[johnre]

Rarely would I recommend a Gen 4 over a Gen 3, but in your case with the family size plus two dogs, I am going to have to do so. The back seats are where most of the interior differences are.

And you are correct on most of the bullet points - although the H6 EZ3.0R engine is a 3.0 litre displacement used through 2009 and requires premium fuel, whereas the EZ3.6R used afterward was 3.6 litres and needed only regular fuel. And don’t take anyone’s word on maintence for any of it, insist on documentation and get a pre-purchase inspection - especially for something as important as a timing belt on the H4 EJ253 engine.

More model information and photos is at www.cars101.com.

 

[SilverOnyx]

A 2005 Legacy GT is the basis for a Gen 3 2005-2009 Outback - the front and rear passenger space is the same, and the cargo is the same if the Legacy GT was a wagon, the Outback version was just with added cladding and ground clearance.

I had a 2005 Legacy GT 5 speed wagon and loved it - could fit 4 comfortably but the two dogs in the back, probably not a growing husky and a golden retriever. Bear in mind that the Forester cargo area is slightly taller, so depending on the height of your dogs they might prefer the Forester's vertical space. Like the Outback, Foresters have grown in size over time.

 

[DKB2005]

Rarely would I recommend a Gen 4 over a Gen 3, but in your case with the family size plus two dogs, I am going to have to do so. The back seats are where most of the interior differences are.

And you are correct on most of the bullet points - although the H6 EZ3.0R engine is a 3.0 litre displacement used through 2009 and requires premium fuel, whereas the EZ3.6R used afterward was 3.6 litres andneeded only regular fuel. And don’t take anyone’s word on maintence for any of it, insist on documentation and get a pre-purchase inspection - especially for something as important as a timing belt on the H4 EJ253 engine.

More model information and photos is at www.cars101.com.

Thanks for the response. The research I did on the specs shows a fairly minimal difference - with the exception of ~4” of rear leg room. That’s not a huge deal to me since I won’t really ever be in the back seat, haha. But I am fairly tall, so the passenger behind me could be kind of squished.

I have been asking everyone for maintenance records and I think they’reannoyed by it. But I don’t want to pay book value for a car and then have to spend $3k on repairs . . .

Also, here the link for that ‘08 in Portland

https://www.gripautos.com/inventory/subaru/outback/310002/

 

[DKB2005]

A 2005 Legacy GT is the basis for a Gen 3 2005-2009 Outback - the front and rear passenger space is the same, and the cargo is the same if the Legacy GT was a wagon, the Outback version was just with added cladding and ground clearance.

I had a 2005 Legacy GT 5 speed wagon and loved it - could fit 4 comfortably but the two dogs in the back, probably not a growing husky and a golden retriever. Bear in mind that the Forester cargo area is slightly taller, so depending on the height of your dogs they might prefer the Forester's vertical space. Like the Outback, Foresters have grown in size over time.

I was trying to explain that the 2008 was the same as a Legacy from that time (alas, a bit smaller) but that comparison didn’t help. Then I tried to remind her of the time she went with me to test drive a Legacy GT and she didn’t recall.

When we test drove those Outback’s they had a couple of Foresters and they do look smaller. I imagine the cubic feet of cargo space is similar between the two it’s just that they are used different (height vs length)

 

[SilverOnyx]

If you're going to end up with the CX5 and you don't really want it, and the budget from the Edge makes it difficult to find the right car for your wife, is it out of the question to sell the CX-5 in addition to selling the Edge and buy two new cars?

 

[DKB2005]

If you're going to end up with the CX5 and you don't really want it, and the budget from the Edge makes it difficult to find the right car for your wife, is it out of the question to sell the CX-5 in addition to selling the Edge and buy two new cars?

We’ve only had the CX-5 about a year. We put $5k down, but bought close to the peak of the market. It was at MSRP, but taxes and a stupid dealer protection package I couldn’t avoid ate up a chunk of that, so the trade in value and our loan payoff are probably about equal.

I suppose it’s technically an option, but maybe not a smart move financially. Though I could probably get a 2015-ish WRX for the same monthly payment with essentially zero trade in / down payment, haha.

