Is it reasonable to expect to get 200,000+ miles out of a 2015-16 Subaru Outback?

Asked by GuruF313 May 16, 2017 at 10:38 AM about the 2015 Subaru Outback

Question type: General

41 Answers

48,030

Yes, but I'd hate to suffer through it without putting stiffer 55-60 series better tires and a stiffer rear antisway bar on it.

3 people found this helpful.
86,035

Absolutely, YES, if you maintain the car... The Outback and Forester models share the same drive train and aside from the chassis and coach are essentially the same car. See this article below from Forbes published by Torque News. Subaru is the number 5 automaker in quality despite their relatively small sized car manufacturer. A lot of people on this forum are Subaru haters and they don't own or even have experience with these cars...they are Internet trolls just bashing the Subaru brand. Don't pay attention to them. I actually own a 2010 Subaru Outback Limited. Purchased it three years ago as a certified pre-owned vehicle. I have 83,000 miles on my car and have never once had a breakdown since I drove it off the dealership lot in May 2014. My advice to you is purchase a certified pre-owned vehicle, like a 2015 model, a lease return. You'll save a lot of money in depreciation. And, you'll get a great car! Make sure that you purchase it from a "new car dealership"....they have the best cars and because they have a high profile to maintain as opposed to many shady used car dealers.... you're MUCH more likely to get a great car. AND, new car dealers have the staff to go through everything on your car before you take delivery.... Yes, it may be a little bit more expensive to purchase, but, the quality and attention to detail is well worth the money. Many, not all, used car dealers just sell clunkers​ and they have the worst reputation.... No wonder the legendary phrase, " I wouldn't buy a used car from that man"... still exists today..... BE careful, do your research. Good luck. There's many people turning in cars off lease.... http://www.torquenews.com/1084/forbes-says-subaru-forester- most-likely-run-over-250000-miles

22 people found this helpful.

The transmission is probably the weak spot in this car, The CVT may give out long before you hit 200k and it is a very expensive repair. Mark will tell you that the CVT can go a lot farther but a lot do not make it that far. CVT's run around 7 to 8 grand for a new one. Change the CVT fluid every 50k miles even if your dealer tells you it is "lifetime".

13 people found this helpful.
86,035

F_O_R-. Anything is possible, the operative word here is the CVT "may" give out. AND, yes, I absolutely agree with you that it's great preventative maintenance to change the transmission fluid every 50,000 miles... It wasn't​ inexpensive, but, I had it done at the Subaru dealership... They definitely know what they're doing, it's their​ car... By the way, you don't buy cars as "investments".... If you have a transmission failure at 125,000 to 150,000 miles, just fix the car and move on.... There's been a long list of people talking about how much this is, reality check, replacement of the transmission is EXPENSIVE in any new car and so is the clutch.. if it's a manual transmission which I don't recommend.. In many cases, the cost, even if it's $7,000 is less than buying a new car! Look at it this way, the sales tax on a brand new car could easily be $3,500.... So, stop worrying about something that may or may not actually happen. Besides, you might never need a transmission replacement, and sell the car for a newer vehicle in 10 years? I recommend that you change cars every 10 years... I've had experience keeping cars until they're 20 years old and I'm not sure it's worth doing for safety features etc. Life's too short, enjoy driving a newer vehicle. Old cars have nostalgia, but, they are inefficient and don't offer the high tech tools of modern cars.

19 people found this helpful.
48,030

Oh my gods, Grasshopper, you're at it again! Firstly, 200k mi is a piece of cake IF you drive it soon enough. That means highway driving in the first eight or so years. Cold starts and city trips...especially towing...kill vehicles. Better that you prepare the calculus according to HOURS of operation, just as airlines, boatmakers, and industrial equipment is specced. Further, used CVT's are about $2k installed; this has been covered extensively elsewhere. Additionally, new car dealers, very much including Subaru stores, are often the WORST source of used cars, as they traditionally minimally prep their traded inventory for resale. Even at wholesale auctions they'll holler "been through the shop" on the block; we know that this process usually means entering one door, and exiting another, with a detail and maybe an oil change if a bay is free. Paying the "extra" $1-2k for off-lease "certification", as Grasshopper recommends, is indeed a true fool's game. ALWAYS have ANY preowned vehicle carefully vetted before purchase...including so-called "certified" ones. Note also that the 2015 model that Grasshopper recommends is among the more problem-plagued years, suffering first-year teething pains, as well compromised handling, predominantly due to truck-size junk tires and lack of suspension stiffening. Simply too SUV-like unless sufficiently modified. I strongly prefer 2013-2014 OBs, as they handle far better than previous 2010-12 and 2015+ iterations (disclaimer: I still buy/service/sell these).

11 people found this helpful.
48,030

Oh...forgot: draining and refilling a CVT takes about 15 minutes, requires 4-5 qts fluid, and can be had well under $100. Having it performed at a dealership is unnecessary and expensive.

13 people found this helpful.

I would do your own research before buying - here are two links to more extensive dissuasion on CVT's -- https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t44088_ds763571

5 people found this helpful.

