The Subaru overheated on the test drive. Was blowing steam by the time it got fifteen minutes into the drive. Odysseus didn't even get it to our mechanic for a check over--he barely managed to get it limped into our driveway. So, that car is off our list of potentials.
The second option, a CR-V about eighty miles from us (but close to my in-laws and their mechanic), has been sold. The Subaru that that dealer had gotten in today is the same age and similar mileage as the one that's still sitting in our driveway, waiting on a tow truck, and is similarly overpriced.
And, to add insult to injury, our dishwasher is spitting foam onto the floor. I'm not sure what's going on there, but I've canceled the cycle.
I'm about ready to run away screaming and tearing my hair out.
I cannot wait for this day to be over.
4 minutes ago
The Subaru probably suffers from the common head gasket maladies that plagued the 1st gen pre-2000 models (although I had head gasket problems with my 2003). There's a good explanation here: http://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-head-gasket-problems-explained/ (takes a while to load) that also points out some things to look for. Pre-2000 head gasket issues tend to be catastrophic (IE, can't drive the car), post 2000 tend to be bothersome but don't render the car un-driveable. Biggest thing, look at the back of the head on the drivers side, if you see any oil or coolant residue either on the head or directly underneath it on the splash guard...run, don't walk, away from it. Please note that due to the splash guard you will likely not see anything puddled underneath the car, you have to open the hood and look down onto the top of the guard. Certain parts are obscenely expensive (price an idle air control valve for a good example) and keeping up with the PM schedule is an absolute necessity.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side Subarus tend to hold their value pretty well, and the AWD is nice when the weather gets dicey. Also, going by a notable lack of Subarus (Subarii?) in scrapyards leads me to the conclusion that they last a long time. Mine has certainly held up well, I've put over 60K on it in the 3 1/2 years I've owned it and other than the regular PM stuff (including a timing belt at 105K miles, it had 103K when I got it and if I had known about the recommended 105K maintenance I probably would have passed on it) the only things I've had to do to it were the aforementioned head gaskets and an O2 sensor that was likely going bad when I bought it.
I like my Baja, but it is the only Subaru I will ever own. I've learned to live with the lesbian jokes.
My mother-in-law had a Subaru Outback Legacy that she adored. And my father-in-law came as close to meeting his Maker as he ever has--my sister-in-law wrecked her car, so he gave her his wife's. Which purely pissed my mother-in-law off. It's been about eight or nine years, and she's still pissed off.
DeleteOdysseus has a smart comeback to the lesbian jokes: he agrees, and laments that he's a lesbian born in a man's body.