[db2012]

I joined this board not because I love Subarus but because I hate them.

I have owned one Subaru in my life, a 2003 Outback Legacy wagon 2.5 4 cyclinder and it was nothing but a money pit.

I joined because I'd like to honestly share my experience as a Subaru owner with others and inform them of the better, more cost effective options there are.

I hope this will be allowed and that this is not just a rah rah Subaru's are the best cheerleading site.

 

[AO River]

I've had cars other than Subaru, so I don't think Subaru is the end-all-be-all of automotive transportation.

But as a whole cars are generally money pits. Things break or stop working, then you gotta replace them. Kia, Honda, Mercedes, Bentley, whatever. In my research Subaru at least has a better reputation than most other brands for reliability.

 

[CNY_Dave]

I dated a woman from Canada once, worse experience I ever had.

Never date any woman from Canada, they are all terrible.

 

[SE95]

I would be interested to know what made your Subaru a money pit. Also, what cars you have owned since that are "better".

 

[rasterman]

I joined this board not because I love Subarus but because I hate them.

I have owned one Subaru in my life, a 2003 Outback Legacy wagon 2.5 4 cyclinder and it was nothing but a money pit.

I joined because I'd like to honestly share my experience as a Subaru owner with others and inform them of the better, more cost effective options there are.

I hope this will be allowed and that this is not just a rah rah Subaru's are the best cheerleading site.

This would make sense if you were in the business of selling non-Subaru cars over the Internet. But I take it you aren't doing that.... so what do you actually get out of the effort?

I would agree with you that it is unfortunate to have any car turn into a money pit, but unless you can contribute something positive, it's time to let it go and move on with your life.

If you actually are looking to sell some competing cars over the Internet, I'm sure the autoguide/verticalscope folks (owners of this site) would love to discuss some ad sales with you.

 

[Cobalt]

Not making light of your thread but I have a couple serious questions, you have 182,000 on your car, what type of money have you spent that makes you claim it is a money pit and why have you kept it so long if it is?

 

[jonlong724]

I think forums are a valuable place because there is a good blend of realistic knowledge and information. But honestly, most posts on car threads have to do with problems. There aren't many "my subaru is awesome" threads. With that said, I hope you understand that your experience with one subaru, from 10 years ago, is not representative of subaru ownership in general.

 

[BHoll]

I dated a woman from Canada once, worse experience I ever had.

Never date any woman from Canada, they are all terrible.

Couldn't agree more.. Did we date the same Canadian?

I have owned a variety of makes and models through the years, I had a Dodge ram loose the rear end and trans in the same week, following the A/C going out, had 125k miles, However my buddy has an identical truck, 200k miles no major break downs.

Sister had a 04 Trailblazer, 130k miles, two transfer cases in 3 years, One trans, and started having a lower knock so she traded it, I have a co-worker same trailblazer, same miles, no issues.

Plenty of examples of this, as far as money pit, It is in every brand make and model that someone had or has a friend of a friend that had "A piece of S***" and advise on not buying it because of that. Coming to a Subaru site to share your particular issues is great, if someone has the same issues I hope they are helped by your advise. But as far as labeling all Subaru's a money pit, Well that's just silly.

 

[dianer]

Well I admit it is a complex relationship that I have with my Subaru but some things are my issues. So far I have not encountered any cheerleaders on this website, far from it. I think that most people who visit this site take away more than they give. There are some high powered brains here with insight. You may be here to teach but don't be surprised if you learn something.

 

[db2012]

I realize that there are costs associated with owning any brand of vehicle, that's a given. It just seems that the quality of the parts used in Subarus (mechanical, electrical and body) are not of the same quality as those of Honda and Toyota. Example: I have owned one Subaru and had to replace both the rear hatch handle and rear tail light assembly. I have never had to replace either on any of the multiple Hondas and Toyotas I have owned. Also it seems like the regular maintenance costs that must be done on all cars, brakes, sensors, suspension etc etc are much more expensive with Subaru than with Honda and Toyota.

But perhaps my biggest gripe with Subaru is the head gasket issue and how they handled it. Many of you may already know that there was an epidemic of failed head gaskets on certain early to mid 2000 models. The issue was quite clearly their fault but instead of stepping up to the plate to issue a recall they left thousands of customers facing repair bills well in excess of 1000 - 1500 dollars. I have NEVER had to replace a head gasket on any Honda or Toyota I have owned much less replace it at 80K miles.

As a father of two with a family budget having to shell out over 1000 in repairs on a car that I've owned for about a year with 80K on it to pay for a manufacturer defect made me very angry.

