Edit: I misspoke when I said v6 subarus, I meant to say flat 6, it's a boxer engine like the 4 cylinder ones ⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools: 1. Bluetooth Scan Tool: amzn.to/2nfvmaD 2. Cheap Scan Tool: amzn.to/2D8Tvae 3. Basic Mechanic Tool Set: amzn.to/2tEr6Ce 4. Professional Socket Set: amzn.to/2Bzmccg 5. Ratcheting Wrench Set: amzn.to/2BQjj8A 6. No Charging Required Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2CthnUU 7. Battery Pack Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2nrc6qR ⬇️ Things used in this video: 1. Common Sense 2. 4k Camera: amzn.to/2HkjavH 3. Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2Evn167 4. Camera Tripod: amzn.to/2Jwog8S 5. My computer for editing / uploading: amzn.to/2uUZ3lo 🛠Check out the tools I use and highly recommend ► goo.gl/rwYt2y 🔥Scotty Shirts and Merch ► goo.gl/pTAeca Subscribe and hit the notification bell! ► goo.gl/CFismN Scotty on Social: Facebook ► facebook.com/scottymechanic/ Instagram ► instagram.com/scotty_the_mechanic/ Twitter ► twitter.com/Scottymechanic?lang=en
This is correct, bought a 250k 97 Impreza wagon a year ago, only had to replace the valve cover gasket and the ecu solenoid. was worried about the head but I have not needed to replace it. No over heating and I recently just took it on a 300 mile trip , just hit 260k this year. I’m hoping to see 300k in my Subaru
@@AnX8765 I live in the Houston area. They're definitely not popular around here, you usually see Fords, Mustangs and F-150's especially. Toyotas and Hondas too
“The nearest Subaru dealer is 18 miles from here” Wow that’s deep Scotty that should take about 23 minutes to get there - make sure you turn off the stove before you leave.
I lived in Colorado a couple decades ago and the roads were full of Subarus and Saab 900s I remember Subaru-only repair shops in Denver and Colorado Springs. Good times.
The old Subarus (mid 70's to mid 80's) were pretty good cars at a reasonable cost. That caused a lot of brand loyalty. Low cost simplicity like the old VW Beetle, but with water cooling which meant a heater that actually worked.
I visited in 2003 and was shocked at the number of Subaru and Volvo wagons--cars that were rare breeds elsewhere but as ubiquitous as Toyotas and Hondas are elsewhere.
They are absolute tanks on CO's snowy and icy roads. We did a same-day, side-by-side test on snow packed roads with the Subaru Legacy/Outback and the Ford Fusion AWD. Night and day difference. Ford with it's adaptive AWD was OK, but when compared to Subaru, the Ford was pathetic. The 4 cylinder engine is pretty anemic, but we've averaged 31 mpg over 90,000 miles.
LinusDickTips yeah personally i wouldnt compare them ive seen some terrible instances where audis just caked it in the wet or on icy roads. But then again it comes down to your setup maybe the guys had bad tyres for wet weather.
@eggmanwi It really depends on the local demographics. Where I live, you cannot drive up to a stop light and not see like three or four of 'em, which in turn drives the costs of parts waaaaaay down. Similarly however, Toyodas are driven around here, but a lot of them are expensive to repair.
*Pulls up in stock 07 4runner with 152k on it, next to a Subaru at a light. Revs engine* Passanger: "don't do it, he has at least $100k in repairs under the hood of that subaru"
@Kiirbyy awesome. I have 153k on my 07 4runner, with under $300 in repair outside of normal maintenance. 😃 I bought it in Dec 2015, with 112k on it already. Between myself and original owner, other than oil changes, replaced plugs at 149k (factory), alternator ($109 from rockauto, installed myself. Also at 149k, was factory), serpatine belt. Also factory ($30), tires (well, tires are tires. Lol), 3 led lights for my AC display ($15 from dealer, 10 DIY job) gas cap (gasket went bad at 130k) oil cap (shop lost it), that's it. Trans fluid is factory (lifetime), rear diff is too. Still drives like the day I got it. Subaru isn't bad. But the newer ones (2005-up) have on going issues though. Like the excessive oil consumption, and premature cvt failure on the newer ones. Not to mention, wheel bearings and axles needing replacement around 100k or less.
What’s funny is I was a Subaru mechanic for 6 years and never had to do a head gasket on a 6 cylinder model 😂😂.. You obviously don’t know many people who own Subaru’s because 99% of people I’ve met who own one say they’ll never drive anything else
That's why I bought a brand new one. I can't understand why people would buy a car a few years old and lots of miles on it when for a couple k more you can buy a brand new one, no miles and has all the factory warranty. I don't get it!
I’ve gotten lots of quality aftermarket parts for my Subaru from eBay and Autozone. As for the infamous head gasket issue, that’s due to poor maintenance. Skipped oil changes, coolant changes, and allowing battery corrosion to build up. As long as the engine is properly maintained, the gaskets will be just fine. Here in north Idaho where commutes are long and weather is shitty, Subarus with over 300,000 trouble-free miles are pretty common.
You're a very experienced mechanic. I appreciate the knowledge you share. As a youngster (I'm 25) I definitely admire the fact that you share so much information and you make it so readily available here. Thank you.
@@apachelives 180 horsepower, 1100 kg, that's light as all hell, and it's just as practical (4 seats, surprisingly ridiculous amount of space). Fun and practical at the same time.
The 2 main issues I've had with subarus over the years are the typical awd issues, like tires, and the fact that a lot of engine repairs that are easy in an I4 are more difficult in a flat 4, and thus more expensive.
Its sad how wrong this information is. The parts are super cheap and most of the parts are interchangeable between all models. From forester to wrx. They all have the same engine layouts and everything bolts up fine. They are a dream to work on. Most mechanics lie about how hard they are to work on because of the all wheel drive system. But like any japanese car all you need is a 10, 12, 15, 17, 19 mil sockets.
Your telling me man. I think they are the easiest cars to work on compared to everything else I touched. If u need to change alternator, a.c. compressor, ps pump it's all right there. Pulling the motor very easy too, I could get it out 30-50min. I gotta replace the clutch on my evo, now that is a different level of difficulty there.
@@dnawrapsatl you just gotta remove the rear seat and there is a panel to remove that gives you access to the fuel pump. Disconnect the fuel lines and electrical connection and pull the assembly out then replace the pump. I can't speak for newer models but with work I've done on pre 2005 models that's how it is.
Love the channel, usually great info. The most important thing (which you did touch on) is that Subaru is REGIONAL. Where they are popular, mechanics know them well, parts are more available, and the "ancient technology" of the boxer engine keeps the COG very low. Paired with great suspension geometry, most Subarus have great driver feel that goes along with the AWD performance in inclement weather of all kinds. They have great resale value also, 15 y/o Subarus in decent shape are still worth 4-6K.
They were great cars back then, 200-300 thousand miles was common. That car you have weighs approximately 800 pounds less and that helps with everything.
bought mine for $300 then it jumped time and was only running on three , was dring my dads 93 a guy saw that asked me if i liked these cars, and proceeded to give me his 93 white loyale . i have the broushures too . they built them right back then , the water pump had its own v belt unlike the ej that was ran on the timing belt.
Scotty, Subaru parts availability is pretty scarce for you because you're in Texas. I'm in Portland, Oregon and about a third of all cars here are Subarus. Any junkyard has nearly new ones in abundance, there are Subaru specialty junkyard's like John's Subaru (kinda in a remote area called Gaston), there are tons of independent shops that specialize in Subaru maintenance and tuning, and because Subarus share so many parts with their own cars (Legacy and Outback, Crosstrek and Impreza, and so on), the parts are extremely cheap! If you need a part for a Subaru shipped, see if you can get in contact with John Subaru. He's a good car guy and almost exclusively buys scrapped Subarus to part them out. Shipping won't be immediate but he's got lots of parts for cheap!
He is very Texas-centric. Does not take into consideration other parts of the USA. Same here in CT, the best selling car in this state is the Subaru Impreza last year. Lots of dealers, independent shops work on them. They are known and loved here especially for mountain climbing in the snow. Parts for the Subaru are cheaper than the Toyotas here (at least body panels when the cars are hit).
