New car search might be almost over

"MUSASHI66" (musashi66)
02/15/2016 at 12:04 • Filed to: None

Few days ago, I asked you guys what should I get, and I might end up with a car that wasn’t even on the list.

My wife threw a wrench in my search - she wants a new car too. Her 2013 RAV4 is too slow for her, she wants something comparable in size and height, but faster. I had her test drive a Juke Nismo RS and a Forester XT. She loved the XT, hated the Nismo. Surprisingly, I did too - amazing seats, suede everywhere, unique look, but that CVT on the AWD model is such a let down for that car - it makes 211 HP feel like 140 HP. Hit the gas from start, and after of few second of noise the car start moving. XT has a CVT as well, so much better executed that the Juke Nismo RS. According to Car and Driver, XT is only .5 seconds faster 0-60, but it feels about 3 seconds faster.

So, I did some calculations, and decided that over 5 years, I’d end up almost the same regardless if I buy out the Pilot, buy a new XT for myself as well, or lease a cheaper car. So, the search is on for two XTs, one in white for my wife and one in Dark gray for me. Wife’s car will cost us $3-5000 more over the next 5 years, but she deserves it :)

Heuberger motors in Colorado Springs - larges Subaru dealership in the USA - provided me with a written quote which is $1000 under invoice, $27765 for the car. Now we play the game of “what’s your trade in worth” and “how much can we charge you for junk that we can’t remove as it is already installed on the car” at some local places before b e go down south - Heuberger doesn’t play the add-on game at all. We are checking with local dealerships first as we are some 90 min away from Heuberger, but their honest prices and no bullshit tactics will probably just make us go there tonight.

BTW, I just found a new stealership trick - Autonation Subaru on Arapahoe gave us a decent number for a trade - not nearly as good as it could or should have been - but had the guts to tell me we need to pay $620 for detailing and safety inspection before they can sell the car - per car! They also had something worth $400 per new car that “they can’t remove” and I “have to buy” and wouldn’t budge on it. It was some sort of interior protection product, more insurance than anything. I bought two Outbacks there before, needless to say I won’t be buying my new cars there again. That was $2040 in extra crap they wanted to tack on... and then they wonder why people have such bad opinion about dealerships.

Good thing is I am in no hurry to buy. It would probably make a ton of sense for me to just sell these privately and call it a day, and unless I get decent trade offers, I might just do that. I just hate dealing with tire kickers on craigslist, and we don’t own the titles, and that is always a hassle.

Wish me luck. Dealership experience always drains me.

DISCUSSION (39)

Nibby > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:12

FORESTER MASTER RACE

HammerheadFistpunch > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:19

Hey, don’t forget that the car’s character changes dramatically with changing it into sport sharp. I test drove it and was also underwhelmed until I switched it over.

spanfucker retire bitch > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:20

I had a coworker who leased a brand new XT and he fucking loved it. He said he loved the turbo kick, the acceleration, the green house and the room.

Dru > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:23

Sooooo...no 4Runner?

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:34

As a fellow XT owner...congrats!

Though not *that* close to you, I bought my car from Galles & Davis in Albuquerque and had a great, essentially no haggle experience. Three friends I referred there have also had a great time buying a car. Might be worth a look if you don't mind the six or so hour drive.

Tripper > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:35

When you’re done negotiating, tell them you have to think about it and leave. During my last car purchase, we could not agree on $$ for my trade. So I left and before I got back to my office, I had a text from the sales rep with a trade in amount that was 6k over what they had said originally.

MUSASHI66 > Tripper
02/15/2016 at 12:47

I did that at AutoNation, but it was on Saturday night close to closing time so they might be calling today.

MUSASHI66 > HammerheadFistpunch
02/15/2016 at 12:48

Yup, I am aware that it is there. Does it do anything to suspension and steering, or just throttle response? I have the “sport” button in my Abarth, and it changes the pedal response and steering wheel effort - no suspension changes.

E92M3 > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:48

Do you really want 2 of the same car?

