Best budget overland vehicle? - 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i (build thread)

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morty muerte

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Outback 2.5i 'Budget Build' - thread

subie build-22.jpg

So 5 or 6 months ago I wanted to build an overland vehicle but had no idea what i wanted.
So I would google all sorts of things like "best budget overland vehicle".

I would then see people posting this exact question on forums like this one and I could just feel the collective eye roll. Because its an impossible question to answer!!!

Finally someone chimed in and said,
"The best budget overland vehicle is the vehicle you already have!"

This advice resonated with me because it is so true. Now for me it wasn’t possible, I was driving a Mini Cooper and could barely fit a tent into my car, but for the most part, very true. Everyone's needs, budgets, vehicular expectations are different. So figure it out for yourself dude!!!
(Thats me talking to myself, not anyone else).

So 4 months later (most of which was spent deciding on a vehicle) I had my first overland build.

I had dozens of questions and got a ton of help from folks on this forum, so even though I’m not one to post a 'build thread', I figured I’d share my experience with the other newbies… by... posting ... a build thread.
Man I keep contradicting myself!!!

Project Specs

Total project budget: $25,000
Vehicular Needs: adventure vehicle with some off road capability AND a daily driver (Los Angeles)

Platform

So here was the first question. Which car do I get?
My budget allowed for either a used 4runner, a rebuilt XJ, or perhaps a used Landcruiser.

I am by no means a “wrencher” so reliability and low maintenance was an absolute must for me, I used to own an XJ years ago, and while it was a boss hog off road, I hated any kind of long drive I would have to do as it was simply not a comfortable long haul automobile.

I knew most of my trips would end up being about 96% on road, 4 % off road. I mean lets be honest.
So i had to keep that in mind too.

My main purpose is a back country and BLM camp car as well as a transport vehicle for my true go anywhere overland vehicle; my steel mountain bike.

Because Station Wagons are awesome off road… or something?

So yeah, i decided on a station wagon for some odd reason. A 2017 Subaru Outback to be exact.
I found a steal of a deal on a Subaru dealer loaner car with only 3,200 miles on it! Basically brand new.
I drove a hard bargain. The sales guy wanted to murder me by the time it was over. I got her home for $22k flat.


subie build-10.jpg
(first trip to Death Valley, CA)
subie build-13.jpg
(Idyllwild, CA)

Its a base model, and I mean BASE model, no front fog lights, no seat heaters, 4 speaker stereo, she is one basic biatch. But i figured if i was going to lift something and take it off road a lot, less frills the better. Keep it simple.

Also, what I love about Subaru is a base model 2.5i has the same motor and all wheel drive system as a Limited 2.5i . Cars used to do this back in the day and I really respected that. With the Jeep XJ you could get in a base model inline 6 with 4wd OR a limited with the same motor and same 4x4 system. You didn’t have to sacrifice off road performance when you wanted to save some money.

Yota 4runner is sort of my dream car, I’d love a new one, but to get the off road specs I want I’m up in the $40K range, and honestly i'd rather buy a sail boat.
So i decided to lean towards low mileage reliability over going with a higher mileage used vehicle.
2.5i Outback it is.

Ok so $22K, so that left me $3K to play with.

I didn’t feel great about using so much of my budget on the platform at first, especially since i'm not a DIY car guy, but then realized, half the stuff on my long wish list I didn’t REALLY need.

So here is what I went with…

Lift
Anderson Fabrications 2” spacer lift.
I had this installed at Jim’s Auto in Crestline CA.

Not exactly in my neighborhood, i live near downtown LA, but close enough. They are awesome and Nathan over there really understands the limits and capabilities of Subaru’s, so I felt it was well worth the drive. And who don't love a lifted wagon?

subie build-4.jpg
Springs

This was a tricky one and probably my biggest question when planning my build.

Everyone I had talked to had different opinions. My mechanic even suggested keeping the springs stock for more articulation and play off road.

