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Looked at one of these last weekend as a family car / bike wagon. Plenty of room and drove fine but I have concerns over mpg and potential cost of servicing etc. Does anyone drive one day to day? What are the costs like? I don't want to buy into a money pit just want something reliable and roomy.
Please no replies telling me I need an Octavia...
Diesel or petrol?
Fwiw I found my mk 3 outback cheaper to run/service than the current yeti, mainly because it needed a lot less doing to it!!
Petrol, think they're all petrol now.
Looking at 2016-2018 cars.
I don’t want to buy into a money pit just want something reliable....
Please no replies telling me I need an Octavia…
Then you certainly don't want an Octavia, or any other VW/Audi car for that matter.
Our Octavias have been fine.
Still fancy an Outback though.
It's basically this or a Volvo V60 of the same age. Volvo a lot smaller but load area is actually quite similar being completely flat in the Volvo.
My neighbour has one of these and his wife has the smaller one (XV or something). They really love them. It tows the horse box and he loads it up with tools and all sorts (he's retired!). He really likes it! He's not complained to me about anything, i've jut heard good things.
I also know someone who has one in Switzerland and they claim it's fantastic in the snow. No snow chains required apparently! Again, no complaints.<br /><br />Maybe have a look on Harpers for comments?
Have driven several outbacks, diesel manual and petrol auto, all drive fine. <br />autos V smooth. <br />average 33mpg in the petrols, i made no effort to be economical. <br />i own a subaru forester, has had 1 fault in 4.5 years and 70k miles that Ive owned it. <br />it was 7 years old with 60k on it when I bought it. <br />would buy another. <br /><br />
I have one (2019 2.5L petrol version), also in Switzerland as it happens and can confirm they are great in the snow even compared to other 4x4's. Not sure my running costs are totally relevant to the UK, but I get about 35mpg in mixed (including a lot of mountain roads) driving.
No mechanical issues whatsoever as we've come to expect from Subaru's. The CVT is a bit marmite but otherwise I love it and will buy another, probably in a year or two.
Petrol, think they’re all petrol now.
they are now but mk3 was available in petrol and diesel.
I really regret getting rid of my mk2. really regret it..... I'm now also looking at mk3's
I've got a 2016 Subaru Levorg and I love it so would recommend to anyone. I assume the Outback is very similar but in slightly larger body.
It's my first auto but I find the CVT brilliant. Very smooth and just all round easy. The economy does let it down though. I don't really pay much attention as don't do big miles but I think the average mpg is somewhere in the 20s which is poor for the rather modest performance of my 1.6 turbo (170bhp). I like it as it's a bit different and is proving to be an excellent family wagon.
I have a 2010 mk4 diesel on 170k. big, comfy, rattly, not particulary efficient (claims 45mpg average, actually more like 38mpg) or fast. short block replacement at 120k nearly killed it but subaru UK came through with goodwill warrantly replacement.
when I bought it it was good for commuting across moors in all conditions but its a bit of overkill now as I work from home 99% of the time. its bought and paid for a long time ago so I'll keep running now until it stops and then get something smaller, faster and more efficient.
Hmm mid thirties mpg could cope with but anything in the twenties would be a deal breaker for me.
I looked at one years ago, the 3.0i, the tax was high - unsure whether it still is.
Economy wasn't a word that I'd use, but I was coming from a 535i...
I’ve got a late 2019 version. It replaced a Mondeo which I loved before that, but unfortunately there were no Mondeo’s left at the time I was looking. I considered a Skoda Superb estate, but again at that time they were similar prices to the outback.
My long term average out the car is 34-35mpg. I used the car for a daily commut of 15 miles each way, which included a mix or urban and dual carriageway. On a long motorway run at 70 ish, I can get 41-42 mpg. <br /><br />
Servicing costs have been comparable with other main dealers. I paid £250 for front discs and pads last year, unsure if the price has changed for 2023. A service seems to be £4-500 depending on what needs doing.
I do gripe at the fuel economy, but in context it is very similar to what my 1.6 litre focus was returning in 2005, with half the power and size.
They are great estate cars, comfy, everything is standard, they are easy to live with but not in the least bit exciting! There is plenty of grunt if you put your foot down! <br /><br />
I got mine a year old with 9k on the clock, it has now done 48k.
My buddy has had two Subaru Foresters and both have had problems with head gaskets (which is an engine out job cos boxer engines). It hasn't stopped him ordering another one though...
So, it might be worth reading up about head gasket reliability/potential cost of fixing...
Im not sure whether the Forester and Outback use the same engine but they are all boxer configuration AFAIK