I love Subaru. Up here in Maine, they are the best selling car brand (although we have the highest truck ownership per capita of anywhere in the USA). It's hard to kill a Subaru. They easily go 300k up here, where our salt and potholes eat cars for dinner.
Thanks for the Toronto shout out! I’m Canadian and born in Toronto and I love Subaru’s! But my 2000 outback went way past 300000km, then traded it in to the dealer for a low km 2009. This new one has lots of problems the biggest is the transmission shifting problems. Certified cars at dealers are a joke. Never trust a dealer.
I've had 6 Subarus over the years in Michigan. They're great in the snow. Just make sure you keep the oil level up and put a new timing belt on every 100,000 miles.
That's why I only have Toyotas. If timing belt breaks no big deal. The engine is still fine. It happened to me. Timing belt broke at my house at 200,000. And just went to the dealer and brought a new one. Put it on and started right up
Tatiana Tayler uhh Toyota does have interference motors as well you know that right? Just because yours didn’t doesn’t mean they are all like that. Nvm the fact Toyota recommends you replace them every 60,000-80,000 miles because it’s still normal upkeep...
@@shawntayler4709 that could be a v6 toyota. V8 toyotas is an interference engine, you can't wait for the belt to break. I have a toyota and a subaru, btw
The H6's NEVER had a head gasket issue. The only ones which did were the early 2000's 2.5's with the laminated HG's. Put a turbo MLS and drive it for another 200k. Stick with what you know...you really don't know Subies. I get parts for my all over. I've owned 5 of them without any major issues and have driven roughly 750k miles. I wouldn't own one in Houston though...but here in Wisconsin they're all over...
The research I have done has suggested the turbos and the H6 don't have the head gasket problems either, whereas the 2.5 has a persistent problem with them. I know they supposedly fixed it in 2010, but I have seen 2010's and later (and yes, I mean the NEW design) have the same problem. And now they have the CVT....
Maestro_T the best engine they ever made was the 2.2L with a closed deck no head gasket issues. The engine in the 22B STi was a 278HP turbo variant of the 2.2...bulletproof and amazing sounding
TakeDeadAim the early ej205 was also prone to headgasket failure. And the ej255 and ej257 spun bearings and burned piston rings. And my friends 3.0L h6 went through valve cover gaskets twice and head gaskets once in the 6 years yet owned it... that may have been due to the salt up here in northern New England, gets all up in where the gaskets are on the underside of the engine and eats them out
I own my first new to me Subaru drove it in very heavy rain last week I was simply amazed at how good it held up. Look forward to driving it in the snow!
@@jamsstaylor2348 what? lol seriously i have no idea what you're trying to say and im pretty sure you dont either.. wtf is a box car for acceleration? Rally car's are most definitely race cars that are extremely light, fast, and nimble.
Yea like I said low end but doesn't change the fact it is. Racecar rally racing whatever you want to call it. Btw I'm 26 mines an 18' I'm willing to bet your still a child
I daily a 2002 wrx auto wagon. Had since new. Have only changed 1 alternator in 185k miles. It is bone stock and runs amsoil fluids in everything though.
The Amsoil saved it,Chicago driving is ANYTHING but"delicate".HAHAHA!!.Its 🔨 hammer down,warp factor-9 type of driving no doubt. I'm a Amsoil dealer and hear stories like this all the time.
Another thing to consider when purchasing a Subaru or any other all wheel drive vehicle, is tires. If your tires are a bit worn down and you suddenly need to replace a tire, like it's got a non-repairable hole, you aren't going to just replace that 1 tire. You may have to put all 4 tires on. There is a very narrow tolerance between the tire with the least amount of remaining tread and the tire with the most tread. If the other 3 are outside of that tolerance, it's going to be a 4 new tire installation. The dealership should go over this and make you well aware of this, but if you buy it used, you may be in for a surprise the first time you want to put a tire on. The reason for the tight tolerance is that the drivetrain can be damaged if there is too much difference in tread, even on the drive axle of a 2 wheel drive vehicle. There you may get by with only purchasing 2 tires, but it's still something to consider when replacing tires. Never replace just 1 tire. Always replace in pairs or replace all 4.
I bought my 6 cyl Subaru brand new off the lot in 2004. Here we are, almost 20 years later and 165k miles. It's been rock solid with no major mechanical problems at all. Like all cars, regular maintenance is the key to longevity.
Thanks for the advice Scotty! Im probably getting a Subaru soon because I have to commute 45 mins every day to work but I also live in Utah and go up the snowy mountains several times a month.
Smart! I got my 15 legacy for that reason with it snowing here and my job being 30 minutes away leather heated seats and going through snow was a must!
Anyone bashing subarus I own a 03 wrx I've had it for 7 years bought it with 130xxx when I bought it it was stock 10xxx miles later it had 300whp my car now has 238xxx all I had to do was clutch timing belt and brakes oil changes just the normal regular maintenance and my car runs perfect and it's a beast in the snow I dont get stuck I get people unstuck 🤙👍💪
👵🏼 Squirrels 🐿 !!! My 14 yr old Suubie suddenly had trouble starting; then, after successfully starting & running, it would cut off. When Roadside Service Truck came, Tech lifted up hood to inspect Engine area, etc.,.Tech laughed & said: “Here’s the trouble right here.” ; and pointed to the Battery, which had a *s l i c e of w h o l e w h e a t 🍞 b r e a d* laying across the Battery Terminal !!! Squirrels 🐿 !!!
@@c.r.harris so weird everyone mentioning squirrels and Subarus. I've had my 04 Legacy for a couple months now and been loving it. However I looked out my apartment window the other day and saw 2 or 3 squirrels hanging around outside my Legacy! It is the closest car by the tree, but I still think it's funny. Hope they don't cause no damage!
Ha. Great video as usual BUT we love owning Subaru. We Only go for the 2L flat 4. Not fast or powerful BUT goes forever. Never had a Subaru engine go on us. Never had a gearbox or diff go. In snow and on ice they are awesome. Extremely well engineered. Ford are still using engines with roots in 1990's Peugeot. The flat 4 gives the car a lovely feel to drive. Manual boxes are always a bit stiff until warm. Parts are extremely easy to find and price is comparable to other makes, certainly cheaper than Honda and Toyota, more expensive than Ford though. ALways we will own at least one Subaru. After my Mazda goes we will go back to owning 2 Subaru again. :)
I've owned three Subarus. First Forester, then Outback and now back to Forester again. They've never given me any engine problem. I've always used synthetic oil from day 1. When it's wet, they hug the roads like no other cars can.
@@kenhoward3512 AWD allows for better control and safety. It helps reduce hydroplaning and stability. Have you ever driven a Subaru in the rain? I recently got a WRX, drove it one morning to work when it was pouring and the car stayed planted and the car felt like it had zero issues with grip. Yes, tires play a role, but AWD can make a difference when inclement weather presents itself.
@@kenhoward3512 It's also because of the low center of gravity. In high wind, they feel solid. In rain, they feel solid. In snow.... they feel solid. Tires contribute but drive a Subaru and see. Hell I'm a tacoma owner but I know how well Subarus feel on the road.
First of all I got an 03 Impreza Outback sport with the EJ251 engine, I can find parts everywhere, not just at the Subaru dealership. Subarus are amazing everywhere. My car has 200,000 miles without a single head gasket issue. Change oil regularly. You’ll be fine!
Acorns and other 'nuts' under the hood: Use peppermint oil (extract) and put a few drops of the extract in the usual places where squirrels, mice, etc. tend build nests and 'food' stockpiles. Rodents HATE peppermint oil and will NOT go anywhere it. The peppermint oil will help STOP the rodents from chewing on the WIRING!!!! Works in houses, sheds and barns, too.
It might work in most areas, but not if you have pack rats (wood rats). Nothing seems to deter them, especially not peppermint. I tried "Fresh Cab" rodent deterrent, the little bastards made a damn nest out of it! The only thing I found that worked was a battery operated strobe light. I didn't remember to turn it on every night, so the rats eventually destroyed the wiring in both of my Subarus. I'll never buy another one.
