Any Subaru owners out there?

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frugalhen
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Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by frugalhen »

I would love any feedback on Subarus. I have always driven Hondas and need a good 2 year old used car. Specifically looking at a Legacy. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences?
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Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

Driving an outback - no complaints, yet (knock on wood). Just some minor things that were covered under warranty. Good car.
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NYD3030
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by NYD3030 »

I drive a 2012 WRX. I simply love this car and everything about it. The performance is great, it's rock solid in inclimate weather, it's fast. It's really fast. Did I mention it's fast?

I can't comment on the build quality or features on the more sedate models - the WRX is pretty spartan as far as it goes. You're paying for an AWD drivetrain and a big ol' turbocharger.
drnick
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by drnick »

my wife drives a 2011 Legacy 3.6R. It's been a great car. Gas mileage in the mid-high 20s. Nothing but scheduled maintenance and repairing cracked windsheids for 50k miles.
Jack FFR1846
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

Have had many Subarus. Had the infamous head gasket issue on our 08 Outback. Otherwise, they just keep going for the most part. My wife has a Crosstrek limited CVT now and it's fantastic in snow and over 30mpg around town.
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Munir
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Munir »

Jack FFR1846 wrote:Have had many Subarus. Had the infamous head gasket issue on our 08 Outback. Otherwise, they just keep going for the most part. My wife has a Crosstrek limited CVT now and it's fantastic in snow and over 30mpg around town.
What was the "infamous head gasket issue"?
crg11
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by crg11 »

I've owned two Subarus (a 2002 Forester and currently, 2011 Legacy 2.5i Premium) and loved them both. Absolute tanks in snow...with snow tires you can climb mountains. They are known for their safety too, I have no doubt that in an accident I will be well protected.

In the case of the Legacy, I've had only normal maintenance with the exception of a couple of sunroof problems that were fixed under warranty. I usually get low 30s mileage on the highway. Quiet and easy to handle. Currently have about 32k in miles so far.

For the Forester, it was very reliable and largely had no issues until the end when I had the infamous head gasket issue (Subaru's from back then were known for head gasket problems, supposedly has been fixed in the newer models) and it needed its bearings replaced. I ended up trading it in for the 2011 Legacy as the repairs were way more than the car was worth at that point and we wanted a sedan instead. I think I was able to get 170k miles on it before these problems.
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czeckers
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by czeckers »

2009 Legacy.

Pros: Handles very nicely. Great in the snow. With snow tires and the stability control on, it is quite difficult to upset the car. Fun to drive. Excellent crash test ratings.

Cons: The seats are smallish by American standards and very stiff which some find uncomfortable on long drives. There are a few random creaks in the cabin from plastic bits rubbing together when the car is cold from sitting in outside with temp in the teens. Gas mileage is ok, mid 20's. Car stereo and speakers are medicre.

The 2010+ legacy is a bit larger with a bit softer suspension and larger seats so some of the comfort issues may have been resolved. Definitely spend some time in the seat to make sure you're comfortable.

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black jack
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by black jack »

2005 Legacy wagon owner (discontinued, now the wagon is only available as an Outback - basically the same car with roof rack standard).

No complaints, except for mediocre mileage (18 city, 32 highway - the price of all-wheel drive).
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Rodc
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Rodc »

frugalhen wrote:I would love any feedback on Subarus. I have always driven Hondas and need a good 2 year old used car. Specifically looking at a Legacy. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences?
Have owned both for years. Subarus a little better in snow or hard rain. Honda a bit more reliable. Have really liked them both. Keep them about 12 years. Have 10 year old Accord and 5 year old Forrester. Have owned Civics and an Out back wagon.
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AAA
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by AAA »

One thing I read about Subaru's all-wheel drive - all four tire circumferences must be similar within a certain spec. So if you have, say, 15,000 miles on the tires and one gets damaged, you may have to replace all four. That's about the only downside I've heard about Subarus and am planning to get one for my next car.
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pennstater2005
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by pennstater2005 »

Interesting thread as I am currently in need of a new car (totaled car recently) and was also looking at the Subaru line. My wife had a Subaru Legacy for years before we met and she always liked that car. Does Subaru have a car that would be a good fit for a family of four (2 car seats)?

