Went to a sports event for my kids in Massachusetts a week ago. I must have seen 300 Subaru's in one weekend. What gives with these cars? I have never even ridden in one and was wondering what is the appeal?
Subaru question
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Originally Posted By: Doog
Went to a sports event for my kids in Massachusetts a week ago. I must have seen 300 Subaru's in one weekend. What gives with these cars? I have never even ridden in one and was wondering what is the appeal?
Inexpensive AWD car. They also offered the most reliable AWD wagon for the longest time as Euro could not touch a candle to them. Forester has always been decent and recently it and Outback are more mainstream so they sell like mad.
My wife has a 2005 Legacy GT wagon with manual transmission/250HP turbo and its a hoot to drive(grown up's WRX). The rest of them with non-turbo motors she/I don't get it either.
Were you in a college town? They especially appeal to academia folks.
I am the neigbor to a owner of local dealership. He does not even drive one
Went to a sports event for my kids in Massachusetts a week ago. I must have seen 300 Subaru's in one weekend. What gives with these cars? I have never even ridden in one and was wondering what is the appeal?
Inexpensive AWD car. They also offered the most reliable AWD wagon for the longest time as Euro could not touch a candle to them. Forester has always been decent and recently it and Outback are more mainstream so they sell like mad.
My wife has a 2005 Legacy GT wagon with manual transmission/250HP turbo and its a hoot to drive(grown up's WRX). The rest of them with non-turbo motors she/I don't get it either.
Were you in a college town? They especially appeal to academia folks.
I am the neigbor to a owner of local dealership. He does not even drive one
Haven't you heard, "Love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru". I think kids today have weird, almost feminine tastes in cars. I guess if you want an AWD they're good for that. A turbo with AWD would make sense to me in a western mountaneous region.
AWD and well made in Japan w/o the price being ludricious. Motor is very torquey with a great suspension.
BSW
BSW
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Originally Posted By: rjundi
Were you in a college town? They especially appeal to academia folks.
Yes, U MASS Amherst....every other car was a Prius or Subaru.
Were you in a college town? They especially appeal to academia folks.
Yes, U MASS Amherst....every other car was a Prius or Subaru.
Pretty easy to work on too. Nothin like a taurus of fwd gm.
the Seattle area is flooded with them. here the resale value is great. Lot of people make fun of it as a lesbians car, but the amount of Subarus I see at gun matches is interesting.
Very popular here in the West as well. Especially in the coastal and mountain areas. Oh and also in the desert communities. Great vehicles!
Very popular make here in AZ and whenever I vacation in CO I see a lot on the roads.
Why doesn't the OP just test drive one at a dealer?
Why doesn't the OP just test drive one at a dealer?
Very reasonably priced cars to begin with, and then you realize that they all have AWD. Awesome in the winters, and the Outbacks have ridiculous ground clearance. Having used to own one, and now a Legacy, there wasn't much to complain about.
Most people, including my mom, think they drive great. I however, personally can't stand driving our Legacy. It's hard to feel the road and it seems to wander, especially as I'm used to my Passat. Most don't care though, or can't tell the difference.
I love how everything is so simply made around the car. Plenty of room to work under the hood and a minimal amount of components.
Most people, including my mom, think they drive great. I however, personally can't stand driving our Legacy. It's hard to feel the road and it seems to wander, especially as I'm used to my Passat. Most don't care though, or can't tell the difference.
I love how everything is so simply made around the car. Plenty of room to work under the hood and a minimal amount of components.
The rear suspension rusts badly.They eat radiators and head gaskets,and catalytic converters are a constant problem (dont use aftermarket).The main claim to fame is pricing with AWD.Nobody else makes as cheap an AWD as they do.There is a reason why..
Originally Posted By: Doog
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Were you in a college town? They especially appeal to academia folks.
Yes, U MASS Amherst....every other car was a Prius or Subaru.
My brother in law is a prof. there. He and many peers mostly drive them. It is the new Volvo it seems.
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Were you in a college town? They especially appeal to academia folks.
Yes, U MASS Amherst....every other car was a Prius or Subaru.
My brother in law is a prof. there. He and many peers mostly drive them. It is the new Volvo it seems.
We've had our 2006 Outback for 7 years/130,000 miles, and it's been completely reliable. The AWD is great for Iowa snow, especially in our rural area. Maintenance has been minimal-it's never "eaten" a radiator, never had a head gasket problem, and the entire exhaust system is original. There's no rust anywhere.
