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Comments
Then have the H4 with the Aussie low range + 5 speed (which already is offered with that engine). Problem is, those parts are made overseas, so there would be some costs in shipping them over here.
Then again, Isuzu is backing off the SIA venture, so maybe Subaru could start making low ranges here.
Having to replace air bladders would affect resale significantly. I keep my cars for 7 years or so, so I think that would be an issue. Though if it's an option, I could always not get it.
Fido: congrats. You definitely take the cake so far!
-juice
As you said, make the Self-Levelling rear suspension an option, if need be. I really don't think they're as bad as you've implied. On the Outback Limited in Australia that feature is standard. If it were an "ify" feature in terms of durability, they wouldn't make it standard (or even offer it!)—and Australia is a much more demanding environment than the USA, for the most part.
And you're right about SIA. Subaru could certainly make use of that space should Isuzu bail.
Bob
BTW, while I was at the dealership they had an options brochure that they gave me. It did have the bed cover as described before with some hard plastic between the rear window and the sport bars, and soft vinyl from the sport bars back to the tailgate. No prices in the brochure, of course ;-)
-Fido (i-club.com)
-juice
-mike
Bob
Bob
-Fido (i-club.com)
for a good review, and there's also a motorweek show that is floating around on the television with the review. I'm trying to find out when...:).
Edit: Tomorrow (Thursday October 17th) on PBS at 8:30 PM EST seems to be the ticket.
Fido (i-club.com)
juice, after paying well over a grand to replace the self leveling shocks on my 1988 Volvo 760 Turbo wagon (after 4 yrs) I gotta agree with you, that's an option I'd avoid.
Mike
If you haven't seen auho.com/content/cars/Subaru-Baja.shtml already, take a look. Many links to articles and info.
Mike
Motorweek's 0-60 for the Baja 5 speed was quicker than their Navigator, FWIW. The auto may be a bit slower, but the Navigator stickered for $59 grand.
Maybe Subaru could delete the extra cladding, making it look more like the Outback, and use the money saved there to pay for the AWP. Look how quickly they face-lifted the Impreza, and I bet it'll help sales.
-juice
BTW, lost my other password so this is the new Fido ;-)
-Fido (i-club.com)
Gotta ask ya, how'd you come by that name? Hope it wasn't looks...
Bob
The real brochures for the Baja are kinda nice with real pictures and everything.
If I knew how I got the name then I'd tell you, but I don't
-mike
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I've had the Baja less than 12 hours, and barely driven it for 1 total hour, and it's already kickin'!
Can we say PB run?
-mike
...Until I get a lift kit >:-D
Man, that RS was wicked-fast. Do you still have it? You should move the turbo to the Baja, that would be schweet. Those coilovers, maybe, too. Can you adjust them to raise/lower the Baja? Then you could off road one day, auto cross the next!
Congrats, fido! So maybe young guns will buy the yellow ones, and other folks stick with silver or the other colors?
-juice
-Dennis
IMO, Subaru dropped the BRAT name because the Baja didn't have it.
Remember those inside rumors that the name would be BRAT? Then everyone was posting, "Ooh, it'll probably be Bi-Range like the BRAT".
Meanwhile in the UK, the cheapest 98 h.p. Impreza wagon comes with dual range.
To borrow a quote from lark6, "I DON'T get it!". :-)
-dennis
Nothing new here that we haven't discussed before.
Bob
This is for the person who doesn't want a big gas guzzling bad handling boat sized high step-in behemoth of a truck, but still want more utility than the average car.
Those side body panels actually have a good reason for existing. They are made of plastic which resists denting, scratching, and chipping, and are much cheaper to replace (they can be replaced individually) than a piece of sheet metal.
At any rate, some kids in like 3rd grade told me how awesome my truck was...So...Kids like it, squirrels don't...Yeah, I had a run in (or should I say a run over?) with one...I feel really bad. Does anyone think it's a bad omen?
No prob for the rides. I don't know what, if anything, from the RS will transfer over. I wish the coilovers would, but I'm not sure.
-Fido (i-club.com)
So half price is more like it. And that GM pickup doesn't have real rear doors, just suicide-style half doors, with no leg room in the back.
If the coilovers don't fit, I wonder if they'd fit my Forester? I've always wondered what a raised/lifted Forester would look like. Wouldn't that be wild?
-juice
I also have to say, though , that I think that the appearance is an issue that Subaru may need to address. Somebody above noted that the appearance is derived from function (e.g., cladding), which is true, and I am not out to judge anybody's opinion of its looks. However, I think, for the most part, that it is a bit "quirky" even for its segment, that people are subtly influenced by that when judging *other* features, and that some criticisms of the car's undeniable virtues unconsciously (or consciously) reflect a dislike of its looks.
