Glad to see you found this forum also. It's good to hear that you're happy with the CrossTrek so far end no problems. Keep us informed. Have a great Christmas.

 

Merry Christmas! Geez, at the rate you're driving, you'll have over 200,000 miles in one year. I'll bet that you'll easily be able to get over 400,000 miles with proper maintenance. Of course that only covers about two years of ownership....LOL!

 

Considering I was able to get over 700k out of a 2011 Ford Fiesta with proper maintenance (and still running every day), I would expect a Subaru to easily surpass that! Time will tell and I'll be sure to keep everyone posted.

 

Well, I am officially out of the powertrain warranty now. In just under 4 month's I have past the 60k mark and still no issues. I have stayed with the 6k oil change interval until my last oil change. Since I'm obviously concerned with operating costs, oil change intervals are of interest. The last oil change I switched to Mobil extended service oil and filter then pushed it to 8k and sent a sample for analysis. The results were excellent and the recommendation is that next oil change be done at 10k miles. At that point I will send another sample. I'll post the results when I get them.
Now, keep in mind that I am currently adding 4k miles a week to this engine so being able to add an extra week or two between changes is significant both time wise and financially. For a 'normal' driver (I never claimed to be one), the difference of one or two oil changes a year really shouldn't be an issue.
As a note to Subaru, I am still glad I got the metalic blue but, it would be nice to have a black interior as an option instead of just ivory. I will say the ivory is much tougher than it looks and it stays much cleaner than expected. I carry lots of cargo every night.
As far as the factory tires go, they put up a good fight but gave up the ghost at 55k. I chose Hankook's as a replacement because of the tread design, 100k mileage warranty and cost. I drive on a lot of black ice this time of year.
Still enjoying the c$%p out of this car! Hope you are too!

 

Thanks for the update Wolverine 12. How far do you plan to push the oil change intervals. With the type driving you do I would think 15,000 mile intervals would be possible without oil degradation. I find this thread extremely interesting and informative. Thanks do much!

 

I'm going to send another sample at 10k then push to 12k for the following change. If that analysis comes back ok then that would allow me a 3.week/12k change interval which would work out very well for me. Not to mention reducing the amount of waste oil by half and saving almost $800 a year. I'll follow up about every 6 months with an oil analysis to make sure it's still doing the job.

 

70k and still ok

Love the Hankook Optima's. A little quieter ride, less expenseive and a much better grip on slick roads. Now it feels like a Subaru. It remains to be seen how they wear but I will keep you posted.Here is the link to the latest oil change results. Still running strong, no issues to date and loving it!
http://www.clubcrosstrek.com/forums/f27/extended-service-oil-change-3460.html#post31735

 

It's wabbit season !

Ok, I'm a patient man and an animal lover, however, I have had it with the black tailed jackrabbit. We grow them big here in the southwest, they grow to the size of a small cocker spaniel here. I have incurred more damage from this denizen of the night than from any other creature. I have bumper mounted deer alerts that work great with deer, coyotes, pronghorn antelope and even the little desert fox. Apparently rabbits, skunk and yes, the black tailed jackrabbit aren't so bright. The last incident happened 2 weeks ago when I hit a jackrabbit doing 70mph at 2am. Fortunately it just caused a 6" long Crack at the very base of the bumper, popped the bumper out from the headlight, tore up the wind deflector in front of the tire and, blew out 7 push button connectors. This was an easy fix. Other times, on other vehicles, have been much worse, including having to replace the whole bumper, fender and headlight assembly.
As Elmer Fudd say ; "Be veewy quite, I'm hunting wabbit's".
I have yet to find a light bar, bull bar or grill gard I like so I decided to build one myself. It needed to mount using existing holes/bolts without loosing any ground clearance and be strong enough to handle an occasional tow bar for emergencies. It is built on trailer leaf springs to absorb some shock without damage to the car. I decided that 1-1/2" steel tubing would be light enough but strong enough to take on any small to medium size animal. It only weighs 35# and I lost no ground clearance.
Need a weekend project? Here you go!

 

Looks good that's was a great idea

Sent from my LGUS991 using Tapatalk

 

Thx, just a little more work than I expected but, I'm happy with it.

 

I freaking love that!


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Thx. Maybe a little 'Mad Max' but, it should save some grief in the long run.

 

That is indeed a cool lower bar, kinda reminds me of the Safari rally cars that used to be equipped with bumpers designed to save the car from getting damaged by the African wildlife.

 

That was exactly what I had in mind when I started.

 

83k and still ok

Ok guys, 83,000 miles and still issue free. Just got the latest oil analysis report back and it looks great! You can check it out here on the 3/18/2016 http://www.clubcrosstrek.com/forums/f27/extended-service-oil-change-3460.html#post32191.

 

Well I learned a lesson this weekend. The last time I had my tires rotated I was feeling kinda lazy so I had someone else rotate them for me. This weekend was time for another rotation however, one of the lug nuts was very tough to remove. 2 full turns of the bar and SNAP! The nut had been cross threaded at the last rotation so when I tried to remove it, the wheel stud broke off at the rotor. This is why I don't trust anyone else to work on my cars. That'll teach me to be lazy. Fortunately, replacing a front wheel stud on the Crosstrek is very easy. Only took me 15 minutes total (not including the trip to the parts store and back).
This is the only repair I have had in 100,000 miles!

