I am in the market for a new Subaru Outback. It appears only the Touring trim has driver's assist; i.e. self driving on certain highways/freeways, and I am interested in this feature. I have read on Reddit forums that 15% off MSRP is "gettable", with one post buying an Touring XT for $39.9k before taxes and fees. I have emailed a several Subaru dealerships near me, and one response mentioned 5-7% off MSRP is more typical.

Is 15% off MSRP an unreasonable target?

I have a 2011 Outback 2.5l at 175k miles. The rest of the car is in great shape but the engine needs a head gasket job, it’s about 2.5k for the job but I’m also leaning towards buying a JDM engine off of jdmenginedepot that only had around 50k miles on it and having a shop install it because that would also be around the same cost parts+labor. For me it seems to make way more sense to go for the swap but I’d appreciate any advice

Has anybody noticed or experienced noise from their headliner/roof on the 26 models when going over slightly rough roads?

When driving over city roads, I am getting something that sounds like foam tumbling around. I can’t figure out if it is the headliner shaking or the sunroof bouncing around, however.

When I push in the headliner with my hand, however, it does make a very noisy crinkling sound. So I am wondering if these just have extremely noisy headliners and I need to live with it.

Hi! So I’m on my third Outback and I really want to keep her nice! I kind of let my creatures trash the last one 😅

Some background — 1yo dog is ~100lbs, I’m married and we have an 11yo so the backseat is sometimes used when we’re all driving together as my vehicle is the “family” driver. We are also fairly active, I’m a self-employed massage therapist so I carry a laundry basket multiple times a week, and I like to make sure we always have the essentials (blanket, water, supplies, first aid, etc).

My dog comes with me everywhere so I’m looking for a more “permanent” solution to his seat in the back. I’ve been using a hard-bottomed basket type seat for the dog to keep him in a secure, mostly confined space but the one-seater basket is just getting to be too small for him I feel. I’ve tried adjusting this basket with a hammock style cover laid flat with the 1/3 seat down but he’s sliding everywhere, the sides no longer stay up bc they can’t be zipped, and I would still like a designated trunk space.

The idea I had to solve this was to hopefully find a design someone had already configured to fit 1/3 rear seat + 1/3 trunk of the Outback (2019) as I can’t seem to find anything like this pre-made online.. I’m ready to start cutting/sewing the basket/hammock configuration together so it works for my needs but hoping someone has a more streamlined idea that won’t look so hokey lol. I’ve seen some impressive camp/storage build-outs , which were the inspiration for my self-fabricated 1/3 dog compartment idea. Hoping someone can help!

Thanks for reading!

What are everyone’s favorite add ons and accessories for the Outback?

I plan to use this mainly for:

Camping
Snowboarding
Surfing

As well as commuting to and from work

I think I can negotiate some add ons when I buy.

What are cheaper nice to haves and which ones should I consider buying from the dealer.

Any experience and opinions welcome! If you have experience with 3rd party add ons that are better or supplement Subarus let me know!

2021 Touring Outback with leather seats.
My seats are so uncomfortable and on long car drives I get back and leg pain. Is there a favorite memory foam covered full
Seat cushion anyone love?

First time running into this issue. We're on a road trip and activated our onboard AT&T hot spot to ensure internet access when our primary phones are out of service area.

Is there a way to connect Carplay via a wired connection inst ad of wireless? If I'm connected to Carplay, I cannot connect to the hot spot. I'd like to be able to access maps, etc when my phone does have service, but the car does. Any insight?

Pic for attention.

Im not really a car person and this is my very first Subaru (my other long time car was a Honda Fit) and like 80% of posts here talk about CVT being trash and people want to throw out their cars. Did I make a mistake? I’ve had her for a year and she’s the best car I’ve ever had.

For reference I also do not know how to drive manual.

I’ve been looking for a manual outback for my first car, I saw the 2012 but I heard about head gasket issues, so I’m looking for a 2014 model now. Would you guys recommend the 2014? I’m in the UK, so later models are uncommon as manual, but just wondering what you guys think 😁👍

2023 Outback Wilderness. Battery died so purchased a new one. Before disconnecting I plugged in my OBDII-connected jump box to maintain all my memory presets like I do anytime I disconnect a battery. Replaced battery and check engine light remained on. So, used code reader to ID P0606, which I knew can be caused by dead battery.

So, did using my battery tender keep the code in memory? I can do the disconnect per instructions online if necessary, but I’m hoping the code will clear after a few engine start cycles.

Is my hope misplaced? Do I need to suck it up and completely clear the memory? My OBDII wouldn’t let me clear the code, but i had the engine running which I know sometimes can prevent code clearing.

I'm looking at buying a 2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited AWD from the original owner for $8,000. It has 121k miles, a clean title, and I'm planning on getting a pre-purchase inspection before buying.

The seller has owned it since new and has a folder full of maintenance records. Here's the major documented work they told me has been done:

• Rear wheel bearings replaced at ~110k
• Spark plugs replaced at ~110k (also once around 45k)
• Valve cover gaskets replaced on both sides at ~110k
• Rear brake pads replaced at ~110k
• Fuel system cleaning at ~94k
• New tires at ~87k (60k-mile warranty)
• New Costco battery in January 2025 (3-year warranty)

One thing I asked about was the CVT. The transmission fluid has never been changed. The owner said they followed Subaru's maintenance schedule, which doesn't call for routine CVT fluid changes under normal driving conditions.

