I’ll second checking out the Golf Sportwagon. Also, for a real “left field” idea, if you want a box on wheels, check out the Ford Transit Connect. I wouldn’t recommend buying new, but it seems like the passenger versions depreciate rapidly. I’ve seen some Titanium models that were 2-3 years old at fairly attractive prices when I was looking a ways back.
In reply to eastsideTim :
There's really nothing else sparking my interest. Everything else suggested just looks like a generic wagon or SUV (tried the Forester), I kinda like the looks of the Crosstrek.
Like the looks of it. I'm suspect of how slow it would be loaded down with us, the dogs, some kayaks on top ruining the aero,etc
A work buddy of mine has either a 17 or 18 Crosstrek with the cvt and loves it. His last two cars were a older forester xt that was his daily and a v8 miata NA that was his fun car so he is a bit of a gear head. I was half looking at crosstrek’s for the wife as she is due for a new daily in the next year or so.
Ex wife has an Crosstrek. Not sure what year. Manual trans. The trans itself shifts nicely with short throws and quiet engagement. The clutch has about as much feedback as a dead hooker. Short throw, super light spring, really hard to get used to. Its a shame because the weight and feel of the shifter is fantastic. CVT will get you better mileage but not much.
Also... confirm this rumor, but I was told that the Auto/CVT has an open diff in the xfer case and the manual has a variable limited slip. Ex wife's manual crosstrek will tackle darn near everything.
I enjoy everything about it except for the dead-hooker clutch and the ex wife who drives it.
In reply to Curtis :
the auto is a 60/40 front rear set up and the manuals are true 50/50's
In reply to Curtis :
When I was test driving Legacy GTs way back when the clutch action was the main reason I didn't buy one. It was awful.
In reply to Curtis :
The manual has a viscous coupling for the center diff, it Still has open differentials, the E-lsd is good on both transmissions.
The CVT is fantastic because you don’t need awd engaged 24/7, so my crosstrek is fwd 100% of the time, until I need awd, and then it will gradually supply the NEEDED amount to the back. That is perfect. And idiots everywhere will scoff at a “60/40” split, but that’s because they don’t understand awd in the real world. Some very successful rally cars are intentionally setup as 60/40.
wearymicrobe said:There are about a dozen semi lifted ones here with bigger tires. I bought one for my sister lin law and she adores the thing.
I think that picture pretty much sums up why millenials are flocking to them. for some reason they have the idea that going camping or mountain biking or kayaking involves driving through the middle of a forest, or parking your subaru in the middle of a creek. I mean let's be realistic, you can go do this kind of "active lifestyle" stuff in a FWD hatchback, you don't need a lifted crosstrek on mud tires. (can you tell I hate these cars and their smug owners)
doc_speeder said:I don't get it with Subarus. It seems like every generation of every model has a tendency toward self destructive engines, head gasket leaks etc. Everybody complains (until recently, maybe still) that the interiors suck. But nobody ever seems to throw shade at them like they do on VW's because of frequent CELs...
Not trying to stick up for VW, just an observation that I've noted on this board and elsewhere. I've had several Volkswagens. There was usually something wrong with them. But NEVER did I have any fatal issues that were beyond annoying and into the "fix this or it will leave you sitting" type scenarios.
yea, preach it. Everyone keeps buying these things ignoring their issues. Yet people keep complain about what a terrible scandal VW pulled because they got you more power and better gas mileage on their diesels. I mean here is a serious question for Subaru owners, do you consider head gasket failure as a trivial problem? That is literally my worst nightmare and any car that has a record of headgasket failure is immediately crossed off my list. I never want to own that E36 M3, ever. Right now I'm dealing with a headgasket failure on my prius, after 300,000 miles. But if it had blown at 100k? I would have set the car on fire and had it towed to the junkyard telling everyone what a POS it was. Don't get me wrong, I would love symmetrical full time AWD, hook it up to an inline 4 that won't break. I don't care if has a slightly higher COG or that two pistons stick out a bit further past the front axle. I just never want to pay for a god dam headgasket in my life.
Just the other day I was chatting with some non-car enthusiast friends telling them how dumb subarus were because you get to brag about not being stuck twice a year in exchange for emptying your wallet for headgasket repair. And what do you know, one poor girl in the group had an imprezza with a blown HG.
twowheeled said:...people keep complain about what a terrible scandal VW pulled because they got you more power and better gas mileage on their diesels.
Wow. I don't think I even need to provide commentary.
I had a first gen Crosstrek with a 5-spd and loved it. I added a Nameless axleback exhaust just to liven up the driven and loved it even more. It got pretty good gas mileage, handled going to and from race weekends (like watching) well, handle a RallyX well, and all around a great DD.
The significant other currently has a brand new 2019 and it's much more refined. Driving dynamics are much smoother and not as harsh IMO. The stereo, from sound quality to everything else, is much better and also includes Apple Carplay in the Premium and Limited models. I haven't lived with it on a daily basis but I enjoy it when I do drive it (even though I miss her FXT).
