1998 Subaru Outback Limited Edition review from North America

Since we purchased the car, we have completely redone the brakes, the suspension, and most recently, the engine was running hot so the thermostat was replaced first, then the radiator and finally, they figured out that the headgasket had to be replaced in the motor.

A week ago, the car caught on fire in the driveway from a faulty motor on the engine fan which shorted out. The damage that that caused is still pending as it had to go through insurance. I will say that the car had not been driven that day for over twelve hours when the fan shorted out. Had we not been paying attention and acted as quickly as we had, the whole car would have been a right off. That may be a good thing or bad! Anyway, the damage under the hood was pretty extensive due to the fact that all the wires need to be replaced and anything that was plastic melted to some degree. We still do not know about the engine itself or the radiator. Friends of ours bought a Legacy 1998 and also had to replace their headgasket two months prior to ours going.

Hope this helps anyone make a wise choice before considering buying a used one. Check to make sure the engine is in good condition or that the head gasket has already been replaced or you will be paying for it in the near future!

Engine and wiring has problems in the 1998 model of the Outback. Know from experience!