In praise of my 2k Outback

[flaggerphil]

I have a 2018 Outback LTD I bought two years ago this month. It has 26k miles on it and is THE best car I've ever owned. I turn 69 this month and I really hope it will be the last car I need.

My wife has a 2018 Forrester Touring we bought at the same time and loves it.

[Murphy Slaw]

We looked at the Subaru's back in 2015 but the closest dealer was over an hour away, and his salesman left a very bad first impression. The next closest dealer is well over 2 hours away.

We stuck with the Mopar/Jeep brand for the wife, her last Dodge Caravan ran up to 167,000 trouble free miles before we swapped it. Her 2015 Jeep Patriot has over 100,000 miles and has been bulletproof. And is All Wheel Drive. I've driven 4X4 Ram trucks for years with very good service.

We would consider Subaru again if there was a dealer near by.

[GHS]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Personally, I'm not a fan. We had a 2006 Outback LE wagon (V6 AWD) and I never liked it. I always felt like it stayed in 2nd gear way too long, making it feel like I was driving a lawnmower. More notable though was that it was too small for a family of 4, it got lousy gas mileage, and it wore out two sets of front tires. In reading about the issues I learned that defective tie rod ends were a frequent complaint but not to the point of there being a recall and quite frankly I wasn't going to put any more money into it.

I have a friend who is an auto buyer who helped me calculate its true trade-in value (hint: KBB is NOT the standard) and we got $13K for it in a trade for a 2010 Honda Odyssey ES (base model) which now has 115K miles and has been reliable for an entire decade.

My next vehicle will likely be a Toyota.

Before I bought my Subaru I was talking with a couple Subaru mechanics at a local diner. When asked which they liked best they said stay with the flat four, less trouble with them than the six cylinder model. Other than that most of them run trouble free. When you buy your Toyota remember...they own Subaru and lots of technology crosses over.

[MikeBmusic]

I've got a 2018 Outback I got the week after Christmas almost 2 years ago. 43K miles on it already (roadtrips to Nova Scotia, Tennessee and Atlanta in the last 18 months).
This morning, with 9" of fresh snow, I just drove across the unplowed parking lot snow in font of me, no shoveling - YEAH!
Dealer said tires are the replacement depth already - really? seems like pretty low mileage. Wondering about others' experiences with tires on Outbacks.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by GHS

Before I bought my Subaru I was talking with a couple Subaru mechanics at a local diner. When asked which they liked best they said stay with the flat four, less trouble with them than the six cylinder model. Other than that most of them run trouble free. When you buy your Toyota remember...they own Subaru and lots of technology crosses over.

Earlier - GM in trouble times - Toyota bought GM's small stake in Fuji Heavy Industries. Earlier this fall I recall news stating Toyota now owns around 20% and I also believe the company is now known as Subaru and not FHI.

Earlier models with automatic transmissions were not as sophisticated as the competition but my neighbor with the area's premier foreign car repair specialty place insists those were reliable.

You started seeing Toyota electronics in the 3 generations old Outbacks that became well done mid-sized vehicles. My loyalist friends and local dealer confirm that generation of boxer engine has fewer head gasket issues.

Same neighbor mentioned and an aircraft mechanic I know point out how the boxers are perfect imperfect all at once. You have more castings to achieve that flat smooth engine. My brother the private pilot will point out characteristics common with the Lycoming and Subaru engines.

Some friends are frustrated about no more 6 cyl Outbacks but that engine didn't get the updates the 4s have. Now they have a thoroughly modern 4 with a turbo and more tow capacity with the CVT transmission.

I smile with Flaggerphil's comments because a typical year of FL driving won't expose one of the reasons Subarus have become so popular where I live or where family and friends are in mountains.

KevWind probably knows this. When Subarus started getting more popular I was spending up to a few months in the Tetons. Friends in Driggs had an Outback and 4x4 Dodge with a turbo diesel. It would be fun to watch Bob's wife in the Outback get ahead with every turn going up the pass.

Comments on dealers are interesting too. Mine has become one of the biggest in the country. They had a reputation as crappiest dealer regardless of make and admit the Subaru sales growth has forced them to become much better. They're across from a huge Toyota dealer. They were saying all they needed to do to sell an Outback was have someone drive a RAV4 around the same curves first.

My hope is no need to buy any new vehicle for 3-5 years. We'd like a BEV for the mostly short distance chasing we do and petrol powered vehicle for other trips. If you check out a Tesla you'll know the low center of gravity people like with a Subaru powertrain.

