A car thread...

[slofox]

I have had three Legacy wagons in a row, which tells you I like them.

Couple of points though:

1) They chew up gas - especially the quad cam engines.
2) The 2.5 litre four cylinder engines do sometimes blow head gaskets.
3) 2, above, is expensive to fix (DAMHIK)
4) The transmission is not as good as some although failure is not that common.

Other than that, they go like stink if you want them to and will tow bloody near anything. All three have been cheaper to maintain than a Ford Sierra I had before the first Sub. The two I have sold through auction went damn cheap for what they were. I still like 'em and would have another if I could afford it.

[Edbear]

I have had three Legacy wagons in a row, which tells you I like them.

Couple of points though:

1) They chew up gas - especially the quad cam engines.
2) The 2.5 litre four cylinder engines do sometimes blow head gaskets.
3) 2, above, is expensive to fix (DAMHIK)
4) The transmission is not as good as some although failure is not that common.

Other than that, they go like stink if you want them to and will tow bloody near anything. All three have been cheaper to maintain than a Ford Sierra I had before the first Sub. The two I have sold through auction went damn cheap for what they were. I still like 'em and would have another if I could afford it.

Just remember Subaru is the number 1 stolen car, ESP Legacy's. Any 2lt car will do what you want just balance condition and cost

[blackdog]

Yup, you gotta like paying for gas with the soobys.

If it was me I'd be thinking along these lines.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used...-440148841.htm

[shafty]

Good advice all round

I read the Dog and Lemon Guide and worked backwards resulting in a V6 Camry and 1500 Corolla to last the next half decade

I've repped in 2 Subaru Legacy Wgn 2.5's and loved them as a work car - well over 200,000 km's in each = very reliable

Evidently later on they cost a few bucks to maintain but hey, close to 300K?

[Hopeful Bastard]

Yupp. I'd definitely be going along with BlackDogs lists... Toyota Carib/Caldina etc. Cheap to fix and bloody durable.


Mates Subie broke down on the Motorway bout a month ago. Snapped the Timing Belt. Had just bought it from a Trade Me member who was driving it that day too...


$1000 later he had a running car again....



The higher CC you go per Cylinder, the more it will cost you fuel wise.


I'd rather run a V6 2.5L than a 4Cyl 2.4L.

[ducatilover]

Purely from own observation, an accord is likely to give you less mechanical woes..... But maybe all the subby owners I know have been unlucky....

One drawback of owning a honda is that every time you watch topgear you get reminded that your a bland nigel no-mates.

Horrid trans and good luck getting one in manual...everything else about them tends to be quite good though. I'm a bit of a Honda fan

[SMOKEU]

Good advice all round

I read the Dog and Lemon Guide and worked backwards resulting in a V6 Camry and 1500 Corolla to last the next half decade

I've repped in 2 Subaru Legacy Wgn 2.5's and loved them as a work car - well over 200,000 km's in each = very reliable

Evidently later on they cost a few bucks to maintain but hey, close to 300K?

Anything you read in the Dog and Lemon Guide should be taken with a grain of salt. They basically say that the best car is a Toyota Corolla and that every European car is going to self destruct.

[ducatilover]

Anything you read in the Dog and Lemon Guide should be taken with a grain of salt. They basically say that the best car is a Toyota Corolla and that every European car is going to self destruct.

Apparently any rear wheel drive will kill you, anything without a Toyota F series head will fuck out, any cambelt is going to snap, any headgasket is going to blow up.

Then misses many common problems on many models and speculates about the crash stats or safety, speculates about reliability most of the time. He's a hopeless cunt who knows fuck all

[StoneY]

Someone earlier in thread mentioned Caldina's.
We just traded in our Caldina GTT, I would not recommend it as a tow car.
Very sluggish down low, they're geared and tuned (standard) to run up and boost when the turbo kicked in.
Off the mark had to thrash the crap out of it. Had crap electronics, they have to have the cam belt done every 100k (I do mean HAVE to) and our one was falling apart by 200k........ despite regular servicing etc.

Avoid Turbo's for towing, but then again the non turbo Caldina GT 4wd might have been better if it was to be a tow car (better than the turbo anyway)

I suggest a Subaru Legacy 2.5T (the non turbo 4wd) the one I had 2 years ago was an awesome tow car.
Reliable, pulled well down low, loads of space, but a bit thirsty at that too..........

[Indiana_Jones]

Austin 3L

-Indy

[blackdog]

That Legacy is worth more than $2500.

You would write a cheque for more than that if someone drove it onto ya yard? Not sure I would.

[ducatilover]

Someone earlier in thread mentioned Caldina's.
We just traded in our Caldina GTT, I would not recommend it as a tow car.
Very sluggish down low, they're geared and tuned (standard) to run up and boost when the turbo kicked in.
Off the mark had to thrash the crap out of it. Had crap electronics, they have to have the cam belt done every 100k (I do mean HAVE to) and our one was falling apart by 200k........ despite regular servicing etc.

Avoid Turbo's for towing, but then again the non turbo Caldina GT 4wd might have been better if it was to be a tow car (better than the turbo anyway)

I suggest a Subaru Legacy 2.5T (the non turbo 4wd) the one I had 2 years ago was an awesome tow car.
Reliable, pulled well down low, loads of space, but a bit thirsty at that too..........

Auto/manual and what model year?
I've noticed the ones with he old CT20b take a bit to get on song
The 2.0 3sfe motors are good.

[onearmedbandit]

You would write a cheque for more than that if someone drove it onto ya yard? Not sure I would.

Now you are putting words in my mouth. Trade value, no it's not worth more than $2500, retail value on the other hand. But whoever talks trade prices, except dealers and customers of said dealers.

[pete376403]

I vote for Hondas, I had a 96 US Accord wagon which proved very reliable in all the time I had it. Was going to trade it on a '03 Accord wagon but they only offered $1500 so I gave it to my daughter. She's also having a very good run with it, only issue is the airbag light accasionally needs resetting.

The '03 is a super nice car, pretty grunty as well (This is the high spec 2.4 140Kw)

[AD345]

I'd go for the Accord too

I've had 3 in a row (all new though it must be said) and all I've ever done is put petrol in them

In fact with the last 2 I've never even opened the bonnet...