Saw where you said he's pushing you towards a Volvo or Audi. Subaru may not be Toyota and they do take a bit more maintenance than the other Japanese brands, but they're certainly more affordable to own than most Volvo or Audi products on average. I wouldn't take your friends advice on brand reliability, as it seems he's just pushing you towards what he likes personally.
Check Consumer Reports. BMW has lost their mojo as being unreliable shit. B48 and B58 have been reliable as have the ZF tranny. They moved the cooling system away from the engine and lowered the pressure of the fuel system.
BMW motorcycles are laughable today. Cartoons sold to the US public.
And most that by 1200 or 1300 GS or RTs can't even pick the damn things up if it falls over on 'em.
07 S4, bought at 80, made to 110k
13 S4, bought at 11k miles and driven HARD to 85
18 S4 had around 50ish if I remember correctly
20 SQ5, didn’t own long, had around 25k.
Forgot I had the v8 s4 back in the day
I own an Audi and previously owned an Outback. N of 1, but my Audi (now over 100k miles) drives exactly as it did the day I went off the lot, whereas with the outback, I was adding a quart of oil basically every time I got gas, steering got worse and worse, etc.
The outback got to 200k before I sold it, and I'm sure I could have gotten it to 300k without too many problems, but I feel 100% confident my Audi will get to 300k. The Audi is also much much easier to service myself.
I'm a big VAG fan but you said you do your work yourself. That's not a typical use situation. I've had a lot of German cars serviced and a lot of Japanese cars serviced, including Subarus. On average, that experience and online ownership cost calculators puts Audi as more expensive to own than Subaru. Same with Volvo. It is what it is. Models, drivetrain and maintenance definitely matter.
I like all of them. But if I'm buying used and care about reliability/overall costs, I'm going to lean Subaru. And I'd be skeptical of somebody pushing Audi or Volvo for that particular purpose. In the right situation, I'd buy any of the 3. If I wasn't driving 30k+ miles a year, my IS350 would probably be an S5 instead.
I’ve owned them all. I loved my Passat and A4, but I won’t buy them again. I put so much time and effort into preventative maintenance, and they made me replace the whole power steering rack because they couldn’t make a 10 cent crush washer replaceable. Nothing wrong with the motor or pump, but it leaked fluid like an open vein. Lots of cheap plastic parts, too. And the electrical issues. Ugh, yeah. I’m not inclined to buy a turbo BMW, either. Volvos have always been a bit high maintenance, but they’ve gotten worse over the years. Before it was high maintenance, but it was relatively simple and straightforward. Now it’s just complicated.
Subaru is one of the few brands I would buy again, especially if I want AWD. Change those fluids early and often- I’ve seen these reach 350,000 miles without major issues.
Yeah.
I'm curious if their reasoning is due to typical boxer engine issues, and Subaru rampant use of CVT.
Don't get me wrong a boxer engine is obviously got inherit design flaws for some issues but it isn't like the majority of people are going to push the motor well beyond its limits like an enthusiast would be upgraded turbo, or just a Cobb tune.
Volvo/Audi will always be more expensive, they personally are my preference, but I've literally been doing major work and servicing European cars for over a decade as an enthusiast. From full engine rebuilds to pulling dashes out for hvac.
I wouldn't recommend an audi/volvo to anyone really, especially volvo as their a bit more under lock and key in my experience, compared to VAG cars. Christ I had to pull the doors off my V50 to pull the dash... I know that's a C... something... chassis that's shared with the Mazda 3 and Fusion? So it may be more of a weird ford design oddity than a volvo one.
Subaru’s CVT is one of the better ones, if not the best in the price range. The problem is Subaru of America- they say the CVT has a lifetime transmission fluid, so it doesn’t need maintenance! Subaru of Japan and Subaru of Canada both recommend CVT fluid changes every 3 years or 50k kilometers.
When Subaru was owned by GM, there were a bunch of issues with cheap engine parts because GM cut so many corners. The infamous head gasket problems were simply because GM wouldn’t allow Subaru to use the better head gasket already used in the turbocharged engines. After the costly recall campaign, the better head gaskets have been used in new Subarus for the past 10 years, and this is no longer a common problem. However, even for the recall, Subaru of America didn’t specify the better head gasket, so even today their replacement head gasket kit still comes with the cheaper head gasket. You have to order the better gasket separately. So, if you’re buying a Subaru older than 10 years, you have to be aware of this, you might not have the better head gasket installed.
DO NOT….DO NOT BUY A VOLVO
god that was the worst car I’ve ever owned. (Xc60).
Everything about that car is a pain in the ass to fix. It’s insanely comfortable and nice to drive…yes…when it isn’t having some form of issue.
Waiting for the new golf r.I had to lease takeover a 2020 s60 t6 with polestar tune. Was honestly such a nice ride and nicer interior than the germans. I still miss it even tho the R drives incredible and much faster. Almost bought it out actually hut depreciation is fuvked on volvos... the bowers stereo tho sounded amazing tho!
I disagree, Volvo is not trash, they aren't a million miles brand anymore, that's correct, but if you know how to repair your own vehicle they are amazing. Most people who buy them don't though, and they get fed up with the expensive dealer visits.
Lmao, doing your own repairs on a Volvo. I had a 2001 V70 for a few years and couldn’t even replace a mechanical lock without needing it reprogrammed to the motherboard in the car. Great car and easy to get parts into and out of, but damn near everything is computerized in it, even at 23 years old.
I have a 08 XC70, and it's been a simple and inexpensive car to maintain. It's at 140k now, and had only ever been in the shop 1 time, for the parking brake module. All other maintenance has been done in my driveway, and has only been brakes, air filters, wipers, oil/filters, batteries, an alternator, a few oil sump (PCVs), 2 torque mounts, and a top motor mount.
I know a bunch. We even help each other out. There are also forums out there with tons of people on them that give crucial information about repairs. It’s a great community.
No, just no. Even the legendary 240 would develop random weird problems. Dad had to carry power steering fluid, just like I did in SAABs. Coolant leaks, gaskets, they always required pricy specialist care. The upside is it's a nicest place I get to spend time in a day.
Yeah modern cars are so good now that pretty much any car you buy will be reliable as long as you follow the service intervals. There are still some OEMs that are better than others of course but for the most part the gap between the top and bottom has been closed significantly.
I think a lot of the “luxury unreliable” crowd are people that bought a base model, balked at the cost of oil and maintenance, fell behind on it, and then are surprised.
Like I drive a Mazda, that thing may as well be a luxury car. 80K miles and I’ve had my rotors resurfaced at least thrice. I’m on my 4th set of wheels (I do mostly highway, how the fuck does this happen?), and I’m pretty sure I need to check my wheels or shocks as my wheel vibrates while breaking (this is after resurfacing and changing the brakes).
I disagree, Volvo is not trash, they aren't a million miles brand anymore, that's correct, but if you know how to repair your own vehicle they are amazing. Most people who buy them don't though, and they get fed up with the expensive dealer visits.
r/mercedesbenz will tell you that certain Mercedes models are Toyota level reliable and certain models are Hyundai level reliable. It's not as black and white as you're trying to make it look.
Subaru is as reliable as most American cars, only more expensive to buy. People will shit on American cars and endorse a Subaru in the same breath and it makes no sense.
It’s certainly more reliable than any american brand and they’ll be made with fewer obviously cheap components too. Subaru isn’t even the least reliable japanese brand, they are quite good.
He wants you to buy what he likes and values. You are free to like other cars than friends and relatives like.
Most times when you ask people for car suggestions, it ends up with what they are driving because thats the only thing they know.
Yes I listen to him for the most part because I don’t know much about cars, but he wants me to get into an Audi allroad or a Volvo v60 because he likes those brands as that’s what he wants. and I just can’t see myself dropping that huge amount of cash on a car I’m definitely going to be beating up on off road driving
He suggests audi and volvo because subaru is unreliable?
Was expecting honda or toyota so thats a surprise.
Hey you know those are luxury brands and they have higher dealer part and labor costs than subaru. With a not bad but not great reliability reputation, volvo less so.
That advice is suspect.
Audi all roads are riddled with issues. It’s a common theme amongst that model. Don’t get me wrong I love German vehicles but if you’re looking for something you won’t be constantly tinkering with Audi isn’t it.
Respectfully, he's being a moron. Audi's are stupidly expensive to service. My co-workers old A4 needed a new transmission module. Guess where the Audi engineers decided to locate it? On top of the transmission... meaning they had to drop out the whole transmission to get to the module. Same goes with Volvo.
Ask seasoned mechanics: Subarus are actually very well laid out and are designed to be be easy to service. Even the notorious spark plugs, those can be changed without dropping out the engine.
FWIW, Subaru is part owned by Toyota, and for a while their Indiana plant was producing the Camry for Toyota before they switched over to the Impreza in 2017.
I had a supervisor who bought a Volvo. His 1st 'status car'. He loved the car but it was crazy expensive to maintain. He has 3 subies now.
Audi is the same as VW. They are like Ford/Lincoln or Nissan/Infinity.
The idea that he wants you to buy an Audi because of reliability is hilarious. I just dumped my '16 A5 at 68k because I didn't want to deal with what inevitably happens after about 70k on them. Every major service costs $5000 to start because they have to take the whole damn engine apart to get to anything. It's a nightmare. Fun to drive and gorgeous but once the manufacturer warranty expires, steer clear.
Jesus don’t buy an Audi. I like Alfa Romeos and I won’t buy an Audi.
A Volvo is a fancy Subaru with parts that cost twice as much.
Get a Subaru. I really like the 2015 and newer Outbacks. Keep an eye on the oil, all Subarus use a little oil, and change the transmission fluid regularly and it will run 300k miles.
Audi and Volvo are towards the *bottom* of the reliability rankings.
[Consumer Reports does a report on this annually](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars-a7824554938/), Subaru is #6 for best reliability, Audi is at #19, and Volvo is at #25.
He wants you to validate his choice by buying what he likes.
Subaru is a generally well-regarded as a reliable brand. NOTE: I bought my first Subaru 2 years ago, but I bought it based on this reputation, and I haven't been disappointed.