It's been a solid car so far, and I fully expect to keep it for another 7 years before we consider replacing it. And to top it off, my wife consistently gets 30 MPG since most of our driving is rural. It's a 5 speed manual and she has a conservative foot.
It's been a solid car so far, and I fully expect to keep it for another 7 years before we consider replacing it. And to top it off, my wife consistently gets 30 MPG since most of our driving is rural. It's a 5 speed manual and she has a conservative foot.
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The rear suspension rusts badly.They eat radiators and head gaskets,and catalytic converters are a constant problem (dont use aftermarket).The main claim to fame is pricing with AWD.Nobody else makes as cheap an AWD as they do.There is a reason why..
You are speaking of the 12yr-15 ownership in northern new england not the normal life. My family has had 1 of 10 hit headgasket at 250,000 miles and sold it for $3000 privately with that issue ($1000 to correct with versed independent). Rust only happened in northern new england in my sis in law's experience up in northern VT. It typically condems them for her not the engine or transmission or awd.
Radiators never changed in my family's 12 of them with youngest 06/100k miles - 98/200k miles. My wife's Legacy turbo no radiator change however it likely does not share parts and is devoid of head gasket problems.
I think head gasket maybe hits 20% of them,overblown problem like failing Honda transmission etc.
The rear suspension rusts badly.They eat radiators and head gaskets,and catalytic converters are a constant problem (dont use aftermarket).The main claim to fame is pricing with AWD.Nobody else makes as cheap an AWD as they do.There is a reason why..
You are speaking of the 12yr-15 ownership in northern new england not the normal life. My family has had 1 of 10 hit headgasket at 250,000 miles and sold it for $3000 privately with that issue ($1000 to correct with versed independent). Rust only happened in northern new england in my sis in law's experience up in northern VT. It typically condems them for her not the engine or transmission or awd.
Radiators never changed in my family's 12 of them with youngest 06/100k miles - 98/200k miles. My wife's Legacy turbo no radiator change however it likely does not share parts and is devoid of head gasket problems.
I think head gasket maybe hits 20% of them,overblown problem like failing Honda transmission etc.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Haven't you heard, "Love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru". I think kids today have weird, almost feminine tastes in cars. I guess if you want an AWD they're good for that. A turbo with AWD would make sense to me in a western mountaneous region.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Haven't you heard, "Love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru". I think kids today have weird, almost feminine tastes in cars. I guess if you want an AWD they're good for that. A turbo with AWD would make sense to me in a western mountaneous region.
Exactly!
Haven't you heard, "Love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru". I think kids today have weird, almost feminine tastes in cars. I guess if you want an AWD they're good for that. A turbo with AWD would make sense to me in a western mountaneous region.
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Haven't you heard, "Love, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru". I think kids today have weird, almost feminine tastes in cars. I guess if you want an AWD they're good for that. A turbo with AWD would make sense to me in a western mountaneous region.
Exactly!
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
We've had our 2006 Outback for 7 years/130,000 miles, and it's been completely reliable. The AWD is great for Iowa snow, especially in our rural area. Maintenance has been minimal-it's never "eaten" a radiator, never had a head gasket problem, and the entire exhaust system is original. There's no rust anywhere.
It's been a solid car so far, and I fully expect to keep it for another 7 years before we consider replacing it. And to top it off, my wife consistently gets 30 MPG since most of our driving is rural. It's a 5 speed manual and she has a conservative foot.
Question: have you done anything in regards to rust-proofing? Oil coating, regular washing... or just not living in a salt state? IMO, Subaru seems to have a bit less than the world's greatest rust protection, which leads to problems in New England. May or may not be the fault of the car, depending upon how you look at it.
I think my parents had to have some large portion of rear suspension on their '04 Forrester replaced around the 6 year mark. 150kmiles? Beats me. It lived its life in southern Maine, and the mechanic in Kentucky said he'd never seen corrosion like that. To the car's credit, dad does very little washing the car etc, and it never had oil coating done on it. Dad has always griped about the mpg, the 4spd auto shifts hard occasionally and he was never able to get more than 25mpg out of it (he can get 27 out of his V6 Alero though). OTOH, AFAIK it's still the original headgasket and wheelbearings, and I'm pretty sure he liked the AWD when he lived in Maine.
