Buying used '97 or '98 Outback - Mileage and WTLF?

[Atif I. Chaudhry]

I'm looking to buy either a '97 or a '98 Subaru Outback in Upstate New
York.

I've seen a few that seem to have quite a few miles, for instance a '98
with 150K

2 questions:

-How much is mileage a concern with an Outback?

-Good or bad, What to look out for (WTLF)?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Greg]

Ask to see maintenance records. Timing belt should have been replaced at
105K. Drive the vehicle from a cold engine state and through a complete
warm up. Listen for the common piston slap (knock) that you'll get varied
opinions on in this newsgroup.

 

[Atif I. Chaudhry]

O.K. thanks for the advice. The boxer engine in the outback isn't an
interference engine is it? (i.e. if the timing belt goes the engine
self-destructs?)

Is there any way to tell if the belt has been changed just by looking at
the engine, i.e. if the belt itself looks new?

Thanks!

 

[TG]

You can partially remove one cam sprocket cover to measure or look at the
timing belt.
I just bought a '95 Legacy sedan with 215,000 miles and an '99 SUS with
115,000....also my '95 Legacy wagon which I have owned since new has
289,000. Not a concern. I purposely buy high mileage Subarus. TG