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Comments
Bob
"The 2.5 Phase I is a good engine, except for the head gasket replacement on a significant percentage of them."
What was the deal with the special oil additive? Buddy of mine had an engine blow, sold the car, then heard about Subaru contacting owners and recommended some additive every other oil change.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/traction2006.htm
The Ford Five Hundred didn't have stability control either.
Good article. Thanks for posting.
I think this test would have been more meaningful if all the vehicles were equipped with standard-issue tires—the way most people buy the vehicles.
Bob
And wouldn't those tires have given the Outback an ADVANTAGE over cars equipped with all-seasons?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Yes, in the snow belt, such as where this test was conducted, many owners put on snow tires. That being the case, then ALL the test vehicles hould have had snow tires; but in doing that, you still skew the results, as people will think a vehicle found on the showroom will perform as those in the test.
So my take on this: none of these vehicles should have been tested with snow tires. Better still: test them all with and without snow tires and then post the results of both.
Bob
Put VDC in all the Outback models, and the Sube will be indomitable in foul weather! :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
If all the others had worn snow tires, things *could* have been worse for the Subie. The same would apply if none had been shod with winter tires.
**edit: oops, Nippon is speaking for himself today.
I would have also like to have seen them include a VDC Subie, in addition to the one they tested. They've got a RWD Charger and an AWD 300, so having 2 Subies with different AWDs would not have been a bad idea.
The whole point here is to find out which system works best, right?
Bob
But I don't think the intention of the article was to find out which "system" works best. It was to determine which vehicles are the best. A vehicle being more than the sum of its parts.
To that end, I'm a little disappointed they didn't include a test using unplowed snow.
True, but again, trying to keep apples-to-apples, meaning "showroom stock" vehicles, I think it would be more accurate (and helpful) to test the vehicles as most people would buy them. If somebody reads this report and glosses over the fact that a vehicle they are considering was equipped with snow tires, and they don't plan to add snow tires to their new purchase, then they could come away disappointed with their new ride.
I think we all can agree that snow tires will improve any vehicle in the snow.
Bob
Small engine.
Really - who is it?
2018 430i Gran Coupe
It's one of those off-hand factoids writers frequently include when reviewing Honda products.
If Subaru really is #3, I think they should promote it. Get the news out there. Even though it has little to do with their car products, it shows experience with engines. Make it part of their PR portfolio.
I think that's a great tagline, and I only wish SOA had picked it. I could easily see an ad campaign built around owner testimonials, and using that tagline as the closer.
Bob
I like the tag line and see it almost every day and think it could work for Subaru nationally as long as they use it correctly. The Subaru of NE campaign, with rare exception, has always had the spokeswoman in a Subaru showroom. IMHO, I've always found it to be hucksterish. Now if they had her and others in the great outdoors, in the city, out in the rain and snow saying "AWD is All I'll Drive", I'd like it even more.
Except perhaps for the far south, where they have no seasons (except tornado season perhaps), and coincidentally where Subaru hardly sells any cars.
Hmmm, coincidence? Really?
;-)
You know what SuBaru NEEDS TO DO: they need to take the AWD advertising theme, which they have been using for a decade, to the next level, and explain WHY it's better for performance, not just for rain and snow. Otherwise, they will never expand their market in the U.S. Lots of people posting here have talked about how AWD is the best powertrain configuration for performance, for various reasons (not all of which I entirely agree with) - now Subaru needs to pick that up for a national advertising campaign.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
If done well, with intelligent and thought-provoking interviews from owners, a great ad campaign could be developed.
Bob
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Sales total 13,635. Tribeca 1,560, Legacy 1,698, Outback 4,125, Impreza 2,576 (13% increase over 2005), Forester 3,379, Baja 297
Down considerably over February 2005's 14,524 cars, which was Subaru's best Feb in 19 years. Still, certainly not the trend Subaru was hoping for.
Here's a good example from personal experience:
A couple of years ago we were involved in a 5-car chain collision over Thanksgiving, in which we were rear-ended. My son was driving his '96 Impreza Outback (3rd car) and I was in the lead car with our Forester. Our two Subarus were the only cars that drove away from that accident. All the other vehicles had to be towed. A quick statement from my son and myself about that experience would be all that's necessary.
Another one could be interviewing that emergency worker (a few posts back on the "B" pillar strength) on him witnessing Subaru passengers surviving some pretty bad crashes.
I'm sure there are thousands of Subie stories out there (that anyone can relate to) that could be reduced to a few quick quotes.
It can be done. It just takes talent to do it well.
Bob
Another one could be interviewing that emergency worker (a few posts back on the "B" pillar strength) on him witnessing Subaru passengers surviving some pretty bad crashes.
I suppose that makes sense, but the risk is that Subaru would be viewed as imitating Volvo, which pretty much has sewn up the crash-survival advertising schtick.
When you beat the (perceived) best, that means you're the new king of the hill, so you'd better get the word out while you're still on top.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/top-picks-for-2006-406/top-pick- s.htm
What I'm really suggesting are people talking about "what it's like living with a Subaru," so it could include almost anything. Certainly safety, AWD, handling, power and any other area in which Subies excel would be covered.
Bob
Bob
I'm interested in replacing a 4Runner with a Subie, Forester most likely or Outback.
Show me the cars in action. No not fording a stream or scaling a mountain, but loading up at Home Depot, packed up with the family to go to the beach etc.
Some comparisions to other vehicles they are competing with would be great as well. This would spread the word about the brand in areas where there is not a lot of word of mouth.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Example: I love the Subie cruise control stalk and the way it operates. I could develop an ad just around that feature, with one or several people commenting on it.
