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Help me choose a car...

Help Me Pick a Car!`

  • 1995-1997 Honda Accord Wagon (80kmi, $7000)

    Votes: 2 10.5%

  • 1998-1999 Subaru Outback (70kmi, $9000)

    Votes: 6 31.6%

  • 2001 Subaru Outback (90kmi, $9000)

    Votes: 11 57.9%
  • Total voters
    19
BigVrunga

BigVrunga

Well-known member
Im up for a newer car, after driving my beat down 1992 Explorer for 7 years now. Im trying to go as inexpensive as I can, while finding a quality vehicle with ample cargo space that's decent in the winter and gets good gas mileage.

Ive narrowed my search down to two cars:

1995-1997 Honda Accord Wagon
FWD, 31Mpg, 5spd Manual,80kmi,pwr everything
~$7000

1998-1999 Subaru Outback Wagon
AWD, 27Mpg, 5spd Manual, Leather,pwr everything, 70kmi
~$9000

2001 Subaru Outback Wagon
AWD, 27Mpg, 5spd Manual, Completely loaded:
Dual moonroof, leather, 6disc CD,heated seats, power everything, 90kmi
~$9000

Im at a loss here - I like the leather and the AMD of the Subaru but is it worth an extra $2k? Out of the 3 cars, Id love the '01 Subaru but do I really want to pay $9k for a car with 90kmi on it already?

The Honda is a great car, and will last me well over 200kmi Im sure...

What do you think?

Thanks,
BV
 
Well, if you gotta have a wagon, there's no way around it, and it beats a minivan! ;) I think the outbacks are much nicer than the accord, although I haven't heard anything about the reliability of the outbacks. They're wagons, but I think subaru did a good job of making them look more SUV-like/offroad. Are any of them 6's? Is the accord an ex? The outbacks will obviously be better for winter driving. At any rate, I admire your pragmatism, I'd probably blow my $9k car budget on something like Invalid Link Removed and piss my wife off!
 
Oh guys dont get me wrong, Id LOVE to spend that 9k on a mid 90's 5-series BMW, or that sweet 928 intv linked to. However, for this car purchase I am thinking about 4 things:

1.) Reliability
2.) Gas Mileage
3.) Cargo Space
4.) Bullshit 5-month long winter in Central NY

Im renting right now, a house with a garage is a ways off, and while I love working on/restoring vehicles at this point in my live there's just no time for it.

I KNOW a Honda Accord is going to give me 200kmi+ without blinking and eye. Ive heard good things about the Subaru's reliability as well. I've also tossed around the idea about getting a 1998-ish Audi A4 Avant wagon - those are pretty slick - but again it goes back to my available time.

A sweet luxury car with high miles would be slick- if I could spend time taking care of it, searching for the lowest price parts, etc. Ive been there before and while its a hell of a lot of fun, for the next couple years I have other things to focus on.

I'll get a slick set of wheels when Im at a better place financially...all I want know is a solid car that's going to last forever. Wagons are also a big plus because the killer stereo system Im going to put in it will sound much better with the subs in the cabin:)

BV
 
Speaking as a subaru owner (WRX), they are built to last. While you might not get 200k off the engine with the subaru, you almost definately wont get 200k off the clutch in any car. And in all honesty, you can get 200k off any of these cars; its all how the previous owner drove/cared for them. If the 90k outback was driven by an old lady who has records for all services, then the engine could last 250k, who knows.

The 01, while high miles, is pretty loaded. Being an 01 I assume the majority of those miles are highway too, which is okay.

I say take the outback. Then again, I'm biased.

Or screw the sound system/wheels and add that money into the car budget. For a couple grand more, you can bump up to a mid90s 5series.
 
Yeah, but every car I drive has a sound system in it:) They have to. I have most of the components already that Ive been transferring to vehicle to vehicle over the past 10 years.

I did talk to the dealer about the high-miles 01 Subaru - he swore up and down that it was immaculate and well cared for, although he sent me a clean CarFax his didnt have the service records. They just dropped the price on it by $1000 too...its a couple hours away but $9k for a 2001 Outback with every concievable option is a pretty sweet deal.

BV
 
Honda's are great cars - my girlfriend has a 1990 Accord with 170kmi on it, still runs like a tank. She bought it in 1997 with 60kmi on it for $6000. In the past 7 years she's put less than $2k into it for maitenence/repairs.

Ive had a lot of cars since I was 16, and one of my all time favorites was a 1985 BMW 325e that I bought for $1700 with 167kmi on it. I replaced the water pump and brakes, and that car ran like a champ. 30+ mpg, decently fast, etc. Some drunk fool smashed into it at 3am while I was in an all night breakfast joint getting a meal. The insurance company totaled it on me (sent me a check for $3500, which was pretty nice) - but with that money I bought the car Im driving now, a 1992 Ford Explorer.

While my truck has been decent for the past couple years, and I have to say the 4.0L v6 in these things is rock solid - everything else on the car has gone to ****. Transmission, 2 clutches, exhaust, brakes twice, steering gear, ball joints, front end, you name it Ive had to replace it. Ill never buy an American vehicle again, unless its something pretty new - like the new Mustang James referred to. That car is pretty slick:)

BV
BV
 
Well, personally stay away from a Honda or Subaru. Junk in my opinion. Stick with a Ford. I drive a 2001 Ford Explorer. Stay with them. Great vehicles
 
Oh bro I appreciate the advice but after my experience with Ford Ill never buy one again. I did have a 1986 Ford Temo with a carb that ran like a tank, and a 1978 Lincoln that WAS a tank:), but other than that - every Ford Ive owned was a low-quality POS.

BV
 
StuckeyBoss said:
Well, personally stay away from a Honda or Subaru. Junk in my opinion. Stick with a Ford. I drive a 2001 Ford Explorer. Stay with them. Great vehicles
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Well I don't know why you would say that. I have a 97 subaru with 247,000 miles on it and still going. Not to mention it goes anywhere in the snow.
 
Jstrong20 said:
Well I don't know why you would say that. I have a 97 subaru with 247,000 miles on it and still going. Not to mention it goes anywhere in the snow.
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How are the AC systems on a Subaru? I live in Arizona and I'm looking for a car.
 
If you like Subaru, check out the wagon WRXs... I've ridden in a couple and they are nice... fun to drive, handle very well, and are plenty quick (and can be modified if you're into that thing to make them as fast as you want)

They hold their resale value pretty well (and will probably get a little stronger since Toyota now owns a relatively good piece of the company now)

Hondas are good vehicles... only vehicle MORE reliable is a Toyota... though for some reason it doesnt hold its value as well.

Two things that get a honda to hold its value:
1) its reliable)
2) dealers inflate the price of used models (been doing it for years)
 
2) dealers inflate the price of used models (been doing it for years)
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Hell yeah they do!! And people *pay* for it. I ended up getting a 1995 Honda Accord w/67kmi and all the options I wanted for $6k from a used car dealer. Honda dealers would have asked $7 - $8k for the same car.

Awesome car though, the best one Ive ever owned. Great gas mileage, good power, and the speaker mounting locations are ideal for a great soundstage:D

BV
 
are you in SOcal by anychance?

I have owned a

77 Honda Civic
80 Honda Civic
86 Civic CRX
66 Honda 600 (600 cc motorcyle engine) clown car
94 Civic vx
92 Civic CRX
96 Acord

Never replace a clutch, or motor. I say go Honda.
 
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