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They'll also tell you that Subarus are rock solid, even though they go through head gaskets like most of us go through underwear.
A new Subaru doesn't have the head gasket problem. Anything from model year 2012 onwards doesn't have a head gasket failure issue. There are tons of 2012+ Subarus on the road with well north of 100k miles on them and no failures. Should you buy a 2009 4-cylinder Outback that hasn't had the head gaskets replaced? It's a $1,000 repair at an indie mechanic. If you're getting the appropriate discount on the car, why not?
I view the Jatco CVT issue the same way. Am I going to buy a 2010 Altima that is beyond the 120K CVT warranty? Sure, if it's priced appropriately. There's no evidence that the newer ones have the reliability problem.
A new Subaru doesn't have the head gasket problem. Anything from model year 2012 onwards doesn't have a head gasket failure issue. There are tons of 2012+ Subarus on the road with well north of 100k miles on them and no failures. Should you buy a 2009 4-cylinder Outback that hasn't had the head gaskets replaced? It's a $1,000 repair at an indie mechanic. If you're getting the appropriate discount on the car, why not?
I view the Jatco CVT issue the same way. Am I going to buy a 2010 Altima that is beyond the 120K CVT warranty? Sure, if it's priced appropriately. There's no evidence that the newer ones have the reliability problem.
Indeed.
Blanket statements are just that - blanket statements. And they're usually overblown by people who don't know better.
Shoot, back in the day I drove an Oldsmobile Diesel - you know, the old converted Olds 350 engine that was so troublesome? Drove it over 185,000 miles and never so much as had to change a glow plug. Clearly that wasn't the norm for those engines, but it was not uncommon.
You pretty much took the words right out of my mouth. I don't know how many times in threads on here someone will pop in and say "I haven't had a single problem with mine. It has been a fantastic car." Then in a following post after they are questioned, they will say something like "I already have 48,000 miles on it. Well hell, I could go to a junk yard and pick parts off of about 10 different trucks and put a truck together with used parts and get 48,000 miles without problems. lol I drive over 50,000 a year so it doesn't take me long to start finding problems.
Lol exactly. I used to drive about 40-50k miles per year and am currently doing about 25k per year - I chew through warranties very quickly as well . When it comes to long term reliability discussions, it's truly laughable when people chime in saying "Well I leased this car for 3 years and never had any problems!" or "I owned this car for 60k miles and never had that issue" as if it's this awesome testament to long-haul ownership. I just think to myself "cool story bro" when I see stuff like that.
You DO know that, according to the "experts" here that that is not possible?!?! Like CVTs, according to the experts, there was not one single Dodge Caravan that had a decent transmission. Of course, these same experts will tell you that Hondas never had transmission problems. They'll also tell you that Subarus are rock solid, even though they go through head gaskets like most of us go through underwear.
Here's the deal: Do you research. Stay away from the first 2-3 years' models of a new vehicle. Buy a vehicle whose history you can verify (NOT one that has run through an auction [those places, and the people who frequent them, are HUGE red flags]). Then take care of it. Don't drive like a maniac, and do proper maintenance.
19 times out of 20 you're going to be just fine.
*By the way, I've owned and driven 4 Dodge/Chrysler minivans, and the ONLY one I had a transmission problem with dropped the overdrive at 227,000 miles. Go figure - apparently the "experts" don't know everything.
Erm well...in all fairness, the van I owned for 13 years, DID have a transmission rebuild right around 100K miles. Then we did another 80K together and she blew a head gasket, and I didn't have the $$ to deal with that so I traded her in. With a great deal of sadness, because I was kinda attached to that vehicle.
But I am just not loving my newer van in the same way. And my kids are almost grown and I don't need the hauling capacity very often like I used to.
I just don't really know where to draw the line when you see that a given vehicle has lots of bad commentary from owners online...yet obviously not ALL of said vehicle fails... Is it just gonna be luck of the draw regardless?
Erm well...in all fairness, the van I owned for 13 years, DID have a transmission rebuild right around 100K miles. Then we did another 80K together and she blew a head gasket, and I didn't have the $$ to deal with that so I traded her in. With a great deal of sadness, because I was kinda attached to that vehicle.
But I am just not loving my newer van in the same way. And my kids are almost grown and I don't need the hauling capacity very often like I used to.
I just don't really know where to draw the line when you see that a given vehicle has lots of bad commentary from owners online...yet obviously not ALL of said vehicle fails... Is it just gonna be luck of the draw regardless?
