Oldacura

I had the dealer check the VIN - they say it is not subject to the HG recall. I'm pretty picky about condition of cars. Based on what I have seen, a lot of people neglect and/or abuse their cars. There are a lot of Subarus for sale around here that are pretty beat up.

I've looked a a lot of Outbacks around here. Ones of this vintage are either abused, negelcted or priced quite a bit higher. The consensus seems to be that this is a lot to pay for a base model of this car but I've not seen any better deals. Does anyone know based on the VIN how to tell when the headgasket problem was fixed in mid-year 2002? I've looked at several 2005 and newer Outbacks. These seem to be considerably nicer cars - nicer interiors and better looking outside. The cloth seats are nicer. Also, side curtain airbags became standard in 2005. Based on this, I would expect to see the 2005 & newer cars to be significantly more expensive than older ones but this doesn't seem to be the case.

I haven't taken any action on this car. I took a sample of the quite dirty oil and dropped it off at an oil analysis lab this AM. I should have results this afternoon. Based on what I have read here, the P1507 doesn't really concern me. The leak in the rear seal does. The seller doesn't seem all that anxious to sell. I'm not all that anxious to buy. I've looked at a lot of Outbacks locally. This one seems to be priced well in this area based on the mileage and cosmetic condition. Outbacks are very popular around here. If I choosed to take it farther, the seller agreed that I could take it to a mechanic for inspection ($80). I tentatively arranged to take it to a Subaru dealer in Boulder but I may try to find an independent shop closer to where I work. Thanks again for your help.

Thanks for the info. Code P1507 -What does this mean? They are asking $11k. The car is cosmetically in pretty good shape. Base model with 5 speed. I crawled under the car & found an oil leak out of the rear of the transmission (?) (just ahead of the drive shaft). Didn't think to smell it to see if it was gear oil or not. Is this common? Serious? I drove it slowly in a parking lot and ran the wheels lock to lock. No unusual noises. Would this have indicated a torque bind? Thanks again for your help.

Thanks for the info. Code P1507 -What does this mean? They are asking $11k. The car is cosmetically in pretty good shape. Base model with 5 speed. I crawled under the car & found an oil leak out of the rear of the transmission (?) (just ahead of the drive shaft). Didn't think to smell it to see if it was gear oil or not. Is this common? Serious? I drove it slowly in a parking lot and ran the wheels lock to lock. No unusual noises. Would this have indicated a torque bind? Thanks again for your help.

I don't presently own but am considering buying an Outback. A local private party has a 2002 Outback for sale with 70k miles. I've found 2 things wrong with it: The Check Engine light is on (don't know the code or how to find the code) and I hear a buzz or rattle coming from under the car at about 2500 rpm - especially as the rpms drop. Any guesses as to what these are? The buzz might be a heat shield rattle but I have no clue about the CEL. I also notice a slight stumble or hesitation on acceleration. Thanks

So, recent 4 cyls are 2.5 liter - correct? What year did they transition from 2.2 l? And all 2000+ 4 cyls are SOHC? A guy with a 2005 Legacy GT manual said his clutch was bad from the beginning. The dealer tried to fix but he said is was never right. He said a mid 2005 change corrected the problem. Also, the "Car Guys" (who often recommend Subarus) made mention that they had seem some problem with clutches on Subarus.

So, "torque bind" is a symptom of the AWD system beginning to fail? I know that there were several different AWD systems in Subs several years back: 4 cyl -vs- 6 cyl, auto -vs-manual (I may be oversimplifying). Are any of these more likely to suffer from torque bind? Also, any history on clutch failures? I assume most recent 4 cyls are DOHCs? Are BHGs more likely on SOHCs or DOHCs? Thanks again.

Hello - I am new to the forum and not yet a Subaru owner. I have searched some of the threads but have not yet found one that summarizes my question. I am interested in a 1 - 5 year old 4 cyl Outback or Legacy maybe turbo, maybe N/A. What serious common problems should I look out for? One owner told me to stay away from early '05 models with manual transmissions because the clutches are bad. True? Also, I have seen threads on blown head gaskets. Is this a problem and if so, what engines / years? If there is a current thread on this that someone can point me toward, I'd appreciate it. Thanks

I don't own a Subaru but am considering buying an Outback. What are the advantages/disadvantages of the turbo and non-turbo 4 cylinder and the 6 cylinder? The horsepower & torque of the turbo & 6 are about the same. What kind of fuel economy does each deliver (aside from the EPA ratings)? Thanks!

Hello - I am new to the board. I don't own a Subaru but am considering buying one. My biggest question has to do with reliability. I own 2 Acuras. One has been extremely reliable, the other only average. I subscribe to an Acura forum. If one reads through that forum, you can put together common problems. Is there a listing of common problems with 1999 and later Legacys & Outbacks along with the severity (cost to fix) of these problems? Also, what were the significant improvements of these cars over the years? Thanks!