4 cyl vs 6 cyl

[foxrider68]

Now the 3.6 is slow...jeesh. My dads 400hp vette is slow compared to a Z06 but that doesn't mean his car is actually slow. My first car was an 85 Olds with a 150HP V-6 that couldn't get 20mpg. I feel sorry for some of you as CAFE regulations are going to make future car selection a misserable process.

[Looby]

Originally Posted by foxrider68

I feel sorry for some of you as CAFE regulations are going
to make future car selection a misserable process.

The doom-predictors have been sayin' that for 40-50 years -- while cars
keep getting BETTER. Faster, better handling, better braking, more mpg,
safer, more reliable, lower maintenance, longer-lived, etc., etc. ....

Any garden-variety 2012 Honda Civic would run rings around my 1960
Porsche Super90 -- with its high octane fuel, ZERO emission controls,
and NO safety features (not even lap belts!). Also, the Civic would get
at least double the mpg and 30-40% more horsepower -- on 87 octane.

Any 21st century plain-jane grocery-getter will also have 4x the life
expectancy between total engine rebuilds, and should never need a
"tune up" except for new spark plugs every 60k mi (about the same
mileage where a 356 Porsche would need new pistons and barrels).

...if this is misserable [sic], may I have please have some more?

Looby

[mpnret]

Why don't you wait a little over a month and get a 2013. Your 2012 will be worth significantly less once the new model arrives. The new 2013 will address a lot of the issues being mentioned above. You still have a 4 cyl but with slightly more power and next gen CVT, slightly better gas mileage, timing chain instead of belt, plus a whole host of other improvements you can read about over in the 2013 thread. Here is a link: OFFICIAL 2013 Outback Info

[dboz]

The power is not something you could ever notice.

[Looby]

Originally Posted by mpnret

Your 2012 will be worth significantly less once the new model arrives.

OTOH, a new 2012 may cost significantly less once the new model arrives.

[Thai]

Originally Posted by subi dooby do

FWIW, I went from the 6-cyl Toyota Rav4 to the 2012 Subi 2.5 (w/ CVT). I love my subi! No complaints about a lack of power. It actually moves quite well at highway speeds (for me 70 - 80 mph) at a touch over 2k rpm. Plenty responsive.

That is because the 2.5 has a nice flat torque curve down low: Torque Curve b/w 2.5 and 3.6

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by dboz

The power is not something you could ever notice.

^ he's right the power won't be any different but I would think that the suspension updates would be far far the biggest reason I would get the 13. I really want to go drive a 13 and see how much of a difference there is given suspension and handling is probably by far the largest on going complaint most people have about the car.

[Thai]

Originally Posted by Looby

OTOH, a new 2012 may cost significantly less once the new model arrives.

Yup, and i would bet that most dealers won't accept haggling on 2013 models for a while, esp. after a facelift.

Personally, as i wrote before, if i was to go for 3.6, then i would also take a look at the new Acura RDX (2013).

[IC0N0CLAST]

Originally Posted by subiesailor

I really want to go drive a 13 and see how much of a difference there is given suspension and handling is probably by far the largest on going complaint most people have about the car.

agreed. coming from some of the other cars i have owned in the past i knew it was not going to be the same but i had no idea it was going to be this sloppy/loose. there are some major suspension issues which need to be addressed with this vehicle and obviously subaru realized/knew that and that is why they implemented the revisions for the 2013's suspension.

i assume in the near future the parts will be available and people could swap them out for the revised parts and all is well but that should not have to be done on a relatively new car.

[subiesailor]

New struts with different rates on the 13 that make a noticed difference would be an easy early update for me on my 2010 in just a few miles LOL. The cost wouldn't be much and by that time we will probably be around 40K or so.