Buying a used outback advice / Carfax needed

[cidion]

So we are selling our old OBW, and buying a new one.

 

OLD:

2000 OBW, stock H4, 189,600 miles

 

"New" one we are looking at:

2003 OBW LL bean, H6, 61,000 miles ( 4S3BH806337626626 )

 

Is there anything I should know about the '03 H6s? should we avoid them, does a "southern car" mean it will last longer than a northern one?

 

Also, if someone has some carfax's available, I'd love the info for that VIN.

 

Thanks guys.

 

Bryan

[idosubaru]

i just picked up the same car except it's the VDC version. nice ride no doubt.

 

the H6 is a fantastic motor so far. i would read through the recent H6 thread, it's got some great notes about oil changes and timing tensioner/pulley failures. i'm replacing mine based on the excellent feedback in that thread and it's not expensive anyway.

 

i have a car-fax account and might swing that for you if i get a chance. i'm on dial up now so sorry, not gonna happen.

 

southern cars won't necessarily last longer, they just have fewer rust issues because they don't see the winter, snow, and salt that northern/north east cars do.

 

but that's not often a concern, depends what kind of a consumer you are. most people reach the point where repair costs, issues, or mileage are a larger concern than rust.

 

it's hard to find a person looking to put 250,000 miles on a car, keep it for 16 years, and not mind paying for new alternators, radiators, A/C work, brake calipers, wheel bearings, all new hoses and seals, timing belt (chain in this case). for most people those are real concerns before rust ever gets bad.

 

don't think it's much of a deal maker or breaker. the OBW H6 i just picked up doesn't have much rust to speak of so i'm not too concerned about, even though it came from Michigan.

 

i wonder if there's any chance that southern cars don't get some "winter" treatment or undercoating that northern cars get. so bringing one north might be more problematic? i don't think that's the case, but might be a valid question to ask the guru's here.

 

for some of us it's worthy to note. i'm picking up a southern XT6 in two days hopefully for that very reason. but that's also a 20 year old vehicle.

Edited January 18, 2009 by grossgary

[subyfreak]

+1 on the H6. I have a 01 obw beaner edition and really like the engine. Check the seals around the sunroofs for cracking. being a southern car they are subjected to sun+heat and often don't get any care. Don't let it being a southern car jack the price. Mine is from Mid Ohio and has lived in Michigan it's whole 150000 miles and still no rust.

[3Pin]

Sorry, can't help with the carfax, but I have an 02 H6 Beaner as well and really like it. Really solid feel and drive down the road. At that mileage and age, the location where it is in my opinion is not that much of a factor other than individual market values fo rparticular areas.

 

Is this a private party transaction or a dealer? Good luck with the transaction.

[cidion]

Thanks guys for the advice. It's a used car dealer. Not an Subaru one.

 

I've always heard "stay away from the salt states!" but, then I get other advice saying it doesn't really matter.

 

So I do appreciate more help. =)

 

We'll see how things go tomorrow. His ebay reserve might be way more than we have at the moment. we don't want to finance anything either. car payments kinda suck. =)