[jacksonpt]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?
2) how long have you had it?
3) would you recommend it?

I'm looking at an Outback 2.5i wagon. It's a lot more money than the other cars I'm looking at (Toyota Matrix, Mazda 3), but also seems to be a lot more car. I might go drive one on my lunch today.

 

[I Are Baboon]

1) approx 63,000
2) Bought it in Nov 2004 (it's an '05)
3) Yes. In fact, when it's time to replace mine, I'll probably buy another one.

Don't forget about that IMBA deal on new Subies (dealer invoice price on any new Subaru for IMBA members).

 

[binary visions]

A) 140,000
B) I've owned it for about 2 years, my dad owned it for 3 years before I bought it from him.
C) Yes. I've had no problems to speak of. The mass airflow sensor up and died on me which wasn't cheap, but all the other work I've had done to it has been normal wear-and-tear. Clutch needs to be replaced eventually. Needs new brake pads. Stuff like that.

 

[narlus]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?

~72K

2) how long have you had it?

i bought it used (it's an '02) in Sept '04

3) would you recommend it?

highly. hondas are the most troublefree car i can think of. gas mileage is great. all depends on what you are looking for in a car.

I'm looking at an Outback 2.5i wagon. It's a lot more money than the other cars I'm looking at (Toyota Matrix, Mazda 3), but also seems to be a lot more car. I might go drive one on my lunch today.

we had two. a '98 and '00. a few minor problems w/ them but overall they were solid cars and i don't regret owning them. i just wanted a cheap, dependable car for my daily driver, as the minivan is large enough for lugging stuff around. i would have gotten the mazda 3 or WRX wagon but even used, it was more $ than i wanted to spend.

 

[jacksonpt]

Don't forget about that IMBA deal on new Subies (dealer invoice price on any new Subaru for IMBA members).

Yea, I know... that is what has kept it in the running to this point. I have no idea what invoice on it is, but it's gotta be low 20s, maybe less. I can also get the Matrix at $100 over invoice, but the matrix is last on my list at this point.

 

[jacksonpt]

highly. hondas are the most troublefree car i can think of. gas mileage is great. all depends on what you are looking for in a car.

I'm confused... I remember hearing that Toyota bought into subie's parent company (I forget the name off the top of my head)... does Honda also have a piece of them?

 

[BillT]

2002 WRX Wagon
Almost 60k miles
Zero problems - only been to the dealer for oil changes and regularly scheudled maintenance.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Yea, I know... that is what has kept it in the running to this point. I have no idea what invoice on it is, but it's gotta be low 20s, maybe less. I can also get the Matrix at $100 over invoice, but the matrix is last on my list at this point.

You can get the invoice prices for all their models online, but I assume you already knew that. I have the H6 212hp model and I think invoice was around $26k.

 

[SkaredShtles]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?

~127K.

2) how long have you had it?[

Wife bought it new in 1997. So........ quite awhile.

3) would you recommend it?

It has been a good car. Have replaced a few things, but nothing huge. Some engine oil seals a couple times, a front half-shaft, brakes, etc. The only gripe I have is the marginal mileage (25-26mpg mixed driving).

I'm looking at an Outback 2.5i wagon. It's a lot more money than the other cars I'm looking at (Toyota Matrix, Mazda 3), but also seems to be a lot more car. I might go drive one on my lunch today.

A couple things I really wish Subarus did: allowed you to take the car *out* of AWD and just drive the front wheels for effiiciency. I also wish they had a low range for rough off-road. The standard trans in 1st gear is just geared to high to crawl on rough terrain.

 

[peter6061]

135,000 miles
Bought in 2000 (1997 Outback)
I've put some work into it and replaced the clutch, but I'd get another. This one is still rolling strong. We're currently looking at the Outback 2.5XT

 

[C.P.]

Approaching 115000
bought new in 2000 (outback wagon - 2.5 4cyl edit: wiith 5 speed. Orig clutch still good!
would buy again in a heartbeat (looking ot 06 outback XT's R/N)

Second the IMBA deal.

