You just bought a 14-year-old car with 140k km on it, and you're worried about getting ripped off? Subaru or not, I'd be worried about whether it will RUN.

That $6400 AUS better be worth $604.00 US.

 

whatever meilers. 140,000 km is under 100,000 miles. Everybody raise your hand if you expect your subaru to last over 100,000 miles
*raises hand*
they all do. They're good for 200,000 miles plus.
And last I checked (which, granted, was a while ago before the dollar started sucking) , the AU-US exchange rate was something like 5 to 1, so AU $6400 would be less than $1500. You tell me that a 1991 Legacy with 80 clicks wouldn't sell for $1500 over here?

That having been said, I would've thought that a better time to check and see if you got a good deal would've been BEFORE you bought the car, rather than after....

 

My brother nursed his Loyale wagon past 217k miles, and I plan to get over 100k from my WRX; the major concern with a 14-year-old car is not the miles, but the years. Many cars that old have serious issues with the rubber and plastic parts of the car, and bi-metal seals (head and cam gaskets, etc) getting brittle and being riddled with hairline cracks; I'd be worried about the hoses, CV joints, sediment in the radiator, worn wheel bearings (decade-old grease isn't great either!) and a lot of other problems -- all not part of the normal maintenence cycle, and thus unlikely to have been replaced short of a rebuild.

I don't see anyone paying more than $1000 for a 14-year-old car, period, unless it had some sort of collector or status value (Mercedes, etc.). However we have a competitive use car market here in Phoenix; perhaps they would go for more in other parts of the US or world.

 

point taken.... You also have very bad weather conditions for things like hoses, gaskets, etc (like you mentioned). Those of us that see occasional precipitation have less problems with things like that (except we get rust...)
Your point about wheel bearings, belts, etc. and other "non routine" maintence items is a good one. And with a 14 year old car, of course, some non-routine maintence is to be expected.
However, I sold my 1991 3000GT VR4 for $13,000 less than a year ago, so a generalization that all 15 year old cars aren't worth good money is not a great one. Granted, the vehicle in question is far from a showroom condition Twin Turbocharged Ricemonster, but looking at the US market, I think it would be safe to say that something like a 91 accord or Maxima, or Camry with 80K would be worth $1000-$1500 in good condition.
Of course, neither of us has any friggin clue what used car values in Australia are...... so at some level it's pretty much speculation anyway :-)