Baja questions, looking to buy, issues?

[mentalmuffinman]

Hello, first post..

 

I need to get a 4x4 for winter driving, and near me a Baja showed up for sale..  have to go back to get the year,

It's an odd light mustard color,  has 150,000 miles on it..

 

  What issues should I look for?  known rust areas?, known problems? 

This would be my first U R A BUS ( is that ok to say/use here?)

should I be worried about it having 150k on the clock..

Again I know zero about Subaru's..

 

I'll have more info when I go look at it,, 

I do know the tail gate doesn't latch,

It is an Automatic.. 

 

I'm guessing that this model is just another model (maybe a wagon) with the roof cut down and back made into a cargo bed..

I like the idea of a bed, but is it going to just be a premium cost because it's a "Baja"   and I could get the same thing in the model it's based off of for less?

 

It won't be used daily.. more winter, and when I need to haul parts, or pick up stuff..   I have other car for good weather, that gets great mpg..  and another that eats fuel .

 

so , The "winter warrior"   needs to be somewhat cheap "buy in"  . 

 

Thanks for any help on this..

and before someone post "use the search" , I'll be the first to say, my search engine foo, is lacking..

Edited April 12, 2015 by mentalmuffinman

[wtdash]

Hi,

The Baja is, as you noted, mostly a Legacy / Outback model. So searching for issues w/ the Legacy will net you WAY more info than just Baja.  

 

- Which means it has the head gasket issue to watch out for. I'm of the opinion that ALL Subarus w/the 2.5 non-turbo engines are susceptible to this...to the point I consider it a maintenance item like the Timing belt....@ 150K miles it's due.

 

- Timing belt AND ALL PULLEYs and WATERPUMP need to be done by 105K. If the Seller can't document it, then plan on it. Call around for quotes.

- Only and I repeat ONLY go to Subaru shops. Doesn't have to be the dealer, but just seems to be too many issues w/others.

- Rust is 'car-dependent' but I've seen a few from your NE area and they ain't pretty. When it comes time to do brakes or other suspension-related tasks, that could be an issue.

- 150K is where things can start to go wrong on any car...incl. the Baja. So if the Seller says he/she hasn't had to spend a dime on maintenance or repairs, doesn't mean it's not ready to empty the Buyer's pockets of $$.

 

GL,

TD

[jseabolt]

Hello, first post..

 

I need to get a 4x4 for winter driving, and near me a Baja showed up for sale..  have to go back to get the year,

It's an odd light mustard color,  has 150,000 miles on it..

 

  What issues should I look for?  known rust areas?, known problems? 

This would be my first U R A BUS ( is that ok to say/use here?)

should I be worried about it having 150k on the clock..

Again I know zero about Subaru's..

 

I'll have more info when I go look at it,, 

I do know the tail gate doesn't latch,

It is an Automatic.. 

 

I'm guessing that this model is just another model (maybe a wagon) with the roof cut down and back made into a cargo bed..

I like the idea of a bed, but is it going to just be a premium cost because it's a "Baja"   and I could get the same thing in the model it's based off of for less?

 

It won't be used daily.. more winter, and when I need to haul parts, or pick up stuff..   I have other car for good weather, that gets great mpg..  and another that eats fuel .

 

so , The "winter warrior"   needs to be somewhat cheap "buy in"  . 

 

Thanks for any help on this..

and before someone post "use the search" , I'll be the first to say, my search engine foo, is lacking..

 

Sounds allot like my Baja (mustard color).

 

First of all I must have one of the lowest mileage Bajas on the road. It just turned over 75K the other day and I bought it new about 2 week before Christmas in 2002. The bulk of those miles were during my "dating" years. Since I got married, I bet I've only put 20K miles the car in the past seven years!

 

And it's actually driven daily in the winter, eight miles to work and eight miles back. Not so much in the summertime, that's when I drive my collector cars.

 

Yes most Bajas have well over 100,000 miles on it. 150,000 miles seems to be more than norm than 75K miles.

 

I have heard Bajas in good condition well fetch more than book value if they are in great condition due to the fact they only built 30,000 of them.

 

The Baja is actually a few inches longer than the wagon. Not much maybe 4".

 

They were a hard sell considering the same dealership which sold Chevrolets had a 4X4 pickup on their lot that listed for $18K where mine listed for $25. Although not as nice and lacking all wheel drive but more payload space.

 

Mine has been very reliable so far. I had to replace a blown inner CV joint and O2 sensor which were an easy fix.

 

I don't think I've ever gotten a recall letter on mine. Although mine is a 5 speed I think some of the automatics had some issues.

[falconer315]

I just bought my Baja last month, and as of right now it gets over 250 miles to a tank. As long as it's in good condition there's not much the vehicle can't do. Like the one you're looking at, it has about 150,000 miles. Going back to what jseabolt said, depending on the condition they can certainly catch more than book value. When I was researching mine I saw '03's and '04's with 185,000+ still clearing the $10k mark. There were a couple of recalls on them, so you'd have to check with the dealer to see if they've been handled. If I'm remembering correctly it was something to do with a gas line breaking down at a pump. (I'm not exactly mechanically inclined, so I don't know all of the the specific parts/terms.)

 

You probably could get the Outback/Legacy/Forester for a cheaper price, but depending on the care you put into your winter warrior, you could have a vehicle that'll get you a higher retail value if you ever decide to trade it in. Or, if it dies, you can get a good price for a lot of those parts that Baja owners can't find elsewhere.

[tappermanor]

I bought my baja 2 years ago with 152k on it. I have since put 50k trouble free miles on it. Great car! They seem to hold their value more than legacy wagons or sedans since there are less of them around. A quick check on auto trade shows them from $6 to $15,000. Personally I would stay away from a turbo if I were you.

 

I may be selling mine if you are interested in a high miles, well maintained one at a good price.

 

Tapper