Friend is selling a 2.5 Petrol Outback with 200k on the clock... overall pretty tidy. This isn't a for sale post, more a what do you reckon?

 

The 2.5 petrol, good for more, not been driven hard in 10 years.... kind of tempted and if not me, maybe my sister in law... but gremlins, anyone got any thoughts?

Get the 3.0

Does depend on the asking price, but hell I'd go for it.  I've had a hankering for one of these for many a year.  Aren't these the ones with the inordinately long cambelt, where if the belt goes... nothing happens, except for the need for a new cambelt.

 

Gaz

Does depend on the asking price, but hell I'd go for it. I've had a hankering for one of these for many a year. Aren't these the ones with the inordinately long cambelt, where if the belt goes... nothing happens, except for the need for a new cambelt.

Gaz

Nope it's a boxer engine.

The reason the belt is so long is because it has two cylinders either side of the crank.

If it snaps the engine gets fooked like most others.

I.e. it's an Interference engine.

Nice engineering if you can justify constant 4WD

Ordinary economy

For me you buy it for the oily bits - solid, but just a bit dull otherwise

I'd go for it.

I love the pure engineering angle of the cars, and they do appear reliable to the point of near indestructibility if looked after.

Bit of a psychological thing, 200k though..... if it's not given any issues and passes a mechanical i selection, I don't see why not as a run around.

He's starting at 1k, which is why I was interested, thinking of course for my sis-in-law. 12k service stamps and 6k oil changes.

 

Has the hi-lo box option and a towbar... no AC as pump seized.

 

The 3.0 was on my list way back when. The 2.5 isn't too shabby at 160bhp-ish. Economy and road tax are the obvious thorns in these older cars.

If it's going to be dealer serviced every 6 months (Australia) it won't be cheap to run.

That's what he had done to it. Which is a lot of oil over 10years

That's what he had done to it. Which is a lot of oil over 10years

It a 6 monthly schedule for a good reason; profit

I know a couple of people with them and they are pretty bulletproof but have odd painfully expensive problems.

 

Most have have an issue with the exhaust rotting at an awkward sport which on most cars would mean £20 worth of welding but on the Scooby it meant a new exhaust system at £1k+.

 

This happened to both guys I know. One coughed up and got a stainless system fitted the other sold the car.

 

The 3.0 is a bit of a beast. My mate floor it in his and told his I could hear his turbo spooling up. But it didn't have one. We suspected it was the fuel pump since it sounded like a bath emptying.