Toyota's New Transmission Really Pisses Me Off: th-cam.com/video/M-h9uEVsRFQ/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching! Like and Subscribe for More Vids Daily ► th-cam.com/channels/uxpxCCevIlF-k-K5YU8XPA.html ⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools: 1. Bluetooth Scan Tool: amzn.to/2nfvmaD 2. Mid-Grade Scan Tool: amzn.to/33dKI0k 3. My Fancy (Originally $5,000) Professional Scan Tool: amzn.to/31khBXC 4. Cheap Scan Tool: amzn.to/2D8Tvae 5. Dash Cam (Every Car Should Have One): amzn.to/2YQW36t 6. Basic Mechanic Tool Set: amzn.to/2tEr6Ce 7. Professional Socket Set: amzn.to/2Bzmccg 8. Ratcheting Wrench Set: amzn.to/2BQjj8A 9. No Charging Required Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/3i7SH5D 10. Battery Pack Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2nrc6qR ⬇️ Things used in this video: 1. Common Sense 2. 4k Camera: amzn.to/2HkjavH 3. Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2Evn167 4. Camera Tripod: amzn.to/2Jwog8S 5. My computer for editing / uploading: amzn.to/301tYt9 Subscribe and hit the notification bell! ► goo.gl/CFismN As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Snow tires: Scotty, I trust ALL of your recommendations. Allow me to recommend the Snow Tires, Toyo GSi-6. They're made of a special softer, flexible rubber with WALNUT bits embedded. I have been driving Toyo's Walnut tires since the GSi-5 model. The GSi-6 tires are newer, improved, and now they make them for light trucks. I drive my Toyo GSi's Year Round here in Colorado. These tires are simply . . the BEST winter tires I have ever used. SAVED MY LIFE at Least Three times!!
I work at a Subaru specific shop. Subarus break like any other car but they are cheaper and easier to fix than most other cars. The parts are relatively inexpensive and you can do most of everything in the driveway. The only thing you must do religiously is change the CVT fluid at least every 60k preferably every 30k but most people don’t do that.
@@jordanl4805Just remove the airbox and battery. A good magnetic SP socket with a built in flex joint, good ratchet that's not too big, maybe a stubby extension,or two. A nice fender protector... an old mattress to lay on. Many youtube vids make this headscratcher job much easier.
Something I’d love in your videos are video chapters! I think they’d make jumping back to a specific part or car a lot easier to do. Love the vid. I’m always surprised at the wealth of auto knowledge you have!
Literally had to choose between a Forester and Rav 4, wanted the Rav 4 bad! But the cost of loaded Forester is the same cost as a base Rav 4. I Love my all black Forester Sport!!
The Toyota hybrid CVT is not like other CVT. The Toyota CVT in hybrids do not have a CVT that uses a belt. There are no CVT belts in those CVT. The CVT in Toyota hybrids are a planetary gear set with 2 electric motors, one electric motor that controls the outer ring and one that controls the inner shaft. So it is a meshed gear set with no CVT belts.
True! A knowledgeable man, but I would rather watch his exaggerated gestures, than listen to his "fingernails on a blackboard in hell" grating voice! 😂
My brother, a mechanic by day, pizza driver at night, put a WRX engine into an Impreza. He got a tune up and special exhaust so it backfired all kinds of popopops which were particularly loud in tunnels. He got special struts, so that the car was extremely low. It handled very well. He was fond of pulling the E brake to get sideways, especially in the snow. With studded tires he did some incredible feats in the steep snowy hills of Pennsylvania. He even spent money to get a custom splitter under the front bumper, which was promptly destroyed. Oh, and the sound of the turbo was glorious!
I've had my 06 STi for 16 years, now. They are a ton of fun to drive. Got it tuned on a dyno 13 years ago, 294WHP/344WTQ perfect power for the street and *knock on wood* been perfectly reliable since. The key to keeping Subaru's reliable with mods is to tune it, for every single little mod that affects air or fuel. Too many young guys buy these cars, mod them without tunes then they blow up and people think it's the car, when it's the owner.
I bought a 2017 Impreza brand new with the plan to drive it until the wheels come off as a work car for independent contract jobs. So far, I’ve had zero problems with it. I disobeyed the dealership and got the “lifetime” transmission fluid replaced at 50k, which has made it run like new. I keep waiting on the CVT to break down, but it just keeps doing fine, even going 70 mph up a mountain two times per week. Every 4,000 miles I get an oil change and never find an issue. So far the only thing wrong with it is one of the defroster coils doesn’t work on the rear window and the analog AC dial turns itself on sometimes. I get 30 mpg with full time AWD. I drive a couple hundred miles per week in all weather conditions. I’ve gone out in blizzards after dark to get home expecting to get stranded and the car just never gets stuck with all weather tires. Since the engine is naturally aspirated and weak (around 150 hp), it just doesn’t have enough power to hurt itself and how much power do I need to go the speed limit or spin my tires in snow anyway? Since I’ve paid the car off, I basically drive for free minus cost of gas, so I’m willing to bet I also pay less than 90% of drivers around me to commute. This has actually made me money taking jobs from competitors who needed to pass up work hours to go get their new Teslas serviced. Everyone’s a baller until their new gadget gets them stranded.
@byronmcgee4118 Toyota is a Subaru shareholder, owning approx. 20% of Subaru stock. It is not a merger or buyout type of deal where Subaru is a part of the Toyota group. Subaru is still an independent company. They have partnered with Toyota on a some vehicles.
there are 5 manufacturers that all make parts for subarus, for example, rear wiper on mine is the same as hondas, the indicator stalks are made by toyota and im sure there are other cross compatible parts too
its 20% and its all of their heavy equipment under the name of Fuji Heavy Industries. but as of 2017 they just rebranded under the name Subaru. also hence why they made the GR86 as a final middle finger to to automotive industry lol
About 16 years ago, I had a coworker who wanted to push his Subaru WRX to 1,000HP. He had blown apart 3 or 4 engines in his quest and if I recall had spent tens of thousands. His last engine was somewhere around 800HP. I only rode in it once and we couldn't go very fast as it would grenade the rods. But the #1 thing I remember was you couldn't hear anything inside the car besides the deafening roar of the fuel pump.
I own a 2004 subaru wrx turbocharged engine with 206k miles on it...running amazingly to this day...yes it requires TLC and maintenance but...honestly the car is working phenomenally and is still pulling hard!
19:32min thats a VA wrx chasis. They made those till 2021. 2022+ are VB and the info entertainment got a little better. Very good video btw. Thanks for the advices!
10:22 My 2012 Subaru Forester has, I was told, corroded flanges whatever those are. Also has a pinhole in the muffler somewhere. 84,000 miles. needed brake pads last week and thanks to Scotty I had them use Akebono pads!
Well I've been driving my 2017 Subaru Forester 2.0XT for about 7 years and the only problem I had was clogged up fuel injectors which was fixed using Techron. Either way reliable car and I did in fact wanted to replace the silicone seal with head gaskets he's right on that one.
I had a 2015 FXT. At 36k miles when I went stage 2 and that EGR was dang near clogged. I had oil residue where there shouldn't be. A catch can seems like a must. My gas mileage was abysmal around 19MPG. My drivers seat was cracked. I liked the car but sold it and ran away from Subaru
@@markhaechler3512 Sorry to read that, I keep my car stock with performance upgrades like an air filter swap, throttle controller, strut tower bars, and some more trim. That's just my personal taste, but most cars that tend to get tuned past stock tend to get problems down the line because people cheap out on parts like not upgrading the crankshaft or replacing the pistons. Since you're adding more horsepower into the engine that means it's working harder than it was originally designed. Most people save up and spend all the parts needed for a proper upgrade including a better radiator or cooling system. Better to be safe than sorry. Plus I barely use that Cobb accessport since it's mostly just showing off tuned performance and I usually hide it from thieves trying to break my window. If you really care about fuel economy I suggest thinking about it since it will help improve mpg by like 1-2.
@@winindoubt5715not everyone has money to buy a fast car off the rip. They enjoy working on their car. I had a wrx for my winter driver and a scatpack charger. After some mods my Subaru would keep up with my scat. And blow it away off the line because of the awd. I also had civics back in the day that would have smoked both.
