1997 Subaru Outback review from North America
"Great car for most all occasions"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Our engine blew at 11200 miles due to blown head gasket on one side. Everyone said, "Wow, that's not supposed to happen with a Subaru".
It burned lots of oil after the engine rebuild. The bad front seal was fixed under warranty by dealer who rebuilt the engine.
It needed a new clutch about every 60000 miles.
A bad alternator at 60000 miles left us stranded beside the road at night.
General comments?
Generally, reliable. Excellent in snow. We preferred the Subaru to my 4x4 truck in Colorado mountains and ski trips.
Ergonomics (poor cup holder placement in front of stereo, seat and steering wheel adjustability for 5 foot tall driver) not very good, but some of this has been addressed in the newer model.
Main problem was blown engine despite impeccable maintenance and easy driving.
Not without it's problems, but day to day, it served us and our two dogs and our skis and bikes and canoe and raft very well.
Recommended reviews
| Nice if I was ever able to afford the repairs to drive it |
|
| Subaru Head Gasket |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | 6 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 4 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 5 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 10 miles |
| Most recent distance | 120000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 23rd May, 2003 |