Have there been any problems with the Subaru Outback 3.6R engine

You mean like oil burning issues? Take a look at this, unfortunately, there's been some problems since 2013, a mixture of things on both the H4 and H6 models. Do you own one or just considering purchasing one? You might want to also check Consumers Reports for the list of the Thirsty 30. See this link, http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/06/excessiv e-oil-consumption/index.htm http://www.carcomplaints.com/Subaru/Outback/

Many of them burn excessive amounts of oil. Stay away until this is resolved.

Jay, I hope my last answer was helpful to you.

It was very helpful, thank you. When I queried the dealer about this issue I was told that it is confined to Forester vehicles and these are made in Japan vs. Outback made in USA.

Once again---a big thank you for this detailed and very helpful information. I will keep shopping. Tested a 2016 today with the 2.5 engine and was impressed. Will take a look for a low mileage 2012

Jay, you're very welcome. I don't think you'll have too much trouble finding a really nice 2012 Subaru Outback Limited, really nice interior, as a certified pre-owned vehicle. They go through a lot of tests and get brought up to speed at the dealership. If you can find one at a new car dealership that sells CPO vehicles, that's ideal! Also, if you belong to a federal credit union, you'll get fantastic financing. And, my credit union offered me even a better deal on the mechanical breakdown insurance covering me for three years and up to 100,000 miles with a $100 per incident deductible. Yes, the Outback is made in the USA in Lafayette, Indiana. I really believe the Outback to be of higher quality and it's a much nicer car than the Forester, which feels like a small truck. The Outback is built on the Legacy chassis, it's a larger platform and you can feel the difference once inside the cabin. As for the newer cars, I think that one of the big problems for the Forester is that people still get these with the old manual transmission ( it's not very good at all, a friend has one and regrets it), and a lot of people like to race the engines in these cars. Someone forgot to tell them that its not a sports coupe like the Subaru WRX STI. ( LOL). Anyway, I agree with what the dealer told you and my dealer that sold me my car said the same thing. Also, overall condition and who had the car before you is much more important than the miles on the clock. I would avoid a rental, see if you can find a lease return that someone just brought in and traded up to a 2015 model. Your new car will be between 3 and 3 1/2 years old. Perfect, you'll save money on the depreciation and have a wonderful car on your hands. As i said, the Limited has more bells and whistles with nicer more adjustable seats. I wouldn't go out of my way to get the navigation package, but, the Blue Tooth and radio in this car works great. Also, sun roof, is nice, but, not necessary. I'm getting 29 mpg on the highway and an average of 23 in town. When I pull my teardrop trailer, i get 21 on the highway under cruise control. This things just cruises along effortlessly and I can drive it for much longer periods of time than my previous Honda Accord EX wagon. The Outback essentially has the confirmation and versatility of a large station wagon and is very maneuverable. I'm glad you went for a test drive, I knew you would be impressed with the Four. It's kind of weird driving this thing in a good way, you just step on the gas and hear the engine rev up, like an airplane taking off and once up to speed it just cruises back to a more sedate rpm. Cool, I like it. And, one more thing, because of the CVT on uphill climbs, it constantly is changing gears, you'll never feel that and just goes straight up hills like nobody's business. It does that even with my trailer behind me. Happy shopping and let me know what you got either here or send me a private message through car gurus. PS, thank you for marking my answer above "best answer", pleasure to share. -Mark

No, but it's thirsty. If a 6's power is required a better choice would be the Nissan V6 in a G37X.

Jay, read this also, I thin the incidence of 3.6 problems are slim to none, http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/138-gen-5-2015- present/279393-2016-3-6r-excessive-oil-consumption-does-have- issue.html

Jay, I really thought about getting the 3.6 originally, but, as pointed out above, it's thirsty and the 3.6 prior to 2015 has the old 5 speed automatic transmission. I really like the CVT transmission. And, it saves fuel.

I have a 2016 3.6R Outback with 12000 miles on it. The acceleration is excellent, even when fully loaded and going up hill. It achieved 24.8 actual calculated mpg on a recent long, high speed cross country trip. Oil consumption is nil and the adaptive cruise is excellent! I use the digital speedometer setting because it isn't distracting as looking at the small numeral speedometer on the right side of the instrument cluster can be. If you both afford the 3.6R and you have time to wait for it, it is well worth it.

