Hi,
I’ve just moved to Vermont and I had decided that a used Subaru Impreza would be perfect for my needs, but there are very few around (looking in VT and NY for months!). I finaly found a 2002 Impreza with 118,000 miles on it. Test drive seems good, dealer has good reputation and will give a warrantee. Would I be crazy to buy a car with so many miles? I need to take some long highway drives as well as local trips and I’m nervous about safety and breakdowns on the road. Old Subaru owners, how is your car doing at 118,000? I don’t like the Toyota Matrix or RAV4 as well, but do you think I should look for one of those with fewer miles??? Please help me decide. Glad this is anonymous.
Having second hand experience with VT dealership and used cars, don’t trust the dealership…take car to independent mechanic before purchasing it. Warrantee doesn’t mean anything if it in the shop for repairs!
If you will be putting a lot of miles on your car as your post seems to indicate that you will, you might just as well buy new as you may have to buy again soon with used. Used cars are a gamble almost every time. Why not buy new and get a 100,000 mile guarantee as some brands offer now.
From what I have seen on this site, Subarus do not always age gracefully. Also they have issues with the drivetrain if the tire sizes are not matched. Ask about cylinder head gasket issues and timing belts.
The 100,000 mile guarantee takes the high repair cost worry out of driving. It might cost just a little more but is a good example of getting value for your money.