mountainwalker

That's why I was looking for all-years, thanks for confirming I was going the right way. It just seemed crazy to get snow tires for a few weekends each winter, when most of the time the weather outside will be sunny and warm. I've never had to deal with a transition like that - in NY winter you head out in cold, drive through cold and return in cold.

I thought so, owner must not realize AWD is not 4WD

A little afraid to go that far back because of rust issues and mileage - if the owner wasn't careful about maintenance, bigger risk. And I can't inspect myself - have to rely on garage across country to inspect for me before I arrive locally (shopping for used Silicon Valley/Bay Area vehicle from NY). Will the 2002 model year be a significant improvement over 2000-2001?

Hi grossgary, I've been using tirerack search and searching on forums. I was hoping to find one all-year tire that would be adequate given that I'll be driving the car 95% of the time in a warm area. My one question on snow tires, which I never had to purchase on my old Volvo living in NY and heading to ski and snowshoe areas a few times each winter in Vermont and upstate New York - when I start out driving from a relatively warm flat area like Silicon Valley/Bay Area, and drive to a place like Lake Tahoe, will the snow tires be a problem on the warm flat roads on the way to the mountains? Would you keep the snow tires on your vehicle the whole ski season in a warm area like that? I would never want to change my wheels every other weekend in winter.

Thanks, so were the head gasket issues corrected for model year 2002 and beyond? Would you avoid 2000 and 2001 model years?

I believe I just saw a Subaru Outback model listed with 4WD. Thought they were only AWD. For mostly highway driving and some weekend mountain road driving all season (including weekend ski areas), would AWD or 4WD be preferable? Would hardly ever be using the car off road - only at the very start of hiking/biking trails I imagine.

Hi grossgary, Thank you very much, I'll most certainly use the search function, but I'm trying to narrow down the best choices in the area I'll be in within the next 2 days, and send the best 1-2 cars I find for condition/value/fit for us to inspection, so pounding the forums and gathering as much info as possible quickly. Need to have the car ready by the time my wife and I arrive in a few weeks. What is torque bind in short? I would imagine it's caused by uneven tires for AWD cars. I just had a 2000 Subaru inspected that had unmatched treads and tires front and back that were way out of tolerance and think some of its problems were caused by this. For head gasket leaks on 2000-2005 models with 2.5 4 cylinder (I prefer the 4 cylinder for fuel economy, unless many advise against it), when you spot the leak, are they easy to repair? Is it just a matter of replacing the head gasket? Is it an expensive repair? If the inspection garage finds a head gasket leak on a 2000-2005,would you stay away from it? On another forum, someone recommended a Subaru coolant conditioner along with coolant - have you ever heard of such an additive?

I’m hot on the trail to purchase a used Subaru Outback in very good condition, which has had a solid maintenance record. I’ve been gathering information on Edmunds and CarTalk forums and then was referred to this excellent community by a poster on CarTalk. I’ve got a little extra work to do as I’m searching for a car in Silicon Valley a few weeks before relocating for the summer from New York – I’d like to have any necessary maintenance done before arriving in a few weeks. This means I have to evaluate the car by having it inspected by 1-2 reliable garages, and maybe even hiring a local Subaru enthusiast with good experience to take a quick look after inspection. I'm especially interested in feedback on the earlier model years 2000-2003, where I'm hoping to find a good value on a very well maintained older car with less miles on it - as long as I can avoid any known issues with earlier model years. If spending a little more for a newer model year will help avoid a known design flaw, I'm open to it.

Can anyone comment on the grip of the Turanza Serenity, Yokohama TRZ, Potenza G019 Grid (replaces G009) and the GoodYear Triple Tread on snow and ice? Not for constant snow/ice driving, but occasional weekend winter driving heading to mountain winter sport areas.

Still helpful, really appreciate it.