I love my Subarus. I've got a 2003 wrx I've worked on and a 2005 STI I'm currently rebuilding. Scotty is 100% correct about the part prices. I've bought countless OEM parts and I can tell you they are expensive. Also finding a mechanic who can properly work on a Subaru can sometimes be difficult like Scotty said. In my experience some of these mechanics say they can, but can't work on them properly. Seen this happen many times.
also, only certain engines are just more prone to hg's failing, but generally they recommend you replace them at 100k even if it's "fine now"..at least with the older ones anyway. If the job is done well, it'll go another 100k. These engines can be picky, but they're stubborn and will be good to you if you take care of 'em.
Andrew Smith yeah I agree I don’t believe that it’s hereditary amongst all Subaru or Subaru lines, only certain models made in a certain year or cars that have had poor maintenance throughout its life will suffer from the Hg or blown rings or blown seals.
Hey Scotty! My mom loves your channel. She just sent my this episode. You are really awesome. Sir I have been having a heck of a time with my15 Subaru Outback. Subaru does good engineering. In perfecting a relic. Similar boxer engine was built by Karl Benz earliest motors. Great car for Florida!! I just got to 136000 miles all Florida miles and some off roading aswell before I sold my track tires some track driving. Great drive parks in Florida too! Scotty the Outback used to get 23-27mpg!! On long drives 36 mpg even amount of highway to local miles. Now we are getting 13-15 mpg highway aswell with the Paddle shifters 15-18 mpg Avg on local. It Bogs on hard braking to a stop. It vibrates at 1200-1500 rpm while cruising on local roads. It vibrates at 1700-2000 rpm while cruising on the highway. The transmission is fine, it reacts properly turning the loops onto the highways. Love the diff-activated tranny!! Researching to change diff oil. Might use Mercedes diff oil. 🤔 The car started sounding like a diesel and cutting out coming off on the highway exits lights. I ran with OEM oil from Subaru oil; now Shell Rotella once we got to 90,000 miles. Rotella is The best oil in the world second to Total oils!! For Doesel and Gas engines Would like to see a review on Rotella from you. I’m sure oil is an issue with the Texas heat. Would like you make a review. Please help what could be wrong? The vibration!!! It even rattles the voices of my UBERclients and my mom finds the car painful to be in. She is a cancer survivor but since her last vasectomy she finds the Outback unbearable. Please help!
We have an 05 Legacy GT Wagon with the 5sp manual. It has 275,000 kms and no issues with engine, but have had many other minor issues over the years. That being said, I love driving one and it always puts a smile on my face with its unusually quick acceleration.
I've the same make and model as you! It's a stick, too. With snow tires, the vehicle is excellent in the snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe. The only drawbacks are that the fuel economy is dreadful - about 21 mpg in mixed driving. Also, I wonder when the head gasket will leak or the turbo will fail. 130K miles and so far so good!
@Hunter Anderson Yow - I would not have thought that 21 mpg is high! Overall a great car. I had one odd failure where the repeated opening of the hatch wore out and broke the wires in the cable bundle that passes from the body to the door. I found this while troubleshooting an inop rear defroster and a radio with poor FM reception.
@Hunter Anderson Yes, lots of annoying issues - the broken wire bundle; the clutch frankly is finicky to operate and is easy to cook the disk; and the failed gasket on the elbow into the power-steering pump all come to mind.
I live in northern Ontario and our winters can be pretty brutal. So although I am not a fan of Subaru’s engine and transmission choices, I am considering one for my next vehicle because of the awd and the ground clearance as my current FWD sedan scraps the undercarriage on ice ruts and I’ve gotten stuck in the driveway on multiple occasions, and that’s with studded winter tires.
I love my 2015 Forester. Great traction in snow, torrential rain, etc. Even when my very long steep driveway had 8" of untouched snow on it, my Subie barely noticed it.
Hi five, my 2018 Forester is the same way. I used to be horrified of driving in the rain, snow, etc when I had a 2003 Corolla LE. It wasnt horrible in the snow but it lost traction so easily and wasn’t confident in the snow at all.
I’ve owned Subbies all my life. The most fun was a 2015 WRX STi. It could run with the Mustangs and Camaros in the summer, and push snow over a mountain pass in the winter while the other sports cars were in their garages.
I had a 99 impreza rx for over 10 years, 310 000km, original motor, trans, clutch and brakes. The only time it broke down was when I lost the immobilizer chip in my key and didnt realise. I barely looked after it, serviced it late and abused it regularly. Almost unbreakable. Went to a wrx, blew the turbo after a week and did a bearing last week. The turbo surbarus do require more care and seem to break faster, which makes sense. But you would struggle to break the 2.0 non turbo cars.
Great analysis! It's true that very few independent mechanics know how to fix this car. That's why the dealerships charge through the roof to fix them. They know you don't have a lot of options. On the other hand, they are exceptional cars for snow or ice.
I've been loving my subaru, easy car to work on and lots of parts because everything fits everything. They've been using the sameish parts on every car for like 25 years
I've got a '17 Forester with a bit over 50,000 miles and it's been a great rig. 8" ground clearance and excellent mileage. Living in Nova Scotia, in the country, we wanted a reliable and capable SUV . I chose it on my mechanic's recommendation, as it's fairly simple to work on. I'll tell you how good it is when it's 10 years old and has over 200,000! I usually keep my cars about a decade and figure it doesn't start being worth it until after 100,000 miles!
It now has about 110,000 miles and the biggest annoyance is premature wear on some parts, like ball joints, wheel bearings and the like. I guess my expectation is in line with other Japanese cars, like Toyotas and Hondas. Is it reliable? Yes! I. Glad I had an excellent, independent mechanic and don’t have to go to the dealer or it would be a much more expensive ride! My cheapest and most reliable car is an ‘05 Mercedes C240 and Scotty hates Mercedes!
My 2016 Outback has about 44,000 miles on it. I really like it. It is brilliant in torrential rainstorms (south Florida) and flooded roads (as long as I let a pickup lead the way, which means he clears the road for underwater obstacles! There’s no shortage of willing pickup drivers to go on flooded road checks). I traded in the Camry because my wife had back surgery and had trouble with how low the seats were. We went with the Subaru and it was vastly easier for her to get into and out of. I liked the Camry a lot (Michelin AS tires made it handle like a BMW), and in Maine and thereabouts (where they don’t seem to put as much corn in the gas), I got 38 mpg on the interstates. But the Outback is a lot more sure-footed. And mileage is good (just not quite as great as the Camry). But its 18-gallon gas tank helps mitigate that on long trips.
Scotty, I have watched many of your videos and appreciate your hard work and candid attitude! But, I really like your calmer, conversational tone on this Subaru video!
Correction the 6 cylinder engines were not the head gasket problematic engine. The 2.5 4 cylinder was. Don't listen to Scotty the parts are not that rediculous. I have owned and maintained 3 Subarus 2 of which were 225k+
I live in the South Island of New Zealand....I am currently on my second Subaru and it is currently at 340000 KMs,,never had to do anything to it apart from servicing and new timing belt at 100000 km intervals. Only reason i got rid of my first one was because I wanted a newer one(first one was a 1997 Forester at 290000 kms again with no problems)couldnt be happier,but perhaps suited to colder climates.....
I'm sorry I call bs. I had wagon that had 356,000 on it. My friend everyone he got had over 230,000 on them. But yet he had the good years 1996 to 2005
I've got a 2003 Outback, he has 220K on the clock, bought him used to deliver mail and so far only had to do a battery, alternator and starter, I'm religious about changing the oil and had to do brakes and tires, he had 200K when I bought him and I knew I was going to have to replace a few things on an older car, got in some deep mud on a dirt road and didnt miss a beat.
If you have the cvt remember to get the fluid changed. "Lifetime" is a load of crap the dealers sometimes say to avoid the job but calling subaru of america will confirm it needa to be changed and in fact can be done.
@@RealityIsTheNow I'm at 175k miles with a 2015 cvt. I've had no issues and regularly have the fluids changed. It has had no issues so far. Engine also doing good fb20 H4 2.0l no major issues just regular maintenance followed by subarus recommendations.
