Aberdeen Chris

May I ask if the oil was changed recently, and did it sound like valve tap or big/small end. 

A long screwdriver used carefully to avoid moving parts makes an awesome stethoscope for identifying internal sounds location more accurately.

Good luck with your dealer and I hope you get a positive outcome.

It's true!

Later in the week the snow changed and I got stuck  at the bottom of an off road track.

Had to dig us out and it took three attempts to get 'out of the woods'

350nm of torque wasn't enough due to the car dragging underneath. Was glad of the rear view camera as had to reverse back down again each time, so it was important to stay in the track and avoid slipping off the edge and getting caught against a tree.

Third attempt pumping the accelerator in first and we just made it up the hill and out.

I don't know if a land rover could have done any better due to it's weight 😓

Looking good,

Nice van and you got a mover, that'll save the clutch ☺

We were deep in the woods hauling logs

No drama for an XV

Nice one.

I'll be off grid camping in the middle of my remote woods again soon

Yep the camera is great for hookup single handed.

2 weeks very exciting stuff. So I suppose a wee weekend jaunt is on the cards soon 😎

I see many new van's are like more than 8 foot wide.

Hopefully yours isn't.  Because one thing I love about the XV  it's better than most Suv's and is not the width if a bus as many seem to be; at least when they're parked. 

My van's 7'1" which is enough for me. But over 8ft width through narrow British streets doesnt sound relaxing.

So when do you take del ??

Like the self portrait also in the rear bumper. Or maybe it's the car's spirit caught by chance.

Good tyres too for this time if year 👍

Looks good in white 😁

I'm curious about the wind deflectors..

Do they stop the rain coming in when the driver windows open a few inches!

The boot looks annoying. Especially when tapped holes for plastic number plate bolts are provided. But a good sand treat and fill should stop it. I'm sure a paint shop would give a couple of coats of 2k paint for under 100. 

Or why not just mask the inner part and spray it black too!

I agree.

I usually get from eBay or the main dealer who let's me take empty oil containers and fills them with Havoline oil cheaper than I can buy it elsewhere. Plus I get a receipt to prove I used the correct oil for warranty purposes.

There's quite a difference between the two!

The Mann filter looks like it may have come from Dingbro, that's where garages here get all their parts from.

Like the grill btw

Tummy rub's the important bit to remember!

Stability control does seem quite sensitive, especially on the back roads on the snow and when passing over a bump the light flashes on mine too.

If you go to full lock when stationary then one wheel may move backwards slightly giving an unbalanced reading to your car's brain.

Have you tried connecting an OBD2 scanner to check for any codes ?

Computers are great when they work, when they don't I usually get a phonecall lol

Maybe you could follow the manual reset oil for computer as at the end if this. It may work ? and should be done every time oil is changed on a diesal  🐴

I take 2 empty 5l oil containers to my subaru dealer and they fill with the correct 'Havoline' engine oil they specify for the diesal.

It works out cheaper than buying on eBay this way and they supply a filter also.

By keeping the receipt I can prove I have used the correct subaru' s own oil so this covers any potential issues with warranty, and they are happy for me to do this.

When you have changed the oil the procedure for my car which is 2016 diesal is on page 11-17 of the manual will re-set the on-board computers oil replacement data.

Because if the high pressures in a diesal some is absorbed over time into the oil diluting it!

The procedure for my car after replacing oil is:-

1. Depress brake pedal

2. Start engine, and keep it in idling. 

3. Release the clutch pedal.

4. With depressing the brake pedal, perform the following:

  (1) press the rear window defogger

  (2) turn the headlight to the =00= position

  (3) press the rear defogger position to off

 (4) turn the headlight position to "O" position

  (5) repeat steps 1) through 4) once more, and go to next step

  (6) release the brake pedal.

Note

Each step (1) through (6) must be operated within 4 seconds.

5. The preheating indicator light will blink approximately 5 seconds when the data was reset successfully.

If it doesn't work then turn the engine off for 15 sec and repeat the above steps again.

I have done this when I change the oil and filter and it worked no problems. Although I suppose if you are doing an interim oil change between dealer ones then it probably isn't really needed.

