subaru or volvo??

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Stinky_Hooker

Ive always loved the Subarus.

Also something to consider, Charlie is a VW Jetta. Ive got a friend with one and she loves it. Very slick inside, excellent mileage and dependable as can be. I plan on getting the wife one soon Lord Willing.

Only problem with the VW's is the cost of repairs. Same sis-in-law that now has the Outback had a Jetta before that. Loved the car, but when she went for brakes she was handed a $900 repair bill. Guy at work had a Toureg... needed a sensor replaced...turns out it was above the muffler and tranny... $2400 for the labor to replace it. (The part itself was $14)

Same thing with the Volvos. I love them mechanically...solid, well built...but like all vehicles, they require regular maintenance to keep them running right...and wait till you get that repair bill...speaking from experience..trust me.

[phatdaddy]

i have never liked anything over 5 hp with an odd number of cylinders

[reelapeelin]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Only problem with the VW's is the cost of repairs. Same sis-in-law that now has the Outback had a Jetta before that. Loved the car, but when she went for brakes she was handed a $900 repair bill. Guy at work had a Toureg... needed a sensor replaced...turns out it was above the muffler and tranny... $2400 for the labor to replace it. (The part itself was $14)

Same thing with the Volvos. I love them mechanically...solid, well built...but like all vehicles, they require regular maintenance to keep them running right...and wait till you get that repair bill...speaking from experience..trust me.

Our Jetta ain't cheap to work on...dealer wanted $750 for the catalytic converter...got it elswhere installed for less, but dissappointed to find it had a PLASTIC dip-stick tube which ROTTED down to the engine...fun car to drive...5 speed...just drove it at the beach...but our camry w/TWICE the miles is a much more SOLID car...doors still close like a BMW..Personally I wouldn't buy another VW...we've already had the transmission rebuilt @ < 100,000 miles

Charlie...get the Subaroo!!...

[macojoe]

My son had a Jetta Had to be the bigest POS I ever seen! I have another with a outback, he likes it but its getting up there in age now and he has fixed a few things for $$$

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by reelapeelin

Our Jetta ain't cheap to work on...dealer wanted $750 for the catalytic converter...got it elswhere installed for less, but dissappointed to find it had a PLASTIC dip-stick tube which ROTTED down to the engine...fun car to drive...5 speed...just drove it at the beach...but our camry w/TWICE the miles is a much more SOLID car...doors still close like a BMW..Personally I wouldn't buy another VW...we've already had the transmission rebuilt @ < 100,000 miles

Charlie...get the Subaroo!!...

Yep....I completely agree Reel. The Camry is to Toyota what the Accord is to Honda.... Both are top of the line and are built like I wish American cars were built. My wife drives a 2004 Accord with just over 100k miles...only thing we've ever done to it is normal maintenance...

Charlie, ....Given only the choice of the Subaru or the Volvo my choice would be the Subaru every time.

[spareparts]

I guess this is the annual "Charlie wants another car thread" I'll stick with my recommendation from a year or two ago, 97-99 Tahoe/Burb. You can find them all day long for $3500-$5000. My wifes 99 is now my 99, she's got an 02 now. The 99 has 234k on it, runs great and is cheap to keep running, gets better mileage than the 02. I will admit, the 02 drives a whole lot better

[charlie_the_tuna]

Originally Posted by spareparts

I guess this is the annual "Charlie wants another car thread"

hey spare, have i become that predictable? well, HA!! because it's now a bi-annual thread.

[THEFERMANATOR]

It's a bit newer than your looking at, but look at an 06+ MALIBU MAXX wagon if your interested in a wagon type. They get good milage, and are a pretty nice ride I think. It's the same drivetrain as my wifes PONTIAC G6, and it has been as trouble free as anything could be.

[spareparts]

I always know you can take what ever we dish out, Charlie.
AS far as import vs domestic, there are far too many variables to say one way or the other, personally I believe the general public has been brain washed into thinking foreign cars are better built than American, there are far too many issues at hand to make that statement one way or another, country of origin? Country of manufacture? Parent country of manufacture? The lines are so blurred its hard to define whats foreign made or whats domestic built. I just find it wrong that because a company is a traditional American company, its assumed that they are inferior product. This country gave the foreign manufactures plenty of ammo to make statements against our manufacturing with cars built in the 70's-80's. I won't even get my soap box out about union labor(UAW) or socialized auto manufactures(Italy, France). Like I said, I have a 99 Burb with over 200K, a 99E350 with over 340K, an 02 Burb with 100K, I could add up every expense I've paid out on all three vehicles for repairs and it would be less than one years payments on a new Toyota. Does Toyota make a good car? Yes, But so does Ford, GM, and Chrysler. They've all built turds and they've all built good cars. I have friends that own independent car shops and the first thing they tell you is the Toyota's and Honda's are what keeps them in business. That emblem on the hood of a Mercedes is a target sight, it takes aim on your wallet, BMW stands for "bust my wallet". Its not just the car, but the attitude of the customer, just like the boats we own. I tell some one their four stroke Yamaha needs $500 spent on it for service, they usually don't balk, I tell some one their 2 stroke Johnson needs $250 spent on it and you'd think I was trying to rape them. I've seen every brand of motor fail at one time or another, they all break, if they don't, they'll replace it with one that will(6.0L Ford Diesel). Biggest pos car I ever owned was a Volkswagon Dasher Station Wagon, even a minor repair exceeded the value of the car, followed by a Nissan Hardbody 4wd pickup, with a four cylinder on a good day it got 15 mpg(my E350 gets better), parts for the ignition and fuel injection were obsolete about four years after it was built. My 02 E150 died a horrible death at 105k with jumped timing chains. Had a friend that had a Mazda Miata, crank position sensor went out, the sensor cost more that the car was worth. Toughest car I've ever owned with out a doubt, was my 96 2wd Cherokee, its got over 200K and my sister drives it everyday. I can fix just about anything on it with a paperclip, screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. To say one brand does far better than the other is hard to justify, take each one independently and look at the history. Throw the consumer reports out the window along with JD Powers, they are all advertising companies, they work on cash. Look at overall repair cost and parts availability, look at service options, talk to mechanics in independent shops, look at what they drive. I always thought Hyundai or Kia was POS, got a friend that works on Fords for a living and thats what he drives. The only thing you can count on is if they build a car that's too good, they will stop building it, whether its foreign or domestic.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Yep....I completely agree Reel. The Camry is to Toyota what the Accord is to Honda.... Both are top of the line and are built like I wish American cars were built. My wife drives a 2004 Accord with just over 100k miles...only thing we've ever done to it is normal maintenance...

Charlie, ....Given only the choice of the Subaru or the Volvo my choice would be the Subaru every time.

It always bugs me when I read and hear things like this. I work on em for a living, and I would MUCH rather have an American car come in VS an import. The newer Amercian cars really aren't what people rememebr from the 70's and 80's. The imports give just as much trouble, but cost 2-3 times as much to fix. It hurts me as people don't want to spend that much money to fix em. Not to mention some of there designing is a real bear to work around and get parts for.