The engine sealer does not last 150,000 miles unfortunately. Mine started at around 50,000 (out of warrantee of course) and has many sealant leaks but are very slow leaks. At this point, just keep checking the oil until its ready to junk. Subaru wants $5,200 to pull engine and pull apart and reseal. Crazy ridiculous.
Great Show you have!!! Have a 2019 Subabru Outback with StarLink. The StarLink is HORRIBLE because it NEVER completely turns OFF. I have had terrible trouble with this system drains and destroys batteries. Subaru knows the problem but refuses to fix it. I had to have the dealer take out the fuse to kill this thing. In doing so the auto light dimmer feature and the speakers on the top of the dash now don't work. I would like to see you get in Subaru's s--t and why Subaru can't sell a simple kit to turn OFF StarLink when you turn the car off. They kept telling me that I wasn't getting the back trunk door and that kept the almost non-existent light bulb off. NO! I took the light bulb out but I think it is the back trunk door module that is faulty. This car is so complicated it is a constant frustration. Like the ride tho.
Forester 22 was my car of choice for Road to Hana and volcano on Maui. The best decision I made! Cornering headlights, handling, and BIG WINDOWS! much better than Jeep everyone drove around!
I sure wish my wife really wanted a standard Subaru but they don’t make them anymore she’s never driven anything else but a standard the last 25 years and she has a hard time getting used to the CVT
I just bought a WRX TR, great car, but I'd have jumped on a turbo Crosstrek with manual transmission. I'm fairly certain that many people would throw money at that option, a smaller, faster option to the Outback that can easily do things off-road that a CVT might struggle with. 275 HP/TRQ manual Crosstrek Wilderness would be a badass car.
@@paulkuras18 I have A 2023 6mt Crosstrek (last year). Im 74 and drive like an old man. When I got the car new, it got almost 30mpg. Now it's at 18 mpg. I change the oil and oil filter every 3,000 miles or so (with subaru oil and filter). What do you think I can do to improve the mpg? Thank you
The only concern we have with our 23 Forester is the start/stop. Having a boxer engine means the start is much rougher than an inline or v. You can turn off the start/stop via a button, but it resets back to "on" every time you turn off the car.
start/stop is extremely intrusive and annoying on anything other than a hybrid. Hybrids are fine cause they help start the car in full electric mode to give the engine the time to turn on again but on a regular ICE its extremely annoying at traffic lights and dangerous on intersections.
ISO rarely disagree with you.But you have to realize that porsche has been making flat boxer engines for many many years in their nine eleven and other car and those cars are flat out fast and reliable when it comes to the engine itself
@@neptune4359 First you will need to find one. You could teach yourself in a hour. Watch a few videos. I saw a guy wanted the Integra so bad he did just that and filmed it.
@@neptune4359 Clutch, gear, gas. It's not hard at at all and actually fun. I drove nothing but manuals for 20 years but was getting sick of them in rush hour so switched to automatics, thinking I would go back to them. Well now manuals are going away and I'm regretting all the vehicles with sticks I've sold over the years, even trucks. Yes, you could buy trucks with sticks too.
Mazda skyactiv and Toyota automatics will outlast any manual transmission to 400k+ miles with just fluid changes. You'll be replacing clutches, plates, and master and slave cylinders on most manuals way before then. Which is technically more work.
The BIG issue I have with the Subaru CVT is that almost everyone online says to change the fluid in CVT's every 30-50,000 miles. Well, Subaru says theirs is 'lifetime' and they extended the warranty to 10 yr/100,000 miles on the CVT so if you change the fluid, you void the warranty? My brother's Forester CVT died at 70,000 miles and was changed under warranty (car has 140,000 on it now). I don't want to have our Crosstrek CVT quit just out of warranty because the fluid wasn't changed. Then it's MY $5000 bill. Maybe they think their dealers can't do the change correctly?
05 Outback H6, 350,000 miles, only thing I ever had to do is replace the driveshaft which was literally a 20min job. Maybe an outlier. But that's my experience
@@richsweeney1115Good looking crossovers but Mazdas seem to do that interior space disappearing act unlike a Subie or Toyota. Probably learned it from its Ford days 😂
Youre not wrong, but I drive a Forester, I mistake crosstreks all the time. It's smaller, but Id argue that it doesnt make a difference to most buyers, so theyd be considering both, especially used
I’m another meteorologist who coincidentally chases storms as well. Just picked up a ‘25 Outback Wilderness. Stoked to see how she performs out in the elements!
Edit: For those asking, yes, I drive it like it was stolen every so often. I believe this is the secret to keeping the engine and components clean. Also, I've worked on these engines for 30 years and know their characteristics very well...more than most "mechanics". Great video, Scotty, but I don't agree with you regarding turbos...at least for Volvo cars. My 2006 S80 T5 has a 2.5L, five cylinder turbo, has 221,000 miles on the clock, doesn't smoke, and runs virtually like new. The original automatic tranny is just as solid. Hwy MPG: 32 / City MPG: 24
@@stevenekdahl7124Hmm.. That's only partially true. I drive a '06 Audi A4 2.0T, it's currently at 453000 kms which is virtually unheard of on an original engine. It's been beaten to piss and drifted through every snow covered parking lot in sight, only thing wrong with it is it's rusting to sh!t and 2nd turbo is now bad.
I kinda like that the VA WRX doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of most modern cars. It makes the driver more in touch with the driving experience and forces the driver to be more aware (especially in manual WRXs)
Ok Scotty, I'm gonna tell you a little something about oil leaks. First off Toyotas leak oil sometimes, just like every other car make. Now a Subaru MAY leak between the case halves, but unlike what you're reporting, its relatively cheap to fix. If you take it somewhere that has a decent tech, he should know that if you cut a tiny V where the cases meet and then fill it with Fuji Bond sealant (available at Subaru dealers) or at minimum Permatex Ultra Grey silicone and let it cure for 24 hours. Then you can drive again and the leak shouldn't ever return. The oil bumper is the breather cover at the back of the engine. Its plastic and does warp sometimes. To fix that leak you have to pull the trans or engine. But, if it leaks it would only be minor enough to live with. Subarus are a finely built automobile that last a long time. I currently own 6 Suby's, of which 4 have more than 250k miles and one of them has 410k miles. I only wish Subaru made a real full size pickup or just a real pickup. Have a great day!
I have to say, my wife got a 2013 Subaru Forester after totalling her Kia a two years ago. Currently at 145k miles. As a Toyota driver myself, I have been very impressed with her Subaru. Drives nicely, very comfy interior, besides a wheel bearing replacement I've only done preventative maintenance on it. Does burn oil, but regardless, impressed with it.
I got my 21 crostrek new great car so far already have 73k mikes on it been all over the U.S. in it . Super comfy . Decent gas milage , zero complaints
@@tacuazinfulUSS? aint the the truth these days? i think the cars themselves are made in japan, i'm not sure about the origin of the 2.5. my car has the 2.0 and it's a manual, the manual was only avaliable with the 2.0, and now.... sadly you cant get a manual at all in a crosstrek. the only subarus you cant get a manual in now are WRX and BRZ
Used Subaru prices depend greatly on your region. Here in Wisconsin, the used ones cost a lot. To the point where if you're financing the purchase, it's often cheaper payments to get a brand new one due to used car loans which usually having a higher interest rate.
I have a 2012 Forester with 5 speed manual. I I live at 9000ft. She's a pokey little puppy going over the passes at 11000ft but the AWD system is excellent, sun roof is huge, heated seats work well and has a huge cargo area. Put a hitch on her to carry the bikes. Great, bigger than she looks, car.
i live in southwest MI. snow tires definitely help on the backroads around here. a good number rarely get plowed. a few years back when i delivered pizza, i had a road with a couple regulars that got plowed maybe 4 times all winter. my dakota and another guy's grand cherokee were the only ones that could get down that road.
I was wondering about the tires. I live in Ohio and just bought mine and I keep seeing people posting about winter tires. Imo it doesn't make much financial sense for me to change the tires on a car that I bought brand new in September if I don't need to. Thanks for your insight!
Another thing with the RTV sealant, the new WRX and BRZ/Toyota GR86 have excess sealant applied, which can dislodge and become trapped in the oil pickup tube, reducing oil pressure to the point of it potentially blowing the engine. If you buy a new one of those mentioned models, it's good to get an oil pressure gauge to keep an eye on it. If it goes down _at all_ have the oil pickup tube inspected. Don't just remove the oil pan and check it yourself, it can/will void the warranty.