Oh yeah, if it matters, I get approx 26mpg (actual) in the summer (AC on, mostly highway) and approx 28 mpg in the winter. Some say its "underpowered" (it is) but I've towed this 2400lb trailer with it(the new 06 outback is rated to tow a 2700 lb trailer with a class 2 hitch w/ a 400lb tongue weight). It has plenty of torque (IE it get's up to speed just about the same with or without the trailker), just no "get up and go acceleration".

Edit, just saw the comment regarding switching from AWD to FWD...the orig subies did this - I dont know why they dont anymore. I too wouldn't mind that option. A low gear would be great too, I take mine out on the beach on Cape Cod in soft sand, and it goes real well, but a low geart would help.

 

[crazybiker300]

30,000
bought new in 05,
great car, super comfortable, good in the dirt, snow, etc.
poor pickup, high RPM on the hiway, but none the less, great bike transporter, potential to hold a bunch of bikes,
highly recommend it.
for somereason though, people like to bump into it, and they get stupid in their car when they are around it.
people have hit that car at least 4 times since i've had it.

 

[jacksonpt]

You can get the invoice prices for all their models online, but I assume you already knew that. I have the H6 212hp model and I think invoice was around $26k.

lol... I was just looking that up. Invoice on the 2.5i is $23,000. That's still noticably more than the other two cars, but like I said, it's a lot more vehicle. hrrmmm....

 

[SkaredShtles]

I'd be curious of the folks who say they don't have much getup-and-go - do you have the AT? Because there seems to be plenty of GUAG in my '97 with a standard.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>

Edit, just saw the comment regarding switching from AWD to FWD...the orig subies did this - I dont know why they dont anymore. I too wouldn't mind that option. A low gear would be great too,

Some of the early Subarus had a low range too. What possessed them to stop offering that is beyond me. :mumble:

 

[SkaredShtles]

I neglected to mention - my previous car before the Outback was a '95 Legacy which I sold with 195K miles and had for ~5 years.

 

[MudGrrl]

74k
98 Forester (yeah, I know... lesbian car)
No problems, except when the mechanics f it up when I bring it in for scheduled maintenance and they can't figure out that it might be a good idea to tighten down the hoses that they disconnected....


grrrrrrrr


oh, I did have a mass air flow sensor problem. That was kind of a pain. The car just quit on me.

 

[narlus]

I'm confused... I remember hearing that Toyota bought into subie's parent company (I forget the name off the top of my head)... does Honda also have a piece of them?

i'm sorry...i was talking about my current car, not the outback (just re-read the subject title).

the outback was a good car; the only negatives from my perspective were mileage (low 20s for a 2.5L 4 cyl didn't seem very good to me), and a couple of parts failures (head gasket on the '98, fixed under warranty; fan blower motor on the '00, also fixed under warranty).

 

[DamienC]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?
2) how long have you had it?
3) would you recommend it?

'02 Outback wagon
The odometer turned over to 59,999 as I parked my car this morning at work. I will have had it for four years next month (paid off next month too ) and plan to keep it for while. I've had zero mechanical problems with it in the last four years. It's been a great car in general and a great bike hauler. If I move closer into the city I may consider replacing it with something a bit smaller like a WRX or an Audi A3 but otherwise I'd definitely buy another one when the time comes.

 

[neanderthal]

99 Outback Wagon

92K miles

Definitely would buy another Subaru and in fact, my wife will be soon trading her POS audi A4 for a Forester

 

[brungeman]

I have a Forester, my wife also a Forester, and My mother has a Outback sport.

I have had 2 subies before this one... both with over 100k on them when they were hit and totalled in front of my house (on 2 seperate occasions) here is the first to get hit... it was pushed back and ontop of the VW totalling both cars and as they slid back they ran into a third car causing over $1000 in damages to it...