P.S. Not trying to hijack your thread frugalhen just looking at Subaru as well :happy
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uglystickrules
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by uglystickrules »

Former owner of WRX. Best handling car ever - lowered on Cobb springs. Peppy, beefy, and grippy.
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BigOil
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by BigOil »

pennstater2005 wrote:Interesting thread as I am currently in need of a new car (totaled car recently) and was also looking at the Subaru line. My wife had a Subaru Legacy for years before we met and she always liked that car. Does Subaru have a car that would be a good fit for a family of four (2 car seats)?

P.S. Not trying to hijack your thread frugalhen just looking at Subaru as well :happy
Forester has a nice backseat. Safe. #1 in Consumer Reports testing. Have had Outback loaners and they are slightly (very slightly) nicer inside if that matters.
Toefuzz
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Toefuzz »

We are on our 2nd Subie… I'm driving a 2011 Legacy with 93k miles on it and still love it. Great cars with amazing all wheel drive that run forever.
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Toefuzz »

pennstater2005 wrote:Interesting thread as I am currently in need of a new car (totaled car recently) and was also looking at the Subaru line. My wife had a Subaru Legacy for years before we met and she always liked that car. Does Subaru have a car that would be a good fit for a family of four (2 car seats)?

P.S. Not trying to hijack your thread frugalhen just looking at Subaru as well :happy
As I said, I have the Legacy and my kids are older so no car seats, but we routinely fit two kids (8 and 11) in the backseat along with a 50+ pound dog in the middle.

My dad had one of the old Impalas as a loaner car and it looks substantially bigger. My 6'1" college football playing brother-in law sat in the back of both and said the back of the Subaru had much more room and was much more comfortable.
Jeff7
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Jeff7 »

This is my writeup of my 2012 Subaru Impreza Premium, from back when I bought it.
You might want to stretch now though, and maybe get some coffee or something. There's a lot to read. ;)



I still have it - fresh out of the shop actually. It took a pothole hit like a champ. :?
It was a rainy night, and there were many puddles all over the roads, as you'd expect. One of them contained a pothole more than 6" deep. The 35mph hit left me with two damaged wheels (aluminum) and I needed to replace a tire, but the rest of the car seems to have escaped injury.

The AWD is very nice in the snowy winters here. I have yet to get it truly stuck.
- In an airport parking lot during a snowstorm. Snow everywhere, and no plows around. I had gotten back there about 4 hours later than scheduled. (Bumped from a flight due to a weight restriction, then bused from one airport to another, through a snowstorm, at about 20mph.)
One of the snowdrifts hid a concrete curb. The car ended up with is bottom frame resting on the curb. I put it in reverse, and backed right out with no problem. I did bring it to a shop for an inspection of the underside - no damage. Either they didn't feel like trying to sell me unneeded parts, or it had indeed survived with only some scratched paint.
- My short, sloped driveway was quite snow-covered one day. I decided to drive right in anyway. The car stopped moving forward. So I simply backed out. And tried again. And then once more, and I made it. (Then I backed out again and properly shoveled the driveway. :happy) This was even with the original all-seasons still on there.

- AWD does seem to leave this thing more prone to trying to fishtail in turns; I do need to be careful about giving it gas. But it also has the dynamic stability control system, which has thus far done an excellent job of correcting that.



It's not a "fancy" sort of car, though I don't know if I'd necessarily say "spartan" or "utilitarian," though only because of the connotation those terms seem to bring.
I don't want touchscreens, because I don't want to have to look at the controls to know what I'm pressing or changing - driving is just one of those things that really works better if you're watching the road. I'd rather have a manufacturer focus on making the car work well, rather than look all pretty and gussied up. Function over form.

Oh, and it also has seat warmers. The other part I like about them is that they were part of the "winter weather package." You could buy that addon set for $500, which added the seat warmers, and defrosters for the windshield wipers and side-view mirrors - and only those things. Plenty of other cars would only add them as part of a package of a bunch of other things, like big alloy wheels and a sunroof. I prefer smaller wheels and more tire for a smoother ride, and I'm not usually looking up through the ceiling when I'm driving. I'm also a closed-window person - not a fan of blustery air.

Syncing a Bluetooth device isn't quite as easy as it is on a car with a touchscreen. But I didn't really try all that hard either - my phone usually stays at home, where it serves as an auxiliary alarm clock, and as a 911 standby.



