Is the turbo 2.5L stronger than normally-aspirated mill?

Good choice.

Yes, it is basically the same reinforced engine as the one in the STi - it is *not* the normally aspirated engine with a turbo bolted on. There are numerous important differences that have been listed here in the past (you can also take a look at the .pdf files for the STi on Subaru's US web site, of take a look at the XT specs on the Canadian Forester mini site).

Subaru has built turbo engines for over 20 years or so. I would say they truly have the experience to get it right. With any of the main manufacturers of turbo engines, I believe you don't have to worry about reliablity (even if the turbo itself is usually outsourced). Think about it this way, the most reliable engines in the world are turbos (turbo diesels).

- D.

TransFixed,

Thanks for the encouragement.

Another question: how about Subaru resale value? Do they hold their value reasonably well? And insurance---better/same/worse that average?

Thanks.

Hal

I sold my '86 turbo wagon last year with 275k miles on it with original engine and turbo unit - still running strong as it ever did. I did have to replace the heads at 180k miles, but only because I waited too long to replace the radiator when it quit doing its job, plus a couple of coolant hoses burst and it overheated. If I had known to replace the radiator at the first signs of problems and had done a better job of preventative maintenance on the coolant hoses, I'm convinced that the heads would have gone the distance too.

Bill Putney (to reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with "x")

Data point:

A friend has an early '90's Ford Probe (Mazda 626 in a sexy body) with a manual gear box and the 2.2 L turbo four. He is original owner. Car has over

160,000 miles on it. no engine problems, no turbo problems, still on original clutch. There is no reason to think a Subaru turbo would be any less reliable.

The resale values of Subaru's are usually pretty high, but it does depend on your area too. In Alaska, were every third car is a Subaru, they're in fairly high demand. Resale value is quite high. I see people still selling WRX's at just a couple grand less than they were a couple years ago. There's one a few blocks from me trying to sell his for 24 thousand, I think. That's more than what I paid for mine new! He'll probably have to drop the price, but not by much. Seems up here that within a couple of years you just need to shave off a couple of thousand rather than the many thousand for other cars. My girlfriend's Focus dropped over 5 grand when she drove it off the lot. She went back about a month after the purchase to see how bad it would be if she wanted to trade in for the SVT (she jumped the gun, against my requests...which were originally a Subaru until the dealership said she couldn't order the old style (bug-eye) and would need to order her the '04's (this was back in December or so). Neither of us much like the body so she went and while I was working, drove this Focus. I told her to wait for the SVT to drive it also. The next day she showed up in her new SE. Damn it. :)

Incidentally, Car and Driver did "Battle of the Winter Beaters" in May of this year. The 3 writers were given $1000 bucks to get an old car, fix it up, and race it on the ice. They bought an '83 Renault Fuego 1.6 Turbo (FrWD), an '89 Camaro RS (RWD) and an '89 Subaru XT6 (4WD). The Subaru was the most expensive (and needed the least amount of money to get it up to par...that is a leaky fuel tank patch kit ($6), a new battery($56) and wiper blades ($11). Everything else in the car worked like new).