Anyone own a Subaru?

[MichelleCarmen]

What year is it?
What model is it?
How many miles does it have?
What major repairs has it needed?

Thanks.

 

[neatfreak]

My parents have had subarus for years. They run forever, but as with all foreign cars repairs are pricier than american made. But it''s a tradeoff as they really perform better and longer IMO. They had one that had almost 300,000 miles on it before they traded it in! But they have all lasted at least 10 years in good shape.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 12/17/2008 2:16:45 PM
Author:MC
What year is it?
What model is it?
How many miles does it have?
What major repairs has it needed?

Thanks.

1998, Legacy GT, 83,000, new manual transmission last year (I blame this on DH, sometimes known as Big Foot)

Great car. Love it and hope to drive for many more miles.

 

[Elmorton]

No, we don''t own one...but Click and Clack (www.cartalk.com) swear by them as the best cars on the road. I trust those dudes entirely.

 

[BeachRunner]

2005 Subaru Legacy
39,000 miles with no major repairs until the belt! (knock on wood)

The car runs great, and would recommend a Subaru to anyone! Esp love the AWD in this weather!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Ugh, everyone says they are fabulous cars, run forever, etc. We''ve taken some major road trips with the car and it has 120,000 miles on it and it''s a 2001. It''s already needed a new transmission and now the head casket (sp?) went out on it and it''s going to cost $1,200 to fix. The transmission was $1,600! I''m stuck here at home because of this. Right now, I truely feel for you Neatfreak!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/17/2008 2:24:50 PM
Author: MC
Ugh, everyone says they are fabulous cars, run forever, etc. We''ve taken some major road trips with the car and it has 120,000 miles on it and it''s a 2001. It''s already needed a new transmission and now the head casket (sp?) went out on it and it''s going to cost $1,200 to fix. The transmission was $1,600! I''m stuck here at home because of this. Right now, I truely feel for you Neatfreak!

Lol, thanks MC. But at least I know my staying home is for a good cause, I HATE to be stuck because of a car!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 2:47:23 PM
Author: neatfreak


Lol, thanks MC. But at least I know my staying home is for a good cause, I HATE to be stuck because of a car!

Yep, I''m stuck at home with kids as well. They cancelled school because it''s suppose to snow again today! Where is the snow? It''s 37 degrees out.

GRRRR!

Tomorrow is my b-day too.

I may hitch-hike to the mall.

 

[swingirl]

2001 Forester. I love love love my car. It''s my 3rd Subaru.
95,000 miles. I get it serviced by an auto shop, not a dealer. Nothing major has been replaced.
My only complaint is the plastic in the interior seems poor quality. I have always parked it in the California sun and things like the plastic cut holder and vent mechanisms have broken.

I am ready for another!

 

[newsboysgrl777]

Wow! I just posted the LONGEST reply and then when i went to submit it, I got an error and when I hit ''retry'' it came back to a blank ''reply form.''

So, I''m just going to reply short.

I have a 1996 Subaru Impreza that I''ve had for about 5 years. I got it at 96k miles, now it has 125k. Obviously I don''t drive too much. It''s great in the snow and much better than my FI''s SUV, even! (his is 2006 toyota RAV4)

Problems I have with it are normal due to its age and normal wear and tear. Unfortunately, it has a major prob with the gas tak that I think happened during a storm a few years ago, and since it''ll cost so much to repair, I may just wait until I can get a newer vehicle instead. Not sure if I want to pay for the repair ($1,000+) and try to hold onto the car until it''s dead, or if I want a newer model?

MC, I''m hoping yours is a dud (not that that helps you) and not an indication that Subaru''s are now going to be made like domestic cars - junky.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 3:17:01 PM
Author: swingirl
2001 Forester. I love love love my car. It''s my 3rd Subaru.

Mine is also a 2001 Forester. What is the deal? Please send my yours when you buy a new car.

 

[laurel25]

Date: 12/17/2008 2:16:45 PM
Author:MC
What year is it?
What model is it?
How many miles does it have?
What major repairs has it needed?

Thanks.

Mr. L has a 2002 Impreza wagon and it has like 180,000 miles on it. He bought it new and it''s awesome. Nothing major has ever gone wrong with it and we''ll most likely buy another when this one finally gives up the ghost.

My parents had a 1980 Sub hatchback when I was little that they bought new and finally got rid of when it had over 250,000 miles because the frame was rusting out, but the thing still ran awesome. They now have 1998 Outback wagon and it''s got around 140,000 miles on it and still going well.

I have heard that Subs tend to have timing belt issues, and if you don''t get them replaced (if you google it you should be able to get more info on miles to replace at and whatnot) that it can cause your transmition to go. They are the absolute best vehicles in snowy/wintery conditions.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 3:19:22 PM
Author: newsboysgrl777


Problems I have with it are normal due to its age and normal wear and tear. Unfortunately, it has a major prob with the gas tak that I think happened during a storm a few years ago, and since it'll cost so much to repair, I may just wait until I can get a newer vehicle instead. Not sure if I want to pay for the repair ($1,000+) and try to hold onto the car until it's dead, or if I want a newer model?

MC, I'm hoping yours is a dud (not that that helps you) and not an indication that Subaru's are now going to be made like domestic cars - junky.

Subarus are amazing in the snow. That's why I picked it out. . .it seems like mine is an exception aka a dud

Can you keep driving yours w/the gas tank issue? I'd fear that it'd break down and you'd be stuck replacing it anyhow.

Oh, eta - with the error message - that has happened to me so many times that I've gotten into the habit of copying my message before submitting it so if it doesn't go through I can paste the post. It's kind of a pain.

