Switching from Honda to Subaru

In its 2nd year? Perfect!

Too much of a niche car with few dealerships. That is a disqualifier for me.

Indeed, but it doesn't rhyme without the second part: "I do szabli, i do szklanki."

JR

Thanks for that very convincing comparison. Just curious: ignoring the size and fuel consumption difference between Legacy and Impreza, is there any significant argument to recommend one over the other?

I also wonder what engine oil brand and type is recommended by Subaru. In case of Honda, it is Castrol, for instance and 5W-30 for my Accord.

You bet! ;-)

I got the same advice and was told that Subaru's are harder on tires than other cars. On my first Forester (lost to accident), I only got

22k miles on tires due to ignoring them. On second, I got 28k. Still a little short, but better.

Shops advice is rotate every 6k and check alignment every 2 years.

We also need to mention that if one tire goes, they all go, unless you shave new tire to match wear on old.

Went from a '90 Accord to a 95 Legacy wagon. Both were good and the only major item either needed were front axles from worn CV joints which is typical after high mileage. The accord I sold with 160K and then needed a battery and alternator in the months after. The legacy I traded with 175K for an '00 Outback. I think the accord handled better and was a bit quicker due to the better shift points in the auto trans, plus had a sport selection for even higher rpm shifts. But like you, I wanted AWD and Honda didn't have an option at the time.

In addition, the accord was much roomier in the interior, BUT that is because it is a wider vehicle (ergo better handling. I've been in tight traffic spots with the subie where the accord wouldn't have fit by. Not sure on the dimensions now.

I went from a 2003 Honda Accord V6 w/leather to a 2010 Subaru Legacy Limited H6 w/leather. The Legacy is quieter, rides smoother, is much roomier and has more power. The AWD provides much better, more secure handling in rainy or snowy conditions. Even with AWD, I'm only getting about 1-2 mpg less than the Accord. I was initially concerned about possible lack of thigh support, but the seats have proven to be extremely comfortable for both every day driving and long trips.

I've been trying to find more info about the Legacy's transmission. I am only interested in the A/T. In the specs I see this variable speed A/T listed. How does that compare to Honda's A/T? Both reliability wise and smoothness wise ...

The Subaru H6 is only available with a 5 speed auto. It's very smooth, possibly a little more so than the 5 speed auto in my 2003 Accord. The H4 Subaru is available with a 6 speed manual, which has an acceptable but not great reputation, or a CVT, with paddle shifters that simulate 6 speeds. The CVT provides outstanding mileage, better than the manual. The turbo LGT is only available with the 6 speed manual.

As a former Accord owner ('79, '80, '80, '88), that has got to be Aztek ugly, no cool about it.

I gave up on the Accord when they dropped the 3 door hatchback and abandoned the core Accord owners.

No room for 2 deer and gear.

David

I was driving a '95 Volvo 850 turbo, a 5-cylinder car, in the autumn of 1998 when we bought my wife's 1999 Forester (which she still has, with 50-something thousand miles on it and no head gasket problems yet). I recall being struck at the time by the fact that the Forester engine was quieter and had less vibration than the Volvo, which was in every other way a larger and more luxurious car.

I've had 2 deer and gear in my Forester. Plus I was only out about twenty grand ;)

Hm, interesting ... By the way, are Subaru engines interference types like Honda's? Also, are they using timing belts or chains in recent models?

If I'm not mistaken, the horizontally opposed engine is naturally balanced so produces little vibration.

The 99 Forester has a timing belt and I believe it's an interference engine. Not that that has anything to do with your question about recent models!

Yeah, sat in one a few weeks back when I was looking to replace my Pontiac GP, which I ended up buying an '09 Pontiac G5. But I was looking at Honda Fits, and Civics at the time, and this thing caught my eye too.

Yousuf Khan

I think the jury is still out on the reliability of current day subarus. I ran a 95 legacy up to 249K miles, then sold it. I did replace the tranny at 195k though. I didn't need to, but it was going to need one. The syncros were shot. The newer ones almost all have 2.5 liter engines, which I know was not perfected as of 2003, and I don't know if post 2003 subarus have gone 200k plus yet.

I do know that my subarus have been much easier to work on than my honda.I had an 84 prelude that required miniature hands to do anything under the hood. I tried to replace the starter, and couldn't find the damn thing. The timing belt was a nightmare. The whole thing caused me to swear off front wheel drive cars. In all fairness to Honda, that was a carbureted car, and the fuel injection systems are more compact than the twin carbs on that prelude, so the engine bay of a modern honda isn't so crowded, but I bet you have to jack up a modern Honda to change the oil. Not a subaru. The oil filter is super easy to get to. Subaru actually cares abotu design for maintenance, which I think is great.

Talking about horizontally opposed engine implies to me engines such as you find on BMW motorcycles. However the 4-cylinder car engines I know of have their cylinders vertically. So what did you mean by your statement above?

Honda switched to timing chains in recent models. Probably it was due to bad experience with belts though I haven't heard of any belt problems when they were replaced at the recommended intervals.

I can testify to the difficulty of maintaining Honda. I can't even change oil on my '94 Accord because you have to lift the car to get to the drain plug and the oil filter. It's ridiculous! I think it was designed to be maintained by Honda mechanics with specialized tools.

They are horizontally opposed. I've heard them called Boxer engines.

Subaru recommended replacing the belt at 110,000 miles back in '99. The oil filter and plug on the 2.5l engine are really easy to get to from the front on the car.