Stick with 2001 Camry with 168K, or invest in abused 2019 Outback with 6.5K?

I would want absolutely no part the 2019 Subaru that was thrashed and put on its side by a dope fiend

That may very well be more than cosmetic damage

And those older Camrys were pretty solid

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I do not believe that merely using or transporting any drugs in a car leaves behind toxic residue to the point that it would pose a health hazard to subsequent owners. However, that would not be my fear. My fear would be that some small chunk or flake of the drug fell under the seat cushion or whatever, and now I am driving through the border checkpoint or some other police checkpoint, and the police dog might alert on the drug residue.

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That’s right

And that’s why op should tell the dad “thanks, but no thanks” and ask him to sell the car himself or just give it to the dope fiend who’s already been thrashing it

I wouldn’t want my name on ANY paperwork associated with that Subaru

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And $800 for maintenance on the Camry is normal, nothing to be concerned about compared to all the potential expensive issues with the Subaru.

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It doesn’t make sense to me how one wouldn’t try to salvage something that is newer rather than “investing” in something that is more than an decade old.

I agree, the old camrys were bullet proof. I know someone who dailies one and it’s suprisingly very reliable. Runs like a champion on the highway.

That newer Subaru has been slammed by a dope fiend

And he’s doing repairs and maintenance on an older Camry, which is typical simple and reliable

You seem to agree the older Camrys were pretty tough . . . why would you choose a slammed car abused and crashed by a dope fiend over an older Camry?

As long as the Camry’s not rusted out, crashed or stuck with a low-compression engine or a slipping transmission, I see no reason to abandon it in favor of this particular Subaru

Now if the Subaru hadn’t been slammed and abused by a dope fiend, it might be a different story

But it was

And this is something that hasn’t been mentioned so far, afaik . . .

What if this particular Subaru was photographed and/or filmed at the scene of some nefarious activity . . . ?!

That’s not a big stretch, considering op’s “meth addict brother” was operating the car

So, as I said before, I wouldn’t want my name to be on ANY paperwork associated with the car

I woud keep my distance from this particular Subaru

That car is bad news

While there may not be enough residue to be toxic to people riding in the car, there might be enough residue that could be detected by drug-sniffing dogs, whose sense of smell can root-out the presence of drugs long after the drugs have been removed from the environment. I wouldn’t want to ride–or, God forbid, own–a car that had been used to transport drugs, just in case I was ever stopped by a cop and he/she thought that it was appropriate to bring a drug-sniffing dog to the scene.

My sister-in-law has a nephew who is a long-term drug user. She will not allow him in her car, or in her home, lest he might leave behind the after effects of the drugs that he is likely to be carrying with him. She loves the guy, but nothing has deterred his drug abuse over the years, and she is just playing defense for her own protection.

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Oh heck, even if this Camry needed a new engine or transmission, it would be a better deal than this Subaru.

Even then, Subaru is not a brand known for reliability, and a 2019 Subaru is unlikely to last for even 200,000 miles without major repairs, and that is with meticulous maintenance. A 1997-2001 Camry can easily go for 250,000 to 300,000 miles without needing major repairs, and I see them offered for sale on Craigslist with over a quarter of a million miles all the time, still running fine.

Thanks all. As it turns out, it’s a Crosstrek (I don’t know my Subarus). Dealership service center referred me to a body shop. They said it looks like someone hit it with a metal bat in two places (makes sense, my brother throws tantrums directed at my dad when he doesn’t get what he wants). It needs about $5800 in body repairs to get it drivable and dignified. I filed an insurance claim and to see if it’s covered as vandalism. That’s only body issues. I like how high it is and how much more powerful the engine is, but my main thing is reliability.

I can see nothing said here will dissuade you. Two additional negatives, it’s a crosstrek and filing an insurance claim for vandalism would be insurance fraud. Nothing else to say that hasn’t been said, but the advice was free.

Is it purely cosmetic damages?

Did you file a police report? Any witnesses? Suspects? The insurance company may want to collect restitution (from you).

Now, what about the fear of being stopped at the Canadian border?

I still say NO WAY

You’d be throwing away $5800 on a car that is bad news, for all the reasons I already stated

Maybe another Subaru Crosstrek would be a good choice for you . . . but not THIS one

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No it is not purely cosmetic. The gate is so damaged that it doesn’t close.

I was completely transparent when I filed the insurance claim. I told them that I assume my brother caused the damage that I am reporting is vandalism, but I neither witnessed him do it nor filed a police report. I told them I noticed the damage to the windshield 1-2 months ago and took no action at the time, and that I just noticed the damage to the gate a few days ago, and I think the the two things probably happened at the same time and the car has just been sitting in this state in my dad’s garage for a while. If insurance isn’t going to cover the repairs, I definitely will recommend to my dad that we sell it and invest the proceeds in maintaining the Camry.

I consider that cosmetic. Get a string and tie it down until you can get it straightened it by a shop. Doesn’t have to be cosmetically pleasing, just straightened and aligned. It’s not that difficult as they just hook it up and pull for a for seconds. You can get this done for a couple hundred dollars.

If the suspension is in good order, drives straight, has no vibrations, and and smooth, everything else takes second precedence and the car is worth fixing up.

As for dignity, I would drive something that looks like crap than to have no car at all and to take public transportation. But that’s just me.

A car in good cosmetic condition is a luxury.

Not sure if anybody has mentioned it yet, but if the car was ran off the road into a ditch and on it’s side, well, how long was the engine still running (if at all) with very low to no oil pressure taking life off the bearings and maybe scoring the cylinder walls, not to mention if the engine it still running then the torque converter is still spinning in the front pump and what if any damage could have been caused that may not show up until much later down the road
 Does all this abuse VOID any warranty on the vehicle?? What was done to the car, like jumping RXR tracks etc etc that is not known yet that could have weakened the struts, steering and suspension etc??

If you decide to keep it, then I would 1st call your local L.E.O. and explain the situation and ask them if they can run a drug dog around the car to see if the dog picks up on anything


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@thebrg_187233 Please ignore this bad advice.

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What makes your advice any better?

There’s a number of issues to consider if the rear hatch doesn’t close and latch properly:

It’s a structural element by design. If it is not closed and the vehicle is involved in an accident, especially a rollover, then the structure provided by a closed and locked hatch isn’t there.

It keeps out the elements. A misaligned and not closed hatch will allow rain to enter and soak the rear carpet etc, potentially leading to moldy interior.

It keeps out exhaust gases. Ever run with a rear hatch open? Exhaust is often pulled into the cabin as there is a natural low pressure there created by the airflow around the vehicle as it travels down the road.

Just some things to consider when weighing the risks


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