My biggest fear when modifying a practically brand new vehicle was that I would be downgrading the day-to-day ride quality. Lets be honest, OEM is usually OEM for a reason.

So… I decided to go with standard height King Springs.

subie build-19.jpg
I wasn’t able to compare OEM springs and King springs with the spacer lift already installed since I had it installed all at one time, but I will say, after driving the car for 30 seconds after the install, I was in love with how the Outback handled. It feels faster, more responsive, less spongey and way less lazy. I did not expect such positive results out of new springs. But it truly changed the entire dynamic of the vehicle for the better.

For any of you Outback drivers on the fence about springs or no springs with your spacer lift, go with springs and go with the Standard Height King’s. I love them. Worth every damn penny.

They are stiffer so they inadvertently add an extra 1/2” - ish of height, so they look bad ass, and more importantly, the handling on road is drastically improved. And who doesn’t love a little yellow accent color in the wheel well?


Tires
Another big decision.
KO2 or Geolanders. Everyone had their opinions, so I decided neither.

Got a set of Hankook ATM’s (245 65R 17). The tread is beefier than the Geolanders, and less aggressive than the KO2. Obviously a huge improvement from stock. They have been great on road and do extremely well off road.

subie build-16.jpg

In all honesty, i would have gone KO2's but my biggest issue with the KO2’s was price. $250 per tire is a lot of money on an expendable item. I didn’t want to spend it $1250 on a set of 5.

And now that its been a couple months, honestly, the only issues I have with off road capability is the approach and departure angle of this vehicle. And Ko2’s aren’t going to solve that. This all wheel drive system with the Hankook ATM's has handled everything Ive thrown at it. Hands down. Love em!

subie build-5.jpg

Armor
Went with a Primitive front skid plate.

Again, a budget build, and I personally think cars are the worst investment of all time, so turning a $22K car into a $42K car did not appeal to me at all, so I went with a "less is more” approach.

subie build-18.jpg

The front skid plate has saved me a couple times at high speed on a dirt road where I didn’t see a sudden dip, I have had no contact issues with the mid or rear section of the vehicle, so I’m still happy with skipping those high ticket items.


Hitch
Had Precision Hitches (Sunland, CA) put a 2” on there. They do a beatiful job of tucking the hitch as far back as possible. I’m very happy with the work. If you are in the LA area i recommend.

Hitch Bike rack
I splurged on the bike rack from"1up USA" aluminum rack in black.
Bike rack aesthetics were important to me since I tend to leave mine on most days. I went with the black version to blend nicely with the trim of the car.
I tend to take it off when I go camping, so these current pics don’t have the bike rack on. But day to day around LA its usually on as mountain biking is something i do several evenings per week.
I'll try to update this post with a bike rack pic.

Wheels
I went back and forth between Sparco and Motegi. I needed that offset man! … At least I thought I did.
But then I realized the stock 17" wheels on this thing look pretty awesome as is, they are light weight, and I think visually, once you swap out for after market wheels on a wagon (or most cars), it cheapens the look and resembles a lowered Honda Civic from my old high school days (at least in my humble opinion). So I went with stock. And they cost me nothing.

subie build-8.jpg

I ordered wheel spacers to improve the offset and was planning to to have them installed when I went up to Jim’s Auto in Crest Line, and yeah, I ordered the wrong ones. Oops.
But it was a blessing in disguise because once I saw the car all finished I realized it didn’t need spacers at all. And the good news is, less chance of rubbing and less chance of debris kicked up onto the paint around my wheel well.


Rubbing???
With my 245’s the only rubbing issue I have is if I hightail it out of a parking lot fast while making a hard 90 degree turn. Because obviously the car is hitting a bump at speed while making a sharp turn. This has only happened twice and serves as a reminder for me to stop driving like such an A-hole, but this has never happen to me off road since I’m pretty careful in dirt and tend not to drive like i just robbed a bank. So if you are on the fence about 245 or 225 (which I was), I say go with 245. They look way better and more sidewall is never a bad thing.

