Cv joints needed replacing. Camshaft position sensor needed to be replaced. MAF sensor needed to be taken apart and re-soldered. windows roll down on their own. Rust developing on rear panels.
I needed a "snow" car, and was debating between this, and an used Outback. Decided on this when I found out the 2.5L had head gasket problems. Think I made a mistake. Gas mileage from the 2.2 is on the low side for a 4-cyl (20 city, 27 highway, 22 overall), and power is adequate at best. Would have preferred the extra grunt of the 2.5.
Anyway, since I bought it used, I expected it to have some problems. Worn CV joints being one of them. The check engine light flashing, it dying on the highway 3 times, and refusing to start 5 times weren't. Camshaft sensor fixed the starting problem, but the MAF was a nightmare. Car would suddenly slam forward, like the transmission locked, then sputter out and refuse to run. Turns out a connection for the wires leading from the sensor, INSIDE the housing for sensor were bad, so replacing the sensor to the tune of $200 did nothing. It was an easy fix, though, once I found out what was wrong. Just pulled the cap off the sensor housing on the air intake and re-soldered the connection.
Once I got past those quirks, the car became my buddy. It's like a Jeep in the snow, takes muddy construction sites like a truck, and I can throw anything and everything in it. I'm surprised how versatile a wagon is. Seats are comfortable, it has the best air conditioner of any car I've owned, and apart from some rust, it doesn't look 12 years old. Only things I dislike are the frame-less windows that somehow manage to creep down after a few days, and the flat-engine vibration at idle. Doesn't bother me all that much though, and I actually enjoy this car enough to consider buying a new one despite the initial problems.
Should've bought a 96 with all wheel drive LOL, but yeah they are great cars. I've got a 96 with 270,000ks, and it's still running strong, no problems ever except small things.
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