 

I bought a used car and whenI pulled the rear tire off to add mud flaps I had to snap off a stud that was for whatever reason frozen. I have been looking at the replacement stud and nut for 2 months now waiting to get off my ass and fix it. I actually bought (2) sets of nut/studs wondering if this was a common deal.

 

When I bought the new stud, I did buy an extra stud and lug nut to have on hand (less than $6). The only time I have ever seen this happen is when the mechanic is too lazy to thread a nut on by hand 'before' he throws an impact wrench on it. Many years ago I did see a guy put the lug nut in the socket of an impact wrench then proceed to zip it on the stud. I immediately walked out and grabbed a hand lug wrench and asked him to remove the nut with the lug wrench, he couldn't. Yes, it took another hour for him to go get a replacement stud, remove the one he screwed up and replace it.
Some peoples kids!

 

Dull reading

Well this makes for some dull reading but it speaks well of the Crosstrek. The only issue I have had in 121,000 miles so far is that the plastic retainer screw for the drivers side carpet popped off.
Just got the latest oil analysis back and apparently the extended service oil and synthetic filter changes every 12,000 miles really agree with my Crosstrek.
For an AWD, this car is pretty easy on tires. I have 65,000 miles on these Hankook Optimo H727's and I figure they should be good for another 15,000 (+/-). I do love how the Hankook's on the Crosstrek handle ice.
Always had very good luck with Pirelli's on a front wheel drive but there expensive and on an AWD? Found a good price on a set so I'll see how this car likes the Pirelli P4's in about 15,000 miles (+/-).

 

If I didn't drive so hard, I could see myself doing the 12,000 mile OCI if I was still doing my commute.

 

Extended service oil/filter changes are definitely not for everyone. Driving habits will dictate the frequency of oil changes as well as oil consumption between changes. The Crosstrek's boxer engine is definitely more sensitive to this. You drive hard, you will use more oil and you will need to change more often. At the same time, if you only drive 12k miles a year, is an extended service oil change really necessary?
I went from 6k to 12k service because of convenience and expense. It was a matter of changing my oil every 10 days (6k) or 3 weeks (12k). Also moving to 12k service saves me about $900/year even doing my own service. Waste oil is a concern as I have approximately 21 gallons of waste oil a year just on this vehicle alone. In my case it's not as much of an issue because I have a waste oil shop heater that burns very clean, uses no electricity and is very effective in the frigid winter month's. Free heat, even better.

 

What a great thread, thanks for sharing your experiences Wolverine.

 

Thanks for the feedback. Hope some of it helps and I'll keep sharing.

 

Have you considered the Michelin Defenders for your tires? I've heard good things about their longevity.

 

I did look at the Michelin Defenders and I like the tread pattern but not fond of the price. I have had Michelin on other vehicles and loved the ride and the traction but not thrilled with the longevity. I am curious how they would survive on the Crosstrek but not at that price. You understand that I purchase tires about every 5 month's.

 

Fair enough. The Defenders cost slightly less than stock but are still expensive.

How's your seat holding up? Mine is so beat up from all the spirited mountain driving, off-roading, and old 5000-ish mile a month commute...

 

I have checked recently but my wife says I wore out my seat years ago.

 

AWD tire wear

Before I purchased my Crosstrek, I was concerned that the awd system would really eat up tires due to the power split between the front and rear wheels. I've had awd's in the past and I would typically go through a set of tires every 50k or so. I just replaced my Hankook H727's at 75k and they were just at the wear bar. I'm pretty happy with that. I just put on a set of Pirelli P4's which is a tire I've always had good luck with. I would usually get 100k+ on my front wheel drive Fiesta. It's really not a fair comparison but it will be interesting to see how Subaru's awd system treats the Pirelli's. At least this way I have a benchmark to go by.
So to recap;
Factory Yokohama's - 55k
Hankook H727's - 75k
Pirelli P4's - ???
I'll keep you posted.

 

I Have a 2013 Crosstrek with the CVT. I live on the East Coast of Canada.
I use my car for work and I drive daily. I don't off road, drift or otherwise abuse the car. It has 215,000 km which is about 134,000 miles.
I am on my third A/C compressor.
I have replaced one of the front axles. Various bushings, brake components etc. That’s to be expected though.
I had to replace my short block. $5000.+ It was a bearing problem not oil consumption.
I now need to replace the catalytic converter and possibly some fuel sensor (not sure) related to the intermittent check engine light. It goes on and off randomly.
It’s a problem to remove the key after turning the engine off. This is a recent problem.
And the bad news is that the noise coming from the transmission (whining sound) can be fixed by replacing the transmission.
The CVT is not a serviceable unit. $8000.+
The vehicle has been dealer maintained since new.
This is my third Subaru. (2005 Impreza, 2009 Impreza)
These were both AT and never a problem with the transmission or the 2.5 litre engine.
So, is the day of the 300,000 mile Subaru over? Was this a bad model year?

