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2013 and earlier-Subaru Forester Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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Comments

  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    funny part of mine is that the odyssey mini-van has higher insurance than the gutsy fxt. btw mine is way over 3k per year with no accidents or points against us.
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Over $3K? Yikes. We're paying about $1,700 a year ($800 for '97 Concorde, $900 for XT), and that's painful enough!
  • subkidsubkid Member Posts: 94
    Wasn't that name of this forum?

    K
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Everyone in Oregon with a CEL should just sue the local gas station for failing to put the gas cap on properly. A few thousand of these suits could get some attention. Hate buying gas across the line in OR.

    Gosh, these off-topic threads are fun, right Subkid? :-).

    Don't forget the chat tonight!

    Anyone buying?

    Steve, Host
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Hate buying gas across the line in OR.

    I don't blame you, but how about staying on topic, like I always do? <ducking & running>
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    we are off topic????? LOL
  • ken_from_njken_from_nj Member Posts: 105
    swamp - you need more ratables in yr town.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    I'm trying to work my way through the current pricing for a Forester XS. I understand that there are no cash rebates currently for either buyer or dealer, but that I could take advantage of low financing. So far, so good. What I don't get is the "DEALER HOLDBACK." How does that effect my pricing?

    Apparently, invoice for the car with the options I want is $22,075. The Edmund's "What Others are Paying" price for that car would be $23,021. Yet, Fitzmall has that car (with the exact same options)for $21,401; The same car as calculated on the VanBortel website would be $22,121. I want to go to my local dealer with some figures to support my negotiations, but these ones that I have researched seem so widely gapped that I feel uneasy--like I'm missing something. Am I? Is it holdback?

    Also, would the Fitzmall price or even the VanBortel price prohibit me from using Subaru's financing?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Here's a Dealer Holdback link.

    I'm not sure why the numbers are coming out with such a gap.

    Steve, Host
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    Steve,

    The link was very helpful, although I got thrown off track a bit when I got to the end where it said that Subaru's holdback was, "3% of the Total MSRP (Amount may differ in Northeastern U.S.)" I live in upstate NY, which I assume qualifies as Northeastern U.S. Can I find out what our holdback is? Less than 3% I would guess.

    I also note that the salesperson makes no commission off the holdback, so I see why it it's a touchy issue. Sounds like the best strategy would be to special order a vehicle using the owner of the dealership as your salesperson.

    As for the discrepancy in the prices I found on the internet, I wonder if maybe some of the prices did not reflect accurately the new incentive structure. However, the Fitzmall people I talked to said the price was still good. Anyone have experience (positive or negative) working with them?

    -The Mudge
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    It's a whole different ball game in New England. Subarus are distributed by Subaru of New England (SNE) which is different than the rest of the country (Subaru of America Distribution Company (SDC)). SNE charges slightly higher prices and may have different dealer / customer incentives than the rest of us. So, you can't really compare prices with fitzmall in MD or elsewhere out of SNE. I'm not sure if Van Bortel is part of SNE or SDC.

    DaveM

    P.S. I'm not 100% positive I got the distribution companies names correct.
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    Van Bortel is not part of SNE, Subaru of New England covers just the six New England States. I'm pretty sure holdback is the same everywhere. Some sites, including Edmunds, have not updated dealer costs in quite some time. Note that transportation is now $595 where Edmunds lists it as $550. Also, I think we're showing 2003 prices as 2004's. There has been a price increase announced recently too.

