Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

2013 and earlier-Subaru Forester Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1636466686971

Comments

  • specdanspecdan Member Posts: 13
    As a general rule, shoot for $1000 under Invoice. I bought my 2011 Forester for $1300 under Factory Invoice.
  • dalondalon Member Posts: 12
    Yea, I could've shot for more but I heard from a Nissan dealership that they would give me $500 below invoice and that the sales guy would only make $75 commission.

    So, I figured, I wouldn't haggle my sales guy with Subaru too much b/c I felt like he deserved to get some commission. At a certain point, haggling over an extra $100-$250 is somewhat unnecessary if you're trying to squeeze every little cent you can. At some point, it is like when you pay tips to your waiter/waitress. I felt like the guy deserved some kind of commission out of it, so I didn't push the issue. I could've easily gotten it to $900 below invoice but I got some of that money back by getting a lower price on the protection package, and I'll only have to pay less than $500 for 6-month car insurance and I'm 23 and a male.
  • cdndrivercdndriver Member Posts: 86
    HI,
    I'm looking at a 2012 forester Touring up here in Canada. invoice for us is: 28067.00. The dealers here are loath to go below msrp, and even when you go in with invoice, they are saying they "have to make something". How do you get below invoice pricing? We have to pay to get the invoice details and also lists of rebate programs and such. The company I do that through has prenegotiated rates which are invoice plus 3 %. Because Subies are in demand up here, it's hard to get them to budge on prices at all. Other than simply asking for below invoice, any strategies for getting under it? How do you then figure on the sales guy's commission? I mean they should make something to be fair.
    We don't have the options here for 'winter packages and such' they come with that installed for Canada. So there aren't many options other than the touring, or limited package for example.
    I appreciate your ideas and strategies for getting a good deal.
    thanks,
    cdndriver
  • dalondalon Member Posts: 12
    The Forester, and I mean in general, has very few issues. You cannot bring up recalls or any real issues with the car itself. I don't know about the Touring model of the Forester, but for the 2.5X model, the only real issues are:
    1. No new features from 2011 model. Due to the tsnumais in Japan, they stopped manufacturing 2011 Foresters and thus, the 2012 model is basically the same as the 2011. You can use the arguement that there are no new features in the 2012 model as a way to drop the price down a little bit.

    2. The Forester does have an outdated transmission system. I didn't use this in my arguements but this is a slight issue with the Forester. I'm sure it is also the case with the Touring model although don't quote me on it.

    3. Go to Truecar.com, it is a site where you can get car quotes from dealerships in your area, and those quotes are usually well below invoice. You take that quote to those specific dealerships, and they have to match the quote. Also, you can shop around for dealerships near your area and ask if they are willing to come close or match the quote. I'm not sure if this works in Canada, so if not, then that sucks. But, this would be a good gauge for you to determine what type of price you would want to pay if it is available for you to use in Canada.

    The problem is that Subaru doesn't have any discounts or rebates or manufacturer-to-dealer discounts that a consumer can take advantage of with Nissan or Toyota or other dealers. If you can afford 0% APR and pay the car off sooner, that is another option to consider b/c I believe that Subaru just came out with the option of doing 0% APR according to what my salesperson said.

    Good luck with it and hopefully you can get it below invoice. Dealerships still make money even if you go below invoice, just depends how much you want to go.
  • cdndrivercdndriver Member Posts: 86
    thanks for the advice.
    Interest rates for Subs are 2.9, 3.9,4.9 for leasing depending on the term, 2 years, 3, 4, respectively. They sell well here, and the banks aren't in the same situation as there, so they just don't move much on interest here, at least not for 2012 models.
    I'll see if truecar works up here. and what they offer.
    I'll let you know what happens. I've got two dealers I can try.
  • mickficklemickfickle Member Posts: 5
    I contacted every Subaru dealer within an hour/hour and a half driving distance, got their quotes, then argued them down using quotes from other dealers going back and forth, slowly working down to the few dealerships who would go down the most and would work with me. Ultimately, I got them $1150 below invoice before I even stepped on their lot.

