Actually my last Subaru was a 1978, and I am looking to buy another.
I have pretty much owned older Mercedes through the years, but want to go back to Subaru.
My question is, what sort of advice would you give to someone who is looking for an older model, probably 2000-2004?
So far I have seen that the head gaskets and water pumps go bad, and it looks like worst-case is a valve job might be needed? Should I look for a car that has already had this done?
Head gaskets on H4s in those years, but once they are fixed by a knowledgeable shop they stay fixed.
Water pumps last more then 180,000 miles some say,...and valves only go bad if someone lets a timing belt break on them, so like most cars then you might be looking for a replacement engine vs. tearing it down for a valve job. The maint. book says to change a timing belt only every 105,000 miles, but when I bought a H4 car I was happy it was done at 65,000 a the time of me purchasing it.
Interested in the H6 engines,....a lot more quality,
no timing belt as it has a chain, and no plague of weak head gaskets.
and 40 more HP and torque?
If you can find a H6 VDC car in those years then you got something that has the similar computerized stability control as a modern car.
Personally I have both of these cars made in 2002, and I like both of them....the only thing I wish they had was curtain airbags which did not appear until the 2005 model year,...although they have shoulder air bags and tested pretty great without the curtains.
2005-2009 cars are obviously more expensive in the used market, but yet another quantum leap in design.
Subarus are for the most part pretty safe to buy in the used market vs. say a VW/Audi, BMW, or a Mercedes,...although any of them could have had a abusive previous owner, there is less to watch out for.
If you see a car with a internet ad that you are going to look at you can even post it up on this forum for experienced owners to critique for you.
Oh and no need to double post, if you were going to, mods get grumpy.