2013 and earlier-Subaru Outback Prices Paid and Buying Experience

astrophil · September 2005

fitgerald automall in kensington, md (next to white flint mall). you can get their price online. i called around and it appeared that other dealership in the area will match/beat their price, so if they don't have the precise car that you're looking for, you may be able to still use their price points in negotiating at other dealerships.

sollertia · September 2005

Downsizing from minivan and determined Outback Wagon is probably top choice. Also in Albuquerque and interested in more of your experiences with the dealers. Is the one near I-25 the difficult one with the greater inventory?

ateixeira · September 2005

Boy, did you have perfect timing or what?

Congrats, I'm very happy for you!

-juice

avguy1 · September 2005

I've dealt with both Albuquerque Subaru dealers and they have very different approaches to selling cars. Garcia Subaru goes for low volume and high margin. Galles Subaru goes for high volume and low margin (if you negotiate hard). Galles has much larger inventory, and their service department is the best I've experienced at any car dealer (and I've owned Lexus in the past). I'm about to buy my fourth Subaru from them (06 XT Ltd).

sollertia · September 2005

Appreciate the info. Since Galles is closer to home would want to use their service department anyway. I may try playing them against each other. Garcia's salesman was much more informative and helpful, though the guy at Galles was willing to let me play my "stupid lady doesn't know exactly what she wants" act and look at and drive a number of different models. I am perfectly willing to walk away from the negotiating as can drive 18 year old BMW (not trading in) around until kid is back from college. Only real competition for the Outback is Volvo V50, not sure I like that dealership's service (friend's experience), and Audi A3, nice driving but small, and husband already drives A4. Plus I'm still Scotch enough to want the most for my money, cargo capacity, ease of service, resale value (though don't expect to sell anytime soon, except possibly to child after graduation), etc.

occking · September 2005

Have had 2.5i Ltd a little over 8 months now, approaching 21 k miles. Car runs great, gas mileage has improved getting 26 - 29 on mostly highway driving.

Question on Subaru Bucks.... I now have three separate Subaru Cards and as I use them for all purchases (maybe made a mistake buT my wife has one as well) have things figured out I can earn the maximum of $500 this year for each of the cards. The one I got a few days ago was an unsolicited offer from Chase; I applied, came back with a credit limit of 10,500 and included a check I could use one time. It gets better--I don't have to pay any interest on it for six months--just pay the minimum balance. Cashed it at bank & deposited it in money market where I will make a little interest for six months and, to make the deal sweeter, will earn over 300 Subaru bucks right off the bat!

Here is my question--I know that the Subaru bucks can be used for any expenditures at Subaru dealerships for service, as well as for a new car. I have it figured out during the next three years by using the cards to the max, I can earn $4500 in Subaru bucks. In 2 1/2 years my outback will be paid for and I may very well give that vehicle to wife & buy another Subaru product. Or, can anyone tell if if the bucks would be good for a used vehicle, purchased at a subaru dealership?

mi_forester · September 2005

Did you read the fine print? I don't think you earn Subaru Bucks on balance transfers or cash advance transactions. You can use subaru bucks to purchase pre-owned Subarus.

ateixeira · September 2005

I doubt the dealer will accept more than $1500 for any one purchase. The cashier at my dealership does accept them like cash, though.

We have had trouble saving them up! Used $100 for accessories. Then used $300 at the body shop, which was sweet because insurance reimbursed us - KA-CHING! Cash in our pockets.

Now we have another $100 saved up. I'm sure we'll blow it on something.

Just keep using them to pay for service. You have to use $100 at a time, so buy extra oil filter, T-shirts, accessories, or whatever to get to amount up to right around $100.

Even the on-line places take it. I snail mailed them the Bucks and they charged a small portion ($6 IIRC) to my credit card, and I got $106 worth of accessories at wholesale prices. That's a lot of stuff!

Good luck, my guess is you will have no problems spending it. 15k service, 30k, 45k, 60k, etc. All free.

Talk about KA-CHING!