I would recommend them... and in your location with with the type of snowfall you are prone to getting all-wheel drive is a pretty good thing to have. although the other cars you are looking at will also go well in the snow...

 

[jacksonpt]

I have a Forester, my wife also a Forester, and My mother has a Outback sport.

I have had 2 subies before this one... both with over 100k on them when they were hit and totalled in front of my house (on 2 seperate occasions) here is the first to get hit... it was pushed back and ontop of the VW totalling both cars and as they slid back they ran into a third car causing over $1000 in damages to it...

I would recommend them... and in your location with with the type of snowfall you are prone to getting all-wheel drive is a pretty good thing to have. although the other cars you are looking at will also go well in the snow...

holy crap dude... remind me to never park next to you. That just about sucks.

 

[geargrrl]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?
2) how long have you had it?
3) would you recommend it?

'95 legacy wagon, here, purchased three years ago with 85K on it, for 5K. It now has 115 on it. Trouble free, the usual maintenace/age issues like I did the timing belt/120 K service all at once about 6 months ago.

If you can find used, that's always a great way to go. I don't care what kind of car it is, you lose a whole lot of $$ just through depreciation when you buy new.

 

[brungeman]

holy crap dude... remind me to never park next to you. That just about sucks.

yep the replacement for the red car was totalled in the same place 1year and 2 months after...

the first one was an attempted hit and run... but I chased the kid in my bare feet until I could get his license plate number (at 3:15 in the morn.)

I searched for him till I found him around 12:30... called the police before I did anything stupid... the kid denied having anything to do with it until I pulled out his bumper cover and headlight that I had removed from my car. He had some crappy insurance and I lost out on the deal... so did both of my tenants...

 

[Westy]

74k
98 Forester (yeah, I know... lesbian car)

It is the only car the president of the LPFC should drive.



'04 WRX wagon.

33K miles

Other than people slamming their doors into my car it has been great.

 

[Acadian]

I have a 2003 WRX Wagon.

1) how many miles do you have on your car?

~72k

2) how long have you had it?

exaclty 3 years this month.

3) would you recommend it?

I love my Suby...I'm reminded of that every single time I drive it. If they redesign the front end again in 2007, I'll be trading her up for a new one.

 

[Mackie]

I'm on my second Forester. I leased a 2000, put 60K on it with 1 proble - o2 sensor crapped out. It was covered under warranty. The car also performed beautifully when I was rear ended & pushed into the car in front of me. Subies are very safe.

I liked it so much that when the lease was up, I bought a new one. 2004, bought in late 2004. Identical model, same color. Yeah, I like lesbian cars. That's ok because I like lesbians too.

New one has 45k on it and other than wear items (oil, tires & brakes) it has not seen a mechanic since the day I bought it.

Also - my wife has a 2005 Mazda 3. Peppy little car, and a heck of a lot of fun to drive. Can't really go wrong with this one, IMHO.

Good luck with your choices....

 

[jacksonpt]

For those of you with the WRX (or any turbo'd subie) - does it require premium gas? I know a supercharged engine does, but does a turbo'd one? I didn't see anything on the subie website about it.

 

[Jim Mac]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?
140,000 on a Forester
2) how long have you had it?
Dec. 98.
3) would you recommend it?
Hells yes I would. I have had some minor problems but nothing worth mentioning.

 

[robdamanii]

1) how many miles do you have on your car?
2) how long have you had it?
3) would you recommend it?

I'm looking at an Outback 2.5i wagon. It's a lot more money than the other cars I'm looking at (Toyota Matrix, Mazda 3), but also seems to be a lot more car. I might go drive one on my lunch today.

1) 190,576
2) april of 01, used. I'm now the second owner.
3) Hell yes. I love my Legacy. I love the amount of space in it, the power, and the feel of the vehicle itself.

I've been checking out the Matrix as well though, they look really nice for a commuter vehicle.

 

[jacksonpt]

Just test drove an Impreza, was very surprised/impressed with it. Invoice is just about $20,000, so that is MUCH more in line with the other cars I'm looking at.

