Trying to decide if this is my next vehicle. Looking at a 2019 base model. I hate big car payments so I’m stuck on the base.
Give me the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Give me the good, the bad, and the ugly.
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Subaru Outback owners - help!
- Thread starter ssledoux
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I'm not experienced with the Outback, but I have a '18 Crosstrek. I wouldn't mind having the new Forrester.
This is my second Subie - first was an '84 GL Wagon. I know the 2020 Outback is a new model.
As for Subaru and their value - I can say that most Subie owners tend to be very long term owners. The cars are different enough to have an appeal beyond the tech and features available in most modern vehicles.
There are user forums for the Outback. You can usually peruse the user forums as a guest. Or, join one and get a lot more feedback.
SubaruOutback.org
TheSubaruFourms.com
Those are a good start.
This is my second Subie - first was an '84 GL Wagon. I know the 2020 Outback is a new model.
As for Subaru and their value - I can say that most Subie owners tend to be very long term owners. The cars are different enough to have an appeal beyond the tech and features available in most modern vehicles.
There are user forums for the Outback. You can usually peruse the user forums as a guest. Or, join one and get a lot more feedback.
SubaruOutback.org
TheSubaruFourms.com
Those are a good start.
Why not by slightly used? We bought a 1-owner Outback for fewer than 50k miles a couple of years ago and have no regrets.
It took a while to find one, but we love it. I’d personally much rather have one slightly used with more features than bare bones and new.
It took a while to find one, but we love it. I’d personally much rather have one slightly used with more features than bare bones and new.
We have owned 7 Subaru's, all Outbacks but one, an air cooled "two stroker". 
These were all great cars, but since we ran unreasonably high miles, they became give a ways at the end of our use. We could no longer afford to buy these fine 35k+ cars and just run them out.
We went to used Toyota XB Scions. Still drive one today. a2
These were all great cars, but since we ran unreasonably high miles, they became give a ways at the end of our use. We could no longer afford to buy these fine 35k+ cars and just run them out.
We went to used Toyota XB Scions. Still drive one today. a2
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Well the new ones have some stuff standard on the base that was on the higher models just a couple years ago. It's really not bare bones.
They are difficult to find slightly used, and the price is not much less than new, so I'd prefer to go ahead and get new with a full warranty.
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We have owned 7 Subaru's, all Outbacks but one, an air cooled "two stroker".
These were all great cars, but since we ran unreasonably high miles, they became give a ways at the end of our use. We could no longer afford to buy these fine 35k+ cars and just run them out.
We went to used Toyota XB Scions. Still drive one today. a2
Well the base model Outback I looked at today was 25K, which isn't bad for the features they put on their lower models. I haven't found anything in that class (or similar) with the type of options for close to that price.
Yes, could have been lower., but always financed them, and bought them loaded. Very well worth the money as the wife loved the 4 wheel drive in the winter. a2
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I really like them. I may wind up with a premium - depends on when I buy. They have some good deals on 2019s right now since that new one comes out soon.
I'm looking forward to AWD because of all our rain!
I own a Subaru Outback 2010 which I bought used as an off-lease vehicle. It was a fine great vehicle for a few years, except that it developed a leak of "Titanic" proportion. I think most Subaru Outbacks are like that with the sunroof and if you're living in a wet climate like where I live. It rains a lot here. Anyhow, the seals on the sunroof will eventually leak and as most other vehicles do when they get to a certain age. But with a Subaru, their design when there is a leak will in turn create a swimming pool under the passenger seat and foot covers. It was supposed to be a warranty issue, but eventually Subaru didn't cover it. They claimed it wasn't warranty and because it's a Subaru, those things never fail. It was my fault because I didn't clean the leaves from the roof. Fair enough, but my last car with the sunroof faired better. It was a Honda. Anyhow, we spent thousands of dollars and the leak still persists and we kept taking it back. Finally, they said we had to replace the whole roof, which was $5000 plus labour. We declined and we took back the vehicle even after thousand of dollars of repair on it already discounted by Subaru. Anyhow, they told us to fill in a survey; it was 10 question long and they told me that they need me to put all 10 as 100% satisfaction. Well, we thought what we filled was our honest opinion; we gave them about 90%. A few weeks later, the manager called us. I picked up the phone and answered it. He asked me why we gave them 90% when it should be 100% and proceeded to "BULLY US" into changing our survey to reflect 100%. We said no; why should we change something that is reflective on our own personal opinion. And what's the point of filling the survey if all Subaru wanted is 100% satisfaction from their customers.
Anyhow, the manager told us to bring the car back again to the shop to have the sunroof leak looked at. In the meantime, they loaned us a rather nice late 2018 Subaru Outback with free gas and allowed us to drive the car as long as we like as they try to fix our car again. This time though, they somehow managed to fix the leak, though that didn't last too long after 1 year later. Anyhow, we still have a leaky 2010 sunroof car, though now the sunroof broke. Might as well.
That's my experience with the Subaru. Will I buy another Subaru again? As a car; probably but I think not after being bullied by them to change a survey opinion. I don't know what's with this day and age, but it seemed bullying is an acceptable form of customer service nowadays.
Anyhow, the manager told us to bring the car back again to the shop to have the sunroof leak looked at. In the meantime, they loaned us a rather nice late 2018 Subaru Outback with free gas and allowed us to drive the car as long as we like as they try to fix our car again. This time though, they somehow managed to fix the leak, though that didn't last too long after 1 year later. Anyhow, we still have a leaky 2010 sunroof car, though now the sunroof broke. Might as well.
That's my experience with the Subaru. Will I buy another Subaru again? As a car; probably but I think not after being bullied by them to change a survey opinion. I don't know what's with this day and age, but it seemed bullying is an acceptable form of customer service nowadays.
