Subaru Help?

[jaxyaks]

Are Subaru good vehicles? They seem to have a cult following…

If you keep up with the maintenance and follow the fluid replacement recommendations or exceed them, they can be quite reliable, The best analogy I read about Subaru's that applies is that it is a car with Toyota prices and BMW maintenance. Or Japanese car prices with Euro car maintenance.

Subaru was the top automotive mainstream brand according to Consumer Reports in 2024, topping Toyota.

My family has had 4 of them all reaching 200K+ (except the new one) with little fuss, and not leaving any of the kids stranded. Ironically the only car that has left me stranded in a condition that I cannot fix it on the side of the road was my Toyota Tacoma...lol

 

[jaxyaks]

I dunno if this fella is gay or but it seems like a ton of fun

 

[savannahboy]

Our 2018 Outback was exemplary,never any issue. Unfortunately I totaled it last September. All 8 airbags deployed and my wife and I walked away without a scratch.
Regarding the boxer engine design, it still works great in a Porsche 911.

 

[Shey]

You are only the second person to say that a Subaru was a crappy car... what model and year did she have, if you don't mind me asking...?

2006 Outback LLBean. Yep, there are a ton of Subaru lovers, Im not one of them. Will not buy another Subaru.

 

[cdb400]

Can’t speak for your year, but i had to replace all the gaskets in my 2005, and they have to pull the engine to do it all, hence the hefty price tag.

 

[Wile E. Coyote 5.0]

I've heard boxer engines in general are notorious for that. I've also heard of them going for 400k miles or more. Dealers want you to run them for 10k before changing the oil. Most oils burn thru their effective additives between 5k - 7k miles. Like the saying goes, oil is cheap, engines are not. I'd keep it changed at least every 5k miles

 

[LordMDP]

was this a dealership for quick lube or ??

 

[CPA9mm]

If it was Classic Subaru I understand. Took my 2022 Outback in for an oil change and they tried to sell me over $900 of services I didn't need and that were not required in the owners manual. To top it off, they tightened the oil filter so much that it broke the seal and leaked all over the engine.

 

[Dieselt]

It is a common place for them to leak , I don’t think they trying to to take advantage of her , today repairs are not cheap . Think about it this way , most places charge $200 and hour per repairs
Front cover has to come off ,all data or Mitchell call for 9 hrs that’s $1800 on labor alone , then you have to add parts plus tax and shop supplies , that will easily get up there. On this times we are leaving if you cannot do most repairs yourself you are ****ed. Parts has gone up , labor aswell .
There are some thing like programming of modules that you can’t do since specialized equipment it’s required.but if you tackle your own small maintenance repairs you will be surprised how much you save.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

I drive an Infiniti G37S. Not cheap to maintain whatsoever. I had a legit oil leak last year and the oil pan gasket did in fact need resealed. Cost me almost a grand. Five grand for a Subaru?? No way...

When I first went to work printing T shirts my boss's stepson had a Forester with a bad engine up in liberal land AKA Vermont. He knew I was a car oriented guy and had worked at an auto salvage on top of driving/processing new Subarus at the Brunswick port. So he asked what a new or reman Forester engine would cost. I said "Probably around six large ish give or take depending on labor." Couple of days later he said "How did you know?" Well I was just guessing from memory. Turns out it was right at $6300 and change.
Anyway as far as the oil leak goes if I didn't see a leak on the ground under it or signs of oil under the hood I would be immediately suspicious. Then I would have an independent shop take a look at it.
But that's about all I know given the odd flat 4/6 engine layout Subaru has always stuck with. But then again a leak is a leak no matter what type of engine it is. And that's what I'd be looking for before I let anyone lay a wrench on it.