 

WOW! I don't really know what to say other than, it sure sounds like you got a lemon, or a have really bad dealer. My 2015 just past 138,000 miles or, 220,000 km and the only item I've had to repair, so far, is a cross threaded lug nut after I had new tires put on.

 

Clearly you drive a ton, Wolverine. Curious how comfy the Crosstrek is for daylong driving. I have yet to take mine on a real excursion, but one of the things I like is how comfortable the seats are, even with very limited manual adjustment capability and no lumbar control. Any back/leg issues after 8,9,10+ hours on the road?

 

Needless to say, comfort is an absolute priority when choosing a vehicle. I have a few back issues but they have never been an issue in this car. For many years I drove a semi, long haul, (used to, hahaha) and always had an issue with the sciatic nerve in my legs because of the long hours sitting. I had an air ride seat which was very comfortable but it was still an issue. Now I am in my car about 15-16 hours a night and rarely ever do I have any sciatic pain. I have driven many vehicles but the Crosstrek's seats are definitely more comfortable than most. Although the Crosstrek is not intended to be a long distance driver, I find the seats are very good for extended trips.

 

My Crosstrek is temporarily out of comission, but I believe Subaru's seat design has improved. Though not directly comparable, the leather seats on my 2000 Subaru Outback aren't quite as comfy as my 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek... though that may partially be due to the many miles I've driven my Crosstrek.

 

I have noticed that as time goes by, my seat, although still firm, has conformed to the southern region nicely.

 

Very good serpentine belt....however

Just got home and my tensioner belt pulley started to growl at me. After 140,000 miles the serpentine belt still looks good however, the tensioner belt pulley and idler pulleys need to be replaced. Don't get me wrong, this is really above average wear especially for the hot dry southwestern climates down here so I'm not complaining at all. I just want everyone to be aware that when you inspect/replace the serpentine belt, the belt and both pulleys should be treated as a single unit. In other words, inspect and replace all three units as if they were one unit everytime and you'll be a happy camper.

 

While I don't drive a ton of miles like some of you I have been on a couple of longish trips in my '15 Limited. I've read some threads about how uncomfortable the CrossTreks seats are but I find them very comfortable. We've been on 2 trips to Maine from Virginia, just over 1200 miles one way. The trip up is about 800 miles the first day and 4 the second. The trip home is driven straight through, about 17 - 18 hrs. I've made this same trip in many cars ranging from Fiat Abarth to Lincoln Marks, Toyota Sequoias etc. and the CrossTrek compares very favorably to all. Actually, due to Eyesight and the ACC it's better than most. Comfort, at least for me, isn't a problem.

 

A little disappointed...

Well, it's been 10 months and 166,000 miles with only 2 minor issues.
1. The reverse light switch on the transmission became intermittent around 150,000 miles then just stopped working last week. No camera or back up lights. Fortunately this is only a $30 part that took all of 10 minutes to replace.
2. A little disappointed that the clutch throwout bearings are beginning to sound like a 6 year old with tonsillitis. The clutch feels good, smooth engaging and shifting is fine but that intermittent raspy whisper when the pedal is engaged has got to go so, they're gonna have to come out. I drive mostly highway miles and don't ride the clutch. I expect to have to do a complete clutch job periodically as these are wear items but this is a little too soon. Now, as far as clutch jobs go, this doesn't look bad at all. I'm gonna hit it tomorrow and I'll see how long it takes and what I find.
I'll let you know.

 

Wow, 166K in 10Months... I love driving.... In fact I uber drive just so I can drive and get paid for it. However, I am in stop and go traffic and rarely on the highway. I have 7500 in 3 months. So not near what you do. If only my uber rides were 500 mile trips. Those two issues aren't bad at all though. I am worried about my clutch throwout bearing. Unfortunately I don't think that uber driving in stop and go traffic is going to be very nice to my clutch. I'm going to replace the transmission oil and differential at 10k miles with Motul 300, but that's not going to do anything for my throwout bearing. I look forward to hearing about how easy the replacement is. Also, just reviewed the start of this thread and think that small critter/brush guard looks great. If I was a handy welder id try and tackle a job like that.

I look forward to the updates on repairs and mileage...

 

Ok well the clutch job is done. Not easy but not any more difficult than others. I will say that access to everything is very good. Not once did I stop and think, "well that was a stupid idea". The clutch disc looked great and probably could have gone another 200k but the throwout bearing was trashed. Very suprising considering it's mostly highway miles. We'll see how the LUK bearing holds up. I do have one concern, when I pulled off the front brake calipers. Inside the Pistons (up against the brake pads), there was a fair amount of rust. I live in a mostly dry climate and for this to show this much rust may be a cause for some concern in the future, especially for someone that lives in a humid area. I took some emery cloth, cleaned it up and sprayed a little multi purpose lubricant on a shop towel and wiped it down before reinstalling ( not to much or it can migrate to the brake pads). Time will tell.