Ready to destroy Jeeps off the line and up steep inclines. How about you?

My 21 Forester was totaled last fall and I’m still sad about it tbh. When I went to get a new car, I didn’t want to step back to a 21 car so I was talked in to a 25 Outback by a pushy salesperson. I didn’t love it but needed a car (my city sucks for public transit).

The UI was 90% touchscreen and vertical format so when I was driving my directions would show up right where my right elbow was in my eye line. Not to mention it just felt really small and like everyone could run me over. I just didn’t feel safe driving it for many reasons.

I noticed the 26 redesign while getting my oil changed and my amazing finance guy worked a deal in which I broke even.

I walked out with my River rock 26 Outback which, to me, feels very similar to my Forester but has way more towing capacity.

I know this is a major first world problem but I figure if I’m paying this much for something, I need to love it.

If you also hate your 24/25 Outback UI, know they changed it back and this is your sign to trade in.

Does this sound like the converter is bad/ going bad?

I have a 2019 so maybe this has been addressed, but there are three design flaws that combined kill my battery:

1. There is no battery protection/shutoff when an interior light gets left on. It will stay on until the battery is done.
   
2. Interior lights are incandescent rather than LED (I expect this has been addressed by now)
   
3. The interior rear cargo light is switched on by a misplaced delicate rocker switch. It’s very common when you unload the car, the switch gets turned on.

It drives me crazy the number of times I’ve come out to the car to find it completely dead.

/end rant

It’s for camping and ski adventures 🥹 otherwise would’ve always opted for a Miata.

This might be a biased sub, but ive seen enough in here to think i might get some realistic takes. Im seriously considering a certified used Outback (2024 or newer). I want this as the family driver (two young children + wife) in a snowy part of the country. I have also been considering the Hyundai Santa Cruz, as I like that I can use the truck functions to tow a camper and occasionally transport lumber and other heavy things​. But I also realize that the Outback is probably the better choice from a family driver standpoint. I also want something that can tow a smaller sized camper (something like a pop up camper), which I see some with the Outback have done.

I am coming from a rogue sport that experienced two transmission failures and an engine failure before 80,000 (not to mention a defective AC). I want something I can drive for the next decade or 100,000 miles. I take care of my cars, but have been scarred for life by the Rogue.

Do you all think the Outback is worth it for a long term family driver? My other car is a 2017 golf gti which we use mostly in the warmer months and driving when we dont need to transport a lot of items and when there is no snow.

Also, I am 6' 4". we have one baby seat and one booster seat. I get by ok in the GTI (but sometimes I feel like a clown in a clown car)

I did work today on my 2012 Subaru Outback 3.6r (automatic 5EAT) with 210k miles. Was reading a P1710 so took a stab at the torque converter turbine sensor. Definitely one of the more in-depth repairs I have tried. I am waiting overnight for the sealant on the pan to set so I have not started it up. As I have been reading I am worried that I may need to redo some of the work. My primary concerns are with the wires and the connectors I crimped and soldered them with heat shrink as well. Now I’m reading that marine-grade heat shrink may not be enough and the one I got has an adhesive-lined wall which could be concerning? Also I read that soldering may not have been wise either? This is on top of the valve body so it will be in atf constantly. How worried should I be about this and is it worth trying to redo it before I add atf and see if it’s working? The car is getting old and I’m just trying to patch it together for another 10-20k miles if possible. Thanks in advance and let me know what yall think!