Full Size Spare / 5 tire rotation
I bought a steel wheel and put an extra Hankook ATM on it.
Some folks say to work in a 5 tire rotation. My mechanic told me its not worth the trouble and not to bother.
So that 5th tire is just there for that awful day when I might need it. I was originally planning to order a 5th OEM wheel, but once i realized i would not be rotating it in, and that nobody would ever see it since its up on the rack, i wen't with a black steely.

As for the 5th tire rotation, i realize is a discussion for debate. To me, it was as easy as listening to my mechanic. But if you do a 5 tire rotation, more power to you, i'm sure it will work out great!

subie build-9.jpg


Day to day the spare lives in the trunk which is fine since I rarely need all the space this wagon affords me,
And then when I go on a trip, I toss it up on the…

...Rack
Found a used Yakima Mega Warrior on craigslist for $125.

subie build-7.jpg

I originally had the load warrior in my sites since thats what most people recommend for these cars, but the guy on craigslist (on the phone) didn’t know which model it was. So when I met up with him in the Whole Foods parking lot I saw it was a mega warrior and I was reluctant to purchase. However, I decided to go for it and I could not be happier. Its wider than the car and I think it looks pretty great. I gave it a fresh coat of Rustoleum and I plasti-dipped the fairing black and put a Smokey the Bear sticker on it as sort of my vehicle mascot.

subie build-17.jpg




Recovery Items
  • LP aventure jack spacer
  • 1x1 piece of plywood (in case I need to seat the jack off road)
  • 20’ nylon tow strap
  • MaxFlow air compressor (works great for $60, no issues)
  • ABS air down gauge (saves me a lot of time when I hit the trail)
  • Shovel (use mostly for pooping in the wild)
  • One final item I might get are some traction boards. Haven’t gotten there yet and still on the fence. This car seems to love sand. So its been hard to spend the extra money.

subie build-2.jpg


In case anyone is interested…

These are the things I thought I needed / wanted and then cut off my list because I either realized I didn’t need, or because I found a cheaper alternative. Like I said, its a budget build, so I wanted to keep it simple and cheap. After all, a wise man once said in a movie...

"The things you own end up owning you" - Tyler Durden

  • Rotopax
    • went with a couple 3 gallon Reliance desert patrol containers instead. $20 each. Tie down beautifully with a bungee. So far so good (as seen in the pics).
  • Fuel Cans
    • I suddenly realized the car holds 18.5 gallons, so why on earth would I need another fuel container?!
  • Shovel mount
    • A 3$ rubber bungees did the trick, I also have no desire to drive around with a shovel on my roof in Los Angeles and look like a poser.
  • Rooftop tent
    • I realized I like being able to nestle in between a few trees with my sleep system and didn’t want to be confined to the vehicle. Also… $ cheaper.
    • And my total tent set up time is so fast now (2min 13 sec.) i don't think it would make a time difference.
    • Also i love the look of a rack and would not want to have to put the tent on and off for each trip i take, nor would i want a tent always on my vehicle.
subie build-21.jpg
  • Awning
    • same story as tent. Bought a Kelty tarp system, works great and its nice to be able to put it anywhere and not be next to the Subaru at all times. Plus i enjoy mastering a truckers knot.
  • Rear Drawer system
    • found an aluminum table that sets up in 10 seconds. A single burner stove goes on top of the table and held there via gravity, amazing! $20 for the table, gravity was free.
      • Also the table only weighs 3lbs
  • GPS system
    • Instead I bought a $5.00 compass and get a map for wherever I’m going. Less gack in the car. Kind of fun too, feel like a Hardy Boy.
      • Best part is, if the car breaks down and im stuck without battery, both map and compass will remain functional.
  • Tow hooks
    • the car comes with a couple. You just screw them in when needed. I really don’t think I need to spend $200 on a shackle. I mean its a station wagon, dude.
Future mods