There were three main causes of transmission failure in the Dodge Caravans. The first was a faulty o-ring/seal. It was of inferior quality, and Chrysler knew about it early on but kept putting them in their transmissions. The second was places like JiffyLube doing reverse transmission flushes, and putting the wrong fluid in the transmissions. The third was owner neglect. Unlike some of the TH350s & other bullet-proof transmissions, you couldn't run the Chrysler transmission 150,000 miles without ever changing the fluid and filter.
The same is PARTIALLY true for CVTs. Avoid the early model ones, obviously. But after that, they MUST be serviced - and with the right parts/fluid - every 30,000 miles.
The same is PARTIALLY true for CVTs. Avoid the early model ones, obviously. But after that, they MUST be serviced - and with the right parts/fluid - every 30,000 miles.
30,000? That's kind of like changing full synthetic engine oil at 3,000. It won't hurt anything but that's kind of excessive unless you're towing or doing a ton of city driving. I can't speak to Nissan but with Subaru's CVT, it's inspect every 30,000. 60,000 fluid/filter replacement is strongly suggested even though the service manual just recommends inspection.
30,000? That's kind of like changing full synthetic engine oil at 3,000. It won't hurt anything but that's kind of excessive unless you're towing or doing a ton of city driving. I can't speak to Nissan but with Subaru's CVT, it's inspect every 30,000. 60,000 fluid/filter replacement is strongly suggested even though the service manual just recommends inspection.
The 30,000 mile mark is coming straight from a good friend of mine who is a parts manager at a huge Nissan/Infinity Dealership. He's a straight shooter - not one of these "Nissan rocks and everything else sucks!!!" kind of guys.
The nice thing is that my Altima has a 19mm drain bolt on the transmission, so it's extremely easy to do. And I'll definitely do the changes myself rather than have a JiffyLube type place ruin it, or pay a dealer $100 for the servicve.
The 30,000 mile mark is coming straight from a good friend of mine who is a parts manager at a huge Nissan/Infinity Dealership. He's a straight shooter - not one of these "Nissan rocks and everything else sucks!!!" kind of guys.
The nice thing is that my Altima has a 19mm drain bolt on the transmission, so it's extremely easy to do. And I'll definitely do the changes myself rather than have a JiffyLube type place ruin it, or pay a dealer $100 for the servicve.
Huh. Maybe it's a belt vs chain thing? Something must be wearing and contaminating the fluid/clogging the filter. Subaru dealerships get a big pile of money for CVT service. Not quite as obscene as changing plugs on a 6-cylinder boxer engine where a couple of the plugs are difficult access but $100 for CVT service at the dealer sounds reasonable to me. I have new summer tires this week when the snow tires come off. CVT service is next on my list.
The 30,000 mile mark is coming straight from a good friend of mine who is a parts manager at a huge Nissan/Infinity Dealership. He's a straight shooter - not one of these "Nissan rocks and everything else sucks!!!" kind of guys.
The nice thing is that my Altima has a 19mm drain bolt on the transmission, so it's extremely easy to do. And I'll definitely do the changes myself rather than have a JiffyLube type place ruin it, or pay a dealer $100 for the servicve.
Interesting. I had a similar conversation with the head mechanic at our local Honda dealer. I told him I was flat towing our CRV about 10K miles a year behind our motorhome, and doing DIY service to the trans at 15K and the rear diff. at 30K, using OEM fluid. He stated that is exactly what he would do, especially since you are only swapping three of eleven qts. in the trans. while following the factory recommended service procedure. His opinion is that if customers would going 30K intervals on transmission service, it would eliminate a majority of premature transmission failures he sees in the shop.
Both services are easy, quick and inexpensive (less than $30) when I do them myself.
Huh. Maybe it's a belt vs chain thing? Something must be wearing and contaminating the fluid/clogging the filter. Subaru dealerships get a big pile of money for CVT service. Not quite as obscene as changing plugs on a 6-cylinder boxer engine where a couple of the plugs are difficult access but $100 for CVT service at the dealer sounds reasonable to me. I have new summer tires this week when the snow tires come off. CVT service is next on my list.
A CVT is essentially the same thing as snowmobile final drive, or the speed variator on my 1968 John Deere 110 Garden Tractor. Two pulleys that expand or contract, with a belt between them. Obviously the new CVTs have a lot of sophisticated upgrades, but it's the same concept.
But it's really important to note that the fluid in CVTs is treated more like engine oil than automatic transmission fluid. CVTs have direct friction, so more frequent changing of the fluid is extremely important.
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. When it comes to long term reliability discussions, it's truly laughable when people chime in saying "Well I leased this car for 3 years and never had any problems!" or "I owned this car for 60k miles and never had that issue" as if it's this awesome testament to long-haul ownership. I just think to myself "cool story bro" when I see stuff like that.
