Average life of Subarus

[Reveeen]

Hey Guys;

 

What is the average mileage expectancy of a Subaru?

 

You have to define the owner before you can make an "average" call.

 

An "average" car owner buys a new car with a warranty, and a monthly payment. They have "average" jobs, mostly being desk operating do nothings, hopefully making above average money to afford a Subaru (because we have to admit a new Subaru is a bit more expensive than a Suzuki, or a Honda Civic). These types of folks trade their cars every 3-5 years, so the "mileage expectancy" does not come into play.

 

If you do your own work (tinkering?), and have (or make?) a habit of catching a "problem" before it becomes a disaster, plan on owning a car for 10+ years, and have good mechanical "karma" (for the want of a better word), then the limiting factor becomes the effects of rust and corrosion.

 

(there is not a Subaru in attendance here with less than 300,000 miles, and one with 400,000 due to retire because of rust)

[lhrocker]

My 86 GL 3 door lasted 10 years/150K. My 95 Legacy L, purchased in 2003 at 107k lasted 3 years/204k. My 97 was purchased this year with 119K on it and I expect it to go into the 200k range. And lastly, my 2003 Legacy SE has 45k in 4 years.

[idosubaru]

Hey Guys;

 

What is the average mileage expectancy of a Subaru?

 

define "life expectancy"? you do realize everyone has a different oppinion and decision making process? is this a real question or mental exercise? i say 200,000 is reasonable to expect without much effort.

[nipper]

And what your defantion of dead is. Mine is Rust. If the car has no rust, and is in good shape, its worth putting a new driveline in.

 

 

nipper

[The Beast I Drive]

I have a 78 Brat with 698,000 miles on it; it needs a new starter though

[zyewdall]

I have a 78 Brat with 698,000 miles on it; it needs a new starter though

 

LOL :lol::lol: Best get that fixed I think.

 

Sad thing is that the guy I sold my '85 GL wagon to threw it away when the starter died a year later. Rust free body too.

[vic/se]

I have a 78 Brat with 698,000 miles on it; it needs a new starter though

 

Are you on the subaru high mileage club?

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

...Subarus DO HAVE high mileage expectancy.

 

You can be Sure of That! ... just come to Latin America... in my Country there´s no Road Salt, but plenty of Bad Roads, and you can see Lots of Old Subarus still Runnin´ Good! ... Even from the late 60´s, 70, and plenty of 80´s...

 

Sadly the Newer are Fewer, ´cos they´re High Priced... but there are many newer ones too...

 

Last Week I did Pass a Very Nice -like new- condition 1969 Subie...

[Jackrabbit]

The biggest thing I have seen that can kill Sub's is overheating from clogged radiators. I have known a few guys that have had to take there rides out back and shoot them because they didn't watch the warning signs. The second (speaking of experience with the EA82, not sure about newer engines)is if the wrong timing belt goes out first, you can throw a rod, although I have never heard of this happening. The primary belt is suppose to be made to go out first to disable the engine. I blew two myself in my younger, poorer days without injury to the engine.

 

I personally have an '85and1/2 Loyale out back that just needed new seals all around at 300,000+ miles. I didn't have the time to do the work and replaced it with a 98 Outback. It has sat for 3+ years, but has started right up each time I've messed with it.

[neilinda]

People tend to keep thier subarus, so you wont see many for sale. Going by sale numbers are faulted.

 

Subarus overall tend to hold together really well. Even if something as pesty as throwing a rod happens, usually everything else attached to that is still as good as new.

 

Blu threw a rods at 191,000 miles due to the previous owners beleif in once a year oil changes (it was not synthetic oil either).

 

If well Maintained Subarus do not have an upper end on their mileage.

 

What does seem to go out eventually is the AWD clutchpack (over 200,000 miles from old age) in the automatics. Manuals seem to get a grumpy synchronizer or two.

 

There is no systematic pattern in 90's on subarus as to failure. They have some HG issues (but all mfgs do from the same time period). Wear items go, but no where near as often as the competitors items do.

 

Blu has 211,000 miles on him, and my only nit is the drivers seat back heater doesnt work.

 

nipper

 

Do you know what's involved in changing the synchronizer?

Mine (210K) is grumpy, and i'm wondering if it is something that could be changed by my brother (who's a mechanic)...

 

Thanks for any help with this, linda

[GeneralDisorder]

Do you know what's involved in changing the synchronizer?

Mine (210K) is grumpy, and i'm wondering if it is something that could be changed by my brother (who's a mechanic)...

 

Thanks for any help with this, linda

 

It would be best if you started a new thread for your issue - this thread is 3 years old and is talking about high-mileage, not syncronizer failure.

 

GD

[Fairtax4me]

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

 

Agreed, You'll get a much better response by starting a new thread.

[Crawlerdan]

my daily driver is a 92 legacy wagon

344 k, original motor, original 5 spd. still getting 27mpg

 

also have a 92 loyal with 612k on original motor. been rebuilt once

[1-3-2-4]

I brought my car at 195,065 miles and I just rolled over 227,000 this morning I plan on keeping it for awhile.

