S/O Why do you love your Subaru

[cricketwife]

So many people said in the FWP thread that they love their Subaru. We bought an Outback a little over a year ago. We had to go from a one car family to two car because H's work was moving and he could no longer take the bus. Additionally, we were PG, so we wanted a practical, family car. The Outback made sense - good mpg, very reasonably priced, and good size for a family car. EVERYONE who also has an outback says, "Oh, you got an Outback, don't you love it?!?!?""  I agree just to be easy, but no, I don't. I mean, it's fine, but I don't love it at all. It's big. It's not cute. I guess I'm just missing what I'm supposed to love about it.

To be clear, I'm very happy with our decision to purchase it. I feel like it meets our needs and budget, but I just don't understand all the love. Please explain.

[havarti]

I no longer own a Subaru, but I had a '98 Impreza Outback that I loved. I do a lot of outdoorsy stuff on backroads and at the time lived in a place with serious winter weather, so I really liked and used the all wheel drive. I also liked the trunk space and flexibility of putting down the backseat. It was easy to load a kayak or a Thule on top of it. I could sleep in it if I needed to. I liked that it looked different than all the other cars out there. And it was also just super reliable. I rarely had issues. The car I'd had previously (VW Jetta) was a mechanical nightmare.

[bowies]

I don't think it's big and I think it is handsome.

I love that it sits higher than a regular car, has roof bars for our kayaks, and the back has the rubber floor for the dogs. I also think it has a comfortable ride. The interior is nice too.

ETA: Oh yes and the AWD for winter weather! It has saved my ass numerous times.

[dcn]

I have an outback and love the shit out of it. It handles amazingly in the weather, is big enough to schlep stuff around town but not so big that I feel like I'm driving a bus. I never want to get anything bigger. It goes everywhere and is also comfortable. We also transport skis, bikes, etc etc with no worries. Love it.

I will say I don't love it as much as I loved my Audi a4 but....different car for a different purpose. When the kids are grown and we don't have to travel so much with so much crap I'll go back to smaller more "fun" car.

[laurenh]

I love it because someone rear ended me going 55 while I was at a full stop and I walked out without so much as a scratch.

I hate its stupid fabric seats that literally stain from water getting on them though

[Deleted]

My Mom & Dad have 3 Subarus. My little sister has one, my brother has one, and my brother in law has one. They run forever. They may not be the cutest thing, but they run forever. LOL!

My teenager has the one they bought for my grandma...it is a 2005, with 258,000 miles on it. Yes, my husband keeps up the maintenance (which he does himself) but it is still running great.

The safety is amazing, as well.

ETA: They live in the mountains, and get a ton of snow. So, that is an added plus. 

[spk926]

We have a Crosstrek and I love how fun it is to drive. I also really like how nice it is inside and the sleek look on the outside. I've found everything is just well made. Fits a rear facing car seat, large crate for 2 dogs and room left over for other things. Why we looked at Subarus though was that they have all wheel drive for all their cars.

Sent from my SM-G900P using proboards

[Deleted]

We are on our 2nd Subaru. DH had a 2005 WRX that had 180k miles and its original clutch (miraculous b/c I learned to drive stick on that car!) when we traded it in for a 2015 WRX in May. That car was perfect - great gas mileage, AWD, only required routine maintenance. It is a niche car, though, so not for everyone. They're both super fun to drive, and our first one was my daily driver for ~2 years. Now I drive a 4Runner and DH has his new Subaru. He is really pleased, and my next car will be an Outback.

[Velar Fricative]

Everything I read about Subarus tells me I need to take a serious look at them since we might need a second car in the near future. My mom just got a 2015 Legacy and she loves it. She's a nervous driver and likes it for the snow. I'd probably get the same car as it's a pretty great value and we already have a compact SUV, so I would prefer a sedan for our second car.

[smile]

I'm following this thread since I'm looking to replace my car in the very near future. The Subaru Crosstrek is on my short list.

[ginkgoleaf]

I have an outback and like it a lot. Great gas mileage, sits higher, big trunk, safe. My only gripe is I would like to have a third row now that we're ttc #2, so my parents will fit in the same car with us when they visit.