Have a 2017 Impreza Sport hatchback … 173k miles and 87k on the engine and running strong. No leaks from anything, changed all the fluids at 170k and CVT still running smooth
Always had a thing for subarus why my current is a 08 outback base manual I've had a 96 legacy l wagon manual and a 05 baja sport. The manuals are always more fun and not sluggish like the auto.
I've also recently been watching some videos. And they're finding pieces of the silicone and the oil pan when they change the oil , so it's also getting inside of the engine and that could never be good
I have been helping friends to save their Hyundais that either missed the recall window or weren't built during the recall period. When we flip the engine and pull the pan we find everything from bearing flakes to grey silicon sealant. Even though many car makers are pretending to compete with each other many of them adopt the same policies at the same time that make them as reliable or less so than those they are competing with.
@WalkiTalki yes that's true and I've even heard that about Toyota in recent years. More and more recalled and Honda has been going down for a decade or so in reliability
We have had 3 Subarus and right now both of our cars are Subies. No major issues and they’ve been wonderful cars to haul our big dogs around on adventures.
From a canadian mechanic, please do not put just two winter tires in the snow... It's going to feel like a civic with plastic lunch treys in the rear. There is a reason it is mandatory here in Quebec.
Agreed. BF Goodrich makes a tire called Trail Terrain TA. They're severe snow rated and plenty smooth on the road in warm weather. Run 4 of them all year round. They're 60K mile rated also. They make the Subaru more fun. Is that what you were thinking or do you need something more extreme in Canadian Weather?
@jamesofsandiego yes they are rated for winter they would be legal up here. By experience, they are not the best kind of ice and snow but a good all-rounder. The best you can find is nokian hakkapelitta 9(my opinion). But they would melt in the summer months.
Thank you. That answers my question. It seems to me if you live in extreme conditions you're best to have a different set of tires for winter. Here in California and Nevada we can compromise with a year rounder.@@mathieubeauchamp7784
2012 Outback. 155,000m. only repair...new ball joints. never has burned a drop of oil. everyone said to check oil every fuel stop. i have done this, and checking level has been a waste of time. tired of people bad-mouthing the brand. It sounds like Scottie is starting to see the light...they are great cars, just drive them reasonably.
I bought my red 2020 Premium WRX 6 speed manual used in in July '22 stock with 13K miles, factory STI short shifter & interior red floor lights. Love it, no issues to date, kept the engine stock but would love to switch to AWE Touring cat-back exhaust soon. As of today I have just under 16K miles, it's not my daily driver.
I got my 2018 Subaru outback back in 2020. That vehicle is great. No issues in the snow, no problem merging and entering highways. Got mine for about 22k and had 47k miles on it. I was a little bummed it didn't have a turbo due to it being the 2.5i, tho, I'm very impressed with the mileage that I am getting. Love it and gonna keep it around as long as possible.
bought a 2019 outback with 212,000 miles. Person drove cross country for work. Original engine and trans. It does leak oil about a quart every 5k. runs shifts great. I did have a to replace the radio as the screen delaminated and was basically unusable. aside from that and regular maintainence no problems. 230k miles now.
Scotty’s evaluation of Subarus is spot on. I had a 2011 Outback. Good car overall. TheCVT transmission had issues at 125K miles and I got rid of it. Resale is not very good compared to Toyota.
Scotty reminds me of my small town auto mechanic, Tin Can Tommy. He’s retired now but I regret not taking on a part time job with him while in high school. So much auto knowledge…He was goofy and likable like Scotty also.
I agree. I had an old legacy wagon with the 2.0 and never did more than change oil and top off antifreeze. I bought it for 2K and sold it for 1k. Before handing over the keys I changed the air filter and oil. I drove that for over 10years. I didn't want to sell it until it was time to change the breaks and didn't want to do it. Great old cars. Way better than the new ones.
Between onerous government mandates on CAFE requirements and safety requirements, and manufactures preferences for high margin bloated content, unfortunately that's never going to happen again. You get three kinds of vehicles choices now: Loaded, Really Loaded, Ludicrously Loaded. And the "base" models advertised for their "low" price are unicorns. They are NEVER on dealer lots. And it would take forever to get one if ordered straight from the factory. Heads they win, tails you lose.
Manufacturers more than anything, including regulations. Why? If you have a ton of electronics they're going to get dated quickly, and a lot of people are going to jump right on that update treadmill. They also require you go to a dealer to clear ecu's in some cases. Then you get into turbos and people love the performance, but they wear out quicker. Oh darn, guess they need to buy a new car from us.
On my 3rd Subaru, bought a 22 Crosstrek Sport. Living in snow country, its been a great vehicle in winter. Of course tires are important, and I have snow tires on it, but Subaru also has the best awd system in the class. If I didn't need awd, I would probably would buy something more peppy, or go back to a WRX ( I traded in a 2005 wrx for the Crosstrek.)
@@flyingirish31Yeah I needed the added clearance, I was tired of getting stuck in my wrx. We get a lot of snow up here and I'm out before the plows a lot of the time
Yes it has a start stop start button. They gave it a new Subaru battery in April but it chewed it up. It also ate up 2 optima red top batteries. There is a mobile car electrician in PA where my car is now.
Same here. My mom has a 2019 Crosstrek and she only has all season tires on her car and this past winter she only skid maybe like twice but other than that no issues whatsoever
It pleases me to see that my 2020 WRX Limited (same color) is in such great condition by comparison. It's my 3rd Subaru (98 Legacy 5spd, 05 Legacy GT 5spd) and my first new car. I've definitely babied it, love driving it and loved the WRX content!
I own a Subaru I bought another one even after the head gaskets went bad on my previous one. But your really lucky if you haven't had the bad head gasket on either of your older Subaru's like it was almost all of them from those years. Yeah the head gasket didn't go bad till 100,000 miles but it's terminal not worth fixing.
@@mattm9619 My 98 Legacy made it to 189k then I sold it, my 05 was in the 230k range and my 2020 only has 23k miles. I don't drive them hard much at all except when necessary merging etc
@@rjcavazos89 You got lucky man if it wasn't for needing all wheel drive where I live I wouldn't have bought another one but for an economy car with awd theres not too many options. Supposedly they put the head gasket thing behind them but huge black eye for Subaru there should have been class action lawsuits and settlements.
@@mattm9619really my only issue has been what seems like a parasitic drain on my battery. Subaru replaced my battery in February 2024 under warranty and then literally yesterday I had to jump start my car with the same issue and now my check engine light is on for the first time ever. 🤦🏻♂️
I almost have 118K on my Subaru 2015 WRX, no problems, I do change transmission fluid and oil often. This is a fun car, I never get past 30 MPG so I must be driving fast. 😅 This car is excellent in the bad weather. I had the same thing with the tray and the cig lighter but no other things, mine has a J on it too. Highly recommend if you want a fun car that is fast. It is not a quiet car but sounds great!
Question: Is I possible to get an aux oil cooler installed on a turbocharged engine? Second question: If so, would it make it last longer if you are conservative and careful?
I’ve never put snow tires on and I live in Minnesota. We just use all-season radials. They’re good for at least six inches of snow, more if you know how to drive in snow. 😂
Had to get rid of my 2014 forester premium with 88k miles on it due to oil leaking into the transmission due to failed Fuji bond sealant according to my Subaru dealership mechanic. I got rear ended at around 20k miles and had about 7k of body work done to it afterwards, possible that accelerated the sealant failure from the impact, maybe not. Scotty is spot on.
Subarus scare the hell out of me. Reliability seems to be all over the map. One person tells you they are the most reliable car they've owned, then the next tells you about issue after issue with reliability.
It's all about your maintenance and how you take care of them. Too many people mod them without tuning and blow the engines. Everything else, there's preventive maintenance you can do, to keep it reliable. There's set service intervals you should follow at 30k, 60k, 100k miles etc. Owned my 06 STi for 16 years, now. Modded & tuned for 13 of those years, currently at 110K miles.