I think the only way I'd be ditching this car is if I'd suddenly find myself with a 50% pay increase, or get a job in a place that hears about snow from time to time.
(Even with the 50% pay increase, I may well get another Subaru. Eventually.)



Other: My mom had a 1993 Legacy up until last year, with somewhere over 110k miles on it. As with many cars in the Rust Belt, it wasn't mileage wear that kills cars, it's that the car simply melts away from the salt on the roads.
That's what happened to my '97 Hyundai Elantra - the exhaust system tried to make a break for it, thanks to rust. I hit a bump, and the back half of it nearly fell off the car, with only one strap and the wire from an oxygen sensor holding it to the car. The bolts and base had rusted away to almost nothing.
Last edited by Jeff7 on Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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beyou
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by beyou »

2 Subaru family, 2014 Forester and 2012 Outback, 3rd Subaru since 2000 Outback.

2012 Outback has been problem free, and got us safely through some very
rainy, snowy slick roads.

2014 Forester, have for just 3 months, pretty happy with it.
Very comfortable, and great handling in one of the worst winters we have had in years.

Only downside, not getting more than 20 mpg in either car.
Subaru just came out with their first hybrid, but it's on a small model,
and not a huge improvement in mileage.

You are buying Subaru for safety, above all else,
If you don't worry about such things, you might stick with Honda.
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (car).
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BanditKing
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by BanditKing »

My very very first car in 1985 was a 1977 Subaru hatchback wagon. Always started in the cold, would drive through anything and eventually died because it rusted out in the Minnesota salt roads.

Fast forward several years and two cars later and I leased a 1998 Forester (1st Generation of that line) as my first car out of college. Drove great, really happy with it. The electronics at the time were really cheesy, but mechanically it was great.

If I didn't need a bigger SUV for towing, Subarus would probably be at the top of my list - outback or forester most likely. Great cars.
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by tludwig23 »

We have a 2011 Outback 2.5 and a 2014 Legacy 2.5 Premium.

Pros:
Very reliable so far
Great in the snow
Decent performance and gas mileage
Heated seats/mirrors/wipers work very well in winter weather

Cons:
The GPS on the 2014 Legacy is the lamest GPS system I've ever used
The Eyesight on the Legacy is hit-or-miss (like the adaptive cruise control, could do without the lane change warnings)
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Browser »

Have been checking out 2014 Forester. I like a lot of things about this vehicle but there are a few negatives that move it down my list:

- the ride quality and road noise aren't much better than my 2002 CRV, which I'm trying to move up from.
- the navi and bluetooth electronics are pretty woeful compared to everybody else. I can live without navi, but without it bluetooth phone is pretty much useless also.
- the backup camera screen is horrible - way too small and no guidance lines, can't see it with my polarized glasses on.
- the CVT screams like a banshee when you accelerate to freeway speeds, are passing, etc.

So, not such a great civilized city vehicle, IMO. But I'm sure it is great off the highway, in the snow, and general utility use which is what it's mission in life are.
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hmw
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by hmw »

We have a 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6 R limited. My wife drives it as a family vehicle. We bought it while we were living in New England. Seems to be very popular in NE and the pacific Northwest. No complaints. I probably won't buy another Subaru since we moved to Texas. No need for a rugged AWD here. The milage is not that great. We get about 20 to 21 MPG on our 3.6R.
sscritic
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by sscritic »

I used to have a 360 van. Classic!
This very small rear wheel drive minicar had a 2-stroke, 25 horsepower 356 cc engine (thus the 360 name), weighed under 1000 pounds, got 66.3 mpg, went 0-50 in over 37 seconds.
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/360.html

Although I am not sure I ever made it to 50. Suicide doors are always a treat.
ks289
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by ks289 »

Legacy 2011
Pros: very economically priced, pretty good fuel economy particularly for AWD, AWD is very capable except in deep snow above 5 in or so (ground clearance), handles pretty darn well, has been reliable for me to 60k miles-not sure about the data, seats comfy, decent interior room for 4 with stuff

Cons: ground clearance good for sedan (about 6 in) but deeper snow will bottom it out, tire replacement issue (happened to me around 25k miles) but true for any AWD, exterior style not too catchy IMO, trunk/cargo space is decent but lid opening is awkward (too low)

I am going to consider an outback for my next purchase to address my specific needs
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by zebrafish »

