Subaru-Any good?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: VNTS
Co-worker has 2013 Crostec, In shop now chowing oil.


This engine is unrelated to original conversation on a Legacy/Outback and especially 3.6L.
 
Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Quote:
Originally Posted By: Trav
Plugs about 1.5 hr for all 4, a Camry V6 pays 2.6 hours for plugs. So much for that.



You can't compare time to change plugs on 4-banger with that of a 6cyl engine...well I guess you can, but not reliably...it takes about a hour to change 4 plugs on a Camry...


It took 1hr for a Subaru versed mechanic to change the plugs on my V6 Honda/Acura. It took him 3 hrs to change them on our 2005 Legacy 4 cylinder turbo and he mentioned loosing an engine mount and jacking motor. He did state the H6 was harder and longer.
 
The $900 timing belt job on that new Honda V6 vs $0 for chain maintenance on the H6 buys a lot of spark plug changes.
What you save on one job you loose on the other, thats applicable to almost any car.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
The $900 timing belt job on that new Honda V6 vs $0 for chain maintenance on the H6 buys a lot of spark plug changes.
What you save on one job you loose on the other, thats applicable to almost any car.


Jury is out on current Honda(2007) vs Subaru(2005). Thus far the Acura is winning($1400-Timing Belt, plugs, fluid changes, belt tensioner) but only has 121,000 miles vs Subaru which we spent close to $5000 100k-170k in major maintenance and engine work(burned valve).
 
Isn't that the Subaru that got a re ring and hone without splitting the cases? Its not the cars fault you got clipped on that repair. LOL
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Isn't that the Subaru that got a re ring and hone without splitting the cases? Its not the cars fault you got clipped on that repair. LOL


The repair is fine as it does not burn a drop of oil in 3.5k yet with new rings. If this lasts >=3 years for us the $3k feels well spent. All major maintenance is done for 100k miles. We are just changing oil and wife changes the air filter moving forward. It goes in for inspection and repairs(crossing fingers we are done).

The rings was a $500 boon doogle for hone/rings. Time will tell if the shortblock will hold up.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
The $900 timing belt job on that new Honda V6 vs $0 for chain maintenance on the H6 buys a lot of spark plug changes.
What you save on one job you loose on the other, thats applicable to almost any car.
Couldn't agree more. Just when it comes to the evergreen gasket job, you'll curse the timing chain. LOL
 
Originally Posted By: Y_K
Originally Posted By: Trav
The $900 timing belt job on that new Honda V6 vs $0 for chain maintenance on the H6 buys a lot of spark plug changes.
What you save on one job you loose on the other, thats applicable to almost any car.
Couldn't agree more. Just when it comes to the evergreen gasket job, you'll curse the timing chain. LOL


Oh i curse them all the time no matter what brand, they all have their sore points to some degree.
It takes me longer to change the plugs on some VW 4 bangers than it does to the timing belt. To do the belt its a few bolts and a very easy tensioner. The plugs can be a real PITA.
I am happy they didn't change this engine to a chain.
 
Getting back to the OP's question, for which he's never responded and has probably long forgotten.. LOL.

I've never seen, or heard of a real high mileage 3.6L, 5spd auto equipped Subaru product. Maybe they're there, but I would think it's rare. Not that this combo is bad, it's just larger, more complex, with much fewer on the road.

Like everyone has said, by and large, Subaru has made some long lasting, reliable vehicles. Things are changing a bit today IMO, now that Soob is jumping on the 'lets change everything up every ~2yrs' bandwagon.

There's some very unhappy ~2012+ FB20 owners out there these days with the crazy 0w20 oil consumption. Subaru has been trying some band-aids like over-filling the sumps and lowering the max OCI interval from 7500mi to 6000 to make this problem seem not so much like a problem.

I know even I was shocked when the low oil level light lit up on my new 2014 XV Crosstrek when it had ~1300 miles on the ODO. I added a qt, but it could have taken more. Since then, it uses some between ~6-7K OCIs, but no more than a qt or just over.

To me, it's not a 0w20 engine.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: JTK
Getting back to the OP's question, for which he's never responded and has probably long forgotten.. LOL.

I've never seen, or heard of a real high mileage 3.6L, 5spd auto equipped Subaru product. Maybe they're there, but I would think it's rare. Not that this combo is bad, it's just larger, more complex, with much fewer on the road.



