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Comments
Kim
Try a web search under "sheepskin car seatcovers".....many listed. I have one on my drivers seat and like it a lot!
Bought it a few years ago ...uummh Rocky Mountain somethin. Seems like it was about $90. for a custom fit one.
Hope this helps....
1) slightly bigger inside, but not a lot
2) seat travel is supposed to be increased, so front leg room should be quite good
3) more upscale inside, the fabrics I've seen are far more subdued than my 1998 model
But...why not a Legacy GT? If you want another car like your Legacy, that ought to be exactly what you're looking for.
-juice
Thank you.
-mike
1. Is the 4 cylinder enough? I don't go off roading. I'm picturing a car full of Home Depot stuff going over a mountain pass. Do you have a manual or auto transmission - is the manual more powerful with the V4?
2. What type of gas does it take?
3. Are adults comfortable in the backseat and for how long?
4. Do you agree with the dealer that an Outback could take AT LEAST 200K miles?
5. If you had it to do again would you by an Outback?
6. Is there anything a 2002 has that I couldn't find in a 2001 or 2000?
If you have the time please just respond to my email. Thanks
2) Regular.
3) They be as comfortable there as in a any other similar-sized car. I would say several hours before needing a break.
4) Yes—if you maintain it properly. Follow the recommended services and you should be okay for 200K. There will be normal wear-'n-tear items that will need to be replaced, or course.
5) I don't own an Outback, but I do own 2 other Subarus, and I would buy another without hesitation. Outback owners?
6) A few tweaks: The ignition key ring is now lit for easier nighttime use. The center console has a revised (better) cupholder layout. It has a smaller rear center headrest, for better rearward visibility.
Bob
To save $$$, consider Legacy wagon vs. Outback wagon. It is slightly lighter, so H4 engine is OK. The Legacy is basically the same car minus body cladding and with lower suspension.
Regards,
Jacek
Power should be adequate, but I would not suggest you exceed the (relatively generous) payload by throwing 20 bags of conrete in the back and then heading up mountains. Manuals are a little peppier but the engine mates well to an auto because of its torque characteristics.
I stick with regular gas, the cheapest I can get. The back seat on the Outback is pretty good, and if you get the moonroof it serves back seat passengers so they don't feel claustrophobic.
The 2002 got a few extra goodies like the lit key ring and the sturdy cup holders in the console, plus bigger front brake discs. My dad has a 2001 and he loves it. I actually have a Forester, and if kids are 4-5 years away I would consider that as well.
Another alternative is the Legacy GT. The wagon has a moonroof even with a cloth interior, a combo you can't get with the Outback, so it's a good value. It's sportier and geared a little shorter if you're concerned about those mountains.
200k miles? Depends on how you take care of it, how you drive it, and luck. You can't guarantee 200k miles on any car, even a Lexus.
-juice
I used to get that same smell after a good drive. Never checked to see if the transaxle was leaking. I also got the same smell after an oil change, although nothing ever got close to the exhaust.
Anyone who thinks they can get a Honda Pilot around $25,000 better think again. The dealer here
has sold at least 3-4 months inventory in advance without any price info. Price will probably be in the high $20's to mid $30's. I am certain additional dealer markup will be common like it is on the Acura MDX. You can also bet they will tack on ton's of dealer add-ons.At least you can deal on a Subie.
GAM2 (still lurking)
After close to 2 years, I am very happy with my OB and would definitely do it again.
Ron
lover hence my user name.
I use regular gas, my wagon is Automatic, and while I agree that it is no WRX. neither is it a slouch.
looked at the base outback but the interior fabrics appeared cheap and course in comparison to the GT.
I also wanted the moonroof option, I have had no complaints from anyone about rear seat comfort.
And finally GT was only About $800 more expensive than the base outback here in Canada so that sealed my decision, Oh and I think this car beats any Honda I owned hands down and I owned a lot of them.
Cheers Pat.
-mike
When our wagon was new (AUTO) we avg. 22 miles/gal in city driving. Now after two years, this has dropped to 20.5 to 21. Our driving habits are the same and wanted to know if others experienced at drop off after awhile.