    Good luck!
    -John
  • aathertonaatherton Member Posts: 617
    The $800 protection package was useless to you but high profit for them. Don't worry about going below invoice. You treated them well and everybody is happy. It was a fair deal.
  • marianneomarianneo Member Posts: 2
    I have paid twice in last year for head gasket replacement. Then my engine became cracked. There is something wrong with these engines.
  • dalondalon Member Posts: 12
    Yes, I also heard that other Subarus have had head gasket issues, usually after 80,000-100,000 miles. What year is your Forester? Must be a 2002 or something.

    I mighta f'ed up on the protection package but since I live in Illinois and we can have harsh winters, it was a necessary evil b/c I'm not going to keep up with spraying that rust stuff every year.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Don't worry about it, Dalon! If you're happy with the car and the price, it was money well spent.

    The "mid-west" and east can be brutal on cars. I remember looking at several sales of late '90s Outback wagons a few years ago when I lost my '96 and was considering replacing it with a similar model/year. Every one of them had all sorts of surface rust in the engine bay (so what does that say about the rest of the car?)!

    These were cars with 100-120K miles. Mine had 220,000 at the time, and there wasn't a hint of rust anywhere on it.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • aathertonaatherton Member Posts: 617
    "... the protection package... since I live in Illinois and we can have harsh winters, it was a necessary evil b/c I'm not going to keep up with spraying that rust stuff every year."

    The annual spraying of "rust proofing" is another service like the "protection package". Paraffin wax sprays and bituminous undercoatings served a purpose decades ago when car bodies were made of plain steel which was bare inside the door and body panels, and the undercarriage and wheel wells were only painted.

    However now bodies are made of galvanized steel dipped in primers, with electrostatic paint that reaches every side and crevice. Undercarriages and fender wells receive tough elastomeric coatings, and fender wells have plastic liners to protect against stones.

    Spraying of "rust proofing" on modern cars makes the owner feel good but does nothing for the car as there is no bare metal left for it to benefit.
  • aathertonaatherton Member Posts: 617
    "I have paid twice in last year for head gasket replacement. Then my engine became cracked. There is something wrong with these engines."

    The naturally-aspirated (non-turbo) engines up to 2011 were of an open cylinder deck design that stressed the head gaskets. The problem peaked in 2003, was band-aided with improved gaskets and the required addition of a sealant to fresh coolant every 30,000 miles. That almost ended the occurrence of head gasket leaks in recent years.

    After the warranty was up, Subaru often paid part of the cost of head gasket repairs, particularly for an original owner who had the car serviced and repaired at a dealer.

    Your second head gasket failure within a year was likely due to a poor repair of the first head gasket failure. It was probably not done by a dealer.

    The first time, the coolant could have gone low enough to cause overheating, which warped the heads. If the heads were not removed, checked and milled flat, the warpage would cause the new head gaskets to leak soon.

    Evidently enough coolant was lost the second time that severe overheating happened again and cracked a head.

    Forester owners must use the Subaru Conditioner (sealant), change coolant every 30K, and watch for signs of leaks such as low coolant, bubbles in the coolant, or moisture around the heads. Coolant must not be allowed to go low and cause destructive overheating.

