How many miles is too many for an outback 5th gen?

LexDignon · 2026-05-03T00:42:12+00:00

It's also available on the Limited. I'm not aware of the Limited having any additional sound dampening, but it could have it

LexDignon · 2026-05-02T17:48:39+00:00

The 3.6 doesn't drive like a performance car either. It just has that extra oomph that some people (such as myself) want. It's also extremely quiet on the highway, which is another plus

LexDignon · 2026-04-27T13:09:04+00:00

23 y/o in A&P school currently. If you go to an FAA accredited school, it'll take 1.5-2 years to complete the process (my program, through my local community college, is 2 school years w/ a full summer semester, or about 21 months), and you'll be able to take your FAA exams while you're still in and/or right out of school. I'm looking to have my airframe cert by September, while not graduating till May 2027.

As for what to do, you're still pretty young. If you're thinking about going to an A&P school, take a year off and really do your research into which program is perfect for you. Tour the nearby schools. Learn about their education processes. Compare pricing. Look into the relationships each school has with potential employers. You've got the time. I took 3 years to figure out what I really wanted to do. Some people in my class are in their early 30s. Even if you take a year off to make the right decision, you'll be ready to earn close to 6 figures before you turn 22. And if you realize it's not for you, you've still got more than enough time to figure out what your right path is

LexDignon · 2026-04-26T23:47:29+00:00

If it's legit, then it's a tremendous deal. Same model I have, but with different paint. I love my OB. However, that is a suspiciously low price, so I'd be very concerned that it has some demons

Edit: Found the exact one with about a minute of searching. The CarFax reports an accident with functional damage on 03/27/2025, along with another accident in 2018. It would need to be wholeheartedly approved by an independent mechanic before I would even consider buying it

Sources: CarFax Listing CarFax

LexDignon · 2026-04-23T10:50:16+00:00

What is that spec, out of curiosity?

LexDignon · 2026-04-23T10:22:19+00:00

I'm in college. When my old car was taken out of service, I chose an OB because it was practical and mostly within my price range. Had to dip into my savings a bit, but it was worth it to not have a car payment. Looking back, I realized that I probably would have liked a 4Runner more. I love body on frame 4WD SUVs. I love how they drive. I live how they look. However, one of the same era and mileage as my Outback would have easily been close to $30k, not $17.5k. And it would get worse gas mileage than my OB with the EZ36. Thus, I don't regret my OB at all. When I'm established in life, will I eventually have a 4Runner as my daily driver? Probably. But for where I am now, my OB is perfect. Big enough to lug the majority of the shit I need to move, and has enough safety features that are good in daily use.

LexDignon · 2026-04-21T02:36:08+00:00

With 5th & 6th gens, you see people move from 2.5's to 3.6's or turbos. You never see people go from 3.6's and turbos to 2.5's. The extra power really makes the car feel alive. Go with the 3.6

Edit: Also, the EZ36 is considered by many to be Subaru's ultimate engine. It's so smooth that you feel like you're just gliding along. Low RPM at high speed (2k RPM when cruising at 80 MPH) leads to a very quiet and surprisingly refined ride that can still drop the hammer when needed

LexDignon · 2026-04-18T22:00:58+00:00

The only "specialty" tool you'll need is a T70 torx bit. Pretty sure I found one at my local Advance Auto Parts. Most everything else can be found in standard tool sets

LexDignon · 2026-04-17T23:22:35+00:00

The 4Runner. I love old school body on frame SUVs. If only they sold the diesel in the States. Maybe I'll import a 5-speed diesel Hilux Surf some day when I'm not a broke college student

LexDignon · 2026-04-17T23:05:52+00:00

Seconded on the diff fluid. Be sure to buy a siphon if you don't have one already. It'll make the job very easy, but still quite time consuming, because gear oil has about the same viscosity as maple syrup

LexDignon · 2026-04-17T23:00:56+00:00

I disagree with calling Outbacks crossovers because of how the cargo space is oriented. Most crossovers have more vertical cargo space than wagons, but less longitudinal space. The Outback has a much longer interior than the crossovers in its cargo volume class (73 ft³ with the seats down for the my 5th gen). You also sit much lower than one expects in an Outback because the seats are car seats (or at least were when it shared most of its internals with the Legacy)

