Thoughts - Subaru vs Toyota

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

OK, the wife is ready to replace the '94 Chevy 1/2 tonne with 225,000 miles, no issues, manual everything and vinyl and give it to her sister.

For a daily driver, she is looking at two seperate automobiles that are being sold by her company. They are both in the South, both auto (yuck), a/c, bells and whistles, but what matters:

Subaru Outback Wagon 2003, 60,000 miles, $13,900, 2.5L H-4, no wrecks, maintained, Carolinas.

Toyota Camry LE V-6, 2004, 18,000 miles, $17,800, no wrecks, maintained, Texas.

I can make it to look at the Camry this weekend if they let us review them prior to buying. What really matters is dependability and durability. I like the Subaru better as a vehicle and it is cheaper! The Toyota has so many fewer miles....

Thoughts????

[VincentVega]

Both nice cars, but Toyota has better resale. You might appreciate that in a couple years when it's time to sell.

[RickM]

IMO, Toyota is second to none in build quality and dependability.

[Overpaid Slacker]

I prefer the Subie, but for the reasons already stated, I'd rec. the Toyota.

JP

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

We generally keep them for 10 years so resale is not an issue. Hmm, concensous at work is the Suby about 8 to 1. Strange...

Of course, voting on only moteur types, I go for the H4!!!

[nostatic]

I just bought a new Subie Impreza wagon, and so far I'm very impressed. Plus it has character that a Camry never could.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

nostatic: You hit it! How is that '79 going? I've got my moteur partially dismantled. Again.

All,

Just reviewed available records, one oil change showing in 17,000 miles on the Toyota. Regular changes showing on the Suby. Leaning on the Suby, hard right now....

[Z-man]

I have a 1995 Legacy Sedan with 156,000 miles on the clock. Still running strong.

Both Porsche and Subaru have boxser engines in their cars these days. Coincidence? I think not!
-Z .

[nostatic]

I'm not sure if the 79 is happy or sad at losing daily driver status. I'll take her out tonight for a spin and see. She is going to start going under the gradual knife to turn her more and more into a track car.

[vash]

my girlfriend has the camry. she like the suburu, and says so everytime she see the commercial or one on the street. that V6 in the toyota is like electric. no vibes whatsoever. point that car to the horizon and go. i vote for the camry. it will have a great personality compared to the no frills chevy pickup. and it is in texas, better value, practically new...blah blah blah.

[RickM]

I'll amend my comment with get the car that suits your needs best.

Is the Subaru 4 wheel drive?

[galwaytt]

David - you may love the Scooby, but will you be driving it? What does your wife think?

In reality, neither should give much trouble, but the Toyota is better built......

[white87911]

I just bopught a 98 Impeza wagon for the wife. I bought a set of Blizzack snows for the car for the winter as a friend of mine has 5 WRX wheels and tires for me to use in the summer. Holy crap can this car go anywhere in the snow and ice, but I see you are from Texas so you do not need to woory abouyr that.

Considering that you keep cars for 10 years and I looks like you log some miles on your cars, I would go with the lower milage Camery. I do not say this to make ou think the Subarus do handle high milage well, but when it comes to maintaing them for long period of time you jhave to remember that with the Subaru you have 4 axles instead of 2 and 2 differential, etc. I love my Subaru, but I think the Camery may be a better choice.

[not sharp]

I have a partner in a real estate deal whom owns a Toyota dealership. He is amazed that to this day they have not had to replace a Camry trasmission. Tough stuff!!

[Steve Carlton]

My wife had an Outback like that. Not much on the excitement scale, and gutless. But utilitarian, and they're all AWD.

The Camry can't be beat for reliability, but the lack of oil changes can be a very bad thing. In the 80's Toyota used to recommend oil changes every 10K and they wound up with prematurely worn out camshafts. I do know somebody who used to manage a Toyota dealer and he said you'd be surprised how many V6 engines Toyota replaced on the QT.

To be honest, those prices don't look very attractive. Consider getting a new one. You'll start out with zero miles, and have 60K extra to work with on the Subaru, for example. So that's what, an extra 4-6 years of useful life? Plus you'll get to pick out the color, options, and know it hasn't been stuffed. The new Subaru Legacy GTs come with a 250hp version of the WRX STi engine... Cars with high resale value are better off purchased new, IMO.

New cars have awesome incentives, too.

[stevepaa]

On Toyotas, at one time we had 4: 65FJ45, 69FJ40, 94Pickup and 904Runner. Nothing but problems with the 1990 4Runner. Six wires in the driver side A pillar pass through bundle had fatique failure, so could not control mirrors. The cruise controla was inactive becasaue of some miswiring of the alarm. Had a starting problem that 3 starters and two trips to the dealer could not solve. I had to put in a bypass button so my daughter could start her car. Tranny died, was rebuilt and within 6 months there was a problem with output shaft and would need another rebuild. 1990 was the year of the integral transmission/ transfer case design for which Toyota no longer provided replacements. Put a sign on it and sold it to a mechanic at the dealership. Cost me $7K in two years. Took my daughter to Subaru dealer that same day and bought a new Subaru Forester. A perfect car.

As I perfer Volvos next to Porsches, the Subaru is my third choice. My son with the 94pickup is eyeing the Subaru WRX.

[Steve Carlton]

Don't let him get the WRX... I'm in my 40s, and it's still a bad influence.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Thanks to all of you!!! She drove a new Outback and liked the way it drove. We are looking at being transferred to the northeast in the next year and so an all wheel drive vehicle designed for poor driving conditions is a plus. To be honest, my three Toyotas all had rust problems (two gulf coast, one I had while in Belgium) within two years of ownership. The cost of ownership on the V-6 Camry ran a bit higher over the next three years (I know, short term). We are also trying to limit bills as it is so much more expensive to live in the North East than here in Texas!

Long story short, she bid on the Subaru this morning. We really appreciate all the input! It has helped making our decision a bit tougher but I think we were better informed!

[azasadny]

You live in Texas, you HAVE to keep the truck!