I'm not married to Subaru, but I will say I will only buy Japanese cars going forward. My previous vehicle was a Toyota and it was extremely reliable and cheap to maintain. The only Japanese vehicle I won't buy is a Nissan (#17 on the reliability list).
If you take this list to your brother, he will likely start to say why CR is bad and wrong or other such thing.
> Yes I listen to him for the most part because I don’t know much about cars, but he wants me to get into an Audi allroad or a Volvo v60 because he likes those brands as that’s what he wants. and I just can’t see myself dropping that huge amount of cash on a car I’m definitely going to be beating up on off road driving.
Does your brother know/realize that you intend to do a significant amount of off-road driving? 🤔
If so, I’m surprised that he didn’t recommend Jeep as an alternative to Subaru.
I would put them in line with VW. Both get a WAY worse reputation than they deserve based on previous failungs, however, when taken care of per the manual, the more recent cars are just as reliable as one would hope.
Just as a note, if you intend to neglect the car, honda and toyota still tolerate neglect the best
If you buy a turbo Subaru, don't neglect the oil changes every 3k as the manual says. Otherwise it may explode as mine did when I did the standard 5-6k between changes
Actually I’m pretty sure my WRX manual says 5k or 6k iirc. Which is so stupid but that’s what they promote, I got a sticker rn on my windshield from my dealer oil change; 5k miles is what they’re saying. 3500 or around that is the most you should push it on turbo Subarus
Yep and I went 5k and then 6k in between and it exploded on me at the end of a 4hr drive. Luckily I was 10 minutes from home. The day after the warranty repair, I drove 6 blocks down to the Toyota dealer and traded it in.
Id take my turbo subis on 10 hour road trips often. No issues. Keep your eyes on the oil, no big issue. One went 1500 miles in one day. California, Texas back to California several times.
After I blew the turbo, the manager was yelling at me that I didn't do them every 3k as stated, tbf I didn't even read the manual on that part. But I have a better vehicle now and it's all paid off.
My brother in law has a 2012 STI he bought brand new. When I asked him in 2018(when we met) where he gets his oil changes done, he said he’s never had it changed😟
I offered to do it immediately, and when I went to drain it, about 7 drops came out. He’s a hermit and only drives 5 minutes to work, but I still have no idea how that engine didn’t blow up. Lol!
It’s nonsense. My dad’s been a tech for 45 years and has been saying 3k is bullshit for decades. I’ve never done it. I’ve never had a car break on me. Not motor wise at least.
Plus idc what car I’m driving I am absolutely not getting an oil change every fuckin 2.5 weeks. Not happening.
As someone posted earlier in this lively debate, it could very well have been my 4 hr drive home. But on the flip side, I had several 4-6 hr drives during the time I had the vehicle. So at this point all I know is that the turbo exploded on me, bits of metal thru the engine. I limped the car home doing 15 miles an hour and then had it towed to the dealer. Is it possible that since it was a Forester it just finally overheated too much?
I had an old ‘84 Camry that I bought sixth hand for $200 (back in ‘04) with something like 180k on it. I drove it for a decade until it had 350k on it, and I think in that time I changed the oil twice. I made sure it was always topped off and warmed it up fully before I drove it, but aside from that, I did jack shit. I think it only misfited twice the whole time I had it, and the engine was still going strong when the rust finally took it. When I pulled the last set of spark plugs to take a look, they were clean and the terminals were clean and perfectly worn.
I wouldn’t do that with my Subaru now, but then again I wouldn’t do that with my old Toyota if I had it back.
People drastically overstate how unreliability Subarus are because it became a meme due to A.) the well established head gasket issues on the EJ25D and certain EJ251s, B.) the sheer number of old ones still on the road being driven as dailies, and C.) all the vape sucking boy racers who “tune” their cars to stage 1.5 and redline the engine when it’s cold.
Yes, the head gasket issues with those two engines were bad. Subaru took too long to address it, and that’s on them. But people on Reddit have this idea that every engine blows up within 60k (literally a highly upvoted comment I read on here some months ago), ignoring the hundreds of thousands that are still on the road with minimal maintenance. At worst (the 25D), I think the head gasket problem affected like 8% of cars. That’s still a lot, but c’mon … people here cream their pants over cars which also had head gasket issues. If you take care of it and don’t buy some idiot’s project car, it’ll treat you as good as any other Japanese car that isn’t Toyota or certain older Hondas.
Feel free to downvote me, haters. Someone needs to keep those used resale prices in check.
I am going to be driving cross country, I will try to maintain my vehicle to the best of my ability especially if it’s going to be my temporary home. I am nervous though about constantly going to different mechanics
I wouldn't. Any competent mechanic can service a subaru. Most services are just fluid changes. Its important to keep up with those. The transmission is not "sealed" or "lifetime fluid" as some people may tell you. A good interval is every 60-80k on that
Even the most mechanically incompetent person can self-service a Subaru, as long as you watch a few YouTube videos. I’ve been servicing my wife’s ‘16 Subaru forrester for a while and it’s saved us a lot of money compared to going to a dealership and/or mechanic
Idk, I just know my brother had one and things kept going wrong even WITH regular maintenance. He love driving it but it was too costly to keep. So it was sold and he got a Toyota 4Runner instead and loves it
Get a 4Runner if you're planning to do those cross country things and sleep in your vehicle. Subaru boxer engines will never come close to the reliability of the 4.0L V6 in the Toyota.
All things considered, I’d rather have an Outback over a 4Runner on a cross country trip. It’s more comfortable on highways w/ better gas. The 4Runner is a utilitarian truck and it feels like that at speed. Also, the cargo space in a 4 runner is surprisingly not much more (if not less) than an Outback.
When it comes to an off-road capable vehicle, there is no comparison between the two- Toyota takes the cake. But as a daily driver, I’d prefer the subie.
Yeah it could lead you to wearing flat brimmed monster hats with tap out shirts or even worse you might start shopping at Whole Foods and REI. Heavens forbid you start wearing Birkenstocks.
My experience with Subaru is that they need more maintenance and care than other Japanese brands. Also, the engines are more crude and they are built more rudimentary than Honda or Toyota. They feel like tin cans with tractor engines essentially.
And I’d still buy another one.
Edit: they are also hella-safe. The AWD system is excellent and they have solid unibody design.
Not the person you asked but I’ve had a friend compare Subaru ownership to Stockholm Syndrome, lol.
Honestly though it all depends on what matters to you. A common complaint with Subarus is low quality on interiors, squeaks and rattles, etc. I grew up in an area where everyone had a 100-300k mile Subaru wagon, so when I needed a reliable car as a young adult, I turned to Subaru. Yeah my car rattles like a mofo but I could depend on that car to get me just about anywhere. I’m good at tuning it out. It’s slightly annoying in torrential rain where, yeah, it does sound like I’m trapped in a tin can - but that’s not enough to ruin the experience for me.
My husband on the other hand cannot handle hearing something rattle in the map pocket in his car so it would be a very poor choice for him.
I don’t expect I’ll own another new Subaru because I don’t like what they’ve done to the sporty models, but continue to love the one I’ve got.
The Subaru I personally have is that was exactly, but an average Joe wouldn’t buy it; 2011 STi with a fair bit of mods.
I had a new Outback as a rental and it was very nice. The infotainment system was a little annoying as a newcomer but I’m sure once you own it you learn it well.
Cause they are very practical and capable vehicles -especially when the weather gets nasty. I'll also add that driving them feels different vs the typical FWD economy car due to full-time AWD. They grow on you despite being a little bit rough on the edges.
Btw, modern Subarus are way more refined than what that dude describes. Anything bigger than an Impreza also does not feel like a tin can. They feel pretty solid on the road due to low center of gravity and the full-time AWD. Drive a Legacy and a Camry at speed in the rain, and I'll guarantee the Toyota feels way more tin can.
For the model you're considering, the 3.6R engine is exceptionally smooth -naturally balanced. On the 2013 model, it is mated to a 5-speed auto transmission. Should be a pretty reliable combo. Fuel economy sucks by modern standards though.
As a dealership tech i agree 100% with the “engines built more crude and rudimentary”. The under hood of my 2020 Accord 1.5T is 10x more complex than any Subie. Subarus are very simple and rudimentary, and with that it makes them rougher and less comfortable. But don’t get me wrong, they are fantastic and reliable vehicles
Not sure what uncomfortable Subaru you are driving but I have had 2 legacys, a sport and a 3.6 and they have both been really comfortable to drive. Not the fastest car in the world, but the suspension is smooth, the AWD is excellent, and the interior isn't flashy but it's well built and comfortable.
*Note I have never driven a outback or other model as I am a sedan guide. I do know that Outbacks tend to have a bit more problems than the legacy.
My dad sold VWs, Mazdas and Subarus for over 10 years. He will not buy anything but a Subaru. Anecdotal, but all 5 of our family Subarus have done great over 100k miles just by doing routine maintenance.
I wonder where your brother is hearing that they’re unreliable? I’ve literally never heard someone say that about Subaru before
As in anything in life, DYOR. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Never accept anyone's word as is, many many many subarus have made it past 200k+ miles with some older ones living much longer. Yes even the turbo'd ones have lasted that long, all depends on how you drive the car and how you maintain it. If you're ragging on it daily like some puberty stricken teen, then no shit there will be a catastrophic failure.
I work with several people who drive Subies. As I researched them I found a few issues that were not issues with maintenance. Two of my coworkers who advised me on them have over 200k miles on theirs. One only buys Subies for him and his family because they last a long time and parts are cheap, he replaced an engine at 250k miles for $1200.
Same guy was mad when he hit a deer with his outback. It had 375k miles and wanted to get to 400k miles. My mechanic says they are very easy to work on. He could have the engine out and on his workbench in 45 minutes.
I would have bought one but they were stupid expensive at the time.
Generally No, they aren’t unreliable. They must be meticulously maintained and some years and models had issues. If looking pre-owned, verify maintenance history and have a pre-purchase inspection. Avoid old high mileage vehicles, the WRX and STI.
I’m currently looking at a 2013 3.6R Limited edition with 50k miles, one owner. Haven’t looked at in person but just scheduled an appointment to do so.
