Used Subaru 2019, 2018, 2017 OUTBACK Prems, Ltds & Tour w/STi mod! for sale in Medford, MA

Happy May!

I'm a mostly-retired engineer who's been carefully sourcing and "CERTIFYING" (good grief!) pre-owned non-turbo Subarus for my clients for.gulp.38 years! Hence the moniker Ernie/TheSubaruGuru.

NOTICE: If we make an appt to meet you will be at a safe distance ONLY with me (double-vaccinated), FULLY masked and only outdoors, or in my open garage, as weather permits. We will stay safe.please reconfirm vaccine status upon arrival.

I take GREAT care in securing well-kept, highway-driven gems from the modern 2016-2019 Outback era, modifying them with Subaru's own STi components for peerless handling, as well a fairly rare Legacy Sedan the next year or two as I finish up my ersatz second "career." My greatest satisfaction is in seeing old clients again and perhaps procuring another efficient and ultra-reliable modern Subie for them before we all fly around in spacesuits.

(ANOTHER PRESCIENT NOTICE! Many have read that a perfect storm of market conditions has resulted in most manufacturers' used vehicles have taken an unprecedented +14% ave valuation this spring. I doubted this stat at first, thinking it was reflecting a modest +4% increase with the reduction of the normal 10%/annum depreciation.
But, to my shock, NADA's valuations, like others, reflect an average +15% increase in Subarus' valuations from March through May! I have NEVER seen more than a +2%/mo increase in my 38 years! Fortunately I bought the following specimens BEFORE this nonsense, so if any of my perfected OBs below meet your needs know that it may be almost impossible to replenish inventory as these are sold. I simply will NOT pay +$2k or more above "old" NADA just to prevent from fully retiring. Sheesh.)

See what's currently FOR SALE in my tiny menagerie following each Subaru iteration description:

2016-2019 OUTBACKS
This OB body is stiffer and modern due to improved metallurgy, with fancier electronics and a very comfy, quiet ride due to soft springs and struts; its 2nd-gen CVT is punchy, durable, and with improved aerodynamics this iteration garners +2 mpg from the 2010-2014 era. An aluminum hood is nice too. The leather LIMITED is equipped with very nice 18" wheels and stiffer tires, as well pushbutton start and keyless entry, leaving only the too-conservative understeer and really excessive body roll to remedy. The cloth PREMIUM uses 17" wheels with softer tires for pothole comfort, with further minor handling compromise. So I'm now modifying ALL these last-gen OBs' suspensions with Subaru's STI "hidden fix" thicker (20mm) rear anti-swaybar to reduce body roll and yaw, with amazingly neutral handling and far better body control for BOTH the cloth Premium and Leather Limited models!

Note: For those who insist on a CLOTH interior, there's a method of improving handling crispness of the Premium another notch by either upgrading to the Limited's 18" wheels ($$), OR better yet continuing to use the Premium's smaller 17" wheels and slightly downsizing to better, stiffer 225/60R17 size tires as used successfully in 2010-2014; ride height will drop about 0.25-0.4", which is meaningless. If you prefer really soft pothole comfort to ultimate handling in the twisties stick with the soft OE SUV/truck tires.or perhaps just change later when tires are needed for a boost of spirited fun at no additional cost. Feel free to consult further on these options if you're a current OB owner.

Regardless of which model you prefer, my addition of the OE STi fatter (+57% stronger.perhaps perceived MUCH more as relative stiffness may be interpreted by the human brain as a 3rd or even 4th order function!) rear anti-swaybar and end-links to improve body control, dramatically reduce roll, and lessen understeer, yielding EXTRAORDINARY improvements.much more beneficial than simple tire/wheel upgrades mentioned above! So even the mid-grade Premium gets greatly improved handling. It's really rather shockingly good. It's not often in suspension tweaking scenarios to just change one element in a relatively complex system and achieve handling near-nirvana, WITHOUT reducing the pothole comfort Outbacks provide. Clearly some lovely serendipity here. So that's what I do.and nobody else (although I have posed the idea to local Subaru stores as a $350 STi option for their clients who complain about their OB's roly-poly nature, but they've demurred.and may get spanked by corprate Toyoburu anyway?)

