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Comments
My wife and I like the funky look of the OB too.
Good luck,
Greg
Karl
So, in this case, which one brings you a bigger smile? Let the tie breaker be emotional. Do you like the feel from behind the wheel of the Outback? The trendy two-tone and beefed up look? Go for it and don't look back.
-juice
You need to gently pull teeth and get the dealer to open up.
"Gee, I hear these cars really sell well in the Northeast and New England."
Here, the dealer will extol the virtues of AWD in general and Subarus in particular.
"I bet they go for a pretty penny there"
Here, he'll talk about how expensive they are and how we're paying so much for them.
Then you just sweetly mention that he can definitely give a better price than those NY dealers.
And when he bites... TA DAA!
Red is my favorite color for the OB
I am going to try just what you suggest. Probably tomorrow, my Wednesday evening is sort of booked.
The dealer two hours away says that the 2002 is in good shape, but that someone backed into it once and they had to replace the bumper. Is it possible to crack the bumper and get it replaced. without damaging the car? I mean, I know that's what bumpers are for, but I've never seen one crack and the car be undamaged. What do you guys think?
Tamara
Tamara
It depends. Some times dealers sort of pay a fee to keep a car on their lot, so it may actually cost them more to keep it there a long time. That might offset their desire to get rid of it soon.
Ask about how you can get the absolute lowest price they can offer you, it may even require that you order a car.
-juice
Very few dealers today can maintain a large stock of cars on their lot without actually financing the inventory. Thus, every day a car sits unsold, the less total profit they make on that unit. Now granted, over the long haul it all comes down to averages, but I have been told that the sales mgrs get anxious when a single unit sits too long and may price it to move.
Steve
Also, check the dealer's website. Mine had a "deal" posted that they didn't really intend. It said ANY new car or truck 1% over invoice. (Was supposed to say select vehicles, but I printed it out - several different days). They also had a deal for 3 free oil changes with purchase on the website that wasn't ever mentioned in the showroom. They were not going to show me the invoice, however I KNEW what it was from my snooping on Edmunds.
In the fall of 2000 I was looking at 2000 model Outbacks, but ended up getting just as good a deal on a 2001 based on the info from the web.
The sticker price on my 2001 Outback was around $25,400 (and remember this was when the new ones had just arrived) and I paid $2,200 less than that.
Doing it this way, I did 'lose' one Outback in the dark blue that I thought I wanted, but I ended up with the light green which is better here in the snow and salt, and it also had a couple more options that I have really enjoyed ...
Good shopping Tamara
Steve
I think there is a list of all the programs somewhere on this site:
http://www.cars101.com
Good luck negotiating!
-Ian
S.
-mike
The 2002 OB that we are considering has a tape player/radio plus a cd player added in (the Subaru optional cd player). I see that 2003 OBs have a cd player/radio. I don't see a Subaru option to have a tape player added in. I assume that means if we want a tape player we would have to buy one separately (from Crutchfield or someone) and put it in ourselves.
I have looked at Crutchfield, and I don't see just a tape player that could be added in along with the cd/radio. Does anyone know if such a thing exists? What do other people do when they want a tape player along with the cd/radio?
Thanks again for the help,
Tamara
Also, I had someone take a corner too tight and scrape my bumper. Nothing too serious, but my insurance company paid to replace the whole bumper and have repainted. There was no other damage whatsoever.
-Brett
Try e-Bay or the i-Club classifieds, back then it was $250 or so but now they're cheaper. If you aren't inclined, a stereo shop will charge about $75 to install it for you, so you could have it all for under $300 maybe.
Bonus: it'll help resale, so looking at it that way the stereo might come out free.
-juice
- Lou
We are leaning toward the 02 over the 03. Why? Mostly because it has the cassette player and the cd player (the 03 only has the cd player). I know the 03 has the all weather package (the 02 doesn't), but we would likely use the tape player every day, and the heated seats only a few times a year. I guess we could do what Juice suggested (install a unit from a WRX), and we have installed radios in cars before. But it would be an extra expense and effort that we could avoid by getting the 02. Resale value isn't important to us. By the time we want to resell this car (maybe 15 years from now), it will only be worth $500 anyway.
Aside from the fact that this 02 is a two hour drive, I am a little nervous about the apparent accident it has been in. "Somebody backed into the front bumper" the salesman said. They replaced the bumper, and repainted part of the hood (I'm not sure how much or how it looks). They give a 5 year warranty on the paint repair. This doesn't sound so great to me. My husband thinks that we still should drive up to take a look. What are the chances they could match the sapphire blue paint?
I haven't been in to talk to our local dealer yet, to ask for his best price. I was going to go today, but it was only 16 degrees outside, so I decided to stay in. Maybe tomorrow - it should be around 30.
