New here… I’ve always been a Toyota guy, but I’m helping a good friend find a car and every Toyota I come across is either way overpriced or completely worn out. I know some Subaru Foresters had transmission issues in certain years, but overall, they seem reliable. What should we stay away from? Are head gasket problems still a thing? Which engines are the best? Are they easy to work on? Used car shopping is stressful… any advice would help! We’re in St. Louis if anyone has a good lead.
Being real with you… none. Any Subaru you find for $5k will probably need repairs that cost more than the car itself. Might be better to save up a bit more.
Harlyn said:
Being real with you… none. Any Subaru you find for $5k will probably need repairs that cost more than the car itself. Might be better to save up a bit more.
I hear you… seems like no matter what brand we look at, the budget needs to go up. I did come across a 2010 Outback Limited 2.5L with 200k miles. Needs a CV axle, but the seller has the part. She’s asking $1,900. Haven’t checked it out yet, but I might.
Harlyn said:
Being real with you… none. Any Subaru you find for $5k will probably need repairs that cost more than the car itself. Might be better to save up a bit more.
I gave my sister my old 2006 Forester that I bought for $3,200. Loved that car. If it weren’t for more trails banning AWD, I’d get another one. I got lucky though… previous owner had already replaced the head gaskets.
If it HAS to be a Subaru and you’ve got $5k, I’d go for an 05-09 Outback 3.0R.
Vern said:
If it HAS to be a Subaru and you’ve got $5k, I’d go for an 05-09 Outback 3.0R.
Appreciate it.
None. Keep searching for a Honda or Toyota.
A couple of months ago, I found a 2011 Camry for a friend—160k miles, paid $5,200. You have to find private sellers. Dealers mark them up like crazy.
Mary1 said:
A couple of months ago, I found a 2011 Camry for a friend—160k miles, paid $5,200. You have to find private sellers. Dealers mark them up like crazy.
That’s the plan. Just haven’t found any deals like that yet. Meanwhile, she’s stuck Ubering to work.
I picked up a 2010 Forester 5-speed with 65k miles for around $5k. Got super lucky, though… car was in great shape and really well taken care of. Deals exist, just gotta keep looking.
The 3.0L and 3.6L engines tend to hold up well. Found in the Legacy, Outback, and Tribeca. The key is regular maintenance. Make sure to check underneath for rust.
Stay away from a modified Impreza/WRX unless you really know what you’re getting into.
Are you after reliability or something more fun?
I’ve got a 2009 Outback 2.5i with 175k miles. Probably worth around $3,500 now. It’s been solid—had it for seven years and put on about 65k miles. Previous owner already did the head gasket, which is a common issue.
If you’re looking at Legacys, they’re usually cheaper than Outbacks. You might find a 2010-2014 model, but just be aware of the usual problems: 2010 had CVT/torque converter issues, and 2013 2.5i models burned oil.
If you’ve got the tools and a YouTube account, you can fix most things yourself. I don’t know every bad year, but I heard they fixed the head gasket problems around 2013-2014. The 2015 has a newer engine, but I don’t know much about it—just that it’s a 2.0 
.
@Maverick
Thanks for the info!