Are Subaru Boxer engines prone to head-gasket issues and high repair costs?

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Subaru Boxer engines, particularly in models from 2002, have been noted for head-gasket issues, which can lead to costly repairs, as experienced by a 2002 Legacy owner who faced over $1,300 in repairs. Although Subaru has made improvements, some older models still exhibit these problems, prompting advice to consider vehicles from 2003 or later to avoid potential issues. The discussion highlights the importance of regular maintenance, especially for turbo models, which can consume oil quickly. Despite the repair costs, many owners appreciate the handling and performance of Subaru vehicles, particularly in winter conditions. Overall, while head-gasket failures can be a concern, many Subaru enthusiasts remain loyal to the brand for its reliability and driving experience.
  • #31
Moonbear said:
Subarus are really popular around here. We have winding, mountainous roads with deep ditches instead of guard rails, so having a car that sticks to the road in snow is pretty important here. With a good set of tires, the Subarus will handle pretty much anything but a sheet of pure ice.
And with heavily studded snow tires, they will handle a sheet of pure ice, too. Then, your main concern is the OTHER guy who thinks that a big 4WD is capable of handling those conditions. Defensive driving is especially important when sharing the road with idiots.
 
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  • #32
I should mention that my wife is overjoyed at getting her '02 Legacy sedan back and healthy. She didn't like driving my old Nissan 4x4 or even my '09 Forester to work. She wanted her Legacy. I have to agree that it feels "nailed" to the road. When I was driving it back from the dealership, I took tight exit and entrance ramps at a higher rate of speed than I would have, if I had been driving the Forester. That little sedan is very solid and confidence-inspiring.
 
  • #33
I am on my 5th suby. I have had very few issues, and no major mechanical issues with any of them. Here in the mountains of Colorado there pretty much standard equipment. I have owned other AWD vehicles and they do not compare to the good ole suby in adverse weather conditions. My 2009 forester is sitting on a 30 mpg average when its advertised as 27 :). I live at 9000' with a 36 mile commute down a canyon that drops a mile vertically. I am hard on my subys.
 
  • #34
Allenspark said:
I have owned other AWD vehicles and they do not compare to the good ole suby in adverse weather conditions. My 2009 forester is sitting on a 30 mpg average when its advertised as 27 :). I live at 9000' with a 36 mile commute down a canyon that drops a mile vertically. I am hard on my subys.
The AWD thing as explained by youtube videos and Subaru salesmen is that Subaru's system is always on and it always tries to stay as symmetrical as possible. All of the wheels should be roughly the same speed, and equalizing power is more important than reducing slippage on ice.


The traction control system in my Corolla is actually similar to what those AWD Toyotas in the video are doing. Rather than focusing most of its attention on applying brakes to the tires that slip (which it does), it seems to put a lot of emphasis on cutting the throttle. While that's obviously a good feature for preventing understeer while taking corners, it's bad because cutting the throttle as much as it does means it cripples my acceleration and I'm more likely to get hit when I underestimate how much distance I need when making a turn. A lot of times I intentionally disable the traction control when making a turn because reverting back to a plain old open differential with no computers accelerates faster.

It's also worth mentioning that engine braking is a lot safer in a Subaru because all 4 tires are dragging. Engine braking down a hill in a front wheel drive car in winter is extremely dangerous because it means all of the braking force is on the two front tires. That leaves a sticky situation where you either engine brake and risk losing the ability to steer your car or ride the brakes and need to replace them every month.
 
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  • #35
ShawnD said:
The AWD thing as explained by youtube videos and Subaru salesmen is that Subaru's system is always on and it always tries to stay as symmetrical as possible. All of the wheels should be roughly the same speed, and equalizing power is more important than reducing slippage on ice.


The traction control system in my Corolla is actually similar to what those AWD Toyotas in the video are doing. Rather than focusing most of its attention on applying brakes to the tires that slip (which it does), it seems to put a lot of emphasis on cutting the throttle. While that's obviously a good feature for preventing understeer while taking corners, it's bad because cutting the throttle as much as it does means it cripples my acceleration and I'm more likely to get hit when I underestimate how much distance I need when making a turn. A lot of times I intentionally disable the traction control when making a turn because reverting back to a plain old open differential with no computers accelerates faster.

It's also worth mentioning that engine braking is a lot safer in a Subaru because all 4 tires are dragging. Engine braking down a hill in a front wheel drive car in winter is extremely dangerous because it means all of the braking force is on the two front tires. That leaves a sticky situation where you either engine brake and risk losing the ability to steer your car or ride the brakes and need to replace them every month.


The other AWD vehicles i have owned are a 2006 Rav 4 and a 2008 Volvo S40 T5. Both where nice, but as far as performance on snow and ice they where not as good as the suby. Suby's are a bit rough in the luxury department, but they make up for it in safety and handling in snowy and icy conditions. I am a huge fan of toyota. I plow my property with a tundra, but when it comes to hauling the kids up and down the hill, my suby is employed to do the job. I have had my fair share of suby problems, wheel bearings mostly, some minor electrical issues, etc but the problems have not been severe enough for me to change. My volvo was falling apart at 60k and had more shop time then i was comfortable with.
 
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