The best dealer add-ons we found on our Subarus were... Largest wheels, Fog/driving Lights, Window tint, and for Michigan, Heated seats.
These are nice quite cars, so the top sound system is nice too. a2
Oh gosh that would really tick me off! I'm not looking at getting a sunroof. Honestly, it's just too dang hot here in the south too much of the year for me to want the sun beating down on the top of my head.
But that customer service bullying crap - hell no! I definitely wouldn't be down for that.
Have a 2016 3.6 V6 Outback Limited and have had no major problems. Only regret is that I wasn’t able to wait a year to get a model with Apple Carplay.
Great gas mileage and surprisingly sporty. Comfortable ride. Only minor complaints are the wind noise that plagues Outbacks made before 2018, or whenever they changed the roof rails, and limitations on tire choices due to tight clearance in the wheel wells.
I bought an Outback new in 2005 and would still be driving it but for the fact that we didn't fix an oil leak before going on a long trip in 2016 and the engine blew apart in rural Pennsylvania; sold it to a guy in the hills for $1k and rented a car to drive back home.
We bought a used 2015 Outback and while I miss the 2005 (it was a manual, also the base model), the 2015 has been great. I've turned on several people to Subarus and they all like the "no-muss-no-fuss" aspect of the car; it just works and takes a lot of abuse (the 2005 was definitely abused in how much off-roading I subjected it to, probably leading to the leak). Gas milage on the 2015 has been good and there's been no take it to the shop since we got it. Up north with the snow X Mode has proven to be magical how it gets over the snow banks. I'm planning on putting the car through a lot of off-road abuse in X mode this summer way up in Wisconsin (why do I never do these things closer to home?).
I dislike car payments too (one of the reasons we kept the 2005 so long), and I'm trying to pay it off as quickly as I can. That said, when we're ultimately in the market for another car, we'll definitely be looking at Subaru first and there'd have to be some real issue to make us look elsewhere.
Long story short: The Outback is an awesome car, regardless of configuration; a great blend of useful and fun.
We bought a used 2015 Outback and while I miss the 2005 (it was a manual, also the base model), the 2015 has been great. I've turned on several people to Subarus and they all like the "no-muss-no-fuss" aspect of the car; it just works and takes a lot of abuse (the 2005 was definitely abused in how much off-roading I subjected it to, probably leading to the leak
). Gas milage on the 2015 has been good and there's been no take it to the shop since we got it. Up north with the snow X Mode has proven to be magical how it gets over the snow banks. I'm planning on putting the car through a lot of off-road abuse in X mode this summer way up in Wisconsin (why do I never do these things closer to home?).I dislike car payments too (one of the reasons we kept the 2005 so long), and I'm trying to pay it off as quickly as I can. That said, when we're ultimately in the market for another car, we'll definitely be looking at Subaru first and there'd have to be some real issue to make us look elsewhere.
Long story short: The Outback is an awesome car, regardless of configuration; a great blend of useful and fun.
We have a 2011 Outback with 110k miles on it now. It's been my favorite vehicle ever so far. Comfortable and absolutely unstoppable in the snow. It did require a new starter about two years ago, and we're on the third battery and just put on the third set of tires. If we replaced it, it would be with a 2020 Outback. But I'm hoping to get several more years out of it as there's not a thing wrong with it now.
Well, the Outback was definitely the winner for me over the Forester. I drove both Tuesday. There is no comparison in the ride, and the road noise was pretty much non-existent in the Outback. I live on a gravel road, and I think it would definitely handle that better.
Not quite sure when I'll bite the bullet here, but I'm excited!
Does anyone on here pull anything? I'm looking at really small (as in 1200 pound small) campers. I was curious if anyone had done anything like that with a Subaru.
Not quite sure when I'll bite the bullet here, but I'm excited!
Does anyone on here pull anything? I'm looking at really small (as in 1200 pound small) campers. I was curious if anyone had done anything like that with a Subaru.
Surprised that the Outback won so handily in the side-by-side comparison. Could you elaborate more? We have an Outback and are happy, but I’ve always wondered about the Forrester.
Well, I don't want to say it felt like a tin can or anything because it wasn't that bad, but the ride is noticeably better in the Outback; so much so that I didn't complete the test drive because I could tell after a mile that I wouldn't want it over the Outback. The road noise is also a bit greater in the Forester.
Initially I went in with the intention of getting a Forester, so I wasn't looking for reasons to dislike it. I actually prefer the look of it, and, since it's a bit cheaper, I actually WANTED to like it better. ;-p
Overall, I just know I'll be more satisfied with the ride and feel of the Outback on the road. It just feels like a much more solid vehicle to me.
My experience, and that of a friend, is to never by a Subaru model year that is divisible by 5. My 1985 lemon soured me to this very day; however, my son is a big fan even though his 2015 Forester needed a new engine block (covered by warranty)
Yeah. Well our Subaru Outback stills needs to go to the factory repair shop again awaiting a passenger airbag recall replacement. Still out of stock after the announcement this winter. Well, I can't complain cause every time it went in for a warranty claim recall, our car came out clean and well detailed. Think this was the only perk we really enjoyed!
Right, but the point is, I probably wouldn't open it but 2-3 times a year, so it's just not something I'd pay extra for.
Got it. Even on the hottest days I’ll slide the roof open and just crank the A/C. I’m weird like that.
In late/early winter I’ll open up and crank the heat.
I'd probably do that too, and use the sunroof more, if it didn't burn the top of my head!
Living in Florida, I use the sunroof about half of the year. When it's 80 and humid at 5 in the morning, nope.
My wife loves her '17 Outback! It's a great car and worth every penny. Runs great, is comfortable and feature packed. You would be hard pressed to find a better small SUV.