-juice

occking · September 2005

This wasn't a balance transfer. It was one check that was sent with my third card. I was very careful & called Chase. They said it could be treated just like cash & the amount I used the check for would be charged to my account. I asked specifically if there were any restrictions on being able to redeem subaru bucks & they said no. So I wrote a check for maximum on my line of $10,500, took the money & put it into money market. Plus no interest charges for six months, all I have to do is make minimum payment each month (maybe 5%, or something like that)? For that $10,500 will immediately get sent three subaru bucks for $100 each. So, after this year, I will have accumulated a total of $1500 or them, and have used $200 worth for 15k service (not sure I needed that service) and the 30k service costs $400 at most dealerships so I figure I will have around $900 left in bucks. If I do that each of three years & use the bucks for service should have $3000 worth in a few more years. In the fine print on the checks it says they can be used for any purchases at dealers for parts or service, or for purchase of "new" vehicles or for leasing. No mention if can be used for used vehicles or used Subaru's specifically. I will call the dealer to find out.
Also, no mention that I cannot use a maximum number on purchases either. If I can, suppose I could get tires from dealer for other vehicles.

So

occking · September 2005

No limit on how many you can use, but only for service, parts or purchase or leasing of new vehicle. Maybe in two more years when the beca has been out for a few years they will be discounted a little more, and hopefully more fuel efficient.

mi_forester · September 2005

Can you please let us know once you receive 3x $100 subaru bucks? Long time back, I had thought about cashing out checks (and paying it off) to pony up serious subaru bucks. However, the terms and conditions that came with the checks clearly said that checks don't qualify for rewards (subaru bucks).

occking · September 2005

Nowhere on the check was there any indication that the check would be treated any differently than if I used my card. As I stated previously, it was one check that was sent with my new card. I called Chase & asked rather specific questions & they confirmed that whatever amount the check was written for, that amount would be charged to my MC account & that I would get subaru bucks for that amount. Believe me, I will keep an eye out for them & will certainly raise holy hell if I don't receive them.

tsph02 · September 2005

I was just quoted (in writing) $23,995 for a new '06 Outback 2.5i Limited, leather/moonroof, manual transmission from this dealership (in the color I want). Talking to the general manager, he will also give me Kelley BB ($14,000) for my GMC Envoy I'm trading in. Also will give me 4.75% financing. The other dealership I'm working with (ROTO in Arlington Heights) says the deal is too good to be true and that Schaumburg is a bit of a charlatan. Any thoughts/comments?

Thanks,

Troy

tsph02 · September 2005

I was just quoted (in writing) $23,995 for a new '06 Outback 2.5i Limited, leather/moonroof, manual transmission from this dealership (in the color I want). Talking to the general manager, he will also give me Kelley BB ($14,000) for my GMC Envoy I'm trading in. Also will give me 4.75% financing. The other dealership I'm working with (ROTO in Arlington Heights) says the deal is too good to be true and that Schaumburg is a bit of a charlatan. Any thoughts/comments?

Thanks,

Troy

Kirstie_H · September 2005

Are you currently shopping for a vehicle? If so, a reporter would like to talk with you to learn how important fuel efficiency is to you as you make your decision.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, September 14, 2005 with a few thoughts on the subject.

movedor · September 2005

Please let us all know if you got your 2006 Outback 2.5i Limited MT for $23,995 (plus the $14 for your tradein). This can give an idea what dealers are up to (or down to

) these days.

raybear · September 2005

Troy, in my region that's well below a net loss on the vehicle. Proceed with caution and if the other shoe drops, get out of there. The only thing worse than a bait-and-switch dealer is the customer who lets them get away with it!

tsph02 · September 2005

I figured the dealer (I was actually dealing with store manager on-line) was full of it. However, I called his bluff and told him to get car. No sooner than I hung up, he called me with a "ah, I don't have one on the lot, I'll have to check with my rep and get back to you". That was 4 days ago and I haven't heard a peep. I pick up my new 2006 2.5i limited at another dealer tomorrow. $25,500 after $1000 rebate, includes compass mirror, all weather mats and trailer hitch (again, limited with leather & moonroof). I also got manual transmission (middle-age crisis). Got a little less on my trade-in, but used American made SUV market is dead. Thanks GM for trashing your current owners with the Employee Discount on new ones (that and gas prices).

finallyasubaru · September 2005

I finally made my move after months of research.

