Subaru Gurus

[avacado11]

Owned 4(or 5, can’t remember) Subarus. Good cars, not the best, but good cars.

My last Subaru I purchased brand new. 2017 Outback 2.5i base. It was comfortable for long highway drives and relatively efficient for its size. Good sized fuel tank and roughly 30 MPG highway I could get about 530 miles a tank highway before I filled up. Did 59k miles on it but the exhaust started blowing blue smoke on start up around 57k. Was still under factory powertrain warranty but it was an intermittent problem so it wasn’t worth brining up to the dealer as they would never see it smoke. Ended up just selling it.

Would I buy another Subaru again? Probably not. If anything maybe a Forester, but there are so many other good contenders in the segment it wouldn’t be my first pick. Like I said earlier, they’re good cars but they aren’t the best.

 

[Best F100]

I guess this a good place to pose two questions to you Subaru folks.

I have heard some people say that today’s Subarus are the NEW Volvo (vehicle safety speaking). That is, the old Volvos of the 80’s and 90’s had a distinct construction and vehicle safely advantage over most other cars, not named Mercedes. The old Volvo ads played to some of these advantages, like some of today’s Subaru ads do.

1) Fast forward to today. Do vehicles like Forester, Outback or Crosstrek offer and occupant safety advantages over competitors in their size categories? Especially in a crash involving a larger vehicle, or something you have witnessed.
Or have IIHS regulations pretty much leveled the crashworthy playing field for all vehicles?

2) The Subaru Eyesight feature. Does it have the ability to stop a 50-60 mph Subaru around a blind corner, whereby approaching traffic is at a standstill? Or will it “just” assist the drivers initial efforts to come to a complete halt - before rear ended someone?

You Subaru boys be nice. I ask these questions for conversation information purposes. Not trying to rile you guys up.

 

[Al]

I guess this a good place to pose two questions to you Subaru folks.

Subaru came out with their Global Platform several years ago. Supposedly it cost them 1 Billion to design unit "safety cages" consistant with all their car lines. The best is just to look at all the ratings. Subaru puts Savety at the top of their list. When the Small Overlap crash test came into being. All subaru models aced it when most vehicles didn't.

Eyesight is very good it is the most pro active in Cruise control and if its possible to stop the vehicle it will stop it. In non cruise it appears to be not as active but it will still function.

I am a fanboy but between the eyesight (which is among the best), safety and AWD integrated with the opposed flat engines make symetrical AWD the best constructed in the industry. I personally will always buy subarus..that's just me. You get a lot for your money.

What I do not like is the DI only. Intake valves turn into a block of carbon. IMHO do a walnut blasting at 50K miles or get rid of it. I don't like the CVT programing but their CVT is again one of the best.

I have a 21 Ascent and I've got a couple buddies with Outback Wilderness's. I do love Subarus, but the 2.4 turbo and the CVT (HT-TR690) don't get along well at times. Get into the throttle (around 50%) like merging on the highway and now all of a sudden it wants to pretend like its a regular transmission and make up gear ratios. It wouldn't be so bad if the shifts were smooth, but they can get a bit jerky at times. It seems like there is conflict between the engine and transmission sometimes. I wish Subaru would let the CVT do what a CVT is designed to do. No one is asking for programmed gear ratios. Another notable thing about the CVT in the 2.4T vehicles is the chirp going into drive. It's louder in some more than others. These characteristics are known on all 2.4T cars.

I have the 2.0 Turbo. I understand what you are saying. But just floor it and keep it floored. It will go to redline and drop to about 5300 rpm and then shift at red line again if needed. I am impressed with mine.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Just learn how to change out head gaskets and you'll be fine.

Always has been constrained only to the open-deck EJ engines (EJ251-253), which ended in 2009. Never have FBs ever had anything resembling a HG “epidemic”. I know it’s hard to expect you to come up with new shtick quickly, but it’s been 13 years…

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

It's an oil leak from a head gasket in the video. Even if Subaru's don't eat head gaskets any more (and I question that) why would you buy a vehicle that requires the engine to be pulled to do a head gasket job? I bet that's still the case.

Several Toyota models with the V6s have to be dropped out of the chassis just to do a valve-cover gasket replacement…

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I have never seen material differences in consumption between a xw-20 and xw-30 - it is simply too small of a viscosity difference.

And/or put a brand new OEM PCV in it.

 

[PF52]

2) The Subaru Eyesight feature. Does it have the ability to stop a 50-60 mph Subaru around a blind corner, whereby approaching traffic is at a standstill? Or will it “just” assist the drivers initial efforts to come to a complete halt - before rear ended someone?

Are you volunteering to test it out for the class?

 

[97prizm]

My parents purchased a 2015 or slightly early impreza manual hatchback. The said they won't buy one again. Part of the problem is that my dad wanted the Impreza Sport, and at the time there were none in the Phoenix area oddly. So instead of waiting or look around. About a week later 3 shower up at a Subaru dealership near me. Their complaints are that the oem brake rotors/ pads squealed like they were on the shims and almost worn out but they were brand new. The Subaru dealership more or less shrugged and said there wasn't much that they could do. The second biggest issue was that the Air conditioning was never Ice cold. Living in Phoenix A/C is really imperative. Subaru had a recall on several vehicles like the outback, Forrester etc but not the Impreza. Again They should have gone to a different Subaru dealership but the one that they purchased it from looked at it 3 separate times and said it worked fine, while other models had Ice cold A/C. The apartment complex where I previously worked one of the tenants had a 2013-14 Impreza and the headgasket blew. It was never overheated didn't leak coolant that I'm aware of etc. Subaru has had a real problem with headgaskets going bad out of warranty.

