1997 Subaru Outback from North America
Summary:
Great car for most all occasions
Faults:
Our engine blew at 11200 miles due to blown head gasket on one side. Everyone said, "Wow, that's not supposed to happen with a Subaru".
It burned lots of oil after the engine rebuild. The bad front seal was fixed under warranty by dealer who rebuilt the engine.
It needed a new clutch about every 60000 miles.
A bad alternator at 60000 miles left us stranded beside the road at night.
General Comments:
Generally, reliable. Excellent in snow. We preferred the Subaru to my 4x4 truck in Colorado mountains and ski trips.
Ergonomics (poor cup holder placement in front of stereo, seat and steering wheel adjustability for 5 foot tall driver) not very good, but some of this has been addressed in the newer model.
Main problem was blown engine despite impeccable maintenance and easy driving.
Not without it's problems, but day to day, it served us and our two dogs and our skis and bikes and canoe and raft very well.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 23rd May, 2003
7th Jul 2003, 11:32
Using your brakes as a primary speed adjuster on hills can result in boiling the brake fluid and loosing your brakes all together. You should down shift when making long descents, rather than wearing out your brakes.