Mileage Question

[doodleallday]

I'm looking into a 97 Subaru Outback with 155,808 miles for $4900. Is this a good deal? I've heard from a friend that Subarus are like Volvos in that they will hold their mileage well for a long time. I plan on getting a new Subaru in the future, once I have a career to afford one. However, being a full-time college student, I'm limited in my spending.

 

 

Is this generally a decent car? I drove a relatively new Outback Ltd up through the Rockies back in May and fell in love. I just wondered what their safety, gas mileage innercity/highway, repairs, etc. is like. I plan to check Consumer Reports up at the library this afternoon.

 

Any tips/suggestions would be helpful. I'm a complete Subaru noob, and I dont know jack about cars in general. :/ I just know I need an upgrade from my decrepit 1989 Volvo 740 GL that has smoke billowing out from under the hood.

[johnceggleston]

I'm looking into a 97 Subaru Outback with 155,808 miles for $4900. Is this a good deal? I've heard from a friend that Subarus are like Volvos in that they will hold their mileage well for a long time. I plan on getting a new Subaru in the future, once I have a career to afford one. However, being a full-time college student, I'm limited in my spending.

 

 

Is this generally a decent car? I drove a relatively new Outback Ltd up through the Rockies back in May and fell in love. I just wondered what their safety, gas mileage innercity/highway, repairs, etc. is like. I plan to check Consumer Reports up at the library this afternoon.

 

Any tips/suggestions would be helpful. I'm a complete Subaru noob, and I dont know jack about cars in general. :/ I just know I need an upgrade from my decrepit 1989 Volvo 740 GL that has smoke billowing out from under the hood.

 

this sounds high to me, but then my wallet is usually pretty thin.

 

subarus will run a long time if you take care of them. when looking at 96 - 99 outbacks you need to check if the head gaskets have been replaced. head gasket failure happens in 15 - 20% (estimated) of these cars. any 2.5L subaru engine 96 - 99. if the gaskets are new, ok if not then there may be a repair in the cars future. but at 155k miles, either it's been done or it's probably not going to happen because of the gasket design. but who knows.

 

the other thing to look for is torque bind. drive the car in tight circles at slow seeps, if it jumps or shutters or drives funny, that's torque bind. (it feels like drving a 4WD truck with the front hubs locked.) it's repairable but could be as much as 800 - 1200$.

 

some outbacks sell at high prices, some for a song. unless you need wheels in a hurry, take some time to shop around. these are great cars, i've driven over 200k miles in subarus (all 3 used with over 90k miles when i bought them) in the last 9 years and other than maintenance, i've had to but a used trans, and repaired torque bind twice.

 

this is not unusual, lots of similar stories on this site. welcome to the board and good hunting.

[doodleallday]

Thanks so much! I had read about the head gaskets being a potential issue for 94-96 subarus, but didn't see that it could be for 96-99 as well. The car salesman told me that the subaru had only been owned by one woman for the past 10 years, that they have all of the service records, and that the owner just spend $750 on new plugs, wires, fuel filter, and fuel injection cleaning. I'm gonna check it out at 3:30 this afternoon and will be certain to test for torque bind and ask about the head gaskets. $4900 is the cheapest I've ever seen a subaru. I've been looking at listings on and off since I fell in love back in May, but they're generally no less than $7-8k.

 

Hopefully I will be able to talk the owner down to $4k, but we'll see. Perhaps trading my 740 GL Volvo would get me down to $4k at least. My Volvo is utter crap now, but I've sworn my life by it as it saved me in a terrible wreck back in 2003. Upon reading that Outbacks have great safety, I decided to give a different Make a chance.

[johnceggleston]

i don't know any thing abouit these cars except they are for sale in north carolina. good luck

 

ps: 2.5L may have head gasket issues (outbacks, gt); 2.2L does not (legacy)

 

 

http://asheville.craigslist.org/car/403313978.html

 

http://asheville.craigslist.org/car/400614828.html

 

http://asheville.craigslist.org/car/396636777.html i lke this one. 1.5 - 2k wouyld be a good price maybe.