I've heard Subaru has since resolved the head gasket issue but the way that handled it and my own experience with the one Subaru I have owned has pretty much soured me on the brand. We own a RAV4 and it's just as good/safe in the snowy/icey New England winters as a Subaru and costs us far, far less to maintain.

 

[SE95]

All I am seeing is that you own a 10 year old car with almost 200,000 miles on it and are upset that you have to pay the occasional slightly inflated repair bill. Any car that is that old, with that many miles, is likely to have a major repair or two. Just the nature of the game... parts wear out.

Also I'm not sure where you are debating the level of quality. Maybe because I am coming from the GM world having owned 2 Pontiacs (both of which I loved despite the fact my Subaru is mostly superior) I can appreciate the level of quality Subaru puts into their products.

 

[db2012]

All I am seeing is that you own a 10 year old car with almost 200,000 miles on it and are upset that you have to pay the occasional slightly inflated repair bill. Any car that is that old, with that many miles, is likely to have a major repair or two. Just the nature of the game... parts wear out.

Did you even read my post? I had to replace the head gasket at 80K miles.

 

[SE95]

Did you even read my post? I had to replace the head gasket at 80K miles.

I read your post all the way through, my friend.

And? Tis the nature of the beast. Like I said, the occasional major repair in 100,000 miles of use doesn't seem crazy to me.

GMs have intake gasket problems... it is an expensive repair and if you own a GM from about 1990-2008 or so you are pretty much guaranteed to have to replace the intake gasket at least once in the car's lifetime. Doesn't make them bad vehicles. You have to pay to play the game.

 

[rasterman]

But perhaps my biggest gripe with Subaru is the head gasket issue and how they handled it. Many of you may already know that there was an epidemic of failed head gaskets on certain early to mid 2000 models. The issue was quite clearly their fault but instead of stepping up to the plate to issue a recall they left thousands of customers facing repair bills well in excess of 1000 - 1500 dollars. I have NEVER had to replace a head gasket on any Honda or Toyota I have owned much less replace it at 80K miles.

I'll be the first to agree that the head gasket situation is nuts. I bought a '98 2.5 for cheap money back in 2006. A year and a half later the HGs were leaking and I was shelling out to get it fixed. I'd gone into it completely uneducated, and got burned in the process. I have no problem owning that mistake. The issue was known and documented on this and other websites by that time, but I'd never bothered to look. After I fixed it, I drove it a few more years and decided I wanted a newer car. I still liked Subarus enough to look for another, but I learned from my mistake and made sure I picked a model not affected by HG trouble.

Every week I see a few posts from somebody new who maxed out their budget to buy a 2.5L Subaru with 110k miles, no maintenance records, no pre-purchase inspection by a qualified mechanic, bought it because "they heard Subarus were good" and zero research done.

If I had a dollar for each of those posts, I'd probably be driving a Bugatti.

Successfully owning a used car for cheap without the safety net of a warranty requires general knowledge, specific information and the kind of judgement that comes from experience.

 

[mikec]

db2012

The previous owner stuck you with the head gasket repair at 80K! Well that's life when you buy a used car. Since then, you have driven it over 100K and all the problems that you have had are a tail light assembly, a lift gate handle problem, and a front O2 meter.

That's nothing to complain about! A toyota or a honda wouldn't cost any less for 100K [80K to 180K].

 

[Shadow 1100]

Here I was feeling sorry for you, but you put on 100,000 miles on the car, and it cost you $1000.00 Thats $100.00 every 10,000 miles and your crying about that, how can you have tears on that.
Want more whine with that cheese.

 

[BHoll]

GMs have intake gasket problems... it is an expensive repair and if you own a GM from about 1990-2008 or so you are pretty much guaranteed to have to replace the intake gasket at least once in the car's lifetime. Doesn't make them bad vehicles. You have to pay to play the game.

I used to actually look for the 3.8l gm cars with issues reguarding the plastic plenum and plenum gaskets, can do the replacement plenum in 40 minutes (including beer breaks...)

It's amazing that a little research could have saved you such hatred for the poor Subaru. I am not sure where the others got the 100k of use post? Did i miss something? I am curious how long you had the vehicle and what expenses other than the HG you experienced. But 80k is in the first 100k, and i understand having to do the head gasket so soon would be an annoyance, but had you research and followed "buyer beware" you could have saved from the headache, or been prepared for it. Plenty of Subaru's have come and gone in my family, and we in particular have had great experiences. My sisters may have even saved her life.