2009 Outback Wagon. It is the first Subaru I have owned.
A fantastic Car. Currently at 150,000k miles, taking a beating, and still going strong.
It has tons of room for tall people. I'm over 6 feet, and I have several inches of clearance.
I'd definitely buy another.
btenny
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by btenny »

Bought a 2013 Outback with the big 3.6R engine in March 2013. Have 10K miles so far. No service besides 2 oil changes. Love the car. Runs great, corners great, is very fast even at passing speed. With the 3.6R engine the car is very quiet. Does great in deep snow. Leather heated seats are nice but pretty stiff. Good radio/CD/Blue Tooth connection to my cell phone. Sound quality good but not great. Limited version only has power 10 way driver seat. Passenger seat is only 4 way power which upsets my wife. Gets 22mpg in town and 27mpg on the highway.

I also have two friends who have the Subaru Legacy. Both love their cars. The couple who have 2013 model Legacy have all the electronic toys including lane guidance, car following speed control, GPS and a big screen back up camera. They love that stuff, especially the speed control which apparently works from a full stop in freeway traffic. So basically they can set the speed control to 15-20 MPH in a traffic jam and take your foot off the pedals and set back and the car will speed up and slow down automatically. This sounds like a cool deal to me.

See here for description of this neat feature. http://www.batfa.com/subaru-eyesight-system.htm
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by hicabob »

btenny wrote: So basically they can set the speed control to 15-20 MPH in a traffic jam and take your foot off the pedals and set back and the car will speed up and slow down automatically. This sounds like a cool deal to me.

See here for description of this neat feature. http://www.batfa.com/subaru-eyesight-system.htm
I wonder that if a person depends on this admittedly very cool feature, then it backfired, what the liability of the respective parties would be?
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by btenny »

I don't know about Subaru but apparently Volvo is going to put a fully automatic traffic jam system in the 2014 car and include auto steering as well as auto braking and auto acceleration. See here..

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/volvo ... ce/#!y2oTQ

http://wot.motortrend.com/no-hands-need ... 81233.html
galectin
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by galectin »

We have a 2001 Legacy wagon that is still going strong with 206,000 miles on it. While we had to have the head gasket replaced at about 90,000 I would like to mention that Subaru reimbursed us for the expense, even though we had it done at an independent garage and only found out about the problems after we had it done. So, they made it right by us.

When it or our other car (230,000 miles) need to be replaced, we will have at least one Subaru in the mix. The AWD is the only way I have been able to get to work in the morning on occasional times in the winter (when I had 8:00 lectures to a class of 130 students) since we live at the bottom of a hill and have to turn onto the road.

It has been durable, too. Three years ago, my wife hit and killed two deer and while it dented the hood, right and left front fenders, and the driver's side door (officially totaling the car), the car is functioning fine and we are still driving it. I immediately named the car "Natty Bumpo".
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topper1296
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by topper1296 »

blevine wrote:2 Subaru family, 2014 Forester and 2012 Outback, 3rd Subaru since 2000 Outback.

2012 Outback has been problem free, and got us safely through some very
rainy, snowy slick roads.

2014 Forester, have for just 3 months, pretty happy with it.
Very comfortable, and great handling in one of the worst winters we have had in years.

Only downside, not getting more than 20 mpg in either car.
Subaru just came out with their first hybrid, but it's on a small model,
and not a huge improvement in mileage.

You are buying Subaru for safety, above all else,
If you don't worry about such things, you might stick with Honda.
I've been doing a little bit of car shopping and a Forester is on my short list and I'm surprised to hear about only 20mpg with the 2014 Forester. I thought they were supposed to get mid 20's in city and low 30's on the highway with the CVT.
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Browser »

Check here:

http://www.fuelly.com/car/subaru/forester

Overall, owners have been getting 25 mpg with the 2014 Forester, although there is a range from 17-32. Depends on how and where you drive I guess. The MPG is the least of the problems I'd worry about buying one. The ride, road nose, antiquated electronics, and high decibel CRV during acceleration were the major turnoffs for me. But those things may be acceptable tradeoffs for many.
We don't know where we are, or where we're going -- but we're making good time.
crg11
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by crg11 »

pennstater2005 wrote:Interesting thread as I am currently in need of a new car (totaled car recently) and was also looking at the Subaru line. My wife had a Subaru Legacy for years before we met and she always liked that car. Does Subaru have a car that would be a good fit for a family of four (2 car seats)?
If you want a sedan, the Legacy has plenty of room in the backseat for 2 car seats.
Browser
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Browser »

