Forever pick up truck owner, but I’m leaning towards…

GlennDog

I’ve (almost)Always owned a pick-up truck, but this go-around I’m leaning toward . . .

Hold Your Breath



a Subaru



You guys have any experience with this product? The only one that’s gonna work for me is the ascent ... and preferably, the touring model
2021s have 0.9 apr finance But 2020 has Zero apr for 63 months

they are a little like jeep, in that they are have a cult like following

They are a little like the DAC-of the-day, you’d love it or hate it

I understand they’re well regarded and hold their value, so if I buy brand New, I should be able to trade it in anytime within the first 3-4 years and not take a huge hit like I would with a different manufactured SUV

Thoughts appreciated…

Anyway… It’s kind of late for me ... so I’m signing off

Rock on with your bad self

mhardy6647

I drank the Subaru kool-aid in Dec. 2018. They are hecka-popular up here because of the quality of their AWD system. They aren't nearly as idiosyncratic as they used to be -- but they're still what they are. They seem, model by model, to slowly, asymptotically approach modernity in the way they design their cars. Historically, they don't age well. Even 10 years ago, the consensus in New England (where they are extremely popular) was when it hit 100,000 miles, ditch it and let someone else worry about it. I don't think they're quite that bad any more.

Mine is a 2019 Crosstrek, which was (and still is, at least through the 2020 model year) an older design. It is not as bland as the 2006 RAV4 it replaced, but it is pretty bland. Build quality is good. Materials are OK (good for a cheap car -- and it was cheap). What I liked about it: it was the one model that still offered a manual transmission in something other than a stripped level of trim. Oh: and the seats are comfortable. My back and thighs are much happier in the 3 hour drive to downtown Boston in this Crosstrek than they were in the RAV-4.

The Crosstrek is underpowered. It's also not particularly economical (ca. 30 mpg average), either.

The Ascent, I would expect, would be better in every respect -- it is a newer design and much, much, much more expensive.

Did you think about the Honda Pilot? Mrs H loves her CR-V.

Hope this is helpful.

EDIT: Jeeps are horrific. Even the folks I know who love them (and there are many of those up here, too) will tell you how much they love them even as they describe the expensive and numerous times they failed, stranded them, rusted away, etc., etc. I don't get it.

Resale value? Check Honda & Toyota -- I think they do better on average, at least, than Soobie.

EDIT^2: Here's a piccie of it; why not?

Nightfall

I have a friend with two Subaru's. Ones an 02 Outback and the other is a 2012 Outback. They break down on him constantly. The newer one has under 100k and has already had it's manual transmission replaced, valve work, new head gasket. The 02 is on its second engine and transmission. He's not neglecting or beating them up either.

I wouldn't base your decision on one person I know but I wouldn't buy one. The EJ engine is well known for killing head gaskets. I'm not well versed in Subaru though, that might be an issue they've fixed with newer revisions. I do feel like a lot of Subaru talk I've read on the internet is that they're not the last word in reliability but their fans still love them, and will fight you to the death on them.

I've also read posts like I have 250k on mine and have never had a problem. So who knows.

mhardy6647

The head gasket issue is ostensibly fixed as of ca. 2011-12.
Actually, the head gasket travails have one upside. I know a guy who buys beaters for nothin', replaces the head gaskets (it's not too hard, apparently, as long as one has an engine dolly) and have a cheap daily driver (or flip it).

Emlyn

There is not much special about Subaru’s all wheel drive system these days compared to others for on road use. With the no grip eco tires all the manufacturers put on family SUVs now none of them are set up for optimal snow or ice driving. For resale and longevity, nothing beats a Toyota Highlander in the three row SUV market. Be wary of the 4 cylinder turbo engine and CVT transmission too.

I would recommend test driving or at least looking at an Ascent, Pilot, Passport, Highlander, and Palisade for comparison. It may also be a good idea to see how well stocked dealerships are. There was a fairly big production gap this year so inventory may be low for some models.

jeremymarcinko

Stick with a truck. I would have if I could have. If you need seats and a cargo area and two cars in the garage get a 4Runner.

Or get the car.

gmcman

Long story but worth the read, especiallly if you want a Toyota AWD.

2 years ago when the kids grew out of their car seats, we sold the Sienna and looked for another vehicle for the wife.

She liked the Tahoe but when we sat in the 3rd row we couldn't believe it. A vehicle that size, the 3rd row is a JOKE, was actually the deal breaker.

Looked at the Highlander and decided to go used, found a 2014 the way we wanted and that was it.

As a test, I'm 6'0, and set the seats up if I were driving, and simultaneously as a passenger. Comfortable in the drivers seat, my knees do not touch the front seat in the 2nd row, and the same in the 3rd row. Given that setup, the 3rd row is tighter than the 2nd, but I'm fine for a few hours easy in the 3rd row.

For the Tahoe, the 3rd row is basically on the floor and is horribly uncomfortable, GM should be ashamed, need a Suburban to get your legs straightened out.

