subaru outback

Asked by phumswife Jun 21, 2017 at 11:41 AM about the Subaru Outback

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Wanting to purchase a used Subaru Outback but I have heard to watch out for
an issue regarding adding oil.  What should I look for, and what years should
be avoided?

17 Answers

86,085

Watch this video below , " the truth about oil consumption" https://youtu.be/xa1kqSo3aeM

My choice would be cars near 2010. These cars are probably the sweet spot as they have the reliable Subaru automatic and the head gasket problems were mostly sorted out. The later cars with the FB25B engine may use oil.

86,085

This guy from Australia is a certified mechanical engineer...he actually knows what he's talking about...Im NOT saying that everyone here on the forum are uninformed, BUT, Cadogan gives a different perspective... one you should consider seriously. There's definitely some people on the forum with a bias against Subaru.

86,085

phumswife-. My 2010 doesn't burn excessive oil.... http://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Outback/2010

Still pushing that fouled mouthed jackass Mark? Just because he is an engineer doe not make him an engine expert, far from it. His superficial coverage of issues is entertainment and little else. His services to the auto industry are media related, not engineering. Lots of mechanical engineers design plumbing systems so maybe he is also an expert on sewage.

1 people found this helpful.

You do realize Mark that this bozo is in the pay of the auto industry? He is just re-packaging their claims that oil consumption is normal by claiming that oil consumption is a good thing.

86,085

WOW, you really think that this guy in Australia is biased....? He has literally blasted more auto companies than you can shake a stick at....and while I appreciate your skepticism .. and agree with you that this guy can be rude.. mostly for entertainment purposes.. he has some very useful things to say... He is actually a very intelligent guy and makes good sense.. of course, if you would rather not believe any of this and follow your own advice and knowledge....go right ahead.

1 people found this helpful.

Actually he plays at blasting them but he is in their pay. His schtick on this video is that you should be glad to own a oil burner since you get a tiny bit of fuel efficiency increase. He sells media services to the auto industry - in other words he is a salesman and a spin meister and a really greasy one at that. I can see why you would consider him an expert.

I want to thank you all for your answers so far. I am taking everything into consideration, and I did watch the You tube video. It was educational for me. Still not sure what car we will end up with, but I want to hear the good, the bad and the possibly slanted. We already own a Subaru Impreza and are happy with it, but need something bigger for snow and climbing gear.

86,085

phumswife- Great that you are taking this all in... this video is a good explanation of the difference between AWD and 2WD systems.... please note that Subaru stands apart from the rest in this category as explained below..I'm sorry that the videos are a little rude. It's this guy's presentation and entertainment feature.... good luck.. https://youtu.be/hCjMvCynvvw

86,085

Look for the you tube video of 2WD vs. AWD... what you will learn is that unlike most other cars... Subaru is really AWD because of the way the car is engineered.... little details like this really are significant. AWD is a feature that you may not always need... but, it's great to have when you need it... Think of it like buying a house with a "view"....you can't add this on later...

86,085

phumswife- Contrary to what some people have said online...I don't work for Subaru.. it's a great car and I like it but I have two other vehicles and my Subaru is no longer my primary road car for very long trips...It's a specialty vehicle that is great in the city, but , can also do light duty off road .... We took this down an unmaintained road in Sequoia Kings Canyon ... very rough..the car made it fine there and baby through some very sketchy patches...the entire road was washed away, rutted with holes and loose dirt.. Again, if you NEVER intend to do something like that... any of the other SUV's would be fine...

86,085

I'm very glad it did make it... first time out... It's a very long walk back to civilization from the bottom of the Chicago Stump...

1 people found this helpful.

Own a 2913, 90k+ miles, bought it new from dealer. Fully Mobil 1 synthetic since day 1, change every 6k. I always have to add oil the last 1500 miles or so. They claim its "evaporation" from the Subaru dealer.

AToons. Oil does have volatile components that can evaporate but not that much. Some brands more than others. Given your information I suggest you change oil every 5,000 miles. I do in my 15 Forester.

3 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

Outback

Looking for a Used Outback in your area?

CarGurus has 1,120 nationwide Outback listings starting at $2,995.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Mark Weiner
    Reputation
    33,220
  • #2
    TheSubaruGuruBoston
    Reputation
    28,310
  • #3
    Keith Cahalan
    Reputation
    3,310
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Subaru Forester
32 Great Deals out of 1,355 listings starting at $3,995
Used Subaru Crosstrek
47 Great Deals out of 1,326 listings starting at $5,995
Used Toyota RAV4
120 Great Deals out of 3,047 listings starting at $4,999
Used Honda CR-V
170 Great Deals out of 4,990 listings starting at $440
Used Toyota 4Runner
26 Great Deals out of 540 listings starting at $7,700
Used Subaru Ascent
11 Great Deals out of 276 listings starting at $20,095
Used Toyota Tacoma
46 Great Deals out of 728 listings starting at $8,995
Used Subaru Legacy
13 Great Deals out of 209 listings starting at $3,000
Used Subaru Impreza
26 Great Deals out of 661 listings starting at $4,299
Used Toyota Camry
48 Great Deals out of 1,142 listings starting at $4,795
Used Toyota Highlander
40 Great Deals out of 792 listings starting at $5,900
Used Honda Pilot
36 Great Deals out of 860 listings starting at $1,995
Used Mazda CX-5
73 Great Deals out of 3,208 listings starting at $6,990
Used Ford F-150
318 Great Deals out of 13,660 listings starting at $3,800
Used Jeep Wrangler
127 Great Deals out of 5,924 listings starting at $6,500

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.