FOR SALE: THREE loaded (aka Touring) Limiteds and ONE Premium:

2017 OUTBACK LIMITED Pearl White w/ Charcoal leather and all TOURING options: NAV, PSNRF.and of course EYE-SIGHT, as well auto high-beam. (Orig $37k; Ave MAY NADA $25.3k) With 8 good tires or 4 new ones, and of course my STi suspension mod. Only $21.4k!

2018.5 OUTBACK PREMIUM Titanium Pearl w/ Ivory, EyeSight, Auto-Dimming Mirror. All highway use in Maine. (NADA May Ave $24.6k!) Only $19.3k w/ extra brakes! Great value if you don't require the Limiteds' leather.

2019 OUTBACK LIMITED, Black Pearl w/ Tan Leather All TOURING options. Orig $36k. (NADA May $31.1k) Only $26.6k! Classic "euro" black/tan colorway.

NEW! 2018.5 OUTBACK LIMITED, Silver Pearl w/ Charcoal Leather. All Touring options also. ANGEM NH Rep off-lease. (NADA $27.6k) Only $24k!

SOLD Recently:

2019.5 OUTBACK PREMIUM, Abyss Blue w/ Grey $20.7k
2019 OUTBACK LIMITED Blue/Gray. Given to my daughter! (When does parenting stop?)
2018 OUTBACK LIMITED Magnetite Gray Pearl w/ Gray Leather, ES, Touring opts and extras $23.2k
2017.5 OUTBACK LIMITED Black Pearl w/ Ivory Leather, ES, all Touring opts $21.2k
2018.5 OUTBACK PREMIUM, Twilight Blue/Gray, ES. $21.8k
2018.5 OUTBACK PREMIUM, Crimson Red Pearl/Charcoal, ES. $20.8k
2018 OUTBACK LIMITED, Twilight Blue-Gray/Charcoal, ES and Touring Options $23.6k

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DON'T NEED A "FIFTH" DOOR?

2016-2019 LEGACY PREMIUM and LIMITED 2.5i SEDANS have folding rear seats (therefore a LONG trunk) and have a low center of gravity chassis on a stiffer suspension and wheel/tire setup, thus provide even crisper handling and body control than the otherwise same-body (unmodified) Outback; my choices will always have power driver's seat and alloy wheels (Premiums) plus the Cold Weather Pkg and EyeSight. The wonderful Limiteds have heated leather, keyless start, memory seat, and maybe that nice sunroof and nav too. Interestingly, the superior aero of the lower Legacy body results in +1-2 mpg compared to its taller OB sisters.another benefit. (Note that the new 2020+ Legacy has a softened suspension for which no affordable corrective modifications are available; that's why the motoring press dings them for not being sporty enough. Sigh.)

FOR SALE:

None available right now. Will seek great value in a carefully chosen 2017-2019 off-lease Legacy Premium or Limited Sedan w/ EyeSight if you want one. Call to discuss further.

Sold this past year:
2017.5 LEGACY PREMIUM, Gray w/ Charcoal, EyeSight, Sunroof and rare NAV; gave to my daughter-in-law!
2016.5 LEGACY PREMIUM, Platinum Silver w/ Charcoal, EYESIGHT, and Auto-Dimming Mirror $15.2k
2017 LEGACY PREMIUM, Platinum w/ Charcoal, EYESIGHT, REMOTE AUTO-START $17.7k

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Modern IMPREZAS/CROS-TREKS have shorter wheelbases than their domestic Legacy/OB sisters, so although good handling, they suffer from skimpy rear seat legroom and child-seat access, as well MUCH more road and driveline noise (NVH). Yet their excellent fuel eco might be a bit more compelling if fuel prices recover, maybe overshadowing the really annoying power loss from their smaller (2.0L) power-plants. But the Cros-Trek version is overpriced, heavier, and thus MUCH too slow! This "butch" Impreza CUV is wrongheaded and a bit silly. Consumers Reports has been hoodwinked by this iteration (as well the new so-truck-like Forester). The newest revision has been fraught with birthing pains, as well. I hear and read MANY more stories of idiosyncratic problems with Japanese-produced Imps/CTs/Fors than Indiana factory Legacys/OBs. Bravo to American workers!
Note: SOA has just announced that the "new" CrosTrek will finally get the bigger 2.5i motor. At least they're getting that aspect right.yet it's still a "kid" car that's best for urban use where shorter parking spaces might be the absolute first priority, and is still too narrow to track well at high speed.especially in crosswinds.

