Subaru Outback Wagon

[Doug]

So I'm considering getting rid of the Explorer. One of the vehicles I'm considering is a 2003 or 2004 Subaru Outback Wagon. I know some of you own this vehicle. Spill. If you would you buy one again? How are the mileage claims? Ample gear room for 2 - 3 folks for a weekend alpine adventure? Comfort? I'm 6 foot 2. Power with the 4 cylinder compared to the 6? Reliable? Or not? How about for skiing?

[MisterMo]

I have a '99 Legacy (2200CC) with about 115K or so on it. The Outback is basically the same rig with some bells & whistles and more ground clearance so I will comment.

Overall I've been really happy.

Fantastic snow rig I run studs & drive in snow about 4-5 months a year...almost never spin a wheel, never lost control.

Fuel economy 28-29 running up and down the pass, 30+ elsewhere.

So far done routine maintenance, timing belt, alternator, front brakes, and speedo head...so pretty reliable and trouble free.

Plenty of poop with the little motor for just me tho I drop down one gear from Tunnel Creek up

When I replace this car I will get the Outback if only for the ground clearance, with the Legacy I have to be super careful on shitty roads.

Lots of people in the ski world seem to run various Subarus; I've never run into anybody who had a horrible experience with theirs but they're probably out there somewhere.

 

Oh...yeah...like a lot of modern cars they're maybe sort of "cheap" feeling. Maybe 'lightly constructed' would be the better term. Not the sort of rig you'd go crashing off thru the two-inch alders with like an old Power Wagon. But as long as you drive on roads, no worries, no complaints.

[dberdinka]

Incredible on the snow and ice.

Plenty of room for two or three people and gear

Chicks dig it!

...Groceries fit nicely in the back... ....

 

Not so good on anything but the smoothest logging roads. I had a rough time getting into 3 o'clock through some of the washouts this year.

 

Maybe I just miss my old 4wd Toyota Truck....

[mattp]

You may find it just a bit small if you are over 6 feet, in terms of head room and leg room, but the Outback is not a small vehical when it comes time to park it on a city street.

 

I like mine, and I would echo much of what has been said above except to offer some clarification to Mr. Berdinka's remark about the logging roads: the Outback is a car, and it does not have the clearance of a 4 x 4 pickup, but it does OK on most logging roads that serve regular trailheads and in fact it rides very well on a washboard road and holds the gravel-covered road around the corners much better than my old 4x4 toyota pickup ever did. (I did drag and scratch the Subaru's plastic bumper on water bars on a Canadian logging road and there are places where I wouldn't even try to go, so I do not disagree with Mr. Berdinka but merely see some logging road plusses along with the minus).

[MattLinden]

Chicks dig it!

 

"Chicks," is this true? It's important!

 

I'd wouldn't mind something with better gas mileage than my 4-Runner when I replace it in a couple years. I do think I'd miss the clearance a couple times a year, but the Outback probably handles snow better.

[Doug]

Chicks dig it!

 

Well yes it is important to me that my wife and daughter like the car..

[ChrisT]

Chicks do dig it! I want one too

[marylou]

Chicks dig it!

 

"Chicks," is this true? It's important!

 

I'd wouldn't mind something with better gas mileage than my 4-Runner when I replace it in a couple years. I do think I'd miss the clearance a couple times a year, but the Outback probably handles snow better.

 

Chicks dig S00bies, trust me.

 

Mine has 190K on it, and when it finally dies, it will be replaced with.....another S00b!

 

Do they have heated seats yet? That really is the ultimate luxury!!

[Doug]

Heated seats is one of the options I'm going after!

[stinkyclimber]

How are the mileage claims? Ample gear room for 2 - 3 folks for a weekend alpine adventure?

I think 2-3 folks is an easy fit. I had an '88 Subaru and it regularly fit 4 people with winter ski mountaineering gear for up to 5 days (including for trips from the Coast to the Rockies). Sure, it was tight, but more than doable. And the new Outbacks are bigger than the old wagons so it should be even easier (although the old ones, up to '88, had low range transfer cases for superior hill climbing and water-bar crawling ability!...and the front-end overhang was less than the Outbacks, also better for waterbars).