We had problems with our 13 forester, definitely had leaking head gaskets starting around 120-130k miles, and we were on top of all of our oil changes. We finally traded it in at around 160k, imo not interested in buying a Subaru anymore, it should NOT start having engine problems at 125k. We went with a Kia now, figured that if they trust their cars enough to slap a pretty good warranty on it, than I should as well.
Scotty you're right about Ohio getting less snow than they get in Penn. The tuscarawas valley in Ohio is mild in comparison to Pittsburgh. They are only about 2 hours drive away.
I got an Ascent as my loaner car for some repairs on my WRX. The thing is fast and drives better than I thought for a CVT. But I gotta be honest...the engine on the Ascent is not big enough for heavy towing (2.4 liter) and the CVT is not known for handling towing all that well. I certainly wouldn't want to test the limit by going anywhere near 5000 lbs towing on that thing.
@Ziegfried82 True. If you do tow, keep it at half, make sure your model that has the transmission cooler, and change the transmission fluid every 100k.
Yeah Scotty I picked up an 1 year old Impreza sport hatchback in manual back in 22. I have really loved the simplicity of the Subaru and have done many small mods/improvements. What an fun little car 😃👍.
I love my 2022 Impreza as well My last Sabaru was 2010 Impreza five speed and Ioved that car as well. Unfortunately, I do mostly city driving and that does a number on the brakes, even though I downshift most of the time. With every Sabaru I've owned, the main problem was always with the brakes.
Subaru owners unite, I have a glorious joy of having blown head gaskets, 2016 forester, that was a joy! Any of y'all have had a P2005 code and what steps did you take to fix? No loss in fuel mileage, engine still runs smooth as butter, nothing noticeable while driving, but slightly heavy exhaust smell once I get out of the car at my desired destination. The lights corresponding to said issue have come on and off by themselves. First instance was Sunday 3/31
My car has no backup camera, no cruise control, no automatic transmission and no electric windows for the back seat doors... and the turbocharger conked-out at 150k miles on cue, just as Scotty mentioned they tend to do... but I still love my 2005 SRT-4.
bought a new crosstrek in 2017. over the next three years put more money into repsirs than ever other auto i have ever owned. repair cost exceeded the purchase price by thousands. as an example, put at least 40 studs/lungs on as they kept snapping off. all the response i evver got from subaru was, that shouln not happen...
Scotty, it's my understanding that Toyota also uses silicone gaskets on their oil pans and camshaft housing ie. Toyota Seal & packing 103. Please talk about that sometime. Thanks.
My Subaru WRX STI 2013 has been nothing but problems eats oil like a 2-stroke, and threw a cam belt at 16K miles and needed a new engine. The dealer broke Federal law and didn't want to cover it under warranty because I changed the oil myself. It wasn't even low on oil.
@@wer170 The car is so unreliable. I can't even beat on it if I wanted to! Now waiting for a 3bar all-metal MAP sensor. The original self-destructed. The only car I had that was worse was my old Fiat! My 600 HP at the wheels Mustang gets better gas mileage. My 160K miles 86 Chevy 350 K20 3/4 ton 4x4 uses less oil!
@@ChetJangmy 2013 with 134k hasn’t skipped a beat, nothing but preventative maintenance (timing belt/spark plugs/ coolant) and regular maintenance done to it. I of course don’t act like a street racer every time I make a grocery run.
@@wer170 Driving it slowly (all that it is capable of) you consider beating on it? It runs great when parked if that is what you mean! It only runs like crap when actually driven!
I bought a crosstrek new back in 2019 (still have it) and I always forget it's a cvt transmission. It shifts just like all other automatics I've had. I still love it, since I moved to a mountain town in Colorado and we get a lot of snow. The biggest complaint I have is this is the most sluggish acceleration I've ever had in a vehicle. Passing anyone on a 2 lane road is harrowing.
Toyota's New Transmission Really Pisses Me Off: th-cam.com/video/M-h9uEVsRFQ/w-d-xo.html
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Swimming in a sea of SUV's.
"If not for running into snow banks with balding tires"🤣ball busta you are!
Snow tires: Scotty, I trust ALL of your recommendations. Allow me to recommend the Snow Tires, Toyo GSi-6. They're made of a special softer, flexible rubber with WALNUT bits embedded. I have been driving Toyo's Walnut tires since the GSi-5 model. The GSi-6 tires are newer, improved, and now they make them for light trucks. I drive my Toyo GSi's Year Round here in Colorado. These tires are simply . . the BEST winter tires I have ever used. SAVED MY LIFE at Least Three times!!
6:10
6:58
I work at a Subaru specific shop. Subarus break like any other car but they are cheaper and easier to fix than most other cars. The parts are relatively inexpensive and you can do most of everything in the driveway. The only thing you must do religiously is change the CVT fluid at least every 60k preferably every 30k but most people don’t do that.
Oh yeah? How do I change the spark plugs without lifting the engine?
@@jordanl4805 With your fingers. I just did it a month ago.
@@jordanl4805huh? You must suck working on cars man. You can make enough clearance by removing the air box and battery.
@@jordanl4805Just remove the airbox and battery.
A good magnetic SP socket with a built in flex joint, good ratchet that's not too big, maybe a stubby extension,or two.
A nice fender protector... an old mattress to lay on.
Many youtube vids make this headscratcher job much easier.
Love this guy! It’s like watching your grumpy old uncle, who makes everyone at the Thanksgiving table wince, talk about cars.
Something I’d love in your videos are video chapters! I think they’d make jumping back to a specific part or car a lot easier to do. Love the vid. I’m always surprised at the wealth of auto knowledge you have!
My catalytic converter was under water.. uh.. I mean under warranty...
😂
What???
Water you talking about?
@@georgethcker196 water? 💦 💧
Lmao! This got a chuckle out of me
Literally had to choose between a Forester and Rav 4, wanted the Rav 4 bad! But the cost of loaded Forester is the same cost as a base Rav 4. I Love my all black Forester Sport!!
The CVT is a show stopper for me.
We got a forester, love it Subaru has really improved the cvt.
@@Munakas-wq3gpNissan fucked that up. I have a forester and I don’t have any issues at 65k. I also just replaced all the fluids because why not
I'd get the Rav4. Loaded to me means more unnecessary technology stuff that eventually it would break.
The Toyota hybrid CVT is not like other CVT. The Toyota CVT in hybrids do not have a CVT that uses a belt. There are no CVT belts in those CVT. The CVT in Toyota hybrids are a planetary gear set with 2 electric motors, one electric motor that controls the outer ring and one that controls the inner shaft. So it is a meshed gear set with no CVT belts.
Scotty would be an excellent orchestra conductor!
Right? And nobody has ever said that before either.
Talks like an Italian. 😂
True! A knowledgeable man, but I would rather watch his exaggerated gestures, than listen to his "fingernails on a blackboard in hell" grating voice! 😂
Absolutely. LOL.
My brother, a mechanic by day, pizza driver at night, put a WRX engine into an Impreza. He got a tune up and special exhaust so it backfired all kinds of popopops which were particularly loud in tunnels. He got special struts, so that the car was extremely low. It handled very well. He was fond of pulling the E brake to get sideways, especially in the snow. With studded tires he did some incredible feats in the steep snowy hills of Pennsylvania. He even spent money to get a custom splitter under the front bumper, which was promptly destroyed. Oh, and the sound of the turbo was glorious!
They are lot of fun even driving them normal lol 😆
I've had my 06 STi for 16 years, now. They are a ton of fun to drive. Got it tuned on a dyno 13 years ago, 294WHP/344WTQ perfect power for the street and *knock on wood* been perfectly reliable since. The key to keeping Subaru's reliable with mods is to tune it, for every single little mod that affects air or fuel. Too many young guys buy these cars, mod them without tunes then they blow up and people think it's the car, when it's the owner.
@@hhasteoperator head space
And everyone in the neighborhood hates him
I've got a 300 HP 2015 WRX, such a fun car!
