1996 Subaru Outback Reviews

Usual maintenance, brakes etc. Changed the timing belt at 102,000 miles as a precaution, although there were no problems with the car at the time.

Car is almost 17 years old, and it runs like new.

Have had other Subarus; all are THE BEST in snow. Love the "winter package" with heated seats, mirrors.

Have gone through knee high snow like it wasn't there, and the car tracks beautifully.

Cargo space is much bigger than it looks, and I have gotten a lot of stuff back there.

Safety. A friend rolled her Outback 4 times down an embankment, and came away with only a bruised thigh.

In 2007 I bought a 1996 Legacy Outback with 200,000 miles. Had a minor problem with a caliper that was sticking.

Regular oil changes and this baby will go far beyond 300,000 miles. There is no rust and the interior is worn, but very good considering the mileage.

I've never driven anything other than a Subaru. Every Subaru I've ever owned has gone beyond 250,000 miles. And the last one died because my husband met with a drunk driver. He lived because Subaru has an excellent safety record and he lived. Subaru vehicles are the best, and I love them.

The car performs as needed, and is always reliable.

Leaky gasket seals - All replaced, still occasional unlocatable drips.

Great workhorse, superb in rough country and pretty good on long trips. I have had no serious problems other than the gaskets, which were a pain. Car is a Japanese import and gaskets needed to be replaced within the first six months of my ownership. Other than that all I have had to do is change the oil and filters, brake pads and had the discs skimmed.

Interiors are standard, but comfortable enough. Ride and general driving has been really good. What can I say, great buying - do check those seals though, they are prone to leaking. However, they are relatively cheap enough to replace. Like anything, keep on top of it and it will all be sweet.

Head gasket blown at 193,000 miles.

Replaced brake pads and lines.

Bought the car a few years ago for $4000. Head gasket just blew at 193,000 miles. From reading here, it looks like I got lucky. Not interested in spending half the cost of the car to get the head gaskets replaced. Probably be something else in another couple of months, it's reached the point of diminishing returns.

I drove the car hard... off road, deep snow, and it never even flinched. I was the guy people called for a ride when the weather was so bad that they were trapped. Really loved this thing and am considering a 05-07 Impreza Sport. I'll get another one if I can verify that the head gasket flaw has been corrected.