Subaru fans, I'm wondering.... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

elchivito · #1 08-02-2011, 06:51 PM

How long can a well maintained 2.5L non turbo boxer engine be expected to last?

MBeige · #2 08-02-2011, 06:56 PM

Since we just took delivery of our 2011 Forester in June, I have the same question. I believe it's a new engine Subaru built and has a new design w/ double row timing chains compared to its predecessor if I'm not mistaken. The old one had a timing belt instead. This one also is DOHC instead of SOHC from the older type.

dkveuro · #3 08-02-2011, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

How long can a well maintained 2.5L non turbo boxer engine be expected to last?

Until the head gaskets let go.

LandYaghtLover · #4 08-02-2011, 07:27 PM

They need to catch up to 1996 with this DOHC design with chains. A new car should NOT have startup chain rattle. Some drainback check valves would work on the tensioners.

Not sure what they were thinking. Fortunately no damage results.

Botnst · #5 08-02-2011, 07:56 PM

My '06 runs great. Only problem was a rear wiper burn-out. Oh yeah, an issue with the catalytic converter which was under full warranty. Totally replaced. Wish it had a manual transmission. The automatic sucks at the low end.

Skippy · #6 08-02-2011, 09:19 PM

When I worked at a junkyard, I saw plenty of Subies over 240,000 miles, and not a few over 300,000.

JohnM. · #7 08-02-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

When I worked at a junkyard, I saw plenty of Subies over 240,000 miles, and not a few over 300,000.

But on how many engines?

MBeige · #8 08-03-2011, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LandYaghtLover

They need to catch up to 1996 with this DOHC design with chains. A new car should NOT have startup chain rattle. Some drainback check valves would work on the tensioners.

Not sure what they were thinking. Fortunately no damage results.

This is the main concern regarding the new DOHC chain-driven 2.5L boxer engine. Seems there is an open TSB on it, search subaruforester.org that's where I found the info on this. Some say it's normal, others said the dealer replaced the tensioner with a modified one to reduce slack in the chain and noise is gone. Others have said noise appears when car is left overnight while others said the noise is there when left for only a few hours (think parking it for the day at work).

It also uses fully synthetic oil, 0W-20 I believe.

Angel · #9 08-03-2011, 09:33 AM

I have an '01 Outback wagon, 4cyl (2.5L with timing belt)

120k miles, very few hiccups. But I replaced the alternator once already- the grounds/electrics still feel dicey though - lights dim *a lot* at idle.

I reinforced the existing ground wires to the battery and block - they were getting dicey- doing more might help.

All in all, the thing runs well and doesnt give me problems. I'd prefer a stick, but this was the wife's car before me so I dont get to row my own.

Gas mileage is lousy - 29-24mpg no matter how I play it. I would almost not recommend one on this factor alone. Newer subie's do better though.

As long as the head gaskets hold out, I can see this thing doing 200k or 300k nicely. time will tell. (I got it used at 60k, not sure how it was treated before me)

-John

BenzBob · #10 08-04-2011, 08:39 AM

On the subaruoutback.org site, it is noted that a Berkley geoligical professor has an Outback with 400,000 miles on it. He says he drives it all over the US and Canada during the summer months when he is not working. He questions why you would want to trade one in with only 160,000 miles on it. No comments though on how much repair/replacement he has done to get it that far.

Jim B. · #11 08-04-2011, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

How long can a well maintained 2.5L non turbo boxer engine be expected to last?

They are not ( the 2.5) quite as bulletproof as the 2.2 boxer, and I was told the 2.2 engine can easily last far far beyond 350,000 or 350,000 miles if well maintained (regulary oil and coolant changes, and the timing belt changed every 50m000 to 105,000, My first OB was the 21 liter that I got with a dealer of Subaru in Sacramento back in 2002 with about 116k on the clock and I inherited it when they passed away and I kept it for awhile, being in their 90's then they did not drive it much but I made contact with the first owner (I had NCIC access then) and he told me he loved it and wanted to keep itm but his wifey made him buy hier a new Outback so he traded it in,

I too, traded that ar in at just 123 ad it was immaculate ( the'95 2.2 ON) and got my first brand new car for myself egverm a 2.5i Premium 2008 Premum package one with all weather grp. An automatic.

It waZs way ahead of the 'sturdy little '95 (The Subaru sales staff told me that very few are traded in, most are handed to family members in snow country when new ones are puchases, and many buyers of new ones are very sophistgicatged intelligent and wealthy, about 80% pay ashfor them)....

M y 1008 was utterly issue free and at just 22k on the clock I traded it in,

Now that I have a new 2011, also the 2;3i engine, this one was new, bought in early May of thisyear, I already wrong out over 7k in mostly good weat5hert in it.

I love its sybaitic luxcury, but do not need the moonroof, turbo 3.6 6 cylinder, moonroof factory sat nav and leather that boots the price to over 31k msrp.

