DSG tried to kill me...

[Drift]

Another subi convert here. I've had nothing but subaru's for the better part of 18 years, but my god are they full of themselves now. The prices are fairly reasonable, but the interiors have gone to complete and utter crud in recent years. Mechanicially, yeah they're reliable and pretty hard to break but sh*t, get with the times and get a real gear box. They also charge like euro's for servicing and seem to be under the misconception that they're in direct competition with the euros. I still have a soft spot for them but it'll take a fair bit to get me back.

Regarding warranty with subaru, I've had my fair share of claims. I've had drive shafts replaced, wheel barings seize, thermo fans fail, switches fail, brake problems and the most common subi fault of all in the shuddering clutch. Some of these issues were resolved with one visit, others wound up with several visits and several replacements. They haven't been isolated to one car or model either ranging over several model of Forester and Liberty. The most reliable and trouble free subi was my 85 L series wagon which copped ridiculous abuse and kept coming back for more.

[MGV]

I've always liked driving my mum's forester, but after over 2 years away was astonished at the road noise coming through on a recent visit. Also, cruise control was noted as +/- 10kph on gently undulating highway use. Tig would see +/- 1 or 2 in similar situations.
There was also an expensive ($2000) front suspension issue, not sure exactly of the nature, but only 5 gently driven years old.
I thought she would like my Tig when i recently visited, but she took 1 look under the hatch & said '' i wouldnt fit a bale of hay in there, let alone 2...''

[Mountainman]

Another subi convert here. They also charge like euro's for servicing and seem to be under the misconception that they're in direct competition with the euros.

My wife and I concurrently run a Golf and a Forester so we have a foot in both camps. Both have their + and - but one thing I can tell you is that it costs more to service and maintain the Golf. They both usually get serviced at the same VW/Subaru dealer in Toowoomba (Wippells) as we find them both honest and convenient. We do a lot of travelling in our business through Toowoomba. We both use both cars but the Forester gets used for the more heavy duty work to work sites off the main roads. While the Golf has slightly longer service intervals - 15K v 12.5K it is costing more to service eg. a basic oil/filter change, tyre rotate/balance, wash service is now $220 in the Forester and that includes an upper engine cleaner. The same thing in the Golf without the upper engine cleaner is now $280. I also expect much longer service of things like the brake pads/rotars out of the Forester. Judging by my brother's Jetta (rear pads/rotors replaced at 45K service cost $920) I can guarantee that my Golf's brakes won't see the 225K the Forester's did. I'm just glad we didn't go the DSG route like my brother did on his Jetta because his DSG died a few weeks after the 45K service. And he had the extra expense of a hire car for more than 2 weeks while it was being sorted. This isn't to say I don't appreciate the interior quality of the Golf or its subdued road noise or its calm comfortable ride and great economy. But it isn't torture getting back into the Forester every day and its performance, all roads behaviour, driving appeal and overall quality always please. And its most expensive service to date (235K) was the 125K cam belt change service at $754. I have a feeling I'll see something much more than that for the Golf long before then, judging by posts I read on VWWatercooled.

[jessv3]

My wife and I concurrently run a Golf and a Forester so we have a foot in both camps. Both have their + and -

Mountainman, I noticed by your signature that you have a 90TSI and an XT Forester. Not really a fair comparison. Your Forester is basically top of the line (not sure if its a luxury, but its certainly the most powerful), and the 90tsi golf is pretty much an entry level model, the price difference between them new would of been over 15k. You should compare the Forester XT with a Golf GTI they are in the same price bracket and are both high powered turbo charged models. Like i said in my earlier post we have an 06 Forester XT at home and my daily drive is an 06 GTI both are manual. The GTI is better at pretty much everything except straight line performance, the forester is uncomfortable with that heavy clutch, rough engine, dull brakes and upright ride height. Also the forester is no where near as economical to run (but has a fair bit more power) around town in the Forrie XT I get about 13Ltrs/100kms in the GTI around town its about 10Ltrs/100 so although the GTI is more expensive to service and maintain i think if you sat down and did the numbers it would brake even.

