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Subaru Impreza Outback Sport & TS

15657596162

Comments

  • 5greyhounds5greyhounds Member Posts: 338
    This past August I paid $20k for an OBS, (Automatic trans) out the door. That include taxes, tags, prep and as a bonus the factory color matching mud flaps ( list about $120) and the rear differential protector(about $65), both installed. I thought it was reasonable. Maybe a few hundred more than I would have paid if I wanted to fight about it but my wife liked and we can fit two of our Greyhounds in it.
  • cityfishercityfisher Member Posts: 11
    I went to san francisco auto show yesterday and received a VIP card. The man working there wouldn't tell me the details of VIP pricing. I searched on internet and found people saying you will get an invoice price or even 2% below invoice.
    What price did you get via the VIP program? Did the dealer add destination fee on the invoice?
    When I got the quote of $17246 on Impreza 2.5i, I pointed out the invoice was $17,026. The salesman said I should add destination fee, so his quote was far below the "invoice". If that is true, the VIP pricing wouldn't make any sense.
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    my brother works for SIA in indiana. so i got their typical dealer invoice with a 1500 rebate from soa. but i dont think i'm supposed to mention that? so, with my installed options plus that stupid advertising fee they passed onto me. i'm around 17800 for my obs SE. short throw shifter. cargo tray/net, all weather mats.that included destination i do think. go to http://www.cars101.com for lots of info on invoice pricing and breakdown of costs. etc.

    but, as i mentioned, i'm having problems with my dealer and getting the VIP pricing. They're really jerking me around. My car is supposed to be here around the 25th, and they still claim to not have my information for VIP. I've submitted info twice.
  • cityfishercityfisher Member Posts: 11
    How did you get that price? Just show them you are a VIP? The VIP program is supposed to be a fixed price (somewhere around invoice minus any rebate) without haggle.
    I just got a VIP card from the autoshow. That is a simple yellow card without my name or any information on it. I don't know what problems I will have when I show it to a dealer.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    WE bought our Legacy that way, but apparently the program has been revised, and I don't have the details of the new deal. A friend is about to go through the process and if he does, I'll share what I find out.

    It's not a big secret or anything, IMBA or ACA members qualify for it. I bet 800-SUBARU3 would have details if you called.

    -juice
  • cityfishercityfisher Member Posts: 11
    called a dealer today and mentioned the VIP card, then I got a quote of $17460 on basic Impreza 2.5i, $200 more than the quote I received befor I got the VIP card. What the hell is the VIP program?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That is odd.

    I guess if dealers are giving up some of their holdback (more than they would under VIP), they can offer lower prices without it.

    One thing about VIP - it's supposed to be no-haggle, i.e. the intent is that you walk in and pay one set price. I guess it's not necessarily the lowest price possible, but it is consistent.

    -juice
  • cityfishercityfisher Member Posts: 11
    I called several dealers and 1-800-SUBARU3, it turns out that there are two types of subaru VIP cards, VIP or VIP executive. With the VIP card, you will get a price of dealer cost (invoice + destination fee+ other fees); with a VIP executive card, you will get 2% below that. Clearly the auto show VIP card is only a common VIP card. This makes no sense at all, because if you deal with the internet salesman, you will always get a quote below the "invoice price".
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    ...because if you deal with the internet salesman, you will always get a quote below the "invoice price".

    Not true at all.
  • skiliftskilift Member Posts: 6
    ...because if you deal with the internet salesman, you will always get a quote below the "invoice price".

    Not true at all.


    Not "always" but when I bought my OBS, 4 out of the 5 offers from internet salesmen were below the "invoice" price.
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    Yeah, it was fixed. SIA employees immediate family members get some good rebates from SOA. i got invoice for the VIP plus 1500 rebate for being an immediate family member. Thats rebate on impreza since they're made in japan, not in the us. same goes with forester. [hope i'm not hung for this] now, the US made cars, legacy, outback, tribeca. get a larger rebate, at least for SIA employees, etc. [the reason i'm worried about giving this information is the cars101 site was asked to take its info on the VIP program down. and if i'm out of line, i'll surely edit my post.]

    if you're simply a 'friend' or non-immediate family member. it should be invoice plus 2% off.

    current offers and specials for VIP are even greater if you're getting an 05. often invoice plus a certain cashback offer. then, any rebates for friends and family on top.

    i tried hard to find an 05 OBS SE before settling on the 06. but i'm happy. and by the way, my dealer has taken care of my issue with getting the VIP info from SOA. my car is on the carrier and will be here this week! pictures forthcoming. i've been driving on a donut for a week. ;)
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    Not "always" but when I bought my OBS, 4 out of the 5 offers from internet salesmen were below the "invoice" price.

