hrminer92

Hi, I'm a noob as well. I don't have a Subaru yet. I'm just trying to figure out which one to get.

Hi! I've been thinking about getting a new Subaru as well. The problem is that on other sites people complain about them using a lot of oil or having to get the head gaskets replaced around 100 thousand miles, etc. I initially looked at a manual Crosstrek, but I've read complaints about the manuals were the ones with most of the oil consumption issues. Others were saying that the CVT is actually better offroad than a manual because it can handle the low speed situations better and there's no clutch to burn out while going over rocks, etc. Another complaint about the Crosstrek was that it was under powered and that for a few dollars more, you could get a Forester with a bigger, more powerful engine, more room, more gadgets, etc. Of course, Subaru is offering 0% interest on Foresters and Outbacks right now, so that's another thing to consider. Unfortunately, to get X-Mode one has to go with the CVT and after adding the prerequisite option package, it is about as expensive as the Outback. The big advantage with the Outback is that it can tow more, but it has a longer wheelbase and is CVT only. Has anyone here used both a manual and CVT versions of the Crosstrek or Forester? Is one clearly superior to the other either on or off the road? I like using a manual (with the exception of when I'm in traffic jams - another good use for X-mode apparently). Any other experience with these models that might help me make a decision would also be appreciated. Thanks!