subaru nailed it on this suspension !

First off, they allow alignment specialists to actually adjust the angles, which is a good thing. Most other foreign (and domestic cars for that matter) only allow for toe in/ toe out settings, but with the Subaru they allow for front camber adjustment. This is important in that when the coil springs weaken, the camber angle will change, and if you can't adjust it to factory spec, you will end up with excessive tire wear and an ill handling vehicle.

The rear toe is also factory adjustable so there is no need to upset the rear suspension by needing to shim it, should it require adjustment, you just loosen the cam bolts, adjust it back into align spec., and you're good to go.

The tie rods and ball joints, though not factory greasable should hold up very well as evidenced by the fact that I don't really remember ever replacing any, and I've seen a few with over 200,000 miles on them, not newer models, but it is the same design since the legacy was introduced.

Springs, both front and rear do an admirable job and never need attention. They are long lasting units with nary a broken spring found by me during inspections. They also do a great job in keeping things suspended for the long haul. While many other manufacturers' springs weaken rapidly, the Subaru springs keep their strength for many miles, and keep the ride height right where the factory intended.

You also get a mediocre set of anti-roll bars front and rear. Since there is not a whole lot of weight to these fine autos, there really isn't a need for a large diameter set-up, so unless you intend on some very sporty driving, these factory ones will suffice.

ONE CAVEAT:

One word of caution, though. For some reason the factory alignment settings seem to get upset in shipping or transport, because I have seen nearly new vehicles very far out of alignment. So if you decide to make one of these your very own, make sure to take it to a reputable alignment shop and at least have them check the alignment so your first set of tires don't get ruined.

Now get in your shiny new Legacy and have a ball. You won't need to worry about the suspension one single bit. Read the reviews on the other aspects of this vehicle and make your choice, because the undercar view is a very strong one. The whole Subaru line is one of the best quality suspensions in design and execution I've ever come across. You will not be disappointed.