Mark, the 2012, like all 2010-2012 OBs, suffers from a poor suspension. Mods following a rash of complaints resulted in the significant mods enplaced in the 2013-2014 models. Body control is FAR improved in those two years. Fred, in similar use (multi-k hwy) a modern 2.5i CVT OB gets 30+mpg (verified). This +20% eco will become important when fuel snaps back to $4+/gal soon.

Ernie, I know. Fuel is unexpectedly low right now. I understand that the Saudis in the middle East are still trying to undermine our domestic pursuit for developing oil from shale deposits which is more expensive to extract.. YES, I think this is temporary and when fuel prices go back up, it will have a big impact. It's a cyclical thing. It's amazing how people don't realize that fuel is the MOST EXPENSIVE thing people put in their cars. I didn't realize that they now have a digital speedometer on the new 2016 SUBARU Outback.? I have not found any problems with respect to acceleration or power even pulling my teardrop trailer. So, the extra power and displacement of the 3.6 , while nice, is not something I need. Maybe Fred needs this in the mountains? Ernie, I thought that the enhanced suspension is on the 2016 model?

Ernie, OK, I'm willing to just acknowledge that compared to the 2006- 2009 Subaru Outback models, maybe the 2010 to 2012 suspension is higher and not as stable.. but, I have not found this a problem for me. I don't try and drive a lot of slalom courses...I don't use the car this way. If the car works well for me, I'm planning on turning it around for a 2020 model in a few years. By the way, I put that backup camera on my car with parking sensors...more of a preventative measure in LA. I'm sure you would agree that while the 2010 and newer Outbacks have great front visibility, seeing out the rear window is not as good.... And, people here in parking lots drive the wrong way, while pedestrians walk behind cars while talking on their cell phones not paying attention.. here what I did, see picture.

As long as you drive yours like a rolly minivan you'll be ok. Any enhancements made in '15+ negated by 65 series tired, unless pricey Limited w/ optional 18" pkg.

EJ25 Series 2 engine.- If we get a NEW one of these engines, will it swap out for the 2.5 L engine that is in our 2013 Outback (ours has the rods knocking at 67K mikes...) - Will this engine swap out with what's now in our 2013 Outback with automatic CVT transmiission? Trying to find remedy without buying into yet another nightmare.... thank you for all of this great information. L & S Rogers

The 2016 3.6R Outback has a heavier duty transmission than the 2.5. Did you discuss the knocking with an experienced Subaru service technician or SOA? Could it be something else? An engine size change sounds complicated (computers etc.) and costly. Subaru may have upgraded engine components for an overhaul?

Another question. Does the 3.6R Outback have a CVT transmission? And, is the engine upgraded or engineered to be an improvement over the 2.5 engines with the rod knock and other problems? This is so discouraging. We LOVE our Outback - but this is a horrible loss for us, paid $17,000 for our 2013 Outback 2.5 with 65K miles on it - then at 67K miles it starts rod knock. Husband put Subaru oil filter on it with the proper weight synthetic oil.

SteveRogers49- Hi there, WOW, I didn't realize that you purchased your car with 65,000 miles and now with 67,000 miles are experiencing this problem? That's only two thousand miles ago! Look, I've tried to answer your questions by advising you to contact Subaru of America and get your engine repaired under warranty. I would NOT advise you to try and replace it with the larger H6 , 3.6 engine. First, Subaru won't do that, and it would probably be too complicated. Further, the 2.5 H4 is fine for most acceleration situations, I even pull my small teardrop trailer with this engine, no problem. Get your car fixed, drive it for another 10 years and be happy....the FOUR gets much better mileage than the SIX and the CVT transmission is terrific for this motor. By the way, to answer your other question, the 3.6 H6 had the CVT transmission first introduced in 2015 and it has a slightly heavier duty CVT transmission to work with the higher powered engine. You cannot pair the larger engine with the CVT transmission designed for the FOUR cylinder engine....

SteveRogers49-. did you purchase your car from a "new car dealership"??? OR, did you purchase it from a private party or "used car dealer"???

