Baja

[Kar Klean]

Please will somebody tell me why Subaru has decide that the Baja is not
worthy of advertising. I feel they are wastingan excellent oportunity to
sell a good vehicle to a niche market. Maybe I am bias because I own one.
However, all the recent national advertising they are doing doesn't have the
Baja listed. Maybe a Subaru rep is reading this and can tell me why.

Bob

 

[Bonehenge]

Please will somebody tell me why Subaru has decide that the Baja is not
worthy of advertising.

It's so ugly they can only advertise it between 10 PM and 5 AM in the
USA. <G>

Barry

 

[busterb]

Please will somebody tell me why Subaru has decide that the Baja is not
worthy of advertising. I feel they are wastingan excellent oportunity to
sell a good vehicle to a niche market. Maybe I am bias because I own one.
However, all the recent national advertising they are doing doesn't have the
Baja listed. Maybe a Subaru rep is reading this and can tell me why.

Bob

The Baja is okay but it is an "orphan" type vehicle. It doesnt really
provide anything that other vehicles in the line have . Four seats?
Outback seats five. Lockable bed cover? Cap? Outback comes with
standard secure cargo area.
Plus the fact that at first the Baja was too pricey killed the
momentum. Let's see- I want to appeal to the active young person but
I'll only sell the vehicle with leather, sunroof and such at a sticker
of $26k. College kids will jump on that!!!! I like the Baja. Had a
deposit on one in Jan. However I got an OBW for less than $1k more
which covered the cost of secure bed storage. And I dont give a ****
about a sunroof.

 

[Chris Phillipo]

Subject: Baja
From: "Kar Klean" <(e-mail address removed)>
Newsgroups: alt.autos.subaru

Please will somebody tell me why Subaru has decide that the Baja is not
worthy of advertising. I feel they are wastingan excellent oportunity to
sell a good vehicle to a niche market. Maybe I am bias because I own one.
However, all the recent national advertising they are doing doesn't have the
Baja listed. Maybe a Subaru rep is reading this and can tell me why.

Bob

Didn't they discontinue that thing yet? Since it't not selling they
probably don't want to throw good money after bad.

 

[phillystyle]

Dude, I'm with you. For the life of me, I can't figure out why they
abandoned it so quickly. It seems to me almost from day one. I think
I've only seen one print ad -- ever and I don't think I've seen the Baja
in a TV spot in more than 6 months.

I own a 2003 Baja and I love it. I have to admit, it's an acquired taste
but I think if they held out a little longer and actually promoted it, it
would find it's market, especially since the "crew cab" pickup seems to be
here to stay.

I agree with jabario(?). They totally overpriced it for who they claimed
to be targeting and the lockable bed cover really should have been
included or at least an option (it wasn't yet when I bought mine). You
have to admit though, they really went to town with the list of standard
features they stuck into it . . . even the Sport model was a great
package. It was essentially the regular Baja without the leather.

I was talking to the General Manager at my dealership and he says the Baja
is likely to go through the '06-'07 model year I think.

To anybody who's listening, when they discontinue the Baja and the prices
drop (even further) you should at least consider it. Mine has been an
awesome performer and nothing else on the road looks like it -- and I like
that. )

 

[Rob Munach]

Dude, I'm with you. For the life of me, I can't figure out why they
abandoned it so quickly.

Because it wasn't selling well! As a former BRAT owner, I feel the BAJA
is pretty damn ugly and the bed is much smaller than the BRATs was
(although the BRAT was only a 2 seater).


It seems to me almost from day one. I think

 

[nicklebon]

Because it wasn't selling well! As a former BRAT owner, I feel the BAJA
is pretty damn ugly and the bed is much smaller than the BRATs was
(although the BRAT was only a 2 seater).

It's not selling because most people don't know it exist. I have a
2003 model I
bought in December 2002. I have seen exactly 1 tv ad which is what
sent
me to the dealership to see this car. I test drove it and bought it. I
get asked
everytime I go Walmart or the mall by at least 2 people "what kind of
car is
that?" Aside from one comment from a coworker everyone has loved the
truck. The only thing really wrong with the truck is the 2 person back
seat.
The rear center console was/is just plain dumb. The baja is all the
truck most
city dwellers need and it costs far less than an average suv. As for
all the talk
of lockable storage .... IT'S A PICKUP TRUCK! not a car and not an suv
if it
had a lockable storage lid it would cease to function as a pickup. If
you want
lockable storage buy an outback.

