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vixlowe

Hi. We are looking to purchase a new station wagon and have narrowed it down to the following but cannot decide between the two. They are:

1. 2005 Toyota Caldina, 1.8, 83 000km, $9295
2. 2006 Subaru Legacy AWD, 2.0, 53 000km, $10500 or near offer, comes with 2 year mechanical warranty

Our concern is whether the Subaru would cost significantly more than the Toyota to maintain (the petrol cost is not a concern) and whether the Subaru would be a safe bet as there is still a bit of a stigma around them. Which would you recommend?

Thank you!

ABayliss

Although both are practical wagons, these are quite different vehicles really. The 1.8 Caldina has the Corolla running gear, so is a fairly bullet-proof prospect in terms of reliability - but it's arguably a little conservative and dull compared with the Legacy.
The Legacy definitely has more wow factor, but will cost more to run and in the long term probably doesn't enjoy quite the same reputation for long term reliability as the Caldina ("stigma" as you say).
However, the Legacy has lower kms and comes with a warranty so may be the more enjoyable car.
Ultimately, it comes down to your own personal requirements and what you're looking for in a car, also, how long you plan to keep your car. If you're looking for a 10 year ownership prospect, the Caldina would be the better option, but if you're a more enthusiastic driver and looking for a bit more pizzazz, it's the Legacy. But I probably wouldn't keep it much beyond the 100,000km mark.