Faults:

When I got the car it was a farm car, so it was dirty inside and out.

Car needed a CV joint and a new clutch cable, sparkys and oil change, and the oil dipper. Recently the steering rack went, But they don't usually go I was told. The driver's side seat was ripped and little ones on the rest, so I got seat covers and that fixed the problem.

I had problems with the points, but that was fixed.

General Comments:

This car is a tank. It just keeps going and going and going. It pulls a trailer that is 1 tonne and pulls with no problem.

This car is old, but there's no rust at all and it nearly runs like new, and has done 330,000km and is still running like new

This car is a little beast. I have reved it really high sometimes to get the trailer up the hill, but it never overheats, but sometimes when just trying to get a car park when the car is warm it heats up, but I don't know if that's normal or not?

This car is unstoppable and if you find one in good nick, buy it. It's cheap on petrol and great on rego, and I tell ya, the 4wd mode works well, but it's an old car, but a great car indeed.

Faults:

Well, unfortunately quite a bit.

Carburetor went bad; rebuilt with $82 dealer rebuild kit; kits only available from dealer.

Distributor now needs replacement due to badly worn bushing, a common problem.

Used availability is poor and new cost is very high.

Auto tranny shudders under acceleration.

Some minor wiring problems have come up.

Many underhood rubber and plastic parts are not of high quality, and have become brittle with age.

Rust is a serious problem for all Subarus of this vintage.

General Comments:

I've owned Several Subarus, which are very well suited to driving conditions in Colorado. They are excellent in snow, even 2wd models. The older models had more ground clearance than other cars, and 4x4 models had an honest-to-goodness dual-range transfer case. These features make the car a viable choice for back-country exploration, and they will go places normally only accessible in off-road vehicles.

The major mechanical components are capable of running reliably beyond 200k miles if well maintained.

This particular model, with the auto trans, is also a very nice cruiser, with good quiet ride, surprisingly decent handling, and amenities like power windows and a sunroof. A/C and heater are both powerful. General comfort is good; head and leg room is plentiful, though the seats are only average.

On the downside, service accessibility is horrible. Jobs that should be simple are often a nightmare on this car, so it is not ideal for the do-it-yourselfer. Subaru was also notorious for mixing and matching parts from different suppliers, and as a result parts availability can be dismal, whether new, used or aftermarket. For this reason, running costs are higher than they need to be.

Performance is also a weak point. With the auto, hills often require a shift to second gear and a speed of 40-45mph. Mileage is in the 20-30 range depending on use. Steering lacks feel but brakes are quite good.

Despite the negatives, an older Subaru is an excellent choice, if you can use its do-everything versatility, don't mind paying for professional servicing or a fairly high level of general quirkiness, and don't want the hassles and expense of a larger SUV-type vehicle.