I am an owner of a 2015 Forester which is why I am now a Subaru hater ;) Here is the second link ----- https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t41690_ds701517

10 people found this helpful.
86,035

Ernie, you wrote these two statements below. Maybe they should just do away with miles on cars and switch to "hours of operation"?? "Better that you prepare the calculus according to HOURS of operation, just as airlines, boatmakers, and industrial equipment is specced". "That means highway driving in the first eight or so years. Cold starts and city trips...especially towing...kill vehicles. " As for the cost of the CVT transmission replacement, I'm quoting others who say it's $7,000.... less would be great...! Although, I think you're talking "used" here. I don't trust "used parts" on cars, rebulit or remanufactured, fine. SO,. I'm​ a fool now, according to you, for buying a certified pre-owned vehicle?? Again, no problems at all in the 36 months since I owned this car second hand....hmm? There's countless stories out there about people purchasing a used car from some dealership and it breaks down within 12 months and they run around trying to find legal remedies... I'm a very pleased owner and the peace of mind I got from purchasing it from a very reputable dealership that has been in business for 71 years, that's no typo, you heard me correctly, SEVENTY ONE is no JOKE. They are one of the largest and most respected dealership in the LA area, starting in 1946. Don't even try and tell me that they do not know the business. They don't "skip any steps" in preparing certified pre- owned vehicles... you know how I know that, my personal mechanic used to work there, and then he opened his own garage! And, as for the 2015 models, may I remind you that the 2013 and 2014 models were the first to get the new FB series engine which have been the subject of the oil consumption lawsuit. YES, seems like the later model years have been more trouble prone, maybe I should have said that this person would be better off with a 2016 model... F.O.R-. if you're still hating your car so much, WHY NOT just get rid of it for a different make and model... It doesn't help to just complain about it . While I like my Subaru, I also have other cars like my Toyota Prius and it drives fine and is a real gas saver... Finally, I don't ever recommend that people buy cars and modify them.... with larger tires, wheels or anti-sway bars. These are station wagons, not sports cars. If you want sports car handling, buy one of those vehicles and you'll get this straight from the factory. http://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Outback/2014/ http://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Outback/2013/

5 people found this helpful.
86,035

GuruF313-. Ernie is right about 2016 appears better, see this http://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Outback/2016/

3 people found this helpful.

Mark, the problems have settled down after two new engines and since it has a terrible service record I would take a bath on the selling price which is another benefit of buying Subaru. Certified cars are just a warranty and a piece of paper showing a list of the so-called inspections for the gullible that think "certified" means something other than a warranty which you pay dearly for. This is straight from a Subaru dealer I trust. Since your automotive knowledge is essentially zero (demonstrated repeatedly on these forums) your recommendations on modifications don't mean much.

1 people found this helpful.

Mark you probably paid about $2,000 extra for the certification and by your word you have not used the warranty. I will leave the value judgments to the readers here.

1 people found this helpful.
86,035

F_O_R-. WOW, what a leap of logic to come up with the estimate of $2,000... You really don't know what that number is..... AND, as for my lack of knowledge, let me say this, I thought it was pretty smart to get a car that I have had total confidence in with "zero problems".. There's a real comfort zone there knowing that everything works perfectly from the start. How much is that worth?? Why don't you ask people if they would rather play Russian roulette and just hope they get a decent car?? The fact that I didn't have to use the warranty, and by the way, I only paid $500 for the extra three years after the sale besides the price of the certified pre-owned proves that the dealership I purchased my car from really did a superb job of going through everything like they promised. Judging by your horrible experience, I would definitely say my experiences with my Subaru Outback have been far more positive.

4 people found this helpful.

You bought a warranty on top of the certification? LOL ! I would have to say that every car I have ever bought new or used has had zero problems at the low mile mark your car has EXCEPT for my 2015 Forester. As for the cost? First hand knowledge after talking to car dealers.

2 people found this helpful.

One last parting shot Mark. I have never bought an extended warranty of any kind so over the years I have probably paid for a nice new car with the savings but I only buy good cars and unfortunately.......................Subaru's.

2 people found this helpful.
48,030

Costly insurance appeals to those who BELIEVE they can buy objective reality; on the other hand, some need to buy emotional peace of mind. So be it. Expensive? Of course. Worth it? Only in the case of un-nspectable specimens (remote purchases), or pricey exotica, where the bump is a smaller percentage. Finance managers at dealerships laugh heartil;y when retelling their stories re snagging clients for this "mind assuaging" puffery.

2 people found this helpful.
86,035

Yeah, you can laugh all you want... I know exactly what I purchased and yes, the peace of mind was definitely worth it.....Why don't you ask the people who bought "marginalized cars" that broke down and left them stranded waiting for​ the AAA to come and rescue them with a tow truck only to find that they had "no recourse" with the "used car dealership" that sold them the piece of junk in the first place. Thanks for nothing.....The Subaru Outback is only one of three vehicles I currently have and it's a terrific car. This car was and still is in immaculate condition with relatively low miles. I could easily sell it tomorrow... For all the constant bickering and sniveling with your snarky little comments about my remarks and how horrible Subaru is, let me say that I don't know how you can say with a straight face that Subarus are junk and still own and sell these used cars to people, it's terribly inconsistent.. if you don't like the car, get rid of it, period.

