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Comments
bit
originalbitman -- the seats are fabric. I have the Legacy Outback (automatic). Being vegetarian I wouldn't want leather. A friend explained that for better handling a hard seat is good -- but I drive a lot -- commute 1+ hours each way daily and travel 400 miles roundtrip many weekends. So, seat comfort is very important to me. Custom upholstery may be necessary. I'm disappointed, though, that in spite of my efforts to get a good car for long-distance driving, I have a problem (..next time...I'll rent a car before buying).
bit
Bob
Bit, instead of laying on your back doing all that waxing underneath just take everything off and have it powder coated that way you will only have to wash and not wax saves a lot of time, OCD. lives, three cheers for OCD.
Cheers Pat.
Jack
Frank
My 2000 OB Ltd has great seats. I do not know if Sub switched suppliers but these
feel like many made by LTV and are very comfy.I drive 38 miles to my office in snow (125in/yr) and fog and crap.
Additional comment: leather is not like vinyl althought the new vinyls are very good.
Leather assumes body temp very quickly and is not deserving of the reputation of long ago,ie.,
cold in winter, hot in summer.
You will find the electric seats in Subs far more adjustable as well as more supportive and comfortable.
-Greg
Call us at 1-800-SUBARU3 so we can update our files to reflect you as the owner of the car. We can also let you know if there are any open recalls or service campaigns on your vehicle.
Then, just so you feel better, why not check your VIN with Carfax? If the car was ever in a "flood" situation, you can find out if there is an issue with the title. I think it is a great service.
Hope you enjoy your Subaru!
Patti
romola: guess I can't suggest a wool seat cover to a vegetarian! ;-)
The firm seats offer good support for longer trips, and hold you in place during aggressive driving. It may take a while to get used to it, but I like it.
-juice
One problem though, my seats don't have any thigh support and since it doesn't have a seat bottom angle adjustment I can't compensate at all. This has started to aggravate my right knee. Any suggestions? TIA.
Check out what the tracks look like. You may be able to use washers/spacers on your Legacy.
-juice
Mark
GAM
I would not buy a car I could not comfortably sit in! My goodness, that's the primary thing I do in a car - sit. Everything else happens after that.
Boggled,
-wdb
bit
That makes
1) Check engine light (may have been for fuel cap)
2) Broken 6CD changer (took over 2 weeks to get it)
3) Glove compartment does not work properly
4) Now the O2 sensor
5) Also the driver side door is kinda sticky. Its does not shut properly.
The little problems are starting to get annoying.
I see much "love" on this board (and on the Passat board as well) for the Outback. I'm certain that many of you have investigated the Passat.......what made you choose?
Also, as far as the hounds are concerned: Leather or fabric interior?
Thanks in advance to all!
We chose the Subaru because of it had better relability prospects, was cheaper than a Passat 4motion, and had a slightly firmer ride than Passat (which felt a little floaty under hard cornering. My wife and I are both leadfeet!). That said, we loved VW's interior. We wish we could have had an Outback with an optional VW interior! Also, there were no deals to be had on Passat, while I was able to make a good one on the OB. Oh, the VW also required premium for that turbo, and we both though the the Subaru's 165hp did a better job if hauling the car around than VW's 155hp turbo 1.8.
sagawal-
doesn't sound like a particularly spectacular deal, though it is by no means a bad one.
The brand new loaner the gave her (another VW) broke on the way home. She took a beater of the lot. Another has been back to the dealer 8 times in 2 years. I have had a few problems with my '00 OB, but nothing like that. I have heard similar problems with Audi's. Problems may be covered under warranty, but they are a real pain! Your choice though.....
GAM
Ross
1. Squeaky brakes seem to be a recurring theme in the posts. What's the consensus here? Is this affliction an exception to the rule or is it one of the nuances of the Outback? And are we talking about eardrum piercing squeal or just some noise that you can only hear if the windows are open?
2. Some people have also complained about a stuttering when accelerating. Again, how bad? Just a little hiccup, or enough to make you spill the Starbucks?
3. Is the Outback considered generally to be a quiet car in terms of road and engine noise? (One thing we are trying to get away from the the notorious noise level in the CR-V).
4. How many of you have flipped the RWL tires around to get rid of that Smokey and the Bandit look?
5. How many of you have bought the dealer-installed genuine Subaru alarm? How well does it work? Someone said the one for the Forester can let the user set it to passive-arming. Same for the Outback's? Does it have auto-relock? Where do they put the LED light? Does it come with a siren kit or do you have to put up with the horn blast every time you arm/disarm (assuming you want to have the audible indicator)?
6. How many have you have driven your Outback to see the new Crocodile Dundee movie to see Paul Hogan drive an Outback? lol
Thanks for any and all advice.
Any thoughts?
Dan
To address your question:
1) We've never had a problem with squeaky brakes but it's normal for brakes to squeak a bit due to the metallic content in the brake pads.
