Subaru B9 Tribeca (B9X)

solowalker · May 2005

by Edsel.... :confuse:

but i still love it...!

subienewbie2 · May 2005

I have known for a while about Subaru quality but never considered buying one because they lacked the size and features I expect in the car I drive. My last 3 cars all cost 60K or more and I never thought I would find a vehicle that I liked for less than 60K, no less it being a Subaru.

But here I am - I ordered my B9 LTD yesterday in Blue Metallic with Slate Gray leather. It's loaded with everything but the DVD and it's costing me just under 36K. I'm going to keep 24 thousand dollars in my pocket and have more fun and satisfaction, what a deal.

I have not been this excited about waiting for a new car in years.

I have taken two test drives and this is going to be a killer vehicle.

It looks good, handles really well (look out BMW) has one of the best looking interiors and cost 10 to 15K less than a Bimmer SUV .

Oh, another big plus - I won't be driving another me too looking car.

PS: For the person unhappy with the premium fuel requirement - it is not a requirement but recommended.

falconone · May 2005

I don't think BMW has to worry.

shane850 · May 2005

I think BMW has to worry. I looked at both the X3 and X5 and think the fit and finish of the B9 is better than the X3 and on par with the X5 with my personal preference towards the B9, especially since an equally equipped B9 runs is over $10k less than the X5 and and about $6-7K less than the X3 .

This is comparing the 3.0i X5 of course because stepping up to the V-8 this is no comparison on performance.

mslan · May 2005

Can someone who is tall..(I'm 6'4") tell me how they have found the driver's leg room, head room and shoulder room? In my recent searches I found the MDX to be the best, the X3 to be also fine but the RX to not have sufficient seat length to bolster my legs on long trips. I'm looking forward to sitting in a Tribeca but I'm interested to hear from others. Thanks.

subienewbie2 · May 2005

Under the specs on the B9 web site it states Premium Recommended.

This was also confirmed when I ordered mine - but I do not know what effect it has on HP.

I know that I have been using regular in my V8 Q45 with no noticeable change in performance but then I am starting at 340 HP so a power loss would not be very noticeable anyway. It's a gas hog no matter what I feed it and have not seen a drop in my MPG with the cheap stuff. Or should say: less expensive stuff.

kmartin · May 2005

Was this a 7-seater or 5-seater? I am curious as to whether the second row seats in the 5-seater move as well. -Karen in AZ-

shane850 · May 2005

Karen,

The rear seats on the 5-seater do move as well. for the sie of the B9 I found the 2nd row to have a lot of leg room.

gwilson · May 2005

Thanks subienewbie2!!

Can you post the link to area of the website that you saw were is states Premium is Recommended? I can not find it and was wondering what other "specs" I have not seen...

I am glad to hear premium is recommended and not required. Most other cars I have seen that state it is recommended also state "For optimal performance premium is recommended" meaning a bit less HP if you use 87 octane.

I can live with a bit less power but I don't want to use regular unleaded and end up with damage to the engine... I am a first time Subaru buyer and not familiar with Subaru engines.

tytnsfan1 · May 2005

My husband and I went to the dealership Friday afternoon to check out the Tribeca. They had two and the salesman told me they already sold one of them. I asked if the Mahogany one had sold and he said no so we looked at it and test drove it. The interior is gorgeous!! This one had beige leather with the darker charcoal upper dash. It had nav and was 7 seat ltd. The Mahogany is a little different than the pics I've seen but I really liked it. Overall I really think this has a more luxurious look than the Murano pics I've seen on the interior and the exterior is cool too! It is just a matter of time before I have one!!

Do you guys think it will become so popular that they are everywhere? I really want something different. I thought it might just be Subaru people wanting them and few Subie Newbies sprinkled in. What do you think?

popa_sez · May 2005

I figure it will be too cool for everyone to have one. I kind of view it as the Nissan 350Z. It is the coolest vehicle around for the price, but yet I do not see an over kill of the vehicle out on the streets.

subienewbie2 · May 2005

I went back to the B9 site and could not find it there.

My sales guy told me as well as a Subaru Regional Manager. Also I think it states recommended on the window invoice sticker.

vpotluri · May 2005

I am looking for my next SUV and am considering the Mercedes, Lexus and Subaru. I would love to save 15-20K, but I need some specific things.

