Advice needed for new car

[naveed69]

Hi all , I am planning to buy a new car soon and need some help to make my decision .. right now I m deciding between outback 3.6R Limited 2013 , honda CRV and acura RDX (i knw its a higher class thn subaru/honda but costs around $36k whch is almost same as higher trims of CRV/outback) .. my previous cars were honda civic and toyota corolla .. but now m lookin for somethin bigger cz i need more space for car seats n kid strollers along with other stuff ..

my main concern is average maintenance costs .. i knw tht honda doesnt cost tht mch but i hv no idea abt acura n subaru .. i m plannin to keep the car for at least 7 - 8 yrs .. on average i drive abt $15k per year .. i need some unbiased advice tht which car has higher maintenance costs and which one is best worth of my money .. and whch one has best resale value

any help is appreciated !!

[CivicSpoon]

I've actually grown to be a fan of Subarus over the years, while mainly dealing with Hondas/Acuras and Mitsubishis (Evolutions & Eclipses/DSMs).

With that said, I'd recommend the Honda or Acura over the Subaru. I say that based on engine design alone. It's not that the Subaru boxer engines are poorly made, or more prone to wear. They are simply more difficult to work on. I say this generally, as I've never even looked under the hood of a new Outback, let alone a 6-cylinder one. I've done some work on WRXs, older style Outbacks, and Foresters. The simple job of changing spark plugs is a major pain, with 2 spark plugs on each side of the engine, there tends not to be a lot of room to even get a socket and extension into the spark plug hole. Luckily you're not asking about the Subaru BRZ, that requires the engine to be lifted in the air, the front parts of the exhaust to be removed, and every underside panel to be removed, just to change the plugs. Special tools are required to change the timing belt, that hold the front of the timing gears. It's really a serious pain in the ass, to be honest. In terms of a shops maintenance cost, that tends to be more expensive, since there is more time involved.

The RDX will likely have the highest resale value, since it's an Acura.

Beyond that, honestly any of those will likely be a great choice.

[naveed69]

If subaru is so much trouble to maintain then why u became fond of it ?? just wondering

[CivicSpoon]

I just think they are nice cars. They're visually pleasing. Their AWD systems are great, and I like that they incorporate them into all their vehicles. The boxer style engines are also a very interesting style. Not at all fun to work on, but otherwise nice.

[Mayeren]

Go with any Toyota brands if you are looking for Average and maintenance.