The discussion confirms that Subaru Boxer engines, particularly in models like the 2002 Legacy, are prone to head-gasket issues, leading to significant repair costs. A leaking head-gasket repair can exceed $1,300, with independent mechanics reporting costs around $1,800. While Subaru has made improvements post-2002, earlier models still exhibit these problems. The consensus suggests that potential buyers should consider models from 2003 and later to avoid these issues.
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And with heavily studded snow tires, they will handle a sheet of pure ice, too. Then, your main concern is the OTHER guy who thinks that a big 4WD is capable of handling those conditions. Defensive driving is especially important when sharing the road with idiots.Moonbear said:Subarus are really popular around here. We have winding, mountainous roads with deep ditches instead of guard rails, so having a car that sticks to the road in snow is pretty important here. With a good set of tires, the Subarus will handle pretty much anything but a sheet of pure ice.
The AWD thing as explained by youtube videos and Subaru salesmen is that Subaru's system is always on and it always tries to stay as symmetrical as possible. All of the wheels should be roughly the same speed, and equalizing power is more important than reducing slippage on ice.Allenspark said:I have owned other AWD vehicles and they do not compare to the good ole suby in adverse weather conditions. My 2009 forester is sitting on a 30 mpg average when its advertised as 27 :). I live at 9000' with a 36 mile commute down a canyon that drops a mile vertically. I am hard on my subys.
ShawnD said:The AWD thing as explained by youtube videos and Subaru salesmen is that Subaru's system is always on and it always tries to stay as symmetrical as possible. All of the wheels should be roughly the same speed, and equalizing power is more important than reducing slippage on ice.
The traction control system in my Corolla is actually similar to what those AWD Toyotas in the video are doing. Rather than focusing most of its attention on applying brakes to the tires that slip (which it does), it seems to put a lot of emphasis on cutting the throttle. While that's obviously a good feature for preventing understeer while taking corners, it's bad because cutting the throttle as much as it does means it cripples my acceleration and I'm more likely to get hit when I underestimate how much distance I need when making a turn. A lot of times I intentionally disable the traction control when making a turn because reverting back to a plain old open differential with no computers accelerates faster.
It's also worth mentioning that engine braking is a lot safer in a Subaru because all 4 tires are dragging. Engine braking down a hill in a front wheel drive car in winter is extremely dangerous because it means all of the braking force is on the two front tires. That leaves a sticky situation where you either engine brake and risk losing the ability to steer your car or ride the brakes and need to replace them every month.