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Subaru Baja

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Comments

  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sorry, I should have specified, in "netiquette", all caps = shouting.

    Take your time, don't rush them because they'll only be more likely to make more mistakes. Check out the 06 models while you're out there, dealerships can be fun.

    -juice
  • mkeirmkeir Member Posts: 4
    my apologies too .. ... i got a bit carried away having to think about the is matter ... we'll see how it goes. Off for a wonderful weekend in my loaner Toyota Echo . At least I'm alive, have my health and can by extra treats for the beagle with all the gas money i save this weekend !!!
  • mistervmisterv Member Posts: 1
    Have you done anything to see if a rodent crawled into the exhaust system where it eventually died? If it did everytime your run your engine you will recook the remains. It could go on for months. Try changing your muffler first. If that doesn't fix it, change the catalytic converter. Ther cat can build up moisture (it's function) which may develop bacteria which will/can replicate the smell of sewage.

    good luck
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    Bob wrote:

    Stopped by the local dealer on the way back from the dentist, and picked up an '06 Baja brochure. Here's are the changes as best I can tell:

    • Center cap on wheels now have the star logo, as per all other '06 Subies.
    • Down to 3 colors: Atlantic Blue Pearl; Brilliant Silver Metallic; and Obsidian Black Pearl, which now appears to be monochromatic with matching black (not gray) cladding.
    • Baja Sport manual has slightly better gas mileage ratings.


    The only other changes I perceive comparing the 05-06 PDF's:

    2006 all models get standard anti-theft.
    Sport and non-premium models go from 6 way adjustable drivers to 4 way adjustable drivers.

    I tried the turbo w/leather power seat, it does not give any additional head room in the two units that were on the lot. My head was still close enough to the power roof bulge that I had good static contact with my hair. Maybe I can fit if I shave it all off? Hmmm.

    Hardbed cover is very nice. Hefty with good seal.

    Dunno, my Forester with a nice utility trailer is looking better all the time.

    John
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I can fit if I shave it all off?

    Guess I would not have much of a problem. :D

    -juice
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    if I hatbitually wore Bob's helmut, all I would need to do is take it off :-).
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I thought Subaru of Canada had stopped importing the Baja after the 2003 model year, and that all Bajas on sale there were merely leftover '03 models. Apparently that's not true, as there is a 2005 Baja sold in Canada.

    http://www.subaru.ca/

    Bob
  • fast_fordfast_ford Member Posts: 10
    I'm considering changing plugs at 25K..took a look & it looks like it may not be much fun...looks like maybe special tools? Also may have to remove the windshield washer reservoir & fresh air duct? Any help?

    thanks
    Doug
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That helps. I do the plugs when I do the air filter anyway, so not a big deal.

    There is more room that you think, it's easy on our Legacy. On the Forester it can be a bear, there is much less room to work, and you need to change the extensions on your ratchet as you loosen them.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Well not quite...

    But I saw two today, one yesterday, and two the day before—and no, I don't mean sitting on dealer lots, but on the road. Maybe there is still hope for this old bird...

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I just saw one about 20 minutes ago with the bed loaded with what appeared to bags of feed grain. The rear bumper was just about scraping the pavement, it was so overloaded.

    Bob
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    do you have any hope for an '07 production?

    More headroom would get me in one. A simple seat fix is all I think it would take. The Forester XS seat is great, it lowers by a good 2". Not sure why SOA can't get this put into the Baja (afterall it should be a higher end unit than the Forester, being based on the '03 Outback platform).

    John
  • adashanadashan Member Posts: 1
    Just curious, Invoice for this vehicle seems to be $20500. Is it reasonable to offer a dealer 19500 for a vehicle with a $23k sticker price? How much has everyone here paid for their baja? I live in Arizona so if you can recommend any dealerships that would be great. Thanks.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I just don't know. The only thing SOA did for '06 is cut color choices. That's it! That doesn't bode well for the future. On the other hand I keep hearing rumors that it may not be dead, that there will be a '07 (and beyond?) model. I think if it does show up, it will be a new vehicle, and not the one we now have. Will it be again Outback-based? Or Tribeca-based? Or a combination of both? I have absolutely no idea...