I bought a 2017 Impreza brand new with the plan to drive it until the wheels come off as a work car for independent contract jobs. So far, I’ve had zero problems with it. I disobeyed the dealership and got the “lifetime” transmission fluid replaced at 50k, which has made it run like new. I keep waiting on the CVT to break down, but it just keeps doing fine, even going 70 mph up a mountain two times per week. Every 4,000 miles I get an oil change and never find an issue. So far the only thing wrong with it is one of the defroster coils doesn’t work on the rear window and the analog AC dial turns itself on sometimes. I get 30 mpg with full time AWD. I drive a couple hundred miles per week in all weather conditions. I’ve gone out in blizzards after dark to get home expecting to get stranded and the car just never gets stuck with all weather tires. Since the engine is naturally aspirated and weak (around 150 hp), it just doesn’t have enough power to hurt itself and how much power do I need to go the speed limit or spin my tires in snow anyway? Since I’ve paid the car off, I basically drive for free minus cost of gas, so I’m willing to bet I also pay less than 90% of drivers around me to commute. This has actually made me money taking jobs from competitors who needed to pass up work hours to go get their new Teslas serviced. Everyone’s a baller until their new gadget gets them stranded.
Toyota owns 25% of Subaru. On my second Ascent. Zero problems with 100k combined miles. We’ve had 300k+ miles on Subarus.
Incorrect on the Toyota owner percentage of Subaru . Toyota owns a 19% interest, and has owned it for several years.
@byronmcgee4118 Toyota is a Subaru shareholder, owning approx. 20% of Subaru stock. It is not a merger or buyout type of deal where Subaru is a part of the Toyota group. Subaru is still an independent company. They have partnered with Toyota on a some vehicles.
@@steve8803like the GT86 BRZ and FRS, and now the new GR86
there are 5 manufacturers that all make parts for subarus, for example, rear wiper on mine is the same as hondas, the indicator stalks are made by toyota and im sure there are other cross compatible parts too
its 20% and its all of their heavy equipment under the name of Fuji Heavy Industries. but as of 2017 they just rebranded under the name Subaru. also hence why they made the GR86 as a final middle finger to to automotive industry lol
About 16 years ago, I had a coworker who wanted to push his Subaru WRX to 1,000HP. He had blown apart 3 or 4 engines in his quest and if I recall had spent tens of thousands. His last engine was somewhere around 800HP. I only rode in it once and we couldn't go very fast as it would grenade the rods. But the #1 thing I remember was you couldn't hear anything inside the car besides the deafening roar of the fuel pump.
The new FA engine might hold up to that with an expert level of building. 1000 HP does seem pretty ridiculous though. Like 600 would be insane, lol.
Who’s been watching Scotty for a long time ?
✋🏽
Me
I have probably 10 years
I know how you gauge a long time but I've been watching Scotty for probably 10 years?
Me only 3 or 4 yrs, every day
bruh,. whoever does your editing is awesome man
Who ever edits scotty's videos is legendary
I own a 2004 subaru wrx turbocharged engine with 206k miles on it...running amazingly to this day...yes it requires TLC and maintenance but...honestly the car is working phenomenally and is still pulling hard!
19:32min thats a VA wrx chasis. They made those till 2021. 2022+ are VB and the info entertainment got a little better. Very good video btw. Thanks for the advices!
Scotty even shows the build plate which says 2020 lol
Came here to say that the wrx was a 2021, just before the latest redesign. Great little car!
Great video. Thanks for the fabulous review on the Forester. I have a 2023 and life is good.
We have a 2011, still going strong
10:22 My 2012 Subaru Forester has, I was told, corroded flanges whatever those are. Also has a pinhole in the muffler somewhere. 84,000 miles. needed brake pads last week and thanks to Scotty I had them use Akebono pads!
I missed it, why Akebono pads?
I wish standard transmission options would stop decreasing every year.
Im amazed they even make them at all. Who is buying them?
@@dnegel9546honda type r fans, racing car fans in general
@@agame-jv6zv so 1% of the car buying population.
@@dnegel9546 people who like driving
@@dnegel9546 more car guys than that
Well I've been driving my 2017 Subaru Forester 2.0XT for about 7 years and the only problem I had was clogged up fuel injectors which was fixed using Techron. Either way reliable car and I did in fact wanted to replace the silicone seal with head gaskets he's right on that one.
I had a 2015 FXT. At 36k miles when I went stage 2 and that EGR was dang near clogged. I had oil residue where there shouldn't be. A catch can seems like a must. My gas mileage was abysmal around 19MPG. My drivers seat was cracked. I liked the car but sold it and ran away from Subaru
@@markhaechler3512 Sorry to read that, I keep my car stock with performance upgrades like an air filter swap, throttle controller, strut tower bars, and some more trim. That's just my personal taste, but most cars that tend to get tuned past stock tend to get problems down the line because people cheap out on parts like not upgrading the crankshaft or replacing the pistons. Since you're adding more horsepower into the engine that means it's working harder than it was originally designed. Most people save up and spend all the parts needed for a proper upgrade including a better radiator or cooling system. Better to be safe than sorry. Plus I barely use that Cobb accessport since it's mostly just showing off tuned performance and I usually hide it from thieves trying to break my window. If you really care about fuel economy I suggest thinking about it since it will help improve mpg by like 1-2.
@@markhaechler3512stop wasting your time making a subaru faster …… lmao talking bout some stage 2 THE YEAR IS 2024 grow tf up
@winindoubt5715 well it was 4 years ago dude. And for a few thousand bucks it dramatically improved the driveability of the car.
@@winindoubt5715not everyone has money to buy a fast car off the rip. They enjoy working on their car. I had a wrx for my winter driver and a scatpack charger. After some mods my Subaru would keep up with my scat. And blow it away off the line because of the awd. I also had civics back in the day that would have smoked both.
Man I love this guys energy I could hang around him all day 🤣
The engine sealer does not last 150,000 miles unfortunately. Mine started at around 50,000 (out of warrantee of course) and has many sealant leaks but are very slow leaks. At this point, just keep checking the oil until its ready to junk. Subaru wants $5,200 to pull engine and pull apart and reseal. Crazy ridiculous.
Have you replaced your transmission yet?
Get CarShield Warranty they will cover the price
Great Show you have!!! Have a 2019 Subabru Outback with StarLink. The StarLink is HORRIBLE because it NEVER completely turns OFF. I have had terrible trouble with this system drains and destroys batteries. Subaru knows the problem but refuses to fix it. I had to have the dealer take out the fuse to kill this thing. In doing so the auto light dimmer feature and the speakers on the top of the dash now don't work. I would like to see you get in Subaru's s--t and why Subaru can't sell a simple kit to turn OFF StarLink when you turn the car off. They kept telling me that I wasn't getting the back trunk door and that kept the almost non-existent light bulb off. NO! I took the light bulb out but I think it is the back trunk door module that is faulty. This car is so complicated it is a constant frustration. Like the ride tho.
Forester 22 was my car of choice for Road to Hana and volcano on Maui. The best decision I made! Cornering headlights, handling, and BIG WINDOWS! much better than Jeep everyone drove around!
I got one of the last six-speed Crosstreks, had it eleven months.
Every time I park and get out, I say, "I really like this little car."
I sure wish my wife really wanted a standard Subaru but they don’t make them anymore she’s never driven anything else but a standard the last 25 years and she has a hard time getting used to the CVT
@@paulkuras18 i'm still driving my 2014 Crossy with no major issues. Brakes, oil changes and tires. It is very simply laid-out and safe.
I just bought a WRX TR, great car, but I'd have jumped on a turbo Crosstrek with manual transmission. I'm fairly certain that many people would throw money at that option, a smaller, faster option to the Outback that can easily do things off-road that a CVT might struggle with. 275 HP/TRQ manual Crosstrek Wilderness would be a badass car.
@@paulkuras18 I have A 2023 6mt Crosstrek (last year). Im 74 and drive like an old man. When I got the car new, it got almost 30mpg. Now it's at 18 mpg. I change the oil and oil filter every 3,000 miles or so (with subaru oil and filter). What do you think I can do to improve the mpg? Thank you
@@DeSoccerRefMan Do you drive on local roads or highway? There’s a big difference in MPG.
The only concern we have with our 23 Forester is the start/stop. Having a boxer engine means the start is much rougher than an inline or v. You can turn off the start/stop via a button, but it resets back to "on" every time you turn off the car.
start/stop is extremely intrusive and annoying on anything other than a hybrid. Hybrids are fine cause they help start the car in full electric mode to give the engine the time to turn on again but on a regular ICE its extremely annoying at traffic lights and dangerous on intersections.