[Tiguan2010]

Have a 6 speed slushbox and a similar thing happened to me, was doing 90KM/h when I wanted to demonstrate to a friend the performance, dropped it to 5th, gave it a bit, all good, then down to 4th, still only doing 80-90KM/h.. was very embarassing when I hit 4th, gunned it and it just sat on the rev limiter in some sort of false neutral...

Must be something buggy with the tiptronic downshifting that causes it to go neutral mode, wasn't the first time it's happened.

[Mountainman]

Mountainman, I noticed by your signature that you have a 90TSI and an XT Forester. Not really a fair comparison.

The comparison is fair in that it was in relation to the servicing costs and there the Golf costs more for the same thing. As far as the driving goes they are chalk and cheese, just so different but I enjoy both. The clutch of the Forester is much heavier but in comparison is full of feel and gives super smooth changes. The whole car feels heavier but I don't always see that as a negative and I prefer the shorter, tighter gearchange of the Forester just like I prefer the more feelsome steering of the Golf and the general feeling of the brakes (but not the initial grabby feel). I like the general quietness of the Golf more and its more comfortable ride, but in the long run I'd take the Forester's front seats. (I've never travelled in the back of either). And I'd take the economy of the Golf any day - we have averaged 6.1L/100km with a best of 5.4 where as the Forester has averaged 9.6L/100km with a best of 7.9 (which has surprised us as the official claim is 11.4 overall) We do mainly lots of country trips.

[Candyman]

You need to consider the thread context

Compare the DSG to the Sportshift in the Forester (which I had in my XT)

The Sportshift is terrible. Hesitates, never got the gear right, clunky and noisy.

[Transporter]

So, the Golf is a cheaper car to run in the dollar terms.

I also have a soft spot for Subaru, I had L series and then Forester in total for 17 years. But, I see the Subaru parts as being more expensive these days. On my last trip to Subaru dealer, when I was buying parts for Outback I was working on, I've noticed that; coolant 4L premixed cost $60+, Cabin filter $65, CV joint rubber boot kit over $60 for just one! brake pads around $170 per axle.

When I'm looking at servicing schedule, your 90TSI Golf, being a manual should be much cheaper car to service than Forester.

[Mountainman]

You need to consider the thread context

Compare the DSG to the Sportshift in the Forester (which I had in my XT)

The Sportshift is terrible. Hesitates, never got the gear right, clunky and noisy.

Fair enough too. The original comment was just about the servicing costs and only relates to my experience with my 2 cars. Can't comment about the sports shift as I've only driven one once and like all automatics I didn't like it and the manual is so much more funand feels so much faster off the mark. At least your sports shift didn't leave you stranded by side of the road like my brother's DSG did in his Jetta. From all reports they are a very durable auto and can cope with lots of extra mod power. (Is it "I Want Candy" from subaruforester.org?)

[Candyman]

The Forester had to be trucked from out west to Bill Buckles because the auto wouldn't engage

Under warranty at the time and only 7,000 km on the clock

It was never reliable and others had the same issue

[jessv3]

Hmm Subaru certainly have not had a good track record when it comes to Auto boxes, im guessing this is why the current wrx is no longer offered with the Auto option. The box in the forester xt is very clunky but i do like the ratio's better then the GTI, i like that i can nail it in 1st hit boost and im already doing the speed limit. Where as the GTI i have to row through the gears to get to the speed limit quickly, sometimes its tiring.

[clip]

Where as the GTI i have to row through the gears to get to the speed limit quickly, sometimes its tiring.

ahh yes, but you are using less fuel, ensuring minimum emmisions and saving the planet. Now isn't that worth it?

[jessv3]

ahh yes, but you are using less fuel, ensuring minimum emmisions and saving the planet. Now isn't that worth it?

What about the extra clutch & gearbox wear?

Oh and my left leg wear

Im just glad VW havent put a 7 spd manual in their product line, that would be torture.

[Mi16 Man]

Relevant video....you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-mOcRN90U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[ralp2dam]

Relevant video....you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-mO...e_gdata_player

Thanks for that. Enjoyed it thoroughly!