I might get the missing fog light set (remember i have the base model). Turns out the fog lights are only $200 from Subaru.
I haven’t yet since I actually kind of like the all blacked out front bumper and also I’m not a night driver off road and have yet to ever make use of fog lights in my entire existence.

subie build-12.jpg
subie build-11.jpg

(Bee Canyon Trail, Idyllwild, CA)

Price Breakdown
  • Outback 2.5i base model - $22,000 out the door.
  • Jim's Auto Crest line, CA - $1400 (King Springs, Primitive skid plate, ADF 2" spacer lift, plus full install)
  • Hankook Tires - $550 for a set of 5 (Ebay)
  • Steel wheel and mounted - $75 (America's tire)
  • 2x 3 gallon Reliance Water cans - $40 (Amazon)
  • Rubber bungees for rack - $14
  • Master Flow Compressor - $60
  • ARB Air down gauge - $30
  • Tow strap - $10
  • Shovel - $12
  • LP Aventure Jack spacer $70 (including shipping)
  • 1x1 Plywood - $5
  • Hitch and install - $225 (Precision Hitches)
  • 1up USA Bike Rack - $325
  • Yakima Mega Warrior - $125 + $8 for paint and prime
  • Camping stuff - I had it already, so I kept it off this budget
Total: $24,900 or something, i'm lazy, you do the math.

Past 2 months
So far I’ve taken the vehicle through

  • Death Valley, CA (most of the park)
  • Alabama Hills (near Lone Pine, CA)
  • Up the south side of Mt Jacinto to Idyllwild, CA (Bee canyon Jeep Trail)
  • Anza Borrego, CA (Fish Creek Wash and nearby trails)
subie build-3.jpg

1st mpressions…

I love this car.
Its comfortable, its a joy to drive, its different so it it has already been a bit of a conversation starter in parking lots and it handles very well off road. Not like my XJ used to, I’m definitely more careful in the Outback, but its so much nicer day to day. I got exactly what i wanted. Also, it was cheap for being practically brand new.

subie build-15.jpg

Offroad pros and cons

Cons 1st


Approach / departure angle is not great. I knew this going in. If I could trim 9” off the front of this vehicle its capability would shoot up 10 fold.
But ultimately its a station wagon. It hasn’t been a problem, and if anything, it probably keeps me out of trouble more than I realize since I’m a little extra careful off road because of her big schnoz.

And obviously i'm not rock crawling. But that goes without saying. I would not expect that i could turn a wagon into a Jeep. Its a whole different vehicle requirement which was not on my list.

subie build-20.jpg

Pros


Hands down this thing dominates fire roads and washboard dirt roads.

In Death Valley my lady and I wanted to go down to Race Track Playa on our last day out there, we spoke with 3 different rangers who told us we would not be able to fit it into our day because even though the road isn’t technically difficult its a washboard and would take a minimum 2 hours each way due to the annoying bumps.

I aired down the tires and stepped on the gas, We got down there in 50 minutes. The way back it took us 40 minutes since I was now familiar with the road. We were passing Jeeps the entire way there and back.

The first jeep we passed on the way out there waved us by to pass, and then when we headed back after exploring the racetrack, that jeep was still on its way there. Bottom line, this thing cruises over washboards with absolute grace and hugs dirt road corners at high speeds in a way i would not have dreamed drive in my XJ.

  • No issues climbing up rocky / loose gravel hills
  • X mode rules , i use it all the time
  • It cuts through sand like a hot knife through butter
  • I tried fish tailing her in the rain around LA street corners and it would not slip for more than a slight moment.
  • I have yet to experience any snow.