I bought my Subbie for $26.6K OTD including taxes of 5% -purchased in IL for WI.
Options include - Equipment Groups 2B and 3 (includes Security Syst. Upgrade, Armrest Extn etc).

I also decided to buy my extended warranty (I believe the quality, but decide to be cautious) 6/80 for under $1K (Is this good???).

Dealership experience was pleasant, I could have got a few $$ more, but then it would have made it more painful for me and the dealership.

Thanks to all who have posted their deals earlier, this truly helped me in my negotiations.

tsph02 · September 2005

Sounds very close to what I did in Chicago Saturday ($25.5) but I got manual transmission - worth about $1000. For "goodies" I got armrest extention, all weather mats, compass mirror, cargo net and trailer hitch. My price includes $1000 rebate. I also went with 6/80 extented warranty ($100 deductible). Cost me something like $840. Apparently Subaru has a deal where with certain warranty upgrades you can get 2 years of "free" service on car, or apply that amount ($240??) towards rebate. I took the cash towards rebate as my dealer does oil changes for $12 for its car buyers. Great thing about rebate is if you don't use it, you get the money back at the end of warranty term. You can also get back cash if you sell car (in print in my warranty package).

ateixeira · September 2005

To both of you, now come on over and join the Subaru Crew - Meet the Members II thread.

Introduce yourselves. We have a weekly chat as well.

-juice

finallyasubaru · September 2005

TSPH02 - Hey thanks for your post. Is that price including taxes? I paid $26.6K including taxes!

I am not sure about your $240 rebate though, great if you've got it

See you in the Crew forum!

Cheers

tsph02 · September 2005

finallyasubaru - I had a trade in, so I saved a bunch in taxes, so my tax number is a little "squishy". But yes, my $25.5 was before taxes, and again, with manual transmission. What was your price on the car pre-tax? It had to be less than me. I had 3 offers from 3 different dealers on the same car. $25.2, $25.5 and $23,995. I ordered through the $23,995 guy (no deposit) and he has yet to get back to me after telling me he needed to talk to his area Subaru rep to find the car I wanted (11 days and counting). The $25.2 guy didn't have a trailer-hitch on the car that I want for my Thule bike rake - plus he ticked me off in negotiation - and he was also 20 miles away.

The $240 rebate was for the 6 year 80k extended warranty. I could either pay $1000 for the warranty and then get 2 years of "free" service on the car (oil changes, etc) or apply $240 towards the warranty. Ergo, bought Subaru, with extended warranty, for $26.3k before taxes. That includes the rest of "dealer" fees as well.

synthetic98 · September 2005

I am looking to take advantage of the $1k rebate expiring soon. Any recent buying experience in central Jersey? Thanks in advance.

kevin

finallyasubaru · September 2005

Re: What was your price on the car pre-tax?
I had about $25.1K for the auto the equivalent of $24.2K for a manual for the '05 model.

dbell1 · September 2005

Kevin - I highly recommend Nitti's Subaru in Hamilton, NJ. You can find them on the Subaru website. I shopped hard for my new (used) vehicle - test drove several brands and visited over 10 dealers. The best experience I had was at Nittt's - they were top notch in addressing my questions, concerns and issues. It was a low pressure sale and everyone walked/drove away happy.

Since buying my Outback, I've talked to several other owners - all rave about Nitti's.

Hope this helps!

red927 · September 2005

I also agree with dbell1, Nitti's is a good bet to get a good price with no hassle. Have purchased/leased 5 vehicles since 1992. Will be going back again in November to replace the leased 2003 Legacy GT. The owners do the selling along with a long time salesperson. The showroom is not big and fancy but who cares.

Phil

movedor · September 2005

I have a quote of $25.040 on this car (no options) good for today only. I was surprised to see the price drop like this, which is basically invoice.

Is there any factory to dealer rebate going on right now (besides the $1000 factory to customer)? Or is this just end of month push for more sales?

kenjc · October 2005

Hi,

I just bought an 05 Outback wagon (base model) with 16,000 mi, and Carter Subaru in Shoreline, WA, wanted $1800 for a 7 year/75,000 mile extended warranty or $1300 for a 5/60. Is this a really bad price? How low can I go?? I need help by Monday! (when the price supposedly goes back up to $2400 for the 7/75. this sounds really high after reading through this forum???)