I have a 2002 Subaru Outback vdc sedan (6 cylinder boxer engine, 3.0 liters if I’m correct) and it’s amazing! Had it for 4 years, got it at 150,000 miles, now at 190,000 miles, still going extremely Strong! Only thing I’ve had to do was replace the front wheel bearings, and the connector for the alternator cause the plastic broke down. Amazing car!!! Girlfriend has had a 2003 LL Bean Subaru Outback (hatchback with same exact engine) and hasn’t had any issues either in 3 years of ownership, at 175,000 miles, up from 150,000 miles. These are strong engines and the transmissions in these older ones like mine and hers are great and reliable! Heck I beat the crud out of mine, and it still works perfectly! I added some steering fluid once cause it was low and getting harder to turn the wheel but otherwise, this car has been a reliable amazing car, truly a dream to own. I highly recommend it, and plan to sell it for $3000 eventually, only 2k under what I paid 5 years ago. It has held value decently being the top trim of its time having all the bells and whistles, but I love the car and everything in it is great. The reason you don’t mention these is because they never come into your shop cause they never have issues! Just like a Toyota or Honda, I highly recommend this car! And engine!
Len only in America lol but seriously the 2.0 engines were the most reliable. More cylinder material to help with cylinder warping and head gaskets blowing out etc.
The H6's NEVER had a HG issue. My friend is a 25 year master Subie Tech and said other than the poor MPG...the H6's were great engines. The ONLY reason the early 2000's had gasket issues was because they used laminated HG's for some reason. I've done 4 head gasket jobs(without pulling the engine) and simply replaced the gasket with the turbo MLS and never had another one leak.
@@stuntmonkey00 I was in an Impreza when a truck smashed into me at 50MPH (guy was texting) while I was at a complete stop. My car was completely crushed front to back; the trunk door was literally up to the back seats. But I got out with nothing more than a couple bruises. Not even whiplash. I can attest from first hand experience, those safety test results are legit.
Gosh darn it scotty, you got me again! I love my subaru. You are spot on ol'man!! Keep it up! I got my popcorn and I am enjoying these videos! Wish my dad or grandpa was like this! 😅😅😅
I sought out the most reliable Subaru engine, the 2.2 and then got it wrapped in the best car, the Impreza Outback Sport with a 5-speed. Not gonna worry about it up to 500,000 miles! Its got 201,000 now.
I had a 17 Forester for a couple of years and when I took it off road it handled mud and sand very impressively when I went out with my buddy off roading in central Florida, the payments ended up being too high for me though and I had to sell it, I miss it a lot. :/
The bright part of this video is that knowing how many people around the world actually have their Subaru and being happy with them. Ordered 2021 xv can't wait to get it. All Subaru in Australia are made in Japan thank God.
Edit: I misspoke when I said v6 subarus, I meant to say flat 6, it's a boxer engine like the 4 cylinder ones
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So get a 4 and not a 6 so both dont have head gasket and transmission issues
Hi Scotty
Is there anyway that we can check if the speedometer has been changed or not when we buy a used car?
Scotty Kilmer y Toyota parts are expensive than Nissan parts
Scotty Kilmer a "flat 6" or a "straight 6" ii never heard your term before, so now i go to the google
Hey Scotty, I always hear you dump on Chevy Silverado for being junk - is there anything that might be different about the GMC Sierra?
It's nearly impossible to find a used Subaru, let alone a low-mileage one in good condition. Owners usually keep them forever. Yes, they are reliable.
Richard Shelton ong
Yeah if you keep it stock
@@MrRosentrotter Like most folks do.
This is correct, bought a 250k 97 Impreza wagon a year ago, only had to replace the valve cover gasket and the ecu solenoid. was worried about the head but I have not needed to replace it. No over heating and I recently just took it on a 300 mile trip , just hit 260k this year. I’m hoping to see 300k in my Subaru
Wrong! I just found a 2008 Outback with only 62,485 miles on her. Picking her up this week. For $8400
if you listen hard Scotty said something good about a Subaru .
up here in tornoto they are a must for the snow
@@AnX8765 - Every state in New England is up to its neck in Subaru
@@AnX8765 - They love them in Colorado and Oregon because they love all-wheel drive in those places.
You mean like when he said 'dinosaur technology?' 😂😂😂
@@AnX8765 I live in the Houston area. They're definitely not popular around here, you usually see Fords, Mustangs and F-150's especially. Toyotas and Hondas too
Don't buy a car. Just walk. You'll save so much more on repair costs!
Until you have to repair your knees
As long as your feet are Toyota's from 30 years ago, it's ok to just walk 🤣
@@doradomike yeah knee's are endless money pits.
Knees are expensive! Luckily, I have a lift in my garage.
Best transport to ride "Horse" that last long forever.
I had a 96 outback with 200,000 miles. Only replaced alternator and water pump. Best car I ever had
Jeremy Mason I have a 97 Toyota Camry with 270,000 miles, I only replaced the alternator
That was then..
I had a 2019 Toyota 4Runner. It was stolen.
Ingle Ringlet-Snipps 3rd no way
Scotty does not like Subaru’s because, as he says, he does not work on the brand regularly. He works mainly on Toyotas.
In a nutshell the only Subaru worth your money is the 1994 Subaru Celica
Jesus Ortiz 😂 😝
Subaru tacoma
toyota celica*
😂
'94 Subaru Legacy's are just as much in demand as Celica's, and easy to work on, cheap parts, etc.
“The nearest Subaru dealer is 18 miles from here”
Wow that’s deep Scotty that should take about 23 minutes to get there - make sure you turn off the stove before you leave.
K-nice lmfaoooo exactly what I was thinking
The nearest gas station to my house is 20 away LOL
You've clearly never driven in Houston.
I can tell you don’t live in Houston...
Living in Colorado, everyone has a Subaru, honestly not sure if the mechanics here know how to work on anything else
I lived in Colorado a couple decades ago and the roads were full of Subarus and Saab 900s
I remember Subaru-only repair shops in Denver and Colorado Springs.
Good times.
The old Subarus (mid 70's to mid 80's) were pretty good cars at a reasonable cost.
That caused a lot of brand loyalty.
Low cost simplicity like the old VW Beetle, but with water cooling which meant a heater that actually worked.
Nothing but STIs from Pueblo to Ft Collins
I visited in 2003 and was shocked at the number of Subaru and Volvo wagons--cars that were rare breeds elsewhere but as ubiquitous as Toyotas and Hondas are elsewhere.
They are absolute tanks on CO's snowy and icy roads. We did a same-day, side-by-side test on snow packed roads with the Subaru Legacy/Outback and the Ford Fusion AWD. Night and day difference. Ford with it's adaptive AWD was OK, but when compared to Subaru, the Ford was pathetic. The 4 cylinder engine is pretty anemic, but we've averaged 31 mpg over 90,000 miles.
They sell because they have the best awd system, period. I miss my subie in the winter for sure.
LinusDickTips yeah personally i wouldnt compare them ive seen some terrible instances where audis just caked it in the wet or on icy roads. But then again it comes down to your setup maybe the guys had bad tyres for wet weather.
Schitty engine
A lot of subaru parts are interchangeable between different models so that makes things a lot easier to find parts
Same goes for Toyota.
@eggmanwi It really depends on the local demographics. Where I live, you cannot drive up to a stop light and not see like three or four of 'em, which in turn drives the costs of parts waaaaaay down. Similarly however, Toyodas are driven around here, but a lot of them are expensive to repair.
Parts are pretty good for me just go out to the scrappers you can find alot
@eggmanwi na
Yep. Rebuilt at 97 Impreza and took tons of parts and even a differential from 2000s Imprezas
I’ve had my Subaru Forester 99’ for 15 years. Put 260k miles on it. It runs great
Same here
Share your maintenance habits in terms of intevals and products please
I did most of my teenage driving on my mom's 99 Forester. It was a great car!!
Are the parts expensive?
98% of Subaru's sold in the last ten years are still on the road.
The other 2% made it home
@@billholden4922 Haha!! Exactly!!
*Pulls up in stock 07 4runner with 152k on it, next to a Subaru at a light. Revs engine* Passanger: "don't do it, he has at least $100k in repairs under the hood of that subaru"
@Kiirbyy awesome. I have 153k on my 07 4runner, with under $300 in repair outside of normal maintenance. 😃
I bought it in Dec 2015, with 112k on it already. Between myself and original owner, other than oil changes, replaced plugs at 149k (factory), alternator ($109 from rockauto, installed myself. Also at 149k, was factory), serpatine belt. Also factory ($30), tires (well, tires are tires. Lol), 3 led lights for my AC display ($15 from dealer, 10 DIY job) gas cap (gasket went bad at 130k) oil cap (shop lost it), that's it. Trans fluid is factory (lifetime), rear diff is too. Still drives like the day I got it.
