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Subaru Legacy Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1005 messages,  Last post on May 03, 2013 at 6:18 PM

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What is this discussion about? Subaru Legacy, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 20 of 102

#183 of 1005 Why I chose Legacy over its competitors by era174

Oct 21, 2005 (2:12 am)

Hello from Canada.
I'm going to buy a 2006 Subaru Legacy 2.5i wagon this weekend.
I've done my homework for more than a month. The reasons I chose it instead of its competitors are:
 
1) all wheel drive :
I got two near-accident experiences with front wheel drive cars in winter.
 
2) mid-size station wagon :
no more Jetta wagons in 2006. that's too bad. VW Canada is selling 2005 leftover models only.
2006 Passat wagons (V6, 4Motion) will be too expensive (not on the market yet)
I almost decided to buy a 2006 Toyota Matrix (actually small-size), but Toyota Canada refuses to add side airbags and curtain airbags as options; I'm not talking about standard, but OPTIONS!! Bye, Toyota.
 
3) good standard equipment
Even the lowest 2.5i has 6 airbags (kudos to Subaru, Honda and Hyundai (Sonata)), many power-related options, cruise control, air conditioning, cd player, and surprisingly HEATED front seats (in Canada). Toyota Canada refuses again to add 6 airbags an an option for Camry SE whose MSRP is almost the same as Legacy 2.5i.
 
4) IIHS report on INJURY, COLLISION & THEFT LOSSES (2002-2004 models)
click here
Legacy/Outback 4WD has a very good rating in the all mid-size category.
 
5) good reliability and resale value
 
6) temptation to buy 2006 Honda CRV and 2006 Toyota Rav4?
2006 Toyota Rav4 will be a hot seller this winter considering all the media reports (& hype). Even though the IIHS report used its old models, its rating is very poor. So is Honda CR-V's. And CR-V still has to solve the PPTR problem. Of course those two mini SUVs generate much MORE NOISE than Legacy.
 
6) Final thought:
I NEVER dreamed of buying a SUBARU car in my whole life. But, Toyota and Honda fail to meet all my requirements within my budget. Passat wagon with 4Motion is an alternative but it'll be way too expensive for me. I'll post more info on my Legacy later. Thanks for all the posts you put on this wonderful web site!

#184 of 1005 question to era174 by krzyss

Oct 21, 2005 (5:29 am)

"1) all wheel drive :
I got two near-accident experiences with front wheel drive cars in winter. "
 
Were you unable to accelerate?
 
Krzys

#185 of 1005 It's more than that... by ateixeira

Oct 21, 2005 (8:08 am)

Put simply, you slip when torque > traction available. FWD is doubling the first number, so the chances you'll slip are much higher. I like how this site describes it:
 
http://www.4x4abc.com/4WD101/tractionuse2.html
 
vs.
 
http://www.4x4abc.com/4WD101/tractionuse4.html
 
This mostly applies going up hill, but the reserve of traction is there for any slippery situation.
 
It was funny, my sister was shopping Camry vs. Forester, but she test drove the Camry on a rainy day.
 
Guess which one she bought?
 
-juice

#186 of 1005 Re: It's more than that... [ateixeira] by robr2

Oct 21, 2005 (8:16 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Oct 21, 2005 8:08 am)
I'll be the Forester. But I'll bet you applied a touch of pressure.

#187 of 1005 Re: It's more than that... [robr2] by ateixeira

Oct 21, 2005 (8:18 am)

Replying to: robr2 (Oct 21, 2005 8:16 am)
I didn't go with her, actually. I'm sure my experience with my own Forester had some influence, but she went with my dad to go car shopping.
 
Once she had made the decision, I got her to qualify for the VIP pricing program.
 
-juice

#188 of 1005 Re: question to era174 [krzyss] by era174

Oct 21, 2005 (11:14 am)

Replying to: krzyss (Oct 21, 2005 5:29 am)
Actually i tried to stop. The first car span around twice and stopped right before another car (probably on black ice). The second one skidded into a valley side on a mountain road (snow plowed already and clean) and stopped a few meters away from the valley. I'm a very cautious driver and I was driving very slowly in those two cases. No more front wheel cars for me.

#189 of 1005 Re: question to era174 [era174] by dwynne

Oct 21, 2005 (1:08 pm)

Replying to: era174 (Oct 21, 2005 11:14 am)
AWD does nothing to help you stop - a common mistake 4x4 and AWD drivers make. They go flying past you on a icy or snowy day and then down the road you pass them as they sit in the ditch.
 
ABS and stability control combined with good snow or snow/ice tires does a lot more for you than AWD does.
 
That said, I have an older ('96) Legacy wagon I use just snow days, ABS, AWD, and four snow/ice tires make it a "mountain goat". No DSC offered on that old of a car, however.
 
Dennis

#190 of 1005 Re: all wheel ABS vs two wheel ABS: question to era174 [dwynne] by era174

Oct 21, 2005 (7:01 pm)

Replying to: dwynne (Oct 21, 2005 1:08 pm)
Thanks for your info, dwynne. The salesperson I met today opened the hood and showed me the FOUR cables for ABS. He said Subaru AWD is all the better because it has all wheel ABS while front wheel ABS has just two wheel ABS (?) or something like that. I hope he's correct on that point.

#191 of 1005 Re: all wheel ABS vs two wheel ABS: question to era174 [era174] by kyfdx HOST

Oct 21, 2005 (8:20 pm)

Replying to: era174 (Oct 21, 2005 7:01 pm)
Nope.... just sales talk... Some pickup trucks have rear-wheel ABS only, but I'm pretty sure that every car with ABS is on all four wheels..
 
Stop over to this discussion..
Subaru Crew: 2005+ Subaru Legacy/Outback
 
for everything you ever wanted to know about the Subaru Legacy

#192 of 1005 Re: all wheel ABS vs two wheel ABS: question to era174 [era174] by ateixeira

Oct 22, 2005 (5:39 pm)

Replying to: era174 (Oct 21, 2005 7:01 pm)
He may have pointed out the 4 channels and 4 sensors that make up every ABS system in Subarus. Some manufacturers use 3 channel ABS (1 channel for both rear wheels) to cut costs. Honda, for instance.
 
The ABS still works on all 4 wheels, though. It's 3 channel ABS, though.
 
2 wheel ABS has been used on some cheaper pickups because the rear brakes tend to skid when the bed is empty.

Messages Page 20 of 102

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