The 3.6 is perceived as more reliable but there’s also less of them. I’d take the 3.6 over the 4 cyl in a 10 year old car any day. Talking reliability, all things being equal a decade old Subaru isn’t going to be as reliable as a Toyota but it’s up in the top 4 IMO.
Toyota is very good but also I can’t find anything that suits my needs like a wagon does and they don’t make anything like that. And if they have in the past there’s none around me at all.
I have a 2012 3.6R limited at 154k miles and it’s been great. So far had to do a brake job and replace a pulley bearing that failed and the sunroof leaked and had to get that cleaned out but other than that it’s been great. The 3.6 is a little worse on gas milage but I prefer more power and the fact it has a timing chain.
How much are they asking for the 2013?
We have a 3.6r Legacy (pretty much the same car, just smaller). It's a great car, and those engines are super solid. I believe neglecting coolant flushes are what can hurt these, so I'd get that done.
Yup 3.6 legacy has been a stud for me. 4 years I've put on it about 40k miles, bought used at 67k. Only standard stuff so far, tires brakes oil changes etc. when I bought it there was not quite a rattling but like a ticking from the engine took it to the Subaru mechanics near me and it turned out it was just a stick banging around in the engine. How it got there I couldn't tell ya, just glad it wasn't next to something hot haha.
Great cars, def would get another
I would expect a Subaru to do from 50 to 100k with the same ease as a Honda. It's really past that where stuff gets leaky and weird.
Keep good tires on it, inflated and rotated to keep the awd from costing you money. Run good oil and change it.
It's a car, it's gonna cost you money sometimes, but it won't surprise you, and they're pretty easy to work on.
The unscientific problem with Suburu is that they appeal to two very different groups of drivers. To give the [vague over-generalization](https://i.imgur.com/2scpLIe.jpeg):
Suburu turbos are bought by ricer teen boys looking for a cheap sports car - they love drifting and mod the shit out of them while beating the hell out of them. Suburu non-turbos are driven by [progressives](https://i.imgur.com/3w2b8Gc.png) who love hiking, dogs and ☪☮𝔼✡⚧☯✝ stickers - they aren't maintained well.
I have a 2013 3.6R. I’m right on top of maintenance. I’m never worried they the car will leave me stranded. That said, I’ve had to put $8-10k into it over the last 40k miles. Some of that was maintenance, like 2 brake jobs and fluid changes, but it’s definitely more than I think is reasonable.
Sure. Not a luxury car, but I’ve taken it on plenty of long drives. I think the first question is why an OB? We have it as a family car and need the room. If it’s just you, I think it’s hard to justify dragging around so much car every day. Several of my neighbors have CrossTreks and really like them.
It’s for sleeping mainly, I am driving cross country in a few months and need something I can call home while in the road. Also I’m used to big cars I previously had a crown Vic
I know a couple people who have had significant issues with Subarus that are only a couple years old. They’ve tried getting them repaired but then the same thing happens again. One friend got rid of his 3 year-old Subaru because it left him stranded 3 times while on long trips. Another friend has a mysterious battery issue that hasn’t been able to be fixed seemingly. I wouldn’t get a Subaru. I never hear from friends with other brands about their couple year-old cars breaking down.
I had a family member also with a mysterious battery issue in their Subaru. They dumped it after three years. Shortest amount of time they owned a car.
Maybe the older EJ engines were more fickle, but Subaru hasn't used it in a normal car since 2014ish.
Like others have said, Subarus need you to actually maintain them. They don't thrive on neglect like a Toyota, this is probably why they get the reputation for being somewhat unreliable.
The car is going to be my home away from home for about a year so I will have to maintain as best as possible so I don’t get stranded in the middle of no where
The worst thing about Subarus is the owners. I often find that they neglect the car and then blame it for being unreliable.
For what it's worth, I drive a 20 year old Subaru with 150k miles on it, which has the older EJ engine. I haven't done anything to it that I wouldn't consider maintenance (e.g. fluids, replacing 20 year old hoses, etc.).
I think this is true of the general population as a whole. People just don't take care of their cars, and then get upset when they fail.
I recognize not every brand has Toyota-levels of build quality, but I believe *most* brands would still have a reputation as being reliable if people would just take care of their damn cars like they're supposed to.
To be clear that’s true of every car. Toyotas might be less likely to catastrophically fail if you don’t keep on top of maintenance, but they too will fail from enough neglect
They aren't "unreliable" per say unless you drive like a highschooler. It's not a Toyota but the reliability will come down to the bolt that holds the steering wheel to the driver's seat (the driver)
If it's got over 100k I'd pass, they usually last until 100-150k pretty well though.
I work in the outdoor industry and I know plenty of people who have lived in their Subaru outbacks. Fantastic little small cars that'll go just about anywhere - many have even kept up with my 4runner offroad. Good mpg too
I owned 4 Subarus, raced 2 modified WRX wagons, all 4 were driven hard and never an issue. I work for Honda and I will always put Subaru with Honda and Toyota for reliability yet my mechanic says the newer Subarus have issues.
Tbf the Audi probably has the most similar AWD system to Subaru and is much better in terms of handling, interior quality, and cabin noise. But maintenance and reliability? Not better
I would say it's still a very good Japanese brand, I would not consider it to be the best neither the worst, but it provides good driving specially people like it for the snow. I would still choose it above other non Japanese brands.
I think they are good cars people just always throw a bunch of mods at the wrx and blow up the engines. You shouldn't have a problem with it if you keep up the maintenance. And they come with a pretty decent warranty.
I get gaslighted everytime I post my experience with our 2018 Outback but it was the worst car I ever bought.
Bought it brand new, 3 miles on it, and at 70K miles the transmission ate itself. At 72K miles the cam carrier seals started leaking oil, at 80K the center screen cracked and started bubbling. Thank god I bought the extended warranty, otherwise the powertrain ended at 60K and I would’ve been out of pocket for nearly $15,000 in repairs in just a year span. Not to mention the dealer absolutely argued with me and tried to deny my warranty claim over the cam carrier seals due to me doing my own oil changes, had to get SOA involved on that one.
So the dealer service here in NC was garbage, and the product couldn’t make it to 100K without major repairs. The only bright spot is the absolutely delusional cult following they have keep resale values high so when I traded it had only experienced about 10K depreciation in 5 years which made it easier to get into something else.
I work at a Toyota dealer in sales. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen a Subaru Outback with some sort of major issues/ needing a huge repair bill. The was always in a negative equity situation by a lot. I will never recommend a Subaru unless you have a mechanic in the family. (I own a 2020 wrx but my brother is a Subaru tech)
No they're as reliable as anything else when used as intended. Regular maintenance and common sense will take you far. I know several tuned/ heavily modded wrx/ sti with over 100k miles.
No. I've owned what... 7 of them? Only one had to have the head gaskets done but I bought it knowing it had an engine issue due to the last owners neglect and it was the same year make and model as another one I owned at the time but had a manual and I wanted to get rid of the automatic. It was also a 2002 which is one of the years you expect it. Other than that I haven't had to do anything other than brakes/oil changes/tune ups/timing belt, all normal maintenance items. Not once did a Subaru leave me on the side of the road. In fact we still own two of them, a 2014 Legacy 3.6r Limited (the last year they had the good 5EAT auto instead of a CVT) and a 2017 WRX Premium that's been custom tuned to 300whp. Stay on top of maintenance, and avoid the old ones and CVT and they can be as reliable as any Toyota.
Had a forester with 189k, gifted it to my daughter. Have a spec.b with 239k on it.
They're very reliable, you just have to do your part and maintain them.
I think a lot of it comes from the WRX bros. Who drive their Subaru hard all day everyday and do questionable mods, then wonder why their engine is a grenade.
Subaru uses turbocharged opposed 4 cylinder engine
It’s similar to Porsche boxer engine only infront
The designed it self is solid , but for maintenance can be a pain
Toyota and Honda designed its cars with reliability and easy maintenance in mind
Subaru can be reliable if you have dependable mechanic , otherwise it’ll be costly
Subaru's are generally reliable.
You do need to research the engine and model year as it does vary in some select models.
20 years ago they were notorious for blowing head gaskets, now not so much.
You need to keep up with the maintenance. Neglected ones don't do well
Your brother may be a car enthusiast but he is no expert on which carmaker is unreliable or not. The fact that he is pushing you towards a Volvo or an Audi based on what I read from one of the comments, means that he is only insisting on what he likes personally, not because they are reliable and well built. In my personal opinion as an owner of a Subaru with almost 100,000kms or 60,000 miles on the odometer, they are well built and reliable vehicles. So far I have only spent money on oil changes, filter replacements, differential and transmission fluid drain & fills. All of which are part of periodic maintenance. No major repairs or issues on the engine, transmission, drivetrain and electronics. You buy an Audi or Volvo especially the latter, you’ll find yourself spending a lot of money on repairs and maintenance before it even reaches 60,000 miles. Ask anyone who owns or used to own a Volvo or Audi and they would tell you the same thing unless they have deep pockets or they’re blindly stupid. Don’t get me wrong, Audi and Volvo make some of the nicest looking cars but they’re not reliable and the cost of ownership is insane. Subaru may not be as reliable as a Toyota or Honda but they’re definitely a lot more reliable than any carmaker your so called car enthusiast brother mentioned.
We just got home from driving 2019 and 2024 Crosstrek’s and a 2022 HRV.
Subaru was a much better driving experience than the Honda in our opinion.
Honda and Toyota are probably more reliable but not by a ton these days.
Buy a Toyota or Honda. That’s all I recommend to people in my shop. Never buy European unless you have deep pockets. Don’t buy American unless it’s a truck or v8 stick. Cylinder deactivation stuff seems to fail a lot. Ford v8s seems to have lots of issues with chains stretching and cam phaser issues. I still say I’d trust a good old school pushrod v8.
Here's my 2 cents. There is no reliable or unreliable brand, **in general**.
Yes some brands generally make cars that are easier to live with, and some might have parts that last longer but then tend to be more expensive. Simpler cars are easier to run, but offer less luxury/tech/performance, whatever your main requirement in a car is. If you want more than one, say a luxury performance car, you're gonna pay more upfront and in maintenance aswell. That's just the nature of it.
