Subaru experience?

[JeffRaines]

Hey guys,

Currently I'm driving a '15 Tacoma with the access cab... I like my truck, however with the recent addition to my family and we're planning on having another... I've found that riding with a kid and my wife in the truck is cramped to say the least. I couldn't imagine sitting over there for a 4 or 5 hour car ride. I've thought about trading in and getting the double cab, but the cost of these things is getting rediculous. I wouldn't be willing to pay more a month than I currently am, and getting the bigger one even used would put me over.

I realize they're typically tree hugger mobiles, but I've been toying with the idea of getting a Subaru. It would probably be cheaper a month on top of having more room and getting better gas mileage. I was wondering if anyone here has any experience using them for hunting?

For the record, so far in my hunting experience I haven't had any issue getting where I want to go in my truck with stock tire size and no lift.

[Special T]

I love Subaru wagons.  The best forum for deciding the good bad and ugly on them is the Ultimate Subaru Message Board USMB tons of great knowledge and used it extensively when I HAD my Bratt.

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[Alchase]

My sister has had two Foresters, currently has a 2015. Neither had any major mechanical problems.

The ground clearance of a stock F150 4x4 is 9.4 inches.
The ground clearance of a stock Subaru Forrester is 8.7 inches.

They are good vehicles

[Mfowl]

I used to encounter a guy often in a Subaru Outback in Central Wa during the early part of upland bird season a few years back. He had his GSP's with him and would drive that rig anywhere I took my Jeep Cherokee. Granted it was always dry conditions. I know another guy with an Outback and he uses it during archery elk season on both sides of I-90 in the Cle Elum area. It can be done.

[JeffRaines]

I love Subaru wagons.  The best forum for deciding the good bad and ugly on them is the Ultimate Subaru Message Board USMB tons of great knowledge and used it extensively when I HAD my Bratt.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I did some googling and found a few anecdotes regarding hunting use but nothing close to home... at least from what I could find. I'd like to hear from some folks about using them around here/ID/MT

[h2ofowlr]

I had a 2007 Subaru Outback and it was a great vehicle. It handled better in snow than my truck does.  I was going to replace it with a new one as my daily driver, but then decided I wanted to go with a less expensive option on a new vehicle.  Picked up a Honda Civic for the daily driver for work.

[bearpaw]

Two years ago I bought my wife a new Forester for Valentines day, we both love that car. When she's ready for a new car again I might keep her old forester for hunting, it gets around super good and has good clearance.

[Special T]

I love Subaru wagons.  The best forum for deciding the good bad and ugly on them is the Ultimate Subaru Message Board USMB tons of great knowledge and used it extensively when I HAD my Bratt.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I did some googling and found a few anecdotes regarding hunting use but nothing close to home... at least from what I could find. I'd like to hear from some folks about using them around here/ID/MT

What kind of info do you mean? What kind of price range? The older ones can be purchased cheap, can fix most anything with a hard harbor freight metric wrench set, vice grips, 2 specialty sockets and adjustable plyers. I'm betting a gen 3 87ish to mid 90s can be had for a few grand and you could keep your truck. I don't have a lot of experience with the newer ones but everyone raves about them. Cable chains and a 4k lb winch you can go anywhere.

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[3boys]

I have a 2009 Forester for a company car. I have not been a fan due to the road noise. I have had the normal head gasket issues to the tune of 3 grand. If you buy used make sure that's been taken care of. If you buy new pay close attention to the road noise. My family car is Toyota Highlander and there is a huge difference in driving comfort. I also only average 21 mpg but I drive it pretty hard so your MMV.

[724wd]

My family car is Toyota Highlander and there is a huge difference in driving comfort. I also only average 21 mpg but I drive it pretty hard so your MMV.

what year is your highlander?  my wife has an '06 and the road noise is BAD!  worse than my '05 tundra.  but her radio is better so we just crank it... 

[3boys]

My family car is Toyota Highlander and there is a huge difference in driving comfort. I also only average 21 mpg but I drive it pretty hard so your MMV.

what year is your highlander?  my wife has an '06 and the road noise is BAD!  worse than my '05 tundra.  but her radio is better so we just crank it... 

2012 I do have better tires on it as well so maybe that's part of it.

[greenhead_killer]

I'm on my 3rd Subaru. I drive the pass daily for work so not having to chain up is great. You can't get these cars to slip even in the worse conditions. Pre 08 Subarus have head gasket issues. You will have to fix at some point. Subaru fixed that so hopefully my '15 is good to go. Mileage isn't the greatest because of the awd( 2015 legacy sedan is avg 31.5) '07 forester avg around 24. I finally retired the Forster with 265k on it. It's still going strong but was time o move on. If it wasn't a long haul daily driver I'd have gotten the forester again and dealt with less mpg

[bobcat]

My 2014 Subaru has 43,000 miles and has not had one issue. Only thing I've ever done to it is change the oil and the air filters. I've used it hunting but more for scouting and checking trail cameras during the summer. I really don't want to take it out in the mud although I'm sure it would do fine. Only had it in snow a few times and like greenhead_killer said you can't even get the tires to spin. I get around 34 mpg average, mostly that's freeway driving back and forth to work. When my wife drives it she only gets around 24 mpg.       LOL 

[irish52084]

I've got a 2012 and they are great cars. I abuse mine all the time. Keep up with basic maintenance and make sure you hit the big service intervals to keep them running for 300k+.

They're not difficult to work on if you like to do the work yourself. Much better than my civic or maxima and miles ahead of my old ford truck. Lol

[Dan-o]

My wife drives a 2014 Forester.   

Her favorite car ever.