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Comments
As for the 40mpg - yes, I know those were the good old days. Great while they lasted though. I ran some numbers and figured that I'll be spending an extra $700 or so per year now for fuel. But I'll be smiling in my Forester. Perhaps one of these days I'll trade it for a hybrid, but I'm not quite ready to take the plunge. In the meantime, I'll stay tuned here for guidance about my new toy!
Don't hurt 'em too bad.
-juice
I had a very disappointing experience at Fitzmall. They brought the car I wanted from another dealership, Forester X green, with upgraded speaker, tweater, cargo bin, air filter, and arm ext. I test drove it. First of all, they wouldn't let me test drive on the highway saying that they don't have the insurance. The car itself was another problem. It had 150 miles on it already. When I asked them to explain why, they didn't have the answer and wouldn't even tell me how long it's been sitting in the lot. I test drove it and the transmission was jerky when it was shifting gears during a short. The dealer was sitting in the passenger seat and when I asked about it, he just said that is the way it supposed to be. I felt it not once, but couple of times. I can't imagine anyone would try to sell a car like that as a new car when the problem was so noticeable even to just an average driver like me. Minor point, but there were dust everywhere inside the car and even the floor mat was not clean. It makes me wonder.
The price $19595 is the price for only some of the cars which are on special, it turned out. They said the reason why these cars are on special is because they have been sitting in the lot for a while, but wouldn't tell me how long. Because my baby started crying, I hd to come home without test driving any other cars on the lot.
After this experience, I am not sure if I want to go back there. I may just go to another dealership. For those of you who dealt with Fitzmall, please tell me how your experience was. The dealer was nice enough and I have taken a lot of his time so I feel bad if I end up not buying a car from him. But I don't feel comfortable going back there anymore.
Is jerky gear shift common for forester? (I guess I already know the answer, but had to ask.) Well, the other one I test drove at another dealer was definitely not like that. How much should I be concerned about the milage in a new car and how long it has been sitting on the lot?
Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
JP, (who is still not driving Forester. uhhhhhhh)
I did take one for the weekend and I questioned the owner of the dealership about the insurance. He said that the dealership owns the car and it's insured through them for test drives.
Can't comment about the jerky gear shift as mine is an automatic.
I hope you'll have a better experience next time. I'm really happy with the Forester, and with the experience I had at the dealership.
Bob
The thing is that the car was an automatic. Thanks for sharing your experience. My question is really how much should I be concerned about the fact other people have test driven the car. Normally, I wouldn't care too much about it. But now after than experience, I am inclined to get one that has not been test driven.
Frank, yes, the car was brought from another dealership, also a part of Fitzmall. But what do you guys think about the fact that they wouldn't let me test drive on the highway. Isn't that rather unusual practice? I have been to about five different dealership last week and all of them let me test drive on the highway. Maybe Fitzmall needs to keep their cost down to offer a price like that.
JP
Bob
Hope this helps,
-Frank P.
Frank, that's exactly what I will do. Test drive other cars and compare. Thanks a lot!
By the way, when people talk about breaking the car, what is that mean? How do you properly break a new car? As in house breaking a dog?
JP
It could have been the other dealership's property, so their insurance would not cover your test drive. Still, how can you buy a car blindly like that?
Our experience was different. My wife's Legacy was also a dealer swap, but they did let us take it on the highway. We took I-270 for a couple of exits. It was delivered without any flaws.
Get a sitter and take your time, drive several cars until you find one that feels perfect. You could try the other Fitz location, since it's close by.
The nice thing about no-haggle is you can spend your time finding the right car instead of finding the right price. So take that time and enjoy the experience. Don't feel pressured to buy right then.
Good luck.
-juice
My last question, sometimes I do need to travel on a hilly road, will either of the model be capable to climb on few steep slope? Or I need to look into the XT model?
Greatly appreciate for anyone input.
In practice? The brakes on the Forester have always been good, even before they added EBD.
The rear LSD will send power side to side on the rear axle, for better grip when it gets slippery. That might climb that steep hill if it is snow covered, for instance.
The XT will help a lot in high elevation. Where regular engines are wheezing, turbos just bleed off less boost at each shift and don't lose nearly as much power.
But honestly, get the XS for the all-weather package, get the XT for the fun of it. Those are the real reasons to spend the extra money.
-juice
-Frank P.
-juice
Is there any option for X that this board could suggest and you think is practical to have?
Air Filtration - good since I have asthma
Cargo Net - so groceries don't roll around
6 CD - got mine out of a WRX, slightly used
Premium sound - no worth the price, IMO, go aftermarket
Moonroof - mine is aftermarket, pop-up, but get power
Trailer hitch - OE one plugs right in to harness
Bike rack for hitch - carries 2 bikes without touching vehicle
I have probably 20 others. What where you considering getting?
-juice
-Frank P.
Cargo tray is great, my carpet still looks new ('98 model).
-juice
I finally got my Forester!!! It's crazy, I can't sleep. At 11:00pm, I went to the parking lot of my apt and took care of few things in the car, just an excuse to see it again!
I got a good deal, I think. $19559 for X auto (blue) with arm rest, air filter and cargo bin, though I don't really like the cargo bin too much. I even got $500 for 1994 Mitsubishi Mirage, with worn out break pad and leaking power steering wheel fluid, and suspicious sounding transmission so I am not complaining about my trade in.
