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John Morton
climber
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Apr 26, 2014 - 12:29pm PT
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I had a 99 Subaru Legacy GT from 2003 until it died in about 2011.
head gasket set me back 3k.
When my clutch went out at 185K I had the head gaskets changed at the same time as a defensive measure. This saves a lot on labor, merging two expensive jobs.
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caughtinside
Social climber
Oakland, CA
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Apr 26, 2014 - 12:41pm PT
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The tdi Jetta wagon is getting released with awd/4motion this year
At least that's what I read on the internet.
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tarallo
Trad climber
italy
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Apr 27, 2014 - 04:39am PT
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I own a subaru outback boxer diesel lineartronic . i love it
150 hp very low fuel consuption
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Apr 27, 2014 - 07:59pm PT
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Wish we got a diesel here, Ive heard of folks getting nearly 700 miles on a tank in those.
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Apr 27, 2014 - 08:06pm PT
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Yep, subarus are getting bigger, and the styling is changing. They are having to adjust to their buyers and focus groups. Gotta give people what they want, they are having consistently record sales. Hopefully they can cater to the common denominator enough to start making niche vehicles like they used to. If we want cool vehicles from them, they have to have their bread and butter.
Im not a fan of the outback's styling currently, the 2015 is slightly better. The one saving grace I do like is the interior has become cavernous while the exterior dimensions havent grown. not sure about the 2015 though.
Legacy wagon is gone, but legacy sedan is still here to stay. They make a wagon out of the new impreza platform for japan called the levorg that could easily be a replacement for the legacy wagon, both are for sale in Japan. It would definitely fill the void that is left where the legacy wagon used to be. Unlikely to come to the states though. We still have shown them by our buying habits and marketing/classification stupidity that we dont want wagons. They dont classify the outback as a wagon, which is unfortunate, because we cant see that its just a legacy wagon with a body lift and body cladding and larger wheel outside diameter.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 27, 2014 - 10:59pm PT
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Don't know about the new ones be we have an older Forester and Outback and love them. All wheel drive is awesome in snow country.
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Ben Emery
Trad climber
Australia via Bay Area via Australia...
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Apr 27, 2014 - 11:14pm PT
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I agree with a few of the comments above suggesting the Outback seems to be becoming more of a luxury wagon.
I have a 2010 model Forester (base model, no frills, manual transmission) which drives well and has been completely trouble-free for us (just clicked over 100K kilometers).
About the only thing I don't like about it is the new body is higher than the older models, making it harder to get the kayaks on the roof.
Oh, and my daughter complains that it smells, but I think that may have something to do with the climbing gear usually in the back and her discarded apple cores under the seat.
Other than that, no hesitations recommending them at all.
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tooth
Trad climber
B.C.
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Apr 28, 2014 - 08:49am PT
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I'm on my second Outback.
They last forever.
I still have snow in my yard, as of April 28. It first fell and stayed middle of October. So I drive in snow almost every day for 6 months.
Compared to my 4Runner - well, it doesn't fell like there is snow because it handles so well - even better at high speeds on the highway. The only situation the 4Runner is better is deep snow (3-4') because the 4Runner has more clearance.
As far as off-roading the 4Runner is better because I have the offroad version. But getting to climbing areas in the Outback in the US is no problem - Canada's roads are usually deactivated logging roads which the outback handles well too.
I can sleep in the back of my outback - stretch out and I'm 6'2". Not in the 4Runner.
Gas is 50% the cost of the 4Runner, as are tires, as was the purchase price.
So yeah, I would buy one again, once I put another 200,000 miles on this one.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Apr 28, 2014 - 10:57am PT
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The tdi Jetta wagon is getting released with awd/4motion this year
At least that's what I read on the internet.
This would be awesome. VW reliability is not quite as good as Subaru, but I'd love to have the diesel mileage and AWD.
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FGD135
Social climber
Boulder Canyon Colorado
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Apr 28, 2014 - 11:47am PT
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I drove (used) Toyota Tercel 4x4 wagons for over 17 years;, went thru three of them, always kept a spare parts car, and they were overall great little climbing/ski trip wagons, lots of room, easy to repair. I put a total of over 700k miles altogether;the last one I owned made it to 334,000 miles on the original engine, after replacing the manual tranny with a used one at 297k miles. I loved those cars, even if they were underpowered and rusted at the slightest drop of a hat.
That being said, the last one finally wouldn't pass emissions without an engine overhaul. I looked around seriously at small SUVs and eventually bought a new Forester, a 2012, and am very pleased with the decision. It's no speed demon, but can easily pull up I70 to the Ike Tunnel at the speed limit or above, and transitions to dirt roads with 6-8" of fresh snow driving into winter backcountry trailheads.
Audi wagon/crossovers are faster, probably the Volvo crossovers are too, but this thing is reliable and holds a pile of stuff. Summer highway mileage is about 31-33 mpg in Colorado mountains. I've not driven the 2014 with the new engine and longer wheelbase, but I would consider it if I needed another car.
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tarallo
Trad climber
italy
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Apr 28, 2014 - 12:00pm PT
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i can run 900 or more km with a full of diesel it is fantastic!!!
