So, I have a 1990 Honda Accord with 220K miles on it. It has done me well, but I think it is time to move on. The car is leaking oil and power steering fluid and it is getting close to a timing belt change. It also a 2-door coupe which isn’t ideal for a triathlete hauling around a bunch of crap every day.
My dream car is an Outback. I finally looked at a 1998 Outback with 95K miles on it. Asking price is $7950 and it is a manual which is a must for me. It needs a new clutch and new rear brakes, but the dealer was willing to get those done and knock the cost off of the price. I drove it and I mostly liked it more than my Honda. 4 doors, more room, wagon, all wheel drive, A/C is really cold, low miles, etc. The downsides are slightly worse gas mileage, no sunroof, and I can feel the engine vibrations through the shifter. My Honda feels more nimble and easier steering, but the Subaru has more power and I always bottom out in the damn Honda. I think I would be much happier with the Outback right now. The Honda has done well for 4 years.
Anyways, I’m look at this Outback and seriously considering it. What do the ST crowd think of Outbacks and how should I haggle the price down from the dealer?
My mom had that car. I passed my drivers test in a white subaru…Though that was in 98, so it could have been a 97 model. Doesn’t matter. It was a great car.
Cutesy-up for the haggling part, that’s my recommendation. Short skirt, high ponytail, nice flirty top. Works for me.
So, after doing some research on the car, it seems that Subbies are known for having a blown head gasket problem that occur completely unexpectedly and they happen mostly under 100k miles. As much as I wanted an Outback, I’m having second thoughts now due to this problem.
I have read the same thing about Subarus regarding the head gasket. I think this especially a problem in cars where the cooling system was not meticulously maintained. I have no idea about the number of failures however, just that this is a problem perceived to be common.
I had an exact equivalent to that car. I sold it with 85,000 miles. It was due for tires and a clutch at the time. No problems with head gaskets although it did tend to use a little oil (quart every 800 miles or so). I consistently got 23 mpg around town and 26-28 on the highway. Not a bad car but, as you noted, somewhat rough running compared to a Honda. Coming from SUV’s, it was a nice change - better mileage, handling, smoother ride and about 85% of the utility/cargo.
Subaru is the vehicle of choice around here (North Cascades, WA.) and many have over 200,000 miles on them.
“You know you are getting old when you see your father in the mirror.” anon.
I think the head gasket it more an 80s to early 90s subaru problem. I just got rid of a '91 Legacy with 160,000 miles and it was still running well. Now I have a 2000 Legacy with 55,000 miles. I was lucky: My dad sold me it for $8,000. Outbacks are OK, but Legacy 4WD wagons are just as good. The only difference is a bit of clearance I think. And you gotta buy more expensive tires. -TB
Since it was the car my mom and I drove, I bet you it was never maintained once in all the years we had it. (at least not by us. Maybe one of the boys took it to the shop while we weren’t looking.) I dont remember any problems with it whatsoever, unlike with the other cars we’ve had.
I’d go for it. Check the NADA values. I’d start at $6,000 and go from there. As for the headgasket issues, I think if you read enough about any car with a long history like the Legacy/Outback you’ll probably find some kind of “bad rap.” On the other hand, I see a lot of rusted old, old Subarus on the road. Body looks like hell, but motor still spinning like a top. I think that is a good sign. I’ve owned two (on my second now). Bought them new so I can’t really relate to buying one used, but I can tell you they have ben great cars. Hey, I bought a second one, didn’t I?
I’d be hesitant. We have a '96 Outback and between 100k-120k miles we put in major $$, mostly related to the engine. It may have been gasket-related, but we had bent valves which required taking the engine out to repair. We now have 175k on it and have put in relatively little $$ in the last 50k, so I’m glad we did what we did, but the next 30k on that car could be a nightmare.
I believe the engine design changed with the 2000 models. We a have a 2000 Outback (yes, we seem to collect Subarus) with 75k on it, and so far so good.
I have a 99 outback limited with 100k and just had the O ring replaced and while they were in there the timing belt done. It has realtively new tires and just had the breaks done. If I could sell it for $6,000 I would be happy. $7,900 is way too much if the timing belt and O ring haven’t been replaced. Also when they did the brakes, I probably should have sprung for new rotors. After 100k the rotors get old and begin to crack.
I’m also planning on keeping this car until it hits 200K or so. I’ve put over 65K on my Accord in 4 years and I want to keep it for awhile longer, but I think it might be better to go ahead and get rid of it because of some pending issues that may arise soon (timing belt, leaking, not burning, oil, etc).
Puttin some money into once isn’t that bad. THat’s typical of most cars, but I would rather put money in my new Outback than my dying Accord since I will have the Outback for longer and enjoy it more.
Maybe the vibrations through the shifter could be indicative of getting close to needing new motor mounts - just a thought. I’d question why the dealer hasn’t already replaced the clutch and done the rear brakes, mind, if it’s on a lot ‘ready for sale’. Not sure how many of these are available where you live, but maybe you shouldn’t jump into the first one you see. I nearly bought one here when my Camry was starting to look like it would cost a bit more in repairs than what it was worth, but there were very few available, and those that were were pretty average condition and quite high in price. I ended up with a '98 S70T5 Volvo (in my price range, similar to Outbacks), brilliant car, back seats fold down and plenty of room for my crap. Just my .02c.