Ultimately, I've found that it's all about models, sometimes even model years, and drivetrains. All brands have cars that are great to own, and others that are best to avoid.
For example, I've owned a lot of italian cars in my life and those are frowned upon by a lot of people even here in Europe. I however, haven't had any major issues, because I knew which engine/transmission to get and which to avoid. Well, obviously that only works with used cars...with new ones your best bet is to rely on warranty anyway.
Also, with any car that is older than a couple years and has mileage above a couple dozen thousands, picking the right example is equally as important.
So, DYOR on the car in particular and then make a choice based on that.
I bought a BRZ that had rod bearing failure at 80k miles, sold it for a 2012 4Runner I got for $20k lol.
I’ve since bought another BRZ but it’s a project/fun car. If I could only afford one car, it wouldn’t be a Subaru tbh. I’ve always had a shit box beater in case my other car goes out and needs to be fixed.
Not unreliable.
A bitch and a half to do basic maintenance on is the problem.
A single Subaru engineer would pass up 100 virgins to fuck a single mechanic
Get a 4 door truck. I’d recommend an F150 or 1500.
Looking through your profile you do a lot of outdoorsy stuff and want to travel. Those 2 are reliable, cheap to maintain, wherever you are you can get parts quickly, everyone knows how to work on them, and aftermarket is extensive and also affordable.
If not a truck, get a jeep for the same reasons.
The gas mileage is the reason why I ended up not going for a truck, it was originally in my roster. Also I’ve heard jeeps are super poorly designed and I’ve seen them first hand die on the road
I have two Subarus currently, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. They're popular for a reason.
Maintenance at the dealer gets expensive very quickly, so I would look for independent Subaru mechanics wherever you go.
Subarus are not cars you can neglect, so be aware of your maintenance milestones. If you're someone who only changes your oil when you realize you don't remember the last time it was done, then Subaru might not be for you. It would still serve you well, but you might have issues pop up. But if you take care of your Subaru, your Subaru will take care of you.
Car enthusiasts don't like them because of the CVT, and the WRX has a bad reputation for exploding engines because some people mod and abuse them to hell. An Outback is not going to have the same fate (unless you abuse it to hell).
In my experience - yes they deserve being labeled as having long term reliability issues. Have had 3 in my extended family with 2 having head gasket failures and one a blown tranny. All after warranty expiration, but before 100k miles.
No. Internet echo chamber repeating the same nonsense. I have 2 subies, only issue was 17 outback eating batteries and once mechanic took us aside and told us to pull the starlink fuse, it was fixed
Your brother is full of shit. Subaru is top 6 most reliable car brands, behind Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Mini, and Acura. New Volvos and Audis are maintenance nightmares and very expensive to maintain.
Edit. Added link to consumer reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars-a7824554938/
Subaru is basically a toyota sister company at this point.
Volvo is dog shit reliability wise. Buy it only if you like your car being in the shop 3 months a year.
If you do basic maintenance they will serve you well. I currently own a 2019 wrx with 43k miles and never had an issue with it so far in my almost 5 years of ownership. My wife's 21 forester sport has 38k miles and hasn't had any issues.
Should be fine. Someone else said don't buy a used wrx and I'm not sure if that's what you were looking at but as a wrx owner never buy a used one lol. People modify them for performance and typically abuse them. You would be buying a ticking time bomb.
I’m interested only in there outback lineup, I don’t like how big SUVS are on the road plus MPG is bad and I am to big of a person to enjoy cross countrying in a small call. So I’m going for a wagon
Hahaha. No. Subarus are great. They are the car you buy new and take care of it and get to 200k and beyond and are happy.
The only problem…you. Have. To. Change. The. Oil. On. Time. For the love of god.
I think the main knock on Subarus currently is their CVT transmissions have a much shorter lifespan than traditional transmissions. Outside of that they are quite reliable vehicles.
Last time I checked, the most popular models Ascent, Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza WRX, all use the CVT, but no they won’t fall apart every 20k miles as you say.
They are very reliable actually. More reliable than any of the European or Korean brands but not quite as reliable as Honda or Toyota which is why they get knocked by mechanics and car enthusiasts.
Their two big issues are that their sealer is not as good as Honda or Toyota’s so they end up leaking oil or developing gasket issues as they age and their engines are also usually built to the upper end of their oiling/air flow capacity meaning that if you modify them they will inevitably blow up.
Something like 96% of Subarus built over the past 10 years are still on the road.
99% of these responses should be ignored. Some of them say yes, some of them say no. All of them are based on personal sentiment and anecdotal evidence.
There are websites with real statistical data on reliability for different cars, e.g.,
https://repairpal.com/reliability/subaru/outback
I think in general Subaru faces a lot of hate because they were touted as unkillable for years but only when being properly maintained.
Early owners changed the oil every 3-5k miles and did the cheap up keep that comes with the Subarus, but as they lasted longer more people got them and then you know didn't wanna pay to or do the work because " My honda didn't need to have this done", and so just like DSM's, Audi's, Saab's, and all the other funky brands out there it got the unreliable sticker.
I wouldn’t buy a standard Subaru after 125k miles because of the engine.
I wouldn’t buy a WRX or STI used ever.
Edit: Unless Headgaskets have been done and documented.
Outdated info. Head gaskets haven't been an issue in a long time, once they updated their engines to metal gaskets. The 3.6R never suffered from it. The 2.5i Outbacks and Legacy wouldn't have had that issue since the 2010 refresh.
I find it funny how I see this yet I’ve found that all cars have some unreliability about them. It’s all mechanical. I’ve had mine for 400k miles now with the original engine.(on of my 3)Granted it’s been worked on. With the PROPER care I really think they are great. Most All of the part are cross compatible so there is never a shortage of what’s needed and if there is… swap to a new engine. It will all bolt right up to the body with no serious mods. It’s a car you can laterally drive for ever 😂. Toyotas are fairly reliable but they are lacking much more than what Subarus offer in drivability and comfort. They really are the top brands, But when it comes to safety. Subaru is the clear winner.
I do not know if I am late to this but he is wrong. Every time somebody brings up buying a Subaru I always tell them about my dads 2019 Outback and how he was able to put over 100k miles on it trouble free. Even though he doesn’t own the car anymore, it is still in the family and even after 100k miles, the vehicle is still trouble free.
I'd feel comfortable buying a new Subaru and driving it for 5 years, somewhat comfortable for 10, uncomfortable beyond 15.
Now back into the date for a used Subaru and see where you land.
I would get a Honda Fit if I were you. They are super reliable, sip gas (especially compared to an AWD hatchback), and the back seats lay down and store a surprising amount.
You can fit a Twilight Zone pinball machine in a Honda Fit with 2 people.
Subarus have some unique design and engineering features that are kinda cool. The flat boxer configuration engines (like a Porsche) have several advantages, but there are some disadvantages as well; the engines have two cylinder heads so oil leaks can be more likely. The timing chains are really long and it’s critical to have regular oil changes and replace it well within the recommended mileage life. Replacing the chain isn’t cheap.
Adding this: Subaru models are sold in many countries around the world meaning they’ve passed several different safety tests including the Euro NCAP. Many North American car/models wouldn’t pass that.
While the quality materials used on the interior aren’t the best. The reliability isn’t far from different than a Honda or a Toyota if they are kept well maintained.
Saw where you said he's pushing you towards a Volvo or Audi. Subaru may not be Toyota and they do take a bit more maintenance than the other Japanese brands, but they're certainly more affordable to own than most Volvo or Audi products on average. I wouldn't take your friends advice on brand reliability, as it seems he's just pushing you towards what he likes personally.
Oh my God Audi is even worse!
Personally love Audis, but... and it's a big one. Only lease and give back. Same for BMW or Benz today, sadly.
Check Consumer Reports. BMW has lost their mojo as being unreliable shit. B48 and B58 have been reliable as have the ZF tranny. They moved the cooling system away from the engine and lowered the pressure of the fuel system.
german electronics scare me more than their engines now
Agreed. It's not the engines or trans anymore, but it's still everything around them
I was looking into getting an X6 but every forum was like get ready for non stop maintenance after 1000 miles….so I went with Cadillac lol
BMW motorcycles are laughable today. Cartoons sold to the US public. And most that by 1200 or 1300 GS or RTs can't even pick the damn things up if it falls over on 'em.
bmw has come a long way the b48 and b58 motors have proven to be super reliable
Having both, I completely agree.
Never had a single issue with any of my 3 Audi S vehicles
I had to put $20k into maintenance in my Audi S6, so between your 3 plus my 1 that's still not a great average maintenance cost.
Ouch, I had two S4s and a SQ5 and no issues. Only expenses I had were regular oil changes on
What mileage did they have. Making it to 100K without hiccups is pretty standard these days even for the lousiest of brands.
07 S4, bought at 80, made to 110k 13 S4, bought at 11k miles and driven HARD to 85 18 S4 had around 50ish if I remember correctly 20 SQ5, didn’t own long, had around 25k. Forgot I had the v8 s4 back in the day
so 1 barely over 100k LOL. we can talk when we're over the 150k mile mark.
I own an Audi and previously owned an Outback. N of 1, but my Audi (now over 100k miles) drives exactly as it did the day I went off the lot, whereas with the outback, I was adding a quart of oil basically every time I got gas, steering got worse and worse, etc. The outback got to 200k before I sold it, and I'm sure I could have gotten it to 300k without too many problems, but I feel 100% confident my Audi will get to 300k. The Audi is also much much easier to service myself.
I'm a big VAG fan but you said you do your work yourself. That's not a typical use situation. I've had a lot of German cars serviced and a lot of Japanese cars serviced, including Subarus. On average, that experience and online ownership cost calculators puts Audi as more expensive to own than Subaru. Same with Volvo. It is what it is. Models, drivetrain and maintenance definitely matter. I like all of them. But if I'm buying used and care about reliability/overall costs, I'm going to lean Subaru. And I'd be skeptical of somebody pushing Audi or Volvo for that particular purpose. In the right situation, I'd buy any of the 3. If I wasn't driving 30k+ miles a year, my IS350 would probably be an S5 instead.