    The design of the engine was completely changed in 2011 so that head gaskets are not stressed and leaks cannot occur for the same reason as before.
  • bearcrkrdbearcrkrd Member Posts: 167
    I bought Wednesday, 12/21. Seattle area. 2012 Forrester 2.5X Premium AT, PZEV, Ice Silver Metallic. All-Weather Package, Auto Dim Mirror/Compass W/Homelink, Cargo Tray, All Weather Floor Mats, and Luggage Compartment Cover.
    $24,796. Doc Fee $150. Wa State License fee $211.50. And the BIG ONE; Wa State Sales Tax = $2,430.01!!!
    I had a trade in, but I called a family member during the middle of the deal, and they really, really, wanted my '08 Civic LX. It had 93,000 miles already, but was in absolute tip-top condition. Super little car. Dealer was offering KBB. I sold to the family for less, on payments, with a handshake (phoneshake?), and ate the $600 sales tax savings the trade would have brought.
    So I certainly didn't steal it, and the State of Washington will still claim the end is near, but I sure as heck contributed my part.
    I got a couple books I read in the bathroom about day hiking around here. Now I can get off the pot and get to the trailhead. Wouldn't do that with the Civic, sprung too tight, didn't want to ruin it anyway. Maybe when I was younger. We used to take our full size domestics on logging roads all the time, way up into the hills, but that was 30-35 years ago!
  • bwenusbwenus Member Posts: 2
    Congrats bearcrkrd for the new car! I am in WA too. Did you buy from Mike Scraff? Good experience?
  • bearcrkrdbearcrkrd Member Posts: 167
    Yes I did. No hassle at all, just pick the color you want, and take a quick test drive. It's just a question of do you want to spend the money at this time or not. Very painless. If you go all out and solicit multiple dealers over a period of time, from multiple web sites, etc., you may be able to do better. I just thought there wasn't enough daylight to go for a scenic drive in the Civic on my day off, so stopped by Scarff. I should have purchased the 2011 year end close out. Would have save almost $3,000. I drove the same car I just ended up buying, but thought the seat comfort was terrible. It was fine two days ago. Must have exercised, ate right, and rested this time around. Live and learn. :)
  • hiker89hiker89 Member Posts: 3
    edited December 2011
    I don't know how you all get your below invoice prices quoted but I'm not able to. I'm shopping for 2012 Subaru Forester in Asheville,NC. I want a basic automatic 25X PZEV but with alloy wheels package and with a popular package (only because I need to have an auto dimming mirror). MSRP price came to 23,691. The best price I got is from a dealer about 60 miles away and it is $100 ABOVE the invoice price of $22,109. I don't have any trade-in. In your opinion, is it possible to negotiate? I would prefer to buy a car in Asheville but how do I negotiate? I don't mind paying a decent price but don't want to overpay
  • dalondalon Member Posts: 12
    Get car quotes from truecar.com. It will give you nice quotes below invoice that only certain dealerships will honor. Then, if those dealerships are far away, maybe call one closer to your hometown to see if they would match or come close to matching the farther dealership. That's what I did and I got mine about 700 below invoice. I could've probably gotten it to 900 but my salesguy was very nice and I wanted him to get some commission, although it probably wasn't much.

    That's the only thing you can use. No rebates, no manufacturer to dealer discount for Foresters, so you gotta get creative. The Foresters come standard with an option package that increases the price like $500 more than you see in the quotes. My salesperson gave me the flexibility of basically discounting the options that I didn't care for on my car, even though those options would still be on my car no matter what. Using that, I got it discounted another $275. Not sure if your salesperson will be willing to do that but give it a shot.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Also, if you really want to get the best price on your car, make sure you're willing to travel to get it, taking into consideration the cost of that travel. Otherwise, all you're really doing is bluffing on the price, and the local dealer(s) may just call your bluff. If that happens, you're left with either buying the car at a price higher than you'd prefer, or not buying the car at all.

    Depending on the market, the local dealer(s) might just tell you to take a hike, but that seems unlikely in an area like North Carolina where a myriad of dealerships are within a day's drive in (nearly) any direction.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • hiker89hiker89 Member Posts: 3
    Thank you both. I got three quotes from truecar.com and they all are above the invoice price. Well, I guess I have to pay more than I would pay in other areas of the country. On the other hand a tax on cars in NC is 3%.
  • niftydanniftydan Member Posts: 2
    Purchase Date: 23/DEC/2011

    Car: 2012 Forester 2.5x Premium w/ AWP
    Color: Sage Green
    Options: All weather floor mats, Auto-dimming mirror w/ compass, trunk and side cargo nets, wheel locks, cargo tray, splash guards, and bumper cover.

