Faults:

HEAD GASKETS needed replacing only after 10k miles of driving.

Transmission is failing.

Body style is plastic and cheap.

Plus a million other little things.

General Comments:

NOT WORTH IT!!! I have spent enough on this car to have bought a brand new one, and the list keeps growing. Both owners before me babied this car as have I.

These cars are flawed from the get go. 96-99 have internal HG leaks and 00-04 have external HG leaks. The percentage of Soobs that leak are EXTREMELY high. I'm staring at a 2000$ bill for mine right now! This car is a big gamble with high risk. I should have heeded warnings from other people, but I decided to get it anyway. Now I'm really regretting it.

Faults:

54,000 new battery/alternator.

80,000 new tires, front brakes.

88,000 engine light went on. Diagnosed with needing two exhaust/catalytic converters - not done.

88,000 major service.

90,000 replaced windshield, due to crack.

100,000 new rear brakes.

113,000 flushed coolant, added additive on my own.

Many chips on front bumper.

General Comments:

Good car. Great in all weather.

I purchased car used from dealer.

I have taken car to dealers several times for service.

I was NEVER told about Subaru extending warranty on coolant/told to add additive.

Faults:

As the original owner of a 2000 Outback with 40,000 miles, that is driven by my wife as gently as a car can be driven, I was shocked to be told that the transmission, which has an ever longer delay going into gear, would require a full replacement at a cost of approximately 3,000$$$. I wish I had read these posts before committing to the repairs. Now I will be waiting for the gaskets to go. Hopefully I can get some value out of this heap before that happens. My first and last Subaru. BE WARNED!!!

Faults:

Loosing fifth gear, this has happened to us twice. When it happened to us the second time our mechanic was very surprised, he had another car that he just fixed for the same thing a second time. He asked Subaru what was up and they told him to used lock washer (s) when doing the repair and that might help. So hopefully it will not happen again. If this happens to you ask your mechanic to use lock washers when making the repair - it could save you a second or third repair, which runs upwards of $1500.

General Comments:

The anti-lock breaks bounce the car and make lots of funny noises.

MPG is too low.

The car has cost us much more than planed for repairs.

Faults:

Day I paid the car off my CV joint and front axle broke at 130,000 miles ($1200.00 bill).

Check engine light came on at 100,000 miles (O2 sensor). Have not replaced this due to $850.00 price tag.

Replaced CD player at approximately 20,000 miles.

My tires really get chewed up fast on the highway (on third set after three alignments and regular balancing and rotating tires). Very frustrating.

Overheats regularly in 100-110 degree weather (had radiator and intake area cleaned due to only operating at 20% efficiency due to plugged with bugs!). ($150.00 bill)

Drivers seat is wearing out.

Headlights and fog lights burned out at 155,000 miles.

Undercarriage coverings are starting to fall off near engine.

Transmission problems. Automatic transmission shifts slowly and with considerable noise. Also when deaccellerating it sounds like the transmission is working too hard and making way too much noise. One repair shop said I need to take it to a transmission shop and bad noises coming from transmissionnny may mean a new transmission!?! I am going to replace transmission fluid first.

General Comments:

This car ran great in snow, rain, mud, hot weather until now. I loved this car until it started breaking down.

Have only been stuck in a snowbank once and regularly plows through snow drifts with ease. Very safe car on icy roads.

In cold snowing weather ice builds up severely on wheel well fender area and driver needs to continually break it free with foot or any available tools.