Maintenance Costs

[wolfgang]

I have a 99 Outback. When it turned 99k I had a bunch of normal ware
and tear items all at the same time. I had an extended warranty which
covered most of it. I paid $1000 for about $4000 worth of stuff. 6
months later, and after my extended warranty expired passing 100k I had
leaks and transmission trouble. New hoses and general work cost me
another grand. By December my transmission was breaking down big time.
A complete overhaul was cheaper than getting a rebuilt or new so I
reluctantly decided to keep the car and pay 2 grand for the overhaul.
Now I'm at 120k. The 120k service which includes a tune and general PM
is about $600. Not too bad. However, the power steering pump has
started leaking and it costs about $575 for parts and labor. At this
point I've paid reluctantly paid $5000 for maintenance over the past
year. The transmission, at 2 grand, was the only thing I consider to
be really out of the ordinary. What have any other long term Outback
owners experienced?

 

[jabario]

You'd have been wiser to put the 5k down on a new OBW

 

[Rick Courtright]

You'd have been wiser to put the 5k down on a new OBW

Maybe you could 'splain that one?

Let me play devil's advocate a bit: way back in the dark ages when I was
in college and we still had to chip our figures into those abominable
stone tablets, a lawyer acquaintance was telling me about one of his
econ profs who showed 'em a demo problem of cost of ownership of a car,
and pretty well proved that, barring serious body damage, it's almost
always less costly to bite the bullet and fix an existing car (let's
forget all the intangible and emotional reasons attached to a new car)
than to buy a new.

Over the years, I've faced the OP's situation a time or two, and am
doing so again in the debate of what to do about my trusty ol' Subie's
blown engine. I've penciled things out each time, and I have yet to
prove the good professor wrong. So why's it wiser to get a new one?

Sounds to me like 5 grand most likely gets the OP another 100k miles on
his old car (with regular maintenance that must be done on any car), or
it gets him into another five years of payments and who knows if the new
car will be THAT much better than the previous one? The bean counter in
me says fix the old one...

Rick

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Yeah, even though 5K is a lot, if a new car is outta the question, the
problem becomes, could you replace what you have for 5K plus hwat you
can get for the car in it's present condition? Usually, I'm a 'fix it
and drive it til the wheels fall off' guy. 5K would be tough to spend,
but, another way to think about it, that's like - what - maybe 10-12 car
payments? After that period of time you're probably home free for a
while. Not so with a 4-5 year loan.

Carl

 

[jabario]

If the 5k gets he poster 50-100k more miles thens its worth it. I've
noticed that once a car really starta going downhill its time to stop.
Just like a person. Once an oldie starts slipping they pass soon. I
too keep cars for a long time but after a point its time for something
new.

 

[philcycles]

If the 5k gets he poster 50-100k more miles thens its worth it. I've
noticed that once a car really starta going downhill its time to stop.
Just like a person. Once an oldie starts slipping they pass soon. I
too keep cars for a long time but after a point its time for something
new.


True, but my experience is that some parts need fixing and some go on
forever and on any car those parts are well known. I'll bet that a post
asking about problems at a certain mileage will arrive at agreement
about what they are. If you've replaced them with your $5k then
wonderful. Enjoy your many more miles of happy motoring.
Phil Brown

 

[wolfgang]

Thank you for the responses. Like I said. Part of the repairs I
reluctantly paid for. Specifically the transmission. I've been told
that Subaru transmissions are rock solid and 4 mechanics, 2 being from
Subaru shops, have said that my transmission problem was very rare. I
decided to drop the 2 grand for an overhauled transmission plus I got a
2 year warranty on it. The is in near pristine conditional. I've even
touched up the paint myself over the years. People often think it's
much newer than it is. The repairs it needed have mostly been normal
maintenance. I was wondering how anyone else has faired if they owned
on OB for 100k+ miles. I can afford a new car but I have other
expensive toys on my wish list right now. I certainly hope the car
doesn't become a money pit.

 

[Bob H]

'''''top post

My neighbor just traded her 98 OBW. She bought it "new" as a demonstrator
with low miles.

Having 113,000+ on it, she said it was binding going around corners. Not
really sure wha that meant. She bot a new Dakota Laramie, nice truck.

She said the Dodge dealer test drove her trade with her, and when he
commented on the 'pulling' on the curves, she said: well, its all wheel
drive, you know!. He proceeded to give her top value for it. Wow.

What the real problems were with the car, who knows. She was told it was
the transmission, and that it required a rebuild.

I do know she was anal about maintenance, never took the rig off road, and
always drove it kindly.

Is there a transmission failure pattern here?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Not so much a pattern as a peculiar and often overlooked aspect of AWD
(at least, on subes - probably others) in which, driving around with a
'donut' spare or any unmatched size tires will destroy the 'clutch pack'
in the tailshaft of the tranny (actually the center diff.) Also, there
were some year models that ahd an aluminum wear piece that has
subsequently been changed to steel and steel is used in all rebuilds
IIRC. Of course, there is an electrical item that could fail also, the
'duty C solenoid' or possibly the wiring to it.

It is quite possible she failed to use the 'FWD only' fuse under the
hood once when she had a flat. That might do it.

Carl

 

[Paul]

You'd have been wiser to put the 5k down on a new OBW

 

[Paul]

Very expensive on parts and you will have parts fail that you have not even
thought about before. Try an air conditioning hose about 18" long. Cost $374
with labor, and this on a car under 36 months, and no, not covered by
warranty. Clutches need frequent replacement but aftermarket aprts are
available. On the plus side, I've never had brake pad last so long on any
car. Downside is that the rotors need replacement along with the pads and
they are another proprietary and expensive item. Don't be fooled because it
is small and looks like an econobox!

 

[Jim Stewart]

I have a 99 Outback. When it turned 99k I had a bunch of normal ware
and tear items all at the same time. I had an extended warranty which
covered most of it. I paid $1000 for about $4000 worth of stuff. 6
months later, and after my extended warranty expired passing 100k I had
leaks and transmission trouble. New hoses and general work cost me
another grand. By December my transmission was breaking down big time.
A complete overhaul was cheaper than getting a rebuilt or new so I
reluctantly decided to keep the car and pay 2 grand for the overhaul.
Now I'm at 120k. The 120k service which includes a tune and general PM
is about $600. Not too bad. However, the power steering pump has
started leaking and it costs about $575 for parts and labor. At this
point I've paid reluctantly paid $5000 for maintenance over the past
year. The transmission, at 2 grand, was the only thing I consider to
be really out of the ordinary. What have any other long term Outback
owners experienced?

I also have a 99 Outback. I did the timing belt/
oil seals/water pump/belt tensioner at 84k. That
and front brake pads every 40k and rears at every
80k is the only work I've ever done. The car
currently has 108k miles. I do all my own work
and I've spent about $700 total since I bought it.

 

[lkreh]

I have a 99 OBW, too. Mine now has about 118,000 miles on it. All
maintenance to date (not including tires and oil), with rough cost
estimates follows. All maintenance was done by dealer between 97,000
miles and 110,000 miles:

- All drive belts replaced and general tuneup - about $300
- replaced all four brake disks and pads - about $900
- Timing belt and timing belt tensioner replaced; also replaced head
gasket and water pump while belt was off - $950

That's it! I sincerely couldn't be happier with my Subaru.

-LK