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Comments
Bob
Make sure you reset the trip meter when you fill up or you will be including all that idling time the dealer put on it when getting the car ready. If you don't, that first tank will always be included in the average, and you'll need 10+ tank fulls at 20 mpg before it becomes a negligible factor in the average.
By the way there is no compass on this car unless you get the auto dimming mirror option. Oh, and with the Nav on, you can't see what radio station is on unless you hit a button on the radio. maybe nit picking, but worth mentioning.
Fancier title than Sweet_subie's link
Steve, Host
Thanks for the update ! Just to give you a chuckle, the 93 legacy wagon we retired this weekend had 170, 000 miles and consistently averaged 20-21 mpg although it did drink a quart of oil every 2-3 months.
Hoping this will improve. Steve.
Would be very happy with 20.4 !
Also, is it really that important to have the radio frequency displayed full time? If you like the music why worry who is broadcasting it.
As I said most high end cars are setup like the B9 system.
If you think about it, less non-essential info displayed - the safer the vehicle. The last thing we need while driving is more distractions.
In my current Q45 I very often turn the nac display off and just follow the voice the prompts.
Unibody construction
Purchase price (not MSRP) less than $40K
Curb weight less than 4400 lb
Cargo capacity behind 1st row seat 70 cu ft or greater
[I don't consider 7 seats a necessity as 3rd row is for occasional use only on these vehicles].
And the B9 peer group is:
B9 (4155 lb, 74 cu ft)
Freestyle Ltd (4112 lb, 85 cu ft)
Highlander hybrid 4WD (4245 lb, 81 cu ft)
JGC 4.7 (3908 lb, 71 cu ft)
Murano SL (3977 lb, 82 cu ft)
SRX AWD V6 (4320 lb, 70 cu ft)
X3 3.0 (4023 lb, 71 cu ft)
One could argue that the FX35 should be on the list but its capacity is only 65 cu ft. Also, Freestyle is not near lux, but will do until the Mercury version is available. Comments, anyone? FWIW, I predict the typical auto mag editor, if given this list, would pick the HH as No. 1, given it's speed, quality, capacity, and economy.
May '05 Subbie sales were up (Inside Line)
Steve, Host
When you consider the economy (MPG) of a hybrid and figure in the premium price over the non-hybrid version and then add on the dealer mark-up over sticker, it is almost impossible to recoup the extra acquisition cost of a hybrid unless you drive a gizzillion mile a year for 3 or 4 years or keep the hybrid forever. but if you keep it long term you're like to face spending 3 to 5 thousand which is the cost of replacing the batteries.
I will definetly buy a hybrid when they can be justified on a cost of operation basis, but that day is still a long way off. Unfortunately
I have to say that to me, the exterior doesn't look any better in real life then it did in pictures. I think the "eggplant" (or is that aubergine?
The interior however is gorgeous!
Thanks
Shane
Steve, Host
"What this means to you: If you like the look of the B9 Tribeca but can't quite come to grips with buying a Subaru, here's your alternative"
Huh? Why would someone have a problem with buying a Subaru? Is there some kind of astigmatism that we don't know about? And to suggest that a Saab somehow resolves the problem? I don't get it, Edmunds.
John
Maybe 2 to 3 gallons at most.
If they were going to fill the tank with 30 dollars worth of gas they would would probably want to get 60 dollars more for the car and list as a feature on the window sticker.
Even for a small producer like Subaru - filling all those tanks would cost them about 4 million a year at least and get absolutely no benefit from it.
tidester, host
popa_sez
The BMW X5 V6 is the comparable vehicle in size and power train set-up.
Comparable that is except for price. The X5 comparably equipped will set you back anywhere fron 10 to 15K more than a Tribeca and the Tribeca handles as well as or better than the X5.
Um... I thought the DVD is factory installed. Are they going aftermarket or taking the inside apart to do the wiring and install?
Popa_sez
popa_sez
http://www.fitzmall.com/carfind/resultsb.asp?Search=NEW&ID=043999&photo=TO055386&loc=LFT&m- all=GA&year=2005&mk_code=TO
I would take B9 fully loaded at MSRP any day over this.
Bob - with traction control to manage the rear axle, I think a rear LSD is just redundant. From what I recall, the H6 LL Bean model had the rear LSD, but the H6 VDC did not, this from the beginning. Can you double-check that brochure?
Mileage reports so far: 16.2, 17.7, 19.8, 20.4, 20.5, 22.5. Half above and half below 20mpg. About what we expected, not worse. And these engines are green, far from broken in. Subies tend to improve by +2mpg or so after break in, so that looks promising. I'm not sure I agree with Bob's big engine theory, let's wait and see.
Highlander hybrid is interesting, but I wonder about a few things, like how well it'll handle with the extra weight, and whether it uses low rolling resistance tires (anyone know?). Also, even the AWD version is really FWD, they just add electric power only to the rear axle. The gas engine does not power the rear axle, so it's not full-time AWD.
Prius has some issues with an air bladder in the gas tank where you can't fill up the tank all the way, so I'm not sure I'd get in line to pay full MSRP for a v1.0 of this SUV. Just be careful and make sure you get a long test drive before taking the dive.
Forester actually has slightly more combined front and rear leg room than the BMW X3:
Front Rear Vehicle
43.6 33.7 Forester
40.2 35.8 X3
Small advantage but still, Forester is bigger than the X3, Tribeca is MUUUCH bigger than the X3.
-juice
On most vehicles, the tire icon usually flashes while driving to alert you of low tire pressure not to have the indicator check.
Did the manual say that if it flashes while parked it should be checked and what does do if the pressure is low?
That might imply a few things - like Subaru is further along than we thought on diesel engine development, perhaps?
This is bad for SoA and Subaru dealers, though. I'm not sure Saab is accepted as a full-blown luxury manufacturer, so there will be plenty of overlap. Even if Saab prices theirs higher, later on rebates will only bring it back in line with the Tribeca.
I have mixed feelings about this. But Tribeca's styling is polarizing so if you like it buy one, and if you hate it, maybe you'll buy a 9-6x instead.
-juice
-Brian
Vans have a bad image but look at all the power options. I think that van for $42k can tie your shoes!
-juice
-juice
The '05 Outback VDC has LSD too. The Tribeca VDC has 4-wheel traction control sans LSD.
Bob
I was riding shotgun and the dealer was across 3 lanes of traffic, so riding by was as close as we got to it.
Steve, Host
Compare Sienna, Odyssey, and Tribeca
I know one might compare these on based on being able to seat 7. If seating 7 is a regular thing you need to do, then one of the minivans will be better suited for it.
-Brian
In all honesty I think it's unnecessary.
Dude? Sorry about the gender bender. :surprise:
Does your wife also use that login? Lemme go have my coffee now so I can wake up.
-juice
Bob
Yep - 2004 brochure lists limited-slip rear differential for the LL Bean and H6-3.0 sedan only, not the VDC.
-juice
X Drive has improved recently, and the 6 speed is appealing. The X3 handles pretty well also, but it rides very stiffly. The 3.0l engine takes a while to build steam, so I'm not sure the smaller engine is adequate for that heavy SUV.
Of course, soon they'll change and use 3.0l engines for both models, even the X3 2.5. The name no longer makes sense if you think about it.
If you can deal with the stiff ride and want a compact package, check it out. Oddly enough I think the Tribeca's interior is nicer.
-juice