ISO rarely disagree with you.But you have to realize that porsche has been making flat boxer engines for many many years in their nine eleven and other car and those cars are flat out fast and reliable when it comes to the engine itself
I died when the picture came up on screen depicting a person ‘who will never tow anything.’ 😂 amazing….
Tell us he’s wrong though 🤣🤣🤣
Lol 😂
😂🤣💯
That was my reaction too😂😂😂
😂❤ I was rolling lol
We must always give a priority to manual transmission. It's easier to maintain and will last so longer. And cost less.
But how do I learn to drive one
@@neptune4359 First you will need to find one. You could teach yourself in a hour. Watch a few videos. I saw a guy wanted the Integra so bad he did just that and filmed it.
@@neptune4359 Clutch, gear, gas. It's not hard at at all and actually fun. I drove nothing but manuals for 20 years but was getting sick of them in rush hour so switched to automatics, thinking I would go back to them. Well now manuals are going away and I'm regretting all the vehicles with sticks I've sold over the years, even trucks. Yes, you could buy trucks with sticks too.
Mazda skyactiv and Toyota automatics will outlast any manual transmission to 400k+ miles with just fluid changes. You'll be replacing clutches, plates, and master and slave cylinders on most manuals way before then. Which is technically more work.
Good luck finding one.
The BIG issue I have with the Subaru CVT is that almost everyone online says to change the fluid in CVT's every 30-50,000 miles. Well, Subaru says theirs is 'lifetime' and they extended the warranty to 10 yr/100,000 miles on the CVT so if you change the fluid, you void the warranty? My brother's Forester CVT died at 70,000 miles and was changed under warranty (car has 140,000 on it now). I don't want to have our Crosstrek CVT quit just out of warranty because the fluid wasn't changed. Then it's MY $5000 bill. Maybe they think their dealers can't do the change correctly?
No sush thing as lifetime warranty the CVT fluid well get think and sludgey I did mine at 60k
@@joenaps104 Did it void the warranty???
@tom24865 no did it last subaru dealership
CVT replacement is more like a 10K cost based on Subaru dealer quote last year.
05 Outback H6, 350,000 miles, only thing I ever had to do is replace the driveshaft which was literally a 20min job.
Maybe an outlier. But that's my experience
The Forester is a direct competitor to the RAV4, not the Crosstrek.
Id buy another honda or mazda over either.
Only small SUV (jacked up wagon, basically) I'd ever be interested in is the Mazda CX.
Yup, the Corolla Cross competes more directly with the Crosstrek.
@@richsweeney1115Good looking crossovers but Mazdas seem to do that interior space disappearing act unlike a Subie or Toyota.
Probably learned it from its Ford days 😂
Youre not wrong, but I drive a Forester, I mistake crosstreks all the time.
It's smaller, but Id argue that it doesnt make a difference to most buyers, so theyd be considering both, especially used
I’m another meteorologist who coincidentally chases storms as well. Just picked up a ‘25 Outback Wilderness.
Stoked to see how she performs out in the elements!
Gotta tell the truth Scotty. Toyota uses silicone sealant on the timing cover on some engines. Probably elsewhere too.
Edit: For those asking, yes, I drive it like it was stolen every so often. I believe this is the secret to keeping the engine and components clean. Also, I've worked on these engines for 30 years and know their characteristics very well...more than most "mechanics".
Great video, Scotty, but I don't agree with you regarding turbos...at least for Volvo cars. My 2006 S80 T5 has a 2.5L, five cylinder turbo, has 221,000 miles on the clock, doesn't smoke, and runs virtually like new. The original automatic tranny is just as solid. Hwy MPG: 32 / City MPG: 24
It has a lot to do with how you drive, you probably drive very easy, if I drove that car it would be in the bone yard in 6 months..
Nice
runs like new is subjective lol...
@@stevenekdahl7124Hmm.. That's only partially true. I drive a '06 Audi A4 2.0T, it's currently at 453000 kms which is virtually unheard of on an original engine. It's been beaten to piss and drifted through every snow covered parking lot in sight, only thing wrong with it is it's rusting to sh!t and 2nd turbo is now bad.
@@SupraSav you definitely get good life out of your cars, I wish I was as lucky.
I kinda like that the VA WRX doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of most modern cars. It makes the driver more in touch with the driving experience and forces the driver to be more aware (especially in manual WRXs)
Fell into a WRX and Love it. I could see that happening. But trade in for a used outback for living in.
Love my wrx.
WRX is so fun, I love my 2018. Not sure why people love the other models that aren't manual trans...CVT sucks.
Ok Scotty, I'm gonna tell you a little something about oil leaks. First off Toyotas leak oil sometimes, just like every other car make. Now a Subaru MAY leak between the case halves, but unlike what you're reporting, its relatively cheap to fix. If you take it somewhere that has a decent tech, he should know that if you cut a tiny V where the cases meet and then fill it with Fuji Bond sealant (available at Subaru dealers) or at minimum Permatex Ultra Grey silicone and let it cure for 24 hours. Then you can drive again and the leak shouldn't ever return. The oil bumper is the breather cover at the back of the engine. Its plastic and does warp sometimes. To fix that leak you have to pull the trans or engine. But, if it leaks it would only be minor enough to live with. Subarus are a finely built automobile that last a long time. I currently own 6 Suby's, of which 4 have more than 250k miles and one of them has 410k miles. I only wish Subaru made a real full size pickup or just a real pickup. Have a great day!
Problem with the second fix is that would cost thousands to do.
I have to say, my wife got a 2013 Subaru Forester after totalling her Kia a two years ago. Currently at 145k miles. As a Toyota driver myself, I have been very impressed with her Subaru. Drives nicely, very comfy interior, besides a wheel bearing replacement I've only done preventative maintenance on it. Does burn oil, but regardless, impressed with it.
Yes! A nice small pickup would be great!! Especially if available in a MANUAL transmission!
What do you think about the BRZ?
I just towed my 800 pound teardrop camper 20,000 miles behind my 2018 Subaru Crosstrek in this last year alone. No problems.
Have fun changing the plugs on that Subie. It is a royal pain. Much easier to change or inspect plugs on an inline 4.
I got my 21 crostrek new great car so far already have 73k mikes on it been all over the U.S. in it . Super comfy . Decent gas milage , zero complaints
It's Made in Japan or the USS?
@@tacuazinful crosstreks have been made in japan
i have a 2022 and i only have 23K, 73K WOW you are running the wheels off of it LOL. my car has the 6 speed.
@@andrewdonohue1853 the 2.5 isnt, i believe is Made in USS
@@tacuazinfulUSS? aint the the truth these days? i think the cars themselves are made in japan, i'm not sure about the origin of the 2.5. my car has the 2.0 and it's a manual, the manual was only avaliable with the 2.0, and now.... sadly you cant get a manual at all in a crosstrek. the only subarus you cant get a manual in now are WRX and BRZ
Two of my kids have 2013 and 2015 Subarus. Both have 130k+ miles and no oil leaks so far.
Used Subaru prices depend greatly on your region. Here in Wisconsin, the used ones cost a lot. To the point where if you're financing the purchase, it's often cheaper payments to get a brand new one due to used car loans which usually having a higher interest rate.
I love the picture of the person who is "the type who wouldn't tow anything" 😂😂 2:08 😅💀
I have a 2012 Forester with 5 speed manual. I I live at 9000ft. She's a pokey little puppy going over the passes at 11000ft but the AWD system is excellent, sun roof is huge, heated seats work well and has a huge cargo area.
Put a hitch on her to carry the bikes. Great, bigger than she looks, car.
I live in Michigan never used snow tires…never been stuck.
i live in southwest MI. snow tires definitely help on the backroads around here. a good number rarely get plowed. a few years back when i delivered pizza, i had a road with a couple regulars that got plowed maybe 4 times all winter. my dakota and another guy's grand cherokee were the only ones that could get down that road.
I was wondering about the tires. I live in Ohio and just bought mine and I keep seeing people posting about winter tires. Imo it doesn't make much financial sense for me to change the tires on a car that I bought brand new in September if I don't need to. Thanks for your insight!
Manuals are rare but fun fact 70% of wrx are sold with a manual and that’s well after the introduction of the cv.. spt on the lower trim levels.
