2013 Subaru Outback - Repair concerns

Maintenance/Repairs
1

My 2013 outback has had the small engine block replaced by Subaru and the CVT transmission replaced by Subaru also free of charge. Now I have the rear wheel bearing needed replaced. I brought the car used with 107,000 miles on it now I have 170,000. I have owned the car going on 3 years. each year it has been something else.what will be next.

Also I’m looking at getting my daughter a 2014 Crosstrek or a 2017 forester are they just as bad?

2

Who knows if the one you buy will be good or bad . Myself I would not buy a used all wheel drive vehicle especially a Subaru that really needs the same diameter tires on each corner and regular rotation.

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3

Let me start by saying I am a four-time Subaru owner (all purchased new) and I currently have a 2016 Forester. To cut to the chase, as a Subaru owner, and as a person employed in the testing of vehicles, I never recommend anyone own a Subaru outside of the drivetrain warranty. The risk is too high for most folks. Yes, the other models will be similar in their ownership experience. I too had a small block replacement back before it was popular. On a Legacy at just 11K miles.

  • The wheel bearing is not unusual in any brand with 170K miles. However, as you have seen, it is absolutely a crying shame that your Subaru needed both a new engine and new transmission. As a fellow fan of the Subaru brand, I feel your frustration. My '16 will be out of warranty coverage in the spring and I am already preparing to part ways with it. Which breaks my heart because I LOVE the car aside from the distrust of the major systems failing. May I suggest you do what we did? Try Mazda. The CX-5 and other models have many great advantages and they are not known to have major failures. Our '18 CX-5 is a great vehicle.
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4

Wheel bearings are only one good pothole away from needing replacement. You can expect to have to change a bad one every now and then. You probably also need to have a suspension part or two replaced, and various other maintenance-related items looked after. If the engine and transmission replacement were done after you bought the car, I would suggest that both are relatively new. Spending some money on it will probably give it years of life left.

5

You know your current car, and as a bonus, it has a new to you engine and transmission.

Any other car you buy you won’t know the maintenance history for. If the current car otherwise meets your needs, I don’t see why you’d get rid of it for an uncertain used car.

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6

Well, you bought it with 100k+ miles so I figure you bought an extended warranty? Is the warranty in effect now? Many stories of denied warranty coverage for minor facts but you got lucky. A motor and trans is $10k+?

7

I suggest you stick with what you have. Major items have already been replaced. If it was my car I would have both rear bearings replaced and drive on. Replacing both bearings shouldn’t cost a small fortune and that won’t need to be done anymore. I assume this car is paid for already so you don’t need to borrow any money and then make car payments. Weigh the costs of getting another car or just repairing what you have already, and also know what has been done to it in the past. I think you will find it more cost effective to keep what you have. It sounds like the previous owner of the car was hard on it.

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