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I've heard automatic transmissions on subarus aren't very reliable and I should go with a standard.  Anybody have any experience with this?
Anything else I should be wary of with the 2005 outback wagon?
thanks,
jcubson  

I can't speak for any reliability issues with Subaru automatics, and I certainly haven't heard of any.  But if you're open to buying a car with a manual transmission, it seems like the outback is best equiped with such, reliability or not.  

The 2.5i comes with a 4 speed automatic transmission.  At a time when pretty much everyone else offers 5 and 6 speed autos, the 4 speed seems out of date.  Far from being simply novelty or academic, an extra gear or two makes a big difference in acceleration on a relatively heavy car with just 168 Horsepower, like the outback.  Due to its weight, and the inherent increase in driveline friction brought on by all wheel drive, a tall gears of a 4 speed automatic make the car feel pretty slow.  The extra gear (with accompanying shorter gear ratios) combined with the inherently greater efficiency of a manual make the manual outback both more fun and more useable.  

As for things to be wary about: ANY modern all wheel drive car, especially those with sability control (I think that's an option on the outback), require frequent tire rotations.  Sophisticated computers control the amount of power that each wheel recieves from the engine.  If the tires wear unevenly, those with greater wear rotate faster than those with lesser wear due to the difference in overall tire circumference.  This can cause erroneous warnings from the computers, and in extreme cases, damage the AWD system over time.  

This, however, is not unique to Subarus.  It's a fact of life for owners of all modern AWD cars.  And with a bit of effort to ensure proper tire rotations, it should be a non-issue.

Overall, I think the outback is an excellent car.  It's sophisticated, stylish (inside and out), and has an excellent reputation for reliability and longevity.  The 2.5i isn't fast, but that's probably not your concern, or you'd be looking at a 2.5XT, Audi, or BMW 330xi instead.  To maximise driving enjoyment and efficiency, I'd stick with the manual.  But I have a hard time believing that Subaru autos are unreliable.