Please feel free to follow my adventures on Instagram: @tophotograph

subie build-1.jpg
 
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Graeman

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Awesome write up and your Subaru. I am currently trying to talk my wife into trading her car for one. It will be the go between vehicle when I don't feel like taking the 4Runner.
If you do decide to buy some Maxx Traxx type boards you can use them to help with your approach angle. Just throw them down and drive on up.
 

jordan04gx

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Great write up, with a lot of good choices. I currently own an XJ, and I -still- think about Subarus a lot. I had a 2004 Outback and generally loved it. Even if a person couldn't get a newer one it is probably one of the most budget friendly, capable, family compatible overland vehicles out there. Around here they are very plentiful so their secondary (used) market is definitely stacked towards the buyer. I could get really decent 2008-2012 Foresters around here very affordably, then tack on about a 2-5k budget for outfitting, and that would be one heck of a rig. Its also no small thing that you could do a 800 mile highway drive to visit a destination, then do some camping. That would be much more physically demanding in the XJ (as you mentioned).
 

Lindenwood

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Super interesting read! Thank you for sharing.

One note. Generally speaking, tow hooks are only meant for hauling and securing the vehicle onto a trailer. I would at least do some research on your factory items before doing any aggressive pulls. If you do one day need a snatch out of a mud bog or sand pin, it would be a shame to send your tow hook through some guy's windshield.
 

Terry Pickens

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Very nice build. very close to my 2.5i. Outback I love this car and it is very capable (see my signature for link to my build). Have had it out in the desert numerous times and once in the forest up in Oregon on a intermediate trail called Cedar Tree in Tilamook National Forest and surprised a lot the Jeep, Tacoma, Land Rover and 4Runner in the group I was with. Great car and am getting it ready for a trip to the great white north and the Arctic Ocean here in mid July. Have fun and hope to see you out on the trails sometime.
 
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morty muerte

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Very nice. Exactly what I am hoping to get but in the 3.6.
Cool! I intentionally didn't drive a 3.6R as i didn't want to tease myself and then have regrets later. I will say, my vehicle before this was a turbo charged mini cooper S in stick shift, and moving over to the Subaru Outback 2.5i i was really worried about it feeling under powered. I have been pleasantly surprised. Its certainly not a race car, but the 2.5i feels just right for the rig. It reminds me of driving my dads V8 tahoe; not at all fast, but it has some power in reserve for when i need it. And in all honesty, if anything, the car feels under breaked. It does not stop on a dime. So i think my new slow driving habits might be a good thing. Perhaps im just subconsciously trying to make myself feel better about the 2.5i, but i really do love it.

My other issue with the 3.6R was that given the additional price and drop in gas mileage, there really wasn't much gained in towing capacity. At least not as much as i had expected. So if i ever need to pull anything bigger than a tear drop trailer, i felt i'd be looking at a different vehicle all together.
 

morty muerte

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Super interesting read! Thank you for sharing.

One note. Generally speaking, tow hooks are only meant for hauling and securing the vehicle onto a trailer. I would at least do some research on your factory items before doing any aggressive pulls. If you do one day need a snatch out of a mud bog or sand pin, it would be a shame to send your tow hook through some guy's windshield.
Good point, i'll look into it. There is another OB driver on this forum that uses it for recovery which is where i got the idea. That said, i will do some more research and make sure.
 

morty muerte

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Very nice build. very close to my 2.5i. Outback I love this car and it is very capable (see my signature for link to my build). Have had it out in the desert numerous times and once in the forest up in Oregon on a intermediate trail called Cedar Tree in Tilamook National Forest and surprised a lot the Jeep, Tacoma, Land Rover and 4Runner in the group I was with. Great car and am getting it ready for a trip to the great white north and the Arctic Ocean here in mid July. Have fun and hope to see you out on the trails sometime.
Thanks for reading! And yes, i'm loving it. I try to spend less time obsessing over gear and more time just getting outdoors. This car has enabled that side of me. Its simple, not too full of tech, i load it up and i go. It feels like the balance i was looking for. I'm now a Subaru fan.
 
