How Many Miles Can I Get Out Of My Subaru?
How Many Miles Can I Get Out Of My Subaru?
While results will vary and the big variable is always how well the car has been maintained, what I can tell you is a Subaru is capable of going 300,000 miles. And if you are a regular maintenance type of owner you should expect to get that type of mileage out of it. The lower end of a Subaru engine (this would include the pistons, rings, crankshaft and bearings) is virtually bulletproof as long as it is never starved for oil they will last a very long time without ever needing repairs. We have done several head gasket repairs on Subaru’s with over 200,000 miles and the cylinder walls of the engine block still look great. The real key to getting the most out of your Subaru is identifying your driving habits and coming up with a maintenance schedule that matches. In your owners manual you will find two different maintenance schedules one is normal and the other is severe. The real purpose of this is to give the car manufacturer a way to show vehicle ownership costs over a time period. By having a maintenance schedule that requires less maintenance, the car manufacturer is able to decrease advertised ownership costs. All car makers do this and it is very confusing and sometimes frustrating. In the Puget Sound area just about every car owner out there is going to fall under the severe category. As consumers there is this natural need to want to save money. This can truly be done without sacrifice to the longevity of your Subaru. The quality of parts used and the knowledge of the vehicle are very important. Saving a little money on car maintenance isn’t the same as saving money on a pair of shoes. The quality difference may be very obvious with a lesser priced pair of shoes as you are walking in them, but the difference in car service may take a while to be realized. If the original part in your Subaru lasted 5 years and a lesser quality replacement only lasts 18 months what have you gained. The best kept secret on how to reach 300,000 with your Subaru is to establish a good relationship with a great shop that specializes in Subaru service like All-Wheel Drive Auto. We will help you get there.
[...] post by Justin Stobb No Comments [...]
Hi Justin. I’ve been reading your website avidly over the past week – what a great resource! I am a proud owner of a new 2010 outback – premium with all weather package – and LOVE IT! I am now looking for a used Subaru Forester, Legacy or Legacy-Outback. 2004 – 2005 era seem to be in my price range. Most of the cars I’m looking at have at least 80K miles on them. I realize that i can find history on Carfax and the like – but how can i really know if the car was well maintained? If i get intersted in a car, i’m planning to take it to a local mechanic (Boston) that specializes in subarus for an evaluation. However, you seem to really know your stuff – and my wife is concerned about buying a car with 100K+ miles. What can i do to figure out if the car i’m looking at is in good shape to get to 300K miles? what can i tell my wife to assuage her fears of a “high” mileage car? If i am sure to take care of head gaskets, belts, water pump, tires, oil, filters, fluids, springs, shocks, etc. – is there anything else i should be worried about failing? Stated differently, what would cause a car not to make it to 300K? Is there some part that could “go” that is prohibitively expensive to repair? THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR THOUGHTS!
Hello Ben,
Service records will help you try and ascertain if it has been maintained.
The head gaskets are the typical thing it will need that can add up, the rest of the car is solid.
I dont suggest the used car lot thing, and I don’t really suggest buying a car from a new car dealer without license plate frames at that usually means it was bought at auction, and regardless of what Carfax states, cars sold through Auction have a greater possibility of being the one you dont want.
I like the idea of buying form a private party that has had another child so its time to buy A Tribeca or a mini van.
Justin
I love your article above, Justin. I’m in the 267,000th miles of my 1996 Legacy L and am still quite proud that it’s getting no less than 30 mpg. It needs some body work, but nothing serious, otherwise, I just replaced the radiator and it’s like I just got a new car! I didn’t dare drive it on hills the past year because it would try to overheat – though my full-blast heater wouldn’t let it. I rented a lot of nice cars in the past year but I’ve been most pleased with the Subaru and .. now that I’ve got a son needing a car, I want to give this to him and get another older Subaru [for cost and insurance reasons]. What is the life I can still expect out of this car for my son? We have a neighbor that has one that reached 3,000,000 miles 5 years ago – and they’re still driving it! I do regular maintenance and simple tricks to keep the motor cooler, but what are your suggestions and ideas on this buggy?
Thank you, Justin!