--

 

[busterb]

truck most
city dwellers need and it costs far less than an average suv. As for
all the talk
of lockable storage .... IT'S A PICKUP TRUCK! not a car and not an suv
if it
had a lockable storage lid it would cease to function as a pickup. If
you want
lockable storage buy an outback.

--

The lockable storage and 2 back seats are the reasons why the Baja
Wont sell. I actually had a deposit on one and loved it. Then I found
out about the cost of secure storage and found the outback to be a
better deal

 

[Bonehenge]

IT'S A PICKUP TRUCK! not a car

No, it's a CAR with an open back. <G>

FWIW, our local Subaru dealers have had Bajas parked out front since
the day they came out. I live in an area where Subaru is a popular
brand. People know what it is. NO ONE WANTS THE BAJA! <G>

It may be the ugliest vehicle since the Guinea Pig, I mean Pontiac
Aztec.

I have an '01 OBW, it's a car. Your Baja is my CAR with the roof cut
away. It ain't no truck.

Barry

 

[Rob Munach]

No, it's a CAR with an open back. <G>

FWIW, our local Subaru dealers have had Bajas parked out front since
the day they came out. I live in an area where Subaru is a popular
brand. People know what it is. NO ONE WANTS THE BAJA! <G>

It may be the ugliest vehicle since the Guinea Pig, I mean Pontiac
Aztec.

I have an '01 OBW, it's a car. Your Baja is my CAR with the roof cut
away. It ain't no truck.

Barry

Agreed. The bed is too short to be of any practical use and the BRAT was
amuch better lokking vehicle. For less money, you can buy a 4x4 Nissan
Frontier, 4 door with a 6 foot bed. I paid about 20k for mine and I get
19.5 mpg overall.

 

[Bonehenge]

Agreed. The bed is too short to be of any practical use and the BRAT was
amuch better lokking vehicle. For less money, you can buy a 4x4 Nissan
Frontier, 4 door with a 6 foot bed. I paid about 20k for mine and I get
19.5 mpg overall.

Let's go even further.

A pickup truck has a ladder frame with a removable box. The pickup
box can be replaced if damaged, or swapped for a small dump, utility
body, etc... Changing the pickup box on a Baja would be an episode
of Monster Garage. <G>

The truck also has a solid rear axle for load carrying ability and 4wd
off road performance. Independent rear suspension squats under load,
and often changes camber based on load, but handles better on
pavement.

If the truck is 4wd, it'll also have a low range in the transfer case,
for serious off road use.

The Baja is the same vehicle as my Outback, minus some roof. The
simple fact that it's a car was my reason for purchase.

Barry

 

[lightbulb05]

Traded my 2002 Outback for a 2005 Turbo Baja. Love the Baja.

 

[nicklebon]

No, it's a CAR with an open back. <G>

Uncle Sam and every insurance company begs to differ.

 

[nicklebon]

The truck also has a solid rear axle for load carrying ability and 4wd
off road performance.
Barry

I take it you've never seen a 2wd truck before eh? For clarification
we aren't
discussing an ideal truck. We are discussing the simple fact the Baja
is a light
duty truck by function. The rear bed is not lockable any more so than
a Tacoma
or Colorado. Is it a perfect truck? Hardly! It is enough truck for
most city dwelling
people. Off roading or rural use .... nah get a REAL truck. BTW real
trucks don't
burn gasoline. They burn diesel and that is not up for debate.

About its being ugly .... hmm lets see we have on the road today:

Aztec
Element
Matrix
Scion ( all of em)
Pt Cruiser
oh yea lest I forget ... Hummer (Not saying I would not have one, but
it is still ugly)

Each of these is a helluva lot uglier than my banana yellow Baja so
bugger off!

 

[Bonehenge]

I take it you've never seen a 2wd truck before eh? For clarification
we aren't
discussing an ideal truck. We are discussing the simple fact the Baja
is a light
duty truck by function.

2wd pickup trucks also have solid rear axles, removable bodies, and
ladder frames.

BTW real
trucks don't
burn gasoline. They burn diesel and that is not up for debate.

Then what was my gasoline powered 27,000 pound GMC that had a 24 foot
box and lift gate? <G>

Barry

 

[Bonehenge]

Uncle Sam and every insurance company begs to differ.

You actually pay truck rates to insure a Baja?

Barry