2003 Subaru Outback review from North America
"Great car, until the head gaskets fail, which they will at ~60,000-100,000 miles"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Replaced radiator at about 56000 miles.
Head gaskets went out at 57000 miles.
General comments?
Drove great, until the head gaskets blew and started overheating. I didn't know that Subaru had a history of this, and never truly fixed the problem. We drove a 1992 Subaru Loyale over 200,000 miles, and figured the '03 Outback would be just as durable, apparently not. We are very disappointed that this problem is happening, and also to find out that the fix is only temporary until the head gaskets crack again. As soon as it's out of the shop, we're trading in for a Toyota Rav4.
Luckily (??) our head gaskets blew before 60,000 miles, and the dealership mechanic has worked it out that Subaru will cover up to $1500 of the repair costs, so we'll only pay about $300 to get it out of the shop and trade it in.
It would be awesome if Subaru fixed designed their engines so that they would have a long-lasting car again, and then one day I'd maybe consider driving Subaru again.
Recommended reviews
| A car only for people who trade their vehicle in every other year or so. It doesn't hold up |
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| I am terribly disappointed in this car, which was out of warranty and died suddenly and completely |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 2003 |
| Year of manufacture | 2003 |
| First year of ownership | 2007 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 4 cylinder Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 0 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 9 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 38000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 58000 miles |
| Previous car | Subaru Loyale |
| Date of Entry | 1st February, 2009 |