Is VDC worth it?

[bman]

My wife and I are planning on having kids soon and her pickup is not gonna cut it for very long. She drives to her clients' for work. I approx 40% highway and 60% city driving. We can only afford a $13K car - between the monthly, insurance, and the maintenance. Which means we're looking at used outbacks. I'm wondering if the VDC is worth the added cost of the H6 thirst or stick with the 4-cyl? We want to be safe and not broke.

 

 

Thanks for your opinions,

Brian

 

[also posted on SubaruOutback.org]

[robinlsb]

VDC, by itself, is not worth it. There are other things about the H6 that you may like.

[02BlkRex]

Some have said that VDC is the most effective safety feature to come about since the seat belt. I don't have any firsthand experience though.

[Impulse]

if you dont really know how to drive in less than ideal situations, or if you dont have AWD, VDC is amazing. its effective, but our AWD really helps to take up some slack, and if you know enough to slow down when conditions arent ideal, VDC shouldnt make that much of a difference

 

but then again, i may be wrong, havent had personal experience either, the above was from what i know about how each system works.

[lejjasie]

There's enough specB's here that have been in accidents (slipping/skidding). If you drive carefully you'd be happy and safe even in a FWD. AWD just makes it a little better.

[gianspi]

Drive responsibly and the H4 will be economical, reliable, and safe.

[rjundi]

IMHO its a lacking feature prior to 2008 where its finally prevalent with Subaru. Usually Subaru is somewhat ahead on safety items.

 

The best safety is drive slow in poor conditions. However in serious emergencies whether in poor or good conditions it is plain superior to non stability control cars. It really works in the Passat 4motion and RAV4 I was able to try it out both on and off in a snowy parking lot and the difference was amazing.

 

However in your case I would not purchase an H6 Subaru for that sole purpose.

[camber]

2000-2004 were plagued by headgasket issues. They extended the warranty to 100,000 miles in the US for cars up to 2003 if you had added the Subaru cooling additive.

 

Is VDC worth it?

 

IMO getting proper tires is more important. Although, I can see some extreme situations where VDC would be useful. Although, it would more then likely be a once in a liftetime event.

 

However, If your getting a automatic I would get the H6. The 2.5L four cylinder with the 4 speed automatic just isn't that peppy and very unresponsive. If you go with the 4 cylinder of that generation and that body type, get the manual transmission.

[jmfspecb]

Tough question to answer on a $13K budget. I had a 94 Legacy sedan (front wheel drive (gasp)) and a 98 Legacy L before the 07 Spec. B (which comes with VDC). Everyone of these cars has been extremely reliable and safe. The 98 Legacy was light years ahead of the front wheel drive model and the Spec B made the same advance. Is it worth it? For the whole package yes. I'm sure you've seen the stuff about the top cars in terms of safety for 2007 - not a single US manufactured car made it because they didn't have the VDC feature.

 

My rec - if you are focused on reliability and safety versus bling - get a car in your price range and account in your budget some extra $$$ for new tires, alignment, and maintenance (brakes, front and rear differential, fuel injector cleaning, etc.). I think you money on that stuff would be well spent. I worry that you won't be able to find a decent Subie with VDC in your price range that is either well maintained or has reasonably low mileage.

 

My old 98 had a 5 spd and was peppy and fun. I can't imagine it would've been much to drive with an auto. A manual definitely gives an otherwise lethargic car a little extra pep.

[erito]

Yes, VDC is worth it.

Same as airbags, seatbelts and other safety features are worth it.

[cwmiller]

You CAN get VDC on 08 outback limited 4 cyl. models. it is an option

[cwmiller]

Oppsss saw u lookin used.

[Garandman]

In Boston and environs? No. We had two 97 OBW's (no rear LSD) and seldom spun a wheel.

 

Tires are more important. We're using Nokian WR's on most of our cars (including company cars) and they're nearly the perfect tire for New England as they hold better in rain than dedicated snows, while still performing well on dry roads and ice and snow.

 

The OBW is a good city car. Fits in a Honda Accord-sized parking space, and is on the narrow side. As mentioned, the blowing H4 2.5 headgaskets - and SOA's head-in-the-sand approach to the well documented problem - has hurt them badly in this market.

 

But there are plenty of used 2000-2004 Ob's on the market. Manuals sell for much less, if that interests you. A co-worker sold his 2001 (OBW 4EAT) with moderate miles for $10,500 last year - you won't have any trouble with your budget.

[rjundi]

In Boston and environs? No. We had two 97 OBW's and seldom spun a wheel.

 

 

VDC benefit has little to do with "spinning tires". It comes in quite handy around that bend that has black ice, sand, or extra slippery stuff and you slide in a non-VDC equipped car. A VDC car will simply let off the engine power and apply braking to a single rear to pivot the front end into the proper direction of travel.

[krzyss]

VDC is not traction control or more precisely it is not only TC.

It is more about keeping intended path and not spinning wheels.

I wish my 05 GT had it. When I was still learning AWD during my first winter I managed to dance with rear end of the car a little more than I wanted. Nothing bad happened but still.

 

VDC alone is probably not worth it on used car but you will get the whole package of better content as mentioned.

 

When I was buying 03 Passat wagon I looked for a car with ESP (Electronic Stability Program). It was deal breaker for me if car did not have it. I ended up with butt warmers (now I understand why people love them) and upgraded radio but ESP was the only option I wanted.

 

Krzys

 

PS rjundi was faster :-)

[yioryo]

I had ESP on my previous Audi A4....definately worth it

[Garandman]

VDC benefit has little to do with "spinning tires". It comes in quite handy around that bend that has black ice, sand, or extra slippery stuff and you slide in a non-VDC equipped car. A VDC car will simply let off the engine power and apply braking to a single rear to pivot the front end into the proper direction of travel.

OK, as we have many internet sharpshooters on board, let me clarify, with reference to the OP's question.

 

VDC was only available in the US on Gen II (2000-2004) Outbacks as a top-of-the-line model, with H6, leather, etc. They did not sell particularly well, so they are rare and relatively expensive on the used car market. Only one of the earliest models, with high mileage, might just barely be possible within the OP's stated budget of $13,000.

 

Except they're very difficult to find. There is one VDC sedan for sale on Boston craigslist at the moment with an asking price of $17,000. There's one VDC wagon listed on NH CL (no mileage listed) for $14,800. There are zero listed on the Maine and RI CL. By contrast, between the Boston and NH CL at the moment there are 116 Outbacks of various sorts with asking prices of $13,000 or less.

 

The VDC model is simply out of the question for his budget. Furthermore, given the moderating effect of the ocean on snow and ice here, it is unlikely to be invoked often.

 

Good tires are a far more important contributor to performance and safety - VDC or not. If I was running Bridgestone Potenza 960's in winter I would probably take the T.

[rjundi]

I wonder if the poster ever found a car?

 

I found this with 76k miles nearby for $13.5k http://nh.craigslist.org/car/432677749.html

[bman]

Nope we haven't purchased yet. I am very thankful for all of the informative messages posted. We are still considering our options and the information here is very helpful. Please continue the discussion as we are continuing our search.