Unless you really want AWD, I'd avoid Subies. They're built with lesser quality materials, the resale value cant compare to Honda/Toyota, the AWD kills fuel economy, and the engines aren't as reliable. My mom's '03 Legacy has a tap/knock sound coming from the engine that's getting louder. The dealer has told her 3 times that it's normal, but now that it's out of warranty it's starting to sound serious. The boxer engine design also means it's more difficult (expensive) to service many things, and the AWD means more moving drivetrain parts that can fail. I traded an Outback sport for my '06 Civic and haven't regretted it once. You can pick up an '00-up Civic EX loaded for $10k easily that'll last for several hundred thousand miles if you maintain it.
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Would you recommend your car?
- Thread starter thebassoonist
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4wd vs AWD
ErikCLDR had a great explanation. I would also add that most AWD systems are not simply 4wd that is always on. AWD supplies power to the 4 wheels independently while 4wd drive gives power to the front and the back rather than the front or the back.
I recommend SUBARU...I got one in 1996 right after high school. I still drive it. It has 215,000 miles and is still going strong. You can get definitely find one in your price range. After I had my Subaru for awhile I told myself that there will always be a Subaru in my driveway. That's how much I love 'em. I'm getting ready to by my next one, a Subaru Tribeca.
I also recommend getting a wagon...it's convenient for toting things around like I don't know...bassoons or something.
ErikCLDR had a great explanation. I would also add that most AWD systems are not simply 4wd that is always on. AWD supplies power to the 4 wheels independently while 4wd drive gives power to the front and the back rather than the front or the back.
I recommend SUBARU...I got one in 1996 right after high school. I still drive it. It has 215,000 miles and is still going strong. You can get definitely find one in your price range. After I had my Subaru for awhile I told myself that there will always be a Subaru in my driveway. That's how much I love 'em. I'm getting ready to by my next one, a Subaru Tribeca.
I also recommend getting a wagon...it's convenient for toting things around like I don't know...bassoons or something.
Good to know. I don't see a lot of Subies in the paper and my mom has one that she likes. But it is good to hear that the Civic is better. I live in Salt Lake so for the next two years my car needs to be able to handle bad roads. How does your Civic handle bad roads?
Not to put down the Civic, they are great cars and last forever, but.... they are very light, so they will get good gas milage, but in the winter, they slip all over the road. At least that was the way with the older ones, i'm not sure if the new ones are heavier/handle better. That said, if you don't have AWD, a front wheel drive car is better in snow than a rear only car.
Ha ha ha. I'm glad to hear that it is going strong. The writer above said that Subarus aren't good, so I don't know!! I wonder if it is the make of car. Consumer Reports liked the '97 Impreza. And it's well within my price range (less than $4000).
Well it is going to be a trade off, you have a few choices. 1: Subaru- Oh wow, my new purchase is breaking down a bit, so i have to invest some money. OR 2: Civic- Damn this car is unbreakable, it can do anything, oh s*** i'm sliding off this massive cliff cuz it was a sheet of ice.
lol just a little demonstration. It is based on the conditions you must face.
lol just a little demonstration. It is based on the conditions you must face.
Well...I like our 2001 Olds Alero well enough - we got the top of the line model(GLS perhaps?) with 30000 miles and sunroof, better-than-factory sound system and a V6; no leather for around eight thousand dollars. If you go for a less expensive model, it'll be markedly less, and seeing as we got ours two years ago, they'd be a lot cheaper by now.
Can't say too much for the reliability of our particular model, though - the electrical system's a bit touchy. It started out with the turn signals not working sometimes and then spontaneously working again, but then it started having a bunch of alert lights go off all at once, and then all go off a few minutes later. We haven't taken it in because it hasn't really been a safety issue yet(well, unless you consider touchy turn signals safety issues - i could see it that way) and its just an annoyance, but what I'm afraid of is the entire electrical system going nuts all at once.
But other than that, its been pretty good. No, its not the prettiest or the most comfortable or the most reliable, but it gets you from A-B decently and cheaply enough.
edit: Oh, now that I've read the thread I see that you aren't big on American cars...
On that note, our 1997 Honda Odyssey's been a rock! And according to KBB(I know, its a joke, but its the best I got) its worth around $4000. And it can even get 30MPG on the interstate if you're lucky and not carrying a bunch. No, its not technically a car, its a minivan, but really its a tall station wagon with a 3rd row. Really! Sedan doors and everything.
Can't say too much for the reliability of our particular model, though - the electrical system's a bit touchy. It started out with the turn signals not working sometimes and then spontaneously working again, but then it started having a bunch of alert lights go off all at once, and then all go off a few minutes later. We haven't taken it in because it hasn't really been a safety issue yet(well, unless you consider touchy turn signals safety issues - i could see it that way) and its just an annoyance, but what I'm afraid of is the entire electrical system going nuts all at once.
But other than that, its been pretty good. No, its not the prettiest or the most comfortable or the most reliable, but it gets you from A-B decently and cheaply enough.
edit: Oh, now that I've read the thread I see that you aren't big on American cars...
On that note, our 1997 Honda Odyssey's been a rock! And according to KBB(I know, its a joke, but its the best I got) its worth around $4000. And it can even get 30MPG on the interstate if you're lucky and not carrying a bunch. No, its not technically a car, its a minivan, but really its a tall station wagon with a 3rd row. Really! Sedan doors and everything.
I am laughing so hard that I am crying. Ha ha. Well, I will let you know of my decision. Ha ha.
It's hit or miss. I've owned 2 Subies and they both ran great, but my mom's has issues and a co-worker's also had his engine rebuilt under warranty on his Legacy. I've worked in the automotive business for 10+ years and I've heard of far less Honda engines failing in or out of warranty overall.
