Faults:

My husband does all the oil changes at 5,000 km, faithfully. He had replaced the front and back struts, fuel filter, spark plugs two times and it is coming due again. We’ve had all the axles replaced once over this time and CV joints at garages, and the fuel pressure sensor.

We’ve had three sets of summer tires on this car with a set of winter tires that alternate between seasons. The winter tires have their own steel rims.

The 2.5 liter engine has had the timing belt replaced two times already, but these are all normal wearing items that need to be replaced per the maintenance schedule. We haven’t even replaced the spark plug wires yet, and the car runs great! My husband adds SeaFoam into the gas tank occasionally which keeps the fuel injectors cleaned, so there is no loss of power from carbon buildup in the intake. The 2.5 liter engine does not burn oil and goes oil change to oil change without adding additional oil. It does have a bit of an oil leak. We keep a cardboard under the car in the garage. So far we have not had a head gasket failure on this engine.

It has been one of the best vehicles either my husband or I have ever had. We both love this car. Even though we recently purchased a 2022 Subaru Outback Premier, we have no plans to get rid of this amazing car! It’s solid and because it was treated with TLC, it continues to look after us. We will use it to carry our kayaks into northern Saskatchewan instead of using the new Subaru!

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Built like a tank. Only owned it for a short time, but while I had it, very reliable.

Was hit by a drunk (he backed into me hard enough to push my car back with locked brakes), who then rammed it when I tried to stop him from running away. He was driving a 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4. I followed him while talking to 911 till he bailed and ran when the police appeared, leaving the truck behind. The truck had more extensive damage than my Subaru did, his front end was half gone and the Outback had a quarter panel caved in 2 inches, a broken back window and taillight. The hatch still worked. This was despite the truck hitting above the bumper and frame structure. The front end of the Subaru sustained no major damage at all; the only evidence of him hitting me was the 2" square mark left from his receiver hitch (my car was white).

So, just putting it out there that Subarus really are among the safest, strongest cars in the world.

Faults:

Muffler needed to be replaced (rusted out, about 2 years after purchase).

A/C leak needed to be repaired (when I purchased it).

Engine started burning oil (about one year after I purchased it).

Knock sensor needed to be replaced (about 1 month after I purchased it).

I replaced the engine at 230,000 miles.

New brakes all around.

New tires.

+ Even more new stuff.

I have about 5000 dollars invested in this car. And you know what? It's a good car. I did all the work myself, so I have a lot of new parts for the money. Plus, I replaced everything before it had a chance to break.

General Comments:

I bought this car used, and for a car with a quarter of a million miles, it seems to be very reliable.

I bought it wholesale from the dealer, who tried to tell me that I needed to replace this and that. I wisely ignored him. He said that my transmission and clutch were going to to fail, etc.

I drove it for 2 years, adding about a quart of oil each month, since it burned off. Eventually I needed to repair it to pass emissions, so I replaced the engine with a Japanese one.

I've been driving it ever since. Goes from A-B every time, in all weathers. Clutch is still working, and it shifts great, despite what all the "Professionals" keep saying, I fix it when I feel like it. And, for less money. 400 USD to fix the knock sensor? Ha. I did it for 120 bucks.