1998 Subaru Outback review from North America
"Great in snow, but essentially junk otherwise"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission popped out of first after 8 miles. Had to fight with dealer to get it replaced.
Gasket under plastic cover behind flywheel leaked, ruining clutch, replaced clutch at 76K miles.
Check engine light is usually on since 60K miles.
Had to cut off clicky rattly exhaust heat sheild before it drove me insane.
Clutch hose and master cylinder replaced at my expense at 100K, as per TSB that I had to pay for too, after the clutch pedal operated the clutch only intermittently.
Rear brake plates and drums have rusted away. Yep, brake plates are essentially gone!
Head gasket blown at 130 miles. Shocking!
General comments?
Great in the snow.
Uncomfortable seats.
Weak heater.
Expensive parts.
Head Gaskets are Achilles Heel, and expensive.
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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? | No |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | Manual |
| Performance marks | |
| Reliability marks | |
| Comfort marks | |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 0 miles |
| Most recent distance | 130000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 10th March, 2007 |