Driving an Impreza 2.5i in the mountains of Colorado

[Elipse]

This summer my son moved from Iowa to Glenwood Springs Colorado. He has a 2010 Impreza 2.5i (automatic tranny) and there are like a "gazillion" Subaru's in Colorado. 

 

We come from the "flat lands" of Iowa - so keep that in mind. When he travels between Denver and Glenwood - the car simply sounds like it is going to blow up. It seems vastly under powered and the transmission is constantly "kicking down" to a lower gear.  

 

Should we be looking at upgrading to a 3.6 vehicle? Like I said - I see a LOT of  Subarus in Colorado and they can't all be 3.6's can they? 

 

And secondly - when he is driving in the mountains should he shift it down to the next lower gear? But if so - then isn't the motor going to be under constant high RPM strain? 

 

Thank you so much - I'm hoping to hear some feedback from Subaru guys that live in the mountains and maybe have the same 2.5i with an automatic. 

 

Roger 

[montana tom]

Manual trannys do best in the mountains , but yes, just shift down your automatic, its no different than downshifting a stickshift. Most of the 4 cly  subis lack head snapping power. But they run & run & run, they also go just about anywhere. Let him drive what he has ... he'll let you know if he thinks he needs a "better" one.

[Elipse]

Montana Tom - thanks! So - is it a good idea to shift it down (for the sake of the tranny?) Or - doesn't it really matter if its downshifting all the time? 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I'm a flatlander too but sometimes visit my oldest daughter in CoSpgs. (others here may have better advice)

 

def. downshift on down-grades to prevent cooking the brakes.

 

drive a little slower - but, the car is not going to 'blow-up', it's downshifting actually reduces 'lugging' the engine and reduces it's load. Forcing a car to remain in a high gear under load can lead to overheating and poor lubrication.

 

keep the car in good condition - fluid changes, bled/flushed brake system, good tires, etc.

 

RetroRoo is too far away, but Shawn (owner of this site)  may be able to recommend a shop to your son that is in/near G'd Spgs. http://retroroo.com/

Edited October 28, 2016 by 1 Lucky Texan

[DaveT]

Subaru engines are made to spin fast, not lug. I am most familiar with the older ones, but 3-4000 rpm is not stress.

[idosubaru]

Just let it rev and do it's job.   Properly maintained the mechanicals can make 300,000 miles easily.

Using the foot instead of cruise can prevent it from downshifting - if i can keep it from downshifting, why can't the computer?

 

I have found 6 cylinders are helpful, but not always or across the board - depends on speed and the grades and vehicle - sometimes they're wanting to downshift too.

01-04 H6's seem to want to downshift - pretty much all the time at highway speeds if i have the cruise on but i can avoid much downshift without using cruise and if i'm not carrying a huge load (family, kids, gear),

my EZ30 Tribeca doesn't downshift as much (it's the later version EZ30 with like 250hp instead of 220 or 230 like the 00-04's.  

 

So i think the EZ's are nice but the cars are getting bigger/heavier and it'll depend on the grade, curves, speed, etc.  

 

My 1988 XT6 automatic with the first version of the 4EAT found in newer gen cars, is the only one that doesn't downshift at all in the mountains - but it's a light and small vehicle i guess. 

[bratman2]

If the Impreza is huntingbetween gears your best off manually dropping it down a gear for it to hold that gear. At least until the grade levels off or becomes down hill. Like mentioned before it is actually less strain on the engine. Better yet it is much less strain on the automatic transmission too! I am familiar with some of the roads your talking about and have had the pleasure to cross them many times with my oldest daughter. She has a Rav4 with the 4 cyl. and we sometimes are turning 4-5k in those areas.

[janas19]

Texan, I disagree. Cook your brakes before cooking your engine.

[jp98]

I have driven that mountain route more times that I care to think about from blizzards in the winter to hot dry days in the summers and all I have done is to downshift out of overdrive just out of Vail on my way up Vail Pass and leave it there until I am headed down.  I'll then downshift it out of OD again on my way up Eisenhower Pass to the tunnels and then back once I hit the tunnels. 

 

I don't like it when a transmission is hunting for a gear downshifting and up-shifting all the time so I just lock it into a gear and go.  Even out of OD you'll be well below the RPM limit as long as you run the speed limit. 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Texan, I disagree. Cook your brakes before cooking your engine.

 

boil the brake fluid and die?

 

even professional truck drivers engine brake. No one is saying not to 'touch' the brakes - but if you 'ride' them, you are asking for trouble.

 

Still, you live there , not me. I just don't think engine braking on descent will cook an engine.

 

YMMV

Edited October 31, 2016 by 1 Lucky Texan