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CarSpace All about me and the Cars I drive...Just random blurbs about what's going on in my life as to driving. Dec 8, 2008 - Copyright infringement...I wanted to have some of my Photo work printed as Posters for Family and Friends as Stocking stuffers so I went to Zazzle.com and uploaded the Photos and placed my order.
Oct 2, 2008 - 2009 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited Back in Dec of 2006 I was injured on the Job and had to retire from the Trucking industry. Sure I wanted the Car to last but I was more focused on what looked good and which Car had all the Bells and Whistles. Just like my first big Car purchase back in 93, it was a Ford Probe GT and trust me, I wasn’t concerned about things like Gas Millage or much else other than the Car looked good, was a screamer and had all the do dads available at the Time, it was a very fun Car to drive and I drove the Wheels off of it.
Now I’m faced with buying a Car that I know will last, a Car that will not let me down. I still want style, comfort and the fun factor has to still be there, I just don’t need something that’ll burn the Tires off the Rims or gets the best 0-60 Times, just a good, reliable, fun Car to drive that will be safe for my Family as well.
Being a Truck driver for 22+ Years I’ve always noticed trends out on the Road. I’ve also noticed which Cars where broke down on the Freeway as well. I used to take note of things like what kind of Cars ended up at the used Car Lot the most and quickest after coming out. After all those Years there are only 3 Automobile Companies that have stood the test of Time, in a Truckers point of view. Toyota, Subaru and Volkswagen. Some might say, well what about Jeep? They used to be very reliable and I never saw many on the side of the Road or in used Car lots until Chrysler bought out AMC back in the late 80’s. After that the quality went into the Trash Can. Others might say wait a Second, what about Mitsubishi, Nisan, Mazda or Honda? They are great Cars and reliable, but I've seen too many of them in used Car lots which means owners are leaving them behind for other Vehicles. It doesn't mean their bad Cars, there just must be something about them that keeps People from wanting to keep them. I think another problem they have is they tend to change everything about their Cars every couple of Years so no one really gets used to a particular model because they're not given the chance. Go out and look for yourself. Look at used Car ads, go out and look what's being sold at used Car lots, those are the Cars that for whatever reason People want rid of. The lack of a Car available at a used Car lot says the People buying them don't want to get rid of them. At least this is my philosophy...
The kind of Car I was looking for: I wanted an all Wheel drive Car that would go no matter what the weather is outside. I wanted a Car that has a solid history for reliability from its Customers. I wanted a Car that I could either work on myself or something I know won’t cost an Arm and a Leg in Installation & Labor fees because everything is very easy to get to and fix. I also wanted a Car that looks good and is comfortable to drive. Since my Back is hurt I need allot of help in that department. I also wanted a Car that gets very good Gas Millage. I wanted a Car that I know could take a beating and come out smelling like a Rose.
My Choice was the 2009 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited:
Why Subaru: One complaint People have about Subaru is the one thing I love. I read all the Time about how they never change, how they keep using the same engine etc in their Cars and how when the rest of the Auto industry is experimenting with new technology, Subaru is lagging behind. What these People don’t seem to understand is that this is Subaru’s Philosophy. Subaru takes logical steps forward with their designs but they also keep their Eye on where they're wanting to go, not where the latest trend is. Subaru knew Years ago that they wanted to build a reliable, safe all Wheel drive Vehicle that could traverse most any Road and give its owner Years of worry free driving, and that's what they've done over the Years. Subaru really felt the Pulse of Americans when it came out with the Outback because it's what allot of us wanted. It's not too small, not too big, lots of fun to drive, very reliable, gets good Gas Millage and isn't so expensive you have to get a second Mortgage to afford one. In comparison, US Auto makers gave us, at the Time, Huge, massive SUV's like the Hummer and Escalade. Extremely over priced Gas guzzling Road Monsters that are so big they even intimidate me in my 18 Wheeler. Your choice was either that, a Jeep or one of those tiny Geo Tracker type 4X4's that I personally witnessed tip over for no other reason than they where turning a Corner...
People who keep coming back to Subaru do so for this very reason. They don't want change, they want Product stability, Reliability and take comfort in knowing that the Body style might change over the Years but the Machine inside is the same reliable system they've come to fall in love with. What Automotive Magazine articles make fun of about Subaru is what keeps People coming back for more, some People just don't get it... :O)
This Philosophy has been in place since they started building Aircraft Engines back in 1917. They produced the first Engines used in the Mitsubishi A6M1 (Zero) Fighter back in 1940 that proved to be a very tough, powerful Engine, and worthy adversary to US Fighters like the P40E (Flying Tiger). Subaru’s ingenuity can be traced back to right after World War 2 when they took un-used Parts from their Factory and built a Scooter called the Rabbit. The Boxer Engine has its Roots firmly planted in Subaru’s Aircraft Engine design and technology history. That’s what makes it such a tough, reliable and long running Engine. In fact, Subaru still makes light Aircraft Engines Today. The EA-81, Pictured below. Looks familiar, doesn’t it? Yep, it’s a Boxer Engine, slightly modified to comply with FAA regulations as well as integration of the Propeller Transmission. If the Boxer Engine is reliable enough for extended duty in an Aircraft then it’s almost overkill in a Car, and that spells long term reliability. They haven’t changed the Boxer Engine, just tweaked and enhanced it over the Years. Their all Wheel drive system was developed specifically by Subaru for their Cars and they've spent the last 50 Years tweaking and enhancing that system as well, not changing it. When my view of buying a Car changed and I started researching Subaru, I started to understand why People who buy Subaru’s love them so much. They’re fun to drive, safe and last forever. They do what a true Car is supposed to do. They safely transport us, keep us entertained, are easy to work on and maintain and they last long enough to feel like the Person driving it got their Money’s worth.
