Best SUV?

droenn said:
I'm fine with Subaru reliability and quality - only reason I'm replacing my old one is because of the hail writing it off. Serviced every 10K was working fine for me, it never let me down @ 14 years old and 200,000+
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Same thing happened to our awesome 06 outback. Replaced it with a CX5 which is awesome.
 
droenn said:
I'm fine with Subaru reliability and quality - only reason I'm replacing my old one is because of the hail writing it off. Serviced every 10K was working fine for me, it never let me down @ 14 years old and 200,000+
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Really though, hail damage is really only cosmetic. If the thing is trucking along mechanically, why turf it? At 200k it's barely worn in - my old Outback only started having issues well north of 400k, the current one at a mere 280k is sweet as.
 
born-again-biker said:
If you get a used Subaru and one day you have AWD issues (center diffs locking up etc). it's not always as bad to fix as you'd think.
More than one specialist workshop around that will do exchange viscous couplings for reasonable prices.
For the autos, you can buy centre clutch plates and change them yourself with hand tools, patience and a tech manual.
Regular transmission services highly recommended to keep fluid clean.

Head gasket issues on high mileage EJ's are common. This is because people are fuckwits.
Coolant changes /flushes are important. As mileage gets higher a new water pump is a must.
Skipping oil changes is dumb. Adding an oil flush chem or hydraulic lifter cleaner once or twice a year will keep things running nicely.
Rocket cover gaskets often leak - not the end of the world to change.

Yes they are complex cars. But if you accept that they require more maintenance, more often, they can be fucking awesome.
(Like a Yeti?... Or a Specialized..?)
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Paradoxically, although there are some complexities, thanks in large part to their WRC involvement Subarus are designed so they're not absurdly difficult to work on - even stuff like head gaskets (pretty awkward on the flat engine layout) can be done without hauling the engine out (been there, done that!).

Early (1996-about 2007) EJ25s in particular were somewhat notorious for head gasket problems, but given the family design it's not implausible for the smaller engines to also suffer. There seems to be little consistency in when they go.... some can be little more than 100k, others will go much longer (mine went around 420k, one was likely the result of being disturbed by some other work I did, the other apparently went in sympathy all on its own).

Although gaskets can go sponateously, more often it's due to overheating from coolant loss. The two likely culprits are a popped radiator (some versions are known for splitting header tanks) or a flogged-out water pump (it has a weep port which becomes exposed when the internal seals are fried). Being all-aluminium, the engine bits are prone to distorting if cooked -> bye-bye gaskets.

The flat layout is prone to collecting oil gunge, so you really want to do oil & filter changes around every 5000km, 7500 tops. With the slightly jacked-up Forester, Outback & XV models it's piss-easy because you can do the filter without even needing to jack the car up. Unless you're really fat.....

Timing belts can be over-run recommended intervals by a fair margin, just pop the covers off & check for wear/cracking - cracks along the belt are OK, cracks across the belt are not. For EZ series 6-cyl motors, these have chain-drive for the camshafts. Like bike chains, these wear with use; as the chain wears the timing will go out of whack, and when really worn there's a risk of the pistons crashing into the valves, and that ain't pretty! So the chains on the EZ motors really need to be done on time!
 
droenn said:
So now I need to replace the Forester. :(

Should I look at another Forester (2016ish), an XV (current favourite, prob also 2016ish), a new Jimny, or something else?

Also, diesel not worth it these days right?
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Budget? If new, RAV4 hybrid. It tightarse, is the damage only cosmetic and something you could live with? Buyback the wreck and enjoy stupid cheap wheels?

Another week until i
 
The Duckmeister said:
Really though, hail damage is really only cosmetic. If the thing is trucking along mechanically, why turf it? At 200k it's barely worn in - my old Outback only started having issues well north of 400k, the current one at a mere 280k is sweet as.
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Yeah, it is another option I've considered, but I've got no idea whats happening with it at the moment, and not sure I'll get enough back from insurance to repair it anyway (even just leaving cosmetic damage)... Its still waiting to be towed, and then assessment not until end of Feb. The windscreen and sun roof need replacing, and most panels dented, some of the dents have cracked through the paint etc. So I can live with the dents on the sides, but bonnet needs addressing and glass done. I think a headlight smashed too, but thats no big one. But it could take a long time before its back...

I love how everyone is conservative with keeping cars as along as possible, but if I had punctured my rear tyre on bike, it would be NEW BIKE TIEM!>@!#@!!! :)
 
droenn said:
Yeah, it is another option I've considered, but I've got no idea whats happening with it at the moment, and not sure I'll get enough back from insurance to repair it anyway (even just leaving cosmetic damage)... Its still waiting to be towed, and then assessment not until end of Feb. The windscreen and sun roof need replacing, and most panels dented, some of the dents have cracked through the paint etc. So I can live with the dents on the sides, but bonnet needs addressing and glass done. I think a headlight smashed too, but thats no big one. But it could take a long time before its back...

I love how everyone is conservative with keeping cars as along as possible, but if I had punctured my rear tyre on bike, it would be NEW BIKE TIEM!>@!#@!!! :)
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Cars are tools, bikes are not be joked about and a new one is always the correct response.

If it’s worth under 10K assume it’s written off.
 
i really enjoyed the asx i hired to drive from launny to derby & back, i booke online, when i picked it up -guy says to me -under no circumstances is it to be taken on gravel, for bitumen only...20km sth of launny on the main hobart highway, huge roadworks -i drive though about 3km of gravel as they have ripped up all the bitch-u-men...still got my deposit back thankfully ..me guesses it is to avoid paint chips?
 
Daniel Hale said:
i really enjoyed the asx i hired to drive from launny to derby & back, i booke online, when i picked it up -guy says to me -under no circumstances is it to be taken on gravel, for bitumen only...20km sth of launny on the main hobart highway, huge roadworks -i drive though about 3km of gravel as they have ripped up all the bitch-u-men...still got my deposit back thankfully ..me guesses it is to avoid paint chips?
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How the fuck can you enjoy driving an asx?
 
Hah, in the end partner decided to get herself an older CRV to transport the dogs around in, so now I have her Fiesta until we know whats happening with insurance.

Its kinda fun driving a tiny manual again.
 
droenn said:
Jimny got character though.....
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Indeed they do, we have had ours for about 6 years now. It isn't the car for everyone and does have a few bad points - needs more power, small and choppy ride due to the short wheelbase, 1.3 auto revs smooth but never going to win any uphill races.

On the plus side, fuel economy is great, reliable, great for city parking, can go off road and punches above its weight there.

We have been pretty happy with our Jimny overall. Look at it from another angle - if you are after a small city compact runabout then this can do it plus a whole lot more. It is mostly Mrs car and she just wants the new one one...... Here we go...
 
Mr Crudley said:
Indeed they do, we have had ours for about 6 years now. It isn't the car for everyone and does have a few bad points - needs more power, small and choppy ride due to the short wheelbase, 1.3 auto revs smooth but never going to win any uphill races.

On the plus side, fuel economy is great, reliable, great for city parking, can go off road and punches above its weight there.

We have been pretty happy with our Jimny overall. Look at it from another angle - if you are after a small city compact runabout then this can do it plus a whole lot more. It is mostly Mrs car and she just wants the new one one...... Here we go...
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Yeah, since my partner went and got this CRV now, I was more tempted to get one as a runabout and taking bike to the trails and up into the national parks around ACT.

Apparently there is a 9 month wait on the new Jimnys now anyway haha
 
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