    Depends on who's quoting...around here most of the guys will go below invoice also, but a few of them have a no-quote policy. I always quote the same way regardless of who the customer is.
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    the regal blue pearl outback sport SE 5 speed with short throw shifter has arrived. picked it up today. the whole dealership was commenting on the colour, the blue and grey really look striking in daylight [and night-light]

    the "260 watt" sound system is quite lacking in the high-end... some distortion at higher volumes. eh, oh well.

    took me 2 hours at the dealer to get everthing taken care of and i'm just glad its in my hands now.

    i went from a 98 mitsu eclipse to this and it is night and day. subaru definately has a rumbleish sound to the engine that i still can't get used to, but i'm sure i will. i'd be a bit more worried over this noise, but the three other imprezas i've test driven since 04 have all felt/sounded the same. i'll miss the low ride and comfortable seats of my eclipse, but i'm in love with my new subaru. i'll try to snap some photos and post them soon. too bad the break-in period is a whopping thousand miles. yikes! and she already stalled on me once. :cry:
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    My son also just took delivery of a new '06 Outback Sport SE the other day too. His is a Steel Gray/Crystal Gray automatic version, and he loves it. He traded a '96 Impreza Outback, which he had for 10 years (and had over 132K on it), so he's really able to see—and appreciate—all the improvements made over the last decade.

    Good job Subaru! :)

    Bob
  • cbmortoncbmorton Member Posts: 252
    Don't worry about the engine sound - it's normal. You might even start liking it. I sure do. Gives it character. There's a sweet spot above 4000 rpm on my '04 where it's pulling strongly and sounds great, but even at lower speeds I enjoy the rumble. Congrats on the new car.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I love the sound. Very Porsche-like (water cooled Porsche).

    -juice
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    well, after this break in period, i'll enjoy that 4000+ rpm sweet spot. i accidentally hit 4 grand today pulling into traffic. yikes! but yes, the bump in power was there. i'm loving the car and my only gripes are the sound of the stereo and the brakes are very different. took it around a bunch of twisty/bumpy roads today and i thought it handled quite smoothly/nicely without a lot of roll.

    the steel grey top/crystal grey bottom was my second choice when i was looking for an 05, but since i decided to go with the 06, i would have nothing but the regal blue pearl. i almost don't like the attention the car is getting because i tend to shy away from that, but it does instill a feeling of pride. especially from the other subaru drivers around here.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yours is an 06, right?

    I like the new front end, the more I see it, the more I like it.

    -juice
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    aye, 06. i'll take some better pictures and post links soon.

    tonight while driving home, i was coming up an embankment in 5th gear, 50 mph, and the rumbly tick of the engine was gone. all i heard was that nice whine. so, now i'm curious what sound i'm hearing in 1st-3rd gear and early in 4th. aside from the standard subaru break-in, is there anythign else i should be doing? i did have one nasty stall on a steep incline at a stop light. scared the crap out of me.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Try not to lug the engine, i.e. revs too low for the conditions. 50mph in 5th going uphill is probably putting more of a strain than necessary.

    -juice
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    hey all. i'm getting some condensation in my tail lamps in the mornings and after washing my car.

    whats the best protocol in this situation?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That happened to our old Mitsu Mirage right before we sold it.

    I removed it, aired it out to dry, then replaced it.

    If I were going to keep it, I'd probably add some sort of sealant, maybe silicone or the black stuff used for RVs.

    -juice
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    if thats the case, since it's only a week old, i may ask the dealer if they will replace both of them.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Just replace the one that is condensating, unless both of them are?

    -juice
  • benjamindbenjamind Member Posts: 2
    Hello all!

    I'm new here and I hope I'm posting this in the right place. :) I bought a 2002 2.5 TS wagon last year and I love it to pieces. I only have one issue with it, when the weather gets cold the clutch gets a little funny and the car chugs when I take off. I've heard that the Impreza does that, but why? Is my clutch slowly destroying itself?

    Thanks,

    Ben
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Hi Ben. Unfortunately clutches do wear out, and it sounds like yours could be on the way out. BTW, it's not just an Impreza problem, as most if not all clutch-equipped cars will eventually run into this.

    Bov
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    There is a TSB about this, though I doubt adjustments will help.

    Oddly, it doesn't seem to affect longevity of the clutch, only the operation. The chatter should stop once the powertrain is warm, or if you do a couple of burn outs in reverse.

    Not that I'm recommending the latter. :surprise:

    -juice
  • threesinthreesin Member Posts: 50
    Back again, after another long absence, and I'm looking for answers......... again.

