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My Forester is now over 20 years ago and still going strong. Granted, it has had some expensive repairs such as valve replacement, catalytic converter, where the axles connect to the wheels, probably the brakes a time before and soon a time again, a rear ending, a deer strike.....at least. But it is still going with the 25 mpg as when I first got it.
BUT, if it comes time to replaced it, do the current Foresters or at least Subaru SW last as long, last as well? Just how long does the current Subaru last?
We have a 2010 bought in July 2009 with 200K+ that I just sunk about a grand into for A/C (compressor and condenser both went).
Now, that's age related. Had to replace the steering rack a couple years ago, again age.
Over the course of ownership the only oddball, but not really, thing was a rear wheel bearing went at about 120K. Everything else have been normal wear items.
Funny about the catalytics, all three of them have internal rattles right now. Still passes the Maryland smog test, though.
The 2021 is too new to say if it will last as long. Now, when we bought the 2002 Taurus wagon I didn't think it would outlast the 1995 we had. It did with fewer problems. So who can say about today's Subaru?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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No way to tell. Our Outback is a 2020, and has about 20k miles on it. So far the only issues with it have been the ridiculously poor voice recognition on the navigation, but for the rest it's too early to tell. I remember a relative buying a used Forester with over 200k miles on it and it lasted years. That was before all of the electronics, which now is much more than even on yours. With my years of experience with computers, it seems unlikely that the adaptive cruise control, lane centering assist, collision avoidance and blind spot monitoring are going to last 200k miles and 20 years. There is also the CVT, not in use for more than about 9 years now, so we don't know how they will hold up. Regardless, I do expect that Subaru will be among the most reliable, if not at the top.
We have a 2010 bought in July 2009 with 200K+ that I just sunk about a grand into for A/C (compressor and condenser both went).
Now, that's age related. Had to replace the steering rack a couple years ago, again age.
Over the course of ownership the only oddball, but not really, thing was a rear wheel bearing went at about 120K. Everything else have been normal wear items.
Funny about the catalytics, all three of them have internal rattles right now. Still passes the Maryland smog test, though.
The 2021 is too new to say if it will last as long. Now, when we bought the 2002 Taurus wagon I didn't think it would outlast the 1995 we had. It did with fewer problems. So who can say about today's Subaru?
Your location probably has more to do with the failed wheel bearing than anything. Get further up north from you and that 2010 would probably be ready for the crusher due to the salt on the roads in the winter.
But that is completely irrelevant so far as it being a Subaru. Same thing would happen to any vehicle.
Your cats. Yeah.. Eventually they'll beat themselves into gravel and will have to be replaced.. But if you can live with it.. I presume you hear the rattle at idle and not under load? Which would indicate the catalyst separating internally. I've had that happen on a number of vehicles. Make sure you're not losing any oil.. I can't say this with authority, but I believe valve seals that start leaking oil into the cylinders when the vehicle sits can lead to this.. So.. Keep an eye on your oil level. If you're losing a quart between changes and don't have any stains on your driveway.. That's a pretty good indication that you've got valve seals leaking, and.. In my eyes, replacing the cat without fixing the seals is probably a waste.
Everyone that I know of that has one has been quite happy with them. Parts availability can occasionally be an issue, but.. In todays world, you could say that about anything.
we are getting rid of our 2018 outback this week . 49k miles
went for a lexus rx500h sport hybrid which clocked in at 80k.
the subaru was okay .
the battery life sucked and failed in just two and a half years .
a butterfly valve on my manifold failed …
luckily i had the extended warranty.
after the dealer had the car for almost a month waiting for the valve , subaru told the dealer to replace the entire manifold which has the valve in it .
it was a few thousand dollars so luckily my warranty paid for itself
A 20+ year old Subaru (1st generation) is a different beast than more recent generations, so take that into account when you ask about longevity. There is a more active forum devoted to Foresters (and a similar one for Outbacks) that would probably be a good place to discuss Subaru longevity. Check out https://www.subaruforester.org/
Indiana Jones comes to mind when I hear questions like this: "It isn't the years, it's the mileage!"
There's another saying about mileage that bears repeating: YMMV.
I drove my Forester new off the lot in 1999, drove it for 22 years in snow country, then sold it to a local contractor 3 years ago. He owns 3 of varying generations. The main reason I exchanged it for a newer Outback was because advancing arthritis was making the manual transmission a problem. I'd probably still be driving it otherwise. It did what I needed it to do, it didn't nickel and dime me, and I liked driving it. The contractor just did some work for me last month and mentioned how much he likes it, so the car is definitely still on the road. I take good care of my cars, but they aren't garage queens. If you don't, or don't address routine things in a timely manner, you're going to have more trouble with one.
In all the years I owned it the only non-routine wear and tear repairs it needed were a couple of rear wheel bearing replacements and the head gasket. Head gasket failure was a known issue for that generation engine (and would be something to watch for on yours OP if you haven't dealt with it already), so I wasn't taken by surprise and caught it before it did any damage. It happened to be about due for a clutch and timing belt, so I had those and a few other things replaced while it was torn apart at the shop.
Last edited by Parnassia; 07-24-2023 at 01:00 PM..
I have a 2019 with 46k miles. Overall I have been very happy with it, but, the windshield has broken twice after a rock strike on the highway. Maybe I've just been unlucky, but the windshield doesn't seem rugged enough. Fortunately, my insurance has covered both repairs so there's been zero out-of-pocket cost, but I just don't like it breaking.
I have a 2019 with 46k miles. Overall I have been very happy with it, but, the windshield has broken twice after a rock strike on the highway. Maybe I've just been unlucky, but the windshield doesn't seem rugged enough. Fortunately, my insurance has covered both repairs so there's been zero out-of-pocket cost, but I just don't like it breaking.
be aware if you shop for insurance for any reason those windshield claims ding your insurance score bad .
CLUE is like the credit reporting agency for all un reimbursed insurance claims on your behalf …
while your own insurer won’t raise you for comprehensive claims or glass they can drop you .
that is when the headaches start as your clue report counts heavy in how much the new company quotes .
you can check your clue report for accuracy once a year free ….
BUT, if it comes time to replaced it, do the current Foresters or at least Subaru SW last as long, last as well? Just how long does the current Subaru last?
I don't know how long they last. My Impreza is five years old with 100,000+ miles and doing very well.
I keep up with her regular maintenance.
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