I am looking at buying a subaru. Forester/ Outback, I am still undecided. I have read alot of reviews with complaints about head gasket and seal issues. Is this a rare occurance? Is there any (safe) years?

I'm not aware of any Foresters made in the 70's.   (wrong sub forum)

 

Mark

Hopefully a moderator can move this to the New Gen forum... but yes the 2.5 liter engine likes to consume head gaskets.  The 1997's were the worst really.  The good news about the head gasket issue is that you can often pick up a nice and otherwise perfect car with bad gaskets very cheap, use a trusted shop to fix them and then have an almost new car. (that is the route I would go, then you know for a fact they are done right and that the water pump, timing belt, and everything else serviceable on the engine has been addressed.)