 

[jacksonpt]

perhaps... but the na feels like a rocket ship compared to my truck. I think it will be fine for me.

 

[Da Peach]

I have a 2004 Mazda3 hatchback with the 2.3. Got it new.

About 32,000 kms on it now.

I love it. It's not super fast or anything, but really comfy and has a cool interior. When I was shopping around for cars I was sure I wanted an Impreza 2.5 sedan. I drove it then went next door to the Mazda dealer to try the 3. Wasn't sure, went back to try the Impreza again and preferred the 3.

The Mazda was cheaper and more comfortable/smooth than the Sub. Felt about the same pep-wise. I wasn't making great cash back then so I went with the cheaper and more efficient car. You can fit a ton of stuff into it too. Almost as much as my old '92 Cherokee

Being a former Jeep owner, I do miss the 4WD a little, but not that much.

As far as problems go, a spring on my clutch pedal snapped. It's being fixed under warranty as we speak.

Now I'm driving a Prius!

 

[jacksonpt]

OK, so now I've driven all 3 (Toyota Matrix, Subaru Impreza Wagon, Mazda 3), here's how I rank things (if anyone cares)...

• Looks: Mazda by a lot, subie, toyota
• Performance: mazda/subie (tie), toyota a distant last
• Reliability: toyota, subie, mazda... though not as big a difference as you might think - subie is better than their reputation, and mazda seems to have made great strides in recent years
• Cost of Ownership: Toyota, Mazda, Subie
• Cargo Space: Subie, Toyota, Mazda

Pros:

• Mazda: best looking of the 3, fun to drive, good gas mileage
• Subaru: AWD, most cargo space, fun (and very easy) to drive
• Toyota: Toyota quality, cheapest of the 3, best MPG

Cons:

• Mazda: least amount of cargo space
• Subie: worst mpg
• Toyota: bordering on ugly, very little spunk

At this point... if by some miracle I end up keeping my truck, I'll probably go with the Mazda. If not, I'll go with the subie.

 

[robdamanii]

I've found one thing, and that's the fact that Subaru AWD has gotten me through so many nasty storms that I don't see giving it up as long as I live in a climate that gets snow.

 

[jacksonpt]

I came from a tundy, and I felt the same. I am wishing I had stepped up for the wrx though.

a tundra would feel like a rocket ship compared to my truck... but I see your point. I could deal with the hit to gas mileage, the increased insurance, the need to run premium gas... but all 3 is more than I want to deal with in this car. If I really wanted a sports car I'd get sports car. As it is, I want something economical and functional that also isn't a complete bore to drive.

 

[SkaredShtles]

a tundra would feel like a rocket ship compared to my truck... but I see your point. I could deal with the hit to gas mileage, the increased insurance, the need to run premium gas... but all 3 is more than I want to deal with in this car. If I really wanted a sports car I'd get sports car. As it is, I want something economical and functional that also isn't a complete bore to drive.

Yep - the WRX with its additional mechanics would not be a step in the "practical" direction. You should find the 2.5 to have plenty of zip. Make sure you get a standard, though.

 

[jacksonpt]

Yep - the WRX with its additional mechanics would not be a step in the "practical" direction. You should find the 2.5 to have plenty of zip. Make sure you get a standard, though.

Yep - that's what I drove today... a 2.5 sport wagon with the manual tranny. On big hills I could feel it bog down just a hair, but generally speaking, it had plenty of spirit for me.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Yep - that's what I drove today... a 2.5 sport wagon with the manual tranny. On big hills I could feel it bog down just a hair, but generally speaking, it had plenty of spirit for me.

Yeah - with those manuals you need to keep the RPMS up. As long as my '97 isn't loaded up with $hit, I can maintain 65mph uphill on I-70 at 11K+ feet as long as I keep the RPMs around 4-5K.

 

[cannondalejunky]

95k had it since october 200; 2000 subaru outback sedan; and i would highly suggest it