Granted, the AWD is unstoppable in the snow, but otherwise the Civic is great in bad weather and rides very nice on rough roads, yet still has tight, sporty handling. As for light cars equating to being bad in the snow, that's ridiculous. My old '87 Corolla was like 2100lbs and was amazing in the snow. Tire size and type have more to do with it than anything.
I meant to say Honda Accord! A little bigger than the Civic, very roomy, great mileage and dependability.
Does the knock only show up when cold? Or is it constant? If it's just when cold, it's probably piston slap and can be somewhat remedied by using a heavier weight oil.
Also, the Subaru drivetrain is pretty solid (unless you're pushing 300+HP), the only thing I can think of that's harder to do on a boxer than an inline engine is a head gasket replacement. All the belts (Timing, A/C, alternator) are easily accessed from the front of the car.
My recommendations: Make sure any car over 90k has had the timing belt and water pump replaced, and try to stick with 99 or newer. They introduced Phase II engines on the Imprezas that year, which had MUCH better reliability with head gaskets.
Now, on to safety. It's not just AWD. Here are the side impact tests of of the 2006-07 Impreza (mostly applicable to 2002-05 as well, minus the side airbag) and the 2006-08 Civic.
The only thing that kept the 06 and 07 Impreza from being one of their Top Safety Picks (along with the Legacy for 06 and 07, and Tribeca and Forester for 07) is the lack of stability control.
LOL
and from above, my forester has the piston slap, it's fine...then again so does our 05 corvette, like stated, it's just cuz things are cold and haven't expanded yet.
Don't compare 06 and 07 models of cars when the guy is looking for something under 10k. Additionally poor resale is a good thing the buyer unless he is only going to hold onto it for a couple years.
I would say in that you live in Utah the AWD of the Subaru is a great thing to have and there aren't really any other inexpensive sedans that offer it aside from a Passat. Front Wheel Drive cars with traction control do pretty well in the snow though. That said I feel AWD have a much much much greater sense of security on the road. If you begin to slide with an AWD car just steer into the direction the car is turning and tap the gas and you will straighten out very quickly. In a FWD car it takes longer to correct your slide.
I would say in that you live in Utah the AWD of the Subaru is a great thing to have and there aren't really any other inexpensive sedans that offer it aside from a Passat. Front Wheel Drive cars with traction control do pretty well in the snow though. That said I feel AWD have a much much much greater sense of security on the road. If you begin to slide with an AWD car just steer into the direction the car is turning and tap the gas and you will straighten out very quickly. In a FWD car it takes longer to correct your slide.
To reply to the thread topic--yes, I would.
To answer your question, I'd suggest a used Honda, whether Civic or Accord would depend on what you find and which you like better. I suggest Honda not as a slight on Toyota (the two are darn near indistinguishable reliability-wise as far as I can tell) but simply because I've owned a few and have personal experience with them. Very reliable, good drivability, and good on bad roads (whether potholed or snowy). And no car is going to do very well on a hockey rink.
To answer your question, I'd suggest a used Honda, whether Civic or Accord would depend on what you find and which you like better. I suggest Honda not as a slight on Toyota (the two are darn near indistinguishable reliability-wise as far as I can tell) but simply because I've owned a few and have personal experience with them. Very reliable, good drivability, and good on bad roads (whether potholed or snowy). And no car is going to do very well on a hockey rink.
I bought my Acura CL in '98, and 130K miles later it's still fantastic. All it has ever needed are consumable items - fuel, oil, brakes, tires, clutch, etc...although I do need to get a new timing belt on it soon I suppose.
It's essentially a glorified two door Accord, but I'd recommend one in a heartbeat. Living in this area means dealing with the constant pressure to buy something new, but I've been so happy with my CL that I've been able to resist so far.
It's essentially a glorified two door Accord, but I'd recommend one in a heartbeat. Living in this area means dealing with the constant pressure to buy something new, but I've been so happy with my CL that I've been able to resist so far.
Heck Yeah!
2005 Subaru WRX STi
Blue with the gold BBS wheels.
AWD, 2.5 liter turbo, 300HP, 300 lbs torque (and my 05 STi has side air bags)
SWEET!!!!!
Nice! And it seems like you would recommend it again! :-D
Does anyone know anything about the Honda Fit or Toyota Matrix or Echo? Anyone have one or know of someone who does? I haven't seen any Mazdas on the recommendation lists. Are the Mazda Proteges any good?
Thanks again!
seriously, consider a saab 9-2x if you are thinking about a subie. as mentioned, good deals can be had on the 9-2Xs (around $10-11k w/ under 30k mi). it might be best bang for the buck as it handles better than a similar (and most likely more expensive) impreza.
also, subarus are pretty reliable in general, but even '01-03' acura CLs/honda accords could have transmission problems so ymmv. if you have a trusty mechanic, bring him/her along to inspect the car. definitely walk away when you feel that the owner/car could have been in the fast and the curious.
Yeah, I'm going to have my uncle who has repaired many a car for the extended family come along (especially if I go to a dealership as dealers often rip women off). The Saab got good reviews so I'll be watching for it. It is quite a cute car as well!
Toyotas are built like tanks. Highly relieable, and while somewhat pricey, you could easily find one under $10,000.
pretty much anything from Japan will be ultra reliable, anything from France or Italy will break down on a daily basis and anything from Germany will cost a fortune every time it has to be serviced or repaired.
What he said, but I'd add that if you don't get a lemon and it's not too old a German car many not need anything done to it for years. But a Toyota's your best bet if you want the least chance of getting a lemon.