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Is it time to upgrade to an OUTBACK?

2K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  upflying 
#1 ·
Hello All!

I've got a 2002 Forester.. been a great car for us. But it's at 101k miles and is needing the following work: new timing belt (and any related replacements), rattle in the exhaust (heat shield I think), new tires, had a small external coolant leak (head gasket) but the Subaru additive seemed to cure that.

So, I"m trying to decide if I put the 100k mile maintainance and roll the dice with my paid off Forester going another 100k for us, or take advantage of the 1.9% Subaru financing and upgrade to a 2013 Outback?

Do you think it's worth it to put the money into the Forester and hope it keeps running without major repairs (head gaskets totally failing, transmission, etc)... or do I get a decent trade-in while I can and move to the OUTBACK crowd? I appreciate your input!! Thanks,

Timmy
 
#6 ·
Depends on your financial situation. A new car is going to cost more than the maintenance and even possible future head gasket repair on your 2002. But then there's nothing quite like that new car smell either, and you could get run over by a greyhound bus tomorrow (i.e. life is short), so if you are actually looking for a reason to buy new, then consider the advice above and look into a new Forester with the FB engine that was intro'd in 2011.
The FB engine requires 0W20 synthetic oil, so keep that in mind with regard to scheduled maintenance costs. But it can be argued that the future savings from no timing belt change far outweighs the extra expense of the 0W20 synthetic oil.
 
#7 ·
Hell yes, it's worth fixing your car

I wouldn't let that maintenance scare you into buying a new car. That's just the sales tax you are going to have to pay buying a new car.

A new car will depreciate as soon as you pull off the lot.
You will have to carry Full Coverage insurance.
You may have to pay personal property tax every year depending on the state.
You will be paying interest on the loan.

Heck that Foz has possibly 100/150k more miles in it.

Can you buy another car in the same class with AWD and verified maintenance/Accident History for 2500$ that will last another 10 yrs?

Save that $$$$....just my opinion
 
#9 ·
I wouldn't let that maintenance scare you into buying a new car. That's just the sales tax you are going to have to pay buying a new car.
You said a mouthful there. Looking at it that way, the OP is facing a bare minimum $21,000 for a timing belt change. Interest on the loan will pay a chunk of a head gasket repair that may or may not be needed.

So my response will be: if you're worried about the maintenance costs, then don't bother replacing it. If you have a laundry list of solid reasons to upgrade (maybe you need more space, want the better safety and stability controls, like the convenience options, need a different type of transmission, etc.), then an upgrade might be worth it. And even then, I'd look at 08-09 Outbacks to save a load of money.
 
#8 ·
If cheap is #1 priority then keep your current car as long as possible with minimum maintenance.

Is it worth to keep? That would depend on how you want to justify it. If you do not have the mechanical knowledge to keep it running then its better to sell it and get newer car. Labor cost to fix car are very high in US compared to other country. If you have mechanical ability to fix it then it would be very economical to keep it.

If you factor convenience & safety then new or newer car makes sense also. The difference between 2002 to 2013 model year are very big.
 
#11 ·
Due to the flip-up feature, I actually prefer the Outback's moonroof design over the Forester's huge all-in-one sunroof.

However, the moonroof option is not available on the 2013 Outback 2.5i Premium with the 6MT -- you have to order the optional CVT in order to get the moonroof.

:icon_cry: :evilatyou: :confused: :huh: :crazy:

Regards,
Jim / crewzer
 
#13 ·
Consider not just car payments, but insurance when factoring in the cost of ownership of a new car.

If your current Forester is paid off, keep it. It will cost a lot less to maintain it than it will for a new car payment, higher insurance costs (newer car + comprehensive coverage) and you may want to modify or change things on the new one. I know I would want to do some things right away.
 
#14 ·
I have a '12 OB, I came within a millimeter in buying a Forester. In the end, I wish I had waited for the '13 OB with the FB engine.
After driving both, I liked the smooth ride and quiet cabin in the OB better. 4EAT was the other issue with the Forester. I lurk here because I still have a love for the Forester.
I would wait for more info on the '14 Forester redesign before buyng a '13 OB.
 
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