Time for a new car

[coustanis]

Well, in the 2 to 4 months or so I'll probably get a new car. For a while
now I have been leaning heavily
toward either the Outback or the Forester. I really like them. Might buy
new, might buy low mileage used.
Not sure yet. I just like that car.
Picture it with mud tires, paint it olive drab and add fog lights. That
would look sharp.
Or....maybe I'll leave it stock.
Anyway, anyone have stuff to look for....avoid...exeriences, etc on either
of these two cars?
I'm just starting to do my homework on these.
TIA,
W

 

[Wayne]

Same here

Have a 98 Windstar with 146K miles, have not been in shop once, expect for
the 2 recalls. No burning oil. Great van!

Can expect another 140K out of 'er

 

[Todd H.]

Well, in the 2 to 4 months or so I'll probably get a new car. For a
while now I have been leaning heavily toward either the Outback or
the Forester. I really like them. Might buy new, might buy low
mileage used. Not sure yet. I just like that car. Picture it with
mud tires, paint it olive drab and add fog lights. That would look
sharp. Or....maybe I'll leave it stock. Anyway, anyone have stuff
to look for....avoid...exeriences, etc on either of these two cars?
I'm just starting to do my homework on these. TIA, W

The Forester and Outback are two very different wheelbases. For me, I
needed to carry a lot of stuff, so I opted for the Outback. The
longer wheelbase gave me a lot more useable room than the Forester
did for the stuff I transport. I also liked the longer sleeker look
of the Outback verus the taller Forester.

I too had dreams of a late model used Subaru. What I found is that I
couldn't find any because Suburu owners appear to be cradle-to-grave
nuts and rarely sell their friggin cars, much less sell them in the
first couple of years. I also found that the resale value for the
late model used Subes was so friggin high that Subaru depreciation
appeared pretty linear--and as such, you don't lose anything by buying
new. At least that's the mental math I did to justify buying new.

You get the benefit of commodity shopping pitting dealers against each
other on the exact same car, take advantage of incentive financing,
and all the goodies of buying new without taking it in the shorts with
the steep depreciation that seems to befall other makes of car when
you drive off the lot. ANd, having a new car is just so damned fun.

Have fun!

Best Regards,

 

[H]

I just had the "Fun" of selecting, and negotiating for a new (ish) car. I
have an 86 GL and a 90 Legacy, both wagons. My natural instinct was to go
Subaru yet again. My target car, so I thought, would have been a new or
2-3year old Legacy GT Wagon. As you have already found out, prices for good
used Subarus make buying new a strong option. Once I decided to go new, I
tested the 2004 Legacy L Premium. The L premium is, in my opinion, the best
all around value compared to the GT. I also tested other wagons, namely,
Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and the Mazda6 Sportwagen. Both the VW and the Mazda
were very fine cars, though different in their concept. Just before I
actually made a decision I test drove the 2004 Forester XS. I hadn't
considered Forester because I never really liked the SUV look. I always
considered a touring wagon to be my vehicle of choice. But when I drove the
Forester, the choice was clear. As a side note, the Forester is built in
Japan, while the Legacy is built in Indiana. Here's a tip. Do your homework.
I bought Phil Edmonstons, Lemon-Aid for new cars and mini-vans, Plus the
Consumer Reports Magazine new car edition. They helped. Also go to:
http://www.carbuyingtips.com They have an excellent tutorial about dealer
scams and pricing. I got my Forester XS for $55.00 over dealer cost, yes
that's $55.00 over dealer cost, thats more than $2600.00 less than MSRP.
Note, these figures are in Canadian Funds. I got the Dealer cost info from
the net, I had to pay for the info but it was worth it. When you consider
the added cost of financing the savings are even greater.

Good Luck, I am picking up my new Forester on Friday, Woohoo.

 

[Jim Stewart]

I just had the "Fun" of selecting, and negotiating for a new (ish) car. I
have an 86 GL and a 90 Legacy, both wagons. My natural instinct was to go
Subaru yet again. My target car, so I thought, would have been a new or
2-3year old Legacy GT Wagon. As you have already found out, prices for good
used Subarus make buying new a strong option. Once I decided to go new, I
tested the 2004 Legacy L Premium. The L premium is, in my opinion, the best
all around value compared to the GT. I also tested other wagons, namely,
Volkswagen Jetta TDI, and the Mazda6 Sportwagen. Both the VW and the Mazda
were very fine cars, though different in their concept. Just before I
actually made a decision I test drove the 2004 Forester XS. I hadn't
considered Forester because I never really liked the SUV look. I always
considered a touring wagon to be my vehicle of choice. But when I drove the
Forester, the choice was clear. As a side note, the Forester is built in
Japan, while the Legacy is built in Indiana.

