Been Doing Some Research On Subarus.....

"SlickMcRick" (slickmcrick) 06/26/2015 at 04:15 • Filed to: None

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And man are they awesome! Before many suggestions to consider the Legacy wagon as a potential next car in one of my previous posts I knew absolutely nothing about Subaru except they focus on AWD and Boxer engines.

Through the wonders of the internet I’ve learned the genius in their functional design, from it’s symmetrical drivetrain down to it’s low center of gravity do to the engine choice. I’ve also seen videos showing their AWD in action against it’s competitors and man is it superior. I’ve always liked the boxer exhaust note and how they give you great bang for you buck when you get the performance models. I shied away from looking at them because I thought the AWD would pummel fuel economy and also because of how many times people mentioned the head gasket issue. Upon further review that issue mainly happens with the NA motor not the FI which is what I would choose anyway. This is good news and now means a turbo Subie (or possible Saab 9-2X Aero) is looking good on the horizon.

Have some Turbo’d Boxer goodness for your time:

Dusty Ventures > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 04:25

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The turbo engines have a few little issues and niggles as well. You still need to do the timing belt every 90k, and you’ll want to inspect/possibly replace the turbo around the same time. You also need to be super strict on oil changes: full synthetic oil every 3000 miles. Totally worth it if you do your research and know what to expect though.

SlickMcRick > Dusty Ventures 06/26/2015 at 04:33

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I’ll keep those things in mind, didn’t know about the turbo interval. I’m used to the timing belt interval though. that’s about the time I’d always do my Hondas. Definitely would only use full synthetic on an oil change. I’m also aware these motors should get a tune from what I’ve read since the factory seemed to not properly calibrate certain things. The $1500+ head gasket job was my concern and now that it’s no longer an issue that I need to worry about I’m down to look into the market in a few months. Preferably in Autumn before their value sky rockets during the winter months.

Dusty Ventures > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 04:44

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Some turbos go for 150k+ miles, some crap out at 60-80k. It depends on how hard they’ve been used, how well the car’s been looked after (many early failures come down to oil starvation due to clogged filters in the turbo oil line or not changing the oil frequently enough/not monitoring oil consumption), and luck.

desertdog5051 > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 04:47

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Dusty gives good advice. As a ‘Booroo owner for a lot of years, I can say it is one of the most capable cars I have ever owned. It actually has better ground clearance than my F-150 4X4. By 1/2 inch.

SlickMcRick > desertdog5051 06/26/2015 at 04:57

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Going out on a limb here but I’m guessing you have an Outback. I’m thinking if I get a Subie I’d want to lower it a just a little. Not exactly to sure because I also want to explore it’s capabilities and actually hit some dirt roads n such. Get off the beaten path and hit some trails. Not sure if I want fast on the tarmac or moderately quick but also soft road capable.

desertdog5051 > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 05:14

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It is an Outback. Bought it almost new. Its off-road capabilities are impressive. The on-road is what really impresses me. I have driven it on roads covered with snow and ice and it never ceased to amaze me how well it handled the challenge.

Like it enough that when it destroyed an engine, I put another in it.

The engine destroy was more the fault of the mechanic who did not replace the assorted idler pulleys when replacing the timing belt.

Would buy another.

Arben72 > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 05:35

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I love my subaru’s and saabaru. I now own 3 (well, 2 and a half), and might pick up a fourth soon. 10/10 would recommend for purchase.

Echo51 > Dusty Ventures 06/26/2015 at 06:36

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Are you serious on the oil change every 3000 miles? That’s hilariously often..

SlickMcRick > desertdog5051 06/26/2015 at 06:37

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My old man was trying to push me in the direction of an XC70. I was definitely considering it but upon further research I found the Subies had far superior AWD and performance capabilities. I was quite disappointed with the Volvo in number of tests.

SlickMcRick > Arben72 06/26/2015 at 06:38

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Sounds like you have been hooked and never letting go. Which models do you have currently?

d1ck > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 06:43

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Watch out for those ringlands!

OPPOsaurus WRX > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 08:55

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the WRX hold their values like crazy. I’ve had mine about a year and a half and it hasn;t lost any value. The AWD plus winter tires is amazing is the snow. The first time I took it out in the snow I figured if I floored it, it would just spin the tires and I wouldn;t really go far, holy crap it spun the tires but it also took off like crazy

Opposite Locksmith > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 09:00

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My girlfriend and I have a two Subaru household. I should probably take a better pic but this is what I can get from my desk. We adooooore ours. She’s never felt safer than in her sedan, and I love my manual turbo hatch to death.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Dusty Ventures 06/26/2015 at 09:08

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You also need to be super strict on oil changes: full synthetic oil every 3000 miles.

That’s interesting...are the motors exceptionally hard on oil, or extra sensitive to contaminants, or...?

Genuinely interested Subie fan here.

MonkeePuzzle > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 09:09

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subarus ARE awesome. your research is accurate.

