Anyone got anything good or bad to say about Subaru outbacks before I go buy one?

Answer 1

I have two Subarus, a 1995 and 2003 Legacys, which are mechanically the same as the Outback. (The Outback has body cladding to make it look more "outdoorsy" and it is raised a bit; otherwise the Outback is identical to the Legacy.)

Anyway, the cars are pretty reliable, although the manual transmission in the 1995 car failed at 135k miles. That car also has an oil leak that smokes and smells some, but it does not otherwise use any oil. Both cars are reasonably peppy and comfortable, and the 2003 car has excellent handling and brakes. Other than the transmission repair, all other maintenance has been routine. The 1995 car now has 157k miles on it and is going strong.

One more thing... I take care of my cars pretty well but the 1995 Subaru just looks good after all these years. The paint is in great shape, it has lots of shine and there is no rust anywhere.

I recommend Subarus -- they are a good value for the money.

Answer 2

I have a 98, Outback Limited wagon that has 279,000 miles. It's been a great car. I just had the dreaded "head gasket" problem at 264,000 miles. When the work was to be done it was suggested that the short block be replaced because it wouldn't last much longer. After a $4000 rebuild it's running great and I hope to reach 500,000 miles with it.

If you think about buying a 98 or 99, make sure the engine stops knocking after 10 minutes of running. The 98's and 99's were pretty noisy at start up but Subaru claimed it was normal and would go away after the engine warmed up. They called it "piston slap". If it continues to knock after warm up, it could be ready for the "head gasket" repair.

The transmission (auto) was replaced at 84,000 miles but from what I hear, Subie trannies are pretty reliable and my failure was rare.

I'm not hard on the car and 95 percent of the mileage on it is from highway driving. Good luck with your purchase.

Answer 3

If it was me I wouldn't get an outback, I'd get an Impreza WRX STI, but that's just me. As for the head gaskets blowing out I know of one 90's model impreza that had the problem and it was a $200 repair, after that whatever you told the car to do it flat out did. No modifications on it and it was at 250,000 miles last time I checked. I've never heard of a Subaru of any kind that got any less than 100,000 before it was taken off the road. Maybe offroading is what would cause a short life span, no I doubt that too. It all just depends on how you treat the car and what you are going to do with it.

Answer 4

Best friend runs the dismantle shop/shipping department at a salvage yard, there is a huge backlog for Subaru Outback engines right now, they seem to blow head gaskets rather easily, and when they do, they take out the cylinder heads. He usually has 10-12 on backorder. And these are not high mileage cars (60-75k miles)

Answer 5

I have had more cars than Carter has little liver pills but the Subaru outback is by far the best car I have ever owned. It is the best all round car I have ever seen. Unlike a lot of people, I put a car through heII and the Outback has done the best of all of them.

Answer 6

Outback are great cars...based off the Subaru Legacy....I'd like to see them sometime in a turbo edition model. I dont see that coming anytime soon.

Answer 7

They are generally good cars that will last you a logn time. They are well built and can get you through the winter as they are built for more rugged conditions than other wagons.

Answer 8

Good car that will last a long time....if you want to read reviews of the car itself...or any potential issues that people are having with it., go to edmunds.com you can read the editor reviews. Check out the forums for issues.