Subaru isn't bad. But the newer ones (2005-up) have on going issues though. Like the excessive oil consumption, and premature cvt failure on the newer ones. Not to mention, wheel bearings and axles needing replacement around 100k or less.
@Kiirbyy yep. America's most reliable vehicle. I'm a happy camper for sure. 😃
When I was young my parents had 2 subies. The cars lasted them. Moved out now I have a subie sti. Nothing wrong with the cars.
Hunter Johnson what year is ti?
@@colochorrisos5087 By the looks of his pfp anywhere from 2015-2017 is the year of his sti
Texas swimming holes
@@colochorrisos5087 2015
@@xReLentLess213 true
What’s funny is I was a Subaru mechanic for 6 years and never had to do a head gasket on a 6 cylinder model 😂😂.. You obviously don’t know many people who own Subaru’s because 99% of people I’ve met who own one say they’ll never drive anything else
Just remember that if you buy a Subaru, they hold their value pretty well.
That's why I bought a brand new one. I can't understand why people would buy a car a few years old and lots of miles on it when for a couple k more you can buy a brand new one, no miles and has all the factory warranty. I don't get it!
Wolf House “couple k more” lol no.
@@MrMikeVo yes. I've been looking for months. Made more sense to buy a new one.
Wolf House old ones look better
MrMikeVo he aint wrong im a Subaru sales person we sell our 2015 or 2016 outbacks for around $24000 a new one is literally just a few k more
I’ve gotten lots of quality aftermarket parts for my Subaru from eBay and Autozone. As for the infamous head gasket issue, that’s due to poor maintenance. Skipped oil changes, coolant changes, and allowing battery corrosion to build up. As long as the engine is properly maintained, the gaskets will be just fine. Here in north Idaho where commutes are long and weather is shitty, Subarus with over 300,000 trouble-free miles are pretty common.
You're a very experienced mechanic. I appreciate the knowledge you share. As a youngster (I'm 25) I definitely admire the fact that you share so much information and you make it so readily available here. Thank you.
Ok
As a buffalonian and a Subaru owner I can say they YES they work VERY WELL in the snow
Facts I live in Buffalo and I’m getting a Impreza tmrw
Just purchased my 4th Subaru last July, and I have had ZERO problems over the years!
You mean, re:zero problems *insane unnecessary laughter*
Celica... celica.... celica.... Scotty this is 2019.... no matter how much you praise celica, we can’t buy a celica now. 🤦🏻♂️
Vikram Devara LMAOOOO
Look far and wide - you may snag one! Lol
The Celica is just a skinny 2 door Camry, just as boring.
A90 Celica Supra
@@apachelives 180 horsepower, 1100 kg, that's light as all hell, and it's just as practical (4 seats, surprisingly ridiculous amount of space). Fun and practical at the same time.
The 2 main issues I've had with subarus over the years are the typical awd issues, like tires, and the fact that a lot of engine repairs that are easy in an I4 are more difficult in a flat 4, and thus more expensive.
Scotty Kilmer walks into a toyota dealership,
He is immediately given a veterans discount
And a free Celica.
They all run around after him to sniff his butt for cash.
Scotty doesnt walk into or anywhere near dealerships
And a bag of cash
@@audaciousifti Just corporate
Its sad how wrong this information is. The parts are super cheap and most of the parts are interchangeable between all models. From forester to wrx. They all have the same engine layouts and everything bolts up fine. They are a dream to work on. Most mechanics lie about how hard they are to work on because of the all wheel drive system. But like any japanese car all you need is a 10, 12, 15, 17, 19 mil sockets.
Your telling me man. I think they are the easiest cars to work on compared to everything else I touched. If u need to change alternator, a.c. compressor, ps pump it's all right there. Pulling the motor very easy too, I could get it out 30-50min. I gotta replace the clutch on my evo, now that is a different level of difficulty there.
They do look super easy to work on. The belts especially. Spark plugs not to easy but def not that hard.
What about the fuel pump? How hard is that?
@@dnawrapsatl you just gotta remove the rear seat and there is a panel to remove that gives you access to the fuel pump. Disconnect the fuel lines and electrical connection and pull the assembly out then replace the pump. I can't speak for newer models but with work I've done on pre 2005 models that's how it is.
Yes ! 👍😬 exactly
every subaru driver know the difference between Subaru and any other car
I would never change from subaru
impreza forever
Love the channel, usually great info. The most important thing (which you did touch on) is that Subaru is REGIONAL. Where they are popular, mechanics know them well, parts are more available, and the "ancient technology" of the boxer engine keeps the COG very low. Paired with great suspension geometry, most Subarus have great driver feel that goes along with the AWD performance in inclement weather of all kinds. They have great resale value also, 15 y/o Subarus in decent shape are still worth 4-6K.
I bought an 87' 7 yrs ago for 200$ its still going..4hi and 4lo.. Best money I've ever spent on a car.
They were great cars back then, 200-300 thousand miles was common. That car you have weighs approximately 800 pounds less and that helps with everything.
Those old girls rocked. Stopped driving them in 94.
I'm looking for an old GL hatchback for a project, and have run across a couple 87 wagons. Good rigs! I love the old Subies.
bought mine for $300 then it jumped time and was only running on three , was dring my dads 93 a guy saw that asked me if i liked these cars, and proceeded to give me his 93 white loyale . i have the broushures too . they built them right back then , the water pump had its own v belt unlike the ej that was ran on the timing belt.
Scotty, Subaru parts availability is pretty scarce for you because you're in Texas. I'm in Portland, Oregon and about a third of all cars here are Subarus. Any junkyard has nearly new ones in abundance, there are Subaru specialty junkyard's like John's Subaru (kinda in a remote area called Gaston), there are tons of independent shops that specialize in Subaru maintenance and tuning, and because Subarus share so many parts with their own cars (Legacy and Outback, Crosstrek and Impreza, and so on), the parts are extremely cheap! If you need a part for a Subaru shipped, see if you can get in contact with John Subaru. He's a good car guy and almost exclusively buys scrapped Subarus to part them out. Shipping won't be immediate but he's got lots of parts for cheap!
He is very Texas-centric. Does not take into consideration other parts of the USA. Same here in CT, the best selling car in this state is the Subaru Impreza last year. Lots of dealers, independent shops work on them. They are known and loved here especially for mountain climbing in the snow. Parts for the Subaru are cheaper than the Toyotas here (at least body panels when the cars are hit).
Nathan Young it’s a northwest thing
@Sam S I am in Wallingford,CT and there are Subaru cars everywhere I look!
I love Subaru. Up here in Maine, they are the best selling car brand (although we have the highest truck ownership per capita of anywhere in the USA). It's hard to kill a Subaru. They easily go 300k up here, where our salt and potholes eat cars for dinner.
Thanks for the Toronto shout out! I’m Canadian and born in Toronto and I love Subaru’s! But my 2000 outback went way past 300000km, then traded it in to the dealer for a low km 2009. This new one has lots of problems the biggest is the transmission shifting problems. Certified cars at dealers are a joke. Never trust a dealer.
I LOVE it when Scotty goes third - person. "Scotty doesn't like Subarus!!"😀
Read: “scotty doesnt know Subarus.”
I've had 6 Subarus over the years in Michigan. They're great in the snow. Just make sure you keep the oil level up and put a new timing belt on every 100,000 miles.
I'm in Michigan too. I recently checked into getting a WRX. I LOVE that it's AWD.
That's why I only have Toyotas. If timing belt breaks no big deal. The engine is still fine. It happened to me. Timing belt broke at my house at 200,000. And just went to the dealer and brought a new one. Put it on and started right up
Tatiana Tayler uhh Toyota does have interference motors as well you know that right? Just because yours didn’t doesn’t mean they are all like that. Nvm the fact Toyota recommends you replace them every 60,000-80,000 miles because it’s still normal upkeep...
@@shawntayler4709 that could be a v6 toyota. V8 toyotas is an interference engine, you can't wait for the belt to break. I have a toyota and a subaru, btw
Wolves Den Gaming not all Toyota’s have inference engines
I just bought out my leased 2016 forester xt. I've had it for 4 years so far with zero problems. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I bought a 2019 wrx in March. I love it so far.