I've just been trying to explore all options - replacing it, repairing it, setting it on fire... REALLY this is a very depressing situation. When you say that you would have it repaired, please describe what repairs you believe could be done that would make it last another 10 years? Please describe. This is what I will probably end up doing. We really WANT to keep this car. And, I purchased it from a used car dealer in Phoenix. Not a Subaru dealership. Thank you for the time you've spent answering my questions. Hopefully others can benefit from your knowledge, also.

SteveRogers49-. They will open up the engine and probably replace the rings and pistons... Your car is under warranty for 8 years and 100,000 miles, don't wait , get it fixed.

SteveRogers49-. After you get if FIXED, then you can consider selling it if you are still unhappy....

Again, thank you for your time and care in answering.

My 16 3.6 R OB obtained 24.8 calculated gpm traveling 1,703 high speed (western US) miles, fully loaded plus a large Thule car top box. NO oil usage (12000 miles) between oil changes. I believe the oil oil usage issue has been corrected. Car computerized gpm is higher (inaccurate). paddle shifter makes the car feel like a standard. I am happy with the car.

The 3.6 has a heavier duty cvt.

Mark, you're not quite right re rebuilding an oil-thirsty 2.5. Swapping the entire short block is the modus operandi.

My parents have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6 engine. They have had their car in Subaru for over a month. They only have 65,000 miles on it and they changed out 3 large parts before determining that it needs a new transmission. They always have taken great care and always have taken it to a Subaru for service. They are telling them it will cost them $9K to fix it. There has to be a lemon law or something for a car this new and this low of miles. I would never buy a Subaru after the hell they have been through.

Sorry to hear about your parents transmission. CVT's are terribly expensive to replace. I would hit up Subaru for some relief from those costs. According to Mark the CVT is the best thing since sliced bread! CVT's are a good idea in theory but not ready for prime time in reality.

Unfortunately, the last post is INCORRECT. The 2012 Subaru Outback with the 3.6 engine had the old 5EAT (electronic automatic transmission), with conventional gears. This is the transmission that got replaced by Subaru in all of their cars starting in 2015. The CVT transmissions first became available on the 2010 Subaru Outback and only with the 2.5 Four. Sorry, you can't blame the CVT on this one. The 3.6 H6 engine is pretty powerful and don't imagine that your parents drove pretty aggressively, BUT, someone I know who is quite knowledgeable about cars told me that it's always a good idea to accelerate more gently from 0-20 and then you can open up full throttle from there. If you go full throttle from zero, it's terribly hard on the transmission. I imagine a lot of people don't know this and are awfully hard on their cars. Still, whatever the cost for a new transmission, it's less than purchasing a brand new car. Just tell them to be careful next time .

C'mon, Grasshopper...you can't blame this one on the driver! Geez.... Further, a pre-owned 5EAT installed should run about $2k. I'd push SOA for goodwill coverage before it's over 5 yrs in service.

I have a 2010 Legacy 3.6R. I have to add a half a quart between oil changes. I have 47,000 on it. This is typical of all flat engines and buyers should understand the importance of checking their oil between changes. While the 3.6 has a humongous 7 liters of oil it warns you when your down 1 liter but you should just check. The engine is very wide so if your new to H or flat engine make sure your on level ground when you check. I do it after I shop at the market as their lot is very flat and its a little cooler when I'm done shopping. Best tire for this model year is Michelin Pilot Sport. Not the extreme which sticks like glue but wears out far to fast. My only complaint is 2010-2012 they gave us out of spec cars that were riding 2-3" below listed clearance. Great for handling but watch out fort driveways.

Jason, well done.. AND, your wise to always check your oil even though you're only burning a half quart between oil changes...that is every 5,000 miles.. correct? If you are only down a half a quart and then have your​ oil changed with new oil, that is fantastic service...My 2010 Subaru Outback Limited with the 2.5 Four doesn't use much oil as well.... In 2013, they switched engines and the later cars burn more oil, hence the lawsuit, but, I don't think it had any bearing on the 3.6 engine... You have a very good engine in your car... although it is a little thirsty on fuel especially paired with the 5 EAT transmission... Do you think it's a little nose heavy on turns?? As for the ground clearance, I believe it's the same as my car, 8.7 inches... Has that been a problem for you? I have not noticed anything wrong with that.

Again, Grasshopper, the problem is that the 2010-2012's suspension is toosoft for its elevated stance's CoG. We've been over this before. It's possible that the 3.6R has a beefier suspension (I would hope). The upgraded suspension in 2013-2014 wasn't done for nothing....