That's just one example. Another might be the 2-stage sliding middle-row seat of the Tribeca, or why all Subie moonroofs stop a few inches before finally closing (safety), or that when you turn your Subie off the headlights automatically go off too (no more dead battery because you left the lights on). You could find a whole slew of those type of "livability" issues to talk about.
The "trick" here is to get the viewer/reader to "identify/relate," and to "agree," with what the testamonial is saying. Once you do that, making "a sale" is pretty easy.
Bob
Details? That's exactly where Subaru is losing customers, a least those "upscale" ones, whatever that means. Those idiotic things like no telescopic steering column, or XM satelite in one line and Sirius in another, or some obvious gaps in the lineup: skipping some important equipment in low trims, no availability of manual on Legacy wagon, no availability of "basic" luxury conveniences in their top trims. I could go on on an on with the list.
So why do I still like them - BIG THINGS, because if anything, and it was stated here before, Subaru gets the "big things" right (handling, powertrain, safety, reliability), but loses/lags behind in small things. In fact, when you look in their cars, early 90s are still very much present there, both featurewise and esthetically. Not saying there are no good points, but compare Legacy to to say Passat, even the old one, and they are light years apart in terms of "stuff" and those "small things".
I know, you have an agenda of promoting them, you are an enthusiast, so am I. But just be intelectually honest. Small things is definitely not a Subaru thing.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
If you can point out why the Subaru's cruise control stalk is a good thing, it makes no difference if others use the same solution. What's your doing is showing how it relates to Subaru, and how it relates to the viewer/reader. That's what's important.
Bob
Same as every Toyota since 1990, and the press usually gets on their case because the pros prefer to see cruise controls on the steering wheel, not a separate stalk.
"all Subie moonroofs stop a few inches before finally closing (safety)"
Ditto above, every Toyota since the early 90s. And many other models that I have rented.
"when you turn your Subie off the headlights automatically go off too (no more dead battery because you left the lights on).
Heck, my 2000 4Runner does this, so do all the Camrys since the mid-90s, in fact Toyota has gone one step further on a model-by-model phase-in, going to auto-headlights with a light sensor on the dash, so that you don't have to turn them on and off any more and hence will not forget to turn them off and kill your battery. The Corolla had auto headlights several years ago.
I think if you're going to promote Sube as detail-oriented, you need to promote the technical details. Those are where Subie excels, not interior details. I have always liked that Subes are a bit over-engineered, which makes them very durable in general. I don't think Toyota and Honda can make the same "over-engineered" claim.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The vehicle is far more than individual details. If you can present a whole slew of "good features," and package it in one brand or model, that's what's important, and that's what you're selling.
This is done in (successful) advertising all the time. How do you think McDonalds competes against Wendys? Afterall, they're both just selling hamburgers. There's not a whole lot of difference between them. Same with life insurance, or what have you. There's often little difference between competing products, and the advertiser's job is to get the viewer/reader to feel more comfortable with their product.
Bob
Convenience wise, it is still ahead of domestics, by far, but I have seen a lot of much better solutions in other cars.
I agree with Nippon - small "engineering" details might be way to go - not so sexy, though.
That thing with lights is really puzzling - some manufacturer's would rather give you an annoying bell that also goes off in dozen of other instances, which of course makes you ignore it at the end, rather than simply installing shutoff feature. Never got why.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
It doesn't have to be sexy. It has to "connect" with the viewer, that's all. It's the advertiser's job to make that point in a meaningful way so as the viewer and relate and understand the benefit.
Bob
I don't agree with the notion of centering a campaign around them, though.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but... if you're bragging about a cruise control stalk, people are going to be wondering, "this is the best thing in the car?" You know... Chrysler is pushing a Hemi, while Subaru has neat wiper jets! Ohh goody-goody!
I think some of these are pretty effective. Largely because they found interesting/eye-catching ways of demonstrating each one of them on the screen.
For Subaru, an ad showing the layers they use in the Forester's B pillar could be effective.
Satellite radio - Subaru has never been a pioneer in sound equipment, and I doubt that will change now. Just be glad that the Forester's double-DIN dash opening is pretty much universal. Legacy models with climate control are stuck, it's not practical to swap them out.
Cayenne - the discussion came and went, but while Porsche sold a lot of these, it might cost them even more in the long-run in terms of reputational costs. They're not reliable, so Porsche is spending a fortune to fix them, plus it kept them from their core racing activities. We'll have to look back in 5 or 10 years to tell if the strategy was a smart one, but I bet they end up less profitable than before.
Safety push? I think that's premature. First put stability control on every car you make, bar none. They are behind in that regard, Forester might just be the last car in its class to get this important safety feature (MY2007 I hope!).
-juice
It took 2nd in class and only lost to a Benz that costs near double, and I bet the VDC would have won (at least its class).
Ford Five Hundred doesn't have enough power to break traction.
-juice
Any how, there are lots of little details that you miss when you switch to another car, some I can think of off the top of my head that our Mazda and rental cars we get all lack:
* interior lights that dim slowly when they turn off
* auto-off headlights
* outside temp gauge
* 2nd trip odometer
* 2nd AC adaptor plug
* yellow handles on all the serviceable fluids under the hood
I could list 10 more if I had time to think about them.
-juice
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The cruise control stalk could be one of 20 or more different spots that could highlight what makes a Subaru better. Or, you don't have to use that example at all...
The point being there are probably a ton of small items that you normally wouldn't think twice about (cruise control stalk being one), but taken as a whole, make the difference between Subaru and other brands. And, yes... there should be a lot of emphasis on core Subie features (AWD, boxer engines, etc.), but all the ads don't necessarily have to be about that stuff.
Bob