1998 Subaru Outback review from North America
"The Sube isn't perfect, but it's a solid, well built car that's very capable"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Headgasket popped at 114K miles with no overheat and no warpage. We had it repaired and have driven 87k miles since with no problems.
Knock sensor died a few years ago and was repaired.
We've had 3 front main seals in the car and it's leaking slightly again.
The harmonic balancer needed to be replaced last year at about 185K miles.
Recalls for the alternator and brake master cylinder - replaced at no charge.
General comments?
Overall a very good and reliable car in my opinion. It's had its issues, but only once in more than 200k miles has it needed to be towed.
It has received regular maintenance, always starts, runs smoothly, everything works, and it remains a pleasure to drive especially in poor weather.
My biggest gripes about the car are the seats and the location of the cup-holder; not bad overall.
I fully expect the car to exceed 250K miles with ease.
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| 1998 - Outback Limited Edition 4 cylinder We love the car, but not the cost of repairs! |
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| Stay away from Subaru |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 DOHC Automatic |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 36200 miles |
| Most recent distance | 201400 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 19th June, 2009 |