I have a 15 Outback with 75000 miles and it hasn't burned a drop of oil or had any other issues.

Good for you. Not everyone gets a Lemon.

Hi all. I'm from Canada and new on this site. I am looking at purchasing a second hand 2013 OB 3.6R Limited under 75000 Km from a Subaru Dealer. I read that there's excessive oil consumption issue with their engine. Does anyone know if this issue has bee resolve? Or is it still on-going? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Start another thread, please.

Subaru has corrected the oil consumption issue which may have related to the design of the valves. Our 2016 3.6R Outback doesn't consume oil between oil changes. If you look at the Consumer reports issue you will find that several luxury manufacturers are much worse offenders regarding oil consumption.

Fred - the problem with Subaru is the low tension oil rings and the 0W-20 oil.

F_O_R is correct. I use Mobil1 5w30 for all my 2013-2014 2.5i clients, with no issues...so far.

I use 5w30 for my 2011 OB 3.6R. It burns from half to a bit less than a full quart between each oil changes (7 months). I drive less than 7K miles a year. I just spoke with the local dealership while there to get my airbag recall done and they told me it is a known problem. (I realized the oil consumption problem after my very first oil change, but they told me it was normal at that time back then.) They agreed to do an oil consumption test at the next oil change. But since the car is out of warranty, they said I have to get special approval from Subaru to fix it on manufacture's cost.

0.7 qts per 3k mi? That may be in the gray area for modern motors, but maybe not egregious for horizontally-opposed ones.

I haven't noticed any significant oil consumption on my 2010 Subaru Outback Limited CVT with the 2.5 engine.... Only occasionally when towing in extreme heat have I had to add a little oil... maybe a half a quart.... After I get back, and not towing...oil consumption is practically nil. The 2010 has the old EJ Series Phase 2 engine... not the FB series engine and running 5-30 synthetic oil....

That's because the old SOHC EJ (2000-2012) blocks used different rings and cylinders, and Fuji had a long time get 'em tight. The subsequent more modern (DOHC) FB uses a different setup...and gets better fuel eco from it. Good tradeoff if the sizing is consistently tight. Regardless, in this regard, all horizontally opposed motors (inc Porsche and old Ferrari) were either leakers or burners as well. It was very common for early EJ's to consume oil...but they LEAKED so much that it was difficult to differentiate!

So far so good... there's nothing leaking from my engine.. everything is clean as whistle. And, since we don't get severe winters here only summer heat, which is bad enough, I don't have to worry about freezing temps . With only 84,000 miles in 8 years.... the car runs extraordinarily well, handling and pickup... I usually get the oil changed every 6 or 8 months regardless of mileage.. The reason it has lower than normal miles is because I have three cars. Over the 3 1/2 years I've owned this car, it has been very easy on repairs.. if it leaks or develops other problems, I'll just get it fixed. It's a whole lot less expensive than buying a new car... Subaru is offering me over $10 thousand to turn it in, but a new car like this is almost $40k.... Just another depreciation schedule. Older cars don't depreciate as fast ..... that savings will pay for a lot of repairs..

Who are you talking to, Grasshopper?

Where can I get Subaru Technical Repair Bulletins online?

Im looking into a 2010 outback 2.5l H4 MPI thru a nissan dealership. Its got 86,000 miles on it. Anything i should be concerned about with this many miles on it? Im always scared to purchass a car with so many miles.

Calroad- My 2010 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5 with the CVT transmission has this mileage....and I've had no problems.... it's all about maintenance and service intervals... have them show you the documentation ...if they can't provide this walk away.....one more thing....next year in September 2018...my car will be 9 years old.... that's the optimum time for changing the timing belt, negotiate the cost of this to make them give you a discount... it's a $1000 or so maintenance item.... other than that, make sure the car doesn't have any leaks, unusual noises, transmission works fine and brakes... always better to have an independent mechanic look it over... good luck.

Calroad - have the car inspected and make sure they check the head gaskets but that is not a lot of miles and if in good shape it could easily go another 100k.

