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It also wasn’t a wildly expensive repair if Subaru didn’t pay for it. Indie mechanics would swap in the head gaskets from the turbo for ~$1,000. Dealers got ~$1,500. I just spent almost that on tires yesterday. On the spectrum of costly things that can go wrong on cars like exploding engines and fried transmissions, head gaskets won’t kill me.
Perhaps it was not expensive to a person that had more than one mode of transportation, or money to spare. To me it was not a big deal since I have always had more than one vehicle to drive, but to a lot of people having the only automobile they drive being repaired can be quite difficult.
However, when driving my 2009 Forester the head gasket issue was always in the back of my mind, so I lost confidence on the Subaru motor. By the way, one of my coworkers has a dark yellow color Crosstrek (don't know what year, but fairly new), and the thing sounds like it's going to blow up when the motor cranks to a start. It may not be a head gasket problem, and she is taking it to a shop. She is afraid to drive it now.
I always consider CR reviews above any other, and it has served me well for the last 40 years. I may not always follow the advice, since buying a car is personal decision. What are the options, listening to people that have never owned a new car, or that love just one brand, or have financial restrains. Perhaps, I should follow publications that are dependent on car manufactures, or internet posters with an agenda. The most responsible publication out there is CR
I always consider CR reviews above any other, and it has served me well for the last 40 years. I may not always follow the advice, since buying a car is personal decision. What are the options, listening to people that have never owned a new car, or that love just one brand, or have financial restrains. Perhaps, I should follow publications that are dependent on car manufactures, or internet posters with an agenda. The most responsible publication out there is CR
And a large portion of the US population is comprised of the folks you are talking about (dark text above). More than likely the very rich are buying more expensive automobiles than the ones discussed in the Consumer Reports article, which leaves the middle and lower-class consumers as the majority buyer of automobiles. Not only that, but these folks are the ones answering the Consumer Reports' surveys.
The Consumer Reports' long-term vehicle reports are quite good, and I always consider them on my research of second-hand automobile purchases. But I also look at the J.D. Power, and Edmonds reports. There is not one publication that is truly responsible.
Subaru fixed their gasket problem years ago. Consumer Reports rates Subaru as the number one brand, with an overall score of 81. We have a 2018 Outback Touring and it's a very comfortable car to drive. And we've had no problems with it in the year we've owned it. Subaru has upped their game since 2009. Fiat and Jaguar were tied for dead last with a score of 44.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK
I was responding about your saying that Subaru fixed the problem back in 2005. Both links indicate the problem existed up to 2011. You can also find the same answers at the Subaru user forums.
I never said anything about the gasket problem being fixed in 2005, I said they fixed it years ago. 2012 qualifies as years ago.
Agree. Funny how people's personal opinion and purchase experience influences their view.
For example, someone previously mentioned they don’t agree with Consumer Reports, yet they own a RAV4. People do not want to feel that they made a bad decision so they will even over look minor issues to reinforce their decision process.
However, the same owner would be raving about CR if they had given the RAV4 their Top Pick. There has been extensive writings on this type of behavior...conformity. People say the RAV4 is the vehicle to buy, last thing that individual would want to do is go against the perception.
Quote:
Originally Posted by txfriend
I always consider CR reviews above any other, and it has served me well for the last 40 years. I may not always follow the advice, since buying a car is personal decision. What are the options, listening to people that have never owned a new car, or that love just one brand, or have financial restrains. Perhaps, I should follow publications that are dependent on car manufactures, or internet posters with an agenda. The most responsible publication out there is CR
Agree. Funny how people's personal opinion and purchase experience influences their view.
For example, someone previously mentioned they don’t agree with Consumer Reports, yet they own a RAV4. People do not want to feel that they made a bad decision so they will even over look minor issues to reinforce their decision process.
However, the same owner would be raving about CR if they had given the RAV4 their Top Pick. There has been extensive writings on this type of behavior...conformity. People say the RAV4 is the vehicle to buy, last thing that individual would want to do is go against the perception.
But we all have personal opinions and biases, which is not a bad thing; just normal. Not two persons think exactly the same, regardless of subject discussed.
When it comes to whatever one owns or drives, one always has individual responses about one's automobile. For example, a lot of people complain about the quality of the somewhat large American truck motors. But I own a 2001 Silverado truck that has been nothing but reliable. When I bought it a couple of years ago the motor had 184,000 miles, and now has 203,000. Everything works on this truck, even the heated seats. The motor makes a little noise on cold starts, but a few seconds later is purrs like a kitten.
My experiences with the 2009 Forester have been highly influenced by the head gasket problems of the past. For that reason alone, I can't put my mind at ease in relation to buying another Subaru automobile. But again, these are my opinions.
I considered the new RAV Hybrid as they billed it as a performance model. Then the reviews hit, and it didnt do hardly any better than my 2015 mazda cx5, so I bought a new CX5. 0-60 in <6.5, and the handling is great. Interior is on point, as well. Cabin is very quiet. Mazda claims 67db, magazine tests show 65db, cruising at 70. Very upscale for the segment.
Love what Mazda has done to the latest design of the CX-5.
As reflected in CR, it is ranked at near the top so you can’t go wrong with it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JWG223
I considered the new RAV Hybrid as they billed it as a performance model. Then the reviews hit, and it didnt do hardly any better than my 2015 mazda cx5, so I bought a new CX5. 0-60 in <6.5, and the handling is great. Interior is on point, as well. Cabin is very quiet. Mazda claims 67db, magazine tests show 65db, cruising at 70. Very upscale for the segment.
Agree. Funny how people's personal opinion and purchase experience influences their view.
For example, someone previously mentioned they don’t agree with Consumer Reports, yet they own a RAV4. People do not want to feel that they made a bad decision so they will even over look minor issues to reinforce their decision process.
However, the same owner would be raving about CR if they had given the RAV4 their Top Pick. There has been extensive writings on this type of behavior...conformity. People say the RAV4 is the vehicle to buy, last thing that individual would want to do is go against the perception.
Most RAV4 owners would agree with CR in that the reliability is among the best in the segment.
Some people would rather put up with some engine noise or slightly worse handling in order to have the peace of mind that their vehicle will go 200k trouble free miles.
For most Toyota/Lexus buyers, their concerns are..
1) reliability
2) low depreciation
...those are the things that keep their loyal customers coming back. Now as for the CRV, I do like the styling better than the RAV4, I just don’t care for CVTs.
However, conformity does play I to alot of people's view and how they even express themselves as has obviously been recognized in this thread.
Interesting to how people pick and choose highlights from a review which again conforms to their own views or previous purchases they have made and that's the only thing they can focus on not the entire picture.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RayinAK
But we all have personal opinions and biases, which is not a bad thing; just normal. Not two persons think exactly the same, regardless of subject discussed.
When it comes to whatever one owns or drives, one always has individual responses about one's automobile. For example, a lot of people complain about the quality of the somewhat large American truck motors. But I own a 2001 Silverado truck that has been nothing but reliable. When I bought it a couple of years ago the motor had 184,000 miles, and now has 203,000. Everything works on this truck, even the heated seats. The motor makes a little noise on cold starts, but a few seconds later is purrs like a kitten.
My experiences with the 2009 Forester have been highly influenced by the head gasket problems of the past. For that reason alone, I can't put my mind at ease in relation to buying another Subaru automobile. But again, these are my opinions.
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