I saw nice looking Legacy GT wagon (should be an sohc ej25 right?)with a 5 speed and 140k miles for $5k I'm somewhat thinking about buying. But, it has no service records (including when the timing belt was done last, etc). Also, if I believe everything random internet people say, it likely needs headgaskets soon if they haven't been done already. My dads 96 Legacy has 450k on it and still works fine, but are the newer ones likely to have a lot more problems?
yes SOHC, the newer ones are no where near as reliable as the good ole 2.2l. You should use the need for a timing belt for negotiation. The HG mostly leaks externally on those so look for coolant leaks. It's an old car so it will need to be gone over thoroughly to identify any issues. Look for rust and oil leaks.
Plan on timing belt and gaskets. Barter the price down. I wouldn't pay that much for that car with that many miles.
I'm in California so probably no rust, its at a used car lot. If I do get a Subaru (mainly thinking about it because of reliable my dads has been and that I'm comfortable working on them), 2000 is about the newest I could afford with under 200k miles, and the newest that junkyard parts are available for. Thus specific one was mainly interesting since at least as far as some blurry pics and lower mileage it was the nicest looking one on Craigslist within driving distance, and someone may be coming to buy my Mercedes this weekend so I will need a replacement DD. If its pretty unlikely to make it to 200k without having to do the head gaskets that would remove most of my interest though.
Some Subarus have what I call a "WRX Tax". Because it's a Subaru, has AWD, and under 200k on the ODO, people think they can charge a premium for a car that's worth half of what they want.
Too much for a Legacy with unknown maintenance history. I definitely would use that as a bargaining chip. I also agree that is too much for that many miles.
I live between the SF bay area and Tahoe, so Subaru prices are a bit ridiculous here. Most subarus are either obviously abused and still over $2k, or really high mileage and $5k+. If an sohc 2.5 won't make it to 200k without head gaskets that's a bit disappointing though.
That might -might- be a $5K car here in the northeast snow belt, but California? Seems high. It's 14 years old... 
Legacy GTs are really high here, and I live in probably the worst part of California for Subaru prices. It is kinda easy to forget how old that car actually is though, my current DD is 30 years old so a 2000 seems new by comparison.
I had a 2000 GT sedan and a 2000 Outback. Both 2.5L 5speed cars. Great cars but I sold my wagon like 3 or 4 years ago with fewer miles and in overall great shape for the year. I would think that is a 3k, especially if they can't prove anything has happened with the HGs and belts. The HGs aren't a finishing move on the SOHC though. They leak coolant out of the motor but I am fairly confident that it doesn't go into the cylinders
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ctd/4294080362.html
that is the car btw
Those are 2005 Legacy GT rims
Nothing like a "supper clean" car 
So is the general opinion that unless I could get it for $3k and drive it home and do the timing belt and head gaskets I should pass on this one?
That is one sketchy looking car dealer I wouldn't want to deal with them. Buy here pay here type place.
Would it be a good assumption that most cars in this price range (say $3500-$6500) are pretty much just a more expensive version of the same junk you can get for $2k? So rather than trying to buy a nicer car this time I might as well go buy whatever cheap European pos looks cool and drive it until all the stuff I don't know how to fix gets too annoying, then sell it for 1/4 what I spent on it and buy another one? Lol that's starting to seem like a better plan the more I think about it.
I'm driving a 01 Legacy limited sedan. Its anemic with the automatic - maybe it will feel faster with the standard transmission. I did the head gaskets at 120k I believe since they were leaking oil externally, which dripped onto the exhaust and stunk awful. I did the timing belt and water pump at the same time (Gates kit from Rock Auto was great!), which would have been an easy job by itself. The car has also needed both front wheel bearings around the same mileage, and new rear wheel bearings at 140k. Its been a great car to drive in the snow (not fast, not fun, but it doesn't get stuck). With the weird repairs though at relatively low mileage, I'm not sure why you'd buy a Subaru unless you lived where it snows.
Yeah, that's what I am afraid of. My dads has been pretty reliable, that's why I was thinking about it. The more I read about the newer ones the less I still want one. I have been driving a diesel Mercedes for the last 3 years so it would be hard to find a car that would feel slow lol.
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