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Barbarian
climber
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Apr 28, 2014 - 12:01pm PT
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Just back from a weekend trip from the OC to Lompoc and the Santa Ynez Valley and back. 2014 Outback loaded with 3 people, luggage, chairs, ice chest, and a roof mounted moutain bike. Lots of extra room. My son commented that he (6' tall) could sit in the back with his helmet on and still had headroom to spare.
Weather was high winds most of the way. Traffic was LA standard until Santa Barabara - not highway conditions. Drove over San Marcos pass instead of highway 101.
Car handled like a dream on all roads; plenty of power. I coulodn't feel the bike on top, but could hear the wind whistling through the spokes once the cross wind exceeded 35 mph. The car had plenty of ground clearance to navigate the cow pasture to the parking area. Overall mileage 27.4 mpg.
Bottom line: I'm keeping it.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 30, 2014 - 07:02pm PT
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Thread drift.
Jeep is now making a pretty cool climber car. Diesel Grand Cherokee. Serious off road chops. Seats fold flat in the back for sleeping. 31.5 mpg highway. And it's got enough snot to tow 7200 lbs if you need that capability. It's not cheap but it's very cool.
Perhaps the coolest off-road feature is the ground clearance. The normal minimum ground clearance is 8.7". With the push of a button the thing rises up and then the ground clearance is 11.6". Fun.
huh, wasn't aware of a diesel Grand Cherokee. looking into that now. gotta say I'm ambivalent about adjustable ground clearance. Is that a proven technology or is this beta tech? If it does go bad, I'm sure the fix will be costly
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Sheets
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Apr 30, 2014 - 07:22pm PT
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Ya, I have the 2010 Forester base model (automatic) with about 80k on it. So far the car has been great. The AWD has definitely saved my ass a couple times.
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Apr 30, 2014 - 07:55pm PT
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huh, wasn't aware of a diesel Grand Cherokee. looking into that now. gotta say I'm ambivalent about adjustable ground clearance. Is that a proven technology or is this beta tech? If it does go bad, I'm sure the fix will be costly
Yeah, I've waffled on that diesel GC too. Problem is that it's not available on the lowest end model. You have to go up to the Limited. And it's a $4500 upgrade. Combine that with diesel being significantly more expensive than regular gas, and you've got to drive a lot of miles to justify it.
The air suspension is pretty well proven.
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Apr 30, 2014 - 07:56pm PT
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I've owned two Outbacks and now I own a 3 year old Forrester. Loved the Outbacks, love my Forrester. Very reliable vehicles. All 3 were/are manuals.
I have traded/given away all my cars in for new ones at about 125-150K because that's when little or big issues seem to start happening, and as a women who travels alone a lot, I want the security/piece of mind of a newer vehicle. But my original Outback has over 300k on it and is still being driven by our friend for around town stuff.
From the climbers perspective, I like the Forrester a bit more for unpaved road stuff because it has better clearance. But Barbarian is right that it's harder to sleep in the back of the Forrester than the outback. The Forrester "feels" more like a truck than the Outbacks did. The outbacks felt like driving a typical station wagon.
I love the all wheel drive. I don't drive in snow much, but those vehicles feel great on the highway in torrential rain.
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paganmonkeyboy
climber
mars...it's near nevada...
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Apr 30, 2014 - 09:19pm PT
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just got a white outback 2014 - get one while you can still get the 6 spd manual !!
swelly i traded a 2012 fj cruiser in for the ru - 2 years in the canyon and the frame welds were already showing deep rust - keep an eye on the ass of that truck and prep the sh#t out of the frame NOW !!
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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Also wasnt a fan of the FJ. Would rather have an actual truck. Didnt like how it drove on or off road and the visibility was abysmal.
Just tallying maintenance and repairs for my 2006 WRX wagon, 186k miles, original owner.
-Timing belt and water pump kit w/thermostat, done at 90k and 180k.
-Battery at 135k (it hadnt even failed yet)
-A/C idler pulley seized and spit the belt (only part to truly fail) at 180k
-A/C recharge at 135k
-Clutch at 150k mi, and I dont baby it, I do get on it a good bit, have autocrossed it a couple times even. Included a flywheel resurface.
-Both CV shafts, at 135k Rt and 180k Lt
-Rt axle seal w/shaft replace ($14)
-Redline synthetic gear oil, 3 rounds over the car's life (more frequent than the OEM oil but worth it)
-Power steering pump 180k
-Upgraded front brakes to DBA rotors, steel lines, good fluid, Hawk pads 65k mi; switched to Stoptech pads at 150k miles, much better bite, life, and less dust and noise. Hawks were too much pad for everyday use. Rear pads replaced with stoptechs at 160k.
-Struts at 70k miles, upgraded to Tokico D-spec adjustables with RCE wagon springs. Sublime.
-oil changes with synthetic after 36k miles every 5000 miles.
-Several sets of summer and winter tires along the way.
-Spark plugs twice replaced
-K&N air filter, only just bought and opened my 3rd cleaning /recharge kit.
Not bad for 186k miles, never broke down or left me stranded ever. Still gets factory mileage or better.
I have a left balljoint that will be replaced with the warrantied struts from Tokico when they arrive. I had a habit of treating my WRX like it was a Tacoma for a while there.
Now looking for a Tacoma to add to the quiver.
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