Dusty Ventures > Echo51 06/26/2015 at 09:20

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Yep. Originally the factory recommended interval was 7,500, but a lot of owners wouldn’t so much as check their oil in that span and, between some of the oil being burnt off (it loses about a quart every 3-5,000) and the fine mesh filters on the turbo oil line getting clogged, the turbos were being starved of oil and burning out. So the interval was (semi-officially) shortened to 3,000-3,500.

Dusty Ventures > NotUnlessRoundIsFunny 06/26/2015 at 09:22

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It’s more to do with the turbo itself than the engine. Originally the factory recommended interval was 7,500, but a lot of owners wouldn’t so much as check their oil in that span and, between some of the oil being burnt off (it loses about a quart every 3-5,000) and the fine mesh filters on the turbo oil line getting clogged, the turbos were being starved of oil and burning out. So the interval was (semi-officially) shortened to 3,000-3,500.

ColoradoTaco > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 09:31

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A shame the USA doesn’t get this Legacy GT, only Outback trim or sedan, no turbo for either

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 09:43

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I have a hard time recommending a WRX. I owned a Bugeye wagon for three years and loved it. That thing was fast, fun to drive, spacious, and symphonic. But man, did it ever bankrupt me. I drove it hard. It was my only car, my daily driver, and I assumed it had Japanese reliability on par with Honda or Toyota. So I wasn’t worried about overtaxing it. I figured if I was buying a Japanese performance car, I could use it to perform every day.

I was wrong. First, the center diff disintegrated. A snap ring came loose and chewed the whole thing to bits. (Subaru replaced the snap ring with a beefier one the following year.) Then the transmission ground itself apart. Then the radiator popped. Finally the engine seized, and I was so boned paying for the previous repairs (I’m paying for them still), I couldn’t afford to keep it.

So you can buy one and have fun in it, and it should be pretty reliable, as long as you stay away from the ‘02. But don’t wring it out every day like you could with a naturally asperated Civic. Choose your hoonage wisely.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 09:50

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I had an 04 WRX for a while and it was a fantastic car overall. Very capable, the AWD is great.

Dusty is giving you fantastic advice - turbo engines are very hard on oil in general. Turbos get extremely hot and the oil absorbs a lot of that heat. Subarus are particularly bad because the way the turbo is positioned, it sits above the engine, so the pump has to pump up to it, and being the high point, the oil drains back very quickly. Change the oil and filter often and use good quality synthetic. Watch out for the timing belt, but that’s a given for any timing belt car. Also, two other things to be wary of, if you get an earlier car, like my 04, the synchros aren’t that great and tend to wear out, especially on second gear, relatively early, especially if you drive it really hard. Also, I’ve heard the STi versions have cylinder head issues. I don’t know too much about it, might want to do some research on the forums, but it is something to keep in mind.

Mmmmm > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 10:08

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I had an 03 wrx wagon for a couple years, it was a lot of fun. Understeers a decent bit though and you have to be patient with the gearbox or you’ll grind gears everywhere.

SlickMcRick > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 06/26/2015 at 11:37

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I’m looking more towards 05 and up vehicles. Thanks for that tid bit though. Also I have another car as well for just in case purposes. My trusty 95 Saturn. I need to add another vehicle to the fold.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 11:46

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Oh yeah, a backup car is perfect. Nice. Find a nearby Subaru club. Many are on FB or have forums. They’re great sources of parts and info. I’ve even had people give me parts for free. Subaru people are generally pretty chill, I’ve found.

SlickMcRick > d1ck 06/26/2015 at 13:22

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Ringland? Do explain

d1ck > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 13:57

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http://www.vikingspeedshop.com/how-to-avoid-b…
R ingland failure is very common on the EJ motors, and no one really seems to know for sure what causes it. The solution seems to be forged pistons in most cases.

bryan40oop > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 14:05

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My STi only gets stuck in snow when the diffs are buried..... I need a lift kit dammit!

Also, nearing 100k miles, only issue i’ve had is the power steering pump and exhaust tickets (thanks virginia, bastards)

bryan40oop > Dusty Ventures 06/26/2015 at 14:06

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90k? Hell I did mine at 60k. But mainly because it was used and I did all the maintenance thing-a-ma-boobs.

Echo51 > Dusty Ventures 06/26/2015 at 14:28

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Most mechanics remove the fine-mesh filters to the turbo oil line due to getting clogged, rather it get’s dirty oil then none at all. I do a roughly 6.2k mi oil interval on mine, non-turbo tho. A turbo is more sensitive tho, so it makes sense, and it’s a small cost to keep your turbo living on...

Dusty Ventures > Echo51 06/26/2015 at 14:41

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Yeah, I removed the filters on mine back in March

Arben72 > SlickMcRick 06/26/2015 at 17:03

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04 sti, 01 forester, 05 Saab 9-2x aero. They're all great cars for the money. Super easy to work on too.

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > Dusty Ventures 06/27/2015 at 03:33

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Very clear explanation, thanks! One day I will have one of these wonderfully different cars.