Junkyard Gem: 2003 Subaru Baja

As our reviewer asked when writing about the 2003 Baja: Remember the Subaru BRAT? Yes, from the 1978 through 1987 model years, Subaru sold a version of the Leone with a pickup bed in the United States, and memories of the BRAT remained fond even after all the lawsuits over injuries suffered by passengers riding in the Chicken Tax-avoiding jumpseats. That's why it seemed to make sense for Subaru to give the BRAT treatment to the much larger Legacy; today's Junkyard Gem is one of those first-year Baja pickups.

Most of the discarded Subarus I document are found in car graveyards located in my Subaru-loving home state of Colorado, but I spotted this one 1,300 miles to the southeast. That's right, New Orleans, Louisiana, home of Louis Armstrong, Professor Longhair and the Cain't Git Bayou 24 Hours of Lemons race. I was in New Orleans to judge at the 2024 Cain't Git Bayou event and found time to sneak over to the Pull-a-Part nearby.

I haven't been able to find a Baja in a Colorado junkyard that wasn't burned and/or mangled beyond easy recognition, presumably because they are so beloved in the Centennial State that owners keep the not-too-trashed examples on the street. I spotted two of them at the New Orleans Pull-a-Part.

Subaru built the Baja for the 2003 through 2006 model years, terminating production after disappointing sales numbers. In fact, this publication rated the Baja as the sixth most embarrassing car you could drive, back in 2013 (#1 was the Smart ForTwo).

The Baja was essentially a stretched Legacy Outback wagon with a pickup bed grafted on. In 2003, American Subaru shoppers could still get a Legacy Outback sedan (which remained available through 2004), though exterior Legacy badging was dropped from the Outback sedan and wagon starting with the 2000 model year.

The reason the Baja had to be a half-foot longer than its Outback wagon sibling was so there would be room for four doors and a back seat.

There were "Sports Bars" behind the cab to strengthen the structure and give the Baja a tough off-roady appearance.

The bed was small but useful.

All the Bajas had 2.5-liter boxer-fours under their hoods, either a SOHC naturally-aspirated version rated at 165 horsepower and 166 pound-feet or a DOHC turbocharged version with 210 horses and 235 pound-feet. Only the non-turbo engine was available for 2003 and that's what we have in this truck.

The base transmission was a five-speed manual, but this Baja has the optional four-speed automatic.

Those automatics often had expensive problems later in life, but I think blown head gaskets caused this truck's demise. There's an unused gasket kit inside; presumably the final owner decided engine removal was too much hassle for a gasket job and sent it off to the junkyard. That's the problem with boxer engines and their hard-to-access cylinder heads.

The keys are still in the ignition.

That's a bit saddening, because someone loved this car. We can see from the Subaru Love badges that this was its owner's fourth Subaru, and that the owner's interests included pets, hiking, musical theater, cooking, camping, Scouting and family life. I see very few of these badges on junkyard cars.

It was the multiple choice vehicle, sort of like the Pontiac Aztek.

Lance Armstrong was still doing car advertising as the next decade dawned, but then it all fell apart.

Reincarnation is real!