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morty muerte

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Great write up, with a lot of good choices. I currently own an XJ, and I -still- think about Subarus a lot. I had a 2004 Outback and generally loved it. Even if a person couldn't get a newer one it is probably one of the most budget friendly, capable, family compatible overland vehicles out there. Around here they are very plentiful so their secondary (used) market is definitely stacked towards the buyer. I could get really decent 2008-2012 Foresters around here very affordably, then tack on about a 2-5k budget for outfitting, and that would be one heck of a rig. Its also no small thing that you could do a 800 mile highway drive to visit a destination, then do some camping. That would be much more physically demanding in the XJ (as you mentioned).
Yes, i love the XJ. Its such a cool little off road beast. But i agree, on the long haul trips it was just never easy to drive far in. The outback just cruises the highways the way a Cadillac would. Granted, once i get where i'm going i'm toning it down quite a few notches compared to the XJ, but for me it was worth the tradeoff. At least for this chapter in my life where my sights seem to be on destinations that are a ways out of town.
 
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morty muerte

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Awesome write up and your Subaru. I am currently trying to talk my wife into trading her car for one. It will be the go between vehicle when I don't feel like taking the 4Runner.
If you do decide to buy some Maxx Traxx type boards you can use them to help with your approach angle. Just throw them down and drive on up.
Good point on the Maxx Traxx approach angle solve! I think i will eventually pick up a set. Never hurts to have a little more recovery capability too.
 

deeve

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A bit of a thread revival, but wanted to say this was a great write up/summary of what you did. Curious what kind of MPG/Range you are seeing with the mods you put on. I had an Outback before the Wrangler and loved that I was getting 34+mpg on the highway taking it easy with my right foot.

DAVE
 

Arailt

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Yes, very cool and great write up! I love seeing Subaru wagons done well. I learned to drive on my mom's 99 Forester S 2.5 and it was the "4x4" I kept up with my wheeling buddies in until I bought a 1980 CJ as my first vehicle. I've always had a soft spot for Subarus.
 
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Great post. Our adventure-mobile is a 2010 2.5i (also no fogs) that we had for a few years before deciding to off road it. Got KO2s last summer (found a deal for $325 for 4 with 11 miles on them) in a larger size on a set of used Subaru stock wheels from an Imprezza for $100. Picked up an ADF 2/2.5" lift a few weeks ago and have yet to install it. LED high/low beams and a small bar on the front. I'd like to make a skid plate, or maybe pony up and buy one, but for now I'm just more careful about picking lines.

If you haven't by now, check out MtnRoo. We have chapters across the country (and beyond), and the club started in Cali. I've met a ton of like minded Subie enthusiasts, and found some great trails through that group.
 
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spotfire

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Great write up- thanks for posting. I really appreciate the philosophy behind your build. What’s needed/what’s not, less expensive solutions, daily driver capable, etc.
I’m planning a very similar setup and was going to go with the primitive lift kit with the king springs, so it’s good to hear your positive review of those.
 
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OuterLimits

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Great example of a KISS build (Keep It Super Simple). Low cost, low weight, high efficiency.

re: fogs
I find most Cali drivers to fall into two categories- 1) Overly aggressive and 2) Completely inattentive. Both have a tendency to cut me off or pull out in front of me at unsafe distances. I put LEDs in my fogs and run those as daytime running lamps to be seen better. When traffic is heavy, I run my headlights as well. My driving has been noticeably safer with more light upfront.

My advice, get the fog lights and run them as DRLs.

Cheers
 
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morty muerte

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A bit of a thread revival, but wanted to say this was a great write up/summary of what you did. Curious what kind of MPG/Range you are seeing with the mods you put on. I had an Outback before the Wrangler and loved that I was getting 34+mpg on the highway taking it easy with my right foot.

DAVE
Sorry for the year laterresponse. I haven't been on here in a while...

the tires brought MPG down 3+, and the rack another 2 or 3.
the rack tends to come on and off depending on what im up to.
I like taking it off when I do a full wax / detail, and then it usually doesnt come back on until my next trip.

Ultimately the MPG loss hasn't really bothered me. I really enjoy how the car drives / handles lifted.

Thanks for the kind words!