Dear Scotty,
Even though I clearly do not follow your advice, I would like your advice. I just bought a 2020 Subaru Outback Limited XT with around 5,000 miles from a Jeep dealership. It's the 2.4L turbo with a CVT automatic transmission.
You say don't buy Subarus. You say don't buy used cars from a dealer. You say don't buy turbo engines. I have failed you. But what's done is done, so even though I'm bad at following your recommendations I'd like to know: WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO OWNS THIS TURBO ENGINE? Is there anything you recommend owners do differently in terms of how they drive the car, how they let it warm up or cool down, how they maintain it, and so on? Is there anything else I should know or keep an eye on?
Thanks!
Z-Town
The fact that you bought a 1-year-old Subaru from a Jeep dealer raises the possibility of a lemon, but you will know that soon enough. If you don't have problems in the first few months, you probably never will. The Outback XT is a perfectly reliable car.
If you intend to keep it long term, I recommend:
- Don't tow. In fact, never tow with any CVT
- Let it warm up in the driveway for a minute, but you don't need to go longer than that.
- Watch the temperature gauge - don't give it full boost until it reaches operating temp
- When you do run full boost, don't shut it off right away; give it a few minutes to cool down before you turn off the engine
- Get it out on the highway for at least an hour on a regular basis (to blow out the gunk)
- Change the oil like you have a complex; no more than every 5k (and consider every 3k)
- Change the CVT fluid the minute it goes off warranty
Otherwise, don't worry. It's a good car and you made a good choice.
Thanks for the reply. The dealer bought this particular vehicle at an auction in March. The dealer is out-of-state in a small town where I do not know any mechanics (and any mechanic in town is probably friends with the folks at the one dealership in their tiny town). I paid a third-party mobile mechanic from Lemon Squad to give it a pre-purchase inspection. It’s not ideal compared to a mechanic who can get it on a lift and check for leaks, but better than nothing. Fingers crossed it’s no lemon. At this point, I’ve done a test drive, put down a deposit, and paid for a PPI that is scheduled for today. Sale isn’t final but might as well be (barring some major surprise).
You’ve done more due-diligence than most people ever do. You should be fine, and I’d guess you still have a year or two of factory warranty anyway. Enjoy your car!