FIVE all-wheel drive Subaru Legacy estates are helping The AA keep in touch with its nine million members.

The lifelong legacy's are being used by engineers to reach remote hill-top radio masts, often far off the beaten track and essential in maintaining 24-hour contact with the AA's seven regional operations centres.

"It's when the weather is at its worst that we need the cars the most," said Chris Bailey, Manager of Radio Systems Developments.

"Not only does snow and high winds play havoc with the masts but obviously call-outs from our members also increase.

"We have traditionally used a combination of big off-road vehicles and normal two-wheel drive cars which haven't always been tough enough when taken over fields and rough tracks."

Meanwhile, Steve Hunter, Manager AA fleet, said: "We decided that what we needed was a car which could travel, perhaps 100 miles on normal roads in comfort and then take the engineer the last mile off-road to the remote mast.

"As we keep our cars for three years and 75,000 miles, we had to be sure the Subarus would be up to the job. Our extensive trials saw them pass with flying colours and we were very impressed with the way their rear suspension coped with the weighty equipment the engineers have to carry around with them.

"The loadspace and ground clearance also came in for praise and traction did not seem to be a problem. We still have our big off-roaders for the Scottish mountains but may well try the Legacy's out there as well if they continued to perform so well."

For information on the Subaru, contact ES Jones, Deeside. Phone 01244-545115.

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