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Comments
Reading all the coverage it makes me wonder if the guys forcing the move upscale bothered to talk to the guys who were inking partnerships with Saab. The two do seem at odds with each other given the hint that a 5 year time line is considered too long by FHI Japan. It would make better sense if there had been a 10 year target. Based on what's been said, FHI expects to be even with Audi within a year or two of the 7 seater becoming available. That's a bad idea...can you say Phaeton??
Finally, I think that FHI is a little out of touch with the NA market with some of it's desired changes. It is different entirely to the JDM, EDM or down under. Top selling car segment in US is the mid-size Camry/Accord/Contour compared to Civic/Cavalier/Focus in Canada and that or smaller models in Europe. Buyers willing to drop $25-30k on a new ride are completely different demographics in US vs elsewhere. It is at least a little reassuring that Saito isn't afraid to speak his mind on the issues. That maintains hope that SOA has been allowed some control over it's own future and there has been prior sensitivity to those considerations. The 2.5 turbo is a good example of that. The 2.0T from other markets would not have had the same critical and market response. Hopefully that will remain.
Despite all the new competition, Subaru sales have kept growing. My suggestion is simple: don't panic.
A sudden change of course is very risky. Even if they do make their cars more upscale, it takes about a 3-5 year lag in public perception to overcome the current image.
-juice
Hey don't shoot the messenger! I like Subarus just the way they are. But I'm enough of a realist to know that your average owner cares very little for how well engineered a vehicle is (of far bigger concern is how many cupholders it has). A handful of the faithful here on Edmunds aren't going to be enough to keep Subaru afloat. Heck we can't even keep the faithful in the fold now (right Colin?).
-Frank
I just don't see Subaru as a car for the masses, not like the civics and accords and corollas and camrys of the world. It takes a special intelligent enlightened person to want to own a Subaru (am I missing any other traits of the average Subie owner?)
By the way, how do you do the italics?
tom
Hmmm... let's see if I can remember them:
Engineer or teacher
Apple/Mac owner
Dog owner
Active lifestyle
Lover of the outdoors
First name of Dave (inside Crew joke)
I'm sure I missed a few :-)
Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page for instructions on how to do BOLD and Italic :-)
-Frank
well, I've been wandering a while now... but I was so very close to re-joining the flock. my thinking was, in 5 years would I still buy a Legacy GT? most likely yes. but in 5 years, would I buy a hardcore sports machine like a WRX STi or Evo? maybe, maybe not. so I bought the car I wanted right now.
but I agree with the general sentiment here; whatever move Subaru makes they must be careful not to alienate their existing customers. only $2,500 seperates a base WRX wagon from a 9-2X Aero! now, the Aero can be optioned to the moon ($31,500 or more) but the (US) WRX wagon cannot. and that is what I see as the key problem: how both cars can offer additional features and both still sell. many of the 9-2X Aero's options are not even luxury, I don't consider Xenon lights, 17" wheels or an all weather package to be luxo!
now increase the stakes with a $35-40k vehicle. hmm, this is tricky.
~c
Did it work?
I have a spoiler on the back of my GT lim sedan, and the dealer has offered to exchange it with the trunk lid of one without a spoiler (except I lose whatever I paid for the spoiler). I don't really like the spoiler, but I don't terribly mind either. Anybody with any thoughts on what I should do? Does the spoiler actually have any functional use? Is it going to get me better gas mileage or go faster or stick to the road any better? Or is it just for looks?
I don't see a lot of BMWs and Audis with spoilers on the back. ;-)
tom
Bob
-Frank
Craig
Bob
In no particular order: BMW, Lexus, Benz, Audi, Acura, Infiniti, Volvo, Jaguar, Saab...
The higher up you go, the smaller the customer pool. Do they really think they can maintain 250k unit sales competing for this pool of customers?
What will everyone in the "snow" states purchase if trusty Subaru goes up market beyond their price range? Remember the adage: It costs five times more to win a new customer than to retain an old one.
As someone that really likes Subarus, I hope FHI's dreams don't force us off the fence into another make.
Jim
~Colin
Ed
That's a description thats not made it down-under yet. Care to translate?
Cheers
Graham
Steve
It's shorthand for "company that provides products or services concerning human or animal health" and that are generally regulated in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Department of Agriculture (USDA). In Australia these would be regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).
Our products are used by manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics and biological products to help bring those products to market. It's my job, among many other things, to keep abreast of changes in these regulations worldwide (as we have offices in the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan) and help the company determine if and how those changes impact our products and the ways our customers use them.
Ed
Guess I'll need new directions next time I come to visit. ;-)
-juice
Ed
-juice
Bob
-Frank
Steve: The maintenance coupon requires only that the original form, not a copy, is sent in. It's not tied to a specific customer. Which is strange since the test drive offer is. If the coupon also was coded, then Subaru could better track to see how many people went for a test drive and resulted in a vehicle purchase.
Ken
Nicholas - getting back to bike commuting after I saw myself ooze up to 176 from 168 last summer. No time, no time.
Went to the dealer again yesterday and saw the new silver on an STi. It is juuuust a shade or two darker, that's about it.
My buddy there said SoA is really pushing the GTs, that's what they want them to sell. But people are still buying Outbacks!
-juice
No, it's ten miles once I get on the PA Turnpike. Add another 15 miles to get to the Turnpike for a total of 25 miles each way.
Ed
Ken, that was exactly my point. I offered it to him, then pulled back thinking it wouldn't work after reading the trifold letter. But the small mail-in coupon doesn't carry the coding. I think SoA missed an opportunity here.
Steve
My maintenance coupon had a few numbers handwritten on the top left corner.
I should have been an engineer - tom
-juice
I jacked up my vehicle and hand rotated the wheels until they aligned. I did a good job, didn't I? ;-)
On a serious note, it would not be possible to keep a constant alignment of the spokes. When you go through a turn, all four wheels travel different distances so at the end of the turn, they probably would all be at different positions.
Ken
Yeah, that's what I figured, which is why it seemed odd to me. It must have been coincidence when I looked. I checked today- my spokes are no longer lined up.
Maybe if I bought a big jack it would be easy to do on a weekly basis? :-)
tom
-juice
Have a good week!
Bob
I'm off on another ... ROAD TRIP! Goin' to the beach again this weekend. We're also going to Connecticut next week, so Sandy will get plenty of exercise!
-juice
I only do that to Juice!
Steve, Host
(chanting) 21 CFR 11, 21 CFR 11...
Did you sell Raven already?
What the hell is that about is this the same company or not?
Cheers Pat.
Thanks. I actually traded in Raven at Santa Cruz Subaru. They offered me above KBB so I was satisfied with the deal. It was sad parting with my trust ol' Forester.
Ken
Unfortunately for the Canadians, NO.
And, NO, you can't have Patti.
DaveM
P.S. Glad to see you back on the boards Pat.