1997 Subaru Outback review from North America
"Overall a good, tight reliable car"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Brakes replaced at about 60,000 miles.
Valve cover gaskets leaked at about
130,000 miles.
Very noisy valve noise at startup in cooler weather, replaced the timing belt tensioner at 130000, this gave some improvement, but still very noisy.
Dash lights for the heater controls went dark very early on. Expensive to repair.
Clutch squeak at idle, but the clutch still has good life left at 138,000 miles.
Exhaust system noises.
Original sound system was terrible was replaced with an aftermarket unit with good results.
General comments?
The seats are uncomfortable for long commutes.
The gas mileage isn't too bad for 4wd. About 26 mpg on highway.
Very stable in rain, snow etc.
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| 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 | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5 Manual |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 5 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 14000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 138000 miles |
| Previous car | Volkswagen Scirocco |
| Date of Entry | 8th September, 2004 |