The motor is 2010+ with 3.6L coupled to less than 20% uptake it is paltry in sales. The folks I know who buy 3.6L Subaru could easily afford a far more expensive vehicle cash however avoid the luxury brands so they drive Toyota, Honda, Subaru and GM.
 
Originally Posted By: Subdued
I have a 03 Forester in my driveway that spent its first 137,000 miles being neglected. Inconsistent oil changes, coolant never replaced, diff oil never replaced, pretty much no maintenance outside the sporadic oil changes, original plugs, etc

It's been in 3 different accidents, and only received enough repair to get back on the road.

The car still runs like new, all it needs is the timing belt and head gaskets at this point.

The car is seriously a freaking tank.


LOL that's what I have and they are! Mine had some small engine damage (1 connecting rod and exhaust valve replaced) and it's still running great.
 
Thanks for all of the replies to my question.I did not know that there was a problem with Subaru and oil consumption.Are these vehicals being broking in the right way?Which engine has more problems with oil consumption?Four or six cylinder.I know they have a 3.6/2.5 and a 2.0 engine.Joe
 
Originally Posted By: Dually
Thanks for all of the replies to my question.I did not know that there was a problem with Subaru and oil consumption.Are these vehicals being broking in the right way?Which engine has more problems with oil consumption?Four or six cylinder.I know they have a 3.6/2.5 and a 2.0 engine.Joe


The H6 is not known for the oil consumption issues nor the head gasket problems ever since 1988. I understand the new FB series with 2.0/2.5 have had some reports>>> http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/subaru-tsb-for-excessive-oil-consumption-1600566355
 
Originally Posted By: JTK
.

There's some very unhappy ~2012+ FB20 owners out there these days with the crazy 0w20 oil consumption. Subaru has been trying some band-aids like over-filling the sumps and lowering the max OCI interval from 7500mi to 6000 to make this problem seem not so much like a problem.

I know even I was shocked when the low oil level light lit up on my new 2014 XV Crosstrek when it had ~1300 miles on the ODO. I added a qt, but it could have taken more. Since then, it uses some between ~6-7K OCIs, but no more than a qt or just over.

To me, it's not a 0w20 engine.


It isn't a 0w20 engine. IMHO this is Toyota's arm twisting nothing more.
Toyota wants every engine sold in the US to be 0w20w engine so when they used the Subaru engine in their joint venture BRZ car they demanded 0w20w if the engine was designed for it or not.
The figured just like some people on this board that they can get away with running it in anything with pistons.

How would that play out if they spec 0w20 for their version and Subaru spec 5w30?
Imaging the Q&A sessions at the dealers and the warranty issues when the customer say he used 5w30 and Toyota denied the claim. The customer say "what Subaru says its okay and specs it and they built the engine". LOL

In Germany Toyota is backpedaling the 0w20 for the FB engine and allowing Euro spec 5w30 (HTHS 3.5g , Mobil 1) oil which brings it almost into Mobil 1 0w40 spec.
Subaru has never gone down the 0w20 road with the FB powered models in Germany because the BRZ isn't sold there, therefor no conflict, they spec a xw30.

I run Mobil 1 0w40 or Rotella T6 in the older ones and 5w30 in the newer ones. No problems.
I am sure i will beaten over the head for this post but thats my opinion and there is supporting circumstantial evidence that this is the case.
CAFE credits are worth a fortune to Toyota in the USA and they are going after as many as they can get even if in this case it (IMO) compromises the engine reliability somewhat.
 
Originally Posted By: BHopkins
From all the reviews that I've read, the CVT being used in the '15 Legacy/Outback is one of the best driving CVT designs out there. Many have commented that it would be difficult for all but the most trained driver to be able to tell between the CVT and a traditional AT.


It's the best of the CVTs I've driven, but, unless you put it in Manual mode, or have the Sport version with the fake 6- and 8-speed modes, you only have to hit the gas to realize it's a CVT and not a traditional auto. My girlfriend certainly noticed when we test-drove Imprezas and Foresters, at first she thought she'd done something wrong because the transmission wasn't shifting.

Also, it does seems more robust than some of the competitors. The only problem I've seen mentioned online is that some people have managed to drain the CVT when they thought they were draining the engine oil, which isn't cheap to fix (expensive fluid, and ideally refilled by the dealer to ensure the level is correct).
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top