1.Does the Tribeca have a full-size spare wheel? Or does it have a donut? Where is it stored? For those wondering, I like to surf fish and drive on the beach. One of the requirements is that I must have a full size spare wheel.
2. Do I have to purchase the 7seat limited to get navigation as an option?
3. I see no roof rails in the photos I saw. Are they available?
4. Heated & Power seats?

Thanks.

subienewbie2 · May 2005

1. I believe its full size but not 100% sure. It is mounted under the rear end with a crank release from under the rear access hatch in the cargo area.

2. Yes - Only the 7 passenger Ltd can get Nav

3. I was told they are available as an option - one of the units I test drove had them but I did not see them listed in options at Kelly Blue Book.

4. Yeas - the Ltd has both standard.

If it is not a full size - I would opt for run flat tires before I passed on the Tribeca.

rsholland · May 2005

No, it does NOT have a full-size spare. Bummer!

Bob

wmquan · May 2005

Can you still put in your own full-sized spare, and it just protrudes below the rear-end for a couple of more inches? A number of MDX owners do this, as few are going to miss the clearance. Though they usually also put a cover over the replacement full-sized spare.

If this is doable, it's a better option than run-flats. They still have a ways to go for matching the performance and ride comfort of good tires (though newer models are much improved).

ateixeira · May 2005

alpha: results from Edmunds were unusually good. Like I mentioned earlier, Motor Trend's Accord hybrid was actually slower than the base V6.

We'll have to wait and see more real-world results, but +3-4 mpg doesn't seem worth $15 grand to me.

Firsts: plenty here, two of which are the parking brake location and the window frames.

Hey Jamie, nice to "see" you again. Did you get invited to a ride-n-drive event? We're still waiting...

Hey Karen, nice to see another lady friend popping back in here.

Gray cloth looks good. I've gotta check one out tomorrow, drive it.

Back seat - keep in mind it moves back 4", but then you have to hit that release button to move it back yet another 4". Then leg room is more than enough for adults.

OK - anyone actually taken delivery yet? Who will be the first owner here?

-juice

ateixeira · May 2005

Hey, they already outsold the Baja for the month. LOL

When the H6 came out Subaru actually specified that with 87 octane it made 4 fewer HP. So figure on losing maybe that or a couple more since the new H6 is more highly tuned.

They say most people can't "feel" a 5hp difference so you may not notice.

Gonna go drive one this week, that's for sure.

-juice

subienewbie2 · May 2005

I knew I saw it on the the net.

This from the B9 specs at Cars.com:

Powertrain
250hp 3.0L DOHC 24 valve H-6 engine with variable valve control, variable intake length, SMPI
Recommended fuel : premium unleaded
Emissions Type: LEV II
5 speed automatic transmission with overdrive, SPORTSHIFT sequential sport shift, driver mode select
3.58 axle ratio
All-wheel drive
Fuel Tank Capacity: 16.9gal.

saustin · May 2005

Hi mslan,
Am just over 6ft and wide, the salesman was 6.3 and both of us did not hit our heads getting in our heads. Speaking for the 200lb + club think you will love this car both as a driver and a passenger. Come to think about it was very impressed with the seating in the second row when my wife took a turn at the wheel during our test drive.

kmartin · May 2005

Anyone have any first-hand knowledge of the climb-in effort in the 2nd row? I'm curious how much higher the seat cushions are than the 05 OB I have. I measured mine at 25" from ground to seat cushion height. Anyone have access to a B9 and a tape measure for me?

At 109 degrees (a new record for this date) it's too hot here to try out the heated front seats, anyway :shades:

-Karen in AZ-

(Hi, Juice)

ateixeira · May 2005

Good question, I'm sure it's higher but just how much? :confuse:

It didn't seem like a high climb, like, say, a 4Runner's. But it's gotta be the tallest Subie rear seat.

I'll try to remember to take a tape measure. We measured a *lot* of dimensions at the debut in Detroit but that was not one of them.

