Question on Repair Costs

Apart from mechanical reliability, I had the impression the (newer) Subarus
were slightly more solid than the usual washing machine construction of most
cars, which lately makes them really hard to distinguish one from another.
Just another illusion?

 

Huh. My 1990 Volvo 240 has cost me less for repairs in an average
year than my previous car, a 1988 Ford Bronco II, did. Thus far I
have spent zero time standing next to it on the highway. But then
with only 158,000 miles on it, the Volvo is just breaking in- compared
to the Bronco II which was breaking down by this point in its career.
I fully expect another 100,000 miles out of the Volvo, which ought to
easily me to the end of affordable gasoline and beyond...

Subarus seems to be fine cars, but they are not inexpensive to repair
either. And they are not really suitable for most folks to do much
shade-tree work on, unlike the 240s and 7xx Volvos.

 

yea, the are still a asian product...cheap, thin metal, cheap
lightweight fastners...but, overall, the quality is getting better and
better as the priduction moves out of asia....just look at some of the
ratings the asian cars get ocassionaly

 

Well, how about the luxury of not having the car disintegrate under me.
The latest in the saga of my '03 XC is when I stopped at the Grocery
store yesterday, I pushed the lock button and then closed the door and
as always, looked at the small light on the fender for the flash to show
that the alarm was armed. There was the light, hanging by it's wire
aboout two inches from the fender. The clip that's supposed to hold it
in just snapped off. Got back in the car and called the dealer....
$48.Bucks???? You MUST be putting me on!!! AnyHoo, a couple of little
squares cut from an industrial grade, double-sided tape worked wonders,
Ka-CHING. I should have done that to the side trim that fell off of the
passenger side front door.
Oh, and as far as putting the price on so-called luxury, they could
probably crank those cars out all day long for $20,000 and still make
money on them.