I just bought one 3 days ago and I can say the same ! Have fun man stay safe
Living in Norway, and loving my Subaru Crosstrek, never gotten stuck in the snow.
The H6's NEVER had a head gasket issue. The only ones which did were the early 2000's 2.5's with the laminated HG's. Put a turbo MLS and drive it for another 200k. Stick with what you know...you really don't know Subies. I get parts for my all over. I've owned 5 of them without any major issues and have driven roughly 750k miles. I wouldn't own one in Houston though...but here in Wisconsin they're all over...
i drive one in houston, it's still the best car ive owned. it rains a lot here. 14 forester xt :)
I believe when he talks about these things he means in general. I'm pretty sure he knows there are people like you
The research I have done has suggested the turbos and the H6 don't have the head gasket problems either, whereas the 2.5 has a persistent problem with them. I know they supposedly fixed it in 2010, but I have seen 2010's and later (and yes, I mean the NEW design) have the same problem. And now they have the CVT....
Maestro_T the best engine they ever made was the 2.2L with a closed deck no head gasket issues. The engine in the 22B STi was a 278HP turbo variant of the 2.2...bulletproof and amazing sounding
TakeDeadAim the early ej205 was also prone to headgasket failure. And the ej255 and ej257 spun bearings and burned piston rings. And my friends 3.0L h6 went through valve cover gaskets twice and head gaskets once in the 6 years yet owned it... that may have been due to the salt up here in northern New England, gets all up in where the gaskets are on the underside of the engine and eats them out
Hey Scotty, I live in Houston, too and with all the rain it's nice to have my all wheel drive Subaru, it's not just for snow....
I own my first new to me Subaru drove it in very heavy rain last week I was simply amazed at how good it held up. Look forward to driving it in the snow!
"Subarus aren't race cars"
>WRX exists
>STI exists
>Impreza was the old rally platform
>Legacy was the even older rally platform
NotsaeEgavas race cars are light and turn fast..... a subura wrx or rally car uses box car for acceleration
@@jamsstaylor2348 Please go watch rally and tell me again how it's not a racecar. Thanks.
@@jamsstaylor2348 what? lol seriously i have no idea what you're trying to say and im pretty sure you dont either.. wtf is a box car for acceleration? Rally car's are most definitely race cars that are extremely light, fast, and nimble.
Have a wrx it's a racecar for sure, low end, yes also hella fun
Yea like I said low end but doesn't change the fact it is. Racecar rally racing whatever you want to call it. Btw I'm 26 mines an 18' I'm willing to bet your still a child
Drum brakes are ancient technology too, cough, cough, 2019 Tacoma, cough.
I daily a 2002 wrx auto wagon. Had since new. Have only changed 1 alternator in 185k miles. It is bone stock and runs amsoil fluids in everything though.
You take care of it so delicately didnt you? Lucky you.
The Amsoil saved it,Chicago driving is ANYTHING but"delicate".HAHAHA!!.Its 🔨 hammer down,warp factor-9 type of driving no doubt.
I'm a Amsoil dealer and hear stories like this all the time.
@@nakazatotakeshi4286 not really. It lives outside all year in Chicago.
Great to see an o2 on the road still!
I only run Amsoil signature series fluids in my 2010 Impreza sport hatchback with 133,xxx i’m using the car to build my credit
Another thing to consider when purchasing a Subaru or any other all wheel drive vehicle, is tires. If your tires are a bit worn down and you suddenly need to replace a tire, like it's got a non-repairable hole, you aren't going to just replace that 1 tire. You may have to put all 4 tires on. There is a very narrow tolerance between the tire with the least amount of remaining tread and the tire with the most tread. If the other 3 are outside of that tolerance, it's going to be a 4 new tire installation. The dealership should go over this and make you well aware of this, but if you buy it used, you may be in for a surprise the first time you want to put a tire on.
The reason for the tight tolerance is that the drivetrain can be damaged if there is too much difference in tread, even on the drive axle of a 2 wheel drive vehicle. There you may get by with only purchasing 2 tires, but it's still something to consider when replacing tires. Never replace just 1 tire. Always replace in pairs or replace all 4.
I bought my 6 cyl Subaru brand new off the lot in 2004. Here we are, almost 20 years later and 165k miles. It's been rock solid with no major mechanical problems at all. Like all cars, regular maintenance is the key to longevity.
Thanks for the advice Scotty! Im probably getting a Subaru soon because I have to commute 45 mins every day to work but I also live in Utah and go up the snowy mountains several times a month.
Smart man! Do the exact opposite of Scotty Shillmer!
Smart! I got my 15 legacy for that reason with it snowing here and my job being 30 minutes away leather heated seats and going through snow was a must!
Seen any Utah raptors?
Had a 1999 legacy wagon. Drove it till the wheels fell off. I've had many cars and was very impressed with Subies
"Drove it"?? Why? It should still be working now if it was only a 1999 model. That's just middle age for Toyotas and Hondas.
97 Legacy Outback here. Had to change rear-diff. Still runs great.
If you had brought it to Colorado AFTER the wheels fell off you could have still sold it for about $10,000.
Anyone bashing subarus I own a 03 wrx I've had it for 7 years bought it with 130xxx when I bought it it was stock 10xxx miles later it had 300whp my car now has 238xxx all I had to do was clutch timing belt and brakes oil changes just the normal regular maintenance and my car runs perfect and it's a beast in the snow I dont get stuck I get people unstuck 🤙👍💪
Ohio loves Subaru. No one has time to be stuck in snow.
Connecticut, too. Gotta go, even in the snow:) Driving a Subie in the snow is just... nothing like it.
Yeah I died once because I didn’t have enough time
And since it's mechanic Monday. I'm giving away one of the Subarus to give a squirrel a nice home.
HAHAHA!!! 😂
👵🏼 Squirrels 🐿 !!! My 14 yr old Suubie suddenly had trouble starting; then, after successfully starting & running, it would cut off. When Roadside Service Truck came, Tech lifted up hood to inspect Engine area, etc.,.Tech laughed & said: “Here’s the trouble right here.” ; and pointed to the Battery, which had a *s l i c e of w h o l e w h e a t 🍞 b r e a d* laying across the Battery Terminal !!! Squirrels 🐿 !!!
@@c.r.harris so weird everyone mentioning squirrels and Subarus. I've had my 04 Legacy for a couple months now and been loving it. However I looked out my apartment window the other day and saw 2 or 3 squirrels hanging around outside my Legacy! It is the closest car by the tree, but I still think it's funny. Hope they don't cause no damage!
Hey Scotty you helped me to stay away from money pits, now I bought a Toyota Camry. Thanks Scotty!
wrong, buy a '94 celica
Ha. Great video as usual BUT we love owning Subaru. We Only go for the 2L flat 4. Not fast or powerful BUT goes forever. Never had a Subaru engine go on us. Never had a gearbox or diff go. In snow and on ice they are awesome. Extremely well engineered. Ford are still using engines with roots in 1990's Peugeot. The flat 4 gives the car a lovely feel to drive. Manual boxes are always a bit stiff until warm. Parts are extremely easy to find and price is comparable to other makes, certainly cheaper than Honda and Toyota, more expensive than Ford though. ALways we will own at least one Subaru. After my Mazda goes we will go back to owning 2 Subaru again. :)
I've owned three Subarus. First Forester, then Outback and now back to Forester again. They've never given me any engine problem. I've always used synthetic oil from day 1. When it's wet, they hug the roads like no other cars can.
@@kenhoward3512 AWD allows for better control and safety. It helps reduce hydroplaning and stability. Have you ever driven a Subaru in the rain? I recently got a WRX, drove it one morning to work when it was pouring and the car stayed planted and the car felt like it had zero issues with grip. Yes, tires play a role, but AWD can make a difference when inclement weather presents itself.
Better tires and better car weight distribution will help alot more that AWD in rain.
@@kenhoward3512 It's also because of the low center of gravity. In high wind, they feel solid. In rain, they feel solid. In snow.... they feel solid. Tires contribute but drive a Subaru and see. Hell I'm a tacoma owner but I know how well Subarus feel on the road.
First of all I got an 03 Impreza Outback sport with the EJ251 engine, I can find parts everywhere, not just at the Subaru dealership. Subarus are amazing everywhere. My car has 200,000 miles without a single head gasket issue. Change oil regularly. You’ll be fine!