The V6 in the Highlander flat out rips for what it is, but here's something I discovered later on that was disappointing....

We bought the AWD Highlander so the wife would have a capable vehicle during inclimate weather, especially if hauling the kids. A few years ago, she left her friends house as the snow was picking up in intensity and was greeted with a check engine light.

At the same time, the message read "AWD system disabled"

We had the codes read, it was the oxygen sensor heater circuit. The following year, another CEL, and the message "AWD system disabled". This time it was a camshaft position sensor.

Went to the dealer to discuss this WTF scenario, they said if there's an emission related code, the AWD system is disabled.

Biggest crock of S$!& I've ever heard. That's the Toyota AWD system so be forewarned. Makes absolutely no sense, I get the fact the PCM cannot maximize the stability 100% with the engine not at 100%, but what does that do for safety if the vehicle completely disables the AWD, O2 heater circuit??.Who cares.

Unfortunately this will be our last Toyota if this is the case moving forward with their vehicles.

My GM 4WD will work in ANY situation unless.the actuator goes bad.

Apparently some other manufacturers do the same with the AWD so be sure to do your homework.

audioluvr

I've owned many Subaru's over the years but the last one was a 91'. They used to be great rigs. As with any manufacturer you will always have some kind of quirk that needs to be dealt with eventually.

afterburnt

kevhed72

I have Subaru on my short list of next vehicles along with the Honda Passport and Mazda CX 9....in AWD. We currently own a Pilot and CX 5 and couldn't be happier with them.

mhardy6647

gmcman wrote: »

Long story but worth the read, especiallly if you want a Toyota AWD.

... A few years ago, she left her friends house as the snow was picking up in intensity and was greeted with a check engine light.

At the same time, the message read "AWD system disabled"

We had the codes read, it was the oxygen sensor heater circuit. The following year, another CEL, and the message "AWD system disabled". This time it was a camshaft position sensor.

Went to the dealer to discuss this WTF scenario, they said if there's an emission related code, the AWD system is disabled.
...

You jogged a memory -- the RAV-4 I had did that, too. Also turned out to be an oxygen sensor.
When mine did it, restarting the car (temporarily) cleared the 'AWD disabled' light, IIRC.
Fortunately it wasn't winter when it happened to mine.

As I recall, there were several lights that came on besides CHECK ENGINE when it happened. I'd have never guessed O2 sensor, but I guess the codes zeroed in on it. I don't remember if I checked it with my code reader or not.

@mrbiron has that snazzy big(gish) new Hyundai thang -- might be worth asking him/thinking about that model, too. I cannot recall the model name off the top of my head (and,yes, I am too lazy to check right this minute!).

mrbiron

It doesn't happen all the time, but when your typing a response, and the pop-up says someone mentioned you, it melts your heart. Thanks for the friday morning pick-me-up Mr. H. I still owe you a bluetooth receiver.

Its the Telluride and as Teri Hatcher stated in Seinfeld, "They're real, and they're spectacular".

GlennDog

Thanks for the input guys!
It’s the Ascent that I’m leaning towards and I’ll be test driving one of this weekend…

Pick em up is still on the table, though. Time is not on my side and I’m being forced to make a move… that’s the most frustrating part of this whole purchase.


As for the sweet MB below, it’s a tad, wee bit over budget this time around

afterburnt wrote: »

Ricardo

Got a 2019 forester for the wife last year. Absolutely LOVE it. The only thing I'd criticize is power, but then she doesn't really care so it's perfect for her. The Ascent has a bigger engine so power should be better.
It only has 12K miles on it so can't speak on reliability, but I find myself looking for excuses to drive it. Ride is incredibly smooth for an SUV, and the AWD system works pretty well on snow. Also TONS of space with the back seats down.
I'd buy it again.

mhardy6647

Oh, I should mention one other thing-- in case this isn't one of those bits of knowledge held by everyone who might care about such thing. If you live someplace where it snows... where it really snows... and gets cold in the winter -- invest in a set of snow tires and use them. For convenience, get an extra set of wheels (maybe even a cheap set of 'steelies', which is what many folks up here do) and even splurge for an extra set of tire pressure monitors if you feel flush with cash.

Srsly, the snows make a phenomenal difference -- mostly because of the compound used to make 'em. They are much, much better suited to the conditions when the temperature drops below about 20 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, for the metricians in the audience) than "all season" tires, snow or otherwise.

Ricardo

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Oh, I should mention one other thing-- in case this isn't one of those bits of knowledge held by everyone who might care about such thing. If you live someplace where it snows... where it really snows... and gets cold in the winter -- invest in a set of snow tires and use them. For convenience, get an extra set of wheels (maybe even a cheap set of 'steelies', which is what many folks up here do) and even splurge for an extra set of tire pressure monitors if you feel flush with cash.