 

I would buy an '88 Subaru in a flash if I could find one in mint condition...all the new wagons suck - too big, gas guzzlers, huge front overhangs, and full of stupid electronics that break down or freeze up.

[Matt_Anderson]

Not solicited, but I looked at both the forester and the wagon and decided on the forester. The forester has more head room and comparable storage (the extra head room makes up for the lack of length). It handles MUCH better and is supposed to have a bit more clearance.

 

2-3 folks for a weekend is no problem. Four takes some creative pacing

[mattp]

An auto mechanic I spoke to when I was car shopping said the Outback is built on a more solid frame than the Forester and that, if I planned on driving on a lot of gravel roads, he expressed a strong preference for the Outback.

 

Also, I can (barely) sleep in the back of the Outback, but not a Forester.

 

However, the Forester DOES have a bit more head room and I believe it has 1/2" or 3/4" more clearance.

 

One concern I have about the Outback is that the clearance around the wheels is very limited and I'm not sure I'll be able to use the chain-type tire chains I've bought (it is no big deal to use the cable type on highways - even better - but on unplowed logging roads the chain ones are much better).

[J_Kirby]

I really liked my ’02 Outback (basically the same as the ’04) and drove it hard in all kinds of conditions. Besides daily driving and trips up to Mt. Hood, I used it as my field vehicle for two summers on construction sites and never got into anything I couldn’t climb out of. That said, I never was too fond of the 5-speed Subaru used in those, it’s a bit clunky and you always seem to be waiting for the synchros. Also, in cold weather, the standard mirrors seem to be permanently fogged up. One other beef I had was that coming over the passes with several people and weekend gear, I’d have to drop a gear to maintain speed even at higher RPMs.

 

I solved all these problems when I traded out my ‘02 Outback this summer for one of the much improved ‘05s.

 

 

Got the 2.5 turbo and will never look back. The engine has 250 HP and about the same ft-lbs of torque so it pulls hills without even breathing hard. The difference in acceleration is amazing with the turbo charged 2.5 and it’ll accelerate like you’re driving a WRX. Subaru put a brand new beefed-up 5 speed in it (though it could use a 6) that is much smoother shifting and addresses all my previous transmission beefs. I also got all the winter goodies so my mirrors don’t get fogged, the seats warm up quickly, and the wipers don’t ice up. Besides that, the interior seems much less cheap and is put together much better.

 

One other plus I discovered is that the rear seats lay down flat without pulling up the rear bench. Where I used to be a bit scrunched up sleeping in the back, I can slide the front seat as far forward as I want and create more sleeping room. It’s downright roomy now.

 

Ground clearance is a bit better but as others have said, its not a 4x4. In dry conditions I’ve picked my way through some really rocky nasty stuff that I’d never drive a car through, but when it gets muddy or in deep snow, a real 4WD (that you can actually put chains on) is still the way to go.

[J_Kirby]

One concern I have about the Outback is that the clearance around the wheels is very limited and I'm not sure I'll be able to use the chain-type tire chains I've bought (it is no big deal to use the cable type on highways - even better - but on unplowed logging roads the chain ones are much better).

 

If you put real chains on, you actually void manufacturer's warrenty (if that's important to you). The tires have such low clearances that when you turn while driving the chains will hit the wheelwells.

[SnowByrd]

So I'm considering getting rid of the Explorer. One of the vehicles I'm considering is a 2003 or 2004 Subaru Outback Wagon. I know some of you own this vehicle. Spill. If you would you buy one again? How are the mileage claims? Ample gear room for 2 - 3 folks for a weekend alpine adventure? Comfort? I'm 6 foot 2. Power with the 4 cylinder compared to the 6? Reliable? Or not? How about for skiing?

 

You are doing the right thing...I used to have a 'sploder' and now I have a Forester (2000 not a 2003) and I love it. There is plenty of room for gear and 2 - 3 people for a weekend, although not to sleep in. I can sleep in the back of my Forester but I'm only 5'3....the Outback gives you more length but I'd fold the seats down and stretch out in it before you buy it, if thats a deciding factor. The numbers speak for themselves....they're safe, get great gas mileage, handle well, are zippy enough if you're not Mario Andretti, and can go almost anywhere since they have AWD. I haven't heard anything about the new V6 model but I do know they look good Obvioulsy 6 cyl AWD is going to get worse gas mileage than a 4 cyl....but for me, the 4 cyl is great. If you tow more than 2000k, then I'd opt for the bigger engine.