But I also believe it's worth doing an oil change every 5k or 6 months as it keeos the engine cleaner internally and reduces wear long-term. Plus when you consider how much money goes into the fuel tank, it's not a great cost. 

I now average 45mpg 50% town and 50% at 50mph on country road, and I don't mince about 😉

19 minutes ago, Swayze88 said:

Come on then, whats the limit? 

Here here, we all need to know

On 14/11/2017 at 11:28 PM, Dogconker said:

Yes both van and car are 13 pin, Subaru only fit 13pin themselves, it’s a new van so they’re all 13 pin  now. Haven’t even got it yet.

I'm sure it will be great fun, it's great being able to pull in to a nice spot have a wee rest a cuppa and perhaps a bacon roll without the hassle of needing services.

Will you fit a motor mover? They make life much easier in the clutch especially when reversing up an incline at an angle!!

Have they fitted a 13 pin socket?

Your van will likely have a 12n and 12s 7pins, but a converter can be had from eBay cheaply.

I actually re wired my van to 13 pin and it works very well, although there are a few differences in the wiring which must be considered, but a new cable and socket has been worth it 

Ditto.

I need mine to do me at least thirteen years or more. The car I traded for it was twenty years and in fantastic condition, although the clutch must have been getting thin having done almost 160000 miles lol, but it is good to run a car for a long time I think. I had it for fifteen years.

Oh and if you ask they should give you the crash bar they remove from behind the bumper.

You may want to keep the tow bar for another XV ☺

Hope it looks as tidy as this

Well your welcome to pop in for a cuppa. I'm Royal Deeside on the best road for the Cairngorms national park. Follow the road through the mountains and it brings you out just passed Dundee heading south and you pass Balmoral Castle as you enter them. Quite beautiful landscape this time of year although in winter the snow gates get closed occasionally.

If your joining the caravan club there's banchory caravan park nearby which is quite nice or Ballater too.

But heading south through the mountains is less of a struggle than heading north because there's a long stretch down a mountain. My old Volvo v40 needed 2nd gear to get up, for about 1/2 A mile lol. But it's got to be one of the most scenic roads in the UK.

That is if you get this far north 😁

It is surprisingly good at accelerating with van in tow. And you are well within capacity. You just got to watch what the wife tries to cram in the van lol.

It's often just my wee dog and self offgrid in the woods, so the mover's handy for getting the van into difficult locations off road. Not easy reversing a caravan uphill at the best of times!

My longest tow was Aberdeen to the Eden Project in Cornwall about 1500miles return trip. Traveling with a Van is a delight when you stop at service stations or in a layby because a decent cuppa and eggs and bacon are always on  hand, plus a clean loo !

My van is only 1200kg, but I find the XV to be a very good towing vehicle.

I have fitted a motor mover to my van as the clutch on subaru's are "A bit soft" and the hill start feature can be bad on the clutch also.

The torque is fantastic and pulling 1ton van acceleration is easily enough to keep a pace with any traffic including overtaking on B roads, I have fitted a rear camera on the van hard wired to a removable 7"sceen so knowing when to pull in is easy.

Driving a long distance is no problem although small corrections on the steering is the only slight weak point. Stability at speed with stabilizer fitted is awesome. 

Having a short distance from the rear axle to towball is a big bonus. 70kg is the max weight on the ball and the rear suspension is brilliant at coping without any sagging.

I had a tow ball fitted by the dealer so got the EU 13 pin socket so I rewired my van.

If you tow quite a lot diff oil and gear oil needs changing more often.

But I think the XV Diesal is a great towing vehicle and should handle 1450kg ok, although your van will weigh almost the same as your car, and it helps if the car is heavier than the van. 

I don't know how they affect insurance as it would be a mod. But they make the body stiffer and reduce for on individual strut tower by spreading the load across both towers which is a good thing.

Also I wondered if they may make the car a little stronger in a collision?

Perhaps a phone call to your insurance to see if they accept such a mod as acceptable might be worth wild as the mod does not in anyway affect any moving parts?

Good luck 🙄

I do get 36mpg towing a caravan on B roads

570 miles a tank wow is that mostly dual carriageway driving?