Need Advice on 2013 CPO Legacy Limited Purchase

Greetings,

 

Long-time listener, first time caller here.

 

I'm in the market for a new vehicle and found what I thought to be a great deal, but what I still consider to be a fair/good deal.

 

This is a 2013 Legacy Limited (w/moonroof) 2.5i CPO with just under 15,000 miles.

Body and interior is 95+ out of 100.

 

I noticed two things during the test drive: one was that while driving straight on the highway and moving the wheel to either side, the driver side wheel felt like it was "pulling" more before returning to "true".

 

The other was that, while at the stoplight before returning to the dealership parking lot, and while in the lot, there was a chirping noise somewhere in the belt drive. I figured it was an idler pulley.

 

The shop stated it was the tensioner and that they would be replacing it.

The mechanic said he could see the belt "jumping around."

 

Here are my concerns:

 

If it was that evident to me during the test drive, how was this overlooked during the "certification" process?

 

Doesn't ~15k miles seem premature for this type of component "failure" or is this perhaps indicative of poor upkeep during its "Carfax Certified One-Owner (Fleet Vehicle)" life?

 

If the tensioner needs replacement are there other parts (pulleys, belt) that I should insist be replaced as well at the same time?

 

If this condition as been ongoing for some time, is it possible that it may have resulted in damage within the engine? (I'm assuming this is just affecting accessories; not timing, etc.

 

While poring over the engine compartment, I noticed that the engine block had significant oxidization and two of the pulleys had actual rust on them (on the face--not where the belt rides). I didn't take pics at the time, but compared to our 2013 Impreza with the same engine, albeit with 8000 less miles and this looked considerably older.

 

I'm trying to research whether this is typical, but looking for anyone that might be able to provide me with a few things to check/look for that might inform me whether I'm getting into something that might be more trouble than it's worth.

 

Thanks in advance!

Hi, the 5th gens are sensitive to tire pressure and alignment. Have the tires set 35/33 psi front/rear and drive again. The OEM tires may not track well on grooved highway surfaces, so try the car on different surfaces.

 

Extremely important for a used 2010 (and to a lesser extent 2011) - take the car on a smooth stretch of highway and slowly increase speed from 65-80-65. Some cars exhibit a mechanical "shimmy" at a specific speed. My car was at 74 mph +/-2 mph. Subaru has a fix for this that works for the majority of cars. If the car does shimmy, ask if the two TSBs have been done. If they have, walk away from the car. If not have them performed and determine if the shimmy has been eliminated or reduced to acceptable.

 

Request they replace the belt with the tensioner. This belt runs the auxiliaries so no harm to engine. Timing is a different belt.

 

Not too surprised here. Oxidation is common in locations like New England, especially near the ocean. Ask for the history of where the car has been. Take a look at older cars on the lot if interested.

Here's a little more color on this one to perhaps better illustrate the origins of my trepidation:

 

Carfax One Owner--reports the previous owner as a Rental Agency.

 

I've read extensively on the pro/con arguments on this.

 

Here are my thoughts--14K miles isn't an awful amount of miles in one year, particularly if the rental agency performed routine maintenance (I need to see if they have the records; nothing was reported to CarFax) but I rent cars on a weekly basis and I've never once seen a Subaru as a rental, let alone a Limited.

 

Also, the interior is near mint, including the areas that typically show wear from rentals--around ignition, steering column, etc. from key scrapes/slap which are likely cheap fixes--but also, the leather and driver armrest/door, which probably are not as cheap.

 

The rust on the pulleys lead me to a discussion about how really the only explanation could be a flood or driving through high water (else, the engine compartment should provide adequate protection, at least at this "age.) I would think either of those scenarios would be evident in the cabin as well.

 

Other (worst-case) scenarios crossed my mind as well--such as sitting in a body shop lot awaiting repair without a hood after an accident, etc.

 

I'll have them pull the timing cover to see what those pulleys look like while I give it a "third-over" and see if I can look at the undercarriage while it's on the lift to look for signs of rust/repair I can't see now.

 

There is a very small indication of something happening with the bumper fit on the passenger side, but thus far, I can't see any overspray, or indication of repair--paint looks good, lines look correct, etc.

 

Here's the other side of the coin:

 

This dealer has phenomenal reviews on Yelp & Google, in addition to DealerRater and other (likely industry-funded) review sites. In other words, sites where people go because they want to post a review with their own commentary, vs. filling out a survey for a free oil change, etc. Most other dealers are in the 2-3.5 star range, while these folks are consistently 4.5-5. They're part of a larger auto group as well--so it isn;t just friends and family--I'm talking 25+ reviews over the past 2 years.

 

The rental agency could do their own (body) work out of their own pocket and it wouldn't hit Carfax--but that means it isn't going against anyone's personal insurance, which means it is probably limited to minor repairs--in other words, if this car was in a flooded lot or someone drove it into a lake, I doubt they're going to foot the bill to "refurbish" the car for sale when they could have their insurance or the renter's pay for the repair.

 

To that same extent, I'm feeling that a legitimate Subaru dealer is probably wise enough to avoid getting themselves into such a Lemon and likely wouldn't want to take the risk of (first) having to foot the bill for repairs (now, or down the road) and (second) tarnishing their reputation for selling something like this.

 

The fact that they're "Certifying" it also leads me to believe (simply by function of the remaining Factory and extended 7yr/100k drivetrain warranties) that they probably have a little more faith in this car to take the risk of having to repair it incessantly if it does have problems down the road--otherwise, it would probably just be an "as-is" or "no-warranty" vehicle.

 

$22K seems fair for this one--in line and/or better with other dealers offering similar mileage/options and this one with CPO.

 

The only other issue is a small chip in the windshield that they "repaired" (filled) vs replaced--I know this is a heated windshield and once water inevitably gets into that repair and freezes, I'll be on the hook to replace it myself, so better safe than sorry in my book.

 

Thanks again for the responses.

How many miles? You should get the Subaru warranty for 3 years 36 K.

 

I've bought former rentals, Subaru demo vehicles and, a lease trade in. Aside from whatever wear and tear, "used has never been a problem.

 

Obviously, YMMV

Just under 15K.

In my opinion, buy what you are completely satisfied with or you will always find one issue after another. This isn't the only cpo Subaru made so shop around until you are sure. "Jumping belts" and "rust" are way too risky granted it should have 60,000 mile powertrain warranty.