I wouldn't put much weight into this factor. I think the
manufacturing defect level of the Indiana-built cars is
very low. Virtually all the Outback problems such as oil
leaks and rear wheel bearings are engineering flaws rather
than assembly flaws. Don't go blaming US workers for something
that isn't their fault. BTW, I drive a 1999 Legacy Outback
that has 96k miles and has had zero assembly flaws. If I
could choose between a US and Japan built Subaru, I'd take
the US built.

Here's a tip. Do your homework.

 

[D H]

I wouldn't put much weight into this factor. I think the
manufacturing defect level of the Indiana-built cars is
very low. Virtually all the Outback problems such as oil
leaks and rear wheel bearings are engineering flaws rather
than assembly flaws. Don't go blaming US workers for something
that isn't their fault. BTW, I drive a 1999 Legacy Outback
that has 96k miles and has had zero assembly flaws. If I
could choose between a US and Japan built Subaru, I'd take
the US built.

Here's a tip. Do your homework.

Do your homework is good advice. I agree also that there are
design/engineering flaws responsible for some bearing and gasket issues.
(These include the Forester, by the way.)
I differ quite strongly with the rest of your reasoning. Maybe you have
some homework to share that can prove your point, but all I have to do is
look around in this country: I'll buy Japanese made and assembled autos
every chance I get. America is suffering terribly from shoddy workmanship
issues, in every sector I have contact with. Lately, it has been with
construction, and I'll tell you, it's scary how little folks care about
their work. I see it at almost every level of craftmanship: folks just don't
give a rip. So many do absolutely horrendous work, and not only do they not
care who sees it or suffers from it, they don't even think you have a right
to expect more than that, and they'll gripe and moan if any kind of
financial demerit is leveled on them for their inept behavior. Sorry if
maybe I'm a little extra sensitive about this right now, being in the middle
of yet another construction project and learning again just how bad it can
get. I don't have any idea how some of these folks can answer their own
consciences, or lack thereof.
I was driving to the next town over a while ago and had to pass over a
construction site where a set of two 2-lane bridges is being rebuilt. All I
could think of was how disastrous could be the consequences if they have
morons working there at the level of NON-concern that many workers have
shown me the last few years. We are a nation in trouble and it is our own
damned fault.
We instill next to nothing in the way of values and work ethic in our
young people. We reward criminals favorably as long as they are famous. We
pay professional athletes OBSCENE amounts of money. And the music industry?
We treat some of the most dishonorable persons within society as though they
are something wonderful because they make "music" to some persons' ears and
shout obscenities from stages. We reward the news media by watching (over
and over again) things that just plain suck. They (and we?) justify this by
quoting the right to free speech, and we say this helps our government be
accountable. Bullshit. We ALL know there are things that should just not
EVER be revealed in the public media because revealing these things will do
no good whatsoever.
Case in point: In my opinion, there was never and will never be any
justification for all the media coverage of the crimes against Iraqi
prisoners. This could absolutely help nothing that couldn't have been
accomplished just as well via private inquiry and private punishment. The
cost in my opinion is huge, including but not the end of which was the loss
of a young man's life via beheading. I personally hold the media completely
and ultimately responsible. I'm sure that's going to get a few folks
churning, but that's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. Reply if you wish,
but don't expect me to respond. I'm not out to convince you if you can't see
it already.
What a sorry state of affairs. God help us.
Alright, I'm stopping now. Just who was it that got me started???
Something about cars, right? Back to the mountains I go.
--
D N
I E T S
Off to R the M __, D H

Reply to group. (Detestible spammers!)

 

[Jim Stewart]

Following line falsely attributed to me....

Do your homework is good advice. I agree also that there are
design/engineering flaws responsible for some bearing and gasket issues.
(These include the Forester, by the way.)

Massive pro-japanese-worker anti-us-worker rant snipped.

Buy what you want. I'm totally pleased with Subaru/US
quality. I'm driving my homework right now and I couldn't
be more happy with it. I gave honest advice based on nearly
100k miles of experience. I didn't rant or insult like you.
I've driven about 500k miles total on US, German and Japanese
made cars. The US made Subaru is unquestionably the best.
If you don't agree, fine, just try to treat others' opinions
with a little respect.