My plans for a used winter driver have taken another turn. I need to find something lower than most all crossovers. (My wife transfers from a wheelchair using a stand-and-pivot transfer with help. So far, she has been able to use a small step to enter somewhat taller vehicles. However, she was just diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and will need extensive treatments for a (hopefully) long time. Her ability to transfer will be compromised. Prayers are welcome.)

That said, the 05-09 Subaru Outback wagon is again a leading contender. (The Forester and 2010 Outback have seats that are too tall.) I want leather (prefer perforated), prefer no sunroof, prefer no nav. Some questions:

- I test drove a 2.5 non-turbo wagon. The power seemed OK for my needs. Does the 3.0 provide much better performance?

- Does the 3.0 require premium fuel?

- Could you get one with leather interior but without a sunroof?

- Is there a version that has perforated leather? LL Bean?

Thanks all.

 

The Outback, IMO, especially the 3Gen 2005-2009 model, is one of the best, most versatile and and most sensible all-around vehicles you can get, especially for bad weather. I was sold on them from the moment I first saw them.....and was impressed enough to buy one myself. The 3Gen model generally avoids the classic head-gasket problems of the N/A, non-turbo 2.5L, 2Gen models from 1999-2003, when the gasket was redesigned, and a new coolant additive was developed.

It is not without its faults, though, just like any other vehicle. The 3Gen paint job, though OK, is not done particularly well. N/A, 2.5L non-turbo models with the rather inflexible wide-ratio 4-speed automatics, take a while to get rolling....you have to give yourself some room in traffic. The A/C vents cycle from cold to tepid and back every 15 seconds or so...but still keep the interior cool. The A/C filter has to be changed every year, per Subaru recommendations. Rear-wheel bearings have been weak on some models (mine's been OK so far) and are covered by a factory-extended warranty. But the AWD system and SUV-like ground clearance on the Outback is superb.....I went through 2 feet of snow this past Feburary with no no major problem, and 1 foot like a piece of cake.

As for your questions:

The 3.0 once did require Premium, but newer ones can run 87-Octane. It depends on the year and the particular model. You'd have to check the specific model you're looking at.

The L.L. Bean model was dropped 2 or 3 years ago, as with the Forester. L.L Bean Outbacks were offered at least through the 2007 model year, and, I think, partly into the 2008. But they come with standard sunroofs, which you said you didn't want. They also had the 3.0L H6.....there were no 2.5L L.L. Beans produced. The 3.0L VSC/HSC models were roughly similiar to the L.L. Beans, but came with a standard stability-system not available (at that time) in other models.

The L.L. Bean, I know, had the perforated leather, but, once again, you'd be stuck with the sunroof you don't want. As for non-perforated leather without sunroof, as I remember, it was offered on some non-L.L. Bean models with the Premium package, but Subaru's marketing here, with the 3Gen model, was quite complex...it varied not only from year to year, but sometimes temporary packages are also introduced later in the model year, or for just some months at a time.

I'd avoid the 4Gen, 2010-2011 Legacy-Outback models, at least for now.....issues have developed in the front suspension/steering hardware. This has already been covered in other CAR CHAT threads and Edmunds/Subaru forums.

And, yes.....your wife will get prayers.

 

Thanks. We're going to test drive (and test sit my wife in) a 6 cylinder car on Monday. If there are transfer problems, I'll axe the car and probably drive my LS through the winter (with winter tires, wheels, mats, etc. of course).

 

This whole thing just got tossed in the air again yesterday. We took our usual holiday road trip to visit my wife's family and she had a horrible time with her wheelchair transfers. She had almost no ability to use or control her left leg. While this has always been somewhat of an issue, it has quickly become much worse. Maybe it was just a bad day. I'm going to ask her docs to run some tests to see if the cancer has spread to her brain, which is one of the possible places this cancers goes. Unless she has more good transfer days, I may be looking to buy or lease a wheelchair van for her use rather than a car. We'll see where this journey takes us. I may be talking to these folks:

http://www.fminow.com/

 

Update:

Found a Subie:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/5658368-post12.html

 

congrats on the new subaru! did you sell your allante?

 

Nice addition to the fleet, congrats. Should be a nearly ideal vehicle for the intended usage.

My prayers are with you and your wife.

 

I sold the Allante a couple Monday's ago. The new buyer lives about an hour away - and under 10 miles from where the owner previous to me lived. I sold the Dakota the following Wednesday evening in 2 hours on Craigslist.

Maybe I should request a name change. Maybe ruLex?

 

Congragulations. I have a 2006 version of this car, and have been very pleased with it since Day One, though with the non-turbo 2.5L and automatic, it is not a powerhouse. You will be amazed at how well it goes through snow, if the tires are in any decent kind of condition.
Ask your local Subaru serrvice manager if your car qualifies for the free factory extended-warranty on the rear wheelbearings. That is one of the few issues on this car...and it is not that widespread.

 

The Subie currently has a set of GY Tripletread tires on them with, according to the previous owner, about 8K miles on them. I don't know what to expect in snow, but they handled one of the worst rain downpours I've encountered in over 10 years with no hydroplaning at all. I could feel the drag of the pooled water on the road, but between the tires and the AWD, there was no loss of traction. There is a bit of tire noise, but I can live with that. My original plan was to buy a set of somewhat nicer wheels, move the GYs to those, and put a set of winter tires on the factory wheels. Then there's the TPMS PITA. I'm tempted to try to run these tires through the first winter and then decide if the car needs a set of dedicated winter tires.

 

Good luck to you. I hope that this vehicle serves you and your wife well.

 

I figure there are too many lefties driving Subies. I made sure to add something to counter that.

 

I'm certainly no leftie. But, politics aside, I know a good car when I see it.