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Found a 2003 Subaru Baja:

2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  ADOversa 
#1 ·
It has 112, 000 and has had heads and timing chain replaced. The 2.5 was notorious for head warp. Once they are replaced tho they are GTG for a few hundred thou. It has a sunroof and very nice bucket seats. I am buying a house in the Northwoods and need a car that can go anytime anywhere. The loan will be 292 mo. 36 mo. and 1000 down with my Versa. I owe 7000 and hav 28 payments at 63000 mi so it seems like green light go. I want my suby back. I miss those cars. This Baja is orange with grey side guards. I know they are ugly, but they look beautiful in a snowstorm.:blue flower:

http://www.boston.com/cars/newsandreviews/overdrive/2010/03/29/Subaru-Baja-607.jpg
 
#4 ·
The 2.5's are also notorious for head gasket failure. They would have changed the heads... assuming they used an upgraded gasket you should be good to go. My family (immediate) has had a few outbacks (both pre and post 2004, when they fixed the issue). EVERY one that was before 2004 had head gasket failures. One one of them (they have owned 3 pre-2004's) it happened twice.

A couple things about them....

Find one with the cold weather package. Here in Canada most of them have it, and living where you do I would assume its the same. The Limited Slip Diff that comes with the cold weather package really does make a big difference.

Stay away from the 5 spd.

Snow tires are a must. The outbacks we have had are not very stable at all in slippery conditions without them. We put Hakkapeliitta R winter tires on ours and they performed well.

Try and find something 2004 or newer... or possibly look elsewhere. $292 for 36 months on a 10 year old car seems kinda steep, especially compared with some of the newer offerings from other companies that will be easier on gas and insurance as well.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Subarus are 10,000 at 10 yrs. old. Go check. These cars listed at 25,000. Subarus are not cheap. 2013 Imprezza is 20,000 otd. And that's the stripped model. I bet Outbacks are 30 grand easy. Remember my car is six years old and listed at half the price as a baja. The amazing thing about Subarus is that the exterior never looks as good as the interior. That interior looks like out of a porsche or german sportscars of the past. Bajas are 7-10 yrs old now. Hard to find and this might be the best look for me with this model.

...I did wish that Subaru would have re-introduced the 2.2 16v sohc engine again. That engine was their best. Must have been the emission Gods that killed that engine. Something about one camshaft in each head instead of two which could have caused the timing chain header fiasco not sure tho.
 
#6 ·
The amazing thing about Subarus is that the exterior never looks as good as the interior. That interior looks like out of a porsche or german sportscars of the past.
My dad has a 2007 Forester and his interior is like 90% hard plastic. The subarus of the early 2000's were nice. My friend used to rive a 2001 outback that had leather and heated seats and that was really nice, but lately, they hasn't been very good. Also, I think my dad's forester looks ugly outside too..
 
#8 ·
I see a TON of Subarus around Denver, typical of living by the mountains. I want the WRX to be my next car in 10 years after the Mazda dies.

Make sure to put a good pair of tires on the car, just cause its AWD doesnt mean it's invincible in the snow. People have that type of attitude here, and it leads to accidents.
 
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