99 Outback $5300...good deal?

[ionic]

Happened to see a 99 Outback Limited wagon for sale today. It's got 133,000 miles, auto, leather, most all the options. I chatted briefly with the owner, a school teacher, who was very friendly. They bought a 2004 Outback H6 as a replacement, and she says she'll never buy anything but a Subaru from now on. The car body and interior look like they're in good shape, though with dirt typical for a family wagon. It doesn't appear like it's had any fender benders. She said they've had it sitting for sale for awhile, which means she'd probably take less than the $5300 asking price. I'm not really in the market for a new car, but my 93 Impreza daily driver with 73,000 miles, which has been a very reliable car, is really smaller and less comfortable than I'd like, which makes the Outback Ltd. with all the luxury touches look pretty nice.

 

I am a little concerned about the 133,000 miles, and I wonder if $5300 is a little high for the mileage. She teachers about 20 miles from home, so she said the miles were put on driving to work and on family trips to visit her relatives. What's the verdict on the 99 2.5 engine? Is it past the headgasket problem era or not?

 

Thanks.

[Subie Gal]

is the OBK a DOHC or an SOHC?

 

1999 had both, it could be either/or

 

Jamie

[ionic]

I think it's a DOHC on the Outback.

[Flowmastered87GL]

IF its not rusty and its SOHC and no blown head gaskets... probably not too bad a deal.

 

If I recall the DOHC is the ones that were prone to blowing gaskets.

 

If the title is salvage, also not too good a deal.

 

Mileage isnt too bad as long as gaskets are good in the engine and the tranny shifts good.