AMC Eagle, the unlikely trail-blazer

Sure, I remember these, even though I was barely old enough to drive, I recognized the Eagle as something _different_ (and useful!)

Duane

Yes, I remember. My boss in Alaska had one and when it was wrecked he managed to find an exact replacement. He swore by them although I never really understood why.

Got me wondering when did Subaru come into full time AWD?

I recall test driving years before I bought my first ('98 Forester) and recall having to push a button to put into AWD.

"Trailblazer"?? Perhaps, but it certainly wasn't the first car to have all wheel drive ...

The first all-wheel-drive car for everyday use was built by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) in 1907.

although ...

Mercedes started building 4WD vehicles 1903 - some of them already with all wheel steering.

Apparently ...

1972: The Subaru Leone becomes the brand¹s first All-Wheel Drive model, as part-time All-Wheel Drive is introduced to the estate [wagon] derivative.

That was "part time" all wheel drive. Then there was ...

1981: Subaru becomes the first Japanese manufacturer to introduce an automatic transmission to an All-Wheel Drive system, in the Leone. 1983: The world¹s first four-wheel drive "kei" car (the special vehicle category created by the Japanese government to encourage consumers into smaller cars through lower tax and insurance) is launched ­ the All-Wheel Drive Subaru Rex.

but full-time all wheel drive doesn't appear on a Subaru until ...

1985: Permanent All-Wheel Drive is introduced to the Leone with both manual and automatic transmissions.

That's about 15 years after it was on the Land Rover Range Rover ...

Then came the 1970 Land Rover Range Rover, the self-proclaimed "first mass-produced vehicle with full-time AWD".

Almost forgot. I thought cool. While on vacation once in Florida, girl gave me a ride to the movies, in her eagle. To set the date, the movie was Flashdance. She was from Detroit.

Greg

A former co-worker had one. His wife actually drove it. I guess it worked fairly well. Another former co-worker had a Pacer. The AMC designers apparently didn't mind being odd. This reminded me of the Torsen differentials for some reason. I see Subie is using them.

Yeah, looks like it. I remember how these were a feature of Audi AWD setups for years.

I was wondering when they took away option of 2 wheel drive and not having to push button for 4.

Don't remember when I test drove Subarus before buying my Forester. I did not like them then with spare tires under the hood.

I think the Jensen would have beaten the Eagle by a good few years. Better looking too.

If "they" are Subaru, then Leone/Loyale of 1994 was the last model to have that button. Subaru also discontinued all non-AWD models in

1995. I had Impreza 1993 FWD for 17 years.

DK

Thanks. Interesting to know. I'm a new car buyer that holds it until repair costs exceed book value of car which means I don't test drive that often. Last car I bought before the '98 Forester was a '92 Nissan. Wife's older Mazda was stolen and wanting AWD went to Subaru.

I've always found that a rather strange reasoning. The repairs might cost more than the car is technically worth, but it's still almost certainly cheaper than buying a new(er) car (unless you're buying cheap old ninth-hand clangers).

The exception of course is if there are lots of different repairs all at once / close together.

Insurance companies will call a car "totaled" if repair estimate is 70% or above book value. Like I mentioned, I run my cars forever but would not put $1,000 in repairs into to one with a $1,000 book value. Also by that time car will be pretty old and need more future repairs. That's just the way I do it. Also, I'm at the age where next car may be my last and I can afford to pay cash for a new one.

A vehicle is totalled by an insurance company when the cost of repairs plus salvage value excedes book value - doesn't matter what the percentage is

Yep, but insurance companies are stupid, selfish, and greedy, and insurance is pretty much nothing but a legalised scam anyway. :-(

I tried to get the "full cover" insurance to pay for repairs to my car, and it worked out to be a pointless waste of time since the "excess" charges would cost me about three-quarters fo the price of simply paying for the repairs myself. Next time that insurance renewal comes up I'll be dropping full cover and just having "third party, fire & theft" cover.

BUT a new(er) car is likely to cost you $10,000+, so financially and mathematically it makes no sense to me. It's more sensible to pay the $1000 reapir bill and keep the other $9000 in the bank earning you interest ... even if it is a miniscule amount of interest these days. :-(

Plus that other $9000 will pay for another nine repairs. Even at two repairs per year, that's another 4 1/2 years of use. Although as I said aove, if all nine of those repairs were needed in only a couple of months, then it MIGHT make more sense to get a new(er) car ... even then, it's a question of whether the repairs on the old one may make it "almost new" again or are more major repairs going to be needed very soon.

But those are future repairs. The new(er) car will also need future repairs at some stage, possibly even earlier than your old one would have.

No problem there, obviously it's your choice and your money, I'm just saying it has never made any sense to me.

I'm still on my first car (had it for nearly 16 years, and it was four years old when I got it) and will probably keep it until it simply no longer works and is unable to be sensibly fixed ... there is of course no point in paying $1,000 to get a custom-made wheel nut simply because the regular spares stores don't stock them any more.

As a semi-retired mechanic without a shop to do most of my own work any more, I buy good older vehicles on condition, not mileage or year. In the last 18 months I bought a 2002 Taurus with 58000km on it for my wife, and a 1996 Ranger with 307000km for myself. Both are totally rust free almost show-room condition vehicles in extremely good mechanical condition. The Taurus replaced a 1996 Mystique which had half the miles now on the Ranger and which had only cost less than a thousand dollars in repairs over the 10 years we owned it - but the body rust was getting fairly advanced and you can fix anything but rust.

The Ranger replaced a 2002 PT Cruiser , again with half the mileage on the Ranger. Very little repair costs on the PT in the 4 years I owned it, but it had not been rustproofed and there was some rust started - and I really needed a truck more than a second car.

I bought the PT to replace the 1995 Pontiac TransSport that died at just under 375000km after nickeling and diming me to death for 8? years. Never gave me a real good reason to get rid of it while it ran, but for the last 3 years it had a $500 repair limit hanging over it's head. When my daughter called and said it sounded like something fell out the bottom and it wouldn't go any more there was no question about repairing it. Looked like new (plastic body) although I had done some extensive "frame" repair - and a great leather interior. All I kept was the tires.

My take on the age-old dilemma:

Fix the car for as long as its average monthly repair costs are not above a 66% of the monthly payment for a new car. The 1/3 difference is MY rough estimate of the monetary cost of the hassle of repairs, increased risk of being stranded in the most inopportune moment and the lost opportunity cost of not having the safer/nicer/more economical car.

If I were richer, I'd adjust that to 50% and when I was a student it was more like 90%.

DK

And when you win the lottery the percentage goes out the window (along with the old car's keys) and you run off and buy a brand new Ferrari / Lamorghini / Aston Martin every time they release a new model. ;-)

My numbers are based on what I was told by an insurance company lawyer. Cost of estimate can go up as car is repaired and parts removed showing more underlying damage. Last year when a deer committed suicide on my Forester, estimate was about $1,400 but final cost was $2,400. Does not count car rental as estimated 2 day job took over a week waiting for parts.

My first Forester, a '98, was totaled at 5 years by a PT Cruiser. Damage did not look that bad but insurance opted to give me about $10,000 rather than pay for repair.