Dear ultimate Subaru forum users, And especially long time users like GD, Nipper, 1 Lucky Texan (and many others of course as well),
But after well over 22 years of driving with various Subaru cars I will step out and lock the doors of my 2009 OBW for the last time in two weeks. I have had three cars in this time, an old 91 legacy EJ20 4EAT 2WD followed by an 99 impreza EJ16 MT running on LPG and later a OBW BL 09 4EAT VTD running on LPG. In the Netherlands/Holland driving these high CO2 cars is, even on LPG, a very expensive habit. This is then also the main reason for changing to a 2017 Toyota Auris 1.2T CVT. Here road tax goes by weight, emission and fuel type. Gasoline being the cheapest, then LPG and then Diesel. And car insurance is determined by new car sales value. And here is the trick, or unlucky part. A car has a base price, and then for every gram of CO2 per km above 105g you pay 235 euros extra (per gram!!! 26k euro tax, then 21% normal tax on a 31k euro car). Hence a 215g/km Outback has a very high sales price. About double of that in USA! This is of course the main reason why most cars in Netherlands are Mini and Micro sized cars, according to US size standards. An other problem is the rare-ness of Subaru in the Netherlands, of the 2003-2009 OBW only 2500 have been sold. YES!!! The market is so small and spare 2nd hand parts are impossible to source. Additionally, original spare parts are insanely priced to the added very high workmanship price. And due to the rarity, almost no un-branded garage knows much about the tech and tools. The OBW just became a little bit to expensive to drive on both road tax and maintenance cost.
In general I have not had any significant breakdowns or issues, showing reliability and durability is there. Even running on LPG had no major consequences on reliability, and many Polish and Italians will agree to this. The worst problem I had was with the OBW and was due to a leak in the exhaust pipe making the ATF temperature sensor go mad. The seal between the front and back pipe came out. Instead of reading high the sensor read low and force the gearbox to run in 3rd gear. After, re-setting and fixing the exhaust it never returned.
We have been through many places, both very temps, and low temps the OBW always worked. I will miss the very limited 25y anniversary model with all (yes all, including HID and self levelling suspension) options, red leather upholstery of very good quality (not a single wear mark after 160k miles).
Maybe, hopefully, I will be back in future, that will be electric then, as there is no other way how any ICE car can remain affordable here. (Current electric cars pay no road tax and if you make your own electricity you drive for free). I am looking forward what the Solterra will bring.
But with this all I want to thank you forum members as always being a valuable input, helpful and friendly.
See you hopefully in future.
Remco
Picking up the trailer on holiday
Getting LPG at -16F in Latvia.
After I first got it, about 4 years old.
Interior