Looking for a 2000 Outback ... but...

[lejjasie]

I was looking to buy a 2000 Outback for my folks ... but the following from Autos.msn.com worries me. Since we are on a budget we can't afford to have the issues with this car that this says occurs on them.

 

What can you guys suggest with this purchase? Should i inisist that these repairs be done on the car before i buy? Or should i haggle it in the price of the vehicle and risk unreliability - any warning signs i should notice right during visual/test-driven inspection?

 

TIA

Gary

http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=2001&make=Subaru&model=Outback#Engi

 

>>>> from autos.msn.com (re 2000 Subaru Outback) >>>>

Occasional problems on this vehicle are failures of the Catalytic Converter, Air Fuel Ratio Sensor and Knock Sensor. An additional problem is failure of the Cylinder Head Gaskets. Problems with the Catalytic Converter and Knock Sensor will cause the Check Engine Light to illuminate. Problems with the Air Fuel Ratio Sensor can cause drivability issues and may also cause the Check Engine Light to illuminate, in some cases the Engine Control Module (ECM) may need to be reprogrammed as well. Cylinder Head Gasket failure can cause an engine coolant leak and may also cause the engine to overheat. The cost to replace the Catalytic Converter is estimated at $925.45 for parts and $130.00 for labor. The cost to replace the Air Fuel Ratio Sensor is estimated at $149.95 for parts and $45.50 for labor. The cost to reprogram the ECM is estimated at $97.50 for labor. The cost to replace the Knock Sensor is estimated at $97.00 for parts and $65.00 for labor. The cost to replace the Cylinder Head Gaskets is estimated at $75.00 for parts and $520.00 for labor. All prices are estimates based on $65.00 per flat rate hour and do not include diagnostic time or any applicable sales tax.

[pillboy]

Any seven to eight year old car is going to have potential issues and most are going to have existing issues. I think the individual car (and how it was treated and cared for) is more important than generalizations about a car / model year. You just need to budget some of your funds for repairs and not blow the whole wad on the vehicle itself...same something for when an issue crops up 3 months later. I wonder how old that info is...labor rates in out metro area hover around $100 per hour at dealers / good independent shops (not the corner gas station).