    Dealer: Beechmont Subaru
    New Car Price: $23,500 (took Subaru's 36 month 0% loan)
    Trade-in: $1000
    Other: $150 Doc Fee + ~$60 Tags/Licensing + tax (6.5%)

    Highly recommend this dealer. We called and told them what we wanted to pay for the premium with AWP, but explained that we didn't want to pay for any of the dealer's extras. They agreed to our price and didn't charge us for any of the options. On top of that, they offered us $1000 for our old car. We went down that day and were in and out of the dealer in an hour.
  • tkay2tkay2 Member Posts: 51
    2012 Forester Limited w/nav options dimming mirror compass, Cargo net (wow) all weather floor mats (they are cool) luggage cover ( i thought they were standard) puddle lights, rear bumper cover, remote starter and rear camera...$ 29500 out the door..also negotiated 2 year 24000 free scheduled maintenance...
  • dfodfo Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2011
    We are being quoted $23,530 (not including $390 dealer handling fee and state taxes) for a 2012 Forester 2.5X Premium automatic with the following options:
    - All-Weather Package (Heated Front Seats, Windshield Wiper De-Icer, Heated Side Mirrors)
    - Aero Cross Bars
    - Rear Bumper Cover
    - Luggage Compartment Cover
    - Splash Guard Kit
    - Floor Mats, All Weather
    - Auto Dim Mirror/Compass w/Homelink

    Does that seem like a reasonable price? We don't need to get the best deal ever, but don't want to pay hundreds more than we should. The dealer seems unwilling to come down further. By way of comparison, Truecar.com says $23,069 is the best deal in our area for the Premium with all-weather package (that's the only one of these extras we're really interested in). The dealer says they could special-order one with only the all-weather package and match that price, but it could take 10+ weeks to deliver.
  • niftydanniftydan Member Posts: 2
    Just the premium with AWP, was 23300 by me so I took the deal at 23500 with all the extras. FYI-If you special order then you can't get their 0% or 1.9% financing.

    Just an update. Had the car for a few days now and love it. It has plenty of power, the audio is fine, and 4 gear auto is super smooth. I'm was also really surprise at how quite it is. A few issues though. For the extra money I would consider the limited for the radio alone. Audio is fine, but the display is the worst. The limited has extra functionality with bluetooth. Also, car has some sounds/rattles and doors sound light and hallow. Nothing that really bothers me though. Overall, love it.
  • ursusursus Member Posts: 128
    "FYI-If you special order then you can't get their 0% or 1.9% financing."

    That's not true. I just got my 2012 Forester X Touring at 1.9%/63 month. I ordered it at the end of November an picked it up on December 30.

    MSRP $29,481 (rear bumper cover, arch molding kit, mirror with home link & compass): paid $600 under invoice + got $890 over Chase's buyout price on my leased 2009 Forester X ("traded" to the dealer 1 month before lease end) + "Subaru Severe Weather Companion" kit.
  • georged4georged4 Member Posts: 34
    Agreed. The sales guy last year (2010) told me no 1.9% for more than 2 years so I used capitalone.com

    When the manager went over everything he asked if I was offered the financing and said the sales guy was wrong that it could be up to 5 years

    I used Capitalone.com anyway as good a rate if excellent credit
  • hiker89hiker89 Member Posts: 3
    Any suggestion on how to sell 2012 Subaru Forester with under 1,000 miles? I'm not happy with it. I found a cargo space much smaller than what we had in our sedan and that's very important since we take many long trip and carry with us lots of stuff. I'm also puzzled with a placement of gas tank leveler on the floor and right next to my left foo. It came apart after my second hike and before I even open it for the first time to pump a gas. I also found that a gas mileage is surprising low. :cry:
  • dalondalon Member Posts: 12
    It's lower b/c you are probably in colder weather just like all of us.

    1. Newer cars get lower fuel mileage initially b/c the car has to be worn in a little for the optimal mileage to take place.

