Impreza Clutch and advice

So, I'm looking at getting an impreza for use during my college years.
Price Range: sub 5k
Year range: 97-01, 99 is looking ideal.
Model range: Suggestions?

1. Common issues
What are some commonly occuring issues with this car? Cost to fix (without labor)?

2. Clutch
I plan on getting a manual, and since the years I'm looking at are 97-01, there will probably be a good number of miles on them (90,000+). What would be the cost of replacing a clutch with a factory replacement? Are there any clutches, or clutch related parts out there that you would recommend aside from factory standard?

2.5: Shifting issues
I hear there are some shifting issues regarding 1st and Reverse (teeth not matching up, difficulty shifting into them from a roll). Is this a common mechanical problem or just a characteristic of the car? What causes this and how could it be fixed?

3. What other maintenance issues do you think I'll be facing (aside from belts) in an impreza with 100,000-140,000 miles? Assume upkeep of previous owner was less than ideal (which is usually the case).

4. Reliability
How would you rate the general reliability of this car?

5. Anything else I should know?

Subies tend to be cheap to fix, unless you have to do serious stuff, but that's always expensive, no matter what you drive.

Subie factory clutches are pretty stout units. Well, at least the STi's is. It's not a bad idea to replace it with a stock piece.

As for shifting issues, I've never heard of them, but it sounds like burs on the actual gears in the tranny.

Maintence is generally straight forward, though the actual maintence will be a little different since they do have the boxer motor.

Reliability? I don't even want to talk about that. Or at least not with my STi.

Anything else? Nope. Just have fun with it. I'm a big fan of those imprezas and I say jump on the oppurtunity to get one.

The shifting issues are just due to straight-cut gears, which I'm not sure exist on models that old. You'll learn to deal with it. Mostly, though, if you learn to heel-toe or otherwise appropriately rev-match, it'll never be an issue again. Also, if it won't shift into gear, pop it into a different gear, the teeth line back up, and you're gravy. Clutches should be relatively easy to find, and most of the ones available on the intarweb are fine. A 100,000+ mileage car is going to have all sorts of issues that you aren't expecting. Just expect to replace lots of little piddly crap within the first year.
Check on the air filter, the oil, the belts, the tires, the brakes, the lights, the oil filter, the transmission fluid, the wiper blades, the A/C, the battery, the fuel filter, the cabin air filter, the spark plugs/wires, and anything else that they sell at your basic oil change place. Why? Because more than likely at least one of those things needs replacing at any given time on a car that old (I should know, I have had my share). Not just Subarus... any car that old will be the same.

Thanks for the feedback.

I guess I should have specified anything unusual (such as leaking valve cover gaskets in the Lincoln LS) that is a common occuring problem. You know, things aside from belts, filters, lights, etc
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