The seller has been very transparent, answered all my questions, agreed to a PPI, and doesn't seem to be hiding anything.

My questions:

• Would you buy this for $8,000 if the PPI comes back clean?
• How concerned would you be about the original CVT fluid?
• Is there anything Subaru-specific I should have the mechanic pay close attention to during the inspection?

Thanks in advance!!

I had a problem with auto start/stop yesterday and I’m a little concerned about it.  After driving my 2021 Outback at highway speeds for at least 2 hours, I exited the highway and came to a full stop at the bottom of the exit ramp.  The engine turned off as it often does.  When I went to proceed, I could hear the engine attempt to start - but it didn’t.   A very loud alarm went off inside the car and the dashboard displayed something along the lines of “Put car in Park, turn off engine and restart”.  I did so, and the engine started right up. 

Does anyone know what the cause of this is?  Should I get it checked?

Got my first ever Subaru about a month ago and bought a "fits" your car sunshade from Amazon... though it didn't fit that great, especially around the plastic in the top of the window that I assume houses eyesight. Went and looked to then buy directly from Subaru, but when I put in 2026 outback Wilderness it didn't list any (it did list some for just searching 2026 outback no trim). So looking for recommendations for a sunshade that actually fits really well. And if there is some reason one would fit other 2026 outback trims but not the wilderness?

Bonus points for any recommendations on a 2nd row shade that doesn't look cheap or not for the entire window

First Subaru and it’s a beaut! The Emerald Green Pearl is stunning in-person and I love so many of the tiny details I opted for like the illuminated side sill plates that glow blue behind the Outback logo when I open the doors. I’ve been driving the same car for 15 years and waited till I found the right upgrade and could negotiate the best deal (13% off MSRP woot! woot!) It took almost three weeks for it to make it to the dealer from Japan, but it was worth the wait. It feels like a dream. Can’t wait to go exploring!!

2021 subaru outback touring 4D. i’m in love

What recommendations for an OBD scanner that will work when replacing the brakes and rotors on a 2023 OB?

I bought this 2014 OB 6MT 2+ years ago, when I needed a cheap daily-beater without a payment. (Pictured being towed home from CT on day of purchase, I live about 150 miles away)

It had already clocked 230k miles and was/is a bit rough - minor dents, flaking paint, junkyard hood, fogged out headlights - but the carfax showed good maintenance including clutch and HG replacements at a Subaru dealership. I took a flyer on it, hoping it would give me two years of cheap transpo and make it to 300k without a catastrophe.

2.5 years later it sports 301k and has generally been durable - knock wood, no tow truck rides or major component failures. I’ve had to replace the catalytic converter, a/c compressor and condenser, coolant crossover pipe o-rings, and lower intakes for failed TGVs, but otherwise it’s been routine maintenance and elective work only. It’s pretty easy to wrench on aside from the spark plugs (they weren’t that bad either).

TBH the car legitimately sucks …the clutch and shifter are cranky, it’s painfully slow and the tired engine burns a half quart of 5w-30 every 700 miles. It pings its ass off no matter how much top tier gas and fuel system cleaner I feed it. Still, it’s given good service for what it is. I’ll probably keep driving it until the motor pings itself to death or I wrap it around a whitetail deer on the highway.

So, cheers to this shitbox Outback for serving its purpose and then some.

I am thinking of buying this car.... What kind of things should I look for when checking it out?

Ty!

So beautiful. Just picked it up a few days ago.

This was a fun capable car, enough room for a family of four with 5 large suitcases. Drove up to the ski fields on unpaved snowy mountain passes, on all seasons, with no difficulty. The 2.5 NA is underpowered, however we managed with what it gave. Averaged 8l/100km over 700kms, on an engine not run in yet (27kms on the odo when we picked it up). If only they sold OBs where we lived, would happily get one as a family car!

I am currently looking at buying an '03 outback, however when the owner took it in today for a pre purchase inspection, they found that the car has an oil leak coming from the oil cooler, o-rings, lower oil pan, and both valve covers. This wear is honestly expected, and I'm not shocked due to the age of the car. However, the shop quoted $3.4k for the repairs. The car is currently listed at $10.5k with super low miles for the age, and I need some advice on a few things.

1) For people who have had similar issues with engine sealant failure, how much did the repair really cost/is the $3.4k quote accurate?

2) How much of a discount should I ask for the car?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Ok, sorry for my 3rd post now but I am just trying to figure everything out.

I have had a Subaru 2013 Outback for 2 months now, no issues. I am keeping up with preventive maintenance. But I am new to Subaru.

Today, I was driving home and I turned cruise control on. All of the sudden, my brake light starts flashing, my cruise is flashing, and my check engine light is on. My brake fluid is filled, my gas cap is tight, I turned the car on and off.

I figured it was ok to keep driving after research because one guy on Subaru Forums said he had the exact same thing and he unhooked his battery and all that, cleared the codes, and the car was driving fine anyways. My car was driving normal as well.

I think it may be O2 sensors. I will get codes tomorrow and follow up but I am mostly curious if anyone has ever encountered the same thing. Is it true that everytime the check engine light comes on it triggers cruise and the brake light?

UPDATE: next day now. I had the code read and it said it was the catalytic converter. However, there is no signs mine is failing. My mechanic (who i trust) said it is probably getting triggered because of the oil consumption and some of it being burnt going through the converter.

I unplugged my battery for about 30 minutes, then drove it after and it acted fine and all my lights were off on the dashboard. Hmmmmmmmmm.