I am looking at a 2012 Outback 2.51 ltd with 30,000 miles to purchase asking price 22,500.

Brougt to a mechanic need front and rear brakes and 1 front tire.

My question is can I replace only the worn tire?

 

If you can match same size, same brand/model and similar tread depth , go for it. There are several used tire dealers on ebay who ship for free. try and get in the same ballpark on tread depth. A tire with little tread remaining matched to one nearly new could possibly cause problems. If you aren't familiar with tread measurements 11/32 is new for most and goes down from there so a tire with 5 or 6/32 tread is about halfway through it's life.

I would want to know why only 1 tire is worn so badly it needs replacing - on a car with only 30,000 miles - that just doesnt sit well.

It was a concern to me also.  Mechanic is thinking that the tires may not have been rotated or it  had low tire pressure.

I do not have access to the service records from the first owner.

Mechanic said the car was is good condition other than the brakes and tires.

meowlk,

 

The Subaru rule of thumb is that all 4 tires must be within 1/4 inch of the same diameter of each other, or you may do damage to the AWD system. Read expensive mechanical fix.

 

My 2012 had one winter tire destroyed by a nail early last winter, and the tire was no longer being made by Michelin. Rather than risk problems, I sprung for a new set and sold the three old ones to a local used tire dealer.

Actually, tires must be within 1/4" circumference of each other--not diameter.

one tire may have had a flat,, and they replaced with a used tire to save $$$