Car advice re 2003 Subaru?

[RobertInOntario]

OK, I know this is a train forum, but a lot of rail fans are also car enthusiasts and, I also received some great advice in the past here re my Honda Civic.

To make a long story short, my wife and I have a 2003 Subaru Legacy which we bought new in the fall of 2002. The car has been great until late 2010, when it passed the 155,000-km mark (close to 100,000 miles). In Nov. of 2010, it required its third clutch (the first clutch replacement was in 2008 at approx. 110,000 km!). Then, in Dec., its transmission died. The new clutch cost around $800 and the new tranny was about $2,500. I think both of these problems should not have happened, especially the third clutch. My wife & I have been the only drivers of this car since we bought it and we are very calm, "non-aggressive" drivers.

And now, another problem is occurring -- a problem with the rack & pinion (R&P) steering. Recently, it has become VERY hard to steer. My local garage (whom I trust), says that there is a joint in the R&P steering that will need replacing. There is also a power steering fluid leak occurring around a seal. Bottom line: the R&P steering and joint will have to be replaced for a cost ball-parked at $1,000, or higher. This garage has advised me that the car IS safe to drive as it is -- there is no safety risk (at least not yet). The mechanics simply lubricated the joint and topped up the power steering fluid. This has improved the problem substantially but is only a temporary fix.

I'm also planning to go to our Subaru dealer to get their advice/second opinion.

Also, in Oct. 2010, we bought 4 new all-season radial tires, which is a further investment into this car, although that is normal wear & tear. The other jobs, IMO, should not have been required, especially the new clutch within 2 years or 40,000 km. I also think the muffler is dying as well!

So, we're trying to decide at what point do we trade in this car (we might get $3,000 to $4,000 for it) after already having spent close to $4,000 on it, with another $1,000—$1,500 to come? My latest half-baked idea is to keep it running until the late fall and then trade it in. That way, we should get at least some of our money's worth from it. I"m also thinking of NOT having the steering problem fixed -- just simply leave it as it is. In order words, drive the car into the ground, and don't have any major repairs done to it, unless I learn that there is a safety issue.

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Rob