mwerger Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 . . . for me? I'm ready for a new car, and I've been researching AWD vehicles for a little while. I live in northern NJ, not quite the "snow belt", but some winters we get a few rough storms. I make a lot of ski trips to Vermont and New Hampshire, and could use some extra handling there. I don't do my own maintenance at all. I even take it in for oil and filter changes. So while Subaru might be the choice for AWD, something Honda-ish or Toyota-ish with "good-enough" AWD might be easier for me to find mechanics for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPX Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 I thought the northeast had quite a bit of Subarus around. So dealer network and service should not be any different than with Toyota/Hondas. It is true that garden variety mechanics might be more familiar with those cars' drivelines than a Subaru AWD setup. But I consider Subarus to be quite straightforward vehicles that need smart service like any other car. For your ski trips, these are great cars with the right balance of fuel economy and space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HondaH8er Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Shouldn't be any kind of problem finding someplace to work on a Subaru, they are very straight-forward and easy to work on. Plus, Subaru of America is located in NJ, and I would think there should be a decent number of Subaru dealerships available. I also take my car in for all that stuff, mostly because I live in an apartment complex, and don't have anywhere to do my own work...and I'm lazy:-p But for ski trips, a Subaru is great for that, a buddy of mine got a Legacy GT and took it up to the mountainseveral times for snowboarding. All in all, why settle for "good-enough" AWD, which is mostly just FWD with the ability to send some to the rears, when you can get the real thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Only suggestion I have to offer is to make sure you at least test drive a Subaru before you make a decision. The handling and performance difference of a Subee compared to the lumbering mini SUV options of Honda and Toyota may become a bigger factor (make sure you take a tight corner or two, but away from other traffic of course! ) . Or, you may realize you like the SUV package more than a wagon style? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 Yep, you have to live with it for years so test drive the exact models you might be interested in. If possible I prefer to drive the very car I am considering as suspension and appointments can vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted May 4, 2006 Share Posted May 4, 2006 . . . for me? I'm ready for a new car, and I've been researching AWD vehicles for a little while. I live in northern NJ, not quite the "snow belt", but some winters we get a few rough storms. I make a lot of ski trips to Vermont and New Hampshire, and could use some extra handling there. I don't do my own maintenance at all. I even take it in for oil and filter changes. So while Subaru might be the choice for AWD, something Honda-ish or Toyota-ish with "good-enough" AWD might be easier for me to find mechanics for. AWD isnt just for snow, or for rain. Its great for manuvering too, especially making left hand turns. The car just pulls right through it, where other cars would squeel tires or spin a tire. There are lots of sooby dealers in NJ, and all it takes is one snow storm getting stuck in a 2wd car to wish you had AWD. Also some mechanics may find toyota of honda AWD systems a bit intimidating, where as both sooby systems are straight forward. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwerger Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 Only suggestion I have to offer is to make sure you at least test drive a Subaru before you make a decision. I test drove the '06 OBS a few weeks ago. I really liked it. It was rainy all weekend, and I accelerated through some puddles that would've pulled my silly Cavalier sideways. The OBS went through them like they weren't there. Basically, the Impreza & OBS seem like the best mileage I'm going to find in AWD anywhere, so I favor them especially for that. I really like the look of the two-toned OBS, too, especially in metallic green. I don't get why ppl here keep saying ugly-cars-that-run-great. Guess I'm just weird (I am from NJ), but Subaru's always stand out on the highway as handsome cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 I don't get why ppl here keep saying ugly-cars-that-run-great. I dig the looks of the Impreza's as well; however Subaru has never been a stereotypical "good looking" car. And as far as the Impreza goes, the back and forth bug eye headlamps are a striking feature that people either seem to hate or to love. If you are solely concerned about mechanics, I think you would be splitting hairs. You will find decent people to work on your car no problem. Also, you will need your vehicle worked on once every two years or so, but you have to drive the car every day. Sounds like you have had enough poor driving experiences in your cavalier, I'd suggest it is time for you to have a little fun behind the wheel.... I can't see that happening in an Element, CR-V, or Rav4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwerger Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 time for you to have a little fun behind the wheel.... I can't see that happening in an Element, CR-V, or Rav4. I test-drove an Element a few weeks ago, rides nice, but not magic like the Impreza. Basically a little less fun behind the wheel, a little more fun packed into the interior. All kinds of ideas for that space. If I go with the Subaru, I'll have to get ski racks and a bike hitch. Gotta weigh the pros and cons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 