Don't forget about the Subaru VIP program if you are interested in this brand. If you join and remain a member of one of the partner organizations for at least 6 months, you can buy a Subaru for 2% under invoice no-haggle. Great deal. I just joined the "Leave no Trace" environmental organization for $35 just in case I want to buy a Subi six months down the road. If you want to buy sooner, a Subi dealer might cut you a deal anyway if you haven't been a member for 6 months yet if you ask. My local dealer was at least willing to sell a Forester for invoice once I mentioned that I was a new member of the VIP program to him. It's a hot selling vehicle right now so that is probably a good price for one.
We don't know where we are, or where we're going -- but we're making good time.
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Draak »

delete
Last edited by Draak on Sun Mar 16, 2014 2:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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widestance
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by widestance »

I'm a car guy and have owned many. I also have a bad habit of replacing them every 2 or 3 years.
My 2011 WRX has a bit over 60k on it and I have not had one issue (OK, one issue, bad brake light switch $20 fix i did myself). Probably the the most enjoyable car i've owned yet and honestly I have no plans on getting rid of it anytime soon (which is saying something for me).

As some others have said, Subaru historically hasn't been known for having nice interiors, but they're starting to up their game a bit.
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by fishnskiguy »

Browser wrote:Have been checking out 2014 Forester. I like a lot of things about this vehicle but there are a few negatives that move it down my list:

- the ride quality and road noise aren't much better than my 2002 CRV, which I'm trying to move up from.
- the navi and bluetooth electronics are pretty woeful compared to everybody else. I can live without navi, but without it bluetooth phone is pretty much useless also.
- the backup camera screen is horrible - way too small and no guidance lines, can't see it with my polarized glasses on.
- the CVT screams like a banshee when you accelerate to freeway speeds, are passing, etc.

So, not such a great civilized city vehicle, IMO. But I'm sure it is great off the highway, in the snow, and general utility use which is what it's mission in life are.
I have a 2007 Outback XT turbo. Love it. Last year I bought a GPS with bluetooth at Costco for about $120. Being able to answer the phone on the GPS and not having to dig into my jeans with the seat belt on makes it worth the price alone.

I don't think Subaru has made anything as good as my model since. Why they won't let you buy a Forrester turbo with the six speed manual is beyond me. And why there is no small but powerful turbo four available in the current Outback defies reason.

Chris
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Levett
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Levett »

I have owned four Subarus since the late 90s (his 'n hers). Can't imagine life without them. :D

Lev
westie
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by westie »

Have a 2014 Forester 2.5 Limited.

Wife loves the Bluetooth, when call is received volume on radio mutes, touch phone button on steering wheel, start talking .... you hear the caller through the radio speakers, when call ends touch button again, radio resumes, can't get much simpler. Her phone never leaves her purse. Make calls the same way.

Turbo 2.0 version might get 20 mpg, ours with the 2.5 engine gets 27 - 32 city highway.
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Scott S
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Scott S »

Munir wrote:
Jack FFR1846 wrote:Have had many Subarus. Had the infamous head gasket issue on our 08 Outback. Otherwise, they just keep going for the most part. My wife has a Crosstrek limited CVT now and it's fantastic in snow and over 30mpg around town.
What was the "infamous head gasket issue"?
The 2.5L engines were an open-deck design from the beginning, and this lead to coolant leaks and overheating, sometimes within the first 100,000 miles. Subaru engines had previously been regarded as bulletproof, so this was a ding to their reputation. Improved headgaskets and refinements to the engine design helped, but it took until 2010 recently to address the cause by going back to a semi-closed-deck.

Anyways, I have a 1996 Outback and love it. I sought out one with the bulletproof 2.2L engine and got a good price on it. It's fantastic in the snow, I can put lots of stuff in it, and now I'm even starting to get decent gas mileage thanks to better driving habits. ;) If I had to replace it, I'd definitely avoid the 1996-2003 2.5L models unless the headgaskets had been fixed, and would probably get a Forester since the Outbacks have gotten too big for my tastes. Also, I insist on manual transmissions for my driving. :D

- Scott
"Old value investors never die, they just get their fix from rebalancing." -- vineviz
Browser
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Browser »