[cilantro]

I have the 2014 Forester, and I think it's just kind of perfect. Handles so well, super comfortable, amazing visibility -- I mean AMAZING, great safety ratings, and I think it's about as cute as an SUV can get haha. The nav system leaves something to be desired, but that's about my only complaint (and I don't have much to compare it to so my complaints may not be founded).

I drove my last Subaru over 300k miles.

[Deleted]

I have a 2014 forester and I love it. I have the touring version so it has all the bells and whistles like heated leather seats. I love the way it drives and I LOVE the gas mileage I get (almost as good as my old Corolla). It's a great size for me and its just comfortable.

I got into a minor accident last May and the officer said that it would've been worse if I had a different car. The safety ratings are great.

I have a cousin who was in a very serious car accident and honestly should have died but the Subaru he was on literally saved his life.

I like the body style of my forester waaaaay more than the outback.

[KaraOrNot]

Dec 18, 2014 19:56:23 GMT -5 laurenh said:

I love it because someone rear ended me going 55 while I was at a full stop and I walked out without so much as a scratch.

I hate its stupid fabric seats that literally stain from water getting on them though

I so hear you on the fabric!

I love the way my Outback looks.

[asoctoberfalls]

We have two foresters (a 2005 and a 2012). The '05 has 154k miles, we have done all the recommended maintenance, and I feel like we have had a lot of issues - 3 O2 sensor replacements @ $500 bucks a pop, 2 wheel bearings @ $400 each, the A/C compressor leaked ($1200), steering rack and pinion leaked and had to be replaced ($1600), tie rods had to be replaced (don't remember how much that was!), HVAC blower went bad and took the electrical harness out with it. That last one would have been a deal breaker because the electrical harness cost nearly 2k, but I'm an electrical engineer so I just spliced the burned wires myself and replaced the motor. Cost me about $75 total. I'm just not seeing the reliability that other Subaru owners rave about.

That being said, it is MUCH more reliable than the Chevy Cavalier I used to drive.

[arch01]

We have an 04 Legacy and a 2011 Outback. I love my Outback. DH loved the way the Outback drove so much that he went and got the Legacy. I love how high it sits, It's got a ton of room inside (easily fits our mammouth car seat when it was RFing), and it handles great in bad weather.

DH would love to have a WRX, but that's just not in our budget nor is it realistic right now. We have had no issues with either vehicle. Bought both used-we have all of the original records on the Outback and most on the Legacy.

[LoveTrains]

Affordable AWD. Reliable. Safety.

[Deleted]

Dec 19, 2014 9:45:04 GMT -5 arch01 said:

We have an 04 Legacy and a 2011 Outback. I love my Outback. DH loved the way the Outback drove so much that he went and got the Legacy. I love how high it sits, It's got a ton of room inside (easily fits our mammouth car seat when it was RFing), and it handles great in bad weather.

DH would love to have a WRX, but that's just not in our budget nor is it realistic right now. We have had no issues with either vehicle. Bought both used-we have all of the original records on the Outback and most on the Legacy.

If ever your H needs someone to justify the WRX for him, let me know.

It fits a RF infant seat just fine (although we're not particularly tall at 5'6" and 5'9") and will fit 3 Radians with angle adjusters across in the 2015. The new ones don't even require premium gas anymore, though at least plus is recommended.

[arch01]

Dec 19, 2014 10:24:02 GMT -5 @mrsspunky said:

Dec 19, 2014 9:45:04 GMT -5 arch01 said:

We have an 04 Legacy and a 2011 Outback. I love my Outback. DH loved the way the Outback drove so much that he went and got the Legacy. I love how high it sits, It's got a ton of room inside (easily fits our mammouth car seat when it was RFing), and it handles great in bad weather.

DH would love to have a WRX, but that's just not in our budget nor is it realistic right now. We have had no issues with either vehicle. Bought both used-we have all of the original records on the Outback and most on the Legacy.

If ever your H needs someone to justify the WRX for him, let me know.

It fits a RF infant seat just fine (although we're not particularly tall at 5'6" and 5'9") and will fit 3 Radians with angle adjusters across in the 2015. The new ones don't even require premium gas anymore, though at least plus is recommended.

