Subaru Baja

rsholland · January 2003

Actually, the Baja has the lowest payload rating of any Subaru! No kidding! It's rated at 800 pounds, whereas all other Subarus have a 900 payload rating, if I'm not mistaken.

Bob

ateixeira · January 2003

You sure? Can any owners check the door jamb? I thought it was 900 or more.

-juice

rsholland · January 2003

PF_Flyer · January 2003

The temperature actually got up into double digits in time for the chat this week!

Welcome to the Subaru Crew's Weekly Chat!

The Subaru Crew meets every Thursday at 6PM PT/9PM ET... stop by and join us to talk Subaru or anything else automotive that might come up! Hope to see you there tonight!

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Pickups & News & Views Message Boards

kyrazy · January 2003

Has anyone out there figured out a way to lock the tailgate? I'm looking at the locking covers but even if I had one of them, the gate doesn't lock so what's the point. Besides that, I have the bed extender. To remove it, all you do is open the gate, rotate the bed extender to half flipped and lift. That's a pretty quick way to steal my $150 accessory! If the gate locked (like it does on my buddies Frontier) then the extender would be "locked" in as well. I know Subaru doesn't offer anything but I was curious if anyone has found an after market solution to this.

Love my Baja
Kyrazy

rsholland · January 2003

Your comment about the losing a bed extender, is an excellent one! I'm surprised SOA let that slip through. You're absolutely right, they should have a locking tailgate.

Bob

yerf · January 2003

The salesman at the dealership also pointed out how easy the bed extender was to steal. He said that I should be ok until this fact becomes common knowledge. Great.

-Shawn

rsholland · January 2003

takes 5 seconds, if that! No kidding!

Bob

ateixeira · January 2003

Isn't there a retaining clip or some sort of lock?

Maybe use a cable lock and lock it to a tie down or something.

-juice

rsholland · January 2003

but if you don't use it (which most people won't, I bet) it will take about 5 seconds to steal. If you use the two clips, it will take about 20 seconds to steal.

Bob

ateixeira · January 2003

Oh, that doesn't lock either?

Oh boy.

-juice

rsholland · January 2003

and most people won't even bother with it.

Bob

paulmcg · January 2003

will sound the alarm if someone opens the tailgate - not that thats a big deterrent these days...

Paul.

skiwee · January 2003

Saw there was a potential theft problem as soon as the dealer showed me how to use the bed extender. I put a cable lock through the botton rung on the b/e and through the permannent metal tie down fitting at the rear of the bed. Works fine and still lets the b/e swivel. Try it.

Mike

erics6 · January 2003

had a locking bed cover (one of the aftermarkets that is available - black fiberglass/molded plastic I think?). Then nobody would know if you had the bed extender - unless you were using it.

rsholland · February 2003

Could this be what Subaru has in mind for the Baja ultimately?

 Baja Sport built off the Legacy/Outback platform, as it is now, but with the addition of a turbo and sans leather.

 Baja built off the up-coming, and larger 7-passenger crossover.

Think about it for a moment. Subaru already uses this type of marketing for the the small Impreza-based Outback Sport and the larger Legacy-based Outback.

If Subaru were to offer two Bajas, one small & sporty, and the other larger and more capable, it would (IMO) solve a lot of existing problems. No longer would the smaller Baja take all the heat it's gotten for being almost useless in terms of being a truck, and would allow it to focus on being a fun trucklet, because the larger Baja would serve the needs of those in need of greater capability.

I think this type of gameplan has lots of possibilities.

Bob

kyrazy · February 2003

Yeah, I thought of the cable lock. I just wasn't sure if it would allow the extender to swivel or not. Besides, I was looking for something less cluttered looking. How long a cable did you use? Did you run it through just one side or across the bed, tie down to tie down?
Thanks for the inputs.
Kyrazy

paisan · February 2003

You guys are funny. I routinely park my truck in manhattan and no one has taken any of my magnetic mount antennas, nor my K40 quick disconnect ones either! This takes about 3 seconds to steal. The only time you really need to worry about getting something like that stolen is when there is DEMAND for them. The bed on the baja is narrower than a std. pickup so you couldn't rip it off and use it on another. The baja has such poor sales that there is hardly a market for stolen parts as well. Lets not get into the "The Sky is Falling" mentality on this!