It did take me 4 and a half hours at the no hassle Fitzmall since the first car I chose turned out to be pre-owned for a day (only 120 miles on it though) by a young lady whose financing didn't go through. So they told me that the warranty on it was already started when she bought the car and there are only 2 1/2 years left. They would extend the milage for 45000 but they can't extend the time. Not a good thing. I said no and got the vehicle with less option (for less price) that had only 4 miles on it. Had to wait an hour and a half because of this but they wouldn't throw in anything for my trouble. Oh well.
Anyway, I came home at around 10:00 pm but I am so excited I can't sleep!!! I will be able to drive it tomorrow. I will be dreaming of Forester tonight...
I couldn't join the mysubaru.com since the website didn't recognize my #vin. I will contact them tomorrow.
Thanks a million for all your support through out the process. You guys really helped to ease my anxiety. Oh yeah, I did test drive the car on the highway today. Different dealer, so I didn't have to confront it.
JP
-Frank P.
Don't worry about them not throwing in anything extra, the whole point of a no-haggle experience is that every customer pays the same amount.
Besides, you got a great deal.
-juice
After a day of driving, I already got a chip on the windshield. I called my insurance and they will take care of it, hopely. It's just funny. I had my previous car for two years and never had a chip. Oh well. Still, my wife and I are both very happy with Forester. I think we like this vehicle more and more everyday. We are finding more and more reasons to like it.
Cheers,
Jongwon
It cost more than X, or XS (and more again for fuel) but it is worth the extra for FXT owners. We feel like we've gotten an incredible bargain!
My point here is to suggest that if you enjoy sports driving you should at least take a test drive in an FXT, AT or Man Transmission. Both are great. A friend of mine bought an XS. I was surprised she didn't even know about XT at all. She wouldn't have bought one anyway as she's not in to driving in the twisties, etc., but it just highlighted for me that a lot of people don't know about the "special attributes" of FXT. It is a real STEALTH vehicle, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Cheers,
Bob
FWIW, I did the IMBA VIP method for my F-XT, which should be here by next week. No haggling indeed, it was by far the easiest car transaction I've been involved in. Was also treated very respectfully, almost like royalty, by the salesperson.
-Brian
-Frank P
I am pricing a XT w/ Premium Package, here's the latest deal I've been quoted:
$24875.00 Base Price
$ 550.00 Destination Charge
$ 190.00 Package F4K (items incl. listed below)
$ 150.00 Paged F4P
$ 110.00 Popular Equip Group 4
$ 250.00 Popular Equip Group 7
$ 398.00 Processing Fee
$ 1856.61 Sales Tax @ 7%
$ 22.00 Title and GA Warraty Rights Act
_______________
$28401.61 Total Drive Out Price
The options I've gotten with the 4 option groups are: rear bumper cover, cargo tray and splash guards, interior air filter, rear cargo net and gray armrest extension, cargo bin and rubber floor mats,auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass and security system upgrade.
If you take out the Processing fee, sales tax, and title and GA Warrant Rights Act the price of the Forester becomes $26,125. The invoice price on edmunds.com is $26, 420. The TMV for my zip code is $27,037.
I know that you are supposed to get the "processing fee" eliminated from your contract, but the dealer had already quoted me a price practically at invoice (off by only a few dollars). When I said I needed the price to come down a more in order to make it more reasonable for me to get a new car when my Honda Civic works just fine...the dealer said there wasn't much more room to move, but that he could give me $300.00 more off. He took the $300.00 off the Base Price and left the processing fee.
I think this is probably as low as I'll get the price, but wanted to get a second opinion.
Any thoughts are appreciated. (Oh by the way it has less than 10 miles on it and I'm looking at a Red Forester)
Thanks!
$100 over invoice isn't a bad deal at all (that's counting the processing fee) and while it "may" be possible to get another couple hundred knocked off, it's not worth the added effort in my opinion. Besides, if you are buying from Gwinnett, they throw in free maintenance.
-Frank P
-juice
The financing didnt disappear at the end of March, did it? they will work with you to get an 04 out the door.
Mark
-Frank P
I had to order my black MT XT. It's supposedly on it's way via truck/rail now, for delivery next week (fingers crossed).
Keep in mind that you can also add some things yourself using SubaruParts.com or other online places.
-Brian
$30.00. Thirty freakin' dollars, when this is ALL their doing. I'm sorry I already turned in the survey...
- $170 on advertising (eBay, free online listing, newspaper ad)
- 4 hours with potential buyers
- 1 week waiting
- 30 minutes negotiating
My dealer offered me $11,000 for my '01 Forester S w/ prem package. My private buyer gave me $14,000. Same story when I sold my Civic years ago - dealer offered $2000, I sold for $4000. To me, it's worth the a couple phone calls and meeting nice people to get the extra $$ - easiest $5,000 I've ever made.
I'm so sorry your trade-in experience was so miserable.
-elissa
Mark
$200 over invoice is not a good deal if you forget the holdback. My dealer subtracted $830 in holdback fees, then added $200 to the invoice -- the net result was $630 "under" invoice.
-elissa
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