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I will say that I loved the car. I sold my 1996 Legacy Outback Wagon (2.3 L , 5-speed) to buy my Saab.
Pluses:
Bar-none, the best car I've driven in snow/ dirt roads. Mine had the heated mirrors and seats, engine-block heater etc... all great.
Unbelievable traction and stability in most driving-- and I drove the wheels off it. Pretty fun to drive, especially for a soccer-mom station wagon.
Easily manageable and grunty engine. The torque is available down low, making it a pleasant town car. It maxed out at 123 mph on the highway...
Reliable, for the most part. Some little trim things bugged out (seat heater light, hatch shock, etc.), but nothing major. I did replace a wheel bearing, my clutch, my water-pump, timing belt and pullies over 100K miles of ownership.
Easily accessible for DIY routine service: clutch adjustment, oil changes, and serpentine-belt replacement.
Lots of cargo room, especially with seats folded etc. At one point I had 10 adults(?) and a display manakin crammed in it...
Minuses:
Parts are generally expensive.
Seats did me in on long trips (though I took them regularly) I'm 6'1", and found the back and thigh support lacking, even with the lumbar adjustment. One thing that drew me to a Saab... Take one out for at least an hour before you decide if it will work for you.
Mileage is so-so. I got as high as 29 mpg, and as low as 19 mpg. Around town it got about 25 mpg (and this was the smaller engine).
Maintainance is crucial. With the AWD, ABS, and a weird timing belt that drives the water pump as well, you have to be careful everything is fresh. In the 2.5 L (interference design engine), if that timing belt breaks, your valves and head may be toast. My ABS crapped out when I jostled the sensor: a new one is $250. Service intervals are average for a Japanese car, but will cost more than comparable Honda services.
My rear struts started leaking at 90k (see manakin reference above)
Clutch replaced at 60 k (Ithaca hills and teaching friends how to drive stick). I was seriously considering the WRX when I happened upon my Saab, and would recommend the Subaru.
The Honda's I've driven (all Civics) have all handled very sharply and are slick little cars. Parts are cheaper too, from what my friends say, and there are more dealers/garages familiar with them. For strict reliability, you can't go wrong with Honda.
Good luck!
Lutfisk
posted by 128.84.2...
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