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Comments
Bluetec can't even meet CARB standards yet.
Impreza - one word sums it up... YAWN. What a boring looking little car. Kias are more exciting to look at. Subaru will lose a lot of sales with this after the first few months.
Tribeca - not bad, actually looks pretty sharp from some angles, plain from others. This should sell better than the last disaster. Of course, the same tiny gas tank is still a major drawback. And the goofy interior is not very appealing. Also, once the new Highlander goes on sale, not many people will even look at the Tribeca.
We have a list of possibles lined up. Right now the main criteria are (in this order): less than $5,000; wagon (or more, in terms of utility); fuel economy; A/4WD capable.
This list seems silly, I know, but it is a compromise I can happily accommodate for 3-5 years:
1. '96 Aerostar (2350) - I have past experience with these and am familiar with them. electronic "AWD," so basically a RWD platform that will kick in the front axle if the rear slips. It is reactive, but does help with snow/hill situations.
2. '97 Legacy wagon (~3700) - This is in decent condition, but had HG issues. A fella in Wasilla buys these gimps and gets them set straight again before selling. I would be doing this too, if I had a garage!!!
3. '97 Mazda MPV (cannot remember price, I think it was 3300) It looks to be in great shape (which is rare for these things) and handles very well in our winter conditions. Not withstanding old Subaru wagons, these things are extremely common sights on Fairbanks roads.
4. '00 Focus Wagon (~4800) - a tiny little bugger, but it will seat 4 with comfort (the two in the back are little) and it gets very good mileage.
5. '97 Saturn wagon (~3700) - I am leery of this one, as I know very little about Saturns in general. But, it is a single-owner car that runs well (family is downsizing to one car due to employment changes) and gets decent mpg. This one has a 6 cylinder in it.
These are the ones my wife and I have agreed upon as possibilities - there are a few others that I think would be acceptable, but about which she is less confident. In particular, there was a '94 Toyota 4Runner I thought would be a perfect find, but she was dead-set against it because it was too "truckish."
Maybe your experience has been different. Our nanny has the AWD Aerostar similar vintage, and I can't remember how many times it has become stuck in snow on our cul-de-sac. AWD or not, it loves just spinning one rear wheel. That's with sandbags in the trunk and proper snow tires. I would never buy one or recommend it for real snow.
FWIW, the WRX has never been stuck.
Nicholas
I will drive all of these vehicles if they are worth the time, so a gravel road will certainly be a destination with the Aerostar. It is easy to tell when the system engages... at least it was on the '95 I drove back in 1999. I took that one up the Parks through a heck of a snowstorm - about 3" of snow on the road when I hit it and about 9" by the time I came out the other side. I was pulling a 6x12' Haulmark trailer and I had no problems. I did slow down though....
Thanks for the head's up! I appreciate any feedback people have with any of these vehicles. I have looked up info on them, but still just going by limited knowledge. I want an old beater, but not one that I am going to have in my driveway on jack stands all summer! :sick:
I love it. It wraps around the driver nicely, giving a cockpit feel that's modern enough to have inspired many followers. Look at the new MDX, for instance:
The overall Y shape, the gauges with silver surrounds, the split arm rest, the shifter and cup holder position. All the same.
Subaru won lots of kudos, and it makes the BMW 3 series and X3 interiors absolutely dull. :sick:
Second, the MDX has waaaaay too many buttons all over the place and that steering wheel doesn't look very user friendly either.
The wrap-around is over-rated - this fad too shall pass (I hope).
The current Forester has a very nice dash layout - clean, uncluttered, and ergonomic. I hope they don't destroy it for the '09 MY.
Bob: well, a lot of folks here feel it's hard for Subaru to continue pushing safety as a tag line when VDC is still not standard on the Forester (nearly every other car in the class now makes it standard). Also, even the 08 Tribeca doesn't have SAC protecting the 3rd row.
Makes sense for them to focus on the performance aspect, and sticking to a "fun" theme avoids critics of ads that promote street racing.
Bob
-mike
I would definitely pay extra to get that grille.
I bet it'll be an SPT accessory.
The Focus wagon was good in every respect other than having been a smoker's car... and I mean a chain-smoker! Considering that there is nothing I despise more in life than cigarette smoke, that one was an immediate 'no thanks.' The Saturn wagon was okay and the engine was excellent, but it shifted terribly rough and just did not inspire much confidence.
We took a look at many other vehicles while we were down there after our "list of 5" tanked, and the best we could find was an '00 Exploder with a 4 liter V6 / 5-speed and 54K miles. Overall, a good truck, but the interior was already falling apart with only 54K. The Explorer's mechanicals were perfect though - Really nice (which is rare, I think, for an Explorer!).
Oh, there was also a '97 Jeep Grand Cherokee we drove. It was a good-looking rig, but the seatbelts in the back did not do the locking-retract for car seats (not good since we will have 2 of them in another 6 months!) and the steering felt really sloppy. Sloppy enough that I felt a little nervous driving it on a 40mph road (and I would have to drive it back to Fairbanks before any maintenance!). The rotors were also warped pretty bad on it, so that was not a good combination.
We are in no real hurry, so we just decided to wait and keep looking. I hope to find one that I do not have to convince myself is okay. Granted, I can "fix 'er up" with no problem, but when I see a car that is for sale and whose interior looks like Sunday morning after a frat party, I have to wonder just how well the rest of the car is maintained.
I hear you on the smoker issue, too. Last time my Miata was in the body shop I got a Taurus with just 7k miles, and the smoked-in smell was UNBEARABLE.
