Best AWD Vehicle?

Subaru of course. They are currently #2 in reliability and quality. They get decent gas milage too. Oh ya, and best crash-test ratings. Just drive through Truckee or Tahoe or any snow town and count the number of Subarus you see people driving.

"JohnDF" wrote: Just drive through Truckee or Tahoe or any snow town and count the number of Subarus you see people driving.

I thought about that, but until recently (5 years or so) there really weren't many choices. I think you're starting to see a better mix nowdays. Plus, one day when the Cruiser was being towed home from Fordyce I asked the tow truck driver what the most common car she towed was. She said Subarus. Of course, she said that it may have been because there were so many of them. 😀



Where are your rankings from?



I'm not sure we can pull a car off after buying the house, but we ended up parking Kelly's car at 174 and You Bet last night so we may start thinking creatively. A snow plow can pile up one heck of a snow berm to dig out the next morning. 😲

WHEN we WENT Up tHaT HilL BY YOUR HOUSE THE OTHER DAY I WAS HAPPY WITH THE uphill performance on the highlander. my only problem was the engine di`dnt ````````````````````s`low the car down like i thiought it should on the downhill approach so i ending up feathering the brakes more than i would like,. but then agin maybe im just used to the real 4wd and low gears on the 4runner. 😂 by the wy lily is messing uo this post. i tried and rtied to get it rijt but she keeps yping while iTRY TO TYPE!! KIDSqqq!! i'll look into giving you a better remomendation as to what i would buy if i was int snow country= later.

One of my employees called me this morning and she was stuck in her Subaru! She asked me for some help to get her out. She bought her car for the same reason Keane and Kelly are experiencing. It has worked well for 8 years. Why not buy a cheap used one to last a year or two. You shouldn't have a problem getting one for cheap.



Here is one on craigs list: 1999 Subaru Forester - $7688



Here's a CHEAP one: 1993 Subaru Legacy *SUPER RELIABLE* - $980



97 Subaru Legacy Outback, Auto, Smog, 93k, Good Condition, Runs Perf. - $5599



I think these are cheap enough you should be able to just add one to your current supply and not have to sell one of your new Corolas.

Our Honda CR-V has been a good car despite what I've done to it. I've never really tried the 4x4 aspect of it other than drive over a parking curb yesterday. We bought it new in '97 and it's got 113k miles now. The only repairs we've had to do (airbag module & wheel bearing) are because we flooded it a few years ago.

"BKGM Jeepers" wrote: Why not buy a cheap used one to last a year or two. You shouldn't have a problem getting one for cheap.

That's the plan. That's why I'm looking for good cars a few years ago. 😀

Buy a used Jeep, then you can take the 4wheel drive in and out. Save on were and tere. 😏

"GonZo" wrote: Buy a used Jeep, then you can take the 4wheel drive in and out. Save on were and tere. 😏

You honestly think Kelly's going to drive around in some rattle trap of a Jeep. You're confused. 😂 Plus, I said I wanted something reliable!

😂 😂 😂



I still stick by the Subaru as a good reliable and useful car.



You could also look at Toyotas and Hondas. But, I don't much care for their all wheel drive models.



If it was me, I'd look at a Toyota Tacoma 4-door 😎 but they can be pretty pricey 🙁

My vote is for a AWD Subaru. About the only thing I ever replaced on them was CV shafts. Other than that, just maintenance.

I agree with John, I don't care much for Toyota and Honda AWD's.

"Justin" wrote: I agree with John, I don't care much for Toyota and Honda AWD's.

I'm just curious, what is it about the Toyotas and Hondas you guys don't like? Is it the mechanicals or the body styles?

SUBADOO :!:



I have owned one as well as Nissan Murano which did very well (not the best gas mileage)...

"Bender" wrote: [quote="GonZo"]Buy a used Jeep, then you can take the 4wheel drive in and out. Save on were and tere. 😏

You honestly think Kelly's going to drive around in some rattle trap of a Jeep. You're confused. 😂 Plus, I said I wanted something reliable!

Who said anything about Kelly having to drive it. I thought you would man up and let her drive the 4runner. 😛

"FAM" wrote:
I'm just curious, what is it about the Toyotas and Hondas you guys don't like? Is it the mechanicals or the body styles?

Toyota and Honda might have gotten better but when I was wrenching, it seemed like their drivetrains only lasted about 150K miles, while the Subarus where lasting 300K+ miles. American made AWD's, like the Chevy Astro vans were only good for about 100K miles.

"FAM" wrote:
I'm just curious, what is it about the Toyotas and Hondas you guys don't like? Is it the mechanicals or the body styles?

Mostly the styles...

"JohnDF" wrote: [quote="FAM"]
I'm just curious, what is it about the Toyotas and Hondas you guys don't like? Is it the mechanicals or the body styles?

Mostly the styles...

I'll admit, I never wanted the CR-V because of the way it looks. Teddi and actually got into a big fight about it before we bought it. She had to have it, and now that she's got her Civic, I have to have it. But mechanically, I couldn't ask for it to be any better than it's been. I consider it just a tool to get me to/from work, etc, and it does it very well.

I didn't want to get into reliability. Given choice (and no need for 4-lo), I'd get an older AWD RAV-4. My parents have one with 225K miles and have never had to do anything with it.



I've had thee employees with the Subaru 2.5L H-4 and all three had headgaskets fail. With the H-4, the cost of the rebuild was very high compared to an I-4. I have no experience with the 3.0L engine.



I still think Subaru is a reliable brand. I do not think it is more reliable than Toyota or Honda.



Subaru does tend to have lower resale than Toyota and Honda, so you should get more car for your money. I posted a running subaru for under $1000! Wow! I saw a 90 4-4unner with a blown engine for $4K!

Every model in Subi's linup has been AWD for quite some time - they know their way around tcases. I believe that all of the WRX's (if not all Imprezas) come with limited slip rear too.

My family owned 3 of the old wagons, and as long as you didnt bury them, they were unstoppable in snow.

If looking for a cheeeeep ski car go for a regular old Impreza. None of the bling, turbo, $$$ that come with the Rex.