    I'm wondering how critical the wheel offset is to wear on the wheel bearings?? I've tried to read all the wheel charts presented on I-Club and other sites, and it appears that if the wheel and tire combo will fit without tire contact with the wheel well, then owners will go with what looks good to them. Yet, in the Suby service manuals, a specific wheel offset is called for on each individual model.

    I want to use an older Impreza RS sedan wheel (offset 53mm) on an '03 Impreza OBS wagon (spec offset 55mm). Can anyone tell me, based on experience or technical knowledge, if this small difference is going to have any long term bad affects on my wheel bearing wear??

    TIA for your input, and best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous NY to you all..........Terry
  • threesinthreesin Member Posts: 50
    Ben, my first Suby was an '02 OBS, and it was plagued with the so called clutch shudder/chatter or whatever you want to call it. Many "old Suby owners" claimed this was normal and typical. I didn't buy it; and after two clutch replacements, the second one as a result of the bulletin mentioned by Juice, the problem was resolved.

    I have since owned an '03 Impreza, and it did not have any of the clutch chatter problems. I have also owned several other Imprezas, dating from the 2000 model through the current 2006 model; and I have not had any clutch chatter problems with any of them.

    You didn't say how many miles you have on your wagon, but a good service manager may get the problem resolved for you under the old service bulletin. Unfortunately, this didn't ever become a "recall" item. You had to ask to get the problem resolved. So, you've got nothing to lose by asking about the fix at your local Suby dealer.

    Good Luck..........Terry
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    2mm is a very tiny difference, you should be fine. My aftermarket wheels are 6mm different and I've had no issues at all, in fact the tires wear more evenly now than they did with the OE rims.

    -juice
  • threesinthreesin Member Posts: 50
    juice,

    I appreciate your input. I didn't think it would be a problem; but wondered why the Suby shop manual didn't give a range of offset fits rather than a specific offset for each model within the same model year.

    Thanks again.........Terry
  • benjamindbenjamind Member Posts: 2
    Thanks all for your input! I think I will ask the local Suby dealership about it. The car only has 45,000 miles on it. Way too short for the clutch to be going out already, I thought. I don't drive it like a nut either (all the time, anyway) :) Speaking of driving it like a nut I think I will ask the dealership AFTER the autocross this weekend! The clutch went out on my Isuzu Rodeo, and that just started slipping like crazy. This was something very different.

    Thanks again!

    Ben
  • rkinnerrkinner Member Posts: 3
    Hey everyone,
    It's been a while since i've posted but I'm the happy owner of a carolina blue 05 OS. I've got a few questions for all you Subaru gurus out there. First off, I've suffered a few scrapes on the grey/goldish plastic panelling that makes the car 'two-tone'. Any ideas on how to remedy this? I saw an older subie on the road with dings all over the plastic and I'd like to prevent that (it's black underneath the coating).

    Next, and much more painful to me, I suffered a horrendous ding on my hood driving on the interstate the other day. I saw the *#$@ing rock get thrown up by the 18-wheeler and watched in slow motion as it bounced once, twice, and then bang, right into my hood. Cut through the paint and I can see metal...:(. I ordered some touch up paint from Subaru but I think I want to take it in to have it professionally done...last time i did this (on a different car) it looked terrible. Any brilliant ways of doing this yourself or ideas on how much it should cost???

    Finally, when I shift into third, I hear a rather rough, metallic sound as the shifter slides into the gate (it's a manual). It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it's embarassing...the car is only 3 months old. Anyone experienced this or have any idea if it's normal? Thanks!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The cladding is painted also, so change your order for 2 bottles of touch-up paint.

    Add very, very little at a time. Let each coat dry. Some people even use toothpicks to hold less paint. Just take your time, do several thin coats instead of one big glob of paint.

    I'd report the clunky shift to the dealer, just in case the problem reappears later. Maybe check the gear oil level? It's the yellow dip stick on the transmission tunnel.

    -juice
  • jumbocajumboca Member Posts: 1
    Hi everybody. I have been lurking the forum since July of last year when I bought my brand new OBS '05 (now with 9200 miles on). Lots of friendly helpful folks in here.
    I did a search on my problem and either I dont know how to search in these forums or nobody has discussed this before. So here it goes:
    I was driving on an interstate last sunday doing around 70-80 mph. I started noticing the temperature gauge was going up. I stopped at a gas station and saw that the coolant plastic reservoir was empty and there was coolant splashed all around. I was kind of freaked out by this but being that I was 300 miles from home I decided to buy more coolant and added it thinking of taking it to the dealer on Monday. It worked fine for the next 290 miles or so and when i was almost home it did it again. I took it to the dealer on Tuesday and they told me that after all the diagnostics they couldn't figure out what the problem was. Head gaskets seemed OK, radiator OK, etc... even the coolant was withing the temperature rating required.
    Now some background. I noticed some 3000 miles ago (late oct 2005) that the coolant level was low so i took it to the dealer and they said that they found a loose clamp but they had tightened it again.
    Anyway, I am worried an almost new car is showing this problem, and even more worried that the dealer dismissed my claim. Anybody has some idea of what could be wrong? Thanks a lot in advance and sorry for the long post.
  • rush05wrxrush05wrx Member Posts: 1
    If the clunk happens when you let the clutch out, then your rear diff is hitting the bottom of you trunk. This is very common on Impreza's. There are some kits that prevent this by replace the weak stock bushings with harder ones. Look up Turn in Concepts, they make a kit called Klunk Killer which fixes the problem. I do not work for them, but I have the kit on my car.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Keep the receipt, the dealer diagnosed a loose clamp, but if they missed something, you're covered.