[/url]

http://asheville.craigslist.org/car/395267575.html

 

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/car/371571135.html

 

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/404113163.html

 

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/403425703.html

 

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/402565899.html

 

http://boone.craigslist.org/car/398135006.html

 

http://boone.craigslist.org/car/374595994.html

 

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/car/395992667.html

 

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/car/394187167.html

[ron917]

I also came to Subarus from old RWD Volvos (owned 3 240s). In my opinion, nothing is as durable as the old RWD Volvos. Note that durable is not the same as reliable. When they did break (usually an electrical problem), they were cheap and easy to fix. However, nobody builds cars like that any more, not even the new Volvos.

 

Subarus are built tough, and can last a long time. The biggest problems will be the head gaskets and rust (rust is the car killer here in the Northeast USA). Subaru parts tend to be expensive, but they are generally easy to work on.

 

The biggest issue in moving from Volvo to Subaru is the seats. Volvo makes the best seats, no exception.

[porcupine73]

That price seems way too high for that vehicle. Definitely check out craigslist. Also yes, that vehicle would has the phase I dohc 2.5L which can be prone to the internal head gasket issue. And you're looking at a large bill to have that fixed or some time if you're going to do it yourself. Unless the HG's already were replaced with the new multilayer steel type.

 

Also check any AWD Subaru for torque bind.

 

If you want something pretty solid that should have findable for not too much cash, check out an earlier 90's Legacy or other Subaru with the 2.2L. Those are pretty solid vehicles and shouldn't have too many surprises.

[mtnbob]

Just for reference, I just bought a 96 Outback a few days ago in Charlotte, N.C., 155,000 miles. All gaskets redone 4-5000 miles ago by Subaru mechanic. Timing belt done at 110,000, with receipts for all parts. Zero oil leaks, no torque bind, body in near perfect shape for the age, interior above average, ice cold air, and it came with an extra set of 15" Subaru aluminum rims. $3,000.00

[Kilroy]

I would have to agree as well, that price is too high. You should be paying somewhere in the $3k neighbourhood for that vehicle, no more.

[mtnbob]

As far as mileage I get 22mpg with my 97 Outback, but I drive fast and hard:grin: I think Outbacks are very reliable as long as you do a timing belt change every 100k and oil every 5k or so. I had my tranny flushed when I bought it because my mechanic felt it had some slight torque bind. Now almost 200,000 miles later its still going fine, over 274,000 on the car and tranny, only about 100,000 on current engine due to a wreck that damaged my radiator without me noticing till too late.

[stevetone]

Beating a dead horse, but that price is way too high. Plenty available for cheaper here in Wisconsin!

 

BTW - how many times are you going to post the same question?

 

Steve

[elborak]

Just another price point for reference...

 

Picked up an '02 Legacy L wagon (not an outback) with 130k miles in June. Timing belt & axles replaced by the dealer before selling. Minor nicks & a few interior problems (such as a missing cup holder) that I was able to repair for under $100 but otherwise in excellent shape. Cost me $5900 from a local used car dealer that specializes in higher mileage, late model Subarus.

 

The price you quoted is over $1000 too high.

[doodleallday]

Checked Kelley Blue Book and it has 1997 Subaru Outback Wagon with 155k mileage in Good Condition for $4700. I talked the guy down to $4k. I put down a $250 deposit and am taking it to a mechanic Monday to get it looked at. It has all of the service records, including a timing belt that was replaced at 130k, oil changes every 3k, etc. but nothing about a head gasket replacement. But we'll see what the mechanic says. Thanks for all the help!

[elborak]

I'd take Edmunds book value over KBB any day. KBB is almost always higher than the "real world". What does Edmunds say?

 

Edit: Looks like Edmunds is about $3200 for the described vehicle. About what the folks here are saying.