Pinny

Thanks for the confidence-building encouragement everybody! But what about the different Subaru models? I don't need all the bells & whistles that the LLBean edition comes with, but are the small "sport" wagons a good investment or would it be better to spring for the more equipped vehicle - like the Outback wagon? Is the reliability and performance pretty equal on the various models and the only difference really cargo space and plushy appointments? How do the sedans measure up. My daughter needs a car also. Anything to avoid? Thanks again.

I need a new car. I've been a Toyota fan in the past but they don't seem to offer an AWD vehicle that compares to the Outback Sport or the Legacy Wagon. The Rav4 is too bare bones for me and the Highlander is too expensive and big. I test-drove a Forester and an Outback 2.5i wagon. I plan on driving the Outback Sport soon. What is it about your Subaru that you love? Are there any features I should steer away from? This will be the first car I've ever purchased by myself and I am not opposed to buying used. Any advice on buying a new Subaru vs. an '04 or '05? Reliability is very important to me as is the AWD feature. Oh yeah, ... and I really want a moon roof!! Thanks for helping me make up my mind;) .

Thanks, Gnuman! My only problem may be finding one. But I agree that it sounds like it would be a perfect fit. I found an '01 Forester with 60K miles for $11,000 that looks good, but the salesman said checking VIN numbers is the "biggest money maker going" and he didn't offer any of that info. I found it in the paper and his dealership is a good half-hour away so I'm not sure if I should check this one out especially since it would have the 2.5L engine. We're not in any hurry but my son's birthday is in early November and since it's been such a crappy year for everybody with his dad's death, I had hoped to get him into something other than the "soccer-mom" van (as he calls it!) sooner rather than later. I did drive a '97 Legacy Outback last week which was a 5-speed and had about 62K miles on it, but the clutch was REALLY sticky, the driverside window was loose, and I chickened out since I hadn't really looked at anything else. My brother-in-law's car dealer friend is selling it for $5,800. Do you think I should look at it again? How is a clutch on a Subie of that vintage supposed to feel? The car drove fine, but compared to our A4 Audi, it drove really rough. Thanks again to all of you for your wisdom. As a new widow, the thought of buying a used car (or any car for that matter!) is pretty overwhelming.

I live east of Buffalo and we get lots of snow ... and slush ... and icy roads. In the past we've owned an Isuzu Trooper (in the 80's) and a Chevy Blazer, so I'm familiar with 4-wheel drive. The Audi is AWD, I believe, and a champ in the snow, just expensive to maintain. The Sienna minivan is awful in the snow. My son will start college in the fall and we haven't figured out if he'll stay at home or go away. I thought AWD might be a good choice for safety in snowy conditions as well as a little bigger size in case of an accident. And yes, he's a typical almost 18-year-old and the only way maintenance will get done is if I make it happen. But he's very good about taking it to get serviced if I tell him to. He would be happy with a little Corolla or Civic, I was just concerned because they are so small and I didn't think they'd handle snow that well. But perhaps that's the way to go. I have read Consumer Reports extensively and that's why I was so interested in the Forester and Outback. It seemed a good blend of sportiness & practicality. Used Foresters are easy to come by, however an '02 can cost $16K around here. And then there's the whole "equity issue" ... I can't spend more on the son than we did on the daughter! But we won't go there today! LOL. Thanks for all the kind replies.

This is my first post and I'm in the market for a reliable vehicle for my 18 year old son. We drove a '98 OB Legacy Limited Wagon this afternoon being sold by a private individual. They are asking $8,100; it has 74,000 miles. I took it to my Dad's and when he lifted the hood, the engine was quite rusty. When we looked underneath the car, there was rust on the clamps and supports, etc. Also a VERY rusty rear windshield wiper and some of the hinges on the back. There is only one small (pencil eraser size) spot of rust on the exterior. I've been reading the forum this evening and wonder about a couple of things: - does anyone know what type of engine this car has? Is it the favored 2.2L or the 2.5? - Is rust on the engine a problem? - I mentioned to the owners that I might be interested in paying $7,600 and that I wanted to think about it. Am I in the ballpark, or should I continue to look for something without the rust issue? The couple did say they recently had to replace the rear struts and that it was an expensive repair. Is that a normal repair at 70,000 miles? They tell me they have all their maintenance (other than oil changes) done by the local Subaru dealer. I could tell from the sticker on the windshield that they do keep up with the oil changes since it is due for the next one at 75,000 miles. They are the second owners. They bought it with 17,000 miles on it and have recently purchased a minivan. Also, I test drove a new Subaru Forester and Outback last weekend. But reading tonight has kinda scared me away ... I currently own a '97 Audi A6 Quattro with 95,000 miles AND a '99 Toyota Siena minivan with 70,000 miles on it. My husband passed away in November and I'm trying to get my son set up before college next year and get something VERY reliable for myself. Any opinions on whether I should keep the Audi (I recently spent over $2K on a power steering repair!) or keep the Toyota, which neither myself of my son likes to drive. We're moving beyond the minivan phase of life. I liked the new Subaru's, but are they as reliable as the Toyota's or Honda's? I don't put many miles on each year ... mostly in town putzing around. Thanks!