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Camry or Legacy

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2015 - 2022 Subaru Legacy
A member in Serbia

I've had Toyota Camrys for the past 10 years. Recent heavy rains and a large puddle caused it to stall... then came the flood. I'm not sold on the Subaru Legacy because I can't get around the different kind of drive and feel of my test drive. Do I take a chance on the boxer engine "flood" safety and hope to get a fondness for the Legacy for safety sake? Or stay with the car I love?

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Response from AcuraT

7:36 pm October 15, 2016

It depends what kind of car you want. Do you want one of the most reliable cars on the road? Toyota is hard to beat although other brands come close. Toyota tends to keep using older, proven technology so their cars are nearly always last in technology but first in reliablity. Why else would they only be launching in 2016-2017 safety systems like lane divergiing technology and self-stopping technology on the RAV4 and Toyota Corolla while Subaru has offered Eyesight on the Legacy since 2010 and in 2014 went to its second, better generation?

So yes, Toyotas historically are the most reliable because they wait on technology. Having said that, Subaru does have a full line of AWD cars and SUVs that is has been building AWD for over 40 years now. So they have that down pretty well using all four wheels equally while Toyota, Honda, and other systems are FWD focused (in other words, they use the front wheels until slippage and can divert up to 40% and sometimes 50% to the rear wheels). It means that theirs is better in the snow and is less likely to get stuck. I should know, I live on a 650 foot mountain in New England and it works well while the CRV and RAV-4 tends to get stuck.

However, Subaru's are not quite as rock hard in reliablity as Toyota. While their AWD system is great, historically they have had issues with the horizontially opposed H4 and H6 engines they sell. The cylinders are on their side, and sometimes, despite the best care, they leak. In 2010 they redesigned the engine seals and it impacts very few cars now. A bigger issue is they sometmes burn some oil. Less than 10% have this issue. They do an oil consumption test, and if it is above a certain threshold - they replace the engine. It does not affect a lot of people, but they will stand behind the car. If you use more than a quart ever 1200 miles or so you tend to qualify from what I have heard.

I own a 2013 Subaru having switched from Toyota and Honda. The car has been sturdy and after 47,000 miles and now turning three years old this month, it is doing well. It is young but no such issues. Then again, I also own a 2006 GM built Saab 9-3 with 147,000 miles which has had Toyota like reliablity with no major issues. An alternator was replaced at 70,000 and a power steering pump at 140,000. Total repairs - $600. Not much for a car company that has such a bad reputation but in reality, fixed most of their quality issues in the early 2000s.

In the end, I don't think you will go wrong with a Subaru but you won't go wrong with a Toyota either. It just depends what you want. Even I get reliable products from GM these days but I do take care of my cars.

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Response from Member4992

10:07 pm December 14, 2016

If you decide on a legacy strongly consider leasing. The residuals on subaru are generally very high and you can take the interest rate down with additional security deposits. I lease a 2015 legacy and it has been great but reliability concerns and the great reaidual led me to lease. Servicing can get pricey at the 60000km mark by the way. That service costs around C$700 including parts and labour. The one concern I have with subaru is they are selling cars faster than they are expanding their dealer/servicing network. Getting a service appt where i live can be tricky as a result

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Response from Member5813

5:27 pm December 31, 2016

Thank you for the opportunity to give my opinion, which is just that! :) For me, whatever the strengths and weaknesses of the two cars, the Camry and the Legacy, when having to choose between the two of themthe Legacy willalways win because of its All Wheel Drive drivetrain,its Eyesight system and the windshield wiper heating system, unbeatable in the nasty winter weather. Subaru also excels with a comfortable interior and a sporting feel to their cars. Oh, and heated seats whether you go with a cloth or leather interior!

We have had two Outback wagons, a 2001 and a 2002, a 2009 Legacy and now a 2015 Legacy in the 3rd year of its lease. None of these cars have given us any major problems and all have been comfortable and reliable in all four seasons.

For what it is worth, I am not aware of any inherent advantage a boxer engine would have over any other style other than its lower center of gravity contributing to better handling.

Good luck with your choice, but I think if you go with the Subaru you will be veryhappy with it!

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