 

Good Luck!

[Jedi]

I have a 97 Outback Limited. It been a good wagon over the past 7 years. No problems except for some little electrical problems with dash lights. I have the 4 cyl. I would go for the 6 but the gas mileage will be reduced. I have 106K on mine. Going in Monday to get new tranny juice & filter, fix an oil leak and see about a wheel bearing.

Then I need to mount some new rotors and pads. The brakes were never as good as my wife's 00 Fouruner.

I'm only 5'9 so it sleeps one ok.

 

The 05 is pretty sweet looking!

 

Jedi

[Sundog]

To you current Suby owners:

Do you use snow tires or can you get buy with good all-weather tires on a Suby? I want to hit Paradise and some snow covered dirt road.

 

Can you get by with cable chains and still turn? What do you do about the chain requirement up to Paradise?

 

Thanks and the O5's feel very solid and ride well too.

[JayB]

Am I wrong or are all Subarus built on a box-welded frame?

[Blake]

If you tow more than 2000k, then I'd opt for the bigger engine.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

2000K = 2,000,000

Who is towing more than 2million??????

[MisterMo]

To you current Suby owners:

Do you use snow tires or can you get buy with good all-weather tires on a Suby? I want to hit Paradise and some snow covered dirt road.

 

Can you get by with cable chains and still turn? What do you do about the chain requirement up to Paradise?

 

Thanks and the O5's feel very solid and ride well too.

I commute in the snow...up & down the west side of Stevens 5 days/week...and so...

I use studded snow tires. They go, and more importantly stop, better than the all season jobbies especially on the typical west side snot. In consistently colder conditions the difference might not be as noticeable; if you drove less frequently in snow the need might not be as great. There is a slight fuel economy setback with snow tires.

 

You'll romp right up to Paradise either way.

 

I have chains for my little car but since it goes so well they've never been out of the box so can't comment.

 

Be advised that once it gets deep and gooey (like rained on)

you Subaru isn't going to go very well; of course nothing else will either.

[Sundog]

MisterMo: I take it you bought some cheaper steel wheels to put those tires on?

 

Thanks again.

[jon]

The Subaru Outback rocks. It's an amazing car in the snow. The only problem I found with it is if you are over 6 foot it's a little uncomfortable to sleep in the back. It could use about 20 more horsepower too. Overall a very solid car. I remember on a test drive the salesman punched it over half pavement and half ice and let go of the stearing wheel and it went straight. Pretty amazing.

 

I own a WRX wagon right now. It's fast as shit and is also incredible in the snow for how light it is. Only complaint is that you can't open the rear with a box on top. But then again, it does 0-60 faster than a 911. I was able to get mine at Chaplins 1500 under invoice.

[tomtom]

I bought a Forester new in '03. I chose it over the Outback because it is shorter and lighter. It's too short for me to sleep in the back with the tailgate closed, however. I can road trip with three, day trip with four. Mileage is 28-29 on the highway at speed limit + 5-10. The awd is great, but it doesn't help you stop any shorter. Mine is the xs model with heated seats and rear limited slip.

 

Email Joe Spitz at Carter Subaru. His first price was below what I wanted to pay.

[MisterMo]

MisterMo: I take it you bought some cheaper steel wheels to put those tires on?

 

Thanks again.

No. It's incredibly stupid that I haven't. but, I haven't. Just can't make myself get around to it even though the twice annual mounting bill isn't going down.

[Jedi]

TomTom brought up a good point. One thing I noticed with my outback is the RPM's. At 70mph, I am tach'n 3K. That is a little high and does hurt the gas mileage. My wife's 4Runner is tach's something like 2,500rpm's. Could be wrong but I know it's lower than my Outback. Around 85mph, the tach is humming. In the mountains, pulling two bikes (850lbs) on an open trailer, requires you "to put your foot in it" to get up to bigger hills. Again this is the 4 cyl.

 

Jedi