    And...we get $250 dealer cash on an XS, $500 on an X and zilch on XT.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    How often does Edmund's update the prices, in particular the "What Others Are Paying" line? Can I assume, for example, that the current figure does not take into account the fact that specific Forester buyer cash incentives ended January 5 (replaced by long-term low financing incentives)?
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    Edmunds' service provider is the one at fault, they haven't updated in too long a time, and now we've got a price increase on new deliveries. The incentives are the same on Forester, but if you take the special financing you'll pay more as the dealer loses the incentive.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    Maybe I'm not looking in the right places, but neither on the Subaru site nor the Edmund's site am I finding that there are currently any cash incentives (customer or dealer) that apply to the Forester. How will seeking special financing (1.9% 0ver 60 months) on a car in stock effect my negotiations?
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    If you ask for the low rate, the dealer loses $500 on the X and $250 on the XS. The rate's a better deal anyway. This is dealer cash, not customer cash, so there's no obligation to tell you about it.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    Thanks. That helps.
  • akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    Aspen White 04 Forester XT w/AT
    F4P Pop Eq Group 3B (Armrest/AirFilter/CargoNet)

    MSRP $26,553
    Invoice $24,187
    TMV $25,081
    Paid $23,890
    Plus Zero % 2 year financing. This was a surprise - I was going to just write a check.
    No trick fees. (No finance fee, etc)
    Car still in plastic. 3 miles on ODO. Full tank of gas.
    Fleet manager, Finance guy and Book/walk-through guy all extremely friendly and pleasant.
    Actually enjoyed the experience!
    Thousand Oaks Subaru in Thousand Oaks, CA.
    Unqualified Highest Recommendation!
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    You make me sick.

    Congratulations. Great deal.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    SRP,

    Hmmmm...I wonder how far that is from Albany, New York.

    Congratulations.

    The Mudge
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    Great deal. Thousand Oaks was one of my "go-to" dealers when I was with Priceline.

    Did you negotiate or was this their online price?
  • akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    FWIW.
    Initial offer was Invoice plus $200. I emailed that I could get IMBA VIP Invoice here in town. Immediate reply was Invoice minus $300. Literally 1-2-3. So Painless!
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    srp- Congratulations and welcome to the club! Good to see you finally pulled the trigger :-)

    -Frank P.
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Wow, nice deal akasrp!

    I'm starting to wonder if I need to hang onto my ACA membership for the VIP pricing since a number of dealers around the country have shown they can beat it. I do paddle from time to time, so I guess it's worth the price of membership. ;-)

    Ed
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    A long time ago someone got ACA membership, bought a Subie, and then wondered out loud if they should ever sample a Canoe. It was hilarious.

    -juice
  • akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    You know, my in-town Sube internet/fleet guy offered Invoice (no haggle - his first reply) without even name-dropping IMBA. But that was after I got the $300 under quote from Thousand Oaks - snooze-lose thing. Point is, Invoice seems to be easy in these parts without invoking the VIP thing. And just to clarify, I did not use IMBA's VIP service. I could have been just playing poker by mentioning it...
  • akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    You make me sick

    then my job is done here. <gr>

    seriously, JB, it was your fast & easy deal back in summer that inspired me. IIRC, $100 over on a brand spankin' new to market hot vehicle - in the NW no less - was impressive.

    -s(as in speedfreak)rp
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    My deal was above dealer invoice; yours was below. Way below.

    Don't you have even the slightest twinge of guilt? Doesn't it bother your conscience that some little kid will have to trudge to school through the snow barefoot this winter because his car-salesman dad couldn't afford to buy shoes?

    How do you sleep at night?
  • stuhallstuhall Member Posts: 59
    (and shoes for your kids) are for closers.

    -Alec Baldwin
        -Glengarry Glen Ross
  • akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    it's d@mn hard with a new XT begging to be ridden hard and put away wet sittin out in her stall!!

    (Didn't get the feeling that any of the car guys was feeling too 'hurt' by my deal. Friendliest bunch of folks I've ever encountered at any dealership. 100% smarm-free. Gotta say it was weirding me a bit...)
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    100% smarm-free. Gotta say it was weirding me a bit...)

    That's exactly how mine was. Never once got in my way or bothered me, vastly more knowledgeable about the line than 99% of the semi-literate pushers I've encountered before, etc.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    Why should you guys on the west coast have all the luck? Are any of these dealers in New York? The Northeast? On the East Coast? Help!
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Why should you guys on the west coast have all the luck?

    We don't. We hardly ever get the privilege of naming hurricanes, for example.