Laurel - the timing belt was replaced a while back and that was when our mechanic said the gasket had a small tear in it. He said it should be fine and we could drive it like that for years. But now after eight months, it's given out. The first sign that there was a problem was the heater quit working. In 30 degree weather!

 

[swingirl]

Date: 12/17/2008 3:19:44 PM
Author: MC

Date: 12/17/2008 3:17:01 PM

Author: swingirl

2001 Forester. I love love love my car. It's my 3rd Subaru.

Mine is also a 2001 Forester. What is the deal? Please send my yours when you buy a new car.

Ha ha! Actually I just remembered I've had 4. A 1979 used one. A 1980 that my husband totaled. A 1982 that lasted so long my kids were embarrassed to be dropped off at school in it because the primer was showing through the black paint! And my current one which I don't want to get rid because I like it so much.

 

[aprilcait]

DH, both BILs, MIL, and I have/had Subarus. DH and one of the BILs have Legacy sedans; DH's is a 2006 and BIL's is a 2001, I believe. The other BIL has a '90-something (I think) Forester.

MIL had a three Subaru Legacy station wagons. MIL's Subaru #1: she sold because DH's parents only keep cars for 4-5 years (this is when the good re-sale value of Subarus came in handy). MIL's Subaru #2: she totaled, but she and octogenarian grandma (both were in the car at the time of the accident) came out of the crash with only bruises... AMAZING. MIL's Subaru #3: is in fabulous condition and is going to the BIL with the '90-something Forester.

I have a 2008 Subaru Legacy sedan and love it. It's so reliable **knock on wood!!!**, handles great, is safe, has a great re-sale value, drives through winter weather like it's nothing, and it's kinda cute too.

Plus, after seeing MIL's car after the accident and then seeing her and grandma... I was hooked on Subaru.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I love my 2004 Impreza - it has about 32k miles on it, and has needed no major repairs - new brakes (I live in an area with tons of hills) once, and some body work when my DH (then bf) crashed the back end into a parked car, but other than that very reliable, and fun to drive.

 

[rainwood]

I had a 2003 Forester which we thought might be a "made on a Monday" car and a bit of a lemon. Nothing major went wrong, but we had a lot of little stuff in the first year or two even though the car was low mileage. We ended up selling that Forester and bought a 2008 one last year and haven''t had any trouble, not even little stuff so I feel a lot better about this car than the last.

I don''t know much about cars so I don''t know if the troubles you are experiencing are typical at 120,000 miles for a Subaru or any other brand. My 2003 didn''t have even close to that many miles on it.

 

[firebirdgold]

2005 Subaru Outback Wagon with 78,000+ miles on it. No repairs needed so far, but we''re really good about taking it in for maintence and oil changes! We just put new tires on it and it''s ready for another 50k miles. We''re planning on keeping it until it a) dies from old age or b) Subaru comes out with a hybrid or something. We''ve always had at least one Subaru, both of our sets of parents have a Subie. We love ''em!!

I have to say though, that a major repair at 9 years and 120k miles does not a lemon make. My sister has a turbo legacy sedan about the same age with about the same miles and there is something wrong with the turbo. It needs a repair but sis is putting it off because she''s worried about the expense. Quite frankly, the fact that her car is sickly says more about how she treats her cars than it does about Subaru!

 

[diamondsrock]

We have a 99 Forester, around 100K miles. Car is great in New England weather. Good in the snow going up the hill which is mainly what we wanted it for. It climbs hills much easier than my front wheel drive.
We bought this car used a few years ago. There has been a transmission problem this year and we were quoted over $3000 for a new transmission. However, my mechanic poured in some magic transmission fluid and so far it''s holding. Fingers crossed! It had something to do with the seals in the transmission shrinking or something, and the fluid expands them. We love the car and want to keep it. My husband drives it mostly.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have 2008 Outback and I love it! I had driven a minivan for years and I wanted something a little more compact. But I still needed the wagon, and it is about the sportiest wagon available. I''ve had it about 15 months and I guess it has about 15,000 miles by now. I''ll be thrilled if it needs no major repairs before 120,000 miles! But I''m sorry you''re having the problems, MC...no fun to pay for car repairs, that''s for sure!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/17/2008 8:27:44 PM
Author: diamondsrock
There has been a transmission problem this year and we were quoted over $3000 for a new transmission. However, my mechanic poured in some magic transmission fluid and so far it's holding. Fingers crossed! It had something to do with the seals in the transmission shrinking or something, and the fluid expands them. We love the car and want to keep it. My husband drives it mostly.

The seals and shrinking issue is exactly what caused my transmission issue, too. We have a great mechanic that sent us off to "his guy" who fixes transmissions and he didn't charge as much - only $1,600. $3,000 is painful. Best of luck to you and your car.

My husband told me tonight that we'll take the car in tomorrow after he gets off work. He was considering attempting to fix it himself, but he now figures if it is done right the car will have another five years on it.

 

[katamari]

I have had two Suburus. Both were hand me downs from other family members. For one, the transmission went out at about 7 years old and 160K. At the time I didn''t want to deal with it and just bought a new (used) car. My first one, though, was over 400K miles (used to be a traveling salesman''s car) and was still kickin at 13 years when I finally got rid of it.

 

[swimmer]

Sorry to hear you are having issues with the Forester. I have a 2004 Forester, with 52k miles. It just needs oil changes really. And I should get the rear windshield wiper fixed. I love it for the awd now that it is snowing. In the summer I drive DH''s Prius and in the winter the Subaru. Switching from one to the other is hard as the Prius is an automatic and it turns so nicely. The awd on the Subaru is not so into that. I was a loyal Volvo driver till this Subaru, but now would never go back. Yes, I like rectangular vehicles. Heck my ER is an EC.
Good luck with your vehicle!