-mike

ateixeira · February 2003

Bob: the Baja Sport would get outdated quickly. I'm not sure how Sport Trac sales are doing, but that thing seems ancient already.

Sadly, we may not even see a next gen Baja if sales don't pick up. But I hope we do. A wider track and longer wheelbase will allow a bigger bed. Give it 5 seats and a true midgate too. They certainly could address all the issues on the current model.

mike has a point, our license plates are held in place with screws, it's just as easy to steal those.

-juice

erics6 · February 2003

High demand? = http://www.media.subaru.com./ January Sales

"Sales of the Baja model recorded a total of 642 units for the month." Yikes. Not the most popular vehicle

skiwee · February 2003

I'm using a 2' cable on only 1 side. Works fine.

Mike

ateixeira · February 2003

That's been the current pace. The Baja Sport isn't out yet, though, that's most likely when it'll pick up. Hopefully double by the time the turbo arrives.

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

I noticed over in the Subaru Media site, the picture of the Baja Sport is labeled a 2004 model, and not a 2003 model.

They should be arriving at dealers sometime in February, at least that's what SOA said when the car was announced.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

I think they want to write off the 2003 model year for the Baja. ;-)

-juice

purduealum91 · February 2003

Gang

This is the response I received from Liberty Subaru in Oradell, NJ:

Dear Tom....Thank you for keeping tabs on the Baja sales total for the month. Also thank you for trying to help out our sales effort for this
month. In keeping with that spirit I am willing to sell you a Baja 5spd for 20595 which is a great price. If we can help you please do not hesitate to call us at 1-888-SUBY4WD.....Thank you for you're interest in our product....

Go get em boys!

ateixeira · February 2003

Fitzmall.com has automatics for about that price, just two though. I wonder if an incentive just started, or if those are early Sport models. When is the Sport due in dealerships?

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

 That interview with a Subie dealer indicated that SOA has found that most Baja customers are older than what they expected.
 The Baja Sport is an '04 model.
 The Baja Sport so far has only been shown is monochromatic silver.
 Most people (older & younger) have indicated that the monochromatic silver to be the most attractivebecause it's monochromatic, and not 2-tone.

I wonder, when the '04 Baja turbo debuts, if we'll see more monochromatic colors? Black? Red? It's cheaper to do this than to rip off all the cladding...

Bob

tkevinblanc · February 2003

But that cladding is just too much. I'd bet they'd have more customers without all that cladding.

And I like those Baja commercials... I alway's admired the Brat (my father bought the station wagon, though.

rsholland · February 2003

won't happen with this body style.

It will cost too much to remove it. Yes, they could use the front bumper and door cladding from the Outback, which is much more subtle, but they then would still have the rear quarter and tailgate cladding to deal with. If you just "remove" the cladding, you probably have strange looking steel underneath, because it was designed to wear cladding from the start.

So the cheapest way to make the cladding visually "disappear," is to have it the same color as the surrounding body. That's what they did with the silver version. They could easily do the same with the other colors too.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

Interesting observation, Bob. The monotone Outback is gold, or more specifically Titanium Pearl. Will we start seeing more and more monotone models?

The next Legacy chassis will be wider to begin with, so maybe they won't feel the need to add that cladding on the sides.

-juice

tkevinblanc · February 2003

So when is the next Legacy chassis promised? Boy, Subaru seems to be on a pretty aggressive replacement schedule. I love it.

rsholland · February 2003

more and more like it will show up as a '04 model. Not sure when the Baja will get it though.

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

Let's hope the Baja soldiers on. Sales have to pick up or we may not see another one.

-juice

skiwee · February 2003

In that case juice I guess those of us who bought one have a "collectible" on our hands.
Mike

ateixeira · February 2003

They'd be rare enough, if they're only sold for one model year.

I hope they don't axe the project, but instead learn some lessons and bring the next Baja *with* all the features from the concept.