Honestly you could not give me that car. I couldn't wait to take it back. :sick:
From that experience, I would never buy a car from a person who has smoked in it. The worst are hotel rooms that are classified as non-smoking rooms and you go in there and find that somebody has smoked in it. :mad: I wonder how they get away with it, with all the smoke detectors etc.
The first time I ever rented a car, about a week prior to the Christmas holiday, I opened the door an was greeted by a rush of the smell of stale smoke. I dropped my bags in disgust, went straight to the counter, and balled them out until I was given a different (smoke free) car. After having just flown 6500 miles, I was beyond disgusted. :mad:
I know that some hotels charge heavily if someone smoked in a non-smoking room but I know of nothing of the sort in place for rental cars.
Bob
http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/2678
Bob
-mike
With the prospect of the new 08 STi being capable of carrying the dog, I am starting to get a little excited. I know I'll have to wait a while, but it shouldn't be too long before I can size up the hatch in Impreza form.
So... I start to mention to my wife,
"The new STi is coming out in 08 as a hatchback which might be big enough for.."
- "NO!" was the immediate interjection.
But within a week I have worn her down to "We can discuss it after the line of credit is paid off." (lots of renos in the new house). Next 12 months could be interesting.
Myself, I agree with overwhelming consumer data that says extended warranties are a waste of money in most cases. So I would recommend against it. Use the money for your downpayment where it has the potential to cut your long term costs.
-mike
Never had to call upon it.
I agree with you to use the money for the downpayment, and I like to suggest getting the Subaru Mastercard instead. It will come far more handy than the extended warranty.
-Dave
-mike
1. Tire road hazard protection
2. Trip continuation (lodging, meals, etc.)
3. Perhaps something else, I can't think of. but not whole lot.
These are very minor, but no "zero".
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Realistically though, a 6MT and a turbo-diesel would make me happier. I loved my FXT but boy did it suck gas. I don't feel like letting the Middle East have any more of my money than they are already getting, so I'd likely look for something more economical. Heck, it's why Subaru is such a marginal player in much of the western world already- you have to be pretty well off to feed an STi, a WRX, or even a 2.5i gas engine in Europe and Britain.
A lot of our clothes come from terrorist hotbeds as well, probably more-so than gas.
-mike
PS: You still interested in those RS seats?
That's not true from what I have seen reported here. In fact, most of the online dealers who sell warranties at a discount list the prices and there is no adjustment for when you buy (that would almost seem illegal/dishonest to me). They don't really care when you buy, but it has to be before the basic warranty coverage expires.
Aftermarket, I agree, price isn't adjusted, however, on the FACTORY aka SUBARU extended warranty it depends when you buy it (at time of purchase or afterward) and that will determine the pricing.
-mike
1. Tire road hazard protection
2. Trip continuation (lodging, meals, etc.)
3. Perhaps something else, I can't think of. but not whole lot.
These are very minor, but no "zero".
You do realize that much of this stuff is covered under the free roadside assistance that comes with Subarus, right?
From the 2007 Outback brochure:
"THE SUBARU ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM covers all 2007 Subaru vehicles during the first 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. By calling the toll-free number in the Owner’s Information Kit, Subaru owners can take advantage of any of the following benefits: 24-hour Roadside Assistance, seven days a week, 365 days a year, throughout the United States. Emergency Towing Service to the nearest authorized Subaru dealer. Emergency Roadside Assistance for jump starts, gasoline (up to two gallons), flat tire change, emergency lockout service (lost key or key is locked in the vehicle) and emergency fluid replacement. "
I remember trip interruption reimbursement is included as well when I read the fine print on my 05 Outback.
If these things are important beyond 3/36, the roadside assistance can be renewed annually for around $40-50 I believe (or get AAA).
Tire road hazard is separate, but generally that would not be a major reason to purchase a vehicle warranty -- the cost is prohibitive from that standpoint.
-mike
I did not mean to say there is a big value for buying it at mile 0 as opposed to 36K. Just that the value is not "zero".
Remember price is the same whether you buy now or at 36K (actually - at 36K may be higher if they increase the prices, as they did between '03 and now). However, you may also see it as loss opportunity - for say $1500 contract (list price for higher (80K+) mileage w/turbo surcharge and tax included) 3 year of 5% CD compounded interest would be about $220 minus tax. The potential benefits may be higher if there is an actual breakdown away from home lasting more than a day (hotel and meals) and/or losing a tire beyond repair at early miles (low wear pro-rata), but likelyhood of recouping that loss of opportunity cost is small at best.
So - unless you will have no cash at 36K but still intend to buy the warranty, there is not much of a reason of purchasing it at time of vehicle delivery.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Not that I'll be getting a new car soon, I'm not warming up to the new WRX hatchback. Side profile seems somewhat disproportionate.
Downtown meet? Waiting for the ball to roll.
-Dave
So, if I buy a 2008 Legacy with the current H-6, am I going to be Pissssssssssssed, if next model year has this new engine.
Makes me want to wait a year, except I don't want to wait a year. I don't have the patience of Juice.
cusafr
-mike
We're driving to CT next weekend and she wanted it by then.
We really need it by July, since our kids will be carpooling with another family (5 kids total) for several weeks.
Next school year we're also likely to end up car pooling because both our kids will be in a holding school for 18 months while they completely rebuild a local school near me.
So the wife has simply had it with The Fence and is basically pushing me off. :surprise:
I could be mistaken but would a 7/100 0 deductible warranty still be available, when purchasing the warranty later on ? I am more concerned about the "0 deductible" aspect. Also, could you provide any links to sites that carry these warranties ?
TIA.