Subaru Outback

[RWebb]

the wagon version that is...

any tips on these things?

do the valves drop and destroy the motor if you don't replace the cam belt? what has to be done at 50k, 100k etc.? does it even have a cam belt??

how is the auto trans. on the things?

what years got ESC? (electronic stability-control)

any good FAQ on them - where?

[dd74]

One of my favorite cars. Haven't heard of a single issue with one. I'd get the turbo diesel if/when it comes out.

[R390]

Check out with the local subaru dealer other wise.

there are a couple of recalls on them for engine problems for the USA versions but as for the rest of the car its solid.

as for the motor, its a timming belt motor and its really important its changed before on on when its due.

[Skytrooper]

The Outback timing belt is due at 105,000. I have a 2000 and a 2003 and both got timing belts at that time. I have never, ever had a problem with either and the both have over 130k. They are good solid...safe cars. I wrecked the 2000 in 2002. It had over 10k in damage. The car was still worth about 18k so the insurance company wouldn't total it. Believe me this car looked totalled, and then some, but all the doors still worked flawlessly and none of my family had so much as a bruise. That is why I bought the 2003..safety. Oh...the 2000...you would never know it had been in an accident. It drives as good as it did on day one.

[jwasbury]

Lots of people love them...as you have already seen. Suby was the official car of Vermont back when I lived there. It was practically state law that you own one

I bought a 1997 brand new back in the day. It was a lemon. Within 600 miles, a crucial bolt that holds together the front suspension linkage and steering knuckle assembly fell out and the front wheel sort of folded under the car as I went around a corner. Luckily I wasn't blasting through the twisties near my home otherwise I might have lost control of the car and been in an accident. As it was the car had to be flat bedded back to the dealer because the front axle shafts were bent to hell. I drove it for 2 years after that, about 35k miles and in that time, it needed to have the brake pads and cheapo pot-metal rotors replaced twice due to warping. I do not ride my brakes, so to me that was complete BS and unacceptable. I traded it on a GMC suburban right about when it got the 2nd set of new rotors. The GMC, by the way, went for 70-80k before needing any brake work, and that was with a lot of towing too.

Maybe the quality has improved. I think that the chassis and drivetrain was pretty solid but the rest of the car had a micron thin veneer of quality, especially fit and finish. I don't think I could ever bring myself to buy one again.

Your results may vary.

[lendaddy]

[Dottore]

No tips.

But all of my neighbors seem to have one.

Maybe they're all lesbians.

Who knew?

[Big Ed]

They are a good place to display your bumper stickers as you block the left lane at 5MPH under the posted limit.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I had a 2000 I think with the 6 cylinder which was a new engine for them at the time. Brakes were a POS, had huge fights with the dealer over that issue, rotors were constantly warping, every 4-6k, them accusing me of riding them. WTF, I had a 96 Explorer that would go 40,000 miles with no problems on a set of pads. Finally sold it. My kids hated the back seat, very small. Tons of them in the PNW and generally I think they have a good reputation. If you don't need the AWD though I'd look at something that gets better MPG.

[azasadny]

Yep, I thought only women who wear big watches and flannel shirts own those...

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

I had a 2000 I think with the 6 cylinder which was a new engine for them at the time. Brakes were a POS, had huge fights with the dealer over that issue, rotors were constantly warping, every 4-6k, them accusing me of riding them. WTF, I had a 96 Explorer that would go 40,000 miles with no problems on a set of pads. Finally sold it. My kids hated the back seat, very small. Tons of them in the PNW and generally I think they have a good reputation. If you don't need the AWD though I'd look at something that gets better MPG.

Very true about the brakes !!!

[john walker's workshop]

no problems with the wife's '02 6 cylinder. timing chain on those. no brake warpage yet. 40K on it. had a '96 4 cylinder previously, which developed a shudder/knocking that resembled CV joint issues, but i eventually traced it to the rear cover on the auto trans, with help from a friend who was a dealer tech. never would have figured that one out.

[vash]

that forester ad cracks me up. i piss my wife off with it all the time. her forester is great. shifter is like stirring pasta, and the suspension is truck like, in a bad way. i still love it. it feels very dependable, if that even makes sense.

we were torn between the current car and the outback. the outback was significantly more expensive, but felt great. it had a momo wheel with paddle shifters. if you dont need the ground clearance, i think you should get the legacy. there is this guy that does occasional track days with his. he unloads all this family stuff, baby seat, etc. and runs in the advance group. watching him chase red italian sports cars with his blue legacy is a hoot. he is a fast dude.

[dd74]

I've never seen more Subarus than in Santa Fe, NM. They must be the state car.

Meanwhile, saw only one Porsche. Makes sense as the highest octane available in NM seems to be only 90.

[RWebb]

well, there are tons of 'em here - a good reason to buy one
I could give a ___ what some moron thinks re "style" or "lifestyle" - around here every long-hair and every lesbian can run a chainsaw...

How well do the CV's hold up? When are they due for maintenance?

I also hear

I'm interested in these things 'cuz they are cheap (relatively) and are supposed to be good in snow. But how good are they in snow??

Also, they are supposed to be quieter on the hwy than my current Pilot and will have better gas mileages (which won't hurt when it hits $5/gallon in 2-3 years)...

Apparently, the 2000 & up ones fixed many issues the earlier ones had. The one thing seems to be.... that earlier DOHC motors had some head gasket issues, so you should get a later SOHC motor -- when was that?

I also hear that the 2.5L motors have much more torque. I figure this thing is gonna be pretty gutless no matter what... but the other option is Lexass RX model and those will not be cheap... I was looking at one yesterday at the snowpark trailhead. It does not have a good step in it for my dog to jump into the back - so for that it will be worse than my Pilot. They are one of the better looking wagons tho, and can be had with AWD.

Any thing else I should consider? BMW wagons handle real well but you'd need the X AWD setup on it.

MB 4matic?

[VincentVega]

If you are looking at Subby's make sure you look at a Forester. ~04-05 had a turbo 2.5. Tons of upgrades if you want more HP, but a ton of fun as is.

[dd74]

Ummmm....lesbians running chainsaws....

Oops! What was the question again?

Are you buying new or used? New, the Subaru comes with a warranty, so why worry about CVs and what not? At the end of three years - or whatever the warranty is - get a new one.

Now, if you're after cool one-of-a-kind stuff, nothing in 4WD is cooler than a Scout:



or a Scout II with 400 hp and a Dana 60 Rear End.

[RWebb]

used

I'm not after a play toy - want something for hwy use - winter skiiing in the backcountry & trips onto dirt/gravel/etc. roads nearby.

[dd74]

My idea, in that regard, is to get the relatively simplest and cost effective newer vehicle, which IMO, would be the Subaru.

Now, I don't know about your area, but down here, Ford is heavily discounting last year's Explorers. I saw an Eddie Bauer (i.e. fully loaded) AWD Explorer for about $25K at the dealer. I'm mentioning this only because it comes with a good warranty, and to be honest, they're very capable and strong vehicles. Their highway mileage isn't too bad, IIRC. I think low to mid 20s mpg wise.

[RWebb]

I used to own an Exploder - $2.5k might be overpriced...

Besides I bet I can get an old Sube for $10k.