Subaru Outback 2007 Problems

It certainly sounds that way. The clutch’s job is to join the engine to the gearbox while still being able to disconnect them when you need to idle the car or change gears. If the clutch is worn out, you’ll find it slipping under load, allowing the revs to flare up and the vehicle not moving much. This sounds exactly like what you’re describing.

At the least, you’ll need a new clutch unit, but if it’s been slipping for some time, there’s a chance the flywheel has been damaged and will also need to be replaced or machined. I’m tipping that when you tried to reverse out of your parking spot most recently and revved the engine out with no motion from the rest of the car, there was a terrible smell a bit like the smell of brakes in a railway station when a rain pulls in. If so, that’s a clutch failure for sure.

Generally, the Outback is a good solid car, well designed and built. My only concern is the age of the cars you’re looking at. While the Outback is a good car all cars deteriorate as they age, so it’s vital when buying an old car to have it thoroughly checked by a mechanic who knows his way round the brand. It’s also best to look for a car that hasn’t been used off-road.

I reckon you're quite justified in claiming against Subaru given the relatively low kays you're done.

First, you need to have it checked out to find out exactly what is wrong, there’s no point in guessing. The cost of catalytic converters, particularly genuine factory ones, is very high and the cost you quote doesn’t surprise me, but it is possible to source non-factory parts and they work just fine at a fraction of the cost. I would also suggest you take it to an independent Subaru mechanic to have it checked. They will have the clues on replacement converters if that is indeed what you need.

Clutches are considered wear and tear items; they wear out. It’s really a matter of whether they have a reasonable life span or not. Yours has done 90,000 km, which is in my view quite reasonable, and you know little of how it was treated before you bought it, so you have no real chance of claiming Subaru was at fault.

The spare, while it would have become harder in the time it has been sitting in the rear of the car, would still be quite serviceable. Tyres can sit in dealer’s stock for longer than that before they’re sold off as new tyres. The decision to buy three Yokohamas or four of another brand is a line ball one. The Yokohamas would set you back around $910, four Michelins would cost about $20 more, and four Dunlops about $100 more. If you were to buy the three Yokohamas you would do well to put the current spare on the road and rotate all five when you come to do your rotation, that way the spare won’t be sitting in the back in the sun getting hard.

We haven't had any other reports of this issue here at Carsguide, so we asked Subaru for their help. They advised that they "have found that 'upgrade' headlight globes (brighter/ cleaner light) tend to have shorter lives. It seems that they have a trade-off between higher performance and longevity. This is true of genuine and non-genuine parts, although non-genuine parts seem to be worse as regards longevity. The recommendation is to buy standard genuine globes from the dealer, and try these." They added "starting the car with the headlights off will assist with longevity of the   bulbs." In general, they said, "if there was a problem with the car's electrical system, such as an alternator issue, the problems would be more general and not restricted to the headlight globes only."

If you like the Outback then I would go for that, you should be able to get a 2007 model within your budget, but if you shopped for a new car you would be restricted to an Impreza at best in the Subaru range.