I’m hot on the trail to purchase a used Subaru Outback in very good condition, which has had a solid maintenance record. I’ve been gathering information on Edmunds and CarTalk forums and then was referred to this excellent community by a poster on CarTalk. I’ve got a little extra work to do as I’m searching for a car in Silicon Valley a few weeks before relocating for the summer from New York – I’d like to have any necessary maintenance done before arriving in a few weeks. This means I have to evaluate the car by having it inspected by 1-2 reliable garages, and maybe even hiring a local Subaru enthusiast with good experience to take a quick look after inspection. I'm noticing that VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control) Outbacks seems to be commanding serious premiums on Craigslist and KBB. What advantages does this model offer? How much of a premium is it worth? Which model years was it available? Thanks again for all the great advice, USMB is a great community, very glad to have found today.

I’m hot on the trail to purchase a used Subaru Outback in very good condition, which has had a solid maintenance record. I’ve been gathering information on Edmunds and CarTalk forums and then was referred to this excellent community by a poster on CarTalk. I’ve got a little extra work to do as I’m searching for a car in Silicon Valley a few weeks before relocating for the summer from New York – I’d like to have any necessary maintenance done before arriving in a few weeks. This means I have to evaluate the car by having it inspected by 1-2 reliable garages, and maybe even hiring a local Subaru enthusiast with good experience to take a quick look after inspection. Can anyone recommend very good independent garages in Silicon Valley for the inspection and necessary repairs/maintenance? I've heard Capitol Subaru in San Jose is the best authorized dealership/garage in the area, but have been researching the best independent garages that service Subarus in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Los Altos and Redwood City (and anywhere nearby). I know a good independent can sometimes be far less expensive, partly by using less expensive parts that are just as good.

I’m hot on the trail to purchase a used Subaru Outback in very good condition, which has had a solid maintenance record. I’ve been gathering information on Edmunds and CarTalk forums and then was referred to this excellent community by a poster on CarTalk. I’ve got a little extra work to do as I’m searching for a car in Silicon Valley a few weeks before relocating for the summer from New York – I’d like to have any necessary maintenance done before arriving in a few weeks. This means I have to evaluate the car by having it inspected by 1-2 reliable garages, and maybe even hiring a local Subaru enthusiast with good experience to take a quick look after inspection. Which model years from 2000-2005 would you look for/avoid, based on known issues with certain model years? For example, I read in another forum that pre-2005 Subaru Outbacks were prone to head gasket leaking. I'm just looking for the best value in a highly reliable vehicle. I don't mind doing some repairs and will do all recommended maintenance upon purchase, but would like to avoid any problems that can be avoided from the beginning.

