Subaru Crew Cafe

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Comments

  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/autoshows/newyork/2009/2010subaruoutbacknews.h- - - tml

    Sounds like huge improvement. Only major caveat seems the CVT for those buying the 170 hp version. Looks like I-6 version's only with previous 5-speed auto.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Oh yes, the article, or a related one, mentions the XT Outback is no more. No turbos with Outback for 2010 (Subaru says you gotta buy the Legacy GT to get turbo).
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You mean H-6.

    CVT ought to be fine, they used Audi's supplier.

    Notice the D-pillar is less boxy, it sort of reminds me of the Audi Q5.

    Also, they traded off cargo area length for that huge rear seat.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Yup, H-6, not I-6 :blush: .

    Subaru's sourcing the CVT Chain used by Audi (same supplier); the CVT's apparently built by Subaru.
    Pity CVT doesn't have torque capacity for the H-6.

    However, reading carefully the posted info at auto123.com, the center planetary AWD system's used only in the top line '10 Outback (R series with H-6 engine). Lesser Outbacks will have AWD systems similar to '09 Forester.
  • tsytsy Member Posts: 1,551
    Kinda reminds me of the Toyota Venza. Are they similar in size?

    It is nice Subaru is doing CVTs again! I still remember the Justy. :)

    tom
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    It probably is now.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I think you will see a HD CVT show up in a couple of years on the H6. I believe Subaru is being very cautious with this new tranny, which is why the lower-powered vehicles are getting it first.

    Bob
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Makes sense to be cautious - most CVT's have needed adjustments or changes after their introduction.
    I still wonder if Subaru will finally give the '10 Forester a 5-speed AT, given how all the Auto reviewers of the '09 have complained about the 4-speed.

    Meanwhile, Audi today said it is bringing its A4 Allroad, as a cheaper version, over to the USA later this year to compete against the Outback.
    With Audi's reliability and dealer network substantially trailing Subaru, it will be interesting to see how many Outback owners actually switch brands.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    From what I've heard the Forester and Impreza will be stuck with the 4EAT for maybe two more years. The 4EAT is built in house (cheap), whereas the 5EAT is purchased from an outside supplier (expensive). Also, Subaru wants the CVT to be a Legacy/Outback exclusive for a couple of years, so I've been told.

    Bob
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    yea, ours need a big teardown at 140k too. Cost us about $3k, but we decided she was worth it. Future is too uncertain right now to buy new.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,589
    There is a travel article about Kentucky... They spotlight a restaurant in Louisville by the name of Lynn's Paradise Cafe..

    I just ate breakfast there on Tuesday, on the way to Nashville.. I highly recommend it, if you are going through Louisville.. It's just south of downtown, about five minutes off I-64 or I-65.

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  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    and he's buying a '09 OBS next weekend! Looking forward to it, I'd like to take it for a test drive myself. Mileage keeps it off DW's short list for probable 2010 car purchase.
  • lilbluewgn02lilbluewgn02 Member Posts: 1,089
    Paul,
    Sorry to hear the news. t still sucks, even if he was not well. My thoughts are with you and your family.
    Serge
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For the price of an Outback Sport nowadays you can't beat the value.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The Xerox machine was defective.

    For shame...such low quality, too. Look at the gaps and uneven seams. They even copied it inside.

    I've said this before - if the Chinese manufacturers want to be taken seriously on the world stage, they have to stop atrocities like this from happening.

    This will hurt Chery, for example. They'll never earn respect.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Got the car back from my local repair shop for the 30k service interval, and he tells me the valve cover gasket is leaking oil and that 3 out of 4 struts are leaking hydraulic fluid. Car has 33k+ on it (yea, I was late for the interval), but I'm really surprised to hear this. Scheduled an appt with a local dealer for Wednesday, we'll see. I sense a battle looming. :sick:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Wait....wait.

    Let me get this straight.

    You've owned multiple Subies, some new, some used. Many from the failed-head-gasket era of Subaru. Several of them.

    You get a new Camry, the pinnacle of reliability.

    A head gasket fails, and it's .... the Camry's?

    How ironic is that?

    At least you're under warranty. Make sure to let them know you follow several on-line communities and your friends are anxious to hear about the resolution to this under-warranty problem is.

    Boy I hope they don't give you the run-around.

    My Sienna has the wiring harness chewed up by chipmunks but that is not covered under warranty. Less than a year old and it set me back $700 or so. :cry:
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    trust me, the irony is not lost on me. Especially since I didn't actually buy this thing. This is all assuming my local shop was being truthful.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/24/driven-subaru-wrx-and-sti-with-spt-mods/

    offers a discussion of various mods for Subarus to make them track ready.

    This includes the XTI forester, that Autoblog wants but I seriously doubt will ever come to the showrooms (Subaru apparently couldn't sell a Forester XT with manual).
    And while that XTI should perform nicely in the summer, it'll need winter tires if it's to be of any use in snowbelt.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If they polled us, an all-enthusiast group, I'm sure they would end up building a turbo diesel manual-only station wagon. :D

    The problem is, by definition we are not mainstream.

    They build what will sell. We complain that the manual XT is gone, while Subaru is hiring more accountants to count all the money from nearly double the sales of the mostly-automatic 2009 Foresters.
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    Paul,

    Finally checking in here and read of your loss. Our sympathies and thoughts go out to you and your family.

