Subarau Outback, Ford Focus, or Pontiac Vibe, What do the owners out there think??

Andyman

Scroungus Stereophilus
Subscriber
Getting close to looking for an inexpensive ( $7K or less) used car as the old Explorer is starting to show her age, and has what probably is a terminal case of the rusties. I need something that can haul stuff, but probably not as big as the Explorer most of the time.

I've been reading up on Ford Focus wagons, Subaru Outbacks/Foresters, and Pontiac Vibes. All seem to have a lot of supporters, but I figured I'd see what folks here have to say. I haven't even sat in any of them, but am looking for something probably pre 2005 as that's what fits my budget. I'd also like something that could go close to 200K or better as my last several Ford have all got close. The Explorer is at 192K and counting, and the 1997 Taurus just lost it's tranny at 199,299 :thmbsp:

Actually, I'd buy another Explorer as I like mine just fine, but upping my gas mileage to something as mundane as 22 mpg from my current 16 mpg would save me probably $1000/year and that's very attractive.

Let me know what your experiences are! I've already poked around a bit, so I have some idea of what to expect, but it's always good the hear what others have gone through.
 
Last edited:
Have you owned one? They're the most expensive of the ones listed, but have a fierce following.

BTW, I'm looking for one that is a bit mechanic friendly as I to do as much of my own work as possible. No $400 brake jobs for me :no:
 
I looked at many vehicles, their options and considered reliability and performance versus price. I chose a Focus SE and have never regretted it. I've had it just over a year now and am still trying to figure out how all of its gadgets work. :D

attachment.php
 
Subarus are great cars. They are needy though. Not terribly difficult to take care of but you have to use the right parts (they are very picky, even about spark plug wires, ask me how I found this out). Overall they are easy to wrench on, you will be wrenching at some point but it will always get you home. Parts are going to be more expensive than a US car as well.

The neat thing about them is they are very predictable with what will go, cruse the forums for whatever one you got and you will be able to make a list of what will need to be done when. (97-99, head gaskets at 100k, knock sensor at 140k, 160-170k the fule gauge will go funky and it will need a fule tank cleaner poured in. 150k on the 99.5's you will have to do some soldering work on the speedometer).

The other issue is going to be finding a good used one, it is not hard to break the AWD system if you do not take care of it right (or rather do something stupid, like put mismatched tires on it). Any you take out for a test drive, take it into a parking lot and do full lock circles and figure 8's in both directions, if it shudders and skitters or makes a lot of noise the AWD system is toast, thats a major repair.

Now that the bad is out of the way, they are great cars. I loved mine while I had it, it drove fantastically well, went anywhere I wanted to go and was amazing in the snow. If you are decent at doing your own car work I would recommend one.
 
I'd take the Vibe....it's a Toyota Matrix

Exactly, and they sold a lot more Matrix-es than they did vibes, so they might be easier to find/cheaper.... also, the Matrix was available with AWD, I don't know if the Vibe was...
 
I'd take the Vibe....it's a Toyota Matrix

Yup, that I know. Actually, for some reason one caught my eye a few years back. I see a lot of Vibes on the road here; more than Matrixes, but the fact that it's Detroit and everybody knows somebody to get a GM discount would explain that easily. :yes:

LOTS of Foci too :yes:
 
I've seen more Subaru Outback's here in New Mexico than anywhere else in the country?
Considering the condition of many local roads, and the large number of dirt/gravel roads in this state, may explain why 4-wheel drive Subaru's are popular here?

Steve
 
The other issue is going to be finding a good used one, it is not hard to break the AWD system if you do not take care of it right (or rather do something stupid, like put mismatched tires on it). Any you take out for a test drive, take it into a parking lot and do full lock circles and figure 8's in both directions, if it shudders and skitters or makes a lot of noise the AWD system is toast, thats a major repair.

Yep, I saw you bring this up in a Subaru thread here and it's on my list of things to check if that's the way i decide to go.
 
AWD Subaru Outback. After a lot of research, I bought a 2001 for my daughter while she was in Cleveland this past winter. I saw a number of them with 200K+ miles. It's not as large as the Explorer. But it's surprisingly roomy for it's size. I liked it a lot.

But BEAWARE Subarus engines 2.2l and 2.5l up to mid-2000 and especially earlier models have a well documented problem of head gasket problems leading to some costly repairs.

Like any used car, make sure it has had proper regular maintenance.
 
My Dad had 2 or 3 Outbacks, & LOVED 'em. Now he has a Highlander, just a little bit bigger & more roomy than the Subarus.
 
AWD Subaru Outback. After a lot of research, I bought a 2001 for my daughter while she was in Cleveland this past winter. I saw a number of them with 200K+ miles. It's not as large as the Explorer. But it's surprisingly roomy for it's size. I liked it a lot.

But BEAWARE Subarus engines 2.2l and 2.5l up to mid-2000 and especially earlier models have a well documented problem of head gasket problems leading to some costly repairs.

Like any used car, make sure it has had proper regular maintenance.

Used cars and older used cars is all I do, so this isn't my first rodeo :D

From what I see in the other Subaru thread, it's the 2.5L DOHC with the gasket issue; the SOHC is supposedly OK.

But this is what I'm looking for, keep it coming!!
 
Like the Ford Focus Wagon for a small car, the station ones have been really reliable. And inexpensive to service. Like the Vibe a lot and the Subies. Vibe is another vehicle easily serviced, and it is basically a Toyota Matrix in drag. Which equates to uber reliable in practice. None of your choices are really bad, do watch the AWD and Head Gaskets on Subies, everyone I know has good luck with them. I love them.
 
Vibe

I'm going to vote for the Vibe . Drove the GF's a fair amount - yeah - it's light and ya gotta really step on the gas pedal to get it to go - but it holds a surprising amount of cargo ( beyond the standard issue Golden Retriever),good gas mileage and the handling is predictable - pretty good snow car - until you get enough to lift the wheels off the ground. That's what she ended up doing when she hit a snow plow trail across the entrance ramp and spun out across three lanes of rush hour traffic ( A LOT of damm good drivers on the road that day) - hit the rail - totaled the car. Broken wrist , cracked ribs - car's totaled.
She's still tellin me what to do.
 
We had a 2000 Focus. It was solid-feeling and fun to drive, but had a lot of problems - it ate fuel pumps and front tires, had a lot of little problems (and a bunch of recalls), and the front springs broke for no apparent reason. May have just been that it was the first year; I've been told they got better.
 
no experience with the Vibe but plenty of experience with Subaru and to a lesser extent, the Focus.

I found both the Subaru and Focus to be good cars. A few lemons among the Focus, but overall nothing to complain about. The Subarus proved impressive with fewer examples exhibiting problems.

A former VW employee from a short career-change, the engineers always claimed the superiority of the Subaru all-wheel-drive system over their own and any others.
 
Used cars and older used cars is all I do, so this isn't my first rodeo :D

From what I see in the other Subaru thread, it's the 2.5L DOHC with the gasket issue; the SOHC is supposedly OK.

But this is what I'm looking for, keep it coming!!

Yep, that info is correct. The 2.5L DOHC is the only thing that was available in outbacks for a long time though (well, other than the H-6, but those are spendy). The nice thing about Subarus though is they are almost like lego. I think between 93 and 2003 you can mix and match parts (engines, trannies and the like) between just about any model/year you feel like. I know after the engine went in mine (ate a crank shaft rod bearing and I didn't have time to deal with it) the guy I sold it too put a 2.2L from a later 90's imprezza in it.
 
Back
Top Bottom