And the 7 year warranty had a one time $250 deductible and $25 copays thereafter. Is this standard procedure? Negotiable?

Does anybody know how much the warranty will be used on an average outback over the course of the 7 years? Supposedly, at the end of the 7 year warranty, they do an overhaul on the car amounting to $1200-1300 on average, therefore recouping some of the costs of the warranty.

ateixeira · October 2005

To be honest those prices sound a little high. Margins are generous on those, so bargain hard. Ask to see their cost book and tell them you'll offer $100 over their cost. It's worth it for them to do just a little paper work and make that much.

Good luck.

-juice

PS Buy from Subaru - anything else is just an insurance policy, not a true warranty

kenjc · October 2005

thanks for the reply!

Regarding your PS (Buy from Subaru, anything else is just an insurance policy) could you please explain a bit more? My dealership is selling me a warranty through another company (United car care). Does that still mean I am buying from Subaru?

thanks again.

raybear · October 2005

Subaru's warranty is called Added Security, your dealer is selling you one of those insurance policies. Relax. They can still sell you a Subie warranty, they just make a bigger profit on the other one. Shop it like you did your car, or contact Subaru directly. Discounts run up to 40%.

platypus · October 2005

OK - so I'm officially the proud owner of a new Subaru.

Picked it up yesterday. These were the terms of my deal, hopefully helpful for those who are in the market.

2005 Outback XT
Manual Transmission
Brilliant Silver / Black
Auto Dimming Mirror with Compass
All Weather Mats

MSRP: $28,908
Price including $1500 rebate: $24,158 (before tax, license, and doc fees)

I believe this was a pretty good deal. I shopped internet quotes from about half a dozen dealers all across California who still had '05 XT's in the non-Limited trim with manual tranny (there weren't many). Got two dealers which offered similar discounts, and ended up choosing the car with fewer options, primarily because it only had 29 miles on the odometer whereas the other car had 194.

Purchased it from Cypress Coast Subaru in Monterey. The buying experience was not as smooth as it should have been, but overall I would rate it as "good", using a scale with "poor", "fair", "good", and "excellent." There were a few things that kept it from being an "excellent" experience:

- The car wasn't ready when I got there, and I came in an hour later than expected. My salesperson had told me it would be prepped and ready to go.

- There was a cut in the driver's side door trim that I was told just happened to show up two days ago. Well, I had put down a deposit on the car 5 days earlier, and they knew I was coming in to pick it up on Sunday. When I got there, they showed me the trim piece and said that their parts department wasn't open on Sunday and they would have to take care of it another day. Explained that I lived in San Francisco and was not going to drive back 220 miles round-trip to get it fixed so they agreed to arrange with another dealership in SF to do the work.

- Same goes for some scratches in the front bumper that needed some touch-up paint. Dealer in SF will have to take care of them.

- When it came time to sign the paperwork, the MSRP had mysteriously increased by about $600, according to "the computer." Good thing the window sticker was in the glove box. They corrected the price accordingly.

- The out-the-door price that the salesperson had quoted me via e-mail was too low. He had factored the $1500 rebate before tax, and the finance person who handled the paperwork explained to me that the rebate is always taken out after tax, at least per the laws in California. I would like some confirmation from others who have bought using the Subaru rebate (particularly if you're in California) if this is indeed the case.

- The odometer reading on the paperwork also read 143 miles. When I saw it, I thought that my salesperson had fibbed about the reading on the car during the pre-sales process. I had them check it again and whoever had copied it down had made a mistake. The car did indeed have only 29 miles when I got to the dealership, and after my test drive, had 46 miles on it.

- Salesperson told me to expect to be in and out in 45 minutes. Ended up being there 2 hours.

