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Buying used '97 or '98 Outback - Mileage and WTLF?

I'm looking to buy either a '97 or a '98 Subaru Outback in Upstate New York.

I've seen a few that seem to have quite a few miles, for instance a '98 with 150K

2 questions:

-How much is mileage a concern with an Outback?

-Good or bad, What to look out for (WTLF)?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Reply to
Atif I. Chaudhry
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Ask to see maintenance records. Timing belt should have been replaced at

105K. Drive the vehicle from a cold engine state and through a complete warm up. Listen for the common piston slap (knock) that you'll get varied opinions on in this newsgroup.
Reply to
Greg

O.K. thanks for the advice. The boxer engine in the outback isn't an interference engine is it? (i.e. if the timing belt goes the engine self-destructs?)

Is there any way to tell if the belt has been changed just by looking at the engine, i.e. if the belt itself looks new?

Thanks!

Reply to
Atif I. Chaudhry

You can partially remove one cam sprocket cover to measure or look at the timing belt. I just bought a '95 Legacy sedan with 215,000 miles and an '99 SUS with

115,000....also my '95 Legacy wagon which I have owned since new has 289,000. Not a concern. I purposely buy high mileage Subarus. TG
Reply to
TG

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