[djmark7]

98 leg wagon bought 4 yrs ago 180k, now 257k still going strong

[Sam_Subaru]

A friend of mine bought a Subaru (85 DL) with 456k running and driving, on 2nd transmission, he was at 704k and the 4th transmission when I told him to get on a forum and ask about the brake issue and to brag about the mileage

 

Hadnt seen a post, called him and his wife told me she had very bad news and was very sorry to inform me that he was hit by a drunk driver. My best friend is okay, but the Subaru is toast, body is mangled and engine caught fire

 

My 2003 just died recently in a ditch and for 7 years old she had 194k on her, trips from Vancouver to Portland and Salem and Even up to the Canadian border a few times

Edited August 26, 2010 by Sam_Subaru
Forgot to brag about my 2003 WRX :(

[GeneralDisorder]

Zombie Thread!

 

.....It lives again! You have to kill the witch doctor that brought it back or it will just keep feeding on the minds of the living

 

Everyone! Quick! Hide your Brains

 

GD

[SubaruJawn]

i had one with 300,000 + Miles. it started up and ran like new every time.

did allot of traveling that little blue Subaru. (1990 2.2L Legacy)

 

if i have to estimate I'd say the mileage would roll over at least 2X with proper maintenance.

 

i love Subaru and having that blue one made me love them even more.

[vic/se]

I'll keep mine forever!.....

[welly]

Feel a bit out of it here with only 130k miles on my 2.5 Legacy MT (2000 my). Did the HGs at 100k when I fitted new rear exhaust parts. Was impressed with the original lasting 7 years - and the front part is still original. Not long after that had to replace clutch (release bearing went and clutch was pretty worn when I had a look at it). But i would fully intend to keep this till 200k at least and with, I hope, no more major expense. Quite happy doing the basics myself, might give timing belt a go myself next time. I do have access to a good mechanic who doesnt charge the earth so that keeps costs down. Had a Saab that did 190k with no issues and my motorcycle has 102,000 miles on it. I like vehicles to last; my wife tends to like something thats not too old.

Edited August 27, 2010 by welly

[Subaru_dude]

1996 Subaru Outback 5spd. 220,000 miles and depending on how I drive it, can use oil. If I drive it hard with alot of high RPMs it'll use a quart every 3,000. Less spirited it will use none. Doesn't feel like it's low on power at all, seems to have plenty of it. Rides great, no noises. Have seen plenty of Subarus with 400,000+ miles. My nephew's Impreza (which I handed down to him) currently has 260,000 on original motor and trans. I resealed the trans with a new clutch about a month ago. Judging by the way that car runs, another 250,000 should be absolutely no problem at all.

[SubiDemon]

I'll check in with my mileage...

 

1990 Legacy manual with 323,xxx

 

It runs great, shifts great, gets 26 mpg, 120 PSI (±1) in each cylinder. It needs tires and shocks though. I had to replace the rear end for about $30 a couple of thousand miles ago.

[Dodge Aries K]

Let's see... current inventory between my girlfriend, my buddy who lives here, and myself...

 

1983 Dodge Aries K 5 speed wagon - 109,600 miles on it and going to be restored

 

1986 Subaru GL-10 Turbo 5 speed wagon - 107,500 miles on it and on it's 2nd engine (I think)... still runs like garbage but it's a project car. Emissions delete and slight build up for racing will eventually occur

 

1992 Subaru SVX - 191,000 miles on it. Engine has 160K on it and was replaced before I bought the car since the original engine had a catastrophic failure at 185K. Probably has had like 25,000 transmissions in it though.

 

1995 Subaru Legacy L 5 speed wagon - 196,000 miles on it. Buddy bought it at 168K and it had all new seals and gaskets on the engine. Just put a new clutch in because the old one was making rattling noises. Rear diff is starting to get a bit noisy but it's been trouble free.

 

1996 Dodge Dakota V8 - 172,000 miles. Besides the fan flying off of the water pump and destroying the radiator it's been good the 8,000 miles I've driven it thus far... more than half of them pulling a car behind it.

 

1996 Subaru Outbacks with 2.2L's and 5 speeds - One has 151K, original everything, and runs awesome. One has 211K, original everything, and also runs awesome. One has 264K, is piss beaten/offroaded/abused, and still runs awesome besides some crappy synchros for 2nd and 3rd gears. The high miles winner of the group sure as hell could use some new struts as it's become too scary to drive on the highway.

 

There, that about does it. Wheee!

[johnceggleston]

i don't know if this is average or not, but over the last 16 years, my wife, son and i have driven 275k miles on 5 subarus (93 - 97 legacys & outbacks) with only 2 tows. one was a trans and the second was my son's bad battery connections.

(other miles on a nissan and a toyota.)

 

average?

[Sonia1313]

Hi there, my 95 liberty wagon has just it 424,000kms, it already had 385,000 when i purchased it, starting to have some teething problems now though, the suspension is about buggered, clunks and pops and squeaks, from what i can gather it is burning oil, the seals are gone, the valve and piston issue /rings, and i have had ongoing issues with the 'clutch shudder' even after replaced three times, faulty indicator staulk, and just recently the 'check engine light' has started coming on (((

Rarely but it loses compression every now and again going uphills to the point where it just sounds like its running on one cylinder then it stalls and dies, i restart and its fine.  

Overall happy with the car, except for lack of security features and the excess fuel consumption really lets it down...