Comes down to anything can happen to any make and model. My dad drives a 07 Tacoma, 40k miles, and it had a head gasket go, luckily under warranty, but that didn't shy him away from driving a toyota.
Also have a 02 Pathfinder in the Family, 65k miles trans started slipping, out of warranty had to fork out $2k. Still a great vehicle and would buy another. As I said in a previous post, Every make and model someone know someone that had a bad experience with any vehicle you mention. Go to any other vehicle forum and you will find the same posts blaming the manufacture, blaming the service center, blaming god, blaming the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.... Fact and point "S*** Happens." Educate yourself on the smell first so your not surprised.

 

[SE95]

I used to actually look for the 3.8l gm cars with issues reguarding the plastic plenum and plenum gaskets, can do the replacement plenum in 40 minutes (including beer breaks...)

It's amazing that a little research could have saved you such hatred for the poor Subaru. I am not sure where the others got the 100k of use post? Did i miss something? I am curious how long you had the vehicle and what expenses other than the HG you experienced. But 80k is in the first 100k, and i understand having to do the head gasket so soon would be an annoyance, but had you research and followed "buyer beware" you could have saved from the headache, or been prepared for it. Plenty of Subaru's have come and gone in my family, and we in particular have had great experiences. My sisters may have even saved her life.

Comes down to anything can happen to any make and model. My dad drives a 07 Tacoma, 40k miles, and it had a head gasket go, luckily under warranty, but that didn't shy him away from driving a toyota.
Also have a 02 Pathfinder in the Family, 65k miles trans started slipping, out of warranty had to fork out $2k. Still a great vehicle and would buy another. As I said in a previous post, Every make and model someone know someone that had a bad experience with any vehicle you mention. Go to any other vehicle forum and you will find the same posts blaming the manufacture, blaming the service center, blaming god, blaming the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.... Fact and point "S*** Happens." Educate yourself on the smell first so your not surprised.

In one of the other threads he posted that the car has 180,000 miles on it now.

I wouldn't have a problem with you hating the car if I felt it was justified... if you had dropped thousands of $ into it regularly for constant repairs, then I would agree that is terrible and your hatred for the car would be justified. But I really don't see how having a few repairs on the car (only one of which I would consider a "major repair") that you listed would be justification to hate a car.

 

[mark211]

To add to all this, my point of view is that no car/suv is perfect. If they where there would be no warrantys on any car/suv. Kia and Hyundai you basically are paying for a warranty, no guarantee the car will not have a failure or breakdown and if buying used that is what you are chancing. Yes there are more reliable makers out there but its a choice also to buy a certain brand and stick with them or choose to buy something else next time. Any car/suv that has a timing belt is a given that will need to throughly changed/water pump etc at 90000 or 100000. Also regular maintenance is key to a longer life but not always also how the vehicle is driven.
Any car/suv over 100000 is going to have major maintenance no matter what and to have it done ,like my 08 OB had 137000 when I purchased it I have had everything done to it as far as fluids and brakes just my piece of mind not to quess whether is was done or not before.
All cars/suv have a breaking point and for instance Mercedes when they break done is very costly.
Timing belt, drive belts etc wear down. Honda still uses timing belts on all 4 cyl cars and chains on there 6 cyl , just example that no matter the car ,no car/suv is perfect.

 

[DavidPeab]

Sure, I'll feed the troll. I inherited my 2000 OBW with 145,000 miles on it and found the previous owner had done ZERO maintenance. I poured money into the car because I did not have the money to buy a comparable used car and driving my Chevy Suburban (which has it's own list of repairs) with 150,000 miles on it was too expensive due to gas and other needed repairs. Basically, I has 2 cars that needed to be fixed up and choose the more reliable cheaper on gas option - the Subaru. The folks here saved my a** a lot of time and money. I have joined the cult of Subaru and understand why folks are loyal to these cars.

I had two Camry's and they were great cars. My '97 died at 216,000 of multiple problems like a bad oil pump. My 2002 was no where near as good. My friend's 2008 hybrid Camry is still a nice car, but not worth what he paid for it. Toyota and Honda have been riding their reputation for several years now and IMHO are not producing the same quality of vehicle that earned them their reps. So, buy what you like or need. You ain't gonna see me on a Toyota site bitchin' about the problems I had with my 2002 Camry. I might go there to ask for help in fixing it though. If I still had it. The dealer gave me $500 for it when I traded it in for my wife's 2011 Sonata. I figure my Subie, with 165,000 miles on it now, is still worth considerably more and might go another 100K.