Another thing with the RTV sealant, the new WRX and BRZ/Toyota GR86 have excess sealant applied, which can dislodge and become trapped in the oil pickup tube, reducing oil pressure to the point of it potentially blowing the engine. If you buy a new one of those mentioned models, it's good to get an oil pressure gauge to keep an eye on it. If it goes down _at all_ have the oil pickup tube inspected. Don't just remove the oil pan and check it yourself, it can/will void the warranty.
Have a 2017 Impreza Sport hatchback … 173k miles and 87k on the engine and running strong. No leaks from anything, changed all the fluids at 170k and CVT still running smooth
So on the second engine already. Yup typical Subaru junk
Always had a thing for subarus why my current is a 08 outback base manual I've had a 96 legacy l wagon manual and a 05 baja sport. The manuals are always more fun and not sluggish like the auto.
I've also recently been watching some videos. And they're finding pieces of the silicone and the oil pan when they change the oil , so it's also getting inside of the engine and that could never be good
I have been helping friends to save their Hyundais that either missed the recall window or weren't built during the recall period. When we flip the engine and pull the pan we find everything from bearing flakes to grey silicon sealant. Even though many car makers are pretending to compete with each other many of them adopt the same policies at the same time that make them as reliable or less so than those they are competing with.
@WalkiTalki yes that's true and I've even heard that about Toyota in recent years. More and more recalled and Honda has been going down for a decade or so in reliability
Yep Scotty one of the best pieces of advice I was given was never volunteer information, it’s not up to you to volunteer any information
I own the wrx 2015 manual, one of the best decisions ever. Very reliable.
139,000 miles on my 2017 subaru legacy pzev 2.5i. It's been an amazing car!
We have had 3 Subarus and right now both of our cars are Subies. No major issues and they’ve been wonderful cars to haul our big dogs around on adventures.
From a canadian mechanic, please do not put just two winter tires in the snow... It's going to feel like a civic with plastic lunch treys in the rear.
There is a reason it is mandatory here in Quebec.
I understand you . Even with front drive it's 4 snows not 2
Agreed. BF Goodrich makes a tire called Trail Terrain TA. They're severe snow rated and plenty smooth on the road in warm weather. Run 4 of them all year round. They're 60K mile rated also. They make the Subaru more fun. Is that what you were thinking or do you need something more extreme in Canadian Weather?
@jamesofsandiego yes they are rated for winter they would be legal up here.
By experience, they are not the best kind of ice and snow but a good all-rounder.
The best you can find is nokian hakkapelitta 9(my opinion). But they would melt in the summer months.
Thank you. That answers my question. It seems to me if you live in extreme conditions you're best to have a different set of tires for winter. Here in California and Nevada we can compromise with a year rounder.@@mathieubeauchamp7784
best wrx review ever. only what truly matters was shared. thank you.
We love our 2023 Forester. Been a great vehicle.
2012 Outback. 155,000m. only repair...new ball joints. never has burned a drop of oil. everyone said to check oil every fuel stop. i have done this, and checking level has been a waste of time. tired of people bad-mouthing the brand. It sounds like Scottie is starting to see the light...they are great cars, just drive them reasonably.
I have a 3.6L boxer in the 2017 Outback. Gone 86k with no issues. Regular oil changes and maintenance.
I'll have to bring my 5 speed 2001 Forester to you sometime for an old school comparison since you've drove a new Forester.
i have a 2001 forester its by far the best car ive ever owned.
I bought my red 2020 Premium WRX 6 speed manual used in in July '22 stock with 13K miles, factory STI short shifter & interior red floor lights. Love it, no issues to date, kept the engine stock but would love to switch to AWE Touring cat-back exhaust soon. As of today I have just under 16K miles, it's not my daily driver.
I got my 2018 Subaru outback back in 2020. That vehicle is great. No issues in the snow, no problem merging and entering highways. Got mine for about 22k and had 47k miles on it. I was a little bummed it didn't have a turbo due to it being the 2.5i, tho, I'm very impressed with the mileage that I am getting. Love it and gonna keep it around as long as possible.
It had 47k miles......why would it have issues so early...
Be glad you have the non turbo version, far more reliable. If you want something fast and fun and not so reliable get a WRX!
bought a 2019 outback with 212,000 miles. Person drove cross country for work. Original engine and trans. It does leak oil about a quart every 5k. runs shifts great. I did have a to replace the radio as the screen delaminated and was basically unusable. aside from that and regular maintainence no problems. 230k miles now.
Scotty’s evaluation of Subarus is spot on. I had a 2011 Outback. Good car overall. TheCVT transmission had issues at 125K miles and I got rid of it. Resale is not very good compared to Toyota.
CVT sucks. A pity the fuel economy nonsense pushed Subaru into such terrible transmissions. At least the WRX and BRZ have manual trans option.
@@Ziegfried82 idk I think Subaru holds their value pretty damn well
Scotty reminds me of my small town auto mechanic, Tin Can Tommy. He’s retired now but I regret not taking on a part time job with him while in high school. So much auto knowledge…He was goofy and likable like Scotty also.
My n/a Impreza has 188k on the clock, been driving it all over the Rockies the past 10 years, very balanced machine.
I agree. I had an old legacy wagon with the 2.0 and never did more than change oil and top off antifreeze. I bought it for 2K and sold it for 1k. Before handing over the keys I changed the air filter and oil. I drove that for over 10years. I didn't want to sell it until it was time to change the breaks and didn't want to do it. Great old cars. Way better than the new ones.
Heh the Rockies is one of the few places I want a turbo...I loved driving my WRX in the Rockies...man what a blast!
@@Ziegfried82 ya, well mine has been coast to coast, border to border. Basic gas, an oil, an I am still driving it. It’s better than a wrx.
I do have to say my 15 outback has 246k. Only did valve cover gaskets. Car is dam solid imo. Got it for 7400 used. Loving it
How about someone builds simple cars/trucks again? Who's with me? Screw all this expensive high tech crap!
Between onerous government mandates on CAFE requirements and safety requirements, and manufactures preferences for high margin bloated content, unfortunately that's never going to happen again. You get three kinds of vehicles choices now: Loaded, Really Loaded, Ludicrously Loaded. And the "base" models advertised for their "low" price are unicorns. They are NEVER on dealer lots. And it would take forever to get one if ordered straight from the factory. Heads they win, tails you lose.
I think government regulations prevents that from happening
I hate all these electronics....that have more gadgets in them than Apollo 11.....
Trump deregulates
Manufacturers more than anything, including regulations. Why? If you have a ton of electronics they're going to get dated quickly, and a lot of people are going to jump right on that update treadmill. They also require you go to a dealer to clear ecu's in some cases. Then you get into turbos and people love the performance, but they wear out quicker. Oh darn, guess they need to buy a new car from us.
It doesn't matter. Most people only drive crossovers to pretend that they go off-road or that they tow because hardly any of the owners actually do.
On my 3rd Subaru, bought a 22 Crosstrek Sport. Living in snow country, its been a great vehicle in winter. Of course tires are important, and I have snow tires on it, but Subaru also has the best awd system in the class. If I didn't need awd, I would probably would buy something more peppy, or go back to a WRX ( I traded in a 2005 wrx for the Crosstrek.)
WRX is AWD. 🤔
@@flyingirish31Yeah I needed the added clearance, I was tired of getting stuck in my wrx. We get a lot of snow up here and I'm out before the plows a lot of the time
Yes it has a start stop start button. They gave it a new Subaru battery in April but it chewed it up. It also ate up 2 optima red top batteries. There is a mobile car electrician in PA where my car is now.
I drive my suby in snow with normal tires and it is unstoppable.
Same here. My mom has a 2019 Crosstrek and she only has all season tires on her car and this past winter she only skid maybe like twice but other than that no issues whatsoever
Here, too. I have some lengths of rope to put thru the wheels kinda like snow chains if I do get stuck, but it hasn't happened yet.
Yeah i have a 2011 legacy with the 3.6L and 5 speed auto( scotty rags on both) and i get through snow with grand touring all seasons without issues.
I suspect someone was actually playing in the snow 😂
I drove my Outback in 2+ feet of snow without snow tires. Zero issues.
It pleases me to see that my 2020 WRX Limited (same color) is in such great condition by comparison. It's my 3rd Subaru (98 Legacy 5spd, 05 Legacy GT 5spd) and my first new car. I've definitely babied it, love driving it and loved the WRX content!