Why the 2009 Outback 2.5i Limited: Well, the Forester was a little too big and didn’t quite get the Gas Millage I’m looking for. The Legacy and Impreza are too small. The Tribeca looks too much like a Minivan and is way out of my price range. I don’t want a massive SUV , just a nice, right sized Car for my needs. I also didn’t go with the 2.5XT Turbo or the 3.0 because I want the Great Gas Millage and the 2.5i really has been given a bad reputation as lack luster in performance when it really isn’t. It does the job it’s designed to do and it does it very well. If you want more power and kick, get the 2.5XT, it has more kick than the 3.0. In other Words, you have a choice but no matter which one you chose, you can't go wrong. It's all in what you're looking for as far as Fuel savings vs performance.
Also remember in these uncertain Times, the 2.5XT and 3.0 take Premium Gasoline where the 2.5i is still tuned for regular. That’s about a $.20-$.30 per Gallon difference in price, not to mention your Millage goes way down when you Turbo Charge the 2.5. So far my little Outback is really getting excellent Gas Millage. With less than 100Mi on it I took a trip to Lexington the other day for Doctor appointments. It was about a 100Mi round trip with mixed City and Interstate driving and the average was 29.8MPG! It makes me excited to think how well it'll do once the Drivetrain loosens up with a few Thousand Miles.
Why not Hybrid? This new fad really has me angry, angry because Automotive manufacturers are using this so called "Green Technology" to keep making the same Gas guzzling Cars and SUV's but dupe the consumer into thinking they're "Going Green" When in fact they aren't. Let me take the most ludicrous example to date, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade. GM, like many other manufacturers, has taken a Fuel guzzling Hog, added some Batteries and an electric Motor to this behemoth, just barely raised the Fuel economy up from single Digits and call it "Green". Don't poke your Chest's out too much there GM, 20mpg isn't something to be proud of. I used to get 23mpg out of my old 1968 Chevy C-10 Pickup Truck with a 327 V-8 and Holly 4 Barrel Carb...
They aren't alone in this "Green" game. Take the 09 Toyota Camry Hybrid. Toyota boasts it gets 33/34mpg and charges around $8k more for this honor. A friend of mine has been driving his 1998 Camry V-6 for Years and gets 31/34mpg, huh?... Thank God some Companies aren't willing to lie to the consumer just to keep up with the Automotive Jones's. If you want amazing, try 30+mpg on a non Hybrid true All Wheel Drive Vehicle. Heck try 28mpg out of the same Vehicle, with a Turbo Charger! To sum up my feelings about Hybrid technology, it's just not there yet to be clucking around like a bunch of proud Turkeys.
More reasons why I waited for 09:
I also waited until the 2009 Models came out because they have Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) as standard equipment. VDC, unlike Traction Control, is a very fast and intuitive system that uses Braking along with Throttle control to keep the Wheels from spinning and the Car under control.. It also incorporates Throttle control in situations where Wheel slip becomes extremely excessive and responds very quickly. It has an accelerometer that measures lateral G-forces, Yaw rate and can react and adjust Braking and Acceleration if it thinks the Car is sliding out of control. It also senses the position of the Steering Wheel and uses that information as well to determine what it needs to do. It does everything it can in Nanoseconds to keep control of the Car at all times making this one of the most intuitive, safest Cars I've ever seen or driven. Mercedes and Audi have this type of system but I don't have $100k to lay down on a Car... ;O) I used to drive a Saturn with Traction Control and VDC is a Horse of a totally different Color. I used to turn off Traction Control on the Saturn because it was too intrusive and made it impossible to traverse badly Snow packed Roads, especially on any kind of grade. As soon as the Saturn felt any kind of slip in the front Wheels it would cut the Throttle and there you'd be, trying to get a run at a Hill, losing momentum by the second and the Traction Control System would essentially take your Foot off the Throttle, in a virtual way.