2) Overall our Outback is very smooth and refined. The 5 spd shifts great and the clutch is amongst the best. When started cold it does require a little more attention to take-off smoothly from a stop. Not a big problem at all.
3) Car is quite quiet. In my opinion it has a "European" feel to it. I'm referring to the way it absorbs road bumps and the on-center feel of the steering.
4) Haven't done but I can't wait to replace the Firestones - Marginal tire at best.
5) I hate alarms but ours came with it installed. We have had no false alarms and yes you can put it in passive mode. Sadly, you can't disarm it with the key. My wife usually drives the Outback so I would prefer to not carry the bulky remote - no can do. It uses the horn to sound. There is a flashing indicator light in the dash that blinks "Alarm". It does not look like an add-on.
We've had only 2 problems with our Outback. After about 2k miles it developed a miss while idling. The dealer had the car for several days and couldn't find the problem. They tried to replace CPU's, plug wires and a couple of other things. I drove over to talk to the technician and asked him to pull out a spark plug. He did, and I was surprised to see "Champion" sparks plugs. Previous experience in my hot-rod day told me this was not good. I insisted installing NGK plugs and the problem was solved!
The other problem is a slight tire wear problem. I'm going to get the car aligned before 12k miles.
Overall the Subaru is a great car and an excellent value. I don't think they are quite up to Honda and Toyota in terms of quality/reliability but are very close. Keep in mind Subaru's are very safe cars. I'd buy one again for sure.
Live Happy,
breckco
I have a 00 base OBW since Sept. Re the OB questions:
1) Brakes- they only seem to squeak when they are wet in the morning when you first start out. It seems to have gone away over time.
2) I haven't noticed any stuttering when acccelerating. I'm a notorious coffee drinker,and havn;t spilled any yet(keeping the fingers crossed!).
3) Like any other car, with the windows closed on the highway it gives a rather quiet ride.
4)I left the tires alone.
5) I upgraded the alarm to an aftermarket alarm. If you can get a copy of the spring Drive magazine, they had info on the Subaru alarm.
I love my OB and can't complain about the ride and handling.
Dan,
Even though the manual says not to use the cigarette lighter for your cell phone, I use it with no problems. It does not get hot, and has caused no problems.
RE: OB seats,
You may want to check with your dealer, or possibly an after-market guy about upgrading to heated seats. They even have a package with lumbar support. It is a little pricey, but may be worth it.
Mark
I have a 2000 OB Ltd wagon, 5-speed, 13 months old with 11K miles on it.
1) The brakes have never squeaked under any conditions. The car lives outside in often damp Seattle weather, and goes on many short trips - hence lots of opportunity for surface corrosion - but still nothing but silence.
2) Never noticed any stuttering problem - cold or warm. Clutch is just a teeny bit grabby, but within normal parameters (had many manuals).
3) Overall, very quiet. Long, high-speed trip to Glacier and Yellowstone last summer - silent. 1000 miles with 5 skiis on factory ski rack this winter - about 450 at interstate speeds - silence. Could hear noise if I opened the front sunroof (just testing) - but why would you have the sunroof open during ski season?
4) Nothing done with the tires. Hey, you gotta problem wid Smokey the B?!
5) Came with the factory-installed alarm. You can silence the horn. I also miss being able to deactivate it with the key only (boy, was THAT a surprise!). The key fob transmitter is a bit short-range compared to others I've had, and has noticeable directional variability.
Only had the ECM replaced under warranty (and had no symptoms that it was problematic). Rock killed a windshield, but local shop had original Subaru part (with the heating elements) in just a few days. I find the front seat comfort OK, but not great. I could probably do better by fiddling with the adjustments. GREAT crappy-weather car. Bullet-proof reliability so far. Just wish it had an interval REAR windshield wiper and map pouches on the backs of the front seats - for the kids to stow junk in. I'd definitely buy another.
Hope this helps!
Greetings and cheers from the PNW!
Ken M.
-Greg
BTW, the OB is due for a major makeover for '03, right?
We have a 2k OB Ltd. (auto) 26k miles.
1. Depends on the model and who you ask. On ours they make a muted sound (not a squeek) the first 1-2 times that you apply them. After that. Quiet. The VDC I drove made an actual squeeking sound anytime I applied the brake that was loud enough to hear. The Bean version was quiet. Perhaps its specific to the VDC????
2. No idea. Ours accelerates just fine and has never hesitated.
3. The H4 turns about 2800-2850rpm at 70mph and you can hear it as a low purrr. Engine noise is not a problem at all. At 55mph the car is very quiet and you can hear your keys gingle. Wind noise on the other hand...at 65mph a woosh starts off the A-pillar that gets louder and louder as you go faster. At 75mph it get a little annoying after a few hours. The same wind noise is pretty bad after 75-80mph.