Acorns and other 'nuts' under the hood: Use peppermint oil (extract) and put a few drops of the extract in the usual places where squirrels, mice, etc. tend build nests and 'food' stockpiles. Rodents HATE peppermint oil and will NOT go anywhere it. The peppermint oil will help STOP the rodents from chewing on the WIRING!!!! Works in houses, sheds and barns, too.
It might work in most areas, but not if you have pack rats (wood rats). Nothing seems to deter them, especially not peppermint. I tried "Fresh Cab" rodent deterrent, the little bastards made a damn nest out of it! The only thing I found that worked was a battery operated strobe light. I didn't remember to turn it on every night, so the rats eventually destroyed the wiring in both of my Subarus. I'll never buy another one.
I did not know Squirrels ate snails (they have the French taste?).
Bought a 2019 Subaru outback for my wife. We are super impressed. So I got another 2019 Crosstrek. Both handled Asheville, NC winter very well.
My wife is still very pleased with her '19 Outback here in Morganton.
I love my Subarus. I've got a 2003 wrx I've worked on and a 2005 STI I'm currently rebuilding. Scotty is 100% correct about the part prices. I've bought countless OEM parts and I can tell you they are expensive. Also finding a mechanic who can properly work on a Subaru can sometimes be difficult like Scotty said. In my experience some of these mechanics say they can, but can't work on them properly. Seen this happen many times.
I got a Subaru before watching this video and the head gaskets blew out.
*Scotty knows!*
wow ! LOL
@@Terminator4000 calm down m8.
also, only certain engines are just more prone to hg's failing, but generally they recommend you replace them at 100k even if it's "fine now"..at least with the older ones anyway. If the job is done well, it'll go another 100k. These engines can be picky, but they're stubborn and will be good to you if you take care of 'em.
AvianAviator it’s true mate 😬💁♂️
Andrew Smith yeah I agree I don’t believe that it’s hereditary amongst all Subaru or Subaru lines, only certain models made in a certain year or cars that have had poor maintenance throughout its life will suffer from the Hg or blown rings or blown seals.
I've got an 18 forester and already over 50k miles...I'm loving my subi
Hey Scotty! My mom loves your channel. She just sent my this episode.
You are really awesome. Sir
I have been having a heck of a time with my15 Subaru Outback. Subaru does good engineering. In perfecting a relic. Similar boxer engine was built by Karl Benz earliest motors.
Great car for Florida!! I just got to 136000 miles all Florida miles and some off roading aswell before I sold my track tires some track driving. Great drive parks in Florida too!
Scotty the Outback used to get 23-27mpg!! On long drives 36 mpg even amount of highway to local miles.
Now we are getting
13-15 mpg highway aswell with the Paddle shifters
15-18 mpg Avg on local.
It Bogs on hard braking to a stop.
It vibrates at 1200-1500 rpm while cruising on local roads.
It vibrates at 1700-2000 rpm while cruising on the highway.
The transmission is fine, it reacts properly turning the loops onto the highways. Love the diff-activated tranny!! Researching to change diff oil. Might use Mercedes diff oil. 🤔
The car started sounding like a diesel and cutting out coming off on the highway exits lights.
I ran with OEM oil from Subaru oil; now Shell Rotella once we got to 90,000 miles.
Rotella is The best oil in the world second to Total oils!! For Doesel and Gas engines
Would like to see a review on Rotella from you.
I’m sure oil is an issue with the Texas heat. Would like you make a review.
Please help what could be wrong? The vibration!!!
It even rattles the voices of my UBERclients and my mom finds the car painful to be in. She is a cancer survivor but since her last vasectomy she finds the Outback unbearable.
Please help!
Subaru’s are amazing I love them they have never let me down
mr.fantastic BLAZE both my 97 RS and my 2008 let me down and left me stranded on multiple occasions....
Try telling that to rem....
Heeeeeey, thanks
Zein Dimuex I told Emilia that i asked rem to marry me, she said who is rem? Do you know what’s going on?
We have an 05 Legacy GT Wagon with the 5sp manual. It has 275,000 kms and no issues with engine, but have had many other minor issues over the years. That being said, I love driving one and it always puts a smile on my face with its unusually quick acceleration.
I've the same make and model as you! It's a stick, too. With snow tires, the vehicle is excellent in the snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe.
The only drawbacks are that the fuel economy is dreadful - about 21 mpg in mixed driving. Also, I wonder when the head gasket will leak or the turbo will fail. 130K miles and so far so good!
@Hunter Anderson Yow - I would not have thought that 21 mpg is high! Overall a great car. I had one odd failure where the repeated opening of the hatch wore out and broke the wires in the cable bundle that passes from the body to the door. I found this while troubleshooting an inop rear defroster and a radio with poor FM reception.
@Hunter Anderson Yes, lots of annoying issues - the broken wire bundle; the clutch frankly is finicky to operate and is easy to cook the disk; and the failed gasket on the elbow into the power-steering pump all come to mind.
Can’t lie, I love my Subaru Forester and I think it’s a great car. We’ve had it for I want to say about 3 years and it’s great!
Mr Wonderful hey, thanks
AWD performs better in rain too. Specially when it is heavy rain and you are going 75mph. More stability.
I live in northern Ontario and our winters can be pretty brutal. So although I am not a fan of Subaru’s engine and transmission choices, I am considering one for my next vehicle because of the awd and the ground clearance as my current FWD sedan scraps the undercarriage on ice ruts and I’ve gotten stuck in the driveway on multiple occasions, and that’s with studded winter tires.
I love my 2015 Forester. Great traction in snow, torrential rain, etc. Even when my very long steep driveway had 8" of untouched snow on it, my Subie barely noticed it.
Hi five, my 2018 Forester is the same way. I used to be horrified of driving in the rain, snow, etc when I had a 2003 Corolla LE. It wasnt horrible in the snow but it lost traction so easily and wasn’t confident in the snow at all.
I’ve owned Subbies all my life. The most fun was a 2015 WRX STi. It could run with the Mustangs and Camaros in the summer, and push snow over a mountain pass in the winter while the other sports cars were in their garages.
I have Subaru Impreza 98´ here in Iceland and it has over 300.000 km on it. They can last a long time if you maintain them well.
I had a 99 impreza rx for over 10 years, 310 000km, original motor, trans, clutch and brakes. The only time it broke down was when I lost the immobilizer chip in my key and didnt realise. I barely looked after it, serviced it late and abused it regularly. Almost unbreakable. Went to a wrx, blew the turbo after a week and did a bearing last week. The turbo surbarus do require more care and seem to break faster, which makes sense. But you would struggle to break the 2.0 non turbo cars.
I have 2 Subarus 19 forester sport and a 17 impreza hatchback, i like how they handle the road.
Squirrels under the hood.. Havin' a party.. Nuts and snail shells.. ES CAR GO.
👵🏼No lie !!! Squirrels 🐿 Squirrels 🐿 !!!
Love my '14 Legacy up here in Wisconsin! Resale value is pretty good too on Subaru.
Great analysis! It's true that very few independent mechanics know how to fix this car. That's why the dealerships charge through the roof to fix them. They know you don't have a lot of options. On the other hand, they are exceptional cars for snow or ice.
Im up here in buffalo where the weathers really tough in the winter see so many old subarus around i got a 02 forester myself
matt viele im from Buffalo too😂..My wrx holds up pretty well especially whenever I hit SouthBuffalo area
@@The_Animal_Man nice man id love a nice wrx i drive from north buffalo to East Aurora everyday for work so when winter hits im glad i got a subaru
budh reading the service intervals in the owners manual
Subaru's can be okay with manual transmissions.
Demarco Rosas I would agree
Scotty has mentioned that.
They are perfectly fine vehicles
2.5 liter if you can afford it is best
Now only the Impreza is the one you can get manuals, all the rest of the line up only in cvr
I've been loving my subaru, easy car to work on and lots of parts because everything fits everything. They've been using the sameish parts on every car for like 25 years
I've got a '17 Forester with a bit over 50,000 miles and it's been a great rig. 8" ground clearance and excellent mileage. Living in Nova Scotia, in the country, we wanted a reliable and capable SUV . I chose it on my mechanic's recommendation, as it's fairly simple to work on. I'll tell you how good it is when it's 10 years old and has over 200,000! I usually keep my cars about a decade and figure it doesn't start being worth it until after 100,000 miles!