F_O_R- agreed.... there's no reason why you can't easily go to 150,000 miles, provided it's been taken care of..... however, I would recommend the timing belt service...it's a maintenance thing... And, the 2010 models had a redesigned head gasket... multi layered and reinforced technology... I'd be less concerned about this than the timing belt or CVT transmission..if it has this feature....if you just drive easy , the CVT transmission should be fine... They're very smooth... I get my fluid changed periodically just as a precaution... Your choice... not actually required.. Don't let any car especially a Subaru overheat... Pay attention to the time when you need to change the super coolant and use only original equipment Subaru parts.... you're going to much better off...

Markw1952-I'm going to look at a 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited. It has 145,000 miles on it. What do you think about this? Is this engine going to require a lot of work soon? Is there anything I should be on the lookout for? Thank you for any help you can provide.

Careful, Grasshopper...this may be a booby-trap for ya. Have a fine Thanksgiving.

No crystal balls here.

Yeah, but statistics and lots of personal Subie tech experience can help can help, so I might as well try to guide this guy.... Like 1995 and 2015, 2010 Legacy/OB new model production is always fraught with more problems...sometimes from hybrid design spanning the outgoing and the incoming, and of course to expose poor new part design or durability. Although there's nothing new except the outer drive belts and better head gasket in the 2010 year of the old 2.5i SOHC, you'll need to pay attention to replacing its rubber timing belt between 10-12 years age (ignore mileage). Likewise, you're at higher risk for a failing first-gen CVT. Used ones can be popped in for $2k, so it's not necessarily a killer. My bigger problem with ALL 2010-2012 OBs is that Toyota-forced low-cost engineering resulted in sloppy handling and poor body control to meet a price point. The original 2010 chassis design was supposed to be two inches lower (like the outgoing 2005-2009), thereby providing better handling due to shorter and stiffer suspensions. A better suspension wasn't implemented until after numerous complaints by early adopters of 2010-2012 OBs resulted in a suspension redesign and new more durable motor in 2013. That said, you can somewhat improve the handling of any 2010-2012 OB by replacing its rear sway bar (and rusted-in end links) with Subie's own fatter (19mm) one. The improvement in body control is magically rewarding, and only $150 and a half-hourl labor! Dump the crappy S or T touring radials and use very slightly shorter previous gen 225/55R17 H or V-rated all-seasons and you'll approach about halfway between the sloppy 2010-2012 and the 2013-2014 for short money. Note that 2010+ still eat wheel bearings and axles, but do have a decent, simpler, one muffler exhaust. If you must buy a 2010 look at the production sticker on lower left door sill and try to buy after 01/10 or so. If a similar 2011 is available as close cost it'b be a better choice, although the huge improvements didn't occur until 2013 (disclaimer: I purchase, repair, and provide for clients 2013-2014 OBs for $12k+ in the Boston area). CVT problems simplest to identify include occasional stalling at idle or weird chatter accelerating out oif corners (bad torque converter), or whiney and groaning inner carrier bearings. Both are fatal, as the CVT cannot be successfully repaired nor rebuilt. Be DAMNED careful with long, quiet test drives after warmup to discern CVT character. Look underneath the motor carefully. It should be completely dry. Ignore light "boppity-bop" sounds over minor potholes as they're just bushings or worn- out end links...or loose, chattering heat shields. Be sure to chase CELs fully, and watch for bleeding head-mounted oil pressure switches and cavitating ps pumps. Good luck, but if you can jump to '13-14 you may far better off in the long run...end especially enjoy the tighter driving experience. But if after through assessment you still buy this '10, DO upgrade the rear swaybar and plan on better 225/55R17 rubber as needed. You'll be a far happier driver. Happy Turkey. Ern 781 483-3922 if you still need me.

TheSubaruGuruBoston-Thank you for so much info. Way more than ever expected but very valuable. Turns out the car sold in one day (before I got a look) at a Subaru dealer in Raleigh NC. Price was $9980 with 145,000 miles. Sounds like your customers are getting a good deal. A 2013 with 88,000 miles is $15000 here and a 2014 with 75,000 is $18500. Maybe I'll stick to looking for a 2005-2007 Toyota Highlander. Thanks again and you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I have sisters in Chapel Hill...maybe there's an interesting sales corridor there? Ha! But over the decades I've sold my Subies into about 27 US States and maybe 7 countries, so you're welcome to fly in and take advantage of my expertise and low prices. For example: I've a pair of '13 Limiteds for $14-15k, and a '13 Prem for only $12k! Lastly I'm debating whether to keep for my wife a late '14 Limited with +$5k Special Appearance Pkg I bought last week as memory seats and EyeSight are rare up here. This $36k-orig beauty I can let go for only $19k after a few days more acquaintance with the high tech toys. If I keep it I'll upgrade to 18" wheels to easily make the best-handling OB ever made. But I might have another year or two as Boston's TSG so maybe I'll get another shot at this "chocolate saddle" rarity. Hate to see you settle for an antique Highlander when I can get nice '13-14 OBs for much better values.

