Which car should I get for my first?

(Have asked this before, just trying to get more answers) Alright, I've done much research and I believe I have narrowed it down to 1998-2004 (ish) Honda CR-V, 1998-2003 (ish) Subaru Outback, or 2007 (ish) Chevy Malibu or impala. Now what I want to know is details of each, pros cons ect. Not from google, from personal experience. I've read a lot about the Subaru having head gasket issues, leaks, and abnormal gas/oil consumption. I've also read a lot about the Honda having timing belt issues, and sometimes transmission issues. Although I haven't read many complaints about the Chevy. I know they're not known to last as long as Honda, Subaru. So are these issues very common? What are the odds of them happening? Which one is more prone to issues? Ect ect. Also no matter the one I choose, it will most likely be purchased with above 130k miles. If you have had personal experience with these your advice/experience would be appreciated.

SUBARU OUT BACK

In each and every option you are talking about a 10 to 20 year old vehicle. All 10 to 20 year old vehicles have many service and maintenance needs, without exception. However, the overall reliability of Honda is the strongest, followed by Subaru and Chevrolet.

At this point in their aging process how well they have been serviced and maintained should be a greater concern compared to their initial quality.

Don't get hung up on make/model when you're searching for a low cost/high mileage used car. The only way to accurately predict an individual car's future reliability is to understand EXACTLY what condition it is in when you buy it. You can save yourself a ton of money long-term if you can weed out worn-out/neglected old cheap used cars from a cheap used car that may just be old and have a lot of miles but was otherwise cared for and maintained well.

It's worth paying a shop ~$100 to pre-purchase inspect a vehicle for you (or maybe even to inspect a few of them if you find that the first one(s) have a ton of problems upon inspection). Even $300 to have a shop inspect 3 cars before you find a good one is likely cheaper than paying for ONE single shop repair if you happen to miss an existing problem before you buy the car if you don't know what you're looking for exactly.

I can't comment on the CRV or Impalla, but I'll give you some background info on the Subaru outback.

For model year 1999 and earlier, Subaru didn't make a car called an "outback" - they made a car called a legacy, which came in various trim packages - the top trim package being the "outback". In other words, outback wasn't a model, it was just a variant of the legacy. So if someone refers to their "1999 legacy outback", they're talking about a legacy with that particular trim.

Starting in model year 2000, Subaru began making "legacy" and "outback" as two different models. So from this point forward, "outback" is an entirely different car than a "legacy" - not a trim package on the legacy. However the two cars still had a lot of common components including the same engines, transmissions, etc.

The other major change from 1999 to 2000 was they changed the engine. Subaru Legacy's of 1999 and earlier used a 2.2L 4 cylinder engine. This engine was a workhorse and very reliable.

Starting in model year 2000 and corresponding with the other changes, they "upgraded" to a larger and more powerful 2.5L engine which added about 30 hp. I put the word upgrade in quotes because they found out a few years later that the 2.5L engine has a design flaw which makes it prone to premature head gasket failure. Subaru's recommended repair involves pulling the engine and replacing every gasket and seal in the entire thing. This will cost you about $3500 at a Subaru dealership.

My Dad owns a 2002 Forester (with the same flawed 2.5L engine) which he purchased brand new. He has done all the maintenance on schedule at the dealership. He went ahead and had the engine reseal service performed at around 120k miles (it didn't cost as much back then). The car has been perfectly reliable and that's the only major repair he's ever done beyond normal items like tires, brakes & oil changes. He has about 180k miles on the car and its in great condition and will probably last another 100k if he continues taking good care of it. (when the dealer does the headgasket repair they use a different gasket material that last's longer than the original).

I have the opposite experience. I bought a 2000 Outback, used, about 6 years ago. Its been fine for an old cheap car, but it has failing head gaskets. It leaks oil and coolant and has a host of other problems - the car is at about 195k miles and has NOT had the head gasket replaced. At this point it would cost me more than the car is worth to try to fix everything. The car burns oil which has messed up the catalytic converter and my check engine light is on almost all the time due to oxygen sensors throwing codes (I've had the sensors replaced, but its not a failing sensor, its actually a failing cat. The car still gets me to work & back everyday and around town, but its only a matter time before it has a major failure - and when that happens it will be a tow dolly ride to the junk yard and by by Outback. I plan to get what I can out of this car, but I won't be taking it on any long trips due to its condition.

You can read all kind of stories about the Subaru head gaskets online. Bottom line is that you should look for a 1999 or newer legacy with the 2.2 L engine OR if you buy 200+ with the 2.5L engine make sure the head gaskets were replaced at a dealership. If you see someone selling a 2000+ Subaru for cheap, its probably because the head gaskets are failing.

Impala. Get the car seen by a mechanic. You are approaching troll status by the way.

Honda CRV gets my vote. Mine has just done over 325,000km (200,000 miles) and still runs like a Japanese watch. These cars have cam belts that need to be changed every four years, and which requires the motor to be unbolted that side to get clearance, but it's straightforward enough for a tech. Just check when it was last done and haggle money off if it's due. They also need special Honda oil for the diffs, but again, not a big deal. Regular services, fluids and filter changes is all it really needs. If you're looking at cars up to 20 years old, also be mindful of general wear and tear, regardless of make. Buy by condition.