Used 2003 Subaru Baja Consumer Reviews
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Except for the AWD a poor winter car.
PLP, 03/16/2008
2003 Subaru Baja AWD 4dr Crew Cab (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
As far as winter driving goes: the wells below the wipers collect some serious snow & ice that will hamper the wipers if you don't clear it completely. Opening the door in winter deposits a nice clump of snow on your drivers seat. The passenger side of the front windshield will not clear completely in extreme cold weather. There isn't much space between the tire and mudflaps - the tires rub against the collected snow in winter and you can feel/hear the rubbing when you turn the wheel. The roof is hard to clear of snow but if you don't completely clear it you get an avalanche of snow that almost rips your wipers after it warms up and you put the brakes on. The biggest problem is hesitation.
The little cruck that could :)
CSTS, 08/25/2019
2003 Subaru Baja AWD 4dr Crew Cab (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Alright let's keep this brief, because I doubt anyone wants to read a 10 page essay about why the baja is so cool! I've owned my Baja for over 3 years now, I am the third owner and have put just over 50k on the clock. Its sitting at 210k now and still runs strong. I've driven through everything from 6 feet of snow and ice to 100°+ of dry desert. Never once have I had an issue that I can think of. This thing is extremely reliable, if you are willing to take care of it. However that doesn't mean its perfect I have a few complaints with it. Mainly the engine is underpowered, the Auto transmission never knows what gear it wants to be in and the cabin space is cramped if you're over 5'10" like myself. Other then that the rear squats a lot under heavy load (500+ lbs or so, I installed overload springs to counter that). Overall if you dont need a regular pickup on a daily basis or just want a reliable and versatile vehicle that has good mpg then this is an excellent option. Assuming you can find one for a reasonable price.
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Great concept, lacking execution
Dave, 01/08/2006
2003 Subaru Baja Sport AWD 4dr Crew Cab (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
With 40k high speed and around town (yes, Home Depot!) driving, I have fallen out of love with the Baja, but still respect it. Love the versatility and carrying capacity (quite amazing really, with some creativity). Handling at higher speeds is very good after replacement of the awful OEM tires. Fold down seats, bed extension, poke through door into bed, all great with signature AWD. With the base 2.5l, acceleration is by appointment only. Tranny seems confused and gets in its own way. Wind noise has been a consistent problem, even after service that helped, some. And at 40k this has had more "little" failures and issues than seems characteristic of Subaru.
Great vehicle
AZ, 05/30/2009
2003 Subaru Baja AWD 4dr Crew Cab (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Best vehicle I have ever owned. 167000 miles and no troubles, do all the maintenance myself. Very easy to change oil, plugs, belts, and fuel and air filters. I have hauled a variety of things - trencher, lumber, eight 5 gallon paint buckets - very versatile vehicle. Feels like a car but has some truck utility. Get average of 27mpg. Drive 6 miles of dirt road every day and it is still holding up - all neighbors have had to replace their cars but my Subaru keeps going and going.
Head gaskets from hell
Ben G. Jhump, 12/14/2015
2003 Subaru Baja Sport AWD 4dr Crew Cab (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 9 people found this review helpful
Bought this 2003 Baja with 105,000 miles on it because of Subaru's supposed reliability. Thought it would be a good car for my college bound kid. Ran fine for 6 months then I got a misfire code that turned out to be scorched exhaust valve (Subaru uses subpar valves according to my regular mechanic, who used to work at a Subaru dealership). $4000 later (at this reputable mechanic) I had new valves, head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, water pump, thermostat, throw out bearing, rear struts (yeah they went bad) and so on and so on. Within 1300 miles after the new head gaskets, started having overheating problem when I had been on the highway about 2 hours. never did it in town. never had overheating problem before all that work. took it to local Subaru dealership and their tests indicated hydrocarbons in the coolant (diagnosis: bad head gaskets), bad turn signal switch assembly. Took it back to original place and they warranted the head gaskets and throw out bearing and flush (including heater core - no blockages and no charge). Got the car back, replaced the turn signal switch assembly and flasher relay just for kicks and ran it up our local mountain pass (highway) for about 45 minutes. Ran great no problems. 1 day later, after driving on the highway for about 2 hours on relatively flat highway, temp gauge crept up to about 3/4. Pulled off and let it cool down before overheat could occur. Time to pull the bandaid off and kick this one to the curb. Do yourself a favor. Avoid subarus. Known cooling problem that causes head gasket failure. If I'd only know before I bought it from that guy....
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