Used 2001 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 VDC for Sale Nationwide

I call her Moya, and she's a hell of a car. Subaru, back in 2001, realized their Outback was lacking in power and refinement. The old four-cylinder was a great engine as long as you took care of it, but it had issues with head gaskets and timing belts. The flat-six, new for that year, took care of that, as an all-new, bespoke engine for the Legacy/Legacy Outback models. It spits out 212 HP and ft/lbs of torque, and you get a big chunk of that torque right off the line, making the car feel swifter than it really is. Which, around town, is pretty nice. The Outback isn't the *perfect* car for any job, but it's the perfect car for ANY job. Shuttling people around? Road trips? Light off-roading? Trudging through snow and rain and whatever else? Moya's got your back. She will nom all of your cargo and not complain a bit. A nice thing about these cars is how DIY they are. The only real maintenance thing I've run into was that the pulley bearings on the front of the engine (specifically, the tensioner ones) tend to get clogged and break around 60K miles (and in my case, 10 years into the car's life). Changing them is pretty simple, as is replacing the serpentine belt. You can swap headlight bulbs in about 15min with hand tools. Reliability rocks and she runs like a top. Interior is very nice, and will surprise you if you've sat in other (even more recent) Subarus. The VDC model was completely loaded when they built her, with extra sound deadening to dampen road noise, and even came with a snazzy McIntosh stereo system. While it's somewhat dated compared to high end stereos of today, this was about the coolest factory stereo you could get in 2001. It's lasted brilliantly, and only now is one of the speakers starting to show its age. I plan to keep the awesome analog head unit and upgrade the front speakers. Just about the one thing this car isn't is a sports car, but why would you want it to be? She handles well enough to get out of the way of semis and crazed North Carolina drivers in their massive Ram Laramie Cummins Brokeback Edition pickup trucks, and will beat the pants off a SUV or crossover in the agility department. On a nice set of Michelin Primacy tires, she's rock solid even in Georgia monsoon season with oil on the road and she'll gladly schlep you and your buddies across the country, only occasionally requesting an oil change and some gas. I plan to keep her for years to come. Bottom line: she might not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid.

It's been a very good car at 100,000 miles I still have a lot of faith that it will remain a safe and sensible family car for years to come. The H6 engine provides plenty of power and very good acceleration once you figure out how to manage the throttle (the traction control system does not hesitate to interject when putting the pedal to the floor, and you can't manually turn it off). I've also had the mixed fortune of demonstrating how well the vehicle dynamics control (VDC) works in assisting with lateral stability, and I can say that it is impressive. It definitely safe to say that traction is not a problem in this car. The car makes a good towing vehicle as well. The 6 cylinder powerplant delivers adequate torque will pulling, and the extremely rigid chassis and disc brakes all-around make for a reassuring towing experience. Unfortunately, in the long-standing tradition of the Subaru...it leaks...and leaks. The car has been plagued with minor seepage since we bought it at 68k miles. These leaks are various and typically minor in their severity, but also fairly expensive to repair. Overall, I would certainly recommend the Outback--6 cylinder VDC model specifically, as a smart alternative to SUVs and minivans for small families.

I really love the way it drives & handles. It is extremely easy to see out of. However, it lacks a bit of get up & go on the onramps, although manually shifting sure helps! Its been very cheap to own so far. I got one that wasn't too well taken care of at 130k, but so far I've lucked out with just a few minor cheap repairs. I haven't been able to drive it yet in the winter since I bought it in June, but I heard these cars are phenomenal for snow & ice, and it is exceptional in the rain. I don't really like the McIntosh radio itself because it has no aux jack, but the sound system is excellent! This car is super quick to heat up, especially the heated seats, and the air conditioning rocks! I also love the storage capacity, it has been so handy, although I wish the seats folded into the floor. I don't care if people make fun of my wagon, it is a lot of fun to drive, and very cheap to own! Now if it would only get better mileage...!