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Make sure that both sides are fully clamped down and the holding pins that on springs fully release. Ours makes noise only when one side is not fully clamped in.
-mike
Gas Mileage: ranges from 25 to 27. I've noticed the coldest mornings affect it the most. Thats when I get the 25mpg. The warmer longer trips easily get into the 27+ range.
Comfort: Great if your the driver. I'm 6'4" and find the drivers seat comfortable. The passanger seat just can't adjust the same without the power seat. My wide is 5'2" and thinks the passanger seat is just fine.
Power: Good. Of course more would be better. I'm looking to tow a camper this summer. Might have to use the van instead. Good acceleration on the highway makes it easy to pass.
AWD: Well I'm in northern Wisconsin and we had a sissy winter this year. The few times it did snow, it was great. Still looking forward to a big dumping of snow.
Overall: good room for a family of four to make road trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house. I'm considering a second Subaru when its time to replace the van. 18,000 trouble free miles.
-jay
--jay
Bob
;~)
Ross
Ross,
Yes. I might be in the dog house for a week. better watch those tpyos
-mike
Also, I've read somewhere someone commented that the OB hood is awfully heavy to lift. Does it not come with gas struts, even on the H6 models?
Ross
The car is extremely quiet (extra insulation)even under hard acceleration; the H6 seems to have the power where I want it most (passing / high speed cuising). It is really a great highway car, and the McIntosh stereo is worth much of the extra bucks to me. Being primarily my wife's car, the VDC system is worth it to her for her peace of mind. The bottom line:it seems like the value of the H6 depends on what you value in a car.
Mike
I have a Bean, and love the smoothness and pickup of the engine. But then the H4 is nice too, and many others here use the same adjectives - smooth and powerful. The only question then is how much? How much smooth and powerful do you want, for how much money?
The hood on the Bean is heavy, and doesn't have gas shocks, it has a strut to hold it open. After having my 12 yr-old Toyota hood close on my head after the shocks got tired, I think I prefer the strut! (But a hood with gas shocks sure looks cool, and when they work the shocks are neat.)
Steve
I opted to spend the extra $$ for the H6, since I carry a lot of heavy equipment up & down the Bay Area hills & I really noticed the difference between the 4 & the 6 on the nice, steep hill I used to test drive everything.
That said, I am delighted with all of the other bells & whistles now that I gotten used to them. I had no idea one could love a steering wheel as much as I love the MOMA! & the quiet, smooth ride is a pleasure. The heated leather seats I could care less about, frankly. the all weather package is nice, but it's really the overall ride, the solid feeling, that extra bit of power, and did I mention the steering wheel? that make it all worth it. My second choice was a Base model, but right now I'm delighted that I opted for the Bean.
Steve
Does anybody know if such a kit is available for the hood on current OB/Legacy models? Maybe see struts on someones car at a rally?
Steve
H6 is the only option
-mike
They REALLY should have steering wheel mounted radio controls and Homelink (tm) transmitter oh, and put some lighting in the driver's side arm rest for heavens sake! None of those switches are lit (except the drivers window). Wife is not happy with gas mileage but otherwise the car is GREAT!!! I'd do it again.
FWIW,
Paul Sergeant
01 Subaru Outback LL Bean Wintergreen (15,000 miles in 7-months)
97 Ford Ranger 4-banger
93 Saturn SL2
65 Corvair Monza Convertible
61 Pontiac Tempest Safari Wagon.
That Tempest, IIRC, had a 4-banger which was really just a Pontiac V8, with one bank of cylinders lopped off; and had a rear transaxle too. Is the Monza a turbo, or non-turbo?
Bob
Ross
-james
Steve
My problem was complicated by having to also replace Beths minivan this year. Between the Odyssey and the Outback, I am down $50k - a lot of dough for us mere mortals.
I was also struck by your 15k miles in 7 months. I just rolled 4k at a week shy of 6 months. So how much luxury do I deserve???
Steve
Bob
I think by the mid-70s, these Canadian-specific models had disappeared.
Bob
Ross
Bob
In my first year of ownership, my odometer reads just over 23Kmi. I change the oil per the recommended service limit. So far I have also replaced all the air filters (cabin and engine). My avg mileage using premium is 23mpg. I drive 80mi back and forth to work every day plus occasional 75-100mi round trips to the mountains on weekends for a mountain bike or road bike ride. Last summer I did a solo round trip non-stop drive to Miami from Atlanta (9.5hrs each way). The 6 CD changer was great as well as the driver's seat.
I have no real nits other than I echo Paul's in regards to the lack of steering wheel mtd sound control and homelink. I hate the tires and cannot waite till they are worn enough for me to justify trashing them.
I would recommend an H6 over the H4 any day. I would also have to think real hard about trading to a GT if they ever stick the H6 in it.
BTW, Steve (fibber2): 11 miles to work on backroads!...Heck you don't need a car, a nice commuter bike would be perfect for that short a commute....Oh, what I would do to live that close to work...hmmm.
-r
Mine was a 1963 Monza Spyder (turbo) Convertible. At times I also owned a 65 2-door Monza and a 61 Lakewood station wagon. It's amazing how many people have Corvairs in their backgrounds.
