4 or 6 Cylinder Outback?

From a local subaru dealer mechanic:

There is nothing like the reliability of the 6 cyl engine. He reports lil issues with the H4 but says that the H6 he only sees for scheduled maintenance.

My, a lil late, $.02

D> A 6-cylinder obviously has more power (and eats more gas!), but what is

Yes mileage varies greatly, influenced by the

-driver

-driving conditions

-driving speed and acceleration

-the vehicle itself.

Only highway driving on cruise control is comparable between vehicles.

I generally get 66% of the highway mileage in urban driving. If the air conditioner is on the mileage is lower.

Vehicles from different manufacturers give me different results. In general Chrysler cars give me the EPA mileage, GM cars give me slightly better than the EPA and Ford cars give me less than the EPA figures.

The wide variation is due to the fact that when just driving around my home town it's all short trips, and always up and down steep hills running less than ten minutes. What I really need is an electric car with regenerative braking!

On out of town trips, I get consistently good mileage and, as others have noted, having a light foot really helps.

Aside from the miles per dollar difference, there is the 4 cyl timing belt replacement cost. My 2000 Forester is now at ~100,000 miles is due for a timing belt change. My dealer says that service alone will cost 5-$600 and if I want to include the water pump at the same time the cost will be ~$700. That to me is an unacceptable maintence expense. I will do it myself with help from a friend and using OEM parts the job will cost ~$210 and maybe 6 ? hours of work. I never did like timing belts because of the maintence and cost over a roller chain. Subaru, with their premium 6 cyl engine uses a roller chain that has no replacement interval. So if you plan on keeping your car for over 100,000 miles then 6-$700 (today's prices) will buy allot of premium gas.

for over 100,000 miles then 6-$700 (today's prices) will buy allot of premium gas.

I owned a 2000 Outback limited automatic with a 4 cylinder engne. It got

24-25 miles per gallon and was fine except in the mountains and when I needed to pass another car quickly when it was on the sluggish side. I now own a 2004 6-clinder Outback automatic. It gets 23-24 miles per gallon, runs on premium fuel and has plenty of power in the mountains and for quick passing. Despite the extra cost for premium gas, I am very satisfied with the 6-cylinder purchase.

We also have an H6 OBW. I sprang for it over the 4 because I know it will be fully loaded with 'stuff' (jewelry show booth and merchandise) several times a year and be used on many occasions for distance travel. Plus I wanted a little more power in case I needed to tow with. Being primarily my wife's car, it also got the 4EAT. All considered, we've been happy. I'm sure we would've found the 4 adequate - but the 6 just gives me a little more confidence in maneuvering around the D/FW highways with a loaded wagon. It does have an annoying problem downshifting at high speeds, but I suspect that is the tranny - not the engine.

Carl

My '91 Jeep had a switch that changed the shift points on the tranny. It had an Econmode and a PowerMode. It was fansastic. Is this so hard to do that new cars don't have this option. I would love it on my '03 Outback.

Al

Mine does an over-rev of a couple-to-several 100 rpms before it slams down to 3rd. On inclines when the cruise control is engaged I can see the TC unlock, that's worth about 125-150 rpm, then further slowing will cause the CC to downshift - better hold on! You have to be traveling above 70-75 mph to detect it - but it is terrifying at 80! Happens with CC disengaged and when you need to pass too. I know, this doesn't affect many folks - but in certain situations in northern N. mexico/southern Colorado one can be doing 84 and be fairly safe from the po-po. So if you're doing 80 and need to pass a motorhome or otherwise 'jockey for position' hammering down can be required. It seems very rough on the drivetrain too. I complained once and of course they found nothing wrong. Perhpas I should let my new dealership try to duplicate the problem or take a tech for a ride.

Carl

This happens on my 05 OBW and I agree it's scary - sure wakes you up in a hurry when dozing along under cruise control on a freeway at

75-80 mph!

It doesn't happen in normal driving and my dealer couldn't reproduce it because local roads with hills don't permit that speed, neither could he find anything about it from Subaru, but there have been others who reported it on this forum.

The solution (at least in my 05 OBW) is to go to manual shift and keep it in 4th at high speeds on rolling roads.

Once I would have disagreed with you. Older chains were even less reliable than belts, with 60K miles being about the life expectancy 25 years ago. By the mid 80s it was up to nearly 100K miles (and chains didn't usually break, they would wear to the point they ate holes in the chain covers or jumped). But in those days if you said you expected 200K miles from an engine even the pros would look at you with a mixture of doubt and sympathy.

Now chains are lasting the life of the engine - about 200K miles, and they are not appearing on the maintenance schedule. I think it is a combination both of design improvements and improved oil formulation.

Mike

Hey Al:

I got a coupon from my authorized dealer, to replace the timing belt for $279.

That's a great price from a good source. Be sure to specify changing the water pump at least - it's a tragedy to see one go out, maybe breaking the timing belt.

Mike

Yes; I did the water pump, thermostat, radiator hoses, alt and ac belts and a careful check of seals & oil pump. The job took about 2 hours not including 2 coffee breaks. All in all not a bad job.

I had my timing belt replaced last year by my dealer with a service coupon. Cost $319. I understand most dealers mail such coupon booklets to customers and have them available online. Given that the timing belt is a once every four-five year maintenance issue, that shouldn't deter anyone from the 4 cyl. Reliable or not, I'm sure the 6 cyl. is not maintenance free.

I wish my Subaru dealer would send my a $ coupon for a timing belt change. I asked my dealer and was told 5-600 for the belt and another

100 for a water pump replacement. Now I agree that $300 + will not sway me as to buy a 4 or 6 but, 5, 6 or $700 for a timing belt and water pump only still leaves one with an oil pump and main/camshaft seals. People on these NGs are quoted as having a 1200 dollar charge when the idler pulleys, tensioner, crankshaft and camshaft seals are replaced in addition to the timing belt and water pump. . That in my opinion represents a very high and unacceptable maintenance cost. Lucky I am to be able to do it myself but not forever. JMHO Ed

I also live in Colorado and am a musician. I have a 4 and even loaded with gear going to gigs in the mountains, it's fine. I can pass anybody I need to within the speed limits going over the passes and certainly go as fast as I want in Kansas! When I was researching Subarus to get this one (my 4th, since I keep getting hit. Once I was almost killed by a porta potty, but that's another story) the local Subaru shop, Super-Rupair, told me that the 4s outlast the 6s. Maybe things have changed, but I haven't regretted getting this one.

HTH Edwin