[Skarsaune]

Mountains of East TN / W NC here....and every other car is a Subaru, including the '07 Impreza in our driveway and the '18 CrossTrek in mom's.

Looking at adding an Outback shortly to replace our main vehicle, a 2013 Ford Escape that's about to hit 230K miles. Can't complain about the Ford but really like the Subaru AWD.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by KenL

....I live in small-town Colorado, and about every third car up here is an Outback.....

We'll be moving up to north Idaho so we went with something seriously off-road capable....

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by GHS

Before I bought my Subaru I was talking with a couple Subaru mechanics at a local diner. When asked which they liked best they said stay with the flat four, less trouble with them than the six cylinder model. Other than that most of them run trouble free. When you buy your Toyota remember...they own Subaru and lots of technology crosses over.

Food for thought. My father in law seems to be enamored with his third Toyota Highlander and I've been looking at used Tacomas - though bear in mind most of the reviews I read say that the 150hp straight 4 is considered to be underpowered. While a 4 cylinder makes a certain amount of sense as a rule I do not like them and need the extra power that V6s provide. I live in southwestern Pennsylvania and even in urban Pittsburgh the roads share many qualities with mountainside goat paths; they are narrow, windy and often very steep. There are simply too many hills and busy intersections on uphill grades that make having a 4 cylinder a liability. In fact, I'd qualify the roads as being outright terrible and the other drivers aggressive. There's usually somebody right on my rear bumper and I can't afford to roll backward even a couple of inches. I don't consider myself to be an aggressive driver, but there are times when I need to romp on the gas and cut the wheel so that I don't impede traffic - and I know the havoc that that action plays on drive axles and CV joints.

BTW, the best car I ever owned was actually a Chevy. I inherited it from my uncle who religiously changed the oil every 2500 miles. It was actually his old company car and it had no frills whatsoever. It was a 1988 Corsica (sedan) with a 2.0L 4 cyl with a 5 speed manual transaxle. It was lightweight (800 pounds soaking wet,) it had 13 inch tires and no tachometer - just a bright yellow SHIFT! light that he covered with a piece of duct tape because when it would come on to prompt you to work the clutch it was actually a distraction. When I moved to Pittsburgh every green light was an adventure. After spinning out on a stretch of black ice I opted to get rid of it. At the time it was about 10 years old and had 208,000 miles.

[GHS]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

I've got a 2018 Outback I got the week after Christmas almost 2 years ago. 43K miles on it already (roadtrips to Nova Scotia, Tennessee and Atlanta in the last 18 months).
This morning, with 9" of fresh snow, I just drove across the unplowed parking lot snow in font of me, no shoveling - YEAH!
Dealer said tires are the replacement depth already - really? seems like pretty low mileage. Wondering about others' experiences with tires on Outbacks.

Tire wear at that rate not unusual. Im a conservative driver and the stock Yokohama's that came on my Forester I replaced at around 33/38k. They do ride the best, are quiet and give great traction on the pavement and snow. The price you pay is softer compound ( possibly?). but the they are great tires. I would be careful about changing brands. I had a Mustang GT that came with BF Goodrich TA radials. They rode like stone tires. Switched out to Nitto ( owned by Toyo) and it was a different car, quiet, smooth, stuck to the road like glue. That was a good change, does not always work that way.

[GHS]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Food for thought. My father in law seems to be enamored with his third Toyota Highlander and I've been looking at used Tacomas - though bear in mind most of the reviews I read say that the 150hp straight 4 is considered to be underpowered. While a 4 cylinder makes a certain amount of sense as a rule I do not like them and need the extra power that V6s provide. I live in southwestern Pennsylvania and even in urban Pittsburgh the roads share many qualities with mountainside goat paths; they are narrow, windy and often very steep. There are simply too many hills and busy intersections on uphill grades that make having a 4 cylinder a liability. In fact, I'd qualify the roads as being outright terrible and the other drivers aggressive. There's usually somebody right on my rear bumper and I can't afford to roll backward even a couple of inches. I don't consider myself to be an aggressive driver, but there are times when I need to romp on the gas and cut the wheel so that I don't impede traffic - and I know the havoc that that action plays on drive axles and CV joints.