Pat- In your splendid photos of your silver GT wagon, I noticed that you have the rear spoiler. Looks great; is it also effective keeping crud off your rear window?
Jon
John
Please advise.
Thank you.
Pilot will be $28-35k, probably, but yes, markups are very likely at first, so $30-37k is more like it for a while. Ody doesn't offer a moonroof, so I'm not sure there will even be a factory moonroof option.
Charles: I've heard you can only turn rotors once. Depends on how thin the rotors are now, I guess. Your lower mileage could be caused by reformulated gas. Mine was 2mpg lower than usual during the winter.
Dudley's right, and we also didn't factor in tire sizes. In actuality, the Outback is geared the tallest, then the Legacy L a little shorter (3% or so), then finally the GT with the shortest gearing, 7% shorter than the OB.
You get trade-offs in acceleration vs. fuel economy. And of course you then have to factor in weight.
-juice
I have a 2000 base OB with 5spd MT and love the car! I have taken it off road at the Pine Barrens, as well as using it to move furniture and carry 70 cases of cat food. I have never had any problems. I agree that you will not beat anyone from a stand still, but once you are moving, you move! I have also gone on a 6 hour trip with 2 teenagers in the back with no problem. It is a great car. Hope this helps.
Mark
I have three children (two adult size, one mini), they fit fine in the back of an Outback wagon.
I never had a problem using regular fuel.
Of course I believe they can last forever - I've read the customer comments!
Patti
In contrast, on my 1993 Accord wagon I rarely had to use the rear wiper, and in all the years I had it I could count on one hand the number of times I used the rear washer.
As long as the Honda was moving nothing got on the rear glass,but a friend has a 2001 outback which is the same car as the legacy, he has the deflector and it makes no difference either.
I got the spoiler thinking it would make a difference but also because it looked better than the deflector, BTW, my wagon is Titanium not silver.
I hope this info makes your choice easier.
Cheers Pat.
Unless a rotor is slightly warped there should be no need to turn them, the small grooves that appear in rotors is a natural combination of the semi metallic pads that are used,rubbing on metal rotors.
Just replacing the pads on lightly grooved rotors is acceptable as this is normal.
If the rotors are grooved badly because the pads have been allowed to wear out that is different,in all probability machining will not remove grooves caused in this way they will be to deep.
Cheers Pat.
Mike
For just a short part of the production year in 2000, Subaru used too thin a grease for the front axel which caused it to leak out onto the exhaust. Exactly the problem you are having. It should be replaced by your dealer under warranty.
Unfortunately, this was not my problem and we are still searching for the source of the burning smell which is only after hard use such as climbing or high speeds.
Tom
If there is one aspect of this car that truly ticks me off it is this.
Cheers Pat.
Ross
Patti
Anyways, over the months, the front bumper has sustained quite a bit of paint damage. I'm talking about the lower (below foglights) section of the bumper (mostly underside) have big scratches and scrapes. I'm planning to remove the bumper and repaint that section when it gets warmer. Does anybody know what color matches the gold plastic best? what kind of paint to use? Even tips on the painting process, thanks guys!
Pat- My apologies for my colour blindness (really, I am colour impaired). I went back and looked at your photos (#2010) in the Mods and could see the difference on your splash guard photos. I thought titanium colour was only on the OB cladding. The SE model is only available in silver or black. Titanium would have been our first choice if available for the SE.
Ross- your info re: Rufus and his deflector is helpful. Our '00 OB w/o any deflector colllected crud really fast whereas our '92 Legacy(s)(2) with the metal deflectors are better.
Jon
Mike
-mike
color: I believe the color is called "titanium pearl". Subaru dealers may sell touch up paint (perhaps in aerosol cans, perhaps not), but you could always have it custom mixed at an autobody paint store. I haven't tried to paint the cladding myself, but I suspect it doesn't require any special prep. Just fill the gouges with body putty; wet sand to 1500 grit, prime and paint. I much prefer the black unpainted "super-teflon-slick" surface on my Forester L. No scratches, no washing (just a quick hose down), no worries. Offer this as an option on the 2003 Outbacks and I'll trade mine in!
