I've been thinking about getting a 00-04 3.0 Outback to repalce my better halfs 98 Outback which had a 95 2.2 in it.

 

 

I looked at one today and under the hood looks like a pain! No room anywhere.

 

For those of you that have this Subaru, please let me know how you like it and what mpg you are getting.

 

Right now I'm thinking I'll stay with the 98 2.2.

 

Thanks Larry

awesome motor, i love mine. my buddy just bought one last week too. i'm a big fan of the H6 OBW's. when i was looking i read a lot about them and seemed like they had very few issues. wanted one to avoid EJ25's or another swap and found a great deal on a salvaged title i rebuilt. glad i did, i really dig the car and the H6 is a great motor. it's not the speed demon a 6 cylinder could/should be but i like the reliability of them and it's got some grunt.

 

once that big honking cover is removed it doesn't look so bad. it's tight, but not that bad. valve covers, spark plugs are annoying, so yeah it is bad. but there's no timing belt or water pump (that the average person is going to jump into) replacement.

 

the tensioenr and idler bearings fail all the time for the drive belt. buy the bearings for $5 and it only takes 30 minutes to replace them, they're really easy. tap right out.

 

not good gas mileage, i mean not bad, but if you're asking you probably won't like it. around 23 usually mixed driving and 23 interstate doing 70-80 mph, sometimes can get 27 doing 50 mph or so visiting her parents where it's not 70-80mph interstate.

Edited May 1, 201114 yr by grossgary

Admittedly a minor point, but there was no H6 Outback (or VDC) in 2000; didn't start till 2001.

Thanks for the info.

if more people don't respond check out the subaruoutback.org site, they have H6 dedicated forums, etc.

I never thought too much about the H6.. maybe it's because we had one with 4 people in it but it felt gutless and it for sure is not a fast rever.

if more people don't respond check out the subaruoutback.org site, they have H6 dedicated forums, etc.

 

They used to- they merged it all together.

 

To the OP- if you do all around town driving, the H6 does not have much advantage. If you do a lot of freeway driving, it's great!

 

 

Dave