Yokohama Avid TRZ’s, Bridgestone Turanza Serenity or other? I'm looking for a used Subaru Outback and researching best tires for it. Don't know which model year I'll pick up yet, hot on trail of best values in the areas in which I'm looking. Planning to drive the car on the W Coast in N California after relocating now from the NE, mostly for drives of 5 to 45 min during the work week, and occasional weekend trips, including ski trips to the mountains in winter. I’m looking for a top quality all-season tire that will handle well in summer and winter conditions. I’d sincerely appreciate your advice as I’m very careful about tires every since I bought my first car in college, a 7 year old Volvo, which had tires that checked out well enough, but in a medium rain storm, driving 30 mph on a Cliffside with one lane in each direction, with no sudden acceleration or steering moves, the car fishtailed 180 degrees, and I was lucky to “land” the car in my lane close to the inside of the road against the mountain. Some oil leaking down from a town above the road may have caused the road to be slick, but as soon as I put brand new top end all season tires on the car, it handled 10x better and safer. Never experienced that kind of slippage again. In response to this question on Yahoo Answers, this poster below who owns 2 subarus recommended Yokohama Avid TRZ’s http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+TRZ . I checked the reviews on Tirerack and the TRZs have an average overall rating of 8.52 out of 737 reviews, which is very good. http://www.tirerack.com/survey/SurveyComments.jsp?additionalComments=y&tireMake=- - - Yokohama&tireModel=AVID+TRZ&tirePageLocQty=&commentStatus=P He was negative on Michelin for value and quick wear: “I'm not sure if they're available in Australia, but I ran Yokohama Avid TRZ's on my 98 Outback.. they have a 700 tread wear rating, and the rain/ snow traction is excellent (I know not a lot of powder down there, but in a sudden downpour, they are amazing).. I drive mostly on-road, over 60 km one-way to work, and have taken them off road on occasion.. really surprising for an all season car tire. From my experience here stateside, Michelin is way overpriced, and the treads are too soft to get any real life out of; they do handle well though. Had nothing but bad experiences with Pirellis, may be just me. I'm currently running Dunlop Dirrezas on my 07 WRX.. and they have been wonderful so far. Stick like glue, and good in the rain. They are a summer- only tire though” * 4 weeks ago Source(s): 17 years in the repair trade, employed with a national tire distributor; owner of two Subarus. I spoke with Tirerack.com and these 2 tires were their top picks for performance + value for all-season tires for the 2000 Subaru Outback Ltd Wagon: Bridgestone Turanza Serenity 225/60R16 $126 H sped rated - rated for 70,000 miles, supposed to offer just a little more responsive handling and a drop quieter ride than the Yokohama Avid TRZ, thanks to the stiffer tire, rated as a grand touring tire. There are fewer reviews for this than for the Yokohama Avid TRZ, but it appears well rated, though winter/snow ratings appear a little lower than the Yokohama Avid TRZ. Rated to 130 mph (as if I'd drive a Subaru Outback even close to that speed). Someone on Edmunds mentioned: “The Serenity has replaced the Turanza LS series which for several years was the top tire on the Tirerack reviews for whatever category they were in.(do not confuse the Turanza LS with the ELs which are often OEM and suck) whether the Serenity is as good as its predecessor remains to be seen.” Yokohama Avid TRZ 225/60R16 $94 T speed rated4/ - rated for 80,000 miles - rated as a touring tire. Very large number of ratings and very highly rated, both for summer and winter conditions. Considered an excellent mix of quality and value. The Yokohama Avid TRZ also got a very good review in Yahoo Answers. There was a $75 rebate for four Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Tires I held from Saturday in the event I picked up an Outback I was evaluating that needed new tires – that one didn’t check out well, so may have to drop this order and lose the rebate, unless Tirerack has a free return up to 30 days on all orders. If I want them, would have to let Tirerack know today. The Bridgestone rebate brings the cost of a set of 4 Bridgestone Turanza Serenity very close to the cost of a set of Yokohama Avid TRZs. I’m sure the rebate will be available again if I need it. I'd sincerely appreciate your advice – I’ll be a first time Subaru owner and haven't had to keep a car for a few years now, so haven't bought tires in years.

I’m hot on the trail to purchase a used Subaru Outback in very good condition, which has had a solid maintenance record. I’ve been gathering information on Edmunds and CarTalk forums and then was referred to this excellent community by a poster on CarTalk. I’ve got a little extra work to do as I’m searching for a car in Silicon Valley a few weeks before relocating for the summer from New York – I’d like to have any necessary maintenance done before arriving in a few weeks. This means I have to evaluate the car by having it inspected by 1-2 reliable garages, and possibly paying a local Subaru enthusiast with good experience to take a quick look after inspection. The one issue I wanted to ask about in narrowing down options is model years is head gasket issues for certain model years. A poster on another forum noted that some pre-2005 Subaru Outbacks have issues with leaking head gaskets, and bulwnkl noted the same issue in this forum without specifying model years. 1) Is this problem confined to pre-2005 Subaru Outbacks? Is the cutoff a different model year? 2) How prevalent was this problem? Should I avoid purchasing a pre-2005 vehicle? I’m looking for quality + value combination, and of course newer means more expensive. 3) If you purchase a pre-2005 Subaru Outback, should you replace the head gasket even if there’s no visible problem yet? 4) How much does replacing the head gasket cost at most good garages on average? 5) Will replacing the head gasket solve the problem, or is the origin of the problem in engine design and it will simply happen again?

Hi bulwnkl, Your post is so spot on you anticipated my next post about head gasket leakage in Subarus pre-2005. I just had a 2000 Subaru Outback I was evaluating from Silicon Valley inspected, and it had head gasket, oil pump and rear main seal leaks. When asking about the problem, a poster on another forum mentioned I might want to seek out 2005- model years as the problem with leaking head gaskets could be found in model years prior to 2005. No idea if this was the cutoff. Adding your suggestions to the list, which when it's done, maybe could be made into a sticky note.