4. Nope.
5. We have the alarm upgrade and its fine I guess. Only went off one time when a valet was fiddling.
6. Thats pretty funny!
Overall its a pretty good car. Fit/finish is fair to below average for a car with an MSRP of $29k (was the list for ours with the options). Ofcourse we paid several thousand under that. The MSRP actually makes it more expensive than the Acura TL so my expectation were as high. In that regard its way below par. Its fit and finish are somewhere between the Impala and the Camry. As far as value: its pretty good in base form and fair in limited form. The VDC and Bean are now GREAT values in some regions as they are selling below invoice. I think the base Legacy also a good deal now that the Brighton is gone. My wife wanted the OB look so....
My specific complaints:
1) Poor gas mileage. 17 city / 24 highway.
2) 6CD changer broke.
3) Driver side door is now not closing properly.
4) Customer relations from all three dealers we tried was fair at best.
We're actually looking at the base Outback rather than the Ltd. The price premium for the Ltd is about $4k CAD. With our provincial and federal sales taxes that would make it almost a $4,700 difference. Too much for our budget. The leather interior would be nice though.
Thanks
1. Brakes squeak on and off. Took to dealer and they said everything is fine.
2. It does not gear down fast enough when passing. I am now used to it, but at first it drove me nuts trying to pass at freeway speeds.
3. Engine noise is minimal, especially compared to other cars I've test driven. Wind noise is a lot at times. Mirrors and racks seems to whistle at high speeds.
4. Alarm is great-- but disengage the stupid horn
5. Tires?
6. Paul Hogan made another movie???
I had a problem with wind noise and then discovered my four year old had re-engineered the door seals. Problem fixed but persuading him not to repeat the effort was harder.
As a general rule, wind noise around door seals often is fixed by leaving doors and windows open on a hot day. The seals return to factory shape and noises disappear.
Cheers
Graham
I have test drove the VDC and both my wife and I like the car and feel it would be the right fit for our family. Things that are of concern are as follows:
1. EMC issue?
2. Getting a good deal in Indiana?
3. Whether or not to wait for the 2002 model?
For as far as Number 1 - I understand from previous posts, from Jim325 and others, that this is a on-issue for vehicles manufactured after February of this year. However, how does the lay person verify such information when talking to the dealer?
For Number 2 - Has anyone purchased the VDC, plus options, in the state of Indiana at Invoice or below? If so, could you please provide me with the name and phone number of the dealership/sales person. beck, I would consider buying from surrounding states such as Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, or Kentucky if the deal is right! My mail address is rhabash@msn.com - any dealers interested please don't hesitate to email me.
Number 3 - Can anyone provide any information on the 2002 VDC? Do you guys think it would be better to wait for this vehicle or there isn't much of a difference between the two?
Thank you in advance.
RJH
1. Squeaky brakes - yep. Just the first couple of times they're applied, then it's gone. I don't seem to care about this as much as some folks do, so I might not be the best gauge to use.
2. Stuttering when accelerating. Yup, that too. It's not bad at all, barely noticeable in my opinion. More noticeable in warm weather and when driving gently, but never a big problem of any kind. Your coffee is safe :-)
3. Subies are not vault-like but they are quiet enough, especially cruising on the highways at a steady state. The horizontally opposed engines in Subies impart a "growl" or "grumble" that might be disconcerting to those accustomed to inline 4's or V-6's. I personally like to hear the motor a little bit, especially when I have the throttle wide open, and I think the Legacy strikes a nice balance in this regard.
4. I don't like RWL tires either, never have! Different strokes for different folks. Get the dealer to flip them for you before you take delivery.
5. Don't know what "passive-arming" is. The Legacy factory alarm system has motion sensors and uses the horn as its alarm sound. I don't know what you mean by "auto-relock" unless it is that intensely annoying "feature" found in Chrysler products where the doors all lock as soon as the car starts to move; if so, the Subie does not do that, thank goodness. The LED is in the instrument cluster. You can have the car blink the lights and beep the horn every time you lock/unlock, or you can turn off the horn and just have the lights.
6. I have a great home system and so tend to wait for the video, especially when it's something as un-special as another Hogan yawner ;-)
Cheers,
-wdb
If you're willing to travel to the Chicago area, try Liberty Subaru in Libertyville. Speak with Elmer Hansen, Subaru product manager. I have referred nearly a dozen buyers to him because of his fair dealing and excellent prices. I recently bought an LL Bean wagon from Elmer. It was the first H-6 model delievered by Liberty and I can tell you, the engine is really a great improvement over the four cylinder. Much more flexible and responsive. The price was "right." Elmer's phone number is 847.362.2683.
By the way, I do not receive any compensation for suggesting Liberty Subaru. I like the way they conduct their business, their knowledge of the product and their great service ability. I have used the dealership since first purchasing an SVX coupe in '91.
If I can share anything additional with you, please feel free to let me know.
Don
A couple of things that quiet it down is to remove the crossbars (5 minutes to do it, max), and if it's bugging you, close the interior moonroof covers. When you do that, there is very little noise at 80 mph. You have to go substantially faster to really get any noise :-)
HTH,
Theo
Thanks for all of your input and great knowledge.
-Greg
P.S. Spent last night RTFM. Some cool stuff.