A friend is shopping a car for his kid and has asked my opinion on a '97 Legacy Outback. Is this the timeframe where they were known for blowing head gaskets?
He also asked me about a '98 Volvo XC wagon but I know enough to shoot it down based on the weak and expensive transfer case.
Yup, if it still has the twin-cam 2.5L of that vintage in it, it falls in the year-range for troublesome head gaskets. If it has the latest gasket revision and was put together right (and the cooling system is in good shape), it's usually a non-issue, though.
I agree on the Volvo, too.
I have a 97 and it is about to hit the 400K km mark (250 k miles).
Yes it has the DOHC motor that suffers from internal HG leaks. Like carzan said if they are fixed right they tend to stay fixed.
The spark plugs are a bugger to change too.
If he wants to go Volvo then FWD - not AWD.
Yep, thats the first year of the engine with headgasket problems and if its an automatic they arent too wonderful either. Other than that, as long as it doesnt have a ton of miles on it they are good.
The Outback has 114k miles. I informed my friend to seek proof of head gasket replacement but other than that they are good cars.
NGTD wrote: If he wants to go Volvo then RWD - not AWD.
Fixed that for ya! 
Still miss my '93 945T.
1988RedT2 wrote:NGTD wrote: If he wants to go Volvo then RWD - not AWD.Fixed that for ya!
I was thinking that too, but you have to go way back to get a RWD Volvo wagon.
NGTD wrote:1988RedT2 wrote:I was thinking that too, but you have to go way back to get a RWD Volvo wagon.NGTD wrote: If he wants to go Volvo then RWD - not AWD.Fixed that for ya!
I think '98 was one of the last years for RWD wagons. My neighbor has a v90 that is in really good shape.
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