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

I've always been a strong supporter of the Baja as a "concept." My problem is the "execution."

I see the Baja as a gem in the rough. I just wish they had introduced a more polished version at the start. If the styling had the restraint of the Outback, that would have been enough to get the project rolling. The power and capability issues could be dealt with in time. I just hope SOA and the public's perception haven't been poisoned by the current model. That would be a real shame IMO.

Bob

erics6 · February 2003

Dealers in the Portland Oregon area are advertising their Bajas at $4000 off MSRP. $20,520 with no options.

ateixeira · February 2003

Man they're getting to be bargains. The Sport model should easily be under $20 grand then. Sweet, that should boost sales.

-juice

bkaiser1 · February 2003

I noticed an ad for the new baja sport in the latest issue of C&D that came in the mail today...it listed the MSRP at just under $22K with the manual (IIRC, I was at lunch). Street prices could easily be close to $20K though.

Will it be enough of a cut to boost sales? I doubt it will help much -- it just seems too small and underpowered for the money. It's a car I really want to like, but in terms of utility, I think my OB wagon is far more practical.

bluesubie · February 2003

Throw the 2.5LT on there for that price and watch 'em fly out the door. :-) (ok, maybe a reassonably priced option)

-Dennis

tkevinblanc · February 2003

Subaru is willing to market a cross vehicle like the Baja, why don't they work on a dedicated trailer?

One company in Vermont, I think, was advertising a little trailer with a hitch that doesn't pivot left/right and a single big pivoting wheel in the middle of the trailer. Basically, it becomes an extension of the vehicle towing it.

Might sound wacky, (might be wacky), but off-center thinking is what came up with these little crossover vehicles, and a small trailer, especially if it were easy to use and "matched" to the vehicle, would make a great deal of sense. Load height is low, weight capacity would be fairly high, and you wouldn't be dragging extra vehicle around when you didn't need it.

bluesubie · February 2003

Expect a post from Bob in 5, 4, 3, 2 ....
(great idea)

-Dennis

rsholland · February 2003

1... BLAST OFF!

Tom

I posted such an idea about a year ago. I also ran into a SOA VP last summer. I also suggested it to him in person, and reminded him via an e-mail. So, who knows...

Even if they don't offer a trailer, per say. I would love for them to at least offer an optional interior electronic trailer brake control, that would be integrated into the interior design, like any other Subaru control switch.

Bob

paisan · February 2003

But they don't even offer that IIRC on any tow rigs (even ones that are meant for towing) or maybe they do? Bob does the GM/Ford/Dodge trucks have any such device?

-mike

rsholland · February 2003

Nobody does, as far as I know. It seems like such a simple thing to do, I don't know why nobody hasn't offered before?!?!

I may be wrong here, but I would think such a unit would work for any trailer with electronic brakes. I don't think it has to be trailer-specific.

Maybe it has to do liability issues? Although, they offer factory trailer hitches, so I don't think that's the reason. I just don't know...

Bob

ateixeira · February 2003

I definitely think the Sport will get street prices under $20k. Don't forget about incentives, I'm sure if the regular Baja has them, the Sport will too.

I don't think it's underpowered. It's quicker than most compact V6 crew cabs. 0-60 in 9.3 is not bad. Now torque and towing a big load is a different story, but it's meant for light duties.

Didn't the Prowler get a matching trailer option? I know it was expensive, but maybe Subaru could offer something simpler and affordable, maybe with matching colors (yellow, silver, red, or black).

-juice

rsholland · February 2003

the Prowler and BMW, for the X-5, offered "factory' cargo/utility trailers.

Bob

paisan · February 2003

It's got to be a liability issue or perhaps a controller issue? Maybe different electric brake companies have different systems?

I'd love to see it cause I think the aftermarket ones look cheesy in the vehicles.

-mike

bsvoller · February 2003

Hey! Speak for yourself ! Mine doesn't look so bad...

:-)

(Wouldn't mind a factory option though - why not package it with frame hitch and harness ?)

rsholland · February 2003

They look like "Pep Boys" engineered them. And, maybe they did. "Chessy" is about the best that can be said!

Bob

Subaru Baja

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