Looking for suggestions for a winter beater

[Dave Rifkin]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TORONADOXS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't chime in here much, kind of a spectator. I guess you could say I live vicariously through you guys.But I AM a professional mechanic for 30 years, mostly in Colorado, so I finally get to contribute!! So here goes--- Buy the Subaru. Great snow cars, inexpensive, easy to fix, very reliable. A lot less problems than any other AWD vehicle out there. </div></div>

Thank you for chiming in on this subject; I appreciate the advice. Aside from normal things to check; are there areas I should look at / be aware of when looking at an AWD car or Subaru's in particular?
How many miles are too many for these cars? I hear they are good for 300k plus if taken care of.

[TORONADOXS]

Dave-- I'd try to stay under 150K, but that's true with any car. I've got several customers with well over 300k on thier Subies(my niece has 450K on hers). Try to get maintenence records if you can. AWD vehicles will usually have T-case problems over 100k if they are not maintained (read:Jeep) but Subaru's AWD system is integrated into the tranny so they have WAY less problems in that regard. Subaru actually switched BACK to SOHC from DOHC in(I think) 2001, which is a better engine IMO. The biggest thing is the timing belt maintenence. More correctly, the timing belt idler pulleys. I've seen the idlers fail before belts do. Make SURE the tensioner and idlers get replaced when the belt does. This is the easiest timing belt you will ever do, by the way. If you can get used to the flat four's funky vibration, you'll LOVE it. They also offer a 3.0L flat six, but this is a chain driven engine, and very complicated, so I'd stay away from the 3.0. Anything else just let me know. Good Luck!!