cutting: I just read somewhere that some (many?) brake specialists now recommend against turning rotors under any conditions. The article mentioned Subaru rotors in particular, because they are surface hardened (I assume a light case-hardening), so once the hardening is lathed off their servicable life is virtually over. Instead they recommend replacing pads BEFORE any wear occurs, and thus avoid the need to replace the rotors until 90k miles or so. The cost is a wash, more or less. I'm now eager to learn how to replace my own pads so I can swap 'em cheap and often! Finally, a quick tip to avoid warped rotors: never keep the brakes applied once the car has come to a complete stop, if you can avoid it (tricky on automatics). The reason being simply that those hot discs of metal need to cool (and shrink) uniformly if they are to stay true. With the linings pressed against them they cool and shrink unevenly. Aluminum rotors throw off heat much quicker than ferrous rotors, so they are especially prone to warping. Just another reason to love that Subaru!
YetAnotherDave
I have learned to live with it but I still do not like it.
Cheers Pat.
In fact the car is going in tomorrow for a major service (48000 k.) and they are also again going to try and locate the source of the burning smell.
It is not a sweet smell but rather a hot steamy burning smell (not electrical) and present when on dry roads but very pronounced after a drive on wet roads. The car has to either be at speed for a period of time or climb hills before it will smell. I feel sorry for the dealer trying to figure this one out. Obviously, they can't spare the time to go for a long drive or to go off into the hills.
Cheers,
Tom
Sounded quite neat actually, like a jet taking off on a wet runway.
I know what you mean about the rear window but I do like what it does to the cars that follow too closely. ;~}
Tom
Patti
-juice
I don't think it's bad though - a CRV at work came in the other day with the back window just coated in white salt spray. The lower part of the vehicle had it also, but none of the front or side windows.
The one thing I have noticed about the OB rear wiper is that it has trouble wiping the top of the window. The wiper looses contact with the glass. I thought it might be the OEM wiper blade, but it didn't go away with a ANCO aero replacement. No big deal since I typically only use the rear wiper to clean the window after being parked in wet weather.
-Brian
-juice
I only travelled about 8 miles round trip and there is so much crud on the back of the car you would think it had not seen water in a month.
I will try the rain-x but this is something I have just learned to live with, no car is perfect and I guess this is the Titan,s Achille,s heel.
Cheers Pat.
Bill
I understand the inherent advantages of AWD as it exists in the Outback. How does the standard front wheel drive Passat handle in the snow? Is there a significant improvement with the AWD as it exists in the standard Outback?
I'm not an off-roader...I'm looking for a reliable vehicle for getting to work and the occasional road trip.
My thanks to all in advance.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Station Wagons Boards
Having had both the Passat and an Outback, I can understand the dilemma. Both are fine cars and the buzz I got from the Passat was fabulous.
However, the Outback is dramatically better handling in sloppy conditions and snow. There is no way a 2WD can match the performance of an AWD.
In addition, the added clearance means the Outback will push comfortably through drifts which the Passat will stick in. Here in Australia, the car of choice in any snow area is a Subaru, typically of an older mud-spattered variety.
Have fun choosing. If you get the chance drive both on really poor dirt or mud tracks to see how the handling deteriorates. I find the Outback handling appears to improve as the conditions deteriroate. Strictly this is not correct but the differential inhandling quality becomes more apparent as other vehicles suffer dramatically.
Cheers
Graham
Bummer, Pat. At least you can rinse it and get most the stuff off, since it hasn't caked on.
Bill: the chain will save you from changing the timing belt on the 4 banger, but the interval for that is a whopping 105k miles. So it's nice, but hardly a major factor. The H6 is smooth, relaxed, and luxurious. That's the reason to get it.
Tom: I think the Outback compares more closely with the Passat 4Motion, and even then it has far more clearance and a VDC option.
With the same tires, the Outback will eat the Passat's lunch in snow, no question about it. If you do get the Passat, at least consider getting both traction control and snow tires.
-juice
Does anybody know how to decode a Legacy/OB Vehicle Identification Number? I'm looking to figure out from the VIN what type of transmission a car has. Am looking for a used 5sp, and this would speed up the search.
TIA
-Mathias
East Lansing MI