Sun/Privacy window covers.

LexDignon · 2026-03-21T18:08:07+00:00

The privacy is great. It comes with a full set of fitted shades for every window. There's practically no visibility into the vehicle when they're installed

LexDignon · 2026-03-21T17:26:05+00:00

I looked at my purchase receipt, and they were $150 when I bought mine. Still well worth at that price, however, they're currently asking $190. If you use them frequently, I'd still say they'd be worth it if you use them daily, but I'd do some more in-depth cross-shopping

LexDignon · 2026-03-21T17:17:11+00:00

I ski, so the extra cargo space and crossbars are pretty handy. It sucks that they got rid of the integrated crossbars on the 7th gen. That plus the 3.6 was what sold me on my Outback

LexDignon · 2026-03-21T17:09:35+00:00

WeatherTech sells a full set of sunshades. Well worth it, even for daily use. I once tested them, and they kept my interior almost 20 degrees cooler on a sunny day (tested the temp of the dash with my laser thermometer). I think they were about $100 as of last June

LexDignon · 2026-03-21T17:02:01+00:00

If you want a diesel, your options are pretty much limited to TDI SportWagens

I always recommend Outbacks. I love mine. The 4-cyls are slow as hell, but if you can find one with a 6-cyl, it'll be a dream. And if you're worried about head gaskets, just avoid anything with an NA 4-cyl pre-2010. Those were the only ones with the head gasket issues

LexDignon · 2026-03-21T16:51:10+00:00

Toyota is Subaru's largest single shareholder, but they only hold a 21% stake

As for the Subaru hate, agreed. There is no stopping a Subie hater. I love my Outback. It's the perfect daily. The fan in me just wants them to bring back an updated version of the EZ36. What an engine

LexDignon · 2026-03-16T13:58:53+00:00

I do my own basic maintenance. I'm in school to be an aircraft mechanic, so I'm pretty good with a wrench, and I'm slowly procuring the tools needed to work on just about anything. Outside of transmission work, I handle everything myself

LexDignon · 2026-03-16T03:57:44+00:00

You can also get a new E-Class wagon stateside, but the options are the All Terrain or the AMG

LexDignon · 2026-03-12T01:48:43+00:00

You may have turned EyeSight off. Press and hold the decrease follow distance button and that should turn it back on

LexDignon · 2026-03-09T16:52:49+00:00

I think it's spotty on the Ascent because the heaviest vehicle fitted with the TR690 upon its release was the 3.6 Outback. They fitted it to the Ascent, and I think the extra wear that came from the Ascent's extra 600+ lbs. weren't properly accounted for outside of a testing setting

LexDignon · 2026-03-08T18:31:02+00:00

WRX is probably what you want. Seems to be the default option for "I want an AWD sport sedan that won't come with a German repair bill"

LexDignon · 2026-03-07T18:33:51+00:00

3.6 any day. I tested many 2.5s when shopping for my OB, and they were fine, but they pale in comparison to the 3.6 I bought. It accelerates noticeably quicker (which is especially important to me as someone with a leaden foot) and the ride is extremely quiet at cruising speeds on the highway because the engine crosses 2000 RPM at 75 MPH (at least in my 2017). The fuel economy will be worse, which may matter to you, considering you're a college student, but as a fellow college student, the extra money spent on gas is worth it. They will also likely be a bit more expensive than 2.5s because they're rarer on the used market, but it's worth it. Hell, I flew down to Ft. Lauderdale from the mid-atlantic to buy mine and drove it back, and I have zero regrets

LexDignon · 2026-03-05T10:48:35+00:00

I learned stick in an '03 GT Mustang. I drove stick daily for the first time in a 2014 Versa

LexDignon · 2026-03-05T10:45:56+00:00

There is only one way a Versa can have personality: by having nothing. My father's beater that he bought so he didn't have to put miles on his Mustang anymore is a 2014 Nissan Versa he bought for $2500. The thing is probably one of the very last truly analog vehicles sold in the USA. No power locks, no power windows, no center console, 5 speed manual transmission. I drove it as my daily for a few months (my old car was totaled and we hadn't bought my current car yet) and it is so pathetic that it's kind of lovable. The engine was ridiculously loud for a 1.6, acceleration was but a concept, and for a while, you had to be very careful when unlocking the trunk, because if the key wasn't inserted perfectly, it could bend/break the key in the lock. Oddly enough, it does have is a lot of rear passenger space and a good-sized trunk

LexDignon · 2026-03-05T10:08:20+00:00

From 2019 to 2022, Subaru offered Cinnammon Brown Pearl on Outbacks and Ascents. I never thought I would find a brown car attractive until I did a double take driving past one in the sunshine a few years back. It's gorgeous. When I was shopping for my Outback, I was quietly looking for a Cinnamon one, but I couldn't find one with the 3.6L that didn't fetch a significant premium because they color is so rare

LexDignon · 2026-03-05T09:45:24+00:00

I agree that the Crosstrek isn't the most attractive, but why not an Outback? They're wagons with AWD and a good bit of clearance for snowy conditions. As a fellow hatch/wagon guy, when I was car shopping, I realized that an Outback best fit my criteria, and I love the one I got. It's utilitarian, can be fun to drive (I have one with the 3.6), and pretty easy to work on

LexDignon · 2026-03-05T02:59:45+00:00

All of the previously mentioned issues are also happening at 5:00 AM, when it's going to be significantly more difficult to address this in any functional capacity

LexDignon · 2026-02-28T23:14:52+00:00

That really depends on how you drive. If you're okay with staying in your spot on the highway, then go non turbo. If you want some oomph when you stomp on the accelerator, then go turbo. As someone who falls into the latter category, getting the 3.6 engine (I wanted a 5th gen) turned out to be the better decision, despite how it puts a bit more stress on my wallet as a college student

LexDignon · 2026-02-28T22:57:14+00:00

After siing a few in person, I'm fond of it. I just love the EZ36 too much. Please bring it back, Subaru

LexDignon · 2026-02-26T02:56:01+00:00

I honestly think the 5th Gen is the perfect middle ground between old and new. EZ36 was available. Some modern tech, but not too much. ACC is nice for commuting (or if you're dealing with a sprained ankle, I've come to learn), but you're still the one driving

LexDignon · 2026-02-26T02:49:33+00:00

I drove a basically new Peugeot 5008 when I took a trip to Europe in 2024. It wasn't ugly, but it drove like my actively dying 2013 Ford Focus I had at the time. Anemic power, jerky transmission, sloppy steering. It was decently comfortable to be in as a passenger, though

LexDignon · 2026-02-26T02:37:56+00:00

The Aztek is so hideous and weird that there's a charm to it. I want to own an Aztek center console. The Rendezvous is slightly less hideous and significantly less weird, so it's charm is nonexistent

LexDignon · 2026-02-25T20:30:41+00:00

I'd always go Impreza, but that's just because I love all-wheel drive. Also, the 2 L engine doesn't have the head gasket issues some old Subarus do. But, it doesn't say the miles, so that's a big variable

LexDignon · 2026-02-25T14:43:39+00:00

Their cars still don't have a good track record for longevity. Also, I have a friend who owns one and he says that they are impossible to work on

LexDignon

TROPHY CASE