• This is the first *pickup* brochure that I've seen in a long while, in which the payload and GVW are NOT listed on the specs spread.
• The small picture of the optional tonneau cover on the options spread was interesting. It looks like it might be a hard plastic from the rear window to just past the chrome sport bars. At that point there appears to be an edge, and it becomes vinyl, which can be removed and folded for storage.
• Still no pixs of cross slats to fit into the bed pockets for two-tier loading. If you recall, these bed pockets have little tabs at the top of the pocket which won't allow you to put in conventional cut-to-size lumber. There needs to be some sort of spring-loaded, compression-type slat to fit in those pockets. What's the scoop here Subaru??
Bob
-Frank P.
It's just that style-wise, they put a bit much on. Look at the Forester - the cladding sort of replaces the sheet metal on the lower half of the car, but blends in nicely. In fact, the painted S model has the same cladding, and there you barely notice, especially in monotone.
I think the least attractive part of the Baja is the rear corner. The cladding goes back from the fender flares, at a much higher point in the body. It should come down, level with the rest of the cladding, IMO.
Bob: did you check the door pillar to see if they are listed there? I bet the GVWR is listed. Then just subtract the curb weight, voila, payload.
fido - can you check on yours?
Frank: you are right, but I think Bob wishes it could meet his needs.
-juice
Bob
You couldn't be more right about that!
Bob
-Dennis
-juice
Bob
I don't need or want leather.
The amount of cladding is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, I can handle wierd, I have owned recently a Peugeot 504 diesel wagon for god's sake, a VW 412 4 door, and the VW truck I have now among various newer and more modern cars. But jeez! I can picture all that welting between the cladding and body getting ratty in 4 years, I can't understand how an Outback wagon has more ground clearance ( raise the sucker up some! ) The silver one wasn't too bad, the Grand Am cladding was less noticeable. The chrome "roll bars" look goofy and out of place, too flashy.
That's the bad. The good:
Great idea, sedan and little truck mixed, very versatile, I give credit for having the balls to put something like this out there. Too Aztecky, but still, balls of steel by Subie deserve credit.
In my opinion, and we know what opinions are like, way EZ fix to make the Baja a hit:
Drop most of the cladding except maybe a wheel arch and rocker package that is functional and looks cool.
Give me cloth interior and a rubber floor I can hose out like a Sport Trac.
Raise the puppy up an inch or two from where it is, so I am not feeling lower than a Matrix, or at least the thing should have a more boss ride height than an Outback wagon. I don't want Outback people looking down at me at a light laughing.
Get rid of chrome bars or better yet black them out, or anodize them black.
At least make a tough looking utility version, and get rid of the luxo crap. I need AC, Power windows, cruise, 5 speed, CD player, and AWD.
I'm afraid if they leave it like it is, it is the next Isuzu Vehicross 3-4 years from now.
So easy to fix, it pains me. So close, yet so far! Fix, and I'm in with my checkbook. Still tempted, but not quite there, MAYBE a silver one aand I can have a body shop rip the cladding off and fill in the body holes...:)
Just my 2c. Still great idea, just tweak it!
Matt in KC
bricknord: what about taller springs? They make 2" lifting springs for the Forester and Outback. They're just $400 or so from iSR Subaru. Or you could order Lovells from Australia.
Can you actually hose out a SporTrac? I don't think you can. Aren't there carpets?
-juice
As long as cladding-endowed Outbacks outsell Legacies, I don't think any cladding will be coming off of the Baja. As far as Subaru is concerned there's nothing to "fix."
And I happen to think the chrome bars are a nice touch, btw.
Comparing it to Vehicrosses and Azteks is going overboard. The public will confuse it with an Outback until they notice a truck bed anyway. The styling is in the family.
Mike
Bob
Outbacks don't have nearly as much cladding as the Baja, though. Wanna bet the Legacy outsells the Baja?
The other thing is that stuff has to cost money. If they could reduce it to Outback levels and save cash, I bet everyone would be happy.
-juice
The cladding would be fine if it is the same color as the rest of the car. Yellow and silver just don't mix. They need more than four color choices too.
Having it equipped just one way doesn't make sense. Americans like choices in everything. Not just cars.
-juice
-mike
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=264476&referrerid=767
-Dennis
Drop the leather, use 16" steelies from the Forester instead of alloys, a single CD instead of 6CD, and make the moonroof a stand-alone option. That knocks $3 grand off the price.
Then make the H6 standard. That adds $1 grand back.
So you'd have street prices at about $21k for a basic model, $24k loaded.
The bed extender is already a stand-alone option.
You gotta love iSR. It does look cool. I think the body looks too far lifted, just the springs alone would look better. Also, 18" rims means sidewalls that are way, way too short and stiff for any off roading.
$360 for a 2" lift by itself is a bargain.
-juice