 

[zzyzzx]

Several Toyota models with the V6s have to be dropped out of the chassis just to do a valve-cover gasket replacement…

Yet still another reason to never get the V6 if a 4 cylinder engine is available.

 

[zzyzzx]

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2007-mercury-mountaineer-4-0l.361909/

Also inherited a 1998 Subaru Legacy wagon (not Outback) with the "reliable" 2.2L engine that had the head gasket done twice and is on the second transmission. 200K miles

 

[kevco]

There’s two types of people, they either have joined the Subaru cult are they despise Subaru and will bash them till they die, I joined the colt I like the style, utility and boxer engines. I will probably always have a Subaru and some type of mid size truck to me it’s the perfect combo. Do they seem noisey maybe a little but the boxer rumble is part of the appeal, or they as dependable I have no complaints it’s been as reliable as Toyotas and Hondas I have owned I currently have a 17 Impreza with 110,000 miles and runs like new. Good luck and feel free to ask me anything about subies you want.

 

[GSCJR]

The body's rough but she runs good at 267k kms; I would do it all over again for about $2k .

 

[SC Maintenance]

There’s two types of people, they either have joined the Subaru cult are they despise Subaru and will bash them till they die,

I don't think that's true. We have looked at Subaru the last 2 times we bought new cars, and we liked them but for us in particular there just seemed to be better options on the market in the small to mid size SUV category - most all of which get the IIHS Top Safety+ rating

You give up a lot of things to have that fancy AWD system, worse mileage, hard to work on, etc. Granted If I didn't live in the South and have 2 body on frame 4wd's already, I might rethink this complaint.

The interiors seemed more cramped to us than the competition - not overall square footage but seating position was like being strapped into the bottom of a barrel with your head sticking out. Might be a personal thing.

Very small dealer network comparatively. Even big cities have 1 or 2, so if you don't like them your sort of SOL. This also leads to them wanting a lot more money than comparable Toyota / Honda - at least around here.

I would still consider them again next time - but I don't love em, and I don't hate em? They just are.

 

[PF52]

There’s two types of people, they either have joined the Subaru cult are they despise Subaru and will bash them till they die,

It's also possible to be somewhere in-between. I bought a WRX and plan to keep it long-term, but I have little interest in the rest of their lineup. The Crosstrek might by the only exception. Their advertising always misses the mark as far as I am concerned and any future increased ownership by Toyota is only going to result in uglier and uglier cars going forward.

 

[Best F100]

Are you volunteering to test it out for the class?

Ha! Not at all.

However, there is a YouTube video posted whereby someone’s late model Subaru, at highway speed, plowed into the rear end of a Toyota Tacoma that was stopped in traffic. That one was a heavy hit that lifted the pickup bed off the ground and buckled it. The entire accident was captured by a nearby Tesla camera.

The explanation given why Eyesight didn’t work, was there was a heavy rain at the time that could have blocked the front cameras & sensors.

Very Interesting. I guess there is still no substitute for paying attention at the wheel.

 

[Bearguy69]

I’ve notice quite a few Subarus running around lately and have some question for those who own or know about them. How are they, really?, noisy? Quiet, good handling? What is the real difference between outback and forester, other than forester seemingly taller? How’s the 2.5L engine? Amy issues ? What is difference between that engine and the 2.4L other than the turbo? They seem like nice vehicles, I definitely like the fact there are more colors than the “50 shades of grey” that most other manufacturers have.

I love my 2020 outback. I went with the 2.5L over the 2.4L turbo for one important reason. The 2.5 is naturally aspirated and you won’t have to worry about cleaning the intake valves every 10000 miles. As for handling great. Amazing in the snow and mud. Granted I would not take my outback off roading like my F-350. However I have better handling in conditions that some trucks have issues with. They are a great car for the price.

 

[Bearguy69]

I was wondering when that was gonna pop up. After 2009ish they corrected the issue. Pretty much any 2.5 with timing chains (2013+) is not gonna have head gasket issues.

Yep once the EJ series motor was retired and the FB was introduced no more head gasket issues. And it was more prevalent in the 98-2000 models using a graphite coated head gasket

 

[Trav]

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2007-mercury-mountaineer-4-0l.361909/

Also inherited a 1998 Subaru Legacy wagon (not Outback) with the "reliable" 2.2L engine that had the head gasket done twice and is on the second transmission. 200K miles

For one of those to loose a HG once is very rare twice someone did the job wrong or either the heads or cases got warped. Chances are the original got hot, the EJ22 are closed deck cases and not prone to any gasket issues, they do not like to be over heated though like any Suby engine.
I really like the Suby cars, I have had a thing for boxer engines since the VW beetle, Porsche 6 cyl air and water boxers and Citroens GS 4 cyl OHC air boxer, this Citroen engine is the closest to the Suby boxer in its charactaristics and similar engine construction.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/2007-mercury-mountaineer-4-0l.361909/

Also inherited a 1998 Subaru Legacy wagon (not Outback) with the "reliable" 2.2L engine that had the head gasket done twice and is on the second transmission. 200K miles

And what do you drive? We’ll be happy to fill up an entire thread of irrelevant issues about your car that’s 2+ decades and at least 3 engine families old

 

[Al]

I love my 2020 outback. I went with the 2.5L over the 2.4L turbo for one important reason. The 2.5 is naturally aspirated and you won’t have to worry about cleaning the intake valves every 10000 miles.

Nope they are both DI only.