My 2005 Subaru finally hit 180k and the head gasket is STILL fine

Bought this Forester 3 years ago from a guy in Portland who swore he replaced the head gasket at 120k. Everyone told me I was crazy for buying a Subaru from that era because they all blow. Last week I passed 180k miles and zero coolant loss, no white smoke, nothing. Has anyone else had a miracle Subaru that dodged the head gasket curse?

2 comments

2 Comments

rivera.jake7d ago

Hold up, did you check if the previous owner used a Subaru OEM gasket or an aftermarket one? I know a guy with a 2006 Outback who used a six-star MLS gasket from Japan and his car went 200k before even thinking about it. The problem Subarus had was the single-layer gaskets from the factory were junk, but some of the replacements from back then were way better. Your mileage might vary but that Portland guy could have just used a good part. I'd keep an eye on the oil for any milky stuff just in case, but you might have lucked out with a proper fix instead of a cheap bandaid.

mila_reed7d ago

Reminds me of a guy who fixed a tractor with a coffee can patch and it ran another ten years.