I own a Subaru I bought another one even after the head gaskets went bad on my previous one. But your really lucky if you haven't had the bad head gasket on either of your older Subaru's like it was almost all of them from those years. Yeah the head gasket didn't go bad till 100,000 miles but it's terminal not worth fixing.
@@mattm9619 My 98 Legacy made it to 189k then I sold it, my 05 was in the 230k range and my 2020 only has 23k miles. I don't drive them hard much at all except when necessary merging etc
@@rjcavazos89 You got lucky man if it wasn't for needing all wheel drive where I live I wouldn't have bought another one but for an economy car with awd theres not too many options. Supposedly they put the head gasket thing behind them but huge black eye for Subaru there should have been class action lawsuits and settlements.
@@mattm9619really my only issue has been what seems like a parasitic drain on my battery. Subaru replaced my battery in February 2024 under warranty and then literally yesterday I had to jump start my car with the same issue and now my check engine light is on for the first time ever. 🤦🏻♂️
My forester with a turbo ej255 is a little b*tch, but i love it lol. Sitting parked rn needing a new center diff and trans 🥲
Thanks for the honest review Scotty.. as always.. I work for Subaru so it helps keep me working.. God bless
I almost have 118K on my Subaru 2015 WRX, no problems, I do change transmission fluid and oil often. This is a fun car, I never get past 30 MPG so I must be driving fast. 😅 This car is excellent in the bad weather. I had the same thing with the tray and the cig lighter but no other things, mine has a J on it too. Highly recommend if you want a fun car that is fast. It is not a quiet car but sounds great!
Still getting 33 highway, 27 combined in my 2018 AWD Outback CVT and loving it!
Question: Is I possible to get an aux oil cooler installed on a turbocharged engine? Second question: If so, would it make it last longer if you are conservative and careful?
Subaru made a manual transmission in the Crosstrek up to 2023. Very reliable and fun to drive. CVT requires fluid change 30 to 60 thousand miles.
The BG noises are annoying-why are they necessary? Scotty’s voice is just fine
I’ve never put snow tires on and I live in Minnesota. We just use all-season radials. They’re good for at least six inches of snow, more if you know how to drive in snow. 😂
Snow tires really are amazing though. I live in New England and it's great to have a good set of snow tires in winter.
Let me bring you my GR Corolla, I’m next town over
Had to get rid of my 2014 forester premium with 88k miles on it due to oil leaking into the transmission due to failed Fuji bond sealant according to my Subaru dealership mechanic. I got rear ended at around 20k miles and had about 7k of body work done to it afterwards, possible that accelerated the sealant failure from the impact, maybe not. Scotty is spot on.
Subarus scare the hell out of me. Reliability seems to be all over the map. One person tells you they are the most reliable car they've owned, then the next tells you about issue after issue with reliability.
It's all about your maintenance and how you take care of them. Too many people mod them without tuning and blow the engines. Everything else, there's preventive maintenance you can do, to keep it reliable. There's set service intervals you should follow at 30k, 60k, 100k miles etc. Owned my 06 STi for 16 years, now. Modded & tuned for 13 of those years, currently at 110K miles.
The people who say they are reliable drove an early 2000s model forever with no issues, before all the bells and whistles customers insist on having
Also the Subaru wrx reason they break is because people modd them which is not the best
We had problems with our 13 forester, definitely had leaking head gaskets starting around 120-130k miles, and we were on top of all of our oil changes. We finally traded it in at around 160k, imo not interested in buying a Subaru anymore, it should NOT start having engine problems at 125k. We went with a Kia now, figured that if they trust their cars enough to slap a pretty good warranty on it, than I should as well.
Scotty you're right about Ohio getting less snow than they get in Penn. The tuscarawas valley in Ohio is mild in comparison to Pittsburgh. They are only about 2 hours drive away.
The Subaru Ascent does 5k lbs towing. I also have the RAV4. The Subaru is way better. And yes, I tow around an 8ft trailer with the Subaru.
Should have bought a honda.
I’ve cut rod for the ascent, it’s got some hefty parts
I got an Ascent as my loaner car for some repairs on my WRX. The thing is fast and drives better than I thought for a CVT. But I gotta be honest...the engine on the Ascent is not big enough for heavy towing (2.4 liter) and the CVT is not known for handling towing all that well. I certainly wouldn't want to test the limit by going anywhere near 5000 lbs towing on that thing.
@Ziegfried82 True. If you do tow, keep it at half, make sure your model that has the transmission cooler, and change the transmission fluid every 100k.
The new Crosstrek Wilderness has 3500 lbs of towing!!! Just picked one up new!
Yeah Scotty I picked up an 1 year old Impreza sport hatchback in manual back in 22. I have really loved the simplicity of the Subaru and have done many small mods/improvements. What an fun little car 😃👍.
I love my 2022 Impreza as well My last Sabaru was 2010 Impreza five speed and Ioved that car as well. Unfortunately, I do mostly city driving and that does a number on the brakes, even though I downshift most of the time. With every Sabaru I've owned, the main problem was always with the brakes.
Subaru owners unite, I have a glorious joy of having blown head gaskets, 2016 forester, that was a joy! Any of y'all have had a P2005 code and what steps did you take to fix? No loss in fuel mileage, engine still runs smooth as butter, nothing noticeable while driving, but slightly heavy exhaust smell once I get out of the car at my desired destination. The lights corresponding to said issue have come on and off by themselves. First instance was Sunday 3/31
My car has no backup camera, no cruise control, no automatic transmission and no electric windows for the back seat doors... and the turbocharger conked-out at 150k miles on cue, just as Scotty mentioned they tend to do... but I still love my 2005 SRT-4.
It's worth it to replace your turbocharger. I can't imagine driving that car around without the turbo that's sad.
bought a new crosstrek in 2017. over the next three years put more money into repsirs than ever other auto i have ever owned. repair cost exceeded the purchase price by thousands. as an example, put at least 40 studs/lungs on as they kept snapping off. all the response i evver got from subaru was, that shouln not happen...
A new car has a three year bumper to bumper warranty. Something isn’t jiving with your comment.
The new Subaru crosstrek(wilderness) can tow 3500lbs
Scotty, it's my understanding that Toyota also uses silicone gaskets on their oil pans and camshaft housing ie. Toyota Seal & packing 103. Please talk about that sometime. Thanks.
My Subaru WRX STI 2013 has been nothing but problems eats oil like a 2-stroke, and threw a cam belt at 16K miles and needed a new engine. The dealer broke Federal law and didn't want to cover it under warranty because I changed the oil myself. It wasn't even low on oil.
Many dealerships across the board are like this
Stop beating on your car.
@@wer170 The car is so unreliable. I can't even beat on it if I wanted to! Now waiting for a 3bar all-metal MAP sensor. The original self-destructed. The only car I had that was worse was my old Fiat! My 600 HP at the wheels Mustang gets better gas mileage. My 160K miles 86 Chevy 350 K20 3/4 ton 4x4 uses less oil!
@@ChetJangmy 2013 with 134k hasn’t skipped a beat, nothing but preventative maintenance (timing belt/spark plugs/ coolant) and regular maintenance done to it. I of course don’t act like a street racer every time I make a grocery run.
@@wer170 Driving it slowly (all that it is capable of) you consider beating on it? It runs great when parked if that is what you mean! It only runs like crap when actually driven!
The problem with the Subaru turbo is that you need to use premium gas all the time. For me that equates to about 30 cents a liter more.
“That Honda CVT… just didn’t have enough balls to it as far as I’m concerned.”😂😂😂 love Scotty so much.
I bought a crosstrek new back in 2019 (still have it) and I always forget it's a cvt transmission. It shifts just like all other automatics I've had.
I still love it, since I moved to a mountain town in Colorado and we get a lot of snow. The biggest complaint I have is this is the most sluggish acceleration I've ever had in a vehicle. Passing anyone on a 2 lane road is harrowing.
Love my 2018 Subaru Forester XT with 70k no issues whatsoever so far!
Had a 2006 Accord. Thinking of a Crossy for my next car.
So wise , Thank You . I really hope that my wife's holds up . I personally stick with all season radials
2016 WRX manual 145k miles. Replaced two O2 sensors, replace master valve, replace two batteries, and rebuilt the AC. That’s it folks