The wife and I have been looking for a second car with more cargo capacity, given our impending need to fit 2 car seats in the back. A 2005 Outback 2.5XT with a manual and ~80k on it popped up at a nearby dealership. We drove it and everything seems to be in order - no major suspension noises, clutch feels good, it runs smoothly. Anything we should look out for? These don't have the head gasket or ring land issues, correct? They're asking 10k - seems a bit high, but this is one of those cars that KBB doesn't capture well.
WWGRMD?
Congrats on twins! I'm 8 months into that adventure.
I can't help on the Scooby, though.
Tk8398
Reader
7/28/18 7:44 p.m.
I like the idea of those, but they seem to go through engines pretty fast. The only things I know for sure cause problems are that the catalytic converter is between the engine and turbo and can ruin the turbo if it comes apart, and the turbo oil feed has a screen that can get blocked and keep oil from getting to the turbo.
I bought a 2006 Outback XT Ltd with the automatic transmission in 2010 in anticipation of my first child. Bought it with 87K miles and now it has 127K. Overall I've been very happy with the car. It has had no major issues except a leaking power steering rack and that was an issue more from the mechanic who worked on it than the car. I think one the the HVAC blend door solenoids has gone out but haven't pursued it yet.
Google the "banjo bolt" for all sorts of information on the oil screen issue. I change the oil every six months with Rotella T6 5W-40 full synthetic. I would change it every 3,750 if it got more miles. Mine still has the oil screen.
Good: power, street handling, nice interior, quality feel, quiet interior, good stereo
Bad: -Gas mileage is terrible at around 19 MPG and it uses premium.
-Body control on the Outback is poor. Yes, the handling is good on the street but there is plenty of body wallow. I'm sure it would understeer a bunch on track but that's not what I want it for. Mine feels seriously under-damped.
-Rear seat hip room: rear-facing car seats in the back make the front seats almost uninhabitable.
-Front seats don't work for me or my wife. 60-90 minutes make my back ache.
-Wagon doesn't hold as much as you might think. The top curves in a lot and cargo space suffers.
-Ride is "sporty" in spite of the body roll.
Bottom line: it's an Audi Allroad with the VAG quality issues. I love mine and want to keep it another 5+ years.
In reply to WonkoTheSane :
No twins for us! We're just going from one to two. But congrats on yours! I can't imagine how tired you must be haha.
For others - thank you for the input. We talked it over and decided that the need for premium and care and feeding of an older turbo motor are out of scope for this vehicle - plus the interior space is really not much bigger than our Honda Fit.
We took a look at a Honda Element that might work a bit better, though it has its own challenges. The rubber interior is a big selling point though.