$10k for a '10 OB CAN be a decent deal, but due diligence is indeed required. Again, because all the magic didn't return until '13, I'd rather get those for my clients at only +$2- 3k delta. I tried "improving" '12s with suspension mods and stiffer tires, but they still don't equate with the '13-14 in both performance and handling. Those with only $7-12k available to get a decent Subie are indeed stuck for another year or two....

I have a 2015 Subaru Legacy that I purchased new, it now has 66,000 miles, gets 30mpg, burns no oil, and I've had no problems. My wife and I love this car!!!!!!

Uh...did you post on the wrong thread?

He is just happy and bragging,lol. He may have one of a very few that doesn't consume oil.

Yeah...and has a 2.5i also, as NO 3.6i gets 30mpg except downhill or coasting at 50 mph.

Has a 3.6.

Not bragging, just stating a fact that it doesn't use oil. It may be the only one that doesn't , I wouldn't know. At 36,000 miles I switched to AMSOIL, and change the oil and filter every 15,000 miles. I frequently check the oil, and haven't had to add oil between changes. YMMV

Michael,. YES , Amsoil is an excellent product..... jealousy..... apparently, there's people out there who can't believe that you're having a great experience....I have a 2010 Subaru Outback Limited with the CVT transmission and the 2.5 ....car runs great...... keep driving your car..... The more miles you drive the greater the long term value.....it's almost always less expensive to just maintain your vehicle than flip into a new vehicle....-- MARK

No jealousy Mark. People here know what is realistic and what is not.

We now have 66,000 miles on the car, hopefully we can get 300,000 miles. Over 90% of the miles are highway miles, so hoping for the best.

Decaf, Grasshopper.

Cult cars and cult lubricants go together nicely. Great to hear that you are having a good experience with your vehicle.

Ponzus, Ponza, Ponze, Ponzi....

Love the SubaruGuruBoston... I'm thinking of using my 2001 Outback limited w/460,000 miles as a winter car, looking for a 2011-2012 Outback Limited, BUT I do plan on putting 200,000 on the car and I have a limited budget of 13k, so I guess I'm limited to 2011-2012, want a white one or brown, gotta have the tan interior though.

Maybe wait another year to afford a 2013? Much better motor and handling, as the stouter antisway-bar retrofit isn't required, unlike 2010-2012 and 2015+.

thanks, so these 2013 engines? no timing belt? do they all burn oil or stop with 5/30w? probably safe looking at 100,000 motors with normal maint? definitely worth spending a bit more over the 2012's? budget up to 14k probable. My 2001 is fine with 460,000 miles so I want to make it a winter only car then use the 2013 fulltime if and when the 2001 goes, willing to wait if the 2013 motor and 2nd gen cvt are better than the 2012, once again your input is much appreciated.

Teas, the "new" 2.5i DOHC uses a nice timing CHAIN, which is far better than a quieter belt...especially with the extra cams. Getting more torque while squeezing +1mpg probably arrives from looser rings, of course, so the fuel savings is traded for oil consumption. That being said, indeed there's a production population of egregious oil burners. I'm really curious to see the distribution curve to see if its poly-modal or simply gaussian.... Assuming only acceptably-small oil consumption (also expected because of the horizontal layout: piston skirts are smaller to reduce weight and inertia, but sitting sideways means cold-start piston slap while the motor's sitting in its oil bath (gross simplification)), there can be no doubt that 5w30 will be consumed more slowly than 0w20. I'd even use 10w40 in very hot climes. Middle-age OBs sit on a valuation staircase of about $1.5-2k/year of age. But I put the "step" of 2012 to 2013 up at $2.5+ because it's just a better powerplant AND the suspension is stiffer, not requiring the fatter rear stabilizer bar mod. 2015+ iterations, once so modified, are even more satisfying, as the 2nd gen CVT mates even better with this DOHC 2.5i, feeling even punchier AND yielding another +1mpg. And I like the aluminum hood.... But yes, John, get a nice 2013 unless a fine 2012 is at least $2.5-3k cheaper, all things equal.