BTW, the best car I ever owned was actually a Chevy. I inherited it from my uncle who religiously changed the oil every 2500 miles. It was actually his old company car and it had no frills whatsoever. It was a 1988 Corsica (sedan) with a 2.0L 4 cyl with a 5 speed manual transaxle. It was lightweight (800 pounds soaking wet,) it had 13 inch tires and no tachometer - just a bright yellow SHIFT! light that he covered with a piece of duct tape because when it would come on to prompt you to work the clutch it was actually a distraction. When I moved to Pittsburgh every green light was an adventure. After spinning out on a stretch of black ice I opted to get rid of it. At the time it was about 10 years old and had 208,000 miles.

In south/central Utah where my friends live ( Moab, Green River, Price). Toyota Tacoma's and Jeeps rule the desert area. They are like mice all over the place. Not many Subarus out there for way off/primitive road driving, they cant take it. Pickup favorites seem to be Rams as the truck of choice. not Chevy or Ford country. In the northeast ( Maine, Vermont, ) Volvos and Subarus are all over too. Good for the travel people do there, snow covered roads, not high desert rock trails. We'll see how my Forester goes, got 52k on it now and besides and brakes and rear rotors it seems okay.

[JCave]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

I've got a 2018 Outback I got the week after Christmas almost 2 years ago. 43K miles on it already (roadtrips to Nova Scotia, Tennessee and Atlanta in the last 18 months).
This morning, with 9" of fresh snow, I just drove across the unplowed parking lot snow in font of me, no shoveling - YEAH!
Dealer said tires are the replacement depth already - really? seems like pretty low mileage. Wondering about others' experiences with tires on Outbacks.

Our first was Turbo wagon in 1984. It came with all season Bridgestone. Those lasted for about 60k miles in primarily city driving. Having just replaced our first set of Nokians on the '11, they lasted about 40k. I was told to expect the same from the new set. Which doesn't seem like much but they drive so well in the rain, snow, and rutted highways... Yes, we did trade mileage for performance. I'll take a safer driving tire any day.

Ah but the 'ru is the wife's car. I love my old Super Duty. Almost 20 years old...

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by GHS

When you buy your Toyota remember...they own Subaru and lots of technology crosses over.

...well not exactly...Toyota owns a stake in Subaru....I’ve heard figures between 8.7 and 16 percent...with plans to acquire up to 20 percent.....what’s true is that they are and have been collaborating on projects which I think is a plus for both companies and their customers....

[Pura Vida]

Jayhawk, lots of great memories in your Scooby Doo. I had a similar experience with a pair of Mitsubishi Galants that we purchased in 2002. Mine was driven every mile of both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and they were both driven cross-country, when we moved west in 2003.

Both cars required very few repairs (maintenance is the key!), and when work was required, we always measured it in terms of a car payment. $500 repair? One month, no problem. In 2015, we traded in both cars b/c the leather interior had begun to shrink from the hot CA sun, but mechanically, they could have kept going for another 13 years. Both cars were paid off in 2005, so we had 10 years without a car payment, which was nice too!

We traded them in for two used Mercedes-Benz vehicles. My wife's was fine, but mine was horribly problematic. I spent over $6500 on repairs and maintenance in a 12 month period, so in 2018, we traded again... for 2013 Lexus RX 350 and a 2015 Acura TLX. In 20 months, their combined maintenance is <$300 and repair free. Happy again!

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by GHS

Tire wear at that rate not unusual. Im a conservative driver and the stock Yokohama's that came on my Forester I replaced at around 33/38k. They do ride the best, are quiet and give great traction on the pavement and snow. The price you pay is softer compound ( possibly?). but the they are great tires. I would be careful about changing brands. I had a Mustang GT that came with BF Goodrich TA radials. They rode like stone tires. Switched out to Nitto ( owned by Toyo) and it was a different car, quiet, smooth, stuck to the road like glue. That was a good change, does not always work that way.

Yikes, I'm used to getting 50K+ miles on tires (been driving 4WD Nissan for many years).
Looking at the Continental CrossContact LX25, but not sure how long they will last.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

Yikes, I'm used to getting 50K+ miles on tires (been driving 4WD Nissan for many years).
Looking at the Continental CrossContact LX25, but not sure how long they will last.

I know many who've said this and our latest car proved most all OEM tires do not last long these days. We made a claim with Michelin because my wife's high end tires had such poor life even for performance tires. Michelin and Toyota customer service both said her OEM and OER (replacement) with same model name are different tires. The replacement are lasting longer.

For Conti, there's no comparison except for brand between the ones that came on my Outback and the replacements I got for it. I went with a model that had top crowd-sourced ratings and am happy.

A few times now I've used Tire Rack's crowd-sourced ratings and those top rated tires have been good. Some dealers' tire sites are just Tire Rack.