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SRX vs. Legacy


jschunke

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My dad is about to get a new Subaru legacy

wagon (replacing a Mercury wagon). I'm say'n for

a few dollars more he can get a stripped down Caddy

v6 SRX. He's a depression baby and doesn't feel

comfortable owning a Caddy as a utilitarian vehicle.

Anyway, will the SRX rear wheel drive do well in

North Jersey snow without AWD? Any words of the

wise to set him aright?

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My dad is about to get a new Subaru legacy

wagon (replacing a Mercury wagon). I'm say'n for

a few dollars more he can get a stripped down Caddy

v6 SRX. He's a depression baby and doesn't feel

comfortable owning a Caddy as a utilitarian vehicle.

Anyway, will the SRX rear wheel drive do well in

North Jersey snow without AWD? Any words of the

wise to set him aright?

Well,

The Cad will last a good whole hell of alot longer..

It might be worth a few more bucks to get a Cad that will do better in winter.

MerryChristmas

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You're asking a Cadillac enthusiast board for advice so don't be suprised if our answers are biased. :) Forget the Subaru... there are many GM FWD vehicles that will do just fine in the snow.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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The Subaru, Cadillac, Jeep Cherokee, and many others are good in the snow. Given that, the other factors are the deciding factor, such as how much your dad will like driving the car over time. I love Subarus because of their base design concepts, which emphasize handling and durability, but after almost 10 years in an Eldorado, you can't get me out of it because I love the way it drives, year-round. Overall, I find its maintenance quite affordable. As for Jeeps and truck-based sport utes, I don't like the handling and braking limitations inherent in truck platforms. The SRX is a crossover -- read station wagon, which is on an auto chassis.

Get him to test-drive an SRX on the same day he test-drives a Subaru. Then, let him decide without further prodding and don't look back.

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A RWD SRX would not be a good choice for winter driving chores. An AWD SRX would make a better choice for that I think.

A new Subaru Legacy (aren't they called Outbacks now?) would make a great all-around vehicle, especially for winter driving. I can't speak first-hand about their reliability, but a few people I know who have them enjoy theirs. One of my co-workers has one with at least 200k miles I think.

I would second the notion that he should check out a Jeep Grand Cherokee. You can get them fairly reasonably-priced and they're also excellent vehicles.

But again, to your original question, given ONLY the choice between an AWD Subaru and a RWD V6 SRX, I'd pick the Subaru. Given a few more options on the SRX (like the V8 and AWD), I'd choose the other way. Certified used is really the way to go -- he can get a used loaded SRX for about the same price as a new Subi I would think. I've never bought a new vehicle, and saved boatloads of money in the process.

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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I'll assume that your dad's reaction time isn't as sharp as it was 20 years ago. And if I had to rush a loved one to the hospital in a blizzard....... the Subaru all the way. The AWD is amazing. As far as everything else goes it's all about taste. I saw mention of Jeep in an earlier post. I had to chuckle because around here it's the common suv to be found in the ditch. In all fairness a lot of kids drive Jeeps and winter driving isn't for amateurs that feel bulletproof.

My mechanic, Ken, has a Subaru in his fleet. He mentioned one time that his shop doesn't get many Subarus. "That's a good sign."

With all that said the SRX is a snazzy vehicle. What your father should get is a full size Suburban with a cow pusher on the front end (my father has that setup). Goes over most anything and people will get out of the way in a hurry.

"Burns" rubber

" I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. "

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I'll assume that your dad's reaction time isn't as sharp as it was 20 years ago. And if I had to rush a loved one to the hospital in a blizzard....... the Subaru all the way. The AWD is amazing. As far as everything else goes it's all about taste. I saw mention of Jeep in an earlier post. I had to chuckle because around here it's the common suv to be found in the ditch. In all fairness a lot of kids drive Jeeps and winter driving isn't for amateurs that feel bulletproof.