An element is a Honda sports Hearse isn't it? A guy I know has one for his carpenter job and he loves it. It rode pretty well when we did a remodeling job in LA. The only thing he does not like is that it gets very poor gas mileage. I was surprised that I was averaging much better with an old 4wd Forester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwerger Posted May 5, 2006 Author Share Posted May 5, 2006 I call it the Honda Bread Truck. I've been reading elementownersclub.com to learn the thinking of element fans. Most of the talk there is about what they're doing with the interior space rather than about the drive. Lots of dogs owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 If you use it for a job or maybe have a place in the country it could be great. My friend's other choice would be a van or pickup and it does a good job for him. I actually use my 4wd drive which is almost unusual here in CA. The Forester does all my hauling and when it has to slog though the mud or snow I am very happy to have it. The Element could be a choice for 90% of my stuff, but I don't need the extra space and the fact that it is harder to park in the city, has no 4wd which would cause me to change my life a bit, and get poor mileage would nix it for me. Plus the fact that the styling does not appeal to me and I have to look at my cars for many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 I test drove the '06 OBS a few weeks ago. I really liked it. It was rainy all weekend, and I accelerated through some puddles that would've pulled my silly Cavalier sideways. The OBS went through them like they weren't there. when the weather turns nasty around here, I tend to say "It is a wonderful day to be driving a Subaru" (My teenaged daughter is sick of it ). A Subaru will handle most bad weather like average cars handle dry roads. On dry roads, they handle like they are bolted to the pavement. As for the "ugly factor", Beauty to me is in the engineering. In that light, Subarus are stunning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 As for the "ugly factor", Beauty to me is in the engineering. In that light, Subarus are stunning! Ah, yes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So is ugly I suppose. Ya sees what ya sees! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Good thing or we would all be fighting over the same mates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zephyr Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Most of the talk there is about what they're doing with the interior space rather than about the drive.. When I test drove an Element, I wasn't happy with the way the rear seats would fold up against the rear windows. It would dramatically increase the blind spots, the mechanism on the swings were heavy and cumbersome, and worse of all to me the seat's stowage didn't create more room in the back- instead it just kind of changed the shape of the room that was already there. I was also put off by the salesman having to side step the engineering/design problems with the element by making them positves. Sunroof is in the wrong place "to give it more of an expedition feel" - as if I'm going to pop out of the back with a rifle and gun down a rhino while the car is moving?(not to mention the structural problems in the roof due to the poorly implemented suicide doors) "The rear seats are raised above the driver's head so everyone can see out the front", yeah, because it is great to be in the back and have those two inches of front windshield to look out of, but that doesn't explain why the entire floorboard is raised? Extra space for rear diff maybe? Love the "out of the box" thinking and ideas with the element, hate the implementation. After having my subee for almost a year now, a wave of relief comes over me everytime I see someone else driving an Element. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 Love the "out of the box" thinking and ideas with the element, hate the implementation. After having my subee for almost a year now, a wave of relief comes over me everytime I see someone else driving an Element. Element, Element. . . Isn't that the one that looks like it was modeled with Leggos? "Out of the box"? that thing is a box. . . As for seeing someone else driving one, I still have to fight the urge to vomit. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpn Posted May 5, 2006 Share Posted May 5, 2006 . . . for me? I'm ready for a new car, and I've been researching AWD vehicles for a little while. I live in northern NJ, not quite the "snow belt", but some winters we get a few rough storms. I make a lot of ski trips to Vermont and New Hampshire, and could use some extra handling there. I don't do my own maintenance at all. I even take it in for oil and filter changes. So while Subaru might be the choice for AWD, something Honda-ish or Toyota-ish with "good-enough" AWD might be easier for me to find mechanics for. My wife traded-in a 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander for a 2005 Legacy 2.5i sedan last week. We've had a couple of Outback wagons, and I've got a 2003 Baja... That said, the 05 Legacy is a different car altogether. It's well-refined, handles well, and is quite responsive (even with the Sportronic trans). The skier in you will love this part: the sedan has a pass-through back seat, so you don't need a wagon unless that's what you really want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwerger Posted May 6, 2006 Author Share Posted May 6, 2006 That said, the 05 Legacy is a different car altogether. It's well-refined, handles well, and is quite responsive (even with the Sportronic trans). You mean as in different from the Impreza altogether? I like the Impreza hatchback, but not the Legacy wagon. I'd go with the Sedan for a Legacy. Maybe I'll test drive one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.