FOR SALE:
None available now, and I see no reason to overpay for an Imp Hatch or CrossTrek. Legacy SEDANS and Impreza HATCHBACKS wholesale for the same price! That's crazy! If you don't really need a 5th door the Legacy Sedan is CLEARLY a better value.especially re the bigger 2.5i motor and quietness at speed or if needing a roomy rear seat for tall adults or a children's car seat(s). The Legacy's folding rear seats often provide enough cargo room for long and relatively flat gear. It's also been noted often that the QA of the Japanese (Imps/Fors/CTs) is suffering due to forced overtime; the Indiana factory's output has clearly been far better. So stick with domestic production Legacys and Outbacks.as I do.

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CERTIFICATION (?)

Interesting word for a manufacturing and QA engineer whose first stint was with lab equipment design, manufacturing, and aftermarket service in the 70's. Anyone know what a Gilson Pipetman is? Favorite tool for Covid news videos this year. That was me.way back when.toggling between Boston and Paris.

ALL my perfected Subies have new or very recent: FULL front and rear BRAKE ROTORS and pads ($900-$1k value), all-season high or ultra-high performance TIRES ($600-900) and a full 60k/90k SERVICE ($600+) including all new fluids, filters, IRIDIUM plugs, additional rustproofing, wipers, mats etc. The result is invariably a trouble-free prognosis and no programmed maintenance (aside from oil change) required for 3-4 winters! Thus my Subies are in FAR better mechanical condition than those sold by ANYONE, and road-tested to confirm high-speed performance and 32+mpg!
Once prepped, my Subarus are test-driven and normally driven by ME for sometimes hundreds of miles to assure flawless ongoing long-term performance. So no unbalanced tire, brake-vibration nor groaning wheel bearing surprises either. The peerless handling provided by my beefier rear suspension mod is also extraordinarily rewarding.

Please note that I HAVE NOT, WILL NOT, and DO NOT recommend purchasing wonky-handling, truck-like Foresters or similar overpriced noisy Cross-Treks, nor premium-guzzling WRX or thirsty (-6mpg!) 6 cylinder 3.6R.
My focus is on the current ultra-durable Subaru DOHC, chain-driven 2.5i 4 cyl non-turbo motor that operates on regular fuel, and gets excellent 24-26c/30-34h mpg in 5 door Outbacks and 4 door Legacy Sedans.

I've test-driven both of the new 2020+ OB iterations, and am surprised that body control is STILL way too soft. The platform is of a new geometry, so there are NO OE nor aftermarket mods to improve the large inherent understeer and wobbliness. The first serious pro reviews summarize "only adequate body control and moderate roll".yech! I doubt that handling can be improved without serious expense by replacing the newbies' OE struts and springs, as there will probably NOT be a "lucky" fix as I discovered for the 2015.5-2019 models via the STi swaybar. Outside of direct injection (Toyota's forte) the new 2020 design seems derivative rather than seriously revised. Does the +$4k upcharge for the turbo 2.4L motor in the OB XT get you a better suspension and handling? Nope! I pushed a new one through the twisties last spring and was mightily unimpressed. Slow tip-in and turbo lag don't even make it quicker in spontaneous urban driving maneuvers. Sigh. It's really too bad that I cannot recommend purchasing a new OB. Maybe there'll be a 2022-23 "refresh" to reduce turbo lag and perhaps a stiffer suspension? But that's not Toyoburu's mindset.they're selling cushy SUVs. Even the lower 2020+ Legacy Sedan Limited is unacceptably "loose and cushy" according to automotive press. Didn't need to be.

In conclusion, I've become quite enamored of the best (modified) 2016-2019 Outback 2.5i Premium and Limiteds for those who need a modern 5 door Subie with excellent city and fast highway use, and strongly suggest their purchase over the sloppy 2010-'12 predecessors or CVT failure-prone 2010-2014 (or UNmodified 2015+ Premiums on spongy SUV/truck tires). The 2019+ new Forester is essentially a sloppy-handling truck/SUV. Forget it. The bloom's off the rose there, despite the frothy initial press and Consumer Reports' current Forest-ophilia.they're so crossover-focused they almost completely ignore the outstanding Outback wagon.

Call or write anytime for a careful focusing consult to help determine which Subie best fits your specific needs, and be careful out there: Subaru-fishing is NOT child's play.especially with older specimens if you're on a budget.

Cheers.
Ernie Meunier
TheSubaruGuru
781 483-3922
Location: Arlington/WestMedford