    -juice
  • frankeljonfrankeljon Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2006 OBS last week. Three days after driving it off the lot, a rock hit the windshield while I was driving down the highway. I called several glass places to get estimates for replacement, and one of them told me that in the past 2 weeks he has had 10 '06 Subaru's come in with cracked windshields.

    I called the dealer and of course they did not have any info about possible issues.

    Has anyone heard anything about windshield issues with new 2006's?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I have not observed a pattern yet, but call 800-SUBARU3 to report the problem, so they can start tracking it.

    Does your insurance cover glass? In MD it has to, by law.

    -juice
  • dstew1dstew1 Member Posts: 275
    Not for the OBS, but I had about 5000 miles on my 06 Forester when I got my first cracked windshield about a month ago. It's not uncommon at all for rocks to hit my windshield; I don't know if it's aerodynamics, windshield height, or what.

    Does the OBS windshield have the heating elements in it for the wiper blades? If so, I hope for the sake of your checkbook that the insurance is covering replacement...

    Doug
  • dajabecdajabec Member Posts: 2
    I have a 99 obs with a manual transmission. When I am around 40 mph and accelerating, I hear a soft whistle from under the hood. Just wondering if anyone else hears the same thing or knows what causes it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Did they sneak a turbo under your hood? ;)

    Check that the intake is sealed up nicely.

    -juice
  • subaristasubarista Member Posts: 2
    Hi everybody ! Nice to meet you guys ! I am a OS user here in Chile. I just bought my subaru about 13 months. Now has 9300 KM or 5500 Miles . I got a problem when I turn right my steering wheel , particularly , parking , there is a strange noise coming form joint of Sterring wheel, like a quicky sort noise , . Any one had the same problem ? I have this issues , when I park , and need to turn completlly the steering wheel for several turns , I am a llittle disapointed with Subaru quality , i thought it was better. :(
    Greeting !
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    Might be worth getting the rubber bushes on the anti sway bar lubricated. The behaviour sounds identical to what I had and this fixed it

    Cheers

    Graham
  • subaristasubarista Member Posts: 2
    Hi Graham !

    Thanks for your advice ! I will try it at soon as possible. Bye the way, maybe some silicon helps ? We use silicon spray here in Chile for cars plastic parts cleaning work . It´s a lubricante too. The central idea is lubricated the sway bar , right ?
  • sfjwsfjw Member Posts: 1
    Is it possible/simple to connect an auxillary jack to the stereo system (OBS SE) so you can run your MP3 player?
  • drivelikejehudrivelikejehu Member Posts: 21
    do subaru imprezas have a history of shoddy clutches? if my car has been sitting over night and i start it up the next day to drive, when engaging the clutch i get a rather pronounced 'vibration'. it makes me cringe nearly every time i shift a gear [1st-4th. 4th to 5th is as smooth as a hot knife through butter]. dealer said they did not notice any problem or any issues. i've owned three stick shifts, and the only other time one of my vehicles exhibited this sort of clutch feel was when a sensor was leaking oil into the clutch.

    this is a 2006 OBS with 6000 miles. it's been taken in to the dealer twice. the clutch has behaved like this pretty much since i got it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sounds like you have clutch judder or "chatter". I didn't think they still had this problem. Call 800-SUBARU3 and ask them what they can do about it. It's a brand new car!

    -juice
  • ski1328ski1328 Member Posts: 2
    For the past month I've been hearing a strange buzzing/grinding type of noise in the steering column when I turn the key to start the engine on my '04 Impreza Outback Sport. The car seems to start fine but this sound persists and seems to occur longer and more frequently when I start the car a lot in a short period of time. It sounds like a electrical problem. Has anyone else had a similar problem and found out what it may be?
  • damish003damish003 Member Posts: 303
    I have the exact same car, and it's never sounded like that. I'd hike over to your dealership to have them check it out pronto. It would really bite if the car didn't start some day because of an electrical problem.

    -Dan-
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