The problem with the phone bluetooth on the Forester is that w/o the navi you can only put about 6 numbers in the Subi phonebook and you have to do it manually. Then there is no voice dialing. Everybody else has a phone bluetooth system that lets you download the phonebook from your phone into the system and then voice dial (hands free). In order to save more than 6 numbers you have to get the navi, which is ridiculous. The navi sucks for a number of reasons and is a waste of money, IMO. So you are basically without any useful connectivity in the non-navi version of the Forester. You're better off just using your phone, which is what I do now in my 2002 CRV. That may be OK for many folks, but I find it to be a real shortcoming compared to the competition. In a couple of years, I think most vehicles will have connectivity that is on par with what smartphones do today, but probably not Subaru even though the cars have many very good qualities. Why is that -- no electrical or human factors engineers on staff?? Come-on you guys -- get with it. You've got a fine car, now just bring it into the 21st century! Fuji thinks they're still building aircraft for the Japanese airforce in WWII (the salesman pointed out that the grille design on every Subaru has wings -- denoting the company's roots).
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flee1951
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by flee1951 »

I own a 2011 Subaru Legacy, 2.5 premium. Bought new summer of 2011. Now have approx. 51,000 miles on the vehicle. This was my 1st venture into a all wheel drive. Live in S. Mn. In past winters, always had problems getting up my hill until after snowplow made a pass, not a problem with Legacy.

It's a great car, no maintenance, just the oil changes, tire rotation. I make 33.5 mpg on interstate travel in summer. My biggest beef, the trunk is extremely tight to get big suitcases/stuff in. I just previewed the 2015 Legacy at the Milwaukee auto show. Subaru claims the new 2015 Legacy will have the largest interior of any cars in the mid-sedan arena. It appears the truck area is improved and larger back seat room. Could not see it upclose. This vehicle will be available in july/august 2014.

Want to sell my vehicle and upgrade either late this year or early 2015.
lucky3
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by lucky3 »

2006 Legacy with 130,000 miles on it....like it!

Lucky3
scone
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by scone »

The thing that bugs me the most about the Honda CRV is the high center of gravity. I'm often driving on the dirt back roads of New Hampshire, in mud, snow and ice, with horrible pot holes and frost heaves. These roads are not engineered, often they are little more than cow tracks. Sometimes I've had one wheel off the ground, as the road tips this way and that, and while I have not yet flipped it, the car sometimes gets a little too close for comfort.

Another problem with the CRV is the poor power to weight ratio. If I want to make a left turn into traffic, I have to wait until I have at least five seconds between cars, and then gun it-- even so, I barely make it and the body roll is very uncomfortable. Merging onto the highway is even worse. (The highways here are old, and have very short, tight ramps.) There just isn't enough effective power to put that big fat box where you want it. This is compounded by the mediocre handling, even with a stick. And the ride is hard, like a box of rocks.

So next year, after we sell the house, I'm getting a Subie WRX. :happy
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TheOscarGuy
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by TheOscarGuy »

scone wrote:The thing that bugs me the most about the Honda CRV is the high center of gravity. I'm often driving on the dirt back roads of New Hampshire, in mud, snow and ice, with horrible pot holes and frost heaves. These roads are not engineered, often they are little more than cow tracks. Sometimes I've had one wheel off the ground, as the road tips this way and that, and while I have not yet flipped it, the car sometimes gets a little too close for comfort.
I would not be too comfortable driving CRV on dirt roads! Sure it has AWD, but I would hate to test it out on anything but pavement.
Another problem with the CRV is the poor power to weight ratio. If I want to make a left turn into traffic, I have to wait until I have at least five seconds between cars, and then gun it-- even so, I barely make it and the body roll is very uncomfortable. Merging onto the highway is even worse. (The highways here are old, and have very short, tight ramps.) There just isn't enough effective power to put that big fat box where you want it. This is compounded by the mediocre handling, even with a stick. And the ride is hard, like a box of rocks.

So next year, after we sell the house, I'm getting a Subie WRX. :happy
I am not too unhappy about the power aspect. Are you sure you don't have the "econ" button on while you attempt to do that? It does put my normal engine rpms down a notch. However, with the button off, it feels to have sufficient power to merge etc. and does not feel inadequate while merging and what not.