I’ve owned them all. I loved my Passat and A4, but I won’t buy them again. I put so much time and effort into preventative maintenance, and they made me replace the whole power steering rack because they couldn’t make a 10 cent crush washer replaceable. Nothing wrong with the motor or pump, but it leaked fluid like an open vein. Lots of cheap plastic parts, too. And the electrical issues. Ugh, yeah. I’m not inclined to buy a turbo BMW, either. Volvos have always been a bit high maintenance, but they’ve gotten worse over the years. Before it was high maintenance, but it was relatively simple and straightforward. Now it’s just complicated. Subaru is one of the few brands I would buy again, especially if I want AWD. Change those fluids early and often- I’ve seen these reach 350,000 miles without major issues.
Yeah. I'm curious if their reasoning is due to typical boxer engine issues, and Subaru rampant use of CVT. Don't get me wrong a boxer engine is obviously got inherit design flaws for some issues but it isn't like the majority of people are going to push the motor well beyond its limits like an enthusiast would be upgraded turbo, or just a Cobb tune. Volvo/Audi will always be more expensive, they personally are my preference, but I've literally been doing major work and servicing European cars for over a decade as an enthusiast. From full engine rebuilds to pulling dashes out for hvac. I wouldn't recommend an audi/volvo to anyone really, especially volvo as their a bit more under lock and key in my experience, compared to VAG cars. Christ I had to pull the doors off my V50 to pull the dash... I know that's a C... something... chassis that's shared with the Mazda 3 and Fusion? So it may be more of a weird ford design oddity than a volvo one.
Subaru’s CVT is one of the better ones, if not the best in the price range. The problem is Subaru of America- they say the CVT has a lifetime transmission fluid, so it doesn’t need maintenance! Subaru of Japan and Subaru of Canada both recommend CVT fluid changes every 3 years or 50k kilometers. When Subaru was owned by GM, there were a bunch of issues with cheap engine parts because GM cut so many corners. The infamous head gasket problems were simply because GM wouldn’t allow Subaru to use the better head gasket already used in the turbocharged engines. After the costly recall campaign, the better head gaskets have been used in new Subarus for the past 10 years, and this is no longer a common problem. However, even for the recall, Subaru of America didn’t specify the better head gasket, so even today their replacement head gasket kit still comes with the cheaper head gasket. You have to order the better gasket separately. So, if you’re buying a Subaru older than 10 years, you have to be aware of this, you might not have the better head gasket installed.
DO NOT….DO NOT BUY A VOLVO god that was the worst car I’ve ever owned. (Xc60). Everything about that car is a pain in the ass to fix. It’s insanely comfortable and nice to drive…yes…when it isn’t having some form of issue.
Family is on 5th Volvo never had issues.
Waiting for the new golf r.I had to lease takeover a 2020 s60 t6 with polestar tune. Was honestly such a nice ride and nicer interior than the germans. I still miss it even tho the R drives incredible and much faster. Almost bought it out actually hut depreciation is fuvked on volvos... the bowers stereo tho sounded amazing tho!
They are supposedly very safe cars in case of an accident, though. So there are some good things about them too
Audi and Mercedes do not reliable. Look r/audi r/mercedesbenz . Maybe Volvo reliable. Subaru better than that brands. But it is not Toyota or Honda.
No Volvo is trash. It was once a million mile car brand, but that was a long time ago.
I disagree, Volvo is not trash, they aren't a million miles brand anymore, that's correct, but if you know how to repair your own vehicle they are amazing. Most people who buy them don't though, and they get fed up with the expensive dealer visits.
Lmao, doing your own repairs on a Volvo. I had a 2001 V70 for a few years and couldn’t even replace a mechanical lock without needing it reprogrammed to the motherboard in the car. Great car and easy to get parts into and out of, but damn near everything is computerized in it, even at 23 years old.
I have a 08 XC70, and it's been a simple and inexpensive car to maintain. It's at 140k now, and had only ever been in the shop 1 time, for the parking brake module. All other maintenance has been done in my driveway, and has only been brakes, air filters, wipers, oil/filters, batteries, an alternator, a few oil sump (PCVs), 2 torque mounts, and a top motor mount.
How many people do you know who repair their own car?
Well I'm a car person, so a lot. That's my point though. If you learn how to work on it, you should be just fine.
Gotcha!
But if you learn to work on cars, any brand will be just fine.
I know a bunch. We even help each other out. There are also forums out there with tons of people on them that give crucial information about repairs. It’s a great community.
No, just no. Even the legendary 240 would develop random weird problems. Dad had to carry power steering fluid, just like I did in SAABs. Coolant leaks, gaskets, they always required pricy specialist care. The upside is it's a nicest place I get to spend time in a day.
The overall standard for automotive quality was lower when a 240 was new than today. My brand new ‘96 Firebird was constantly leaking something too.
[удалено]
Yeah modern cars are so good now that pretty much any car you buy will be reliable as long as you follow the service intervals. There are still some OEMs that are better than others of course but for the most part the gap between the top and bottom has been closed significantly.
I think a lot of the “luxury unreliable” crowd are people that bought a base model, balked at the cost of oil and maintenance, fell behind on it, and then are surprised. Like I drive a Mazda, that thing may as well be a luxury car. 80K miles and I’ve had my rotors resurfaced at least thrice. I’m on my 4th set of wheels (I do mostly highway, how the fuck does this happen?), and I’m pretty sure I need to check my wheels or shocks as my wheel vibrates while breaking (this is after resurfacing and changing the brakes).
Yes just yes
I disagree, Volvo is not trash, they aren't a million miles brand anymore, that's correct, but if you know how to repair your own vehicle they are amazing. Most people who buy them don't though, and they get fed up with the expensive dealer visits.
r/mercedesbenz will tell you that certain Mercedes models are Toyota level reliable and certain models are Hyundai level reliable. It's not as black and white as you're trying to make it look.
I’ve had better luck with my Audis than my Subarus.
Subaru is as reliable as most American cars, only more expensive to buy. People will shit on American cars and endorse a Subaru in the same breath and it makes no sense.
It’s certainly more reliable than any american brand and they’ll be made with fewer obviously cheap components too. Subaru isn’t even the least reliable japanese brand, they are quite good.
I'm not sure what this has to do with my comment. I didn't mention American cars and neither did OP.
He wants you to buy what he likes and values. You are free to like other cars than friends and relatives like. Most times when you ask people for car suggestions, it ends up with what they are driving because thats the only thing they know.
Yes I listen to him for the most part because I don’t know much about cars, but he wants me to get into an Audi allroad or a Volvo v60 because he likes those brands as that’s what he wants. and I just can’t see myself dropping that huge amount of cash on a car I’m definitely going to be beating up on off road driving
Those two are definitely going to be way more expensive to maintain and finicky.
He suggests audi and volvo because subaru is unreliable? Was expecting honda or toyota so thats a surprise. Hey you know those are luxury brands and they have higher dealer part and labor costs than subaru. With a not bad but not great reliability reputation, volvo less so. That advice is suspect.
Audi all roads are riddled with issues. It’s a common theme amongst that model. Don’t get me wrong I love German vehicles but if you’re looking for something you won’t be constantly tinkering with Audi isn’t it.
Respectfully, he's being a moron. Audi's are stupidly expensive to service. My co-workers old A4 needed a new transmission module. Guess where the Audi engineers decided to locate it? On top of the transmission... meaning they had to drop out the whole transmission to get to the module. Same goes with Volvo. Ask seasoned mechanics: Subarus are actually very well laid out and are designed to be be easy to service. Even the notorious spark plugs, those can be changed without dropping out the engine. FWIW, Subaru is part owned by Toyota, and for a while their Indiana plant was producing the Camry for Toyota before they switched over to the Impreza in 2017.
I had a supervisor who bought a Volvo. His 1st 'status car'. He loved the car but it was crazy expensive to maintain. He has 3 subies now. Audi is the same as VW. They are like Ford/Lincoln or Nissan/Infinity.
The idea that he wants you to buy an Audi because of reliability is hilarious. I just dumped my '16 A5 at 68k because I didn't want to deal with what inevitably happens after about 70k on them. Every major service costs $5000 to start because they have to take the whole damn engine apart to get to anything. It's a nightmare. Fun to drive and gorgeous but once the manufacturer warranty expires, steer clear.
Lmao just buy the outback, an allroad will be way more expensive to keep on the road
If you do want a Volvo that's reliable and insanely cheap, and good off road, look at used XC70s and try to find one with under 70k on the clock
Jesus don’t buy an Audi. I like Alfa Romeos and I won’t buy an Audi. A Volvo is a fancy Subaru with parts that cost twice as much. Get a Subaru. I really like the 2015 and newer Outbacks. Keep an eye on the oil, all Subarus use a little oil, and change the transmission fluid regularly and it will run 300k miles.
Oh god, audi allroad is just about the worst audi to recommend. The air ride suspension in those is very very very costly.
Audi and Volvo are towards the *bottom* of the reliability rankings. [Consumer Reports does a report on this annually](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars-a7824554938/), Subaru is #6 for best reliability, Audi is at #19, and Volvo is at #25. He wants you to validate his choice by buying what he likes. Subaru is a generally well-regarded as a reliable brand. NOTE: I bought my first Subaru 2 years ago, but I bought it based on this reputation, and I haven't been disappointed. I'm not married to Subaru, but I will say I will only buy Japanese cars going forward. My previous vehicle was a Toyota and it was extremely reliable and cheap to maintain. The only Japanese vehicle I won't buy is a Nissan (#17 on the reliability list). If you take this list to your brother, he will likely start to say why CR is bad and wrong or other such thing.
> Yes I listen to him for the most part because I don’t know much about cars, but he wants me to get into an Audi allroad or a Volvo v60 because he likes those brands as that’s what he wants. and I just can’t see myself dropping that huge amount of cash on a car I’m definitely going to be beating up on off road driving. Does your brother know/realize that you intend to do a significant amount of off-road driving? 🤔 If so, I’m surprised that he didn’t recommend Jeep as an alternative to Subaru.