I wouldn't mind a Subaru but even at 30mpg it's kinda low, IMO. Unless if I could score a low rust one cheaply.
We've had our 2006 Outback for 7 years/130,000 miles, and it's been completely reliable. The AWD is great for Iowa snow, especially in our rural area. Maintenance has been minimal-it's never "eaten" a radiator, never had a head gasket problem, and the entire exhaust system is original. There's no rust anywhere.
It's been a solid car so far, and I fully expect to keep it for another 7 years before we consider replacing it. And to top it off, my wife consistently gets 30 MPG since most of our driving is rural. It's a 5 speed manual and she has a conservative foot.
Question: have you done anything in regards to rust-proofing? Oil coating, regular washing... or just not living in a salt state? IMO, Subaru seems to have a bit less than the world's greatest rust protection, which leads to problems in New England. May or may not be the fault of the car, depending upon how you look at it.
I think my parents had to have some large portion of rear suspension on their '04 Forrester replaced around the 6 year mark. 150kmiles? Beats me. It lived its life in southern Maine, and the mechanic in Kentucky said he'd never seen corrosion like that. To the car's credit, dad does very little washing the car etc, and it never had oil coating done on it. Dad has always griped about the mpg, the 4spd auto shifts hard occasionally and he was never able to get more than 25mpg out of it (he can get 27 out of his V6 Alero though). OTOH, AFAIK it's still the original headgasket and wheelbearings, and I'm pretty sure he liked the AWD when he lived in Maine.
I wouldn't mind a Subaru but even at 30mpg it's kinda low, IMO. Unless if I could score a low rust one cheaply.
The 2014s have better MPGs, but my Forester tops out at 28. I didn't buy it for that. It's very simple, has a good AWD system that's split 50/50 front/rear, and does very well in the snow (especially with all-terrain tires - ha).
They're so popular in New England because of their reliability, winter performance, and relatively low cost compared to other AWD options. I really wanted to replace my Tacoma with a new 4Runner, but couldn't justify the cost.
They're so popular in New England because of their reliability, winter performance, and relatively low cost compared to other AWD options. I really wanted to replace my Tacoma with a new 4Runner, but couldn't justify the cost.
I have owned a 1999 2.5 RS, a 2005 wrx wagon and now a 2001 Forester. All manual transmissions.
Very much enjoy the 50/50 awd (Manual models only) and I generally average 31mpg on a Pittsburgh to New York (302 miles) trip. These cars rip through snow better than some true 4x4s --Yes, even a Buffalo winter
The head-gasket issue is REAL. (Happened to my 1999 RS at 85K) But I have yet to see any statics to give a true number or percentage of cars effected. (Anyone know where to look that up?!)
Several independent Subaru specialist mechanics think its related to the several factors including: Battery corrosion (improperly grounded electrics) poor fuel and a basic design flaw of boxer motor. Though apparently the head-gasket failure happens less frequently in Japan and Europe which makes me think it could be -in part-related to ethanol in the fuel, eating away at the gasket materials... I could be wrong though. Also tends to happen on the 2.5 motor and not the 2.0 found on the WRX.
Preventative maintenance includes using the Subaru "radiator conditioning fluid" at the time of a radiator fluid change. -Its only $10 locally. Also, most specialists mechanics say to run premium fuel even in the NA motor.
Very much enjoy the 50/50 awd (Manual models only) and I generally average 31mpg on a Pittsburgh to New York (302 miles) trip. These cars rip through snow better than some true 4x4s --Yes, even a Buffalo winter
The head-gasket issue is REAL. (Happened to my 1999 RS at 85K) But I have yet to see any statics to give a true number or percentage of cars effected. (Anyone know where to look that up?!)
Several independent Subaru specialist mechanics think its related to the several factors including: Battery corrosion (improperly grounded electrics) poor fuel and a basic design flaw of boxer motor. Though apparently the head-gasket failure happens less frequently in Japan and Europe which makes me think it could be -in part-related to ethanol in the fuel, eating away at the gasket materials... I could be wrong though. Also tends to happen on the 2.5 motor and not the 2.0 found on the WRX.
Preventative maintenance includes using the Subaru "radiator conditioning fluid" at the time of a radiator fluid change. -Its only $10 locally. Also, most specialists mechanics say to run premium fuel even in the NA motor.
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