In reply to twowheeled :
Dude, its just a head gasket. Not the Hodge conjecture... furthermore, as has already been mentioned several times, in this thread, the new subies dont have this issue.
_ said:In reply to twowheeled :
Dude, its just a head gasket. Not the Hodge conjecture... furthermore, as has already been mentioned several times, in this thread, the new subies dont have this issue.
But but...Subaru = head gasket, VW = CEL, Mustang = Cars & Coffee killer, MR2 = snap oversteer. I mean, this is the internet you know.
Jerry said:_ said:In reply to twowheeled :
Dude, its just a head gasket. Not the Hodge conjecture... furthermore, as has already been mentioned several times, in this thread, the new subies dont have this issue.
But but...Subaru = head gasket, VW = CEL, Mustang = Cars & Coffee killer, MR2 = snap oversteer. I mean, this is the internet you know.
“My 4l60e burned up at 200k while i was towing up a mountain in OD, these transmissions are trash. If it were 300k that would be an acceptable failure but damn these things are garbage”
FOH
In reply to Jerry :
Mazda 3 hatch will probably do everything the Subaru will, cheaper and better. Crosstrek is fine although driving in the city is annoying since you have close to zero stoplight acceleration.
In reply to twowheeled :
I don't know any smug brodozer Subaru owners, but I can see the appeal of a somewhat beefy station wagon. It's a much more practical/economical thing to buy than the Wrangler or truck they probably would've purchased before this.
I'm currently neck deep in the valve spring recall for the earlier models of these. Most of the cars I've done so far range between 50k and 150k. None have shown any signs of head gaskets issues. They do however almost always are leaking from the timing cover/cam carrier area. These aren't horrible leaks and the car would probably run much longer without addressing them, but it would at least annoy me if it were my car.
If you really needed something to cuss about on these cars as sub par quality, let's talk rear wheel bearings.
Other than that these now 5-7 year old examples have only needed maintenance items. (Air filters, spark plugs, etc.)
Tactical Penguin said:In reply to twowheeled :
I don't know any smug brodozer Subaru owners, but I can see the appeal of a somewhat beefy station wagon. It's a much more practical/economical thing to buy than the Wrangler or truck they probably would've purchased before this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixjCFqiQjvA
only thing this guy is missing is a set of truck nuts and a vape kit.
How I feel about subaru can best be summarized by the RX-8. It was a fantastic chassis, handled great, well balanced, only hampered by a E36 M3ty engine that was unreliable and drank gas. But the problem is, if you put an inline 4 in that car it would totally ruin the low COG and the handling would go to E36 M3 because of how compact the rotary sat in the engine bay. Oh wait, no wait, you would just have the NC miata. Now replace rotary with boxer engine. The only advantages being some claimed packaging and COG bullE36 M3 which the average driver won't notice. The disadvantage is relying on a small car manufacturer's budget to do all the engineering and R&D on an unconventional engine configuration and hope it is as reliable and robust as the millions and millions of I4 blocks cranked out everyone else? Use a god dam toyota block in a subaru awd chassis under license FFS.
If you're looking at new, a coworker of mine looked at Crosstreks and ended up in a top of the line outback with the 6 instead. At then end of the day, it was an extra $10 a month for the lease for way more car.
Something to consider.
I sat in one at the Dayton Auto Show Sunday. I liked the feel, everything seems laid out well. I was concerned about how the hood would look/feel (going from a 1st gen xB with a 12" long hood) but seemed comfy. Now I need to test drive an auto and a manual to feel the difference.
Looked at the Forester, meh. Sat in a Hyundai Kona, not bad. Also the smaller Honda SUV-thing and Nissan SUV-thing, they weren't terrible but no real interest.
I have a few friends with Crosstreks, one that's rallycrossed his for a few years with great success, and a good friend that bought a 2019 in August and absolutely loves it. Hoping to test drive either Saturday or a vacation day on Monday.
twowheeled said:wearymicrobe said:There are about a dozen semi lifted ones here with bigger tires. I bought one for my sister lin law and she adores the thing.
I think that picture pretty much sums up why millenials are flocking to them. for some reason they have the idea that going camping or mountain biking or kayaking involves driving through the middle of a forest, or parking your subaru in the middle of a creek. I mean let's be realistic, you can go do this kind of "active lifestyle" stuff in a FWD hatchback, you don't need a lifted crosstrek on mud tires. (can you tell I hate these cars and their smug owners)
What's that word; oh yes, irony.
Not quite at appliance level but you can get a Jeep Compass/Renegade/Patriot with 4X4 and manual transmission.
My wife and I drove the 18 recently when she was shopping for a new car. In an ironic turn of fate, I liked it but she didn’t because it wasn’t powerful enough. (This from the woman who religiously obeys speed limits and is one of the most conservative drivers I know.) After cross-shopping all the usual suspects, she ended up with a 19 Escape AWD with the 2.0 Ecoboost. She loves it. More money, but her dad worked for Ford, so the A Plan deal even things out.
Has the Subaru CVT really improved that much in the last 3-5 years? I think this is the first time here or anywhere I've heard anyone say anything good about them.
Or did they borrow someone elses for the Crosstreks?
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