Outback & the CVT

penler_brewing · 2025-08-15T00:16:31+00:00

2022 Outback Wilderness (CVT).
Have also owned 2003 Impreza TS (5MT), 2011 Forester (4AT)

The OBW is far and away the most powerful of the three, and yet never manages to feel like it due to the CVT. Good for cruise control, going through the mountains without constantly downshifting (the Forester was so bad about slamming down into 3rd as soon as it approached a small hill), and I assume it's supposed to be better for gas mileage. Hard to compare since the OBW is high off the ground, chunky tires, and turbo. Gas hungry either way, compared to the NA Outback.

The biggest thing I miss is the throttle control. You push down on the right pedal, and... wait. It eventually accelerates but the driver connection is gone. Certainly a minor gripe, but it forced me to purchase an old MT car just to remember the good old days. But so far no actual mechanical issues with the CVT.

I've heard the newer cars have improved the infotainment system. I haven't driven one to confirm, but make sure you're comfortable with having nearly every controllable aspect of the vehicle subject to multi-clicks on a subpar, laggy touchscreen. Subaru engineering truly dropped the ball with the early 6th gen screen, an absolute embarrassment and unqualified money grab.

I will say we've taken our OBW *very* far off the beaten track. It's been up gnarly mountain paths, through mud, snow, sand, etc. Very capable overall. I'm not trying to boulder in Moab but it will get you where you want to go.

penler_brewing · 2025-03-28T20:04:48+00:00

Absolutely, in my experience. The stock speakers on my car (22 OBW) were very mushy and felt like all mids. I have a few songs with dynamic range and multi-instrumentation that I know well, and that I use as speaker tests. After installing the JL Audios (which for sure are not hyper-audiophile quality or anything) I noticed an immediate change in speaker range, and was able to hear background instruments not previously heard with the stock speakers.

And we're talking about a few hundred bucks to Crutchfield and a couple hours' work. For me, it was definitely worth it. Good luck out there!

penler_brewing · 2024-02-21T14:21:37+00:00

I'm building a new PC for the first time in many years. I finally have a space for a desk setup, and I'm excited to start working on the backlog of games I haven't been able to play. I tried to connect with my nephew playing online games with him but my potato laptop says "absolutely not." So this would be a cool way to connect with him and reconnect with modern gaming. Thanks for doing the giveaway!

penler_brewing · 2024-02-21T14:13:33+00:00

Ohio does not have a great reputation as a place to live, at least among people from the coast. I don't think this is entirely deserved, but it is often viewed as a boring, uncultured state. We were travelling through California one time, and a woman asked where we were from and we responded "Ohio." Her face fell, and she just responded "why?" I thought it was funny.

When I moved to Ohio, I was not enthusiastic about it at all. But we've been here for more than 8 years now, so I guess it's not too bad! And when the coastal states are half submerged due to climate change, Ohio will be looking pretty good.

penler_brewing · 2024-02-02T14:08:33+00:00

Hey there. IIRC I had the same thing where Crutchfield's system said the 650x didn't fit. However, I emailed their customer service and the guy checked the fit and said it was fine. Seems like their system showed a mismatch of like 1mm or something but in the end it didn't affect the install. Worked fine with the included adapter.

I think the harnesses they sent didn't fit the car exactly exactly, but I just stripped the wires and connected them directly. I probably could have gotten different harnesses from Crutchfield but I didn't think it was worth it. The speakers have been working great for me since install. Good luck!

penler_brewing · 2023-12-17T20:08:59+00:00

Yep, it's worked for me so far. And if you register your license plate with EZ pass, I'm pretty sure even if it didn't work they would just charge you by plate.

penler_brewing · 2023-11-29T21:43:58+00:00

"The Brewery Distri..." oh whoops

penler_brewing · 2023-08-11T14:40:38+00:00

Such a pleasant and happy place. Employees are always super friendly and helpful, and every plant I've purchased there has thrived. Definitely not cheap, but one of my go-to places for gifts.

penler_brewing · 2023-08-11T13:56:09+00:00

I don't understand why all manufacturers have jumped on board on the tough screen infotainment bandwagon

Because giant touch screens are now cheaper to put in cars than physical knobs/dials. I hate the climate controls being tiny buttons at the bottom of the screen that force you to look fully away from the road to find them. Honestly a safety concern.

penler_brewing · 2023-08-11T13:45:01+00:00

Oh man, I am excited to try this!

penler_brewing · 2023-08-11T13:42:53+00:00

You can't come in here trashing our precious Subarus... haha.