    I just hope, if we do get a new version, that SOA product planners have been reading these Subaru Crew threads, as there has been a HUGE amount of some very good suggestions made here, ever since the '03 model was introduced, on how to make the next model better.

    Bob
  • smittynycsmittynyc Member Posts: 289
    I've seen *five* Bajas this week.

    And I've still yet to see a real-life Tribeca.

    Who knew?
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    yes, because there is currently an SOA $1000 rebate on '05 Sport models.

    However I suspect you are going to have to work to get it down in price. I haven't been able to get invoice pricing on Subarus yet, but this varies with dealer, car turnover and availability, etc..

    John
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    I bought a 2005 Baja S this weekend - in talking to the salesman, he indicated that there might be a very short "run" of 2006 Bajas produced.

    It came up in a context where I don't think there was any incentive for him to say something incorrect.

    Wayne
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    There are '06 Bajas. I've seen several on dealer's lots, plus there are brochures on the '06 Baja (I have one). The changes are minimal: Down to 3 monotone colors (black, Atlantic Blue & silver). That's it as far as I could see.

    Bob
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    the Bajas seem to be moving fast off the lots in central CA. Could it be that high gas prices are going to save the Baja as folks get rid of their gas guzzler pickups?

    This is an interesting twist. Ridgeline sales slowing, Bajas aren't sitting on lots. Who could have thunk it?

    John
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    Maybe. I know the Baja I bought sat on the dealers lot for a couple of months.

    My wife loves it by the way. She has even "hauled" some loads in the back a few times. :)

    Wayne
  • yellow911yellow911 Member Posts: 5
    I got my o5 sport 3 weeks ago and my wife and I love it. First tank got 26,99 M.P.G. 70 % @ 80M.P.H. the rest was city stop n go traffic. My wife used it to haul the first load,17 bags of bark mulch. We both like it more than my old Toyota T100 or her Jetta TDI. 100% HAPPY with our purchase. DISLIKES very minor things like the lack of lighted ignition switch and having to move the switch to lock the doors, auto lock would be nice. SHAME ON SUBARU N.A. FOR NOT HAVING A BUDGET TO PROMOTE THIS FINE MACHINE.GARY H.
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    Are you running regular gas in it?

    Funny, my wifes 2001 Focus had auto locking doors, which we really grew to hate.

    Wayne
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Congrats, by the way.

    What color? Tranny type?

    -juice
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    Congratulations on your new Baja! Enjoy!

    Mark
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    congrats!

    Much of the content has been removed in the '05, even more in the '06. IMO the '04 has the best content and value of the bunch, and has some improvements over the '03 (more ground clearance, availability of turbo with VTD, etc.).

    That's great mpg by the way, similar to what I get in my '03 Forester MT. Try finding another '05 that can do what your Baja can do. The competition either sucks a lot more gas (Ridgeline) or doesn't have the car like ride, handling, and independent suspension.

    Yes, Subaru has the makings of a winner here, streeecccchhh the head and leg room a bit and with gas at $3 a gallon the sales will come.

    John
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    the new '07 SportTrac 2" wider 5" longer.

    http://media.ford.com/products/model.cfm

    has all the goodies, IRS, available AWD, V-6 standard, available V-8 with 6 speed, and *not one*, no, *not two*, but yes *three in-bed storage compartments*.

    No diesel mentioned yet.

    A slightly larger Baja would be a better alternative for me, I don't need 1500lbs payload and 5,000lb + towing.

    John
  • yellow911yellow911 Member Posts: 5
    My BAJA is an automatic tranny and I run regular gas.
  • yellow911yellow911 Member Posts: 5
    It is the two tone silver.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They definitely knew what Honda was up to. I believe the Ridgeline was shown to the public in January 2004, so Ford responded pretty quickly.

    -juice
  • yellow911yellow911 Member Posts: 5
    I love my new Baja; Just wondering what is the largest item you have hauled in the bed, size or weight. Please no comments like my wife or my X -girlfriend.
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    My wife 100, 150 pounds of topsoil (in bags) in it a week or two ago.

    Thats the biggest thing I can think of.