    2. Colder weather=worse fuel mileage

    I've been getting 19 mpg in the cold weather in the 2012 Forester. Also, I think it has a smaller fuel tank than the 16.9 gallons that the manual tells you, so you're not wasting as much gas, I paid around $44-$45 at 3.62 and my tank was over 3/4 empty.

    3. Yea, the placement of the gas tank opener is odd to me too but maybe you pulled it up a little too hard? Just a guess? But yea, that's not good. So, how are you opening the fuel tank now?

    Not everything is going to be perfect with the car unfortunately, and that goes for any car.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    If you want to sell it, first make sure that any warranty issues are repaired, then, since you don't have any price guides at this point, look at the closest comparable 2011 on the guides and start your asking price at a little higher than that. My guess is that your top starting point will be 10% under the MSRP of the vehicle.

    You'll have to balance how much your willing to lose on the actual price of the sale with the added cost of keeping each month you do so. In other words, if you financed it and have full coverage insurance, how much are those costing you each month? If you ask $24,000 and somebody comes along and offers $23,800 (or even $23,500) after several weeks with no hits, how much is that extra few hundred worth to you versus the chance you won't get another hit for a month or two?

    That, and you know the first question all perspective buyers will ask is, "so, why are you selling it?" Keep it simple; coming out with "I don't like it" isn't going to put you into a good selling position!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited January 2012
    I'd keep it.

    You mileage will improve as it warms up, and then again as it breaks in. I just took a road trip to PA and recorded about 4mpg less than a similar trip in warm weather last year.

    Another thing - gas costs are a small % of overall ownership costs. The big one? Depreciation. And what holds its value well? The Forester.

    A Fusion Hybrid (I picked an efficient sedan) would save you roughly $900 per year, but you'll probably lose $2000 in trading in a brand new car, so that eats up 2 years' worth of gas savings.

    Just keep it, see if mpg improves. By a shelf'/organizer for the tall cargo area. Foresters really hold their value well, it wins all sorts of residual awards.

    Gas is cheap.

    Trading in a brand new car for another brand new car? Very expensive.
  • sirbigsleysirbigsley Member Posts: 3
    Bought new at Bay Ridge Subaru in Brooklyn, New York.

    Marine Blue Pear 2012 Forester 2.5X Premium, Automatic Transmission, PZEV w/ AWP, auto-dimming mirror w/ compass, bumper cover and luggage compartment cover.

    $24,698 before taxes and tags ($2,166) = out the door at $26,864

    I was a bit disappointed at this price. Truecar.com did not seem to have any prices listed in my area, and after shopping around through email and calls, this was the best I could do.
  • specdanspecdan Member Posts: 13
    This exercise is very easy. You need to get your hands on the Invoice for the Car.
    Work backwards, you want to buy the car at $1000-$1500 BELOW Invoice.
    At this level your getting a good deal.
    Work with the Fleet or Internet Sales Manager in several dealerships (3-5), over the phone or better yet with E-Mail. I would not step into a dealership until you've made the deal.
  • eviljay182eviljay182 Member Posts: 1
    Ugh I'm sick to my stomach.... I just agreed to a price of $25,100 for a 2012 Subaru Forester X Premium

    - Automatic, All Weather Package, Cargo Tray, Bumper Cover, Cargo Net

    I'm paying too much arn't I? I didn;t take delivery of the car yet, is there anything I can do?
  • bearcrkrdbearcrkrd Member Posts: 167
    These are 2012 vehicles. This is not year-end clearance prices for 2011's. You are about $350 over Invoice. Ask them to add an installed accessory. Like the Auto-Dimming mirror w/compass. Or Tweeters. Or splashguards & rubber floor mats. Some of the prices on here are incredible. Subaru is selling cars at no profit in February?? Some of the prices on here are accurate, as a few (very few) parts of the country always sell cars cheap. But, maybe $10 an hour is ok in that neck of the woods, too? (I'm asking for it..) Yours is a bit high. Not a lot, but about $250 too high. If it's too late now, try to get an installed accessory, if too too late, just enjoy it. Take it easy for a few hundred miles, especially when the engine is cold. A 2wd Rav with V6 and leather still seems kinda attractive to me, but I think my 2012 X Premium Auto w/All Weather Pkg, Cargo tray, Bumper cover, Luggage cover, Auto-dimming mirror w/homelink was a good choice. Just hit 3,000 miles yesterday, and no problems. Have added some Subaru accessories, too. It was pretty good in the snow and ice in Seattle last Month!!
  • woodynjwoodynj Member Posts: 1
    I've just started shopping and the best I've been able to do so far is $200 above invoice using the consumer reports quote service.

