Mike, you mentioned the CVT on the Subie, I'd be interested to hear your take on CVT's, they got a bad wrap early on but do you feel they are better now or still an item to be mindful of on higher mileage vehicles equipped with one?
JB
@jbmatth We have a 2022 Outback with the CVT. Subaru says it has lifetime fluid. I plan to service mine when the time comes. Problem is, since Subie doesn't recommend changing, what interval should I use?
Also curious on the trans fluid, the wife has a 2019 but only 40k miles on it so far.
Personally, I am not a fan of CVT's for the long haul. When my wife had her 2004 Nissan Altima as her daily driver I was overall very pleased and impressed with it as the total cost of ownership for that car was extremely low during the 10 years we owned it. Even well after turning over 200k miles I was impressed and would have purchased another when we upgraded had they had a standard auto transmission like her 2004 did. Unfortunately, the next generation of Altima's had the CVT transmission so that took them off of my list of potential cars for the wife when we were looking in early 2016. I had worked on a few Rogues and even a few 2007-2009 Altima's and was not impressed with the CVT in these vehicles. Another friend had one in his wife's Audi and had multiple issues before they sold it/traded in. They work great on a snowmobile or ATV but I just don't think 200k+ miles on one in a car will be the same as a standard 4-speed or 6-speed auto transmission. I had seen several people scrap their Rogues and a co-worker scrapped his wife's Altima because they developed CVT issues and parts were unavailable, only could be purchased as a complete assembly. A neighbor bought a used CVT from a scrapyard and we replaced it for him but he only got about another 14 or so months before that one developed issues and he ended up selling as a mechanics special.
I think they got a lot of publicity and positive reviews when the cars were new and even several automotive authorities/publications really liked them when they did their 15k mile review or 1-year review but it's the 200+ mile reviews or 10+ year reviews I was more interested in and what I was finding is that they were less than as favorable as the 1-year/15k reviews. I think the hype about them being lighter and more economic overshadowed the questions about longevity.
I believe several of the manufacturers have now gone back to 6, 8 or even 10-speed auto's in favor of the CVT's so that may say something as well but initially they were cheaper to construct so they thought CVT's were a win/win.
Now all that being said, the Subaru CVT seems to be more resilient and I have seen/heard less failures in the Subie's compared to other manufacturers, but I'm still not much of a fan and would much rather have a traditional slush box. Specific to Subaru USA, they state "lifetime fluid" and it is suggested that you do not service it, no other explanation is really given. However, Subaru Canada as well as the mother ship, Subaru Japan, both state CVT service @ 36k miles so to me that tells a different story. That's just my opinion so take that for what it's worth.
As for the "lifetime fluid" statements that many manufacturers use these days, I am quite appalled by the thought that fluids last forever and they are continuing that communication to the public. I have been in the preventive maintenance game for more than 35 years and I have never seen fluids that don't have their additive packages depleted over time and that don't take on contaminants. I feel a fluid has several jobs in whatever system it is designed for. Some of those systems such as a hydraulic system require the fluids to actually do the work, an auto transmission is one of these systems. Other systems require fluids to perform the lubrication function as well to absorb, carry and remove heat all while carrying wear particles back to a filter media. As a by-product of any mechanical system there is normal wear and with that wear comes small particles in which the fluid must also carry to some sort of filtration system. However, even the best filters cannot and do not capture all microscopic particles, therefore fluids themselves need to be replaced allowing clean, fresh fluid with renewed additive packages to be introduced into the component if the component is to continue performing as designed.
Now all that being said, I have an opinion on why manufactures claim to have lifetime fluids in their products. I feel the term "lifetime" that these manufactures talk about is the warranty period of the vehicle and it is by design. I feel the manufacturers design into their products an expiration date if you will and that ends at the warranty period. I also think they have "trained" the general public so well to the point that many feel they "need" a warranty in order to have a car of any value and when the warranty period is up, many start thinking they need a new car. I actually have family members that fall well into this category and I have been unsuccessful to change their minds and I'm certain I never will. I have tried to explain that with today's technology, cars that have normal routine maintenance performed and if they are well cared for can go upwards of 200k-300k miles, with the emphasis on IF they are properly maintained. I would assume that the manufacturers plan their profit margin by taking that warranty into account because after that, they are no longer "on the hook" if you will for that vehicles ongoing maintenance, even though it will go much, much longer if properly maintained. I have tried to explain that if they have the vehicle serviced properly and at the recommended intervals there is a very low chance that it will develop any major issues and the manufacturers know this. Granted there are some exceptions but as a general rule I find this to be true. Now once a vehicle's warranty period is over doesn't mean the vehicle is headed to the scrap yard but in some people's minds it may as well be because it has no value to them and I feel there are many, many people under this same mindset.
Anyways, sorry for the long diatribe but overall I am not a fan of CVT's in automobiles nor "lifetime fluids", and still not completely sold on GDI (Gasoline Direct Injection) either. But that's another just as long of diatribe.
in my brain but I thing alligator performance seemed to offer a non factory boot replacement that held the boost a lot better with less expansion