    We did have an awkward "load" - a pole for a pool vacuum - we had to use the pass through to get it home...

    Wayne

    p.s. My wife loves it
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    This was hilarious, but at the Philly Auto Show a year or two ago paisan (mike) got about 8 buddies up in the bed and they were jumping up and down, it was hilarious. They were brawny guys, so figure 1500 lbs or so, well over the recommended payload.

    No harm done, I'm not even sure the suspension bottomed out.

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    what i wouldnt give to see a vid of that
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    scroll back in this thread, there is a photo of them. Also check out the mini model A in the back of a Baja.

    John
  • yellow911yellow911 Member Posts: 5
    I really enjoy reading these posts and now I am sad reading this last post by John, must have read his short 24 word post over 400 times. COME ON someone come over and cut the cord off of my computer or post something so I can go to bed.
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    how is your coffee this AM?

    I am looking forward to seeing Baja sales recap this month, the price per gallon must be motivating some to buy a Baja. Small car sales are way up.

    I was at the dealer a couple days ago, ZERO Bajas on the lot. Over half the cars were Turbos.

    John
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    set up your "message center" so that you get alerted whenever there is a new post. Otherwise, yes, you will read the same post 400 times.

    John
  • kyrazykyrazy Member Posts: 6
    Check out this link for a couple of items I've hauled.
    One is a bird aviary the other... well the captions explain it!

    http://cards.webshots.com/invite/pickup/106902096djoL/album/486506175ziWijP

    I've also hauled five bales of hay, sand and my dirtbike.

    Kyrazy
  • echo5echo5 Member Posts: 4
    Need some advice from Baja owners. I'm looking at a used 2005 (7 months old) Baja Turbo with bed extender and cargo net that has 4900 miles on it. $23000 +/- $500 is about the final purchase price. Do you all think that this is a fair price? KBB and Edmund's used car values are pretty different. Thanks in advance.
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    is it a manual or automatic? Is it the auto/w premium?

    John
  • seabushseabush Member Posts: 68
    I don't think that's a good price. I'm looking at a 2005 (automatic with FLOOR MATS ALL WEATHER, AUTO-DIMMING MIRROR/COMPASS, BED EXTENDER, CARGO NET BED) with less than 50 miles for 22,500. I'd offer $21000 tops for the car.
  • echo5echo5 Member Posts: 4
    John,

    Sorry for the belated reply. Yes, it's the auto with leather premium package, but no auto dimming mirror. Seems like the prices of the Bajas in the Bay Area of California are higher than our friend in the next message was able to find. Kudos to him.

    Thanks,

    Jim
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    There seems to be a shortage of Bajas...prolly due to the Tribeca production taking over one of the lines.

    I haven't been able to get much dickering either. Dealer in Turlock kept insisting the price on the model you are looking at was $28. I was hoping somewhere closer to $23 or $24. The Edmunds pricing gives invoice for this vehicle plus its options.

    I can remember the days when the new 2003 Baja Sport was going out the door at $18k. Its hard to readjust, since the latest version is still on the same platform albeit with some suspension mods and decontented interior. The Turbo/VTD shouldn't add more than a $2.5k premium.

    John
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    Interesting. I was by the local Subaru dealer, and they had more Bajas than I had ever seen there before - 6 - they usually have 2 or 3.

    Wayne
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    must be a regional thing. Some claim that they have no real input in the matter, it is "whatever SOA sends us".

    John
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    Probably is.

    I didn't get a chance to see the mix of turbo versus non-turbo either.

    My wifes 2005 is not a turbo.

    Wayne
  • hjckhjck Member Posts: 1
    I am buying a 2003 Baja, auto, loaded, with 41,00 miles. Anything i should know about the 2003. Any tips for operation. NEver had one before and i am a newbee so any comments are appreciated.
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    there have been some minor changes between 2003 and the current generation.

    I probably have a 2003 pdf file for the marketing brochure, it will tell you some specs. Let me know and I can e-mail it to you.

    Congrats by the way it will serve you well.

    John
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    '03s were good, by then the gasket issue was behind them.

    Take a good long test drive, turn the radio off, and if it's quiet, go for it.

    -juice
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