Tamara
Greg
Greg
A fob (key fob) remote would be separate from the key.
If the '03 and '02 CDs are single CD player, then go with the '03 and if you're willing to accept a piece of Al Gator in exchange for the radio that comes with the '03, you'll be able to have the AWP, CD player, tape player, radio and WB.
-Dave
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=fob*1%200
-Dave
So, now we are back to considering the "low mileage" used 02s at the local dealer. They are all automatic transmissions. Our other car is a manual. Does anyone have any experience dealing with a mixed transmission lifestyle? I'm wondering how confusing it is to switch back and forth. We would be doing that a lot. I'd probably get the auto in the morning and the manual in the afternoon. Everyday. That's why we wanted a manual in the first place (which this car 2 hours away is). It would be less confusing.
Dave, what does this mean? "if you're willing to accept a piece of Al Gator in exchange for the radio..." ?
Tamara
-mike
Go for a 2003, and keep the WRX 6CD option in mind. The 2003s have the newer struts that are supposed to yield a smoother ride, any how.
-juice
Greg
Yup, what paisan said.
The piece of Al Gator is the CD/Cass/AMFM/WeatherBand which is in working and good condition. It was not on Al Gator when it met its untimely death.
Yes, I'll trade the CD that comes with the '03 for it.
And, if the you don't care for the CD player, I've got the unit that's just Cass/AMFM from Mom's OBS, Ginger.
What say you?
-Dave
p/s: while I'm at it. Anyone needs a front right corner marker unit? From Al Gator of cause
OK, I'll keep that in mind. I'll probably head into the Subaru dealership tomorrow, bright and early. We'll see if (1) they'd like to see me a new OB at NE prices or (2) give me a great deal on one of their used 2002 OBs.
And, yes, we may keep waiting. We've been shopping since last Aug. or Sept., so waiting isn't a problem.
No answers yet on how confusing it is to switch from a manual to an automatic and back multiple times a day. I guess it isn't advised.
:-)
Tamara
You mean driving two cars multiple times (either each time) in a day, each car with a different mode of transmission (one AT & the other MT)?
Me, nope, never did that before.
Someone who had worked as a Valet might have the answer.
On the other hand, maybe not. Too short a distance for brains to register.
-Dave
greg
Switching is no big deal. It easier to drive an auto when you're used to stick. You just catch your left leg reaching for the clutch some times, no big deal though. Also, your right hand may hold the shifter, but that's also OK.
Driving an auto all the time, you might get lazy and also not drive a clutch as smoothly. But if you've had years of practice, it's like riding a bike, you never forget.
So don't worry about having two types of trannies, and long as you know how to drive both. The Subaru automatic is very robust, too, and it's easier to resell.
-juice
Romy
I regularly drive several vehicles on the one day and have never found problems switching between transmission types. However, finding the controls for the wipers and lights is something else.
Cheers
Graham
-juice
you could flip the wires around so that down is down vice-versa. Summer project?
-Dave
-juice
bit
Still, Pat told me I'm getting an extra cup holder so she'll be excited about that.
-juice
Steve
Now, our sedans are manual and the Jeep is auto. They are so different that we don't make the mistake.
I sure wish one of the cars was an auto when I injured my right hand many years ago. The hand throbbed whenever it was below heart level. Had to reach over and shift with the left hand.
Jim
Cheers!
Paul
What I do find myself doing is looking on the column for the gear selector when I get back in my Outback. Our other car is a MPV. I'll drive that for one afternoon and then the next day I'm all messed up looking for the column shifter!
-Brian
Yes it does press against the headliner. It does this a right behind the back seat on either side of the car.
I haven't checked the owners manual yet for any warnings.
To anyone that has the official Subaru gates, how do they stay in place?
Thanks,
s.
bit
I did test drive one of the 8000 mile 2002 OBs (auto transmission). It was great! Very smooth. Enough acceleration for the way I drive (went up hills, got on the freeway, all with no problem). I felt very comfy in the car. It was clean and unblemished. He said it was a fleet vehicle in Colorado (for Subaru?).
But it doesn't have roof rack cross bars or the cargo tray. He says the 02 base OB didn't come with those things, which I am pretty sure isn't true. I feel like the 19.4K price he is asking is a little steep, too, but he was (naturally) unwilling to negotiate. (Edmunds seems to suggest the dealer retail on this car should be $17886) So I left. All in all, I'm feeling like I can't trust him. Maybe I won't be getting a car after all....
Sigh.
Tamara
Good luck,
CUSAFR
Can some of you more knowledgeable Subaru folks tell me what year the GT was first produced? Did the GT's first year include the 2.5 litter engine? And finally, what features did the earlier GT's have that the Legacy L wagon did not? Were the gear ratios the same?
Thanks.
John