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Subaru Crew - Meet The Members II

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  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    The trick here is to wash just BEFORE any stretch of nice days over the winter. If you wait and try to go on the nice day, you'll wind up in a long line :)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    edited December 2019

    If It is mild enough I will give mine a two bucket wash, otherwise I take it to a detail shop about five minutes from home and get it hand washed about once a week during winter.

    Cheers Pat.

    Okay, that's intense. I don't think I could ever understand that. I do respect and appreciate your dedication, though! :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    edited December 2019
    xwesx said:

    If It is mild enough I will give mine a two bucket wash, otherwise I take it to a detail shop about five minutes from home and get it hand washed about once a week during winter.

    Cheers Pat.

    Okay, that's intense. I don't think I could ever understand that. I do respect and appreciate your dedication, though! :D
    It comes from Being dirt poor as a kid, we didn't have much, so when you got something new, you sure learned how to take care of it, this ethic has followed throughout my whole life.

    Cheers Pat.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372

    xwesx said:

    If It is mild enough I will give mine a two bucket wash, otherwise I take it to a detail shop about five minutes from home and get it hand washed about once a week during winter.

    Cheers Pat.

    Okay, that's intense. I don't think I could ever understand that. I do respect and appreciate your dedication, though! :D
    It comes from Being dirt poor as a kid, we didn't have much, so when you got something new, you sure learned how to take care of it, this ethic has followed throughout my whole life.

    Cheers Pat.
    Our mantra was "better to build one than buy it" :)
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Wow, no activity here in 9 months! Despite Covid-19, we are still alive in NY. Thought of you guys as we put a deposit on a CPO 2018 Forester Limited today to replace the 2013 Honda CR-V we lost to a traffic accident a few weeks back.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    fibber2 said:

    Wow, no activity here in 9 months! Despite Covid-19, we are still alive in NY. Thought of you guys as we put a deposit on a CPO 2018 Forester Limited today to replace the 2013 Honda CR-V we lost to a traffic accident a few weeks back.

    Yeah, most of the "bums" here have long since moved over to Facebook for their conversations. I am still around, though I don't post in the Subaru-specific threads except in a responsive capacity.

    I hope you and your family were not injured in the crash! A crash is always the worst way to lose a vehicle. Hopefully the Forester serves your family well for many years to come! What are the details.... color, miles, etc.?
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    I'm still around. Waiting to travel again. Was scheduled for northern Italy in April (right at the peak of their pandemic), so glad it was cancelled. Greece in late Sept was also cancelled. Looks like no trips this year.
    Zoom meetings w/ kids & grandkids.

    Speaking of crashes, my elder daughter and her husband were in a rollover crash recently in their ~1 year old Infinity Q50 suv with <11,000 miles. No injuries other than scrapes and bruises, car was totaled. Fortunately, the kids weren't in the car. She's getting a do-over in selecting her new car. So many choices...
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    jfl said:

    She's getting a do-over in selecting her new car. So many choices...

    There is that as an advantage! The last time we had such an opportunity, my wife was quite boring and demanded that I replace her car "with the same thing." Sadly, she really did mean "THE SAME THING," so even my close approximation has not been good enough for her. She still waxes poetic about how much better her 2010 Forester was than the 2013 Forester.

    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    Any Subaru owners care to comment briefly on their ownership experiences? How reliable do you think a Subaru today is likely to be? What are some of your favorite features unique to Subaru?
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    The whole crew done up and left when we went to this new platform years ago. Kinda sad. They hang out via a Facebook group these days.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    edited January 3
    I am very much in the minority on my Subaru take these days.... I hate that the company is so safety-focused that they have nannied up their entire lineup now. As of the 2024 model year, there is no more manual transmission on anything outside of STI, if I recall correctly. Possibly still on the base model Impreza. Anyhow, the "Eyesight" system doesn't play nice with manual transmissions, so they ditched it in favor of "Eyesight." Folks who want that sort of thing say it's an excellent implementation, but I think it is a waste of space and weight.

    For reliability, though, I think they're great. Our 2018 Crosstrek, which is the newest I've owned, is at 80,000 miles now with zero issues. The older ones have had their share, but mostly just maintenance-related things. All the new models use the F series of engines, so I think they should be more similar to the Crosstrek.

    As far as automatic transmissions go, my experience with the CVT is positive. It is an efficient and responsive unit with no reliability issues given proper maintenance.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,498
    I missed my chance to get a Forester with a manual.

