Subaru Forester or Outback Opinions Wanted

[crazyoildude]

I was looking at a Subaru Forrester or an Outback i am looking to spend around $20,000 which one would everyone pick? i want reliability and mileage
How are the all wheel drive Subaru's
I know the engines are good i don't see many of them here in the shopfor rebuilds

 

[Scienceman]

I hear that the Subaru is a very nice Company. I am looking at one possibly for my next car. Personally, I prefer the Outback.

 

[Scienceman]

BTW...they say those Boxer engines are awsome!

 

[SEBZX79]

Outback with the 2.5 turbo...

 

[Scienceman]

= a lot of fun.

 

[fdcg27]

20K will buy you a very basic Forester.
Plan on spending a couple K more.
We are very happy with our Forester, and the Outback is also nice, although probably more expensive.
Since you live in an area that sees actual winter driving conditions, I think you'd appreciate a Subaru on the bad days of the year.
I know that my wife does.
The car has ample room for four and their gear, while the AWD makes for idiot-proof slick road driving.
Fuel economy is not very good, but that is the penalty you pay for the Forester's weight, as well as the AWD system.
Beyond active safety, the Forester also offers exellent passive safety. For example, the roof is quite resistant to crushing, unlike cute-utes from brands T and H. The Subarus are quite strong and solid.
All in all, a really good daily driver.
I recommend it.

 

[rcy]

Maybe this should be moved to the 'vehicle' section. That being said, I had a 2001 Outback H6. Fantastic vehicle, very dependable, OK gas mileage on the highway, not so OK in the city. Virtually unstoppable in any weather (driving in deep snow was like driving in July) - fantastic AWD system.

 

[Dominic]

Well the outback has a lot more room inside, but theyre both great vehicles.

I have 60k on my impreza and have had no real issues with drivetrain, oil loss, coolant issues, or really anything. Gas, tires, oil, and it keeps going strong!

 

[crazyoildude]

im seriously thinking of a Subaru..

 

[bodeh6]

I currenyly have a 06' Legacy and have drove both the new Forester and Outback and prefer the Forester. The Outback feels too big now. The Forester seems funner to drive.

 

[sw99]

Subaru is very hard to beat. Check out some of the videos on youtube. These cars are made to take a beating and then some. I absolutely love my 97' and have no reason to get a newer one...

 

[sicko]

I've driven a Forester for the past 11+ years. Got my first one in '98 and drove it till it was totaled in '08. I beat the [censored] out of that car and it seemed to enjoy it as much as I did.

After it was wrecked I shopped around for similar vehicles and ended up coming back for an '09 Forester. The current model is nice and has a lot more spaces for the back row.

I'll write more when I'm not surfing the web from my phone, but for now I'll just say Subarus are great and I don't think you can go wrong with either model

 

[Seguino]

If it is important to you, Outbacks are made in USA and Foresters in Japan, at least for the Canadian market. There are four Subarus in my family, 2 Imprezas, a Forester and a H6 Outback. We love them all.

 

[legandrex]

You can't go wrong with either model. We have been Subaru brand loyal since 2001. I have had very few mechanical problems with the several we have leased/owned. Also the Subaru plant in Indiana is very concious about the environment and the company is comitted to various charitable causes with their "Share the Love" program. I would be shocked if you would be disappointed with either.

 

[WagonBoss]

When I shopped the 2 vehicles last year I found the Outback a bit more refined and smoother/quieter than the Forester. They are essentially the same mechanicals. I haven't looked at the 2010 OBW because of the styling and CVT trans. For deep snow use the owners manual states not to use chains, though most owners have never had the need for chains. In general, Subarus need a bit more routine maintenance than other brands. I found the combination of features more to my liking than other competing vehicles. Reliability and mileage would be equal between the two.

 

[MrWideTires]

there is no other company like subaru, hence why I keep coming back to them... there's like 8 subarus in my family, 3 mine.

They have been the most reliable vehicles, the most durable, they get out of any situation, fun to drive, safe, easy to work on, easy on oil (the non-turbo ones)

 

[jumpr]

I have an '04 Outback H6 wagon. Wouldn't trade it for anything. There are a few considerations with Subarus and AWD vehicles in general, however -- tires have to be replaced 4 at a time, to keep the AWD system working at full function. If you replace less than 4 tires you're liable to end up with torque bind problems. They do require a bit more routine maintenance than other cars (rear diff, front diff oil changes, mainly), but these are definitely do-it-yourself jobs if you have a socket wrench or breaker bar and the right sockets. My favorite thing about the Outback (besides its ability to get me out of anything)? The fact that I don't need ramps or jackstands to do maintenance under the car -- the clearance is high enough!

 

[sicko]

Originally Posted By: MrWideTires

They have been the most reliable vehicles, the most durable, they get out of any situation, fun to drive, safe, easy to work on, easy on oil (the non-turbo ones)


Easy to work on, and super easy to change the oil. I don't need to raise my Forester to change the oil or filter, I can reach right under and do everything with ease. The filter is perfectly vertical which I like, though you have the exhaust headers surround it so you have to be careful (but it's not that bad), and the oil drain hole is huge, the oil gushes out and drains super fast. Actually it drains too fast for my drain pan which has a funnel on it, the oil comes out faster than it can go down the funnel, so I had to get a regular open top drain pan. Great vehicles though.

One thing to note, on the H6 engines, it's a major pain to get to the rear spark plugs. For anyone who was thinking of changing the plugs themselves, do a google search for the guides people have posted on how to do it b/c it will save you hours of time. Also, expect it to take a full day the first time you do it, then 3-5 hours once you know how

 

[MrWideTires]

^^^and then use platinum plugs so you don't have to worry about them for a long time. I recommend indexing them

 

[Norm Olt]

Let's see: Subaru Forester MOTOR TREND's 2009 SUV of the Year,followed by the 2010 MOTOR TREND SUV of the Year, the new Subaru Outback

I don't think you can go wrong with either. The new Outback 2.5i with the CVT gets an additional 2 city and 3 highway mpg, and this is not an insignificant increase, IMHO. Ground clearance is also improved to 8.7 inches! More $, more features. If this is your only vehicle go ahead and splurge away!

The Base Forester with a manual trans is more of a UTILITY vehicle, but plenty nice if you've been driving something more crude (or, less sophisticated) for the past years. I would suggest that if you have another car this will be the one you actually use the most, hopefully letting the other one last a long time...

Value + Reliability + AWD = yet another happy Subaru owner.

Cheers!