    How the heck did you get $1,300 below invoice? Was it an end of year closeout, did you have a trade?
  • ursusursus Member Posts: 128
    I bet he meant $1,300 of MSRP :shades:

    It looks like you are in NJ, so check out Stohlman Subaru in Tysons (VA) - email or talk to sales manager directly. They are the highest volume dealer on East Coast from MD to FL. If you get the price you want, you can order yours with the options you need. I did just that and got mine at $600 below invoice. Worth the drive.
  • bearcrkrdbearcrkrd Member Posts: 167
    I checked 2-3 days ago, and again 5 minutes ago: Same exact Trim / Options Forester I purchased 12/21/11 for Invoice is now selling for $550 less, so $550 below Invoice. I don't feel quite as smart as I did 4 days ago....... :blush:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's why you buy and then stop looking!

    I guarantee you I paid more for our '09 than you did...
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Better advice was never given. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • bearcrkrdbearcrkrd Member Posts: 167
    ateixeira and xwesx:
    Thanks!
  • junglejimjunglejim Member Posts: 18
    I'm helping my mother-in-law find and purchase a vehicle.

    She has decided on a new 2012 Forester 2.5X Auto Premium.

    I looked on Edmunds.com to get an idea of invoice price vs. MSRP. Edmunds also has a "True Market Value" that gives you an idea about what the vehicle is selling for in your area.

    With Destination Fee, Edmunds gave me the following:
    Invoice.........................$23,644
    MSRP ...........................$25,070
    "True Market Value"........$23,481

    I've never seen Edmunds give a "True Market Value" price that is lower than invoice. Are Foresters really selling at, or below, invoice?

    What should I be shooting for?
    My MIL is very worried about money, so I want to strike the best deal I can for her. I plan to do it entirely through email.

    I greatly appreciate input on this.
    Thanks,
    Jim
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    It is entirely possible; it really depends on your area. This vehicle is also in its fourth year of production, which generally means it isn't necessarily as hot of an item as it might be in the first or second year.

    I would have to sell my soul to get a below invoice (or even near invoice) deal in my local area even now, but I did purchase my 2010 Forester in Sept 2009 for $300 under invoice in Seattle.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • drew510drew510 Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2012
    Yes, it is very possible to get one under invoice. A local dealer (Portland, OR) is advertising a 2.5x Premium with All Weather and some other misc items (model CFF-02) for $23,711 and the MSRP is 26,335. They supposedly did not have one of my color (Ice Silver), so they jerked me around a bit, but I still netted one with that same MSRP for 23,899 and a full tank of gas. I had the flu coming on strong during negotiations so rather than fighting them over less than $200, I gave in. FYI, Edmunds shows invoice on my car as $24,666.

    As an aside, I find it humorous that after a dealer rakes you over the coals, they insist you mark all 10s on the dealer survey or they "fail". Sorry guys, you will get the rating you deserve. If I had a "10" experience, you'd get it. Problems with my transaction - I confirmed with the salesman THREE times by phone that they had or were getting in the next day or so the ad model in Ice Silver. Once I got there, the sales manager tried to sell me a blue one, then a Silver Limited on their lot. Then he "found" one at another dealer and wanted to charge me $23,999 for the same car they were advertising for $23,711. I baulked and he conceded $100. Like I mentioned I was sicker than a dog, so I took it. THEN, when we went to pick it up the next day, the salesman had given one of our keys to someone else!!! It took over a week to get our key. Now, does that sound like an "all 10s" transaction to you???
  • drew510drew510 Member Posts: 3
    Just a quick update. I found out that the sales manager lied to me regarding their incoming stock. He said they only had one silver coming in and not until April. More than a week ago I checked their inventory and they had SEVEN silvers with my exact MSRP. Well, let's just say I let my dissatisfaction be known and it caught the General Sales Manager's attention. I ended up meeting with him and we ended on good terms. I still won't ever do business with Kenny again.