    Mark
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    "If they polled us, an all-enthusiast group, I'm sure they would end up building a turbo diesel manual-only station wagon."

    you just HAD to go and throw that out there, didn't you? Now I'll NEVER be satisfied with the new car market. :P
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    The car mags froth over the Forester XTI or other enthusiast prototypes Subaru serves up....

    And meanwhile the Turbo goes away from the Outback, the manual goes away from the Forester XT...

    Was Subaru selling a good number of Outback Turbos? If so it seems silly to discontinue it.

    For that matter, I've yet to see any true performance parts for the '09 Forester from Subaru's performance parts division.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sorry. :D

    Funny thing is I think 3 or more of Subaru Crew members actually went out and bought Forester XT manuals (lucien included). You would think it was the best selling Forester model.

    Nope. There were months were they sold single digit totals for manual XTs. Not sustainable.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Hopefully that is not an Ill Omen for Subaru. :D
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Weren't all (3 or whatever) of the Forester XT manuals here on the crew Java Black too? At least 2 were.

    -Brian
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    2 out of 3 I think. Ed's was dark silver.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sad, but not a surprise.

    First off, Automobile and Motor Trend overlap too much, so they end up competing with each other.

    Second, automakers have cut their ad budgets to just a faction of what it was a while ago, and those mags live on ad revenues.
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    And now a trip down memory lane....

    image

    The S40 T5 is just turning 15k miles and will be 2 years old in August.

    -Brian
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Reminds me of the 2 test drives I did.

    I test drove it once and was giggling like a kid, boy that thing was just absurdly quick.

    Probably quicker than a sport/cute ought to be, even.

    Test drove a 2nd one just for kicks. I was still surprised by how fast it was, again.

    I may be wrong but I think it was geared shorter than the WRX. It hit 50mph quicker than a Porsche Cayenne turbo at the time. All the way up to 60 it beat a Lamborghini Countache 5000S.

    Like I said, absurd.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Had a walk around one today. Pretty attractive, actually.

    Juice, not to admit to being a scofflaw, but once upon a time I found myself at the base of 83N behind a 911 of some sort. The Forester XT did not lose time on it until well past my personal comfort level for responsible speeds. Then I just let it go.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Any particular reason or explanations as to why Subaru decided to drop the XT turbo for the Outback in '10 ?

    Loosing it leaves a hole in their '10 Outback lineup. :cry:
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    They didn't sell many, so they're streamlining the model lineup.

    Bob
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    That surprises me. When I had the '08 Outback in the lower 48 back in 07, I saw six or seven other Outbacks while down there and they were all XT's. I thought maybe I was missing out on something.... :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I very rarely see Outback XTs around here. Lots of Outbacks, but few XTs.

    Bob
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    Perhaps they are more popular in the northwest.

    I saw only two Subaru vehicles of any kind on our trip down to PA until we reached the Black Hills - they were plentiful in that area, but I did not see any XT's. I saw many, again, in Wisconsin, then again in Pennsylvania, but again, no XT's.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Turbos have a distinct advantage in the mountains, as they lose less power than non-turbos at higher altitudes. Maybe that's why they're more popular in the northwest?

    Bob
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    Perhaps.

    I know that they do not sit long on the lot here in Fairbanks. Typically, you can find any number of normally aspirated Subaru vehicles, but turbos fly out the door as quickly as they are trucked in, and the local dealership sells all its vehicles at or within a couple hundred of MSRP.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    XT Outbacks were rare at Portland dealerships - last year, I only found one or none at each of the 4 dealers I visited. I was told they were good sellers and rarely stayed long on the lot.

    Now that '10 Outback manufacturing has begun, I wonder how many '09 XT Outbacks are left in the USA?

    The Outbacks I drove with the 170 HP were very sluggish in passing. Since Outbacks weigh more than Foresters, I'm surprised Subaru has not been able to get a little more power out of that motor for Outback applications (direct injection, where are you ???) :confuse:
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    I understand VW and Audi use seam welding for many of their vehicles, including the best in body strength class Tiguan (does best in crashes and roof strength).

    From what I've read, Subaru uses laser/seam welding for the B-pillars in their vehicles.

    Do they use seam welding anywhere else in the vehicle's structure?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Funny coincidence - I just recommended you look at the Soul in the MTM thread, before I read your post.

    I liked it - lots of personality at a price level where you usually don't see that.

    I like the skate-board shaped center console and the color schemes, including the two-tone seats.

    I'm sure it's a bit much for some, but it makes, say, an Aveo seem so incredibly boring.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    it seems to be getting positive press as a decent drive, too. No MINI for sure, but the Sport sounds like something interesting.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Have you driven a Fit Sport?
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    not a new one. I liked the old one well enough. I'm looking forward to checking one out. Weak spot seems to be braking, unfortunately. On the whole it gets rave reviews.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2320468/

    Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., maker of Subaru cars, has begun building a plant for environment-friendly engines within the compound of its factory in the town of Oizumi in Gunma Prefecture for completion by the end of this year, company officials said Friday.

    The new plant will produce a new generation of horizontally opposed engines to power passenger cars that will be put on the market in 2010, they said.
  • saedavesaedave Member Posts: 694
    Direct injection?
  • fandcfandc Member Posts: 51
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/jagcars26/1206573648013gi6.jpg

    I think it's made by MAN, the truckmaker, in Germany. I have no idea what the use is for.

    Bob
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