Experience with the Subaru Tribeca?

It's time for us to upgrade from the Forester to get some extra space and seats. After much weighing of size vs. fuel mileage (and my wife flatly refusing to get a minivan) the Tribeca seems to have won (plus, having owned 6 Subarus, I do have a bit of brand loyalty as well). Aside from the fact that they are absolutely hideous, does anyone have any first-hand experience with these? Anything unique to look out for as far as maintenance? I've dealt with all of the Subaru 4's, but never the 6's. Thanks in advance!

I had a cousin that bought one, and he went through absolute hell with it. The transmission went as well as the BCM within a year of ownership. He got out of it real quick.

Only other thing I can add is that the newer ones have an interior that reminds me of a spaceship.

Personally, I'd just get an Outback if you have to get a Subaru. I bet the newer ones actually have more space inside than the Tribeca.

We looked at the new Outback, but I don't think it'll go 3-wide with car seats/booster seat...

I prefer the Malevolent Tribeca to the B9 Tribeca.

Sort of the red headed step child of the Subaru line. The first year had it's issues, but the later ones have been o.k. I have a good friend who knows and cares nothing about cars that has over 160k on his, and it's still going strong. Gas mileage is a little tough, it's big and it's AWD

Streetwiseguy wrote: I prefer the Malevolent Tribeca to the B9 Tribeca.

Well-played, sir, well-played.

car39 wrote: Sort of the red headed step child of the Subaru line. The first year had its issues, but the later ones have been o.k. I have a good friend who knows and cares nothing about cars that has over 160k on his, and it's still going strong. Gas mileage is a little tough, it's big and it's AWD

That's all pretty much what I've read/heard on other forums as well -- pretty much on-par with the rest of the Subaru line as far as reliability and maintenance are concerned. Also like the rest of the subaru line, it has its individual quirks.

I worked for Subaru when they came out and I thought they were hideous and that no one would buy them -- I was generally right. We're going to be paying cash for it, so the additional fuel cost each month is far less than a car payment would be if we were to get the new Outback.

As a side note, we have 3 kids and tried the '00-'04 Outback wagon.

Did not work.

Switching back to a minivan per the wife's request.

Co-worker had a newer Tribeca and didn't like it. Poor gas mileage for a 6 cyl. was one of the main reasons.

+1 on just get an outback (or a legacy) or a forester xt instead. tribeca's essentially are only distant relatives of everything else in the lineup, and from what I've seen, have waaaaaaaaaay more problems in general.
Personally, I'd shoot for a Forester xt since (iirc) they don't sell the forester with the very good 3.6
The 6s seem good though, so if it must be a subaru, outback 3.6?

but if you need to go three wide with car seats you may be better served by getting a nissan armada or the biggest honda thing or toyota thing, it seems like they may be wide enough

Edit: had to delete most of my post because I didn't read a lot of the thread LOL