I'm with you on the pricey parts for imports. I just had a new starter put in the Element to the tune of $700...ouch! I owned a Subaru many years ago and was also stunned by the cost of repairs. Another factor I am considering is that I spend summers in a remote part of downeast Maine, and there are no Honda dealers within a hundred miles. There's a Ford dealer nearby, so if I got into a jam, there would be (at least theoretically) an expert nearby.