So, in the end, everything worked itself out, but why does the car buying process always have to be more painful than it should be?? :confuse:

Anyway, I drove it back the 100+ miles to San Francisco over beautiful Highway 17 (a twisty mountain highway for those not familiar with the road) and thought the car performed wonderfully. I'll post additional new owner comments in one of the more relevant forums.

andrelaplume · October 2005

What is the difference (other than about 1K) between the regular legacy 2.5i automatic and t he Putback 2.5i automatic...is it just the two tone paint?

kenjc · October 2005

as explained to me... the outback is raised off the ground a couple of inches more, giving more off road ability. also i think roof racks are on the outback but not the legacy. and the paint color, as you mentioned.

movedor · October 2005

We bought a 2006 OB LTD 5MT, all-weather mats, sub-woofer and towing hitch this weekend. We have tested Tribeca as well and in the end we decided for the Outback because it fit the bill just right (not to mention saving $$$).

We paid $24500 (includes the $1000 cash rebate and destination fee) plus tax and licensing.

According to edmunds.com this model with those accessories would be MSRP of $28,915 and invoice of $26488 - $1000 rebate = $25488. I basically got it at $988 below "real" invoice.
My guess is there is a good factory to deal involved here or the dealers are desperate to get stock moving, I did have no trouble to get this this low price on this car.

Thanks to all who contribute to this forum!
I was able to be a well informed buyer and now we are enjoying this very nice car.

andrelaplume · October 2005

they expire today and we will not be able to decide if we want an Outback 2.5i or Forrester X. Do you think the rebate will be renewed?

What is the major difference between the two cars. As I can see, The Outback is $2600 more but adds alloys, heated mirrrors, rear airbags, rear spoiler and 4 disk brakes. It is longer yet apparently does not offer much if anymore leg room, nor is it any wider. Surprisingly the cargo area holds only 1.5 more cubic feet. It does have 2 tone paint and makes no bones about being a station wagon where as the Forrester pretends to be an SUV. Still they both drove the same. The Forrester is 21.5K out the door and the Outback is 24.1K out the door, today anyway. Am I missing something...the Outback seams a better value but it is only a sedan, not an SUV and for 20K out the door I can get a Camry or Accord with a bigger rear seat...no AWD though....

Opinions please!!!!

PS: I was told the 06 Outback only come with 17" tires now that do not last long and are over $200 a piece to replace where as the Foresters are under $100...can this be right?

platypus · October 2005

Still they both drove the same.

I was originally planning on getting a Forester XT, but after test driving it vs. an Outback XT, I decided to go with the larger car. I'm surprised about your comment that they "drove the same," as I test drove both and felt a pretty clear difference between the two. The FXT was lighter and more nimble, yet also transmitted more road and wind noise. By comparison, the OXT feels heavier and less tossable, but offered a quieter, smoother ride, primarily due to the longer wheelbase. Overall, the OXT felt more refined and IMO would be the more comfortable car for long road trips. In my case, the difference between the two cars I was looking at was about $2K, so for me, the extra $$ for the OXT was well worth it. You are correct in your comments about the space though. Inside, the OXT is not that much larger than the FXT, with the only real difference I felt being in rear seat passenger leg room. YMMV.

ateixeira · October 2005

What I meant by that is if you buy an aftermarket one, it's not legally a warranty, but an insurance policy against mechanical failure.

The real difference is all the small print and exclusions, not to mention the fact that the underwriter can go out of bid-ness.

Check out the Warranty threads for horror stories about Warranty Gold, for instance. Today an $800 warranty folks bought a couple of years ago is worthless because they went bankrupt.

-juice

mwhitt · October 2005

Anybody have any experience with Wayne Subaru in northern New Jersey - or any other northern New Jersey dealer? If no direct experience, does anyone know of a website that rates dealers on sales and service?

Thx

njswamplands · October 2005

the ones i dealt with or have heard about are...

wayne subaru - just down the road from me. dealt with a few people there. not slimy but were not very good salespeople. not much inventory. low pressure. never returned my calls.

liberty subaru - bought from them. very professional, no crap from them. got a great internet quote. no hassle. good inventory.

loman subaru - sales people were nice but not very informed. wanted to buy from them originally ( before i got liberty subaru involved ) but the negotiations were not good. good inventory.

flemington subaru - didnt know about them when i bought. lots of people here have had excellent sales and service experience with them.

fitzmall.com - hey its a long way but if you want no hassle this is the way to go. they are very use to dealing with out-of-state buyers. take the train down, party with juice/bob for a bit and drive home in a sweet deal.

ateixeira · October 2005

If I'm free I'll at least meet you there. I drop by to speak to my buddy over there once in a while anyway.