Sure can't compare it to WRX though, but its "good " for our needs :-)
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by gd »

After needing a small station wagon for decades, I finally relented and went to a Subaru dealer with the intention of walking out having bought a new car (not much of a bargainer). I walked in, looked around, and said "where are all the station wagons?". It was the year they turned their line into the same cookie-cutter SUV that everyone else sells. Still driving my beat-up domestic sedan, which is shabby enough so I can dump whatever I want into it , tie down the trunk lid if it sticks out, and go. Bottom end hatchbacks are all so clever about interiors they're almost as good as the now-extinct small wagon, and way cheaper to buy and operate. For traction I budget $150/year for snow tires, and generally do fine in New England snow.
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deanbrew
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by deanbrew »

flee1951 wrote:I own a 2011 Subaru Legacy, 2.5 premium. Bought new summer of 2011. Now have approx. 51,000 miles on the vehicle. This was my 1st venture into a all wheel drive. Live in S. Mn. In past winters, always had problems getting up my hill until after snowplow made a pass, not a problem with Legacy.

It's a great car, no maintenance, just the oil changes, tire rotation. I make 33.5 mpg on interstate travel in summer. My biggest beef, the trunk is extremely tight to get big suitcases/stuff in. I just previewed the 2015 Legacy at the Milwaukee auto show. Subaru claims the new 2015 Legacy will have the largest interior of any cars in the mid-sedan arena. It appears the truck area is improved and larger back seat room. Could not see it upclose. This vehicle will be available in july/august 2014.

Want to sell my vehicle and upgrade either late this year or early 2015.
I also have a 2011 Legacy, and also have had no problems with it whatsoever. I'm very pleased with it. Having owned several Hondas in the past, the quality and reliability seem similar. The AWD is exceptional, and it's a joy to drive in the snow. Fuel efficiency is dinged a bit, no doubt, but what surprises me is the huge difference between local and highway MPG. I get 30-32 MPG on the highway, but only 22-24 MPG around town, especially in the winter. It seems that this is the nature of modern cars, with much higher highway MPG due to CVT and uber-overdrive trannies.

I found your second paragraph interesting. The current Legacy is pretty large, with lots of backseat room and a reasonably large trunk. The problem with the trunk, as you point out, is not the capacity, but the small opening. As with many other current cars, the styling results in a large trunk deck behind the back seat, with a rear window that is pushed back, resulting in a quite small trunk lid and opening. There's lots of room, but it's hard to get large items into the trunk.
"The course of history shows that as the government grows, liberty decreases." Thomas Jefferson
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deanbrew
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by deanbrew »

gd wrote:After needing a small station wagon for decades, I finally relented and went to a Subaru dealer with the intention of walking out having bought a new car (not much of a bargainer). I walked in, looked around, and said "where are all the station wagons?". It was the year they turned their line into the same cookie-cutter SUV that everyone else sells. Still driving my beat-up domestic sedan, which is shabby enough so I can dump whatever I want into it , tie down the trunk lid if it sticks out, and go. Bottom end hatchbacks are all so clever about interiors they're almost as good as the now-extinct small wagon, and way cheaper to buy and operate. For traction I budget $150/year for snow tires, and generally do fine in New England snow.
Good luck finding a (non-raised) station wagon from any maker. The Outback is pretty much a Legacy station wagon, raised up a bit to pander to the SUV/sit high crowd.
"The course of history shows that as the government grows, liberty decreases." Thomas Jefferson
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Scott S
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by Scott S »

gd wrote:For traction I budget $150/year for snow tires, and generally do fine in New England snow.
Yikes, what tires do you use? I spent about $250-300 for the set of Firestone Winterforces on my Outback in 2010, and plan to get many more years out of them by using 3-seasons tires the rest of the year. (And that's after leaving them on year-round for almost four years because I'm lazy. ;))
"Old value investors never die, they just get their fix from rebalancing." -- vineviz
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fishnskiguy
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Re: Any Subaru owners out there?

Post by fishnskiguy »

Scott S wrote:
gd wrote:For traction I budget $150/year for snow tires, and generally do fine in New England snow.
Yikes, what tires do you use? I spent about $250-300 for the set of Firestone Winterforces on my Outback in 2010, and plan to get many more years out of them by using 3-seasons tires the rest of the year. (And that's after leaving them on year-round for almost four years because I'm lazy. ;))
I'm on my fourth winter on Michelin X-ice snows and think I have one more winter on them. I drive about 3000 miles per winter.

Chris
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