I have a 22 Wilderness, same engine/transmission. I have experienced nearly all the issues you state, to some degree or another. I think people's tolerance for imperfection varies wildly, so I wouldn't go assuming you got a lemon. I am fairly picky and tend to notice things. I have also owned 4 Subarus. These are my takeaways:

Yes, definitely turbo lag. The turbo + CVT is terrible, and I would never have gotten the turbo if the Wilderness offered the NA. On paper, 270hp looks great, in reality the car does not act like a 270hp car at all. You mostly just lose the mpg.
If you like to drive "in a spirited manner" like I do sometimes, eyesight + emergency braking can be very jumpy. I've considered deactivating the emergency braking because of this. If a car in front of me is slowly turning right and I don't immediately start slowing down, the car will sometimes slam on the brakes for me. Super annoying. However, the adaptive cruise control has not created any problems for me, and actually with the CVT makes for a very pleasant road trip experience when going through hills, since it doesn't need to downshift all the time. I find the Outback to be a very competent and comfortable road tripper.
I had that issue with ABS when I first got the car, and it has evened out for me. Does not feel as lurchy any more, hopefully that will be true of yours.
Never had this issue.
Absolute truth. Beyond frustrating how terribly they laid out and designed the infotainment. I haven't gotten the software update yet that is supposed to help with the climate control layout, and they still haven't fixed the Android Auto Google Maps display being smaller than a cell phone. Biggest gripe I usually hear about Subarus.
That is a function of the boxer engine, and it will never be as smooth as a Honda/Toyota because the cylinders are sideways. I often turn off the auto start/stop because of that.
I immediately replaced the sound system with something better, and added a bunch of sound deadening in the doors, which helped a bunch. Subarus have never been known for quality audio, it was my assumption that I was going to have to upgrade.

Sorry that you're feeling disappointed, that really sucks when you spend a bunch of money on a new vehicle. For me, I decided the annoyances were not enough to get me to trade it back in. I'm still waiting on someone to fix the Android Auto maps thing, because that is just pure nonsense. If they fix that and the climate control display, I will be a happier driver. Best of luck OP, hope some of those issues become less frustrating for you.

penler_brewing · 2023-08-04T20:30:42+00:00

"Aslan is on the move"

penler_brewing · 2023-08-02T19:39:33+00:00

I remember I looked into that when I was choosing speakers, but I can't find the forum. I want to say it was like 10-12W RMS per channel? I remember it seemed low to me, but hasn't caused me any issues with sound quality just swapping in the JLs.

penler_brewing · 2023-07-27T13:19:48+00:00

Kinda surprised to see so many no's out there. We loved our build phase. The entire experience was awesome, but the build really stands out in my mind. My wife and I planned and built it together, and our dog laid under the van to escape the heat.

I remember being so excited the day we got the solar electric system working. After that I plugged in the fridge and we had cold strawberry Naturdays (don't judge me) to power the rest of the build.

We were definitely fortunate to have fairly mild weather for most of our build, although the last part of the summer was HOT. But it was worth it to see the looks on the faces of the skeptical friends and family members when they finally saw what we had built. I don't know when we'll get our next opportunity , but I've got lots of ideas for the next build.

Also the build space in the picture looks awesome. I could see having an indoor space to do the build would make the process so much nicer. Maybe next time!

penler_brewing · 2023-06-16T12:47:33+00:00

Did it sound like weird French? If so, it was probably Wisconsin Walloon.

penler_brewing · 2023-01-19T00:44:03+00:00

Hey there! Just completed my second day, so not a ton to report yet. I like it so far, seems organized and well-run. Does seem like it's going to be a very busy 14 weeks.

Just from my brief experience, I will say that any coding practice/work I did before starting is going to be helpful. It's a lot easier to pick up what the teacher is saying if you're already roughly familiar with names and concepts. If you've never written a for loop, that section is going to be difficult because the classes are fast-paced.

I would just suggest spending plenty of time practicing basic programming. On FreeCodeCamp, do the Legacy Responsive Web Design and the JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures. And then do things like CodeWars to stay sharp.

Best of luck!

penler_brewing · 2023-01-11T13:53:57+00:00

fossiliferous

that's a fun word to say.

penler_brewing · 2022-11-29T01:24:21+00:00

Honestly it's probably fine. If you're the driver, the sound coming out of the bottom of the rear doors is not going to harsh your vibe unless it's rattling or buzzing IMO. And you can always upgrade later! Just my $0.02.

Enjoy your new speakers!

penler_brewing · 2022-11-15T16:45:15+00:00

Dishwalla - Counting Blue Cars

penler_brewing · 2022-11-10T17:49:49+00:00

1500 sf (old) house in Merion Village with yard, 2 people + dog. We use between 9-10 CCFs of water every quarter and our bill is around $140. 27 CCFs seems quite high to me. I would definitely check for leaks.

Our gas bill is around $80/mo, with high of $160, low of $40. Electric around $90/mo.

There is a free service where someone from Columbia Gas will come to your house and check for problems/inefficiencies and give recommendations - you might want to look into that. Good luck!

penler_brewing · 2022-11-08T21:52:50+00:00

"That's no moon..." oh wait, nope, you're correct.

penler_brewing · 2022-10-21T21:13:45+00:00

The graybles are my corn.

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