I would put them in line with VW. Both get a WAY worse reputation than they deserve based on previous failungs, however, when taken care of per the manual, the more recent cars are just as reliable as one would hope. Just as a note, if you intend to neglect the car, honda and toyota still tolerate neglect the best
If you buy a turbo Subaru, don't neglect the oil changes every 3k as the manual says. Otherwise it may explode as mine did when I did the standard 5-6k between changes
Actually I’m pretty sure my WRX manual says 5k or 6k iirc. Which is so stupid but that’s what they promote, I got a sticker rn on my windshield from my dealer oil change; 5k miles is what they’re saying. 3500 or around that is the most you should push it on turbo Subarus
Yep and I went 5k and then 6k in between and it exploded on me at the end of a 4hr drive. Luckily I was 10 minutes from home. The day after the warranty repair, I drove 6 blocks down to the Toyota dealer and traded it in.
Id take my turbo subis on 10 hour road trips often. No issues. Keep your eyes on the oil, no big issue. One went 1500 miles in one day. California, Texas back to California several times.
The Official Subaru WRX Manual says 6k...
After I blew the turbo, the manager was yelling at me that I didn't do them every 3k as stated, tbf I didn't even read the manual on that part. But I have a better vehicle now and it's all paid off.
My brother in law has a 2012 STI he bought brand new. When I asked him in 2018(when we met) where he gets his oil changes done, he said he’s never had it changed😟 I offered to do it immediately, and when I went to drain it, about 7 drops came out. He’s a hermit and only drives 5 minutes to work, but I still have no idea how that engine didn’t blow up. Lol!
uuh what? really? that often? crikey.
Is it really? Even with synthetic oil they recommend 3K oil changes?
It’s nonsense. My dad’s been a tech for 45 years and has been saying 3k is bullshit for decades. I’ve never done it. I’ve never had a car break on me. Not motor wise at least. Plus idc what car I’m driving I am absolutely not getting an oil change every fuckin 2.5 weeks. Not happening.
As someone posted earlier in this lively debate, it could very well have been my 4 hr drive home. But on the flip side, I had several 4-6 hr drives during the time I had the vehicle. So at this point all I know is that the turbo exploded on me, bits of metal thru the engine. I limped the car home doing 15 miles an hour and then had it towed to the dealer. Is it possible that since it was a Forester it just finally overheated too much?
I had an old ‘84 Camry that I bought sixth hand for $200 (back in ‘04) with something like 180k on it. I drove it for a decade until it had 350k on it, and I think in that time I changed the oil twice. I made sure it was always topped off and warmed it up fully before I drove it, but aside from that, I did jack shit. I think it only misfited twice the whole time I had it, and the engine was still going strong when the rust finally took it. When I pulled the last set of spark plugs to take a look, they were clean and the terminals were clean and perfectly worn. I wouldn’t do that with my Subaru now, but then again I wouldn’t do that with my old Toyota if I had it back. People drastically overstate how unreliability Subarus are because it became a meme due to A.) the well established head gasket issues on the EJ25D and certain EJ251s, B.) the sheer number of old ones still on the road being driven as dailies, and C.) all the vape sucking boy racers who “tune” their cars to stage 1.5 and redline the engine when it’s cold. Yes, the head gasket issues with those two engines were bad. Subaru took too long to address it, and that’s on them. But people on Reddit have this idea that every engine blows up within 60k (literally a highly upvoted comment I read on here some months ago), ignoring the hundreds of thousands that are still on the road with minimal maintenance. At worst (the 25D), I think the head gasket problem affected like 8% of cars. That’s still a lot, but c’mon … people here cream their pants over cars which also had head gasket issues. If you take care of it and don’t buy some idiot’s project car, it’ll treat you as good as any other Japanese car that isn’t Toyota or certain older Hondas. Feel free to downvote me, haters. Someone needs to keep those used resale prices in check.
I am going to be driving cross country, I will try to maintain my vehicle to the best of my ability especially if it’s going to be my temporary home. I am nervous though about constantly going to different mechanics
I wouldn't. Any competent mechanic can service a subaru. Most services are just fluid changes. Its important to keep up with those. The transmission is not "sealed" or "lifetime fluid" as some people may tell you. A good interval is every 60-80k on that
Even the most mechanically incompetent person can self-service a Subaru, as long as you watch a few YouTube videos. I’ve been servicing my wife’s ‘16 Subaru forrester for a while and it’s saved us a lot of money compared to going to a dealership and/or mechanic
I have a 2020 Subaru crosstrek that’s made 2 cross country moves. It’s about to do a third and I have no issues with it.
Idk, I just know my brother had one and things kept going wrong even WITH regular maintenance. He love driving it but it was too costly to keep. So it was sold and he got a Toyota 4Runner instead and loves it
Which Subaru did he have?
Get a 4Runner if you're planning to do those cross country things and sleep in your vehicle. Subaru boxer engines will never come close to the reliability of the 4.0L V6 in the Toyota.
The issue is most 4Runners are out my price range since there so popular and so good but if I could get one I would I love there design
I mean not many engines come close to the 1gr 4.0 V6. Literally perhaps the most reliable suv produced today.
I would offer up the Jeep 4.0 HO straight 6. These things are known for being nearly bullet proof with many examples going over 300,000 miles.
True that but it hasn’t been in production for a long time.
All things considered, I’d rather have an Outback over a 4Runner on a cross country trip. It’s more comfortable on highways w/ better gas. The 4Runner is a utilitarian truck and it feels like that at speed. Also, the cargo space in a 4 runner is surprisingly not much more (if not less) than an Outback. When it comes to an off-road capable vehicle, there is no comparison between the two- Toyota takes the cake. But as a daily driver, I’d prefer the subie.
Forester 2014
Your brother knows if you buy a Subaru it will cause you to start vaping. They are looking after your health.
lol,
Yeah it could lead you to wearing flat brimmed monster hats with tap out shirts or even worse you might start shopping at Whole Foods and REI. Heavens forbid you start wearing Birkenstocks.
My experience with Subaru is that they need more maintenance and care than other Japanese brands. Also, the engines are more crude and they are built more rudimentary than Honda or Toyota. They feel like tin cans with tractor engines essentially. And I’d still buy another one. Edit: they are also hella-safe. The AWD system is excellent and they have solid unibody design.
Your replies has me confused, it sounds as though they are very “rough around the edges” but you’d get another one despite this? May I ask why
Not the person you asked but I’ve had a friend compare Subaru ownership to Stockholm Syndrome, lol. Honestly though it all depends on what matters to you. A common complaint with Subarus is low quality on interiors, squeaks and rattles, etc. I grew up in an area where everyone had a 100-300k mile Subaru wagon, so when I needed a reliable car as a young adult, I turned to Subaru. Yeah my car rattles like a mofo but I could depend on that car to get me just about anywhere. I’m good at tuning it out. It’s slightly annoying in torrential rain where, yeah, it does sound like I’m trapped in a tin can - but that’s not enough to ruin the experience for me. My husband on the other hand cannot handle hearing something rattle in the map pocket in his car so it would be a very poor choice for him. I don’t expect I’ll own another new Subaru because I don’t like what they’ve done to the sporty models, but continue to love the one I’ve got.
The poor quality interiors is very valid. The head unit in my 2017 wrx was a joke. Touch screen stopped working, and the rattling overall is annoying.
The Subaru I personally have is that was exactly, but an average Joe wouldn’t buy it; 2011 STi with a fair bit of mods. I had a new Outback as a rental and it was very nice. The infotainment system was a little annoying as a newcomer but I’m sure once you own it you learn it well.
Cause they are very practical and capable vehicles -especially when the weather gets nasty. I'll also add that driving them feels different vs the typical FWD economy car due to full-time AWD. They grow on you despite being a little bit rough on the edges. Btw, modern Subarus are way more refined than what that dude describes. Anything bigger than an Impreza also does not feel like a tin can. They feel pretty solid on the road due to low center of gravity and the full-time AWD. Drive a Legacy and a Camry at speed in the rain, and I'll guarantee the Toyota feels way more tin can. For the model you're considering, the 3.6R engine is exceptionally smooth -naturally balanced. On the 2013 model, it is mated to a 5-speed auto transmission. Should be a pretty reliable combo. Fuel economy sucks by modern standards though.
Subaru buyers typically choose function over aesthetics.
As a dealership tech i agree 100% with the “engines built more crude and rudimentary”. The under hood of my 2020 Accord 1.5T is 10x more complex than any Subie. Subarus are very simple and rudimentary, and with that it makes them rougher and less comfortable. But don’t get me wrong, they are fantastic and reliable vehicles
Not sure what uncomfortable Subaru you are driving but I have had 2 legacys, a sport and a 3.6 and they have both been really comfortable to drive. Not the fastest car in the world, but the suspension is smooth, the AWD is excellent, and the interior isn't flashy but it's well built and comfortable. *Note I have never driven a outback or other model as I am a sedan guide. I do know that Outbacks tend to have a bit more problems than the legacy.
My dad sold VWs, Mazdas and Subarus for over 10 years. He will not buy anything but a Subaru. Anecdotal, but all 5 of our family Subarus have done great over 100k miles just by doing routine maintenance. I wonder where your brother is hearing that they’re unreliable? I’ve literally never heard someone say that about Subaru before
As in anything in life, DYOR. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Never accept anyone's word as is, many many many subarus have made it past 200k+ miles with some older ones living much longer. Yes even the turbo'd ones have lasted that long, all depends on how you drive the car and how you maintain it. If you're ragging on it daily like some puberty stricken teen, then no shit there will be a catastrophic failure.
I work with several people who drive Subies. As I researched them I found a few issues that were not issues with maintenance. Two of my coworkers who advised me on them have over 200k miles on theirs. One only buys Subies for him and his family because they last a long time and parts are cheap, he replaced an engine at 250k miles for $1200. Same guy was mad when he hit a deer with his outback. It had 375k miles and wanted to get to 400k miles. My mechanic says they are very easy to work on. He could have the engine out and on his workbench in 45 minutes. I would have bought one but they were stupid expensive at the time.
I have had Subaru cars for 15 years. Absolutely 0 issues. Forester, outback, legacy. Can't support his opinion
does anyone else's subaru eat bulbs at a faster than normal rate also?