My mechanic, Ken, has a Subaru in his fleet. He mentioned one time that his shop doesn't get many Subarus. "That's a good sign."

With all that said the SRX is a snazzy vehicle. What your father should get is a full size Suburban with a cow pusher on the front end (my father has that setup). Goes over most anything and people will get out of the way in a hurry.

Given the amount of snow that you get upstate, I would trust that! :lol:

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What about a Dodge Magnum with AWD.

I saw mention of Jeep in an earlier post. I had to chuckle because around here it's the common suv to be found in the ditch.

Yea in Nebraska I was driving on county roads just after a snow storm and lost control and went into a ditch...then I put the Jeep in 4LO and got out of the ditch. Now I'm not saying Jeeps can't get stuck, but you would get a Subaru stuck before a Jeep.

Between the Suby and the SRX I would have to say the Subaru.

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What about a Dodge Magnum with AWD.

I saw mention of Jeep in an earlier post. I had to chuckle because around here it's the common suv to be found in the ditch.

Yea in Nebraska I was driving on county roads just after a snow storm and lost control and went into a ditch...then I put the Jeep in 4LO and got out of the ditch. Now I'm not saying Jeeps can't get stuck, but you would get a Subaru stuck before a Jeep.

Not sure if the Jeep is actually better at getting out of a ditch but I'll give that to you. I will, however, argue that a Subaru would get stuck before a Jeep. Purely by the dynamics of AWD versus 4 WD I think it's safe to say that the AWD is better at avoiding the ditch in the first place. But then again I've never seen a Subaru in a ditch before for reference. I'll admit that I've seen those snazzy Jeep commercials and it sure makes me want to believe they'll go over and out of everything. Too bad reality doesn't mirror those commercials. A good friend of mine used to own a 4WD Jimmy (professional driver) and he always carried a come-along in the back seat. But then again a Jimmy is no Jeep. ;)

"Burns" rubber

" I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. "

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I'll admit that I've seen those snazzy Jeep commercials and it sure makes me want to believe they'll go over and out of everything. Too bad reality doesn't mirror those commercials. A good friend of mine used to own a 4WD Jimmy (professional driver) and he always carried a come-along in the back seat. But then again a Jimmy is no Jeep. ;)

Given smart driving, a Jeep CAN go over and out of everything. And given that a Subaru doesn't have a 4LO option (locking the front/rear axles), the Jeep WOULD be a better choice for winter driving.

We've had a lot of Jeeps in the past. During one of the blizzards in Virginia in the mid 1990s, we volunteered at the hospital to pick up nurses and doctors from their houses who couldn't get to work. There was a LOT of snow on those side streets, and a Subaru wouldn't have/couldn't have made it. Ground clearance. And the open center differential.

With a Jeep with a real transfer case, you can have it in AWD mode, which is similar in function to a Subaru's AWD. You can also "lock" it into 4HI, which uses the same 1:1 gear ratio, but locks the center differential, forcing the front and rear axles to turn at the same speed. You can also put it into 4LO, which uses a much shorter gear ratio (usually about 2.7:1), which gives you even more digging power.

None of this helps you STAY on the road, given too much speed and careless winter driving. But it DOES help you get out of a situation that a lesser vehicle couldn't. It also enables you to get out during a storm that a lower vehicle couldn't, if you absolutely had to (health reasons or something).

Plus, with a Jeep, you can go on Jeep Jamborees. Those events will prove to you what your Jeep will do, and I assure you, it's nothing you'd have believed prior. B)

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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We don't get much snow here in GA, but what I can tell you is in the almost year we have owned our SRX we have absolutely fell in love with it. Get him to test drive one, I'm sure he'll fall in love with it. We just have the rear wheel drive V6, but it is very powerful and I feel very safe in it. I have had the traction control take over a couple times in some slick spots, and it was simply amazing how it handled. I have no regrets, and it is the best head-turner that you can get in a SUV/SUW. ;)

-dave

Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k

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