I won't claim to have the last word here, but the Spyder was an added moniker to the Corvair Monza line signifying the turbo engine on the 62-64 models. These were advertised at 150HP.
In 1964, the engine was enlarged from 145 cubic inches to 164 cubes. Turbo models were still called Spyders and were still listed at 150HP. In 1965, the Spyder name was dropped in favor of the Corsa model and the advertised horsepower jumped to 180. Corsa also offered a non-turbo 140hp variant. The Corsa was dropped after 1966.
I remember reading of early 1965 turbo models still retaining the Spyder name, but very quickly they were all named Corsas.
More details are available from http://www.corvair.com/chistory.html published by Clark's Corvair Parts, still a leading supplier of Corvair parts.
The Tempest model was one of the first production cars offered with a supercharger, in 1962. Indeed the transaxle was in the rear, as was the battery, but I never heard that the transaxle was shared with the Corvair.
I know that this is terribly off-topic for our Outback forum, please forgive me.
Steve (now an Outback owner!)
Flat-6 (H6) Engines Forever!
Bob
Unfortunately, the season is too short here for commuter motorcycling. I did think about it some years back, though. It is a great commute. A mix of backroads and 3.5 miles on the Taconic Parkway. Three traffic lights & 1 stop sign.
Steve
Cheers Pat.
;~)
Ross
Too bad about the Spyder Barbecue. Mine flamed too, but in a less spectacular, although at the time no less shocking, manner. Did you know the defroster was helped along with a couple of heater elements? I was driving along one night, turned on the defroster, and was rewarded a short time later with flames rising from the ducts at the base of the windshield. They weren't very big, but just seeing them light up the dash at night just about did me in. Nearly wrecked the car trying to reach under the dash and beat on the ductwork (the only thing I could think of at the time) until they went out, leaving a couple of plumes of smoke in their wake. Had to open the window to clear the inside of the car. I guess dust and debris collected on the elements over the years until they lit up.
Next day I had to clean the soot from the inside of the windshield, just like a glass chimney on a candle holder.
Man, do I love my modern Subaru!
Steve
But I did learn never ever will I buy a Chrysler again.
Cheers Pat.
David
1984 Plymouth Voyager (also a 'car of the year' recipient)
The Nova had the 250ci straight 6 cylinder. They were notorious for leaking oil from the sides of the block - and mine was no exception. Frame was rusted almost all the way through - the floor even had a hole in it! A beater, nothing more, nothing less.
The Voyager was the first year they came out. 2.6L 4 cylinder made by Mitsubishi. Thing would run like cr*p in the rain or anytime it was moist outside. Basically replaced the cap & rotor monthly. Left me stranded once, my dad once too.
-Brian
same as the vega what a pos.the car I loved the most was 87 mazda rx7 gxl 275k still ran stong untill it was stolen and drove into the bay .
mike k
2002outback wagon sapphire blue
1996 honda accord coupe beige
1995 ford ranger black 4cyl
1990 ford ranger black 4cyl
1988 ford escort exp
1986 hyundai excel another pos
1976 olds cutlass supreme colonial coupe great car
1975 pontiac astre
and the beloved 1987 mazda rx7
My dad had a Vega. It didn't last, I hardly remember it.
-juice
The 1961 thru 1963 Pontiac Tempest was available with either the 4-cyl (1/2 the Pontiac 389 V-8 - right bank of cylinders lopped off) or the interesting but rare 215ci V-8 (61 and 62 only). In 63 you could get the 4-cyl or the 326 v-8. The Tempest was never avaliable with turbo-charging. However, the Oldsmobile on the same platform (F-85) was available with the "Jetfire" (turbo-charger) option for 1962. Again as Steve stated correctly, the Pontiac (only) utilized a transaxle setup where the transmission was connected to the differential in the rear of the car. A narrow steel shaft (sometimes referred to as the "rope shaft") connected the engine (in front) to the transaxle. The automatic transmission and rear suspension set-up were shared with early model Corvairs but that is where the simiarities end. This layout resulted in 4-wheel independent suspension. The ride quality is supposed to be quite remarkable. The 61 wagon that I have is a 54,000 mile California original (survivor). I find these cars strange/unique. I've not driven the Tempest enough to comment on how they ride or handle. Unique cars peak my interest. Both my 'old' cars contain some very interesting engineering for their time.
OK, back to Subaru Outback stuff.... It snowed 12" at my house last night. The LL Bean loves that kind of weather.
Paul in MN.
I hope El Nino they are talking about will bring a nice snowy winter next year. In the meantime, I'll plant some shrubs, cut grass and sit in the OB wondering what could have been.
Greg
-juice
Traded it ($200) for my first Subaru - a 78 GL coupe!
Cheers!
Paul
Paul mentioned "the interesting but rare 215ci V-8". IIRC, that was the aluminum block V8 ??? GM found in the budding horsepower wars of the early '60 that there was no interest in tiny (3.5 liter) V8 engines. They sold the rights to Rover Group (England), and that became the mainstay engine for 30 years.
Steve