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04 Outback LL Bean Edition

8K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  RedGeminiPA 
#1 ·
Hey all!

I'm brand new to the forums here, but everything I've seen so far seems pretty awesome!

I had a question I hoped you all could help me with. I have very little experience with cars, buys vehicles etc, and I was looking at getting an outback for my first vehicle. I was hoping maybe someone with a little more experience than myself could take a peek at this ad, and share any thoughts you may have? Fair price for the vehicle, good choice, reliability, etc? I've checked out edmunds, etc, but real live feedback is always helpful. I would appreciate any and all input, and thank you in advance for any help you may give!

Based on my lifestyle (rock climber, mountain biker etc) I've had more than a few friends with outbacks, and I have always eyed them jealously. Hoping to finally get my own as a little college grad gift to myself.

2004 Subaru Outback - Used Wagon North Huntington Township PA | Elite Motors Incorporated

Cheers,
Carl
 
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#2 ·
I'm seeing maybe a rust bubble on the hood, rear wiper isn't parked where it should be, and the rear bumper doesn't line up correctly...potential accident history?

The H6 is a good engine though, with few inherent problems.
 
#3 ·
Carl, I would be very careful with that car. I'm sure there's a fairly honest small-lot used car dealership somewhere in PA, but I haven't found one yet. The cars on those lots are cars that the dealers didn't want to sell on their own lots, and sent to auction. The small-lot guys don't make their money by buying decent cars and then selling them for a fair price.

Find a independent shop in your area, one that people speak well of, and at the very least, take that car (or any other) to them for a pre-sale checkover. Get the thing in the air and see what's up. If there's rust coming through on the hood, I would be very concerned about the undercarriage. If the seller won't let you take the car for an extended drive/check, walk away.

I like to buy cars from private sellers. Not a guarantee of a good car, per se, but the private sellers may not know ALL the tricks to make a problem car look like a good car.
 
#4 ·
Hey Carl!

I agree... this Outback seems pretty decent, but there are a few things in the pics that would make me want to have it thoroughly checked out by someone who knows what they're looking at.

If you don't mind driving about an hour and a half or so, you could check out the small dealer I bought my VDC from. He's in Claysburg, PA, and specializes in pre-loved Subarus. He seems like a straight-shooter, and he's not afraid to pull an engine to do head gaskets etc. I just tried calling him to see what he has, but no answer. I left a message for him to call me back.

John Glass
Family Auto Center
814-239-8803

Tell him "Ron who bought the 6 cylinder Outback last month" told you to call. He should know who you're talking about, since he's only ever had one other H6, and it was quite a while back.

If I hear from him before/if you talk to him, I'll update as to what he has now.

Ron
 
#5 ·
I agree with buying cars from private sellers. Our four Subarus are all from private sellers, and they have all been bulletproof so far. You can get a pretty good vibe from the person selling it. I bought my '04 LL Bean from a family in CT that was selling it because they had another kid on the way. They seemed like honest people, owned it since new, and sure enough in the 23k I've put on the car since I bought it from them it's been rock solid.

The Outback you have listed is identical to mine except the mileage is higher. The price seems about right, but I would always get nervous buying from little dealers. I agree with the others here...get someone to look at it and take it for a drive where you can put it through its paces at a minimum. When I bought mine, I beat the heck out of it when I test drove it and it didn't flinch one bit. I don't think I've driven it anywhere near that hard since then. Got back from the test drive, haggled him down $700 and bought it right then.
 
#7 ·
Hey all!
I greatly appreciate the time everyone has given to respond and share your experiences.

AWDFTW - I definitely did not notice those potential issues. Hard not to see now but I missed while looking at it originally.
punt & JP- Thanks for the heads up on being wary of small dealerships. I'll definitely keep that in mind. I think I would definitely like to try to find a private dealer. If I were to buy from a small dealership, I absolutely would not even consider buying without taking it to a shop first.
RedGeminiPA - Thank you so much for the consideration you're putting into this! I will definitely have to call him to ask about those subies he has on the lot. I work from 8-6 tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to work in a break somewhere in there and call him.

Unfortunately, the cost of this outback is about my limit, which limits me severely =(
 
#8 ·
Hey Carl,

I'll try giving him a call shortly.

I'd think he'll probably have something within your budget. I got my VDC for $3,300, and it's in excellent shape for the year and mileage (225k when I bought it). The only spot of rust anywhere is inside the driver's rear door, which seems to be common. Otherwise, it's rock solid and original. No rust under it, either! It was an extremely well taken care of 2-owner (2nd owner bought it with 6k on it).

He buys them, fixes any important stuff, then marks them up a fair amount for a little profit.

I'll post back with what I find out. When I call him, I'll give him the heads up that you'll try calling sometime today.

Ron
 
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