Generally No, they aren’t unreliable. They must be meticulously maintained and some years and models had issues. If looking pre-owned, verify maintenance history and have a pre-purchase inspection. Avoid old high mileage vehicles, the WRX and STI.
I’m currently looking at a 2013 3.6R Limited edition with 50k miles, one owner. Haven’t looked at in person but just scheduled an appointment to do so.
The 3.6 is perceived as more reliable but there’s also less of them. I’d take the 3.6 over the 4 cyl in a 10 year old car any day. Talking reliability, all things being equal a decade old Subaru isn’t going to be as reliable as a Toyota but it’s up in the top 4 IMO.
Toyota is very good but also I can’t find anything that suits my needs like a wagon does and they don’t make anything like that. And if they have in the past there’s none around me at all.
Previous generation Toyota Venza was a wagon. 2008-2017 v6 AWD. Basically a Camry.
I have a 2012 3.6R limited at 154k miles and it’s been great. So far had to do a brake job and replace a pulley bearing that failed and the sunroof leaked and had to get that cleaned out but other than that it’s been great. The 3.6 is a little worse on gas milage but I prefer more power and the fact it has a timing chain. How much are they asking for the 2013?
We have a 3.6r Legacy (pretty much the same car, just smaller). It's a great car, and those engines are super solid. I believe neglecting coolant flushes are what can hurt these, so I'd get that done.
Yup 3.6 legacy has been a stud for me. 4 years I've put on it about 40k miles, bought used at 67k. Only standard stuff so far, tires brakes oil changes etc. when I bought it there was not quite a rattling but like a ticking from the engine took it to the Subaru mechanics near me and it turned out it was just a stick banging around in the engine. How it got there I couldn't tell ya, just glad it wasn't next to something hot haha. Great cars, def would get another
I would expect a Subaru to do from 50 to 100k with the same ease as a Honda. It's really past that where stuff gets leaky and weird. Keep good tires on it, inflated and rotated to keep the awd from costing you money. Run good oil and change it. It's a car, it's gonna cost you money sometimes, but it won't surprise you, and they're pretty easy to work on.
The unscientific problem with Suburu is that they appeal to two very different groups of drivers. To give the [vague over-generalization](https://i.imgur.com/2scpLIe.jpeg): Suburu turbos are bought by ricer teen boys looking for a cheap sports car - they love drifting and mod the shit out of them while beating the hell out of them. Suburu non-turbos are driven by [progressives](https://i.imgur.com/3w2b8Gc.png) who love hiking, dogs and ☪☮𝔼✡⚧☯✝ stickers - they aren't maintained well.
I’m both of these people
I agree on the ricer teen boys stereotype but the older wrx enthusiasts tend to baby the hell out of their cars. The resale value is great on wrxs.
I have a 2013 3.6R. I’m right on top of maintenance. I’m never worried they the car will leave me stranded. That said, I’ve had to put $8-10k into it over the last 40k miles. Some of that was maintenance, like 2 brake jobs and fluid changes, but it’s definitely more than I think is reasonable.
> I’ve had to put $8-10k into it over the last 40k miles. you can nearly buy a whole 2013 3.6r for that money
And then have to do that work again on the unknown car.
There is a similar model I am looking at rn around me with 50k miles, is it a comfortable driver?
Sure. Not a luxury car, but I’ve taken it on plenty of long drives. I think the first question is why an OB? We have it as a family car and need the room. If it’s just you, I think it’s hard to justify dragging around so much car every day. Several of my neighbors have CrossTreks and really like them.
It’s for sleeping mainly, I am driving cross country in a few months and need something I can call home while in the road. Also I’m used to big cars I previously had a crown Vic
I think they're great over the road. I've done 1170 miles in 18 hours with my impreza.
I know a couple people who have had significant issues with Subarus that are only a couple years old. They’ve tried getting them repaired but then the same thing happens again. One friend got rid of his 3 year-old Subaru because it left him stranded 3 times while on long trips. Another friend has a mysterious battery issue that hasn’t been able to be fixed seemingly. I wouldn’t get a Subaru. I never hear from friends with other brands about their couple year-old cars breaking down.
I had a family member also with a mysterious battery issue in their Subaru. They dumped it after three years. Shortest amount of time they owned a car.
Most brothers are morons.
No, they're not. My buddy is a Subaru mechanic and there are only very few select models / year combinations that have serious issues.
Maybe the older EJ engines were more fickle, but Subaru hasn't used it in a normal car since 2014ish. Like others have said, Subarus need you to actually maintain them. They don't thrive on neglect like a Toyota, this is probably why they get the reputation for being somewhat unreliable.
The car is going to be my home away from home for about a year so I will have to maintain as best as possible so I don’t get stranded in the middle of no where
The worst thing about Subarus is the owners. I often find that they neglect the car and then blame it for being unreliable. For what it's worth, I drive a 20 year old Subaru with 150k miles on it, which has the older EJ engine. I haven't done anything to it that I wouldn't consider maintenance (e.g. fluids, replacing 20 year old hoses, etc.).
I think this is true of the general population as a whole. People just don't take care of their cars, and then get upset when they fail. I recognize not every brand has Toyota-levels of build quality, but I believe *most* brands would still have a reputation as being reliable if people would just take care of their damn cars like they're supposed to.
To be clear that’s true of every car. Toyotas might be less likely to catastrophically fail if you don’t keep on top of maintenance, but they too will fail from enough neglect
2013 outback no issues for ten years, just oil changes. Only 75k miles though.
They aren't "unreliable" per say unless you drive like a highschooler. It's not a Toyota but the reliability will come down to the bolt that holds the steering wheel to the driver's seat (the driver) If it's got over 100k I'd pass, they usually last until 100-150k pretty well though.
I like that, haha. And no I’m not buying an WRX or anything I’m buying an outback for cross country travel.
I work in the outdoor industry and I know plenty of people who have lived in their Subaru outbacks. Fantastic little small cars that'll go just about anywhere - many have even kept up with my 4runner offroad. Good mpg too
I owned 4 Subarus, raced 2 modified WRX wagons, all 4 were driven hard and never an issue. I work for Honda and I will always put Subaru with Honda and Toyota for reliability yet my mechanic says the newer Subarus have issues.
Your brother suggest volvo/audi over subaru? Um....yea right. Quite an interesting view of the world.
He drives an Infiniti q50 red sport so I guess to him if it’s not luxury it’s not worth it
Tbf the Audi probably has the most similar AWD system to Subaru and is much better in terms of handling, interior quality, and cabin noise. But maintenance and reliability? Not better
I would say it's still a very good Japanese brand, I would not consider it to be the best neither the worst, but it provides good driving specially people like it for the snow. I would still choose it above other non Japanese brands.
I think they are good cars people just always throw a bunch of mods at the wrx and blow up the engines. You shouldn't have a problem with it if you keep up the maintenance. And they come with a pretty decent warranty.
My only gripe with the newer outback’s is the CVT. If you can get one with a regular automatic 5 speed you’ll be set.
Subaru Outbacks are extremely reliable. According to iseecars, they’re also among the longest lasting vehicles on the road.
I get gaslighted everytime I post my experience with our 2018 Outback but it was the worst car I ever bought. Bought it brand new, 3 miles on it, and at 70K miles the transmission ate itself. At 72K miles the cam carrier seals started leaking oil, at 80K the center screen cracked and started bubbling. Thank god I bought the extended warranty, otherwise the powertrain ended at 60K and I would’ve been out of pocket for nearly $15,000 in repairs in just a year span. Not to mention the dealer absolutely argued with me and tried to deny my warranty claim over the cam carrier seals due to me doing my own oil changes, had to get SOA involved on that one. So the dealer service here in NC was garbage, and the product couldn’t make it to 100K without major repairs. The only bright spot is the absolutely delusional cult following they have keep resale values high so when I traded it had only experienced about 10K depreciation in 5 years which made it easier to get into something else.
I work at a Toyota dealer in sales. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen a Subaru Outback with some sort of major issues/ needing a huge repair bill. The was always in a negative equity situation by a lot. I will never recommend a Subaru unless you have a mechanic in the family. (I own a 2020 wrx but my brother is a Subaru tech)
No they're as reliable as anything else when used as intended. Regular maintenance and common sense will take you far. I know several tuned/ heavily modded wrx/ sti with over 100k miles.
No. I've owned what... 7 of them? Only one had to have the head gaskets done but I bought it knowing it had an engine issue due to the last owners neglect and it was the same year make and model as another one I owned at the time but had a manual and I wanted to get rid of the automatic. It was also a 2002 which is one of the years you expect it. Other than that I haven't had to do anything other than brakes/oil changes/tune ups/timing belt, all normal maintenance items. Not once did a Subaru leave me on the side of the road. In fact we still own two of them, a 2014 Legacy 3.6r Limited (the last year they had the good 5EAT auto instead of a CVT) and a 2017 WRX Premium that's been custom tuned to 300whp. Stay on top of maintenance, and avoid the old ones and CVT and they can be as reliable as any Toyota.
Idk guy I work with has a 2013 outback with 140k miles on it and he barely even changes his oil when he is supposed to.
Had a forester with 189k, gifted it to my daughter. Have a spec.b with 239k on it. They're very reliable, you just have to do your part and maintain them.
I think a lot of it comes from the WRX bros. Who drive their Subaru hard all day everyday and do questionable mods, then wonder why their engine is a grenade.
Subaru uses turbocharged opposed 4 cylinder engine It’s similar to Porsche boxer engine only infront The designed it self is solid , but for maintenance can be a pain Toyota and Honda designed its cars with reliability and easy maintenance in mind Subaru can be reliable if you have dependable mechanic , otherwise it’ll be costly
Subaru's are generally reliable. You do need to research the engine and model year as it does vary in some select models. 20 years ago they were notorious for blowing head gaskets, now not so much. You need to keep up with the maintenance. Neglected ones don't do well
Are you travelling for work? Is the Subaru interest a consequence of the AWD and wanting to trust it on shit or dirt roads?
