Car Advice

[P-HUG]

My wife's Saab 9-3 just hit 100K and it needs a ton of work.
Trying to talk her into selling it, so far unsuccessfully. I hate the thing personally, mechanically unsound IMO. She of course loves it.
But guess who drives it 45 miles each way to work every day.......ME!

How do you guys like you're Outback's?
Anyone have a Toyota Matrix or opinion on them? I like them alot, although never driven one.

Need space, good gas mileage, and good winter handling......any other advice???

[RR]

Originally Posted by P-HUG

My wife's Saab 9-3 just hit 100K and it needs a ton of work.
Trying to talk her into selling it, so far unsuccessfully. I hate the thing personally, mechanically unsound IMO. She of course loves it.
But guess who drives it 45 miles each way to work every day.......ME!

How do you guys like you're Outback's?
Anyone have a Toyota Matrix or opinion on them? I like them alot, although never driven one.

Need space, good gas mileage, and good winter handling......any other advice???

Your first question reveals all....my suggestion is to work a two car spot with someone here who has an Outback and get the Mrs to drive the spotted Outback after a great BC run, but you must make it look like a neccessity, like you and the other drivers are all too pumped or a bit dinged up so she has to drive..

[ATP]

Love my 97 Outback Sport. 27 mpg is decent, if not great for my 42-mile (each way) commute. However, when Rt. 2 goes to hell as it so often does, it's good to know I can keep the car pointed straight. Having the left lane to yourself when you're on a mission from Ullr and are trapped by slow movers can be even better.

[Affix Snow]

Love my new Outback. Loved my Parents outback. Get an outback!

[Justin]

Another vote for the Sube... It's really nice to have one between two "winter folks" It's just so nice to not have that worry of getting stuck in a now drift or something ( I drove and old saab for years BTW) One thing to consider, depending on how much space you need/want there are other sube options that may make more sense. I drive an Impreza. It's sportier ( if that matters -- doesn't to me but it's fun sometimes ), better on MPG and easier to park here in the city -- not to mention the $$$ difference. I know DMC drives a forester. The "little on the outside and big on the inside sube"

[P-HUG]

What do the Outbacks/Impreza/Legacy's Get in MPG.
Our 9-3 actually does well at 28 MPG. But needs premium gas.

[M@]

Here's M@ advice - worth what you pay for it:

1. The cheapest car is the one you have. Consider what the payments are on a new ride, and how many payments the work needing done will cost. Automobile advertising is designed to make you forget this.

2. We've been down this road before, but SNOW TIRES are the key to snow travel. All seasons are NOT snow tires. I'd personally rather have a honda civic with studded snow tires than a (what you the reader are currently driving) with all seasons. We had good snows on my wifes old crappy civic, and took it over the roxbury gap and all over ski country every weekend for a couple years. "The tires are the things on your car that make contact with the road."

3. Biggest problem with most cars is they are not Volvo's.

M@

[RR]

my brother in-law has the HO verson of the Outback Wagon...premium gas and impressive scoot! Prolly 27-28. His wife's Outback Wagon has the regular engine and gets better milage...not sure what she is using for gas.

[Castlerock]

Subarus are nice, but check out the VW Passat Wagon, the 1.8T 4Motion version gets 30 MPG highway, and the fit and finish are a level up from the Subes. Check it out.

In addition, you might be able to get a killer deal as a new version is coming out.

[Skilasnow]

Originally Posted by M@

Here's M@ advice - worth what you pay for it:

1. The cheapest car is the one you have. Consider what the payments are on a new ride, and how many payments the work needing done will cost. Automobile advertising is designed to make you forget this.

2. We've been down this road before, but SNOW TIRES are the key to snow travel. All seasons are NOT snow tires. I'd personally rather have a honda civic with studded snow tires than a (what you the reader are currently driving) with all seasons. We had good snows on my wifes old crappy civic, and took it over the roxbury gap and all over ski country every weekend for a couple years. "The tires are the things on your car that make contact with the road."

3. Biggest problem with most cars is they are not Volvo's.

M@

What he said...

I have driven swedish for the last 10 yrs, both SAAB and Volvo, I own one of each right now, though neither is on the road, no fault of the cars. Like most higher engineered cars SAABS tend to need a little more TLC.

[ski&ride]

While we are on the subject (& sorry to deter from P-Hug's question), does anyone have opinions about the Subaru Legacy Sedan - specifically a 2003 GT? I'm not quite ready to switch to a wagon, but want the AWD & trusted sube engine...just curious if a sedan model handles as well (in bad conditions) as the heavier wagons.

PHUG - from what I've heard outside this board, outback wagons are great, but get an Automatic. There's been issues w/ standard trans (unsure of what year(s) ).

[Affix Snow]

Originally Posted by ski&ride

While we are on the subject (& sorry to deter from P-Hug's question), does anyone have opinions about the Subaru Legacy Sedan - specifically a 2003 GT? I'm not quite ready to switch to a wagon, but want the AWD & trusted sube engine...just curious if a sedan model handles as well (in bad conditions) as the heavier wagons.

PHUG - from what I've heard outside this board, outback wagons are great, but get an Automatic. There's been issues w/ standard trans (unsure of what year(s) ).

Legacy's dont have the Ground Clearance that an Outback does, but if ya get snow tires you are good.

And id agree, have a freind who's replaced his clutch on his outback 3 times....

[Justin]

Originally Posted by P-HUG

What do the Outbacks/Impreza/Legacy's Get in MPG.
Our 9-3 actually does well at 28 MPG. But needs premium gas.

That's what the Impreza gets...

[Justin]

Originally Posted by ski&ride

from what I've heard outside this board, outback wagons are great, but get an Automatic. There's been issues w/ standard trans (unsure of what year(s) ).

Now THAT'S crazy talk. MT is almost always he better way to go IMO. Aside from performance and snowy driving advantages, if a automatic trany goes... well that's a rather large problem.

Originally Posted by Affix Snow

have a freind who's replaced his clutch on his outback 3 times....

I'd wager that's "operator error" rather then cars problem. If you drive stick correctly, a clutch can last well over 100K. I sold my last sube at 160K with the original clutch.

[Skilasnow]

Originally Posted by Affix Snow

Legacy's dont have the Ground Clearance that an Outback does, but if ya get snow tires you are good.

And id agree, have a freind who's replaced his clutch on his outback 3 times....

No offence to your friend, but maybe he isn't so good with a clutch