Not so with Subaru's VDC.It senses when a Wheel loses traction and lightly applies the Brake on that Wheel to stop the spin in its tracks, re-routing the power to the other Wheels. Only in severe traction loss does it reduce the Throttle and it does this very intuitively, instead of just simply cutting all your power thus causing you to lose your momentum. If you've ever driven a Car with Traction Control or you own one, don't compare it to VDC and don't let that fact sway you away from a Subaru, it's not the same thing. Also, the Limited version has the L,L,Bean Interior, even though it doesn’t say anything on the Car. It also has the Harman Kardon Stereo system that sounds allot better than previous systems, I just wish it would've had Bluetooth and an actual iPod Connector instead of the Auxiliary Plug hidden in the Center compartment. It also came up short in not having any USB inputs. You can get an actual iPod connector interface but it costs $200.00, installation extra... I also like the Grill and Ground effects; they look a little cleaner than the 2008. I think what Subaru has done is taken the 2008 L,L,Bean edition Outback, added VDC, the Harman Kardon system, made the GPS system an option and called it the 2009 Limited.
Dollar Store Track test: So far this Car is really impressing me well beyond my expectations As for handling all I can say is WOW! If you have the least sliver of common sense you will find it almost impossible to get this Car out of control, it’s that good. That was another issue I’d read from owners of the 2008 and earlier Models was the Outback’s tendency to let the back end get away from the driver while cornering on wet Roads or Roads with limited traction. With the introduction of VDC, the Outback’s control and stability are flawless. About 2 Weeks ago the Dollar Store up the Street sprayed Blacktop sealant on their Parking Lot. Anyone who knows about Blacktop sealant knows that when it gets wet it becomes so slippery you can hardly walk on it. Well, it rained the other Morning while taking my Daughter to School so o the way back home I pulled into the empty Lot. From a standing stop I stomped the Accelerator to the Floor. The Outback took off like I was on dry Pavement! Then I started doing figure 8’s and all kinds of cornering, trying to throw the Car out of control to no avail, it kept going exactly where I drove it. Then I did the Circle test. I drove in a Circle and kept speeding up until finally I reached the traction limits of the Tires themselves and slid sideways. That’s why I can say with confidence that unless you’re just an idiot or someone looking to crash, this Car will not get away from you, even if you try, like I did… :O)
Then I turned the VDC off. The Car still handled well but I had to be more on my Toes because all the control had been turned over to me. I could immediately feel the difference when I did full Throttle from a standing stop as the Wheels did slip a little but I was able to maintain control. The figure 8's and slalom also showed me how well VDC was working because I really had to concentrate on what I was doing. It's not that the Outback suddenly became this un-controllable Car, I just had to start thinking of what I was needing to do to keep it in control. I wasn't being nice to this Car that Morning. Any other Car would have spun wildly out of control if put through what I was doing to my poor new Outback. The AWD gave me the ability to think of what I was doing and gave me a chance to react better and faster in order to stay in control. The front end never lost traction like on FWD Cars or from what I've read, earlier models of the Outback. The power distribution is just right and when push came to shove the back end was the first to go in every situation.
(Never try this at an open Dollar Store. The Dollar Store I was at was closed, except for the delivery Guy who kept giving me the oddest looks) (This test was performed at a closed Dollar Store Track with a Professional Dollar Store parking lot Driver)
Bottom Line: After all the research I did on Subaru and the Outback, I’m very satisfied after driving this wonderful Car for the short time I’ve owned it. It’s very comfortable to drive and the Lumbar support and heated Seat really help me with my back problems. The Car is silky smooth when it needs to be, like on the Freeway, and stiffens up instantly on rough terrain, adjusting to whatever Road conditions are thrown at it. To be so high off the Ground with such tall Tires, this Care really handles well in Corners, very well in Corners. You don’t feel like you’re in a Station Wagon with a lift kit. It feels like you’re in a Sports Car with a wonderful ride. This has to be the quietest Wagon I’ve ever been in, just a pleasure to be able to talk in normal tones without Engine and Road noise drowning out your conversation and speaking of the Engine, it has to be the smoothest running 4 Cylinder Engine I've ever not felt or heard running.
The Stereo and other secondary Instruments lighting up Red took some getting used to but I find it rather cool looking now that the shock has worn off. As far as the main Electro Luminescent instrument cluster, flawless, easy to read and un-cluttered. You can quickly focus on all the important info and get your Eyes back on the Road where they belong without being distracted by glairing Digital displays or hard to distinguish, poorly lit, tiny Gauges.
I also like the Antenna implanted in the rear Window. This keeps it from being broken off by Vandals or the obligatory “Car Safe” Car Wash. I also love the Defrosters coverage of the rear Window as well as Mirror Defrosters and Windshield wiper deicers.
With Subaru's proven track record of reliability I should enjoy many Years of dependable transportation in any Weather situation.
To sum things up: the 2009 Subaru Outback has all the style and cool features Gadget freaks like me look for, with Subaru's Years of undying commitment to quality and durability underneath the awesome looking exterior.
The Bluetooth, USB and iPod issue wasn't even close to a deal breaker, just a personal aggravation because it was a few of the features I was kinda looking for in a new Car. Harman Kardon is actually the one to blame because it's their Stereo. ;O) I've read where Subaru is thinking of offering a non Boxer, non all wheel drive model for 2010, I really hope they don't start to stray from what they've spent so many Years to achieve, it would be a real shame and an end to an era.
Sep 30, 2008 - Saying goodbye to the 06 Spectra5...Well, after about 2.5 Years I'm saying goodbye to little Blakie.
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