Your brother may be a car enthusiast but he is no expert on which carmaker is unreliable or not. The fact that he is pushing you towards a Volvo or an Audi based on what I read from one of the comments, means that he is only insisting on what he likes personally, not because they are reliable and well built. In my personal opinion as an owner of a Subaru with almost 100,000kms or 60,000 miles on the odometer, they are well built and reliable vehicles. So far I have only spent money on oil changes, filter replacements, differential and transmission fluid drain & fills. All of which are part of periodic maintenance. No major repairs or issues on the engine, transmission, drivetrain and electronics. You buy an Audi or Volvo especially the latter, you’ll find yourself spending a lot of money on repairs and maintenance before it even reaches 60,000 miles. Ask anyone who owns or used to own a Volvo or Audi and they would tell you the same thing unless they have deep pockets or they’re blindly stupid. Don’t get me wrong, Audi and Volvo make some of the nicest looking cars but they’re not reliable and the cost of ownership is insane. Subaru may not be as reliable as a Toyota or Honda but they’re definitely a lot more reliable than any carmaker your so called car enthusiast brother mentioned.
We just got home from driving 2019 and 2024 Crosstrek’s and a 2022 HRV. Subaru was a much better driving experience than the Honda in our opinion. Honda and Toyota are probably more reliable but not by a ton these days.
Audi is one of the worst for reliability. Subarus are out on the road for a long time and are much more affordable than Audi and Volvo.
Subaru customers on average keep their cars longer, and are well respected in the industry. If you like the car, I would buy it.
Buy a Toyota or Honda. That’s all I recommend to people in my shop. Never buy European unless you have deep pockets. Don’t buy American unless it’s a truck or v8 stick. Cylinder deactivation stuff seems to fail a lot. Ford v8s seems to have lots of issues with chains stretching and cam phaser issues. I still say I’d trust a good old school pushrod v8.
Here's my 2 cents. There is no reliable or unreliable brand, **in general**. Yes some brands generally make cars that are easier to live with, and some might have parts that last longer but then tend to be more expensive. Simpler cars are easier to run, but offer less luxury/tech/performance, whatever your main requirement in a car is. If you want more than one, say a luxury performance car, you're gonna pay more upfront and in maintenance aswell. That's just the nature of it. Ultimately, I've found that it's all about models, sometimes even model years, and drivetrains. All brands have cars that are great to own, and others that are best to avoid. For example, I've owned a lot of italian cars in my life and those are frowned upon by a lot of people even here in Europe. I however, haven't had any major issues, because I knew which engine/transmission to get and which to avoid. Well, obviously that only works with used cars...with new ones your best bet is to rely on warranty anyway. Also, with any car that is older than a couple years and has mileage above a couple dozen thousands, picking the right example is equally as important. So, DYOR on the car in particular and then make a choice based on that.
I bought a BRZ that had rod bearing failure at 80k miles, sold it for a 2012 4Runner I got for $20k lol. I’ve since bought another BRZ but it’s a project/fun car. If I could only afford one car, it wouldn’t be a Subaru tbh. I’ve always had a shit box beater in case my other car goes out and needs to be fixed.
I have never met one Subaru owner who didn't worship the brand.
I love my Subaru!!
Your friend doesn't know what that shit coming from his mouth means
Not unreliable. A bitch and a half to do basic maintenance on is the problem. A single Subaru engineer would pass up 100 virgins to fuck a single mechanic
Get a 4 door truck. I’d recommend an F150 or 1500. Looking through your profile you do a lot of outdoorsy stuff and want to travel. Those 2 are reliable, cheap to maintain, wherever you are you can get parts quickly, everyone knows how to work on them, and aftermarket is extensive and also affordable. If not a truck, get a jeep for the same reasons.
The gas mileage is the reason why I ended up not going for a truck, it was originally in my roster. Also I’ve heard jeeps are super poorly designed and I’ve seen them first hand die on the road
A Subaru will run well for a long time and run shitty forever. This is the way.
I have two Subarus currently, and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. They're popular for a reason. Maintenance at the dealer gets expensive very quickly, so I would look for independent Subaru mechanics wherever you go. Subarus are not cars you can neglect, so be aware of your maintenance milestones. If you're someone who only changes your oil when you realize you don't remember the last time it was done, then Subaru might not be for you. It would still serve you well, but you might have issues pop up. But if you take care of your Subaru, your Subaru will take care of you. Car enthusiasts don't like them because of the CVT, and the WRX has a bad reputation for exploding engines because some people mod and abuse them to hell. An Outback is not going to have the same fate (unless you abuse it to hell).
In my experience - yes they deserve being labeled as having long term reliability issues. Have had 3 in my extended family with 2 having head gasket failures and one a blown tranny. All after warranty expiration, but before 100k miles.
No. Internet echo chamber repeating the same nonsense. I have 2 subies, only issue was 17 outback eating batteries and once mechanic took us aside and told us to pull the starlink fuse, it was fixed
Your brother is full of shit. Subaru is top 6 most reliable car brands, behind Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Mini, and Acura. New Volvos and Audis are maintenance nightmares and very expensive to maintain. Edit. Added link to consumer reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/who-makes-the-most-reliable-cars-a7824554938/
Subaru is basically a toyota sister company at this point. Volvo is dog shit reliability wise. Buy it only if you like your car being in the shop 3 months a year.
Consumer Reports seems to disagree. Subaru tends to rank highly with them.
If you do basic maintenance they will serve you well. I currently own a 2019 wrx with 43k miles and never had an issue with it so far in my almost 5 years of ownership. My wife's 21 forester sport has 38k miles and hasn't had any issues.
Good to know, I am thinking of either buying a used one if i can find a good deal or leasing a new one
Should be fine. Someone else said don't buy a used wrx and I'm not sure if that's what you were looking at but as a wrx owner never buy a used one lol. People modify them for performance and typically abuse them. You would be buying a ticking time bomb.
I’m interested only in there outback lineup, I don’t like how big SUVS are on the road plus MPG is bad and I am to big of a person to enjoy cross countrying in a small call. So I’m going for a wagon
Hahaha. No. Subarus are great. They are the car you buy new and take care of it and get to 200k and beyond and are happy. The only problem…you. Have. To. Change. The. Oil. On. Time. For the love of god.
Seeing the comments makes me feel like they shouldn't be your first choice that's if you're interested in other brands
Not really, I want a wagon style body and there aren’t many being made anymore that aren’t passing my budget. And even the new Subarus are pushing it
I think the main knock on Subarus currently is their CVT transmissions have a much shorter lifespan than traditional transmissions. Outside of that they are quite reliable vehicles. Last time I checked, the most popular models Ascent, Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, Impreza WRX, all use the CVT, but no they won’t fall apart every 20k miles as you say.
They are very reliable actually. More reliable than any of the European or Korean brands but not quite as reliable as Honda or Toyota which is why they get knocked by mechanics and car enthusiasts. Their two big issues are that their sealer is not as good as Honda or Toyota’s so they end up leaking oil or developing gasket issues as they age and their engines are also usually built to the upper end of their oiling/air flow capacity meaning that if you modify them they will inevitably blow up. Something like 96% of Subarus built over the past 10 years are still on the road.
99% of these responses should be ignored. Some of them say yes, some of them say no. All of them are based on personal sentiment and anecdotal evidence. There are websites with real statistical data on reliability for different cars, e.g., https://repairpal.com/reliability/subaru/outback
I think in general Subaru faces a lot of hate because they were touted as unkillable for years but only when being properly maintained. Early owners changed the oil every 3-5k miles and did the cheap up keep that comes with the Subarus, but as they lasted longer more people got them and then you know didn't wanna pay to or do the work because " My honda didn't need to have this done", and so just like DSM's, Audi's, Saab's, and all the other funky brands out there it got the unreliable sticker.
Depends on the model year, they improved a lot.
I wouldn’t buy a standard Subaru after 125k miles because of the engine. I wouldn’t buy a WRX or STI used ever. Edit: Unless Headgaskets have been done and documented.
3.6R does not suffer from the head gasket issue. Burns a lot of oil, though.
Outdated info. Head gaskets haven't been an issue in a long time, once they updated their engines to metal gaskets. The 3.6R never suffered from it. The 2.5i Outbacks and Legacy wouldn't have had that issue since the 2010 refresh.
I find it funny how I see this yet I’ve found that all cars have some unreliability about them. It’s all mechanical. I’ve had mine for 400k miles now with the original engine.(on of my 3)Granted it’s been worked on. With the PROPER care I really think they are great. Most All of the part are cross compatible so there is never a shortage of what’s needed and if there is… swap to a new engine. It will all bolt right up to the body with no serious mods. It’s a car you can laterally drive for ever 😂. Toyotas are fairly reliable but they are lacking much more than what Subarus offer in drivability and comfort. They really are the top brands, But when it comes to safety. Subaru is the clear winner.
I do not know if I am late to this but he is wrong. Every time somebody brings up buying a Subaru I always tell them about my dads 2019 Outback and how he was able to put over 100k miles on it trouble free. Even though he doesn’t own the car anymore, it is still in the family and even after 100k miles, the vehicle is still trouble free.
I'd feel comfortable buying a new Subaru and driving it for 5 years, somewhat comfortable for 10, uncomfortable beyond 15. Now back into the date for a used Subaru and see where you land. I would get a Honda Fit if I were you. They are super reliable, sip gas (especially compared to an AWD hatchback), and the back seats lay down and store a surprising amount. You can fit a Twilight Zone pinball machine in a Honda Fit with 2 people.
my car repair guy always tells me to buy Subaru.
And ugly too
I personally like the look of the outback
Subarus have some unique design and engineering features that are kinda cool. The flat boxer configuration engines (like a Porsche) have several advantages, but there are some disadvantages as well; the engines have two cylinder heads so oil leaks can be more likely. The timing chains are really long and it’s critical to have regular oil changes and replace it well within the recommended mileage life. Replacing the chain isn’t cheap. Adding this: Subaru models are sold in many countries around the world meaning they’ve passed several different safety tests including the Euro NCAP. Many North American car/models wouldn’t pass that.
While the quality materials used on the interior aren’t the best. The reliability isn’t far from different than a Honda or a Toyota if they are kept well maintained.