4 people found this helpful.

Mark you do know those extended warranties run out before the real problems start?

1 people found this helpful.
86,035

F_O_R-. Full of Regrets, I know that you are really disappointed by your Subaru .. that's unfortunate. Again, if you are so unhappy, why not just get rid of the car even though you will take a small financial loss. Sure, all systems fail sooner or later.... And, it makes a difference on how you drive and service your car. I'm very easy on my cars....how do you think I went​ almost 20 years on my old Honda Accord EX station wagon?? Since I have two other vehicles, I won't be racking up excessive miles​, wear and tear on my Subaru Outback. YES, I absolutely​ know that the warranty will expire... that's why a lot of people purchase new cars.. I've found that once a car is paid for, the actual cost for repairs, NOT MAINTAINENCE, is about $2,000 per year. Some years are higher, some lower, it averages out over several years. The cost of purchasing a new car, with increased license registration, insurance, financing, sales tax etc. Is ALWAYS more expensive than just fixing the old car. I don't care what went wrong.. A new car payment is roughly $400 per month for 60 months, that's nearly $5,000 per year alone just for payments, then you have to add maintenance, insurance, etc. Do you see where I'm going with this?? So, when you and others complain about an actual repair or troll out the "boogey man theory" of what might happen, it is disengenuous... not helpful. I suggest you just drive your car, enjoy what you purchased or find another vehicle if you really hate and continue to rag on Subaru......by the way, Lexus automobiles, in my opinion are the finest engineered production cars in the world.... maybe you should consider one of those next time?? Subaru makes great cars as far as I'm concerned, but, Lexus is absolutely tops.... Maybe, that will be my next move...

48,030

That's disIngenuous, btw.... $2k/yr REPAIRS average is indicative of having bought the wrong vehicle, masochism, intentional exotica, or any combination thereof!

4 people found this helpful.
86,035

F_O_R-. Talking about keeping cars a long time, you still have the 1962 Jag??? I thought you would have sold that by now? Guess it you still have not found the right buyer for the price you want.

1 people found this helpful.
86,035

Really Ernie, what do you think the average yearly repair cost is? I'm talking about average, so while one year may be zero, another year could be $3,000 to $6,000 depending upon what needs to be done. Maybe I should have said $1200... At any rate, it's much less than $5,000 per year for five or six years with car payments, which continues until the vehicle is paid off.

I do most of my own work (excluding transmissions) but I doubt that I spend more than a few hundred a year on average per vehicle not counting tires. Even my work truck which I use hard has not cost me more than $600 a year on average.

1 people found this helpful.
86,035

Tires, brakes, oil changes, filters, timing belts, coolant replacement, extra engine oil between changes , NOT TIMING CHAINS, , are maintenance items, NOT REPAIRS. A broken timing chain is a very big repair item, timing chains should last the life of the vehicle. F.O.R.-. Very FEW people are skilled enough or have the tools to do transmission work.....

1 people found this helpful.
86,035

Ernie, you wrote, "Oh...forgot: draining and refilling a CVT takes about 15 minutes, requires 4-5 qts fluid, and can be had well under $100. Having it performed at a dealership is unnecessary and expensive" STRICTLY YOUR OPINION,. I disagree strongly...and so would Subaru.

Subaru would object Mark? Subaru would object if you installed your own windshield wipers. All dealers do.

2 people found this helpful.
48,030

Depends upon who you know. Some DIYers earn respect from service managers once properly informed IF they're competent. Some folks are best told to go wait in the siiting room...or is it sit in the waiting room?

140

WOW GUYS!!!, I clicked on this page to read reviews from Subaru Impreza Outback owners, but, all I got was a back and forth, testosterone battle between you F_O_R and Mark, unfortunately thanks guys for wasting my time, I kept hoping I would gain some useful knowledge about the vehicle.. everyone has their own opinions, but, I really don't care and I'm sure nobody else does about this crazy crap ....ASSHATS!!!

13 people found this helpful.
140

the name calling is uncalled for, oh wow your such a cool dude to call me that.. i wasn't crying you guys are just big babies, and if you're going to call someone a childish name make sure you get the spelling correct..

1 people found this helpful.
20

This was a waste of my time. Felt like i was in middle school

2 people found this helpful.
30

I read through all of these and still didn't get my answer how many total miles do you think i will get out of a 2010 Subaru outback

3 people found this helpful.

200,000 + is reasonable IF it was well taken care of and you are willing and able to spend some money on repairs.

48,030

Gayle, it's because it's like asking how long you might live...or whether chocolate is better than vanilla. 2010-2014 OBs are eating CVT's at 4%/yr average. I haven't seen the total mileage distribution, but it doesn't matter, as you're perhaps going to drive ONE, not a large sample of production. A primer in statistics may be useful in your education. And no, it's not quite grammar school....

1 people found this helpful.

People can't even read the owners manual much less comprehend a statistical analysis but kudos for trying Ernie.

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