-juice

saustin · May 2005

Hi,
What extra's are you putting down on the PO for 7 passenger with everything ?
The dealer mentioned some $200 insurance or security id option ? Also, what about rear bumper guards or any other option you feel is a necessity ?
Thanks, Steve.

sweet_subie · May 2005

it is here in NE everywhere now. I checked.

wonderful styling. front grille looks awesome.

biggest problem is NO cargo space for 7 adults. The even bigger problem is no roof carrier as an option.

third row does look low. not sure how much kids will enjoy there. also, not sure if they can see DVD comfortably.

robr2 · May 2005

it is here in NE everywhere now. I checked.

sweet subie - I saw a white one on a car carrier on Rt 38 near 62 in Wilmington on Saturday. When I came back through I swung by Wilmington/Car Mart but it was nowhere to be found. :confuse:

ateixeira · May 2005

Already?

-juice

new2sub · May 2005

Cars.101 lists a "roof rack cross bars" as an option. Is this not accurate? I was hoping for roof rack.

tracikay · May 2005

Yes roof rack is an option. We ordered ours with it

Options I preordered:
Aero Cross Bars: $210
Rear bumper Guard: $61.00

We also requested the towing package as our reward for preordering.

rsholland · May 2005

Smart choices. If I were buying one, those are options I would choose too.

Bob

swwj · May 2005

Took a nice little test drive last night (Stohlman's - Tyson's Corner, VA) and was very impressed by the Tribeca. The vehicle handles very well through twisties and switchbacks, was taking 15mph curves well above the recommended (oops!) on an undulating, two lane road, and the car never got out of line. I took it over some rough stuff and the suspension sucked up all the bounces I could give it on and off the pavement. The engine RPMs did seem a bit high b/t shiftpoints b/t 2nd and 3rd... well the engine noise was much more noticeable (I guess that should be expected w/ the horizontally opposed set-up), but it wasn't necessarily unpleasant. The cloth seats were very comfortable (drove the base 5-passenger) and supportive throughout the turns, and the fabric was of a nice quality I thought.

The back seat was very roomy and comfortable and seemed to have only a slightly higher step-down that an outback I also sat in yesterday. I was surprised how easy it was to get in and out of in both front and back (I had ridden in my cousin's 4-Runner on Saturday and it was a PiTA to get out of, and I don't usually notice those things). Not completely sold on the snoutlike grill opening, but it's not as bad in person, and probably something I could live with.

Overall, I wish they'd put the giant Legacy/Ouback sunroof in it, but oh well. It sucks that you can't get the grey leather in most of the colors in the 5-passengers -- outside of white [blech] and silver [boring] -- because the blue/grey and green/grey combo really would be nice to have at the lower price point for people who don't need a 7-seater for a two or three person family.

bodble2 · May 2005

15mph curves? Where did you drive, up a ski trail?

gt2b9 · May 2005

Sounds like ours, we ordered the Titanium 7-passenger LTD with NAV, Rear Bumper Cover, Front Bumper Guard (gives it a great look!), Aero Cross Bars, and a Rear Luggage Cover. I'm a bit disappointed that we're sitting here waiting on our pre-order when there are 6 B9's on the lot as we ordered in Mid April.

sweet_subie · May 2005

not sure, so don;t get me wrong.

sweet_subie · May 2005

wilmington subaru has 2 - green & blue in the front of showrroom. but theya re the last dealer i would want to deal with. for checking it is good.

singer subaru in south NH has them. they are a very good dealer

ateixeira · May 2005

Looks like I will be invited for an official Ride-n-Drive after all. They're doing something at HQ in Cherry Hill on 5/31 for employees and I hope to go and represent the Subaru Crew.

Bob - check your e-mail.

-juice

robr2 · May 2005

Wilmington Subaru - I didn't see them on Saturday. I'll swing by tonight.

mediaguy1 · May 2005

I just pre-ordered a Tribeca 7 passenger Limited...and the dealer quoted 500 over invoice. The invoice he showed me is 600 over the Edmunds invoice. The dealer says that is because Subaru of New England sets the invoice price and not Subaru of America. Any thoughts on this or experiences?

robr2 · May 2005

That could be right. Go over to carsdirect.com and configure any Subaru. Subaru of NE adds the following to the invoice:

Legacy $425
Forester $367
Impreza $320
Baja $355.

gwilson · May 2005

Thanks for the follow up to my question.

Am I wrong to assume that if use of regular unleaded gas would do damage to the engine Subaru would have worded the specs such as "Required fuel: premium unleaded"; "Required" being the key word?

