Trade in/sell my 2013 Outback Limited for a 2008 Outback?

subarusforlife

Thanks for reading - I have a 2013 Outback with approx 40k miles. There is a 2008 outback 68k miles that I was looking at. I can afford my 2013 car payments but I'd really like to save some money. I'll take the 2008 outback to my local mechanic. It is listed for $12,999.
Should I sell my outback myself and buy the 2008? I'd hate to save money just to turn around and spends lots of $ on repairs for the '08, I had a 2005 outback that lasted 225k miles that I traded in when I got my 2013. Only thing is I love my '13 body style.
Any suggestions are appreciated!

Michaell

subarusforlife said:

Thanks for reading - I have a 2013 Outback with approx 40k miles. There is a 2008 outback 68k miles that I was looking at. I can afford my 2013 car payments but I'd really like to save some money. I'll take the 2008 outback to my local mechanic. It is listed for $12,999.
Should I sell my outback myself and buy the 2008? I'd hate to save money just to turn around and spends lots of $ on repairs for the '08, I had a 2005 outback that lasted 225k miles that I traded in when I got my 2013. Only thing is I love my '13 body style.
Any suggestions are appreciated!

It's a classic case of the "devil you know" ... I assume you bought your '13 new, so you know how it's been maintained. Can't say the same of the '08, can you?

I'm not advocating any specific course of action, just getting you to think beyond just the financial aspect of this.

I'll get some Subaru experts to chime in as well....

fezo

Me? I'd keep the 13. But I'm not the one with the car. My answer is more to my own tendencies. YMMV.

nyccarguy

Stick with the 2013

Mr_Shiftright

I agree. Stick with the 2013. Buying an older Subaru without knowing the exact details of maintenance is risky, as the 2.5L engine is prone to head gasket failure.

xwesx

Interesting scenario, SFL! I find myself getting into these same conundrums from time to time...

I certainly can't blame you for considering going from a gen-4 Outback to a gen-3 as far as the looks of the vehicle go! The 10-14 Outbacks are just so darn ugly (as opposed to the 05-09 generation, which was a real stunner). But.... then there's the whole issue of interior space and long-term engine reliability, in which the gen-4 wins hands-down!

So, you have quite a decision to make. I'm not sure whether you had to replace head gaskets on your '05 that went to 225K, but, if you didn't, then count yourself fortunate! You may not have the same fortune with the '08. 68,000 miles are few enough that the problem, if present, may not be fully manifested. So have your mechanic check that aspect quite carefully. A used oil analysis may not be out of the question here (just to check for fractional presence of coolant in the oil) if you really want to hedge your bets. Also, consider that at 68K the car probably needs new struts but the OEMs may not be "gone enough" to really seem bad right now.

On the one hand, you will save funds out of pocket (e.g., no more loan on the '13 and, depending on your equity, maybe even walk away with cash in your pocket). On the other hand, you do have to consider that you lose 28,000 miles (not many, all things considered), space, and a warranty.

If you play it right, this is a good financial decision. You will save money, even in the long term, unless that '08 turns out to be a lemon.

xwesx

As an aside, I recently sold my 2011 Ford Fiesta and replaced it with a 2008 Subaru Forester that the PO rolled a few months ago (yep, you read that right!). So far, I'm not regretting that change in the least bit, despite putting some $ into it to get it back to my standards. Mechanically, it was in pretty solid condition when I bought it.

So, your thought process isn't an unprecedented sort of crazy.

kyfdx

Also.. run the numbers and see if your payment will actually go down.

You might find that with the 2008, you'll have a shorter term and higher interest rate.. yes, cheaper over time, but it might not help your cash flow (and, as noted, all of the potential repair bills).

xwesx

kyfdx said:

Also.. run the numbers and see if your payment will actually go down.

You might find that with the 2008, you'll have a shorter term and higher interest rate.. yes, cheaper over time, but it might not help your cash flow (and, as noted, all of the potential repair bills).

Good point. I assume an out-of-pocket purchase.

subarusforlife

Thanks for your comments. I don't know much about cars. Did just buy Auto Repair for Dummies so I can gain a very basic understanding of cars

qbrozen

Ok, well, let's start at the top: That's just stupid money for an '08. $10k is more than enough.

For your '13, you'd be looking at $22k to maybe $23k private party.

1. Selling a $20k+ car private party is difficult enough, then add on the fact that you owe money on it and it is simply a headache.
2. You have paid tax on your 2013 that you are flushing down the toilet, then paying tax again on the '08. Take that into consideration.

So, possibly half the money for a car that's 3 times the age. I guess I could see the argument either way. I'd also like to point out that the timing belt service has likely not been done on the '08 because it hasn't hit the required mileage yet; however, I'm a strong believer in not letting it go past 5 years, regardless of miles. You are trusting your engine to a piece of rubber, after all. The interval calls for 105k miles or 8 years, anyway, so its almost due by anybody's calculation.