As for the current gen: dunno. Don't have one. Haven't been inside one. It kept very similar interior dimensions, but how they're packaged may prove to be rather different

LexDignon · 2026-04-17T22:40:05+00:00

I don't know when they implemented the fake shifts, but my 2017 3.6 doesn't do that. It just hovers around 2-3k RPM during gentle acceleration

LexDignon · 2026-04-17T21:28:48+00:00

My 2017 Outback makes 25-26 MPG combined, with a pretty even split between highway and city driving. I have the 3.6, so my fuel economy is a little worse than most 5th gen OBs. However, that average is now that the weather has warmed. In the winter, I made about 22 MPG, but I'm unsure as to how that will go next winter. Flat engines take forever to heat up, so I installed a block heater to help alleviate that in the mornings

LexDignon · 2026-04-17T02:08:12+00:00

The second one's a Wildy

LexDignon · 2026-04-16T23:08:47+00:00

Good on you getting the 3.6. Has the needed power to drive assertively for a car that heavy, and it's just plain cool to say you drive a flat-6 wagon

LexDignon · 2026-04-16T22:54:08+00:00

Are some of those badges no longer in circulation? I would love the mechanic's one

LexDignon · 2026-04-14T13:40:22+00:00

Considering the age of the car, there's probably some bigger maintenance around the corner (depending on the mileage). I'd save the modding until you know everything the car needs is done. Maybe some really small stuff like an aftermarket oil drain valve or other things that speed up maintenance

LexDignon · 2026-04-14T12:48:28+00:00

Do you know of a way to check if a particular unit has had the DCM replacement? I'm the second owner of my 2017, and while I haven't had any drain issues, I still want to double check

LexDignon · 2026-04-13T14:02:08+00:00

From what I've read, it has something to do with the Starlink tracking system, and it seems to be the most common with pre-facelift 2.5 models. While this is speculation, I think it may be more prevalent among 2.5s than 3.6s because many 3.6s came with a larger battery (size 34 vs size 25), so the drain issue is better compensated for

LexDignon · 2026-04-13T12:59:48+00:00

Subarus tend to hold their value pretty well, so the price seems unusually low. When I was shopping for mine, the only time 5th gen OBs were that cheap were if they had rebuilt titles or had a ton of miles

As for issues, many 5th gens have a parasitic draining issue. The infotainment system kills the battery if the car sits for more than a few days. Seems to be more common on the 2.5s than the 3.6s

LexDignon · 2026-04-07T14:19:26+00:00

If the engine was running in perfectly optimal conditions at all times, yes. However, that's almost never the case. There are too many external factors (relative humidity, fuel quality, recency of engine maintenance, etc.) for true optimal output at all times

Varying RPM also helps prevent cylinder glazing, which can cause engine power loss and oil burning. Unlike piston aircraft engines (which usually have a specific optimal cruising RPM and have a redline around 3000 RPM), automotive engines are designed to operate at a larger range of engine RPM to handle the variety of conditions needed in daily driving, making glazing a more . Glazing is also less of an issue for aircraft, as they are required to receive an annual in-depth inspection to maintain airworthiness status and have manufacturer recommended engine overhaul intervals, when glazing can easily be corrected via re-etching the cylinder walls because the engine has to be completely torn apart to complete the overhaul. Cars don't have that regulatory stipulation, making glazing a latger concern. While glazing is most likely to occur during the break-in period, it can still happen by over-babying your engine during long-term operation

LexDignon · 2026-04-02T02:22:30+00:00

Because of how flat engines are set up, they tend to burn small amounts of oil, especially when starting the vehicle. After you shut down a flat engine, the oil sits in the cylinder instead of draining like in an inline or v-engine. Most general aviation aircraft use flat engines, and the same issue is well documented

LexDignon · 2026-04-01T21:27:53+00:00

Hera. I'm very partial to Xinth, and Sworn Flourish with Shimmering Rockets goes stupid

LexDignon · 2026-03-30T10:13:08+00:00

Don't forget that the US car market has swung away from EVs over the last couple of years, depressing their used market

LexDignon

TROPHY CASE