Subaru: Just bought 98 Legacy Outback

Hello everyone

I just bought a 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback with 86,000 well looked after
miles. It is a wagon and it is fully loaded with the exception of leather
and CD. I paid $10,000 US (hope I didn't pay too much).
I bought the car because I have heard so many good things about it and being
a former 4 time AMC Eagle owner it reminded me so much of my Eagle Wagons.
I am very impressed with the car and it seems to come with so many little
goodies that a lot of other cars don't.
It sure is peppy for a 4 cyclinder (even more so than V6 domestic cars I
have owned).

My questions are :

1. Can this thing be serviced at a regular Garage (Joe's garage etc). or
does it have to go to the Subaru dealer and are they expensive?

2. Are parts hard to get and expensive? The car was built in Indiana but
does that make the parts American made etc?

3. Will this car get me 300,000 + miles like the other Japanese cars? (I
have an old toyota with 488,000 on the same motor never been rebuilt)

4. Can anyone offer me any tips or advice for my future ownership of this
vehicle?

Any comments are greatly appreciated

thank you

Greg asks....
 

Well, despite what the name "Outback" might lead you to believe by the
Subaru marketeers, this vehicle is NOT really made for rugged use in the
outback / outdoors. It's an indoor car ( Inback??

I've got a '97 OBW w/ 130k miles that has had multiple major breakdowns in
the outback, despite keeping it very well maintained. Problems include:
2 - faulty alternators, and 1- blown headgasket. All of these were the
direct result of factory crappsmanship, with the possible exception of the
rebuilt alternator.... although it was an original alt. rebuilt to factory
specs.

I have heard other owners of the OB say nothing but good things about their
cars, so perhaps my experience is just a fluke.... perhaps my lucky car was
put together just before a 3-day weekend, and the factory folks in Indiana
had other things on their minds (don't ask me what) ??

Other probs: leaking power stering fluid and the starter is having some
ongoing connection trouble. Don't trust the dealerships for servicing...
they charge top $$$ and the work is not the best, IME.

--Pete