    Now there's no hope.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    Below is a link to the Leave No Trace Subaru VIP program. Memberships start at $50 a year, and 6 months after that it appears that, if you can find a participating Subaru dealer, you can purchase or lease a Subaru for invoice with a voucher from SOA.

    Leave No Trace is a non-profit that works with the National parks and other organizations to minimize the impacts of vacations in nature.

    https://lnt.org/give/subaru-vip-program/

    "Purchase or lease a new Subaru vehicle with no haggling, no negotiation, no pressure – just a great deal on a new Subaru! Save between $1,000 – $3,000 off the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* (depending on model and accessories). In addition, your VIP price will be further reduced by any applicable zone or regional cash incentives in effect at the time of purchase. Special rates may also be available to qualified buyers should you prefer to finance or lease your new Subaru. Generally, all model lines are included in this offer, however all sales are subject to availability and retailer discretion.

    Am I Eligible?
    To be eligible for the Subaru VIP Program, you must be an active member of Leave No Trace for at least six months prior to requesting a VIP form.

    What is the Process?
    Once you have been a current member of Leave No Trace for six months, the process to take part in the Subaru VIP Program is very simple:

    Contact your local dealer: Ask if they participate in the Subaru VIP Program. Also, make sure they have the vehicle you would like in stock, or can order the vehicle.
    Contact the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: Email Membership@LNT.org with the following information: Member ID Number (if you know it), Email Address, Phone Number, Home Address and the name of the Subaru Dealership you plan on working with.
    The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics will send a request into Subaru of America: Subaru VIP requests are submitted to Subaru Corporate every 1-3 business days. Once submitted Subaru Corporate will email both you and your dealership within 24 hours with a VIP Authorization form."
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756

    I missed my chance to get a Forester with a manual.

    Now there's no hope.

    Indeed. I suspect that's the purpose of this Leave No Trace organization. It's not about the ecosystem at all! :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    Reading up on Subaru Ascent maintenance recommendations, I was surprised to see that Subaru wants the spark plugs changed at 60,000 miles, compared to the 100k intervals that Honda and most others go with. I wonder why? Is it something about the design of the Boxer engine that makes them harder on spark plugs? Because of where the plugs are located in an Ascent engine this is a more costly service than it is for other brands. Not a big deal, but not a plus factor either.

    Oil changes at my local Subaru dealer at $85, compared to $60 at the Acura dealer. Again, not a big deal, but it does seem like service with a Subaru might be more expensive.

    But the Boxer engine has advantages, in that it's more naturally balanced, and has a lower center of gravity. Are there other advantages?
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • benjaminhbenjaminh Member Posts: 6,311
    edited January 4
    A 3-minute video on the advantages of boxer engines.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn96jYZ-6ig

    This 6-minute video goes over advantages as well as disadvantages of boxer engines. As he says, a boxer has "two camshafts, two camshaft seals, two camshaft sensors, two head gaskets, two exhaust manifold seals...There are more moving parts than an in-line 4-cylinder, and so more likelihood that you're going to be spending money fixing stuff"—at least in the long run.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaEhBHc6-Wc
    2018 Acura TLX 2.4 Tech 4WS (mine), 2018 Honda CR-V EX AWD (wife's)
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Subaru oil changes are definitely pricy, compared to other competitive models.

    Also, the engine basically has two banks vs. one bank on an in-line engine. This doubles the amount of sensors that can have issues (and the cost of replacing them)

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  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,756
    edited January 4
    Life expectancy of spark plugs is largely a function of the material from which the core is made. Copper plugs are ~30,000 miles, platinum plugs are ~60,000 miles, and iridium plugs are ~100,000 miles. There can be differences in spark "heat" as well as required gap in the metals, too, so my guess is that Subaru chose platinum plugs as their OE units.

    IIRC, I replaced the OE plugs on my Forester at about 85,000 miles (would need to check my records for exact timing), and I didn't really notice any performance issues at that time. I replaced the ignition coils last spring because it seemed like it took a little longer than expected for the car to start in the mornings. Though I'm not fully convinced that doing so made a significant difference, I would normally replace plug wires on a similar interval, so I figure this wasn't out of line (the individual coils that sit atop each plug replace a distributor and plug wires).

    I'm over 130,000 miles on the car now. Additionally, I have yet to replace plugs on the Crosstrek, which is at 80,000 miles, and it runs as-new (well, as-36,000 miles, which is what it had when we bought it three years ago).
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
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