Srsly, the snows make a phenomenal difference -- mostly because of the compound used to make 'em. They are much, much better suited to the conditions when the temperature drops below about 20 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, for the metricians in the audience) than "all season" tires, snow or otherwise.

True. I had to get snow tires for my RWD car. Was impressed. Had more traction than AWD SUV's with all seasons, and more importantly, the difference in STOPPING power is worth the investment. Seen too many people that think because they have AWD they can fly in snow/ice...until they need to stop....

txcoastal1

Oh the shame, that's like forgetting to check the brakes on your boat before you get on the water

Emlyn

Agree on getting good tires regardless of all wheel drive or not. The things they put on most new cars these days are awful compared to what they could use. I had a basic front wheel drive Mazda 3 commuter car a few years ago that had new tires so bad the car would lose traction and spin its tires on a damp road when trying to pull out from a side road. I switched those to a pair of good all seasons after a couple thousand miles and that transformed the car's handling dramatically.

mrbiron

So there was a 2.5 year stint where i owned a new 2014 Subaru Legacy.
I drove that thing through every single snowstorm (2015) where Boston set a record of 12' for the winter and 90% came in one month. I can tell you, the stock all-seasons worked well and there were plenty of times where i was driving through 1'+ snow banks to get into parking lots and driveways.

I only sold it because i can't live without a truck. If you are a truck guy that actually uses your truck for anything other than a grocery getter, you will regret it immediately.

Buy a truck!

mrbiron

txcoastal1 wrote: »

Oh the shame, that's like forgetting to check the brakes on your boat before you get on the water

I wish i could write more insightful statements, like this gem, rather than my usual useless banter...

audioluvr

Not to derail but my GF bought a new Jeep Cherokee with the 2.0L turbo. I'm not a fan of the styling but if it's anything like it's predecessors it's built like a tank. She is getting 26-28 mpg and the thing has buckets of power! I was like, with a 2.0L this things got to be a dog but I was way wrong. The only thing I don't like about it is the thing shuts off automatically when you are at a stop light and starts back up when you take your foot off the brake. That technology to me is just crazy weird.

mrbiron

audioluvr wrote: »

The only thing I don't like about it is the thing shuts off automatically when you are at a stop light and starts back up when you take your foot off the brake. That technology to me is just crazy weird.

Its called a "rollin'stop". You have to time it correctly or you trade paint with the guy in front of you. That, so called, safety feature then becomes useless...

gmcman

Of course during this writing, I just saw some pics of the new 2021 Tahoe, very nice. Haven't seen the 3rd row yet, but like the fact the 6.2L and the 3.0 Duramax is avail.

Ricardo

audioluvr wrote: »

The only thing I don't like about it is the thing shuts off automatically when you are at a stop light and starts back up when you take your foot off the brake. That technology to me is just crazy weird.

Oh, that's another thing I don't like about the Forester. It's supposed to save gas, but it's very annoying during summer. The A/C compressor stops and you start getting warm air out the vents if it's a long stop. You can disable it, but not permanently so you have to do it every time you start the car. Yes, that half a second you spend pushing the button annoys me

mhardy6647

mrbiron wrote: »

txcoastal1 wrote: »

Oh the shame, that's like forgetting to check the brakes on your boat before you get on the water

I wish i could write more insightful statements, like this gem, rather than my usual useless banter...

Right up there with the DVD rewinders. I tell you, them things is scarce as hen's teeth nowadays!

Not sure how the streaming people rewind their streams when they're finished...

Viking64

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Not sure how the streaming people rewind their streams when they're finished...

With a degausser powered by a pygmy goat on a treadmill.

mark090852

mhardy6647 wrote: »

EDIT: Jeeps are horrific. Even the folks I know who love them (and there are many of those up here, too) will tell you how much they love them even as they describe the expensive and numerous times they failed, stranded them, rusted away, etc., etc. I don't get it.

I have owned 5 Jeeps and have driven them hard. I've never had to spend a penny for non warrantied repairs and they have never failed me. This is my current one.

Mikey081057

Can you still get studded snow tires? In some states?

Emlyn

State by State rules for studded tires...

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=151

Even South Carolina allows them! Personally, I think Blizzaks are more than good enough for normal driving on winter roads. Mountain driving is different.

pitdogg2

txcoastal1 wrote: »

Oh the shame, that's like forgetting to check the brakes on your boat before you get on the water

Yea that really sucks when your brakes go out in the boat...... It takes like 6 more feet to stop....

jeremymarcinko

mark090852 wrote: »

mhardy6647 wrote: »

EDIT: Jeeps are horrific. Even the folks I know who love them (and there are many of those up here, too) will tell you how much they love them even as they describe the expensive and numerous times they failed, stranded them, rusted away, etc., etc. I don't get it.

I have owned 5 Jeeps and have driven them hard. I've never had to spend a penny for non warrantied repairs and they have never failed me. This is my current one.

Jeep Rubicon > Subaru.
#truth