    But you only have to drive a few minutes to visit and reflect on the nearest Revolutionary or Civil War battlefield. The day I spent at Valley Forge changed me forever.
  • zmanzman Member Posts: 200
    I'll concede that point, Jack. My visits to Gettysburg have been nothing short of transcendant. And now that I think about it, Gettysburg is on the way to Fitzmall from where I live. Never been there in the dead of winter. Hmmm........A plan is hatching.

    -The Mudge
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Jack- Let's be fair now. Sure the east coast has easy access to lots of history but you left coasties have a few natural wonders worth seeing. Giant redwoods and Crater Lake to name a couple.

    -Frank P.
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    Remember, VIP pricing is not simply invoice. It's invoice MINUS any customer AND dealer incentives. Not sure how it works with special financing though.

    DaveM
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    I drive by Valley Forge park twice each work day. :-) Actually just drove by about 2 hours ago. I used to mountain bike in the park until I got lazy (and put on weight as a result).

    A couple of years ago they completed a walk, bike, horse path that's on the edge of my office complex and goes to Valley Forge park or to Philly. Really no excuse now for not getting the wheels rolling.

    DaveM
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    There is nothing to prevent a VIP from getting the same benefits as everyone else. Truth is, we'll settle for VIP pricing on anything right now so it's no big deal.
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Giant redwoods and Crater Lake to name a couple.

    Nice, to be sure. Neither has ever caused this tough-guy to bawl like a baby, as I did at Valley Forge. And I was there in summertime. The time to fully appreciate what our patriots endured there would be right now, in subzero snow.
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    southern utah is awesome

    went to gettysburg 1½ ago. incredible the way they kept commercialism out of it.
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    as it's currenty 14F (2F windchill) but there is a little bit of snow. But the winds are kicking up and it'll be negative wind chills soon. Brr...

    DaveM
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    If the only thing on your feet is a few rags wrapped around them, 14 degrees is plenty cold enough.
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Nice, to be sure. Neither has ever caused this tough-guy to bawl like a baby

    No but they've left me slack-jawed in awe.
  • ken_from_njken_from_nj Member Posts: 105
    i drive past there often in my commute - w/these cold weather days it does remind me of 'ole GW & the troops campin up in that valley for the winter. that must have been nasty. we'll let's thank them today for their fortitude of yesterday. we should forever be in their debt.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    True Market Value numbers are updated monthly.

    link

    I used to hike in Shiloh. One evening, so the story goes, a Yankee couple were touring the cemetery at dusk when a pair of docents approached them from behind to tell them that the cemetery was closing at sunset. Scared the heck out of them.

    Seems the docents were in antebellum costume - she was in Scarlett O'hara skirts and her beau in a Johnny Reb outfit.

    I suspect that the same story floats around Gettysburg and Sharpsburg....

    Steve, Host
  • rek1rek1 Member Posts: 1
    looking at purchasing '04 XSP AT or XT AT in midwest region.Need info on getting best price
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    http://imba.com/tcc/subaru.html

    Basically, you get to purchase a Subaru (excluding the STi) at invoice. You just need to be a member for 6 months. Well worth the $25 for the basic membership.

    Of course, you should be able to get invoice or close to it on an XT (and XS for that matter), depending on your area. But, the IMBA VIP method is hassle (and haggle) free.

    -Brian
  • akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    "I can always wait until my IMBA VIP program kicks in and buy at Invoice - but I am ready to buy now if we can work out something better..."

    just a thought...

    srp
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    you probably can do better than invoice on an X or XS, but it may be more work on an XT. Of course, your mileage may vary. :-)

    I've only seen a couple of XT's around my area, more XS ones and Outbacks, with several WRX too.

    -Brian
  • coreypghcoreypgh Member Posts: 3
    I'm am about to pull the trigger on a XS premium for 23,685, which I believe is dealer invoice with options (security, dimming mirror...). Does anyone have any comments or advice? Is this about the best price that is out there now or no? Thanks.
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