Hello all,
I currently drive a 2004 Grand Cherokee with the 4.7L V8, and although I love Jeep, I loathe this car. I'm also looking to start a job where I have an 80 mile round trip commute, and 20 mpg isn't going to cut it. The problem? I've got 3 greyhounds and a beagle, so the GC size needs to stay.
Enter the Outback. I've been looking at a few 2010-2011's and have a few questions.
1. How serious IS the steering wheel shake, what percentage actually feels it, and what does it feel like? Is it like an unbalanced wheel, or like death wobble as found in Jeeps?
2. I'd be getting the 2.5 for both mileage and price issues (the girlfriend is a travel nurse, so it'd be getting some extended road trips as well). I'm a bit iffy on a CVT. I've never had one, have driven a few (non-Subaru) CVT's and thought they felt weird, but have seen that the Subaru has a "step" feature where it feels like it's shifting gears. Would you go for a CVT model, or hold out for a 6 speed? I like driving a manual, but the girlfriend has a Mini S, so I can get my manual transmission fun in that if necessary - which would you prefer for daily driving and 30K+ miles a year?
3. Warranty: Do they transfer to used-car owners, or is it just original owners? Also, if I get it from a non-Subaru dealer, can I still get the warranty? Two of them that I'm looking at are 2011's with about 55K miles (so still within the 7 year 100K warranty), but they're post-lease vehicles that are done through an independent dealer.
4. Besides hesitation at a costing start and the steering wheel shake, are there any other readily apparent problems? I'm also aware of the high-altitude cold weather starts, but I live in Indiana, and have no aspirations to move anywhere in the Rockies, so I don't see that being a gigantic problem.
5. Head gaskets - I understand the problem was resolved in 2010 for the 2010+ 2.5 engine. Is this correct?
Thanks all, I really appreciate it.
I currently drive a 2004 Grand Cherokee with the 4.7L V8, and although I love Jeep, I loathe this car. I'm also looking to start a job where I have an 80 mile round trip commute, and 20 mpg isn't going to cut it. The problem? I've got 3 greyhounds and a beagle, so the GC size needs to stay.
Enter the Outback. I've been looking at a few 2010-2011's and have a few questions.
1. How serious IS the steering wheel shake, what percentage actually feels it, and what does it feel like? Is it like an unbalanced wheel, or like death wobble as found in Jeeps?
2. I'd be getting the 2.5 for both mileage and price issues (the girlfriend is a travel nurse, so it'd be getting some extended road trips as well). I'm a bit iffy on a CVT. I've never had one, have driven a few (non-Subaru) CVT's and thought they felt weird, but have seen that the Subaru has a "step" feature where it feels like it's shifting gears. Would you go for a CVT model, or hold out for a 6 speed? I like driving a manual, but the girlfriend has a Mini S, so I can get my manual transmission fun in that if necessary - which would you prefer for daily driving and 30K+ miles a year?
3. Warranty: Do they transfer to used-car owners, or is it just original owners? Also, if I get it from a non-Subaru dealer, can I still get the warranty? Two of them that I'm looking at are 2011's with about 55K miles (so still within the 7 year 100K warranty), but they're post-lease vehicles that are done through an independent dealer.
4. Besides hesitation at a costing start and the steering wheel shake, are there any other readily apparent problems? I'm also aware of the high-altitude cold weather starts, but I live in Indiana, and have no aspirations to move anywhere in the Rockies, so I don't see that being a gigantic problem.
5. Head gaskets - I understand the problem was resolved in 2010 for the 2010+ 2.5 engine. Is this correct?
Thanks all, I really appreciate it.