    But back to pricing. Here is a link to their current ad. http://www.dickhannahsubaru.com/files/2012/03/AD_CURRENT_SUBARU.pdf

    Now, that link is updated weekly, but as of today, they still have my MSRP on ad, but now the price has dropped to $23,294 - almost $1375 under invoice!!!
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Dang, that's WAY down there. They must be getting some sort of volume incentive to offset? Crazy.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • pheat0npheat0n Member Posts: 6
    I am now the proud lessee of a Forester. I'm curious to know how I did. This was my first time leasing a new car. So I'm not sure how I did. I'm thinking that I might have been able to spend a few more hours there and maybe done a little better, or maybe I just got had. . In any case. Tell me what you think.

    Here is the skinny on the deal I negotiated. I'm in area code 68114.

    2012 Subaru Forester 2.5x Premium, Auto, All Weather Package, Obsidian Black Pearl
    Luggage Compartment Cover
    Auto Dimming Mirror/Compass
    Exhaust Tips
    Body Side Molding
    Rear Bumper Cover
    Floor Mats
    Sticker = $26,175
    Negotiated Price = $23,404
    42 Month/ 12,000 Mile Lease = $255.33 per month.
    First Month Down

    Did I do ok? Or did they see me coming?
  • illinoiscentraillinoiscentra Member Posts: 67
    Yeah, its been a while. And sorry if this is the wrong place to post.

    I was looking how much I could expect for my 2002 Forester S, 71K, for my zip at the kbb.com website, either trade-in, or sell to a co-worker. For one in "Good" condition, its coming up as 7,537 for trade in. I am having a hard time believing this. Any insight?
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    You're having a hard time believing it is so low or so high?

    For a Forester of that year and mileage, I don't think you should expect more than 7500 to 8500 private party.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ingridringridr Member Posts: 20
    I have a 1999 Forester (believe it is a L but could be an S) that has 196,000, of which 75% are hwy miles as I travel to dog shows, that is in rough mechanical shape that I am looking to sell. It is overheating and leaking coolant so I suspect that it is the head gasket issue. Replaced one several years ago and do not want to put the money in to fixing this one as this is just a secondary vehicle that I do not need. Body has a paint chip here and there and the windshield is cracked.

    Obviously this is a major fixer upper but I do not even know what is realistic price for a fixer upper. 500? 750? 1000? I live in MT where Subarus are revered. A close friend just sold within 4 hours of posting on craigslist a 1997 outback with 220,000, that was leaking oil and did not run for 1000. Granted, it was leather seats, moonroof, etc where mine is more of the base model. Was thinking of posting my forester for 1000.00 OBO but wanted some experienced feedback as to what is a realistic sale price. Thanks for any and all advice :-)
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    $196K.... That car in Fairbanks (Alaska) would likely sell for $3500-4000 sans head gasket issues (assuming no other major problems), so let's say $500 less than that in your area. Estimate $1500 for the HG replacement at a shop, and I'd say you're at about $1500 as an asking price. I'd probably be willing to take as low as $1,200 for it.

    If the struts are gone or it has other suspension or CV joint issues, go down from there, but if it runs, is warm, and the AWD works, you shouldn't take less than a grand.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ingridringridr Member Posts: 20
    Thanks xwesx! It runs but gets in the "red zone" of overheating within a few miles so it runs with that caveat. Also, it could probably use some new struts. With that said, the AWD, cruise, etc all work and it has 12 years of regular oil changes so perhaps I should list it at around 1200.00 and see where it gets me :-)
Sign In or Register to comment.