Subaru Buyers Guide- Source Forgotten

"RW53104" (rw53104) 01/14/2014 at 14:48 • Filed to: None

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I stumbled across this Subaru buyers guide when I was- you guessed it- shopping for a used Subaru. Didn't end up buying one, but this might help others. I found this on a forum, but forgot which one. If you know the source, please share! Credit where credit is due.

So you want to buy an used Subaru but dont know what to look for!
By Following the list below i hope to help you not get overcharged or shafted in any way.

1) Check the Head Gasket for leaks...

The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that subaru was using were crap. No two ways about it they were weak and around 100k miles they would blow out if not sooner. That will be your number one problem since it can cost up to 2k to fix it. To see if the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! you are looking at has a bad HG check the following:

a) Look for oil seeping or dripping from the engine. Is it anywhere near where the heads meet the block?

b) Open the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! fill and look for grossness on the cap that may be a result of oil in the coolant.

c) Check the oil... if the dipstick is charred, oil is blacker than black and lumpy, or there is non oil gunk (sometimes red/orange or white) attached to it then those are bad signs.

d) When you test drive it make sure the temp gauge stays steady. If the compressed gas from the cylinder is being pushed into the coolant you will get random temp fluctiations and lots of bubbling in the overflow tank.

2) Losing/Burning Oil
When you start the car have someone watching the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . You dont want to see too much !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! or really blue smoke come out and if it does it should be only a small ammount before resuming normal exuast color.

Look for oil leaks again after road testing it. Sometimes the dealer will powerwash the car so all the leaks are invisible until after you drive it. Refer back to the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ... charred is bad.

3) Clutch
Try to start the car from a stop on flat ground in 3rd gear. if you can get it to move then there is a good chance the clutch is bad.

4) Alignment and brakes
Look for uneven wear on the tires and the brake rotors. Funny grooves in the surface of either is a bad sign.

When !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! give the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! a good test to make sure they either lock up or ABS kicks in. If you can stand on them and not have either result then they need to be replaced. Also take note of vibrations and whether the car pulls to one side when trying to stop.

Find a long stright strech of road and let go of the wheel. Does the car continue straight? Is the wheel exactly straight? You may need an alignment.

5) Body
Rust = bad. Dont forget to check in the door frames and around the sun roof where the glass mates up. Check everything you can see. If you find ANY rust it will only get worse from there.

Look for discolored !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , look for paint in areas where the car didn't come with paint. Make sure the body panels are equally distant from one another and compare both sides of the car. The factory will not mess this up becuase it is done by a machine, but body mechanics dont always line the panels up right. If the car was in an accident it is best to know about it before paying.

Always check the back of the rear wheel wells right above where the bumper attaches. This spot is a notorious rust collector and usually one of the first places to go. a definate indicator for rust apearing in the rest of the car.

6) Engine
Listen to the idle, spastic idle is bad. If it is cold out the engine will idle fairly high. Let the car warm up and let the idle drop. If the idle doesn't drop or drops so far the car stalls you may have a problem. If it is warm out the idle should be smooth and level. Make sure the fans go on.

Some people like to take it to a mechanic for compression testing. It couldn't hurt.

If there is a CEL make sure to pull it before handing over the cash. Some are worse than others, find out what it is. If you have your own code puller check to see if the codes have been cleared lately. It takes a couple of cycles for codes to pop after being reset. Dont let them fool you into thinking there is no code.

7) History
Get a car fax report. This will tell you all of the service records since it was bought if they were done by a dealer. Check the mileage on the car to see if it matches up with the mileage on the carfax. Easy to swap a new console in and knock a ton of miles off the car. Look for times in the carfax where it looks like the car wasn't driven. That could be a sign that it spent time ina shop or ina junkyard somewhere.

Look out for a car that has been handed over often. There may be something wrong that makes people not want to hold onto it.

Look out for a car that has been recently bought by the current owner. They may be trying for a quick turn-around in order to makea buck. That means you are prolly overpaying.

8) PRICE!
Go to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and look up everything you know about the car. Check all of the condition levels and all of the values ( !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , Private sale, and Dealer) Print them and staple them to the carfax.

As you look at the car take not of any options you may not have known about, any damage or faults with the car and fit it What the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! price says. KBB will take into account mileage and national trends for pricing. It just leaves condition assesment up to you. If you know what certain needed repairs will cost subtract them from the price on KBB for the condition when the repairs are done.

Also good to know is how long the car has been on the market. Longer on the market means the owner may be more likely to part with it for a lower price.

jariten1781 > RW53104 01/14/2014 at 14:56

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Most of this is just good normal used car advice...but what are they getting at here?:

3) Clutch
Try to start the car from a stop on flat ground in 3rd gear. if you can get it to move then there is a good chance the clutch is bad.

You should be able to get any car with a 5 speed moving in 3rd gear from a stop on level ground.

AeroEagle333 > jariten1781 01/14/2014 at 14:59

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This confused me as well.

RW53104 > jariten1781 01/14/2014 at 15:10

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I'm in the same confused boat, actually.