He's 6'2ish-and I don't want to cough up the cash right now I'm sure it's a fun car...but not right now LOL

[Deleted]

I have a legacy and love it. It's practical for my life and handles great in the snow. Only problem is it must say "hit me" on it because in 3 years I have gotten into 3 accidents. One was my fault. I am convinced the car is cursed.

It does have some of the warmest heated seats ever. Perfect for pmsing days.

[oswin]

Well, as I commented in the FWP thread I only like the older Outbacks - pre-2009 - before they changed the styling and shape to make it taller and more like an SUV. We've owned 2 Outbacks, both of which died under tragic circumstances (the first had transmission failure due - we think - to the previous owner putting non-matching tires on, and the second was totaled in a crash last year). The second was a 2002 with the H6 3.0L engine and top trim - those heated leather seats were amazing. We used to both race bicycles back in California and the Outback is a very popular car with bike racers - you can have a roof rack for 4-6 bikes, they're not too high up, you've got AWD for those bumpy country roads and parking offroad, the cargo space is great (we once carried 3 people and 3 bicycles and luggage and a couple of extra wheels without using the roof rack). The 3.0L engine gave it enough power to accelerate nicely (the 2.5L was not nearly as nice). It didn't get great gas mileage, but it was decent. And it was easy to park - the earlier generations were rated as compact cars, though they were slightly bigger than most.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned the new Outback is just another SUV. I mean, I still think Subarus are great, but they don't make wagons anymore. The Impreza WRX hatchback still looks great, but it's got less cargo space than the old Outbacks.

[runblondie26]

They handle nicely, run forever with little trouble, and I love having all-wheel drive.

They are small cars though, especially considering they're pitched as family vehicles. We'll need to replace our Outback if we have a third kid.

[perkyderky]

Dec 19, 2014 11:10:04 GMT -5 oswin said:

Well, as I commented in the FWP thread I only like the older Outbacks - pre-2009 - before they changed the styling and shape to make it taller and more like an SUV. We've owned 2 Outbacks, both of which died under tragic circumstances (the first had transmission failure due - we think - to the previous owner putting non-matching tires on, and the second was totaled in a crash last year). The second was a 2002 with the H6 3.0L engine and top trim - those heated leather seats were amazing. We used to both race bicycles back in California and the Outback is a very popular car with bike racers - you can have a roof rack for 4-6 bikes, they're not too high up, you've got AWD for those bumpy country roads and parking offroad, the cargo space is great (we once carried 3 people and 3 bicycles and luggage and a couple of extra wheels without using the roof rack). The 3.0L engine gave it enough power to accelerate nicely (the 2.5L was not nearly as nice). It didn't get great gas mileage, but it was decent. And it was easy to park - the earlier generations were rated as compact cars, though they were slightly bigger than most.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned the new Outback is just another SUV. I mean, I still think Subarus are great, but they don't make wagons anymore. The Impreza WRX hatchback still looks great, but it's got less cargo space than the old Outbacks.

The earlier styling is where I'm at as well.  I'm pretty sad/annoyed that we didn't have the $$ in 2009 to buy new that year so we could have a true, reliable WAGON for years to come.  Instead, we bought a 2007 used outback that is a total lemon.  I mentioned this on another thread fairly recently, but we've spent well over $5K on a car that we've only owned for 2 years.  New transmission, just recently replaced a wheel bearing, a/c issues, plus the inconvenience of bringing it in all those times (at least 12--and that's not counting the "routine" maintenance!).  I mean, we did buy it with almost 100K miles on it, but we weren't expecting those kind of repairs that soon...especially since DH (who is main driver) doesn't really drive it that much (he rides his bike to work at least 1/2 the year.)  Having said that, we still both "like" the car (if it weren't for the mechanical problems, we'd love it)   We live in an area of NC where snow removal is pitiful in the winter, and I have a job that requires me, at times to leave before roads are totally plowed, so the Outback has come in very handy in those situations.  Since DH and I are both from the north and are able to drive in the snow, it also gives us the ability to go and do things when others are confined to their snow covered homes.  Also, the cargo space has come in handy at times for work as well.  Our gas mileage is only OK.  One kind of random thing we LOVE about that car is the almost comically large sunroof.  Also like the multi-disc CD player.   I mean, you can tell they care about quality, I just think we bought the last car on the assembly line the Friday before a 3 day weekend.