Just looking to see if damage would be done to the engine if regular is used or if the issue is merely a decline in performance. I looked on the Outback forum, since OB and B9 share the same engine, but nothing definitive there about premium vs. regular.

mediaguy1 · May 2005

Thanks...but then why doesn't Edmunds factor this into their invoice. Anyway, it will be great to get out of my Land Cruiser...into something a little more sporty...

shane850 · May 2005

I would not recommend using any fuel other than what it states, as the engine was designed for that grade of fuel. Engine timing, among other things is set based upon the burn rate of the fuel with higher octane being slower. I know on my snowmobile that you actually change the key position if you are using regular unleaded vs. premium and this changes time timing. The performance is noticeable between the two. On my v-twin cruiser built for 87 octane other riders were getting worse performance and mileage when using the 91 grade or higher. The engine was built for 87.

Last, if you assume an average of 12,000 miles driven a year at 18 MPG you will use about 667 gallons of gas. Assuming that 91 octane is $.30 (some places only $.20) the cost per year between the two is $200.10 with a monthly cost difference of $16.68 per month ($11.12 at $.20) it may actually be less than this depending on fuel price differences and MPG.

To me an extra $11-16 per month is not that much to pay considering the cost of the B9 approaches $40K and the potential for the car not running right and any problems from using a lower grade fuel.

saustin · May 2005

Hi Mediaguy,
Than sounds super. Where is your dealer ? CT dealers buy from SNE
and their cost is $200 over other states.
Also, you forgot to mention your color combo choice !

robr2 · May 2005

Thanks...but then why doesn't Edmunds factor this into their invoice.

I don't know - you'd have to ask them. But Edmunds doesn't factor or track any advertising charges into their invoice IIRC. Perhaps they consider the NE Subaru invoice charges to be advertising.

wmquan · May 2005

I would use the recommended fuel as well. However, if Subaru doesn't say "required," using regular should not harm the engine.

However, it's more than an issue of paying $11-$16 more a month on a $40k vehicle. How many times have people here driven somewhat out of their way to gas up at a place that has 8-10 cents a gallon cheaper gas? E.g. going to Costco or Safeway gas to save on the fill-up? The savings there are even less than using regular over premium gas, but I bet a lot of $40k vehicle owners don't think twice about doing it!

ateixeira · May 2005

SoNE has a nasty monopoly and that's just life. :mad:

You can always take the train down to DC, Subway to the White Flint stop, buy at Fitzmall.com and then drive it home.

Good thing Colin isn't following this thread, if he were he'd beat us over the head with his calculator. Again. :P

-juice

robr2 · May 2005

You can always take the train down to DC, Subway to the White Flint stop, buy at Fitzmall.com and then drive it home.

Not always - not all Subarus are equipped with PZ emissions systems required in MA, ME, and VT.

Although I did see at a MA dealer a courtesy delivery sold to a dealership in MN with the MA emissions. I've also seen one sold to FitzMall with the courtesy delivery here in MA with the required emissions.

subienewbie2 · May 2005

I live in Chicago and my local dealer (who I purchased a new car from 6 weeks ago) offered me $500 off the MSRP because I'm a repeat customer.

I went on line to Kelly Blue Book - configured my B9 and got the dealer cost and the MSRP. I then called a dealer in Wisconsin about 100 miles from Chicago. With one phone call they gave $1500 off MSRP plus I got the free tow pack another $575savingd.

In less than an hour I had the deal signed.

After evrything was signed I asked why they gave such a good deal. He said since I was outside there area and I did not want delivery for 60 days they could order the car and not one come out of their initial allocation. Even with the discount they are still making $1500 + on the deal plus Factory overrides and spifs.

I'm happy to travel a 100 miles to save an extra $1,000.

shane850 · May 2005

Just got a call from my dealer here in Seattle and my Titanium 7-passenger with DVD and NAV made it in today. Now I just have to figure out when I can get up there as I leave near Portland Or. I may have to be sick tomorrow and make that special trip up there before the long weekend!

rsholland · May 2005

rsholland, "The Forums Test Drive Team" #157, 23 May 2005 6:50 pm

cptplt · May 2005

maybe I missed this but where can I find out what interior color goes with what exterior color??or does anyone know which exterior colors for the 7 seat limited gets the grey leather?

Subaru B9 Tribeca (B9X)

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