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I know lots of people swear by Subaru but I've only owned one and it was nothing but misery.
It was 2003 Outback Wagon. The head gaskets needed to be replaced at 90K, the tailight assembly needed to be replaced under 100K, the latch on the back fell apart and needed to be replaced, and there were numerous other issues that I have never seen with Honda and Toyota. Not only that but the standard stuff you have to do on all cars, like brakes was much more expensive to do than on other imports.
I'm one and done where Subaru is concerned. Never again.
I know lots of people swear by Subaru but I've only owned one and it was nothing but misery.
It was 2003 Outback Wagon. The head gaskets needed to be replaced at 90K, the tailight assembly needed to be replaced under 100K, the latch on the back fell apart and needed to be replaced, and there were numerous other issues that I have never seen with Honda and Toyota. Not only that but the standard stuff you have to do on all cars, like brakes was much more expensive to do than on other imports.
I'm one and done where Subaru is concerned. Never again.
Personally, I think they may be a little over-rated. I also think Honda and Toyota are a bit over-rated. But I do think Subaru is cranking out pretty good vehicles. Unfortunately, every auto maker has some duds.
I find that Subaru has a tremendous fan base that extols the virtues of what the brand represents to them, and overlooks some of the flaws of the vehicles. Chief among the flaws is that the maintenance costs do seem to be a bit out of proportion to the price of the vehicle. Right or wrong, Subaru has the perception of being more to the moderate price point when compared with other AWD wagons, such as Volvo and Audi. With Volvo and Audi, over time, one expects to have higher maintenance costs, yet I know of a comparison within my own family where the Outback wagon exceeded the Volvo in expenses for maintenance and repair. Subaru, being a Japanese make, also has a perception of higher quality and lower running costs, but until recently, fuel economy was not stellar for the respective car class. The real strength in the Subaru is the AWD system which does work well in snow, and exhibits very balanced handling.
I also think that Subaru did not win too many repeat customers with the handling of the head gasket issues. The problem was a bit more widespread than acknowledged, and some of the dealers do tend to have an attitude that the vehicle is superior and should not be questioned as to why it costs more than a wagon that exceeds its price by $10k+. Early Volvo AWDs had problems, too, chiefly due to the AWD system which was not Volvo's forte, but the second and third generation AWDs have improved greatly in terms of reliability. Since Subaru has a cult following, I personally don't think that the company took the head gasket issue seriously, and did not engineer a way out of the problem soon enough with respect to the affected engines.
Overall, the Subaru can be a good basic winter car, but you have to know what you're buying and what to expect. Many purchase a Subaru expecting parity with Honda or Toyota for reliability, but Subarus, overall, are not as relaible as Honda or Toyota, probably more in line with a Mitsubishi; i.e., generally decent, but with a few quirks. Subaru, however, has the following that Mitsubishi does not, and a superior AWD system.
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I am an ex-subaru owner and I have nothing but positive things to say about the impreza. Never had any engine issues nor did it fail to handle anything I threw at it. At the same time, I didn't have a turbocharged version, just the NA version. Controlled slides in the rain? Check. 10ft blizzard? Check. 1200 mile journey full to the brim? Check.
Would it handle offroading like a truck? no. But it's a car, it's not designed for it.
They're no worse than a lot of the other junk out there, they just work better for those of us who need what they offer.
Hondas and Toyotas have well-deserved reputations, but after you've worked in a repair shop and have seen the different issues that even those have, you shrug your shoulders and buy based on what serves your needs best, not supposed reliability.
I know lots of people swear by Subaru but I've only owned one and it was nothing but misery.
It was 2003 Outback Wagon. The head gaskets needed to be replaced at 90K, the tailight assembly needed to be replaced under 100K, the latch on the back fell apart and needed to be replaced, and there were numerous other issues that I have never seen with Honda and Toyota. Not only that but the standard stuff you have to do on all cars, like brakes was much more expensive to do than on other imports.
I'm one and done where Subaru is concerned. Never again.
I refuse to own or drive or even ride in that "*** crap" ! It has to be a full size 4x4 three qutr ton truck for me! I care less about mpg.
Many purchase a Subaru expecting parity with Honda or Toyota for reliability, but Subarus, overall, are not as relaible as Honda or Toyota, probably more in line with a Mitsubishi; i.e., generally decent, but with a few quirks. Subaru, however, has the following that Mitsubishi does not, and a superior AWD system.
My sister has an '05 Legacy, I sure hope it's better than a Mitsubishi.
Mitsu may make decent SUV's, but their cars are garbage.
Ive never thought repairs and parts were high on my Subarus, but then again not much has went wrong on them. On my old 2.5RS I replaced a rear wheel bearing and a front o2 for a combined $400. On my current WRX I just did the front o2 and had to replace the upper radiator hose which cost me just a bit over $200 combined. So I've owned my 2 Subarus for nearly 10 years and between both have driven them 135k miles(both were bought used) and have only spent $600 in repairs. That's why I've become such a diehard enthusiast and supporter. They've taken everything I've dished out to them and haven't batted an eye.
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