Or, maybe more to your point, we could potentially put $3-4k down on two different $16-20k cars so the total of the two car payments is equal to the single payment we currently have. That shifts the game a bit - instead of trying to find one “really great” deal we would just need to find two “pretty good” deals.

 

[SilverOnyx]

A used 2019 Ascent has the 2.4 turbo and enough room for passengers and two large dogs. Even an Outback would be marginal for large dogs in my opinion.

 

[real_deal]

Whatever you do, avoid the '13 2.5.

 

[DKB2005]

A used 2019 Ascent has the 2.4 turbo and enough room for passengers and two large dogs. Even an Outback would be marginal for large dogs in my opinion.

A very brief search shows 2 Ascents listed near me under $25k, both with 110k+ miles. There’s a 3rd at $26k with a salvage title.

With essentially zero down, payments on either of those would be $430 over 72 months - which is close to the CX-5 payment. 100k miles on a 3-year old vehicle is a lot . . . . We’d still have to find a car for me too - which maybe isn’t a big deal. I could just buy something cheap to drive for a year or two until we buy a house . . .

 

[DKB2005]

Whatever you do, avoid the '13 2.5.

I thought that was the model year to go with since it had a timing chain and prior years didn’t?

 

[real_deal]

Faulty piston rings, faulty valve bodies, slow as a dog, and ugly as hell.

 

[DKB2005]

Faulty piston rings, faulty valve bodies, slow as a dog, and ugly as hell.

Good to know. I’ll continue to seek around that year with documentation for timing belt / water pump replacenemy.

Regarding the slow bit - how slow are we talking? I was a bit concerned the 2.5 might feel underpowered with 4 people and 2 dogs . . . But it’s primary use will be getting my wife to and from work and then errands with out littles - she probably won’t notice the lack of power like I would . . .

 

[real_deal]

4 people and 2 dogs would be cramped in an Outback and all that weight would exacerbate the lack of power even more so. N/A 4 cylinder Subaru motors are generally uninspiring and just don't put out enough power. But yeah, maybe you're wife won't care.

 

[Dick Ellingson]

Whatever you do, avoid the '13 2.5.

My '13 2.5 is trouble-free after ten years and 36,000 miles

 

[real_deal]

Yes but you don't drive yours.

 

[Dick Ellingson]

Yes but you don't drive yours.

I already drove it a mile this morning and I'll drive it two miles this afternoon.

 

[dukey33]

Timing belt went away in 2012 2.5.
If you can find a low-mileage 2014, that is likely the sweet-spot for a gen4. The oil-consumption issue seems to circle around the 2012-2013 models.
The later Gen4 has a few improvements and new features over the early ones, but no real game-changers unless you're wanting nanny features (1st gen Eyesight system).
The Gen4 has oodles more back seat room than the Gen3. We tried both before buying the 2010.
If you crate your large dogs to transport, be aware only one "large" crate will fit in the cargo area with the rear seat up. If this is critical in your decision process, double check the dimensions before signing.

 

[DKB2005]

I already drove it a mile this morning and I'll drive it two miles this afternoon.

That's how ours would be. The 2013 Edge we had for 4.5 years and only put like 32k miles on it.

 

[DKB2005]

Timing belt went away in 2012 2.5.
If you can find a low-mileage 2014, that is likely the sweet-spot for a gen4. The oil-consumption issue seems to circle around the 2012-2013 models.
The later Gen4 has a few improvements and new features over the early ones, but no real game-changers unless you're wanting nanny features (1st gen Eyesight system).
The Gen4 has oodles more back seat room than the Gen3. We tried both before buying the 2010.
If you crate your large dogs to transport, be aware only one "large" crate will fit in the cargo area with the rear seat up. If this is critical in your decision process, double check the dimensions before signing.

I think a low mileage 2014 will be over budget. Given my region, it seems like anything low mileage or medium-high mileage with an excellent maintenance history is over budget. I look at some of these listings with no maintenance records, 160k miles and they are asking $10k still. Or maybe I'm just too cheap?

We actually had one on budget with a great maintenance record pop up Monday night. Craigslist said posted 3 hours ago when I inquired. After a bit of back and forth the lady told me she already had someone test drive it and was expecting an offer the next morning