Rather for about #26k I got the mid size OB thaT STATS SAY ALMOST 75% OF sUBIE ob BUYERS BUY, TGHE pzev pREMIUM THAT MNOST LUXURIES WITH THE 2.3I ENGINE MATEDTO THE cvt TRANSMISSION.

tHAT TRANSMISSION IS RATED 21 CITY AND 28 HWY.

bUT THE MANUL TRANNY WITH THE 2.5I ONLY RETURNS 21, SME AS THE LUXURY 3.6 TURBO.

THE REASN PEOPLE CHOOSE THE 2.5I cvt IS TGHEREFORE OBVIOUS.

THE 2010 AD 2011 oUTBACK IS mOTOR t4REND cAR OF THE yEAR TOO. i THINK IT IS A R FOR ALL REASONS. aND IT IS NOT A STTATION WAGON NY MORE IT IS A TRUE suv NOW.

i AM TOLD THAT FOR 2010 THE fORESTERS WILL HAVE THE cvt AS THE SHELVES WILL BE DEPLETED OF THE TRADITIONAL WAREHOUSS, AND THE iMPREZA WILL GET THE cvt FOR 2012 ALSO IF YOU WANT ONE.

tHE WHOLE LINE p{EOPLE LOVE THEM 2 OF MY NIEGHBORS TAT ARE WIDOWS HAVE fORESTERS AND LOVE THEM, ON IS A BLACK fORESTER FROM 2--8 AND THE OTHER IS A RED 2020 THATi ACTUALLY NEGOTIATED WITH AND HELPED HER BUY FOR CASH THE 2010 THAT SHE HAS AND LOVES, IT IS FAR SUPERIOR IN EVERY WAY FOR HER HER USES THAN THE OLD "95 TAURUS SE TRADED IN ON .

THE awd sUBARU IS not A NICHE CAR ANY MORE, THE NICHE IS TOO BIG NOW.

tHEY ARE MAINSTREAM CARS, AND THE TRUTH ISM ALMOST NOTHING GOES WRONG WITH THEM AND THEY ARE MISERS ON GAS ITH THE 2.5I (ANDF MY NEW'11 IS A LOT FASTER THAN THE '08 WOTH THE SAME ENGINE. pROBABLY TGHE TRANSMISSION DOES IT

bUT THE TRUE CST TO RUN A CAR IS DOLLAR PER MILE, AND THE sUBARTU IS HAZRD TO BEAT BECAUSE THEY ARE BASICALLY MAINTENANCE FREEL

aT 2000 MILES i WET TO THE DEALER IN mODESTO AND CHANGED TO mOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC,M AND CHANGED THE OIL TO SYN AGAIN AT THE mODESTO DEALER AT 7K, i WILL RUN SYN EGERY 5K FRO THE LIFE OF THE CAR, WHICH i EXPECT TO LIVE A LOT LONGR THAN i EVER WILL IF IT IS CARED FOR.

i WAS SHOWN A sUBARU LIN OF YOUTUBE DEMO OF THE cvt AND IT WAS FASCINATING THE TRANSMISSION ACTUALLY HAS ONLY ONE GEAR, ND THE PADDLE SHIFTERS ALLOW YOU TO MANUALLY LOCK IN WHATEBER GEAR IT IS IN, IN THE MOMENT.

wONDERFUL CARS.

note, please dont ask me to edit this, I nevber looked up at the screen and saw it was all caps, the light on the4 keyboard doesn't work thazt says yu are typing in all caps it is out and I an NOT shouting....ic

Jim B. · #12 08-04-2011, 09:21 PM

Very different.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBX51s6dX1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgtIKMAjvFI

The Swede · #13 08-04-2011, 10:51 PM

3.6 isn't a turbo. We were going to get one, now wife wants a Volvo SUV.

Medmech · #14 08-05-2011, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Swede

3.6 isn't a turbo. We were going to get one, now wife wants a Volvo SUV.

Don't scold her it's a remarkable car, even Top Gears Jeremy Clarkston has one. I'm new to Subaru with a low mileage 06 outback and am impressed with the handling but it does not come close to the comfort of the Volvo IMO....

I was in the market for a Volvo but the price gap was so huge I went went the Subaru despite the shortcomings compared to the Volvo. I am impressed with the handling of the Outback compared to the Volvo but that is about it, I may come to love the Subi once the repair bills start coming in.

The Swede · #15 08-05-2011, 12:11 AM

We were looking at a 2007 Volvo S40 AWD for me. A CPO car, slick little car actually.

After the test drive, she fell back back in love with Euro cars - harkening back to the days of her BMW 740i sport.

...So she sees the Volvo XC60 as compromise between an ego-cruiser German marque and the sensible Subie Outback 3.6.

As far as SUV's go, the Volvo XC's are decent looking. I'd rather she get a wagon, but she's set on the SUV (at least for now). That puts the Volvo purchase off until next year, we could do the Outback now.