How is it doing now, 3 years later?
It now has about 110,000 miles and the biggest annoyance is premature wear on some parts, like ball joints, wheel bearings and the like. I guess my expectation is in line with other Japanese cars, like Toyotas and Hondas. Is it reliable? Yes! I. Glad I had an excellent, independent mechanic and don’t have to go to the dealer or it would be a much more expensive ride! My cheapest and most reliable car is an ‘05 Mercedes C240 and Scotty hates Mercedes!
My 2016 Outback has about 44,000 miles on it. I really like it. It is brilliant in torrential rainstorms (south Florida) and flooded roads (as long as I let a pickup lead the way, which means he clears the road for underwater obstacles! There’s no shortage of willing pickup drivers to go on flooded road checks).
I traded in the Camry because my wife had back surgery and had trouble with how low the seats were. We went with the Subaru and it was vastly easier for her to get into and out of. I liked the Camry a lot (Michelin AS tires made it handle like a BMW), and in Maine and thereabouts (where they don’t seem to put as much corn in the gas), I got 38 mpg on the interstates. But the Outback is a lot more sure-footed. And mileage is good (just not quite as great as the Camry). But its 18-gallon gas tank helps mitigate that on long trips.
Squirrels recommend Subarus.
Scotty, I have watched many of your videos and appreciate your hard work and candid attitude! But, I really like your calmer, conversational tone on this Subaru video!
Love my forester figured out all my cars problems on my own drove across the country and back with it and did not let me down
Correction the 6 cylinder engines were not the head gasket problematic engine. The 2.5 4 cylinder was. Don't listen to Scotty the parts are not that rediculous. I have owned and maintained 3 Subarus 2 of which were 225k+
Subarus have a big aftermarket support aswell idk where scotty's info is coming from.
@@Walterrinho yeah I have never experienced what Scotty said.
SUBARU & NORWAY🇧🇻 GOES HAND IN HAND... 🌨️🌨️🌨️🌦️
@Ali Alexander... Yes... Tesla is very comon here now. Electric car will take over here soon
Where I live subarus are everywhere including my driveway so parts are available everywhere
I live in the South Island of New Zealand....I am currently on my second Subaru and it is currently at 340000 KMs,,never had to do anything to it apart from servicing and new timing belt at 100000
km intervals.
Only reason i got rid of my first one was because I wanted a newer one(first one was a 1997 Forester at 290000 kms again with no problems)couldnt be happier,but perhaps suited to colder climates.....
I'm sorry I call bs. I had wagon that had 356,000 on it. My friend everyone he got had over 230,000 on them. But yet he had the good years 1996 to 2005
ya that was the start of the head gasket issues, 2006-2009
I've got a 2003 Outback, he has 220K on the clock, bought him used to deliver mail and so far only had to do a battery, alternator and starter, I'm religious about changing the oil and had to do brakes and tires, he had 200K when I bought him and I knew I was going to have to replace a few things on an older car, got in some deep mud on a dirt road and didnt miss a beat.
55,000 flawless miles on our 2017 Forester.
Scotty did not really diss Subarus in this video.
If you have the cvt remember to get the fluid changed. "Lifetime" is a load of crap the dealers sometimes say to avoid the job but calling subaru of america will confirm it needa to be changed and in fact can be done.
I'd expect 55k to be flawless with literally ANY car. Let us know how its going when you pass 200k.
@@RealityIsTheNow I'm at 175k miles with a 2015 cvt. I've had no issues and regularly have the fluids changed. It has had no issues so far. Engine also doing good fb20 H4 2.0l no major issues just regular maintenance followed by subarus recommendations.
@@RealityIsTheNow i will
@@SteedDigital1 Impressive considering the CVT.
I have a 2002 Subaru Outback vdc sedan (6 cylinder boxer engine, 3.0 liters if I’m correct) and it’s amazing! Had it for 4 years, got it at 150,000 miles, now at 190,000 miles, still going extremely Strong! Only thing I’ve had to do was replace the front wheel bearings, and the connector for the alternator cause the plastic broke down. Amazing car!!! Girlfriend has had a 2003 LL Bean Subaru Outback (hatchback with same exact engine) and hasn’t had any issues either in 3 years of ownership, at 175,000 miles, up from 150,000 miles. These are strong engines and the transmissions in these older ones like mine and hers are great and reliable! Heck I beat the crud out of mine, and it still works perfectly! I added some steering fluid once cause it was low and getting harder to turn the wheel but otherwise, this car has been a reliable amazing car, truly a dream to own. I highly recommend it, and plan to sell it for $3000 eventually, only 2k under what I paid 5 years ago. It has held value decently being the top trim of its time having all the bells and whistles, but I love the car and everything in it is great. The reason you don’t mention these is because they never come into your shop cause they never have issues! Just like a Toyota or Honda, I highly recommend this car! And engine!
I got my subie brand new on 2013 7 years later. 64,000 miles an is still running great
Well actually Scotty, I believe the 4 cylinders were more prone to head gasket leaks than the 6 cylinders are.
This is true
Len only in America lol but seriously the 2.0 engines were the most reliable. More cylinder material to help with cylinder warping and head gaskets blowing out etc.
The H6's NEVER had a HG issue. My friend is a 25 year master Subie Tech and said other than the poor MPG...the H6's were great engines. The ONLY reason the early 2000's had gasket issues was because they used laminated HG's for some reason. I've done 4 head gasket jobs(without pulling the engine) and simply replaced the gasket with the turbo MLS and never had another one leak.
He engine
This is true.
Subaru very popular in Oregon with the rain, snow, mountains, and curvy roads.
I bought my 3rd Subaru last month. I'm in VT and it's basically the state car here.
I have 2019 Subaru forester. No problems yet. Before I had rav4. For me subaru is much better then rav4.
Scotty - I'm a shop with a high focus on repairing Subaru's, all of the part stores near me all have after market Subaru parts in stock.
The boxer engine is awesome. The smoothest running motor ever made. So smooth you might forget it's running.
Smoother than a straight 6 or a V-12?;
Maybe when its turned off!
@@ecchioni I have owned both engine types in addition to 4 and 6 cylinder Subaru boxers. So, in my experience--smoother? No. As smooth as--yes.
I followed this page years ago before notification existed: forgot about it glad to run into it again. Just turned on the Notification.
I have lived in Montana and Central Washington all my life. To me 18 miles away is "nearby" lol
One reason why I like Subaru is they are very safe.
That's because you can never drive them since they're always out for repair!
Ain't no Volvo XC70 tho....
Have a look at the Impreza/Crosstrek impact test videos. Pretty impressive, they crash test like Volvo's, and not in the same way like Toyota's.
@@stuntmonkey00 I was in an Impreza when a truck smashed into me at 50MPH (guy was texting) while I was at a complete stop. My car was completely crushed front to back; the trunk door was literally up to the back seats. But I got out with nothing more than a couple bruises. Not even whiplash. I can attest from first hand experience, those safety test results are legit.
I love the blindside detection on my 15 legacy
I liked this single car analysis, hope scotty does more on other brands
Gosh darn it scotty, you got me again! I love my subaru. You are spot on ol'man!! Keep it up! I got my popcorn and I am enjoying these videos! Wish my dad or grandpa was like this! 😅😅😅
I’m sorry, I love Emilia...
Scotty seemed a little “relaxed” in this one! My Man! Keep up the great videos👍
I sought out the most reliable Subaru engine, the 2.2 and then got it wrapped in the best car, the Impreza Outback Sport with a 5-speed. Not gonna worry about it up to 500,000 miles! Its got 201,000 now.
theninja001 same here 98 Impreza OBS 237k
I've always wanted one. Good visibility with the Forester. Quirky but cool.
the Forester is great. my 2017 6-speed hasn't had any issues.
I had a 17 Forester for a couple of years and when I took it off road it handled mud and sand very impressively when I went out with my buddy off roading in central Florida, the payments ended up being too high for me though and I had to sell it, I miss it a lot. :/
The bright part of this video is that knowing how many people around the world actually have their Subaru and being happy with them. Ordered 2021 xv can't wait to get it. All Subaru in Australia are made in Japan thank God.