Guest ChadLH Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 My wife and I are thinking of getting a used Outback or Forester this fall. There are a few questions I don't think I'll get accurate answers from the dealer, that I want to ask. So as not to bore everyone to death but give you an idea of my needs I'll mention some things I would like this vehicle to do. First of all we are big time into the outdoor stuff. Backpacking, biking, etc. I've been toying the SUV vs. wagon (or hybrid small SUV) issue for a while. I don't plan on going off road with it really but I will often be travelling on gravel roads and bumpy logging roads. I'll be getting an SUV for offroading later but want a vehicle that is good on gas for city driving but also useful in the mountains. How is the suspension on the Outback and/or Forester? I currently own a badly trashed 91 Sundance that has only enough suspension for two people sitting in the front. Can you load either Subaru up with 3-4 people and/or 3-4 large backpacks without it bottoming out on everything? If no, is there aftermarket modifications I can add to fix this problem. Those of you that own the Forester do you like that extra little clearance you have in passing over the odd fallen rock while driving on gravel roads (if you have the pleasure of living in the mountains)? Since I will be using it in the mountains with a bunch of extra weight should I get the turbo version (5MT of course)? I'll not make this post any longer for the time being. Thank you all for your help in answering my questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest renobk Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 I owned a 2001 Outback wagon for 2.5 years and put 54K miles on it in that time (I just traded it in last week on a WRX). I took that car farther offroad than probably 90% of the SUV's on the roads have ventured and it did okay. With a load, the suspension never sank enough to really impede my progress. The biggest challenge for the Outback offroad is approach and departure angles -- those bumpers stick out so far beyond the axles that it's easy to scrape the bottom of the bumper when going through washes or dips. I never got hung up on anything underneath with the 7.3" of clearance, but the front bumper did have some scrapes on the bottom edge. Otherwise, I found it to be quite capable offroad...you just have to keep in mind its limits and have fun! Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lothar34 Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 I've never really loaded my Forester up, and I've never had it bottom out on anything. I think the clearance is just fine. You say you're getting a used one? There Forester XT just came out, so you probably won't have much selection if you're going to be looking this fall. That's the one I'd aim for though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookie Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 warranty. I have a 99 Forester after getting advice from this board. I bought it planning on fixing all the stuff that goes wrong and it cost me over $3,500 to get it up to snuff. I'm fairly happy with it now but one should not have to change headgaskets, water pump, oil pump seals, and clutch to get a satisfactory car. At least on the 99 and up you can change that suff and end up fairly reliable. The 98 has a poor track record for headgaskets even after the first repair. It does fine off road up to its limits. It is not a Jeep, but I have yet to see a Jeep that drives as well as the Subie. I also own a CJ7 and have had 6 Jeeps over the years and Jeeps can do some really mean stuff. The joy of the Forester is car like driving, fits tons of stuff, and is as happy at Home Depot as on a camping trail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lothar34 Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 Yes. Warranties are good. My clutch went out 2 days after I bought mine from CarMax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest soilmapper Posted July 8, 2003 Share Posted July 8, 2003 Ditto the previous advice. You will have to worry more about the approach/departure angle issue than the clearence. I have a 97 OBW. It handles a load pretty well stock. I recently replaced the struts and added the ISR springs, which really helps the body roll and bottom out issues (when really loaded). They also provide a little more clearence. My OBW has probably seen 20k of dirt roads (on Forest Service and BLM land), which is where it really excels. It has also done a little more challenging off roading. I am usually surprised with its ability. Would be even better with a limited slip diffy. Over the car's 65k life it has not been back to the dealer for ANYTHING. Knock on wood. . . I have only done brake pads, tires and the other preventative stuff. The only problem I would warn you about is that at altitude (>4000 feet) the car strugles to keep freeway speeds on hills or into headwinds. This problem is only confounded by bikes/gear on the roof. Kent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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