got it, thanks, looking for one like this, hopefully white, no rush....https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=480913582&zip=14201&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D14201%26startYear%3D2013%26numRecords%3D100%26sortBy%3Drelevance%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2013%26modelCodeList%3DSUBOUTBK%26makeCodeList%3DSUB%26searchRadius%3D500&startYear=2013&numRecords=100&firstRecord=0&endYear=2013&modelCodeList=SUBOUTBK&makeCodeList=SUB&searchRadius=500&makeCode1=SUB&modelCode1=SUBOUTBK

TheSubaruGuruBoston, In the market for a used OB. Came across a 2010 manual. How have these stick shift OB’s been holding up over the years? Thanks in advance.

Yes, but the fuel eco penalty is huge in both city and hwy use. Figure about 20%, but that's only about $0.60/g in these ludicrous times. Subie's stick hasn't been redesigned since its debut in 1990. Not the model of modernity, and apt to eat clutches if driven with spirit in urban stop and go, making them really only fun in the middle (30-60mph) range.

I drive my sticks with a light foot. This is primarily as a winter/fun stick car and to replace my 2016 OB since I have an EV that I drive 90% of the time and felt guilty that my current ‘16 OB is just sitting there rusting away.

Saw a $3k price drop on a 2012 Outback 3.6 I've been monitoring and was about to bolt so I could scoop it up. Then I did some deeper research on common problems and was surprised by all the issues. It's on CR's infamous Thirsty 30 list. Reports of tranny failure, timing belt, engine failure, shaky ride/handing, seat molding coming off, uncomfortable seats. I can't figure out why CarComplaints.com continues to cite this one on it's Best Vehicles list. Are the oil consumption and engine failure issues related to the irrepressible urge to control overhead at all costs by using cheap parts? (gaskets, oil-sending unit) Or is this simply a now-known faulty engine design in general?

Actually, the 3.6 is pretty robust. Its main fault is much higher fuel consumption and further creating a front-heavy weight imbalance that's detrimental to handling unless corrected. In that regard it's more successful in the lower CoG Legacy Sedan. But if I'm going to spend that much on fuel I'd rather have a more reliable G37xS!

Since buying my 2014 Outback 3.6 over 2 years ago, I have had 2 instances where the oil was about 2 quarts low immediately following having the oil changed. Yes. Not enough oil was added. They didn’t know or forgot that this vehicle takes 7 quarts of oil (more counting a new oil filter). And one of these times it was at a DEALER (dealer employees also come in all shapes and skill levels). So no oil leaks and no, it was not burning oil and no, there was no sensor issue. Always check oil level in this vehicle after a change. Too many people doing oil changes do not know more oil is required in these engines, and apparently are too busy to check the level after changing it. If the oil light comes on you will be down about 2 quarts, which may mean you got too little oil at your last change. Others may have a different experience, but so far this has been a great car for me.

I bought a 2011 Legacy manual transmission that i'm in love with and would like to swap the 3.6 into it

Have fun, as you'll have to play with multiple harnesses, a new UCU, etc. Will get pricey. Good luck. Ern TSG

I just spent a hour reading this complete thread I’ve been offered a 2014 Subaru Outback 3.6r limited , original owner, 118,000 miles excellent cond $6,500 My concerns are about preventive maintenance

Hello, I need help. I have a 2010 Subaru Outback 3.6 automatic with 140K miles. bought it last month from a used car dealer in LA as wells as an extended vehicle warranty for 4 years 50 K miles. Took it in after purchase and was told that it has a headgasket leak; dealer wants $6500 for the job. Warranty company says no, were not covering it, " you should have had it inspected before you bought". Sad thing is I live in the valley and wanted to be sure my son had a car in LA. I have not seen the car or the like cause of Covid etc. So Now I am stuck. Is $6500 a reasonable # for this work? seems high? Are there any reasonable Subaru mechanics in LA not associated with a dealer?

Chase an experienced indie Subaru wrench. Total cost should be under $2k.