Thinking of replacing Accord with Legacy

[Indirecto]

Two issues with the Accord:

1. Wasn't able to go up the mountain to do skiing without chains. I thought
front-wheel drive was good enough, but going upgrades meant that the weight
of the car went to the back and the front slipped like crazy. :-( AWD
should fix this, right?

2. This accord has developed a symphony of squeaks and rattles. I reckon
the Subaru should be less rattle-prone. Anybody has a Legacy that may
comment on this?

My only beef may be the poor fuel economy, and loss of performance, of
full-time AWD.

comments?

-Indirecto

 

[Jim Stewart]

Two issues with the Accord:

1. Wasn't able to go up the mountain to do skiing without chains. I thought
front-wheel drive was good enough, but going upgrades meant that the weight
of the car went to the back and the front slipped like crazy. :-( AWD
should fix this, right?

We've owned a Legacy Outback for 5 years
and we traded the Accord for a WRX last
year.

Accords *suck* in the snow. I had to drive
up to Bend, Ore. from northern California
to rescue my wife last winter. She got that
far with the Accord and wouldn't drive it
any further. We traded it for the WRX
shortly after that. She loves to take the
WRX (or the Outback) skiing.

2. This accord has developed a symphony of squeaks and rattles. I reckon
the Subaru should be less rattle-prone. Anybody has a Legacy that may
comment on this?

No rattles, but I'm tracking down a resonance
vibration in the exhaust that started at about
100k miles. Shouldn't be hard to fix.

My only beef may be the poor fuel economy, and loss of performance, of
full-time AWD.

The gas milage is not as good, but it's worth
it for the quality of life with Subaru and
snow.

The other positive to this deal is that instead
of the 4 cylinder Accord *screaming* when you
floor it, you'll just hear a nice authoritative
growl from the Subaru.

 

[Bryce]

The Accord isn't that bad in the snow. You just have to know how to drive
it. Front wheel drive cars can accomplish quite a bit in the snow. Of course
I'd choose my Outback over the Accord, but the Accord can go lot's of
places, given the proper rubber.

 

[Indirecto]

"Proper rubber" will fix a slippage when going uphill?

I can do snow in the flat, it's going uphill when I have trouble.

-Indirecto

 

[Tom Reingold]

Two issues with the Accord:

1. Wasn't able to go up the mountain to do skiing without chains. I thought
front-wheel drive was good enough, but going upgrades meant that the weight
of the car went to the back and the front slipped like crazy. :-( AWD
should fix this, right?

2. This accord has developed a symphony of squeaks and rattles. I reckon
the Subaru should be less rattle-prone. Anybody has a Legacy that may
comment on this?

My only beef may be the poor fuel economy, and loss of performance, of
full-time AWD.

comments?

-Indirecto

Someone mention "proper rubber". I agree that four snow tires -- NOT TWO
-- can help a FWD car. I have been driving Saabs for the last 14 years,
all FWD. But I have not driven an Accord in the snow, and it probably
isn't as good as a Saab.

I got my Legacy wagon six weeks ago and had a chance to try it in just a
bit of snow. So far, so good, and I was not using snow tires.

It's been a while since I drove an Accord, but overall, the driving
experience on dry pavement seems very similar. You will feel at home.

Yeah, the fuel economy is worse. The best I have gotten is 24.5 mpg.

 

[uglymoney]

Someone mention "proper rubber". I agree that four snow tires -- NOT TWO
-- can help a FWD car. I have been driving Saabs for the last 14 years,
all FWD. But I have not driven an Accord in the snow, and it probably
isn't as good as a Saab.

I got my Legacy wagon six weeks ago and had a chance to try it in just a
bit of snow. So far, so good, and I was not using snow tires.

It's been a while since I drove an Accord, but overall, the driving
experience on dry pavement seems very similar. You will feel at home.

Yeah, the fuel economy is worse. The best I have gotten is 24.5 mpg.

I got 24 mpg straight up on my last tank, in town with my 02 Outback
wagon with a five speed. That is with the roof rack off, and no cross
bars. I wish the final drive turned the motor a little slower. I
think its safe to say that the fives speeds can get pretty good
mileage around town if you baby the car.

On a recent trip to Utah with a Yakima Spacesaver roof box mounted to
Yakima crossbars, a car full of gear and a dog, driving 80 mph almost
the whole way in mostly freezing temperatures with snow tires my
mileage was as follows:

Driving West (into the wind) 80 mph unless noted

Tank 1 --24.1 (74 mph)
Tank 2 --22.3
Tank 4 --20.5
Tank 5 --21.7
Tank 5B - in mountain resort and uncalculated

Driving East (tail wind - tank 10 was at 74 mph)

Tank 6-- 23.5
Tank 7--23
Tank 8--24.5
Tank 9--24.3
Tank 10-28.0 (74 mph)

http://home.mchsi.com/~uglymoney3/yakimasetup.jpg

nate

 

[Bryce]

What? Are you talking about 35% inclines or something?