Hi All, My first post, so please be gentle. I'm looking for a good used Subaru Outback after not needing to own a car for several years living and working in a major metropolitan area. Relocating from NY to Silicon Valley and the Subaru Outback should fit our uses very well on the W Coast. Will be used for drives of 10 min to 1 hour during work week, and road trips on weekends including drives to mountains (and skiing in winter). Really like it and very impressed by what I've heard from many subie owners. What maintenance would you perform upon buying a used Subaru Outback? This is a list I put together with some posters on Edmunds and CarTalk and the garage that inspected a car for me for what needs to be done upon buying. Is there anything you would add? How much do you think all the below should cost if done by a good independent garage? One person estimated all the below costing about $1000. Sincerely appreciate your advice - I like to take good care of my gear : ) I kept a 7 year old Volvo 240 I bought in college in great working condition for many many years. MAINTENANCE LIST UPON BUYING USED (any used car just bought should get the following, unless you know they were done within the last 3-6 months): - Coolant drain/fill - Add Subaru coolant conditioner - ATF (Automatic Trans Fluid)/Trans drain/fill - Fuel filter - Replace timing belt if over 90,000 miles - Front +Rear Differential fluid drain/fill (though often don’t need anything) - Replace Spark Plugs (every 30K in non-turbo Subaru engines, unless it has platinums and is under 100k) - Replace Spark Plug Wires (if applicable) - Brake Fluid Flush and Change - Brake Pads inspection and replacement if necessary - Brake pad rotors if needed (fine if look good and not felt) - Fuel system flush – could be done with $4-5 bottle of fuel system cleaner - Power steering fluid drain/fill if fluid is discolored (reconsider price/purchase if power steering fluid looks bad) - Replace Tires if necessary – for Subaru Outback AWD, make sure all tires matched for tread, tread depth and size Notes: - The Owner's Manuel should have a list off all of the required maintenance and when it should be done. Follow the listed services and you should have a good vehicle that lasts many miles - If there are good maintenance records, much of that may be up to date. I would say that the three most commonly skipped items are coolant, transmission fluid, and fuel filter. If the vehicle has >90k miles, I would also have the timing belt replaced, if it has not been already. - The timing belt. If there is no documented proof that the timing belt has been changed, consider it original. Average mileage for any FY 2000 car is 100,000 miles; so, the timing belt is due. When the timing belt slips, expensive harm will occur to the engine. - Replacing coolant and make sure you get a hold of Subaru coolant conditioner whoever performs it. Timing belt is due. Tires are very important that they are matched in wear/size/make/model. Plugs are every 30k in Subaru non-turbo engines. - Power steering & fuel system flush both are "wallet" flushes, don't bother. - Oil change - That's the *first* thing, unless the previous owner has a receipt from a fairly recent one I would assume it's been let slide in anticipation of selling. Brake pads can be inspected and only need replaced if they are worn out. Rotors should be fine if there is no problem seen or felt. Differentials probably don't need anything. Fuel system should be left alone. Power steering fluid should be left alone unless it looks bad, and then you might want to reconsider the whole purchase, or at least the price.

Hi USMB admins and members, I am a newbie in the double sense - a member for less than an hour and new to Subarus, but I'm a quick study ; ) I was just referred to your site by a poster on CarTalk forums. USBM seems like a terrific community and info resource. My wife and I are purchasing a used car in Silicon Valley from across the country before relocating from NY in a few weeks - have learned a lot about the Subaru Outback and Legacy wagons and wanted to post the following questions - in which forums should I post these? 1) Questions about 2000-2005 Subaru Outback and Legacy models I'm seeking 2) What's the difference between the Subaru Outback Wagon and Legacy Wagon? 3) Questions about finding good independent Subaru garages in my area (Silicon Valley) 4) Getting member help/opinions on evaluating the very best deals I find 5) Tire questions (best all-year) - Bridgestone Turanza Serenity or Yokohama Avid TRZ or other? I'd sincerely appreciate your advice on where to place these. Don't want to be the newbie that mucks up forums! Thanks!