[bertmaster2000]

i bought my wife a 2001 eddie bauer edition one year ago. she has put 13k miles on it since then with zero problems. her car has the 6 cylinder 3 liter engine, which has an excellent track record. i highly recommend either the eddie bauer or "vdc" editions of the outback, but mainly because they come standard with a 6 cylinder engine and some creature comforts like leather and dual moonroofs.

i recommend against buying any outback with the 4 cylinder engine given the high frequency of headgasket and "piston slap" problems. i own a 1997 outback with a 4 cylinder and recently put $3K into it after the headgasket(s) failed. in my case i knew this was coming and therefore paid a lower price for it when i bought it used several years ago, but it still stinks to go through the high cost and headache...Never again will I buy a 4 cylinder subaru!