-juice

mwhitt · October 2005

Thanks for the summary. I am only about 5 or 6 miles from Wayne Subaru - in Kinnelon. Checked into Loman and read some bad things about them. Agreed Wayne has nothing on the lot and I wonder how their service is - if they don't push much volume..

andrelaplume · October 2005

I agree the O5i at 2.2K more than the FX base (+my own alloys) is likely a better buy. I did not notice the cabin being any quieter though. Supposedly the F is sportier to drive and the O more of a luxory ride....I did not drive either enough to notice a difference. Nor did I experience nay more legg room in the rear...though it seemed like the fron may have more. I guess I am just thinking about our needs vs overkill. Sure the O has more options (likely more things to go wrong too) and we like the looks better...still its 24K and when your scraping to get to 22K well....

Also, I believe the O will be more expensive to own. Folks I asked claim it gets 18 - 19 mpg city where as the F supposedly gets 20 -21. Also there is that tire issue on the O. Even if you downgrade to H rated tires at replacement time (which won't be long) it'll cost you minimum $610 in my area to replace them and that might be every 20 - 25K miles. The 16" on the Forrester can likely be dowgraded to standard tire which will yeild 30 - 35K and cost less than $400 a set. (we will only drive these cars around town and on highways...no serious mountain climbing here so I think we safely downgrade)
Finally, though both cars rate EVRY high overall, the F is almost perfect where as the O has had a few issues over the years...not to say it is not leaps and bound over others.
(per CR)

Decisions, Decisons.....

njswamplands · October 2005

pssst hey i live in kinnelon also, howdy neighbor.

andrewk · October 2005

I considered both the Forrester and Outback. IMO, the O was clearly a much nicer vehicle! I thought it was ride was so much more refined. Not mentioned is that the O also has heated seats. Alloys are nice. New design. Two-tone paint verse black plastic on the F. I bought O 2.5i on 12/31/04, so I didn't get a rebate. I think I paid about $3500 more than a base F. However, I think the O is a superior vehicle to the F IMHO. No regrets here with my O

mwhitt · October 2005

I just went to the carsdirect.com website and was surprised by the pricing. Ignoring the $1000 rebate that has expired, I got a target price for top of the line limited wagon - $200 over invoice for an '06.

Is this what I can really expect to get in the NJ area. Seems like a very good deal relative to other stuff I have been looking at.. I was surprised given that it was this early in the model year.

Last thing, anybody have any experience with the NAV system on this car. User-friendly, works???

nateman7ahc · October 2005

Wife is currently driving an 04 Baja (which we love) and with a boy on the way, we're going to have to get something else. OB 2.5i ltd wgn is the choice. Some local dealers have '05's still on the lot, and color isn't that big a deal. Should I focus on the '05, hoping they'll be motivated, or are my chances better with an '06? We're looking more at value here. Also, in Atlanta area, dealers are few and far between. Any feedback on dealers? We bought Baja with 9000 mi, bed extender for $18,000 at Gwinnett Subaru. Thanks for input

bat1161 · October 2005

My wife and I are looking to "upgrade" our 2000 OB. My question is how much of a discount should I expect on a '05 versus a '06? I have one dealer who has a 05 OB LLBean with arm extension and all weather mats for $31K (before rebates). I checked Fitzmall, but they don't have any LLBean models, only XT LTD for $29100 (with rebates). I'm trying to figure on a decent price. I can also use the VIP discount, which is invoice - rebates. Should I be able to get an 05 below invoice, or is that thinking too much?

Thanks,
Mark

raybear · October 2005

You might be too late for a heavy discount on an '05, the cheap dealers have sold out...I recently had someone tell me he was quoted a higher price on an '05 Ltd than someone else's quote on an '06!

2013 and earlier-Subaru Outback Prices Paid and Buying Experience

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