MUSASHI66 > spanfucker retire bitch
02/15/2016 at 12:49

They really are nice - not too many vehicles like that left on the roads. If they made an Outback XT again, I’d be over it like white on rice.

MUSASHI66 > Dru
02/15/2016 at 12:51

Nope :(. I just can’t justify it - it costs 50% more than the XT, I would have to suffer less comfortable ride, bad gas mileage, no AWD - for looks and occasional off-road need. My dad drives my old 2000 Tundra - I might just buy him a topper, and take that if I need to go off the beaten path.

MUSASHI66 > E92M3
02/15/2016 at 12:51

Well, we both like it, we have an Abarth Convertible for fun so I guess why not :)

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:52

Mostly just CVT tuning and throttle response.

HammerheadFistpunch > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:54

IT changes the throttle response and the CVT settings, I found it did a lot to reduce the rubber band throttle response. There is still some turbo lag but most of that is throttle calibration and CVT settings. In regular and sport it felt really laggy, in sport sharp it was much more linear.

Tripper > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:57

They will, they always do.

MUSASHI66 > HammerheadFistpunch
02/15/2016 at 12:57

Thanks! I presume there is no way to default to that setting upon startup? My Abarth makes me hit the sport button every time I turn it on

adamftw > E92M3
02/15/2016 at 12:59

Yea, I could never help but make fun of couples/families that have two of the same car. It’s different if they’re different generations or whatever, like an older and newer model, but both the same year? Reeks of mehhhhhhhh.

HammerheadFistpunch > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 12:59

yeah, there is no defaulting it as far as I know.

MUSASHI66 > HammerheadFistpunch
02/15/2016 at 13:46

Just drove it again - s sharp available only after the car has warmed up, that's why I missed it on the last test ride. Night and day difference

MUSASHI66 > Tripper
02/15/2016 at 13:47

You might be a psychic - they just called asking I come back in again. Told them I would only if he calls me back with a solid number first, before I go wasting time again.

HammerheadFistpunch > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 13:47

makes you wonder why they even bother with the other settings.

MUSASHI66 > spanfucker retire bitch
02/15/2016 at 13:49

XT has that huge sunroof, plus the little .. triangle chunks of glass where you usually get black plastic for side mirror mounting. Amazing visibility.

N51fanatic > E92M3
02/15/2016 at 13:51

he’s gonna be one of THOSE couples lol. Matching plates? J/k

E92M3 > adamftw
02/15/2016 at 13:52

It’s just that there are literally hundreds of choices when it comes to cars. You only live once, why not experience as many different ones as you can?

adamftw > E92M3
02/15/2016 at 13:52

Agreed.

N51fanatic > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 13:54

i facilitaed the purchase of my moms new Hyundai Accent last summer. The dealership we bought it from had an addendum of $1995 worth of worthless crap added to the MSRP. It was for door edge guards, something else and wait for it....Customer Service. I kid you not, customer service.

I knew it was all bullshit just to start the game higher. On their first pencil back to me the Sales manager came back at, i just took 2k off. I was like yeah, now we’re at MSRP, are you crazy?

Dealerships suck.

MUSASHI66 > HammerheadFistpunch
02/15/2016 at 14:05

Seriously, so true. I guess most moms that buy it don't care much.

MUSASHI66 > N51fanatic
02/15/2016 at 14:07

It is insane. I am not sure who pays for that stuff. My starting price on a car is invoice as I can get that or better through Costco at any time. I flat out tell them I am not paying for any add ins at all. If they want to charge me, I walk.

Tripper > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 15:17

lol, yea make sure you get that number or they’ll keep you at the dealer for 4 hours. Best of luck on the car search.

MUSASHI66 > Tripper
02/15/2016 at 16:20

He couldn’t get me any numbers - just wanted me back in the shop. I bough 2 cars elsewhere. Their loss.

N51fanatic > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 16:32

these things are like 34k. Not much less expensive than the stuff you were originally looking at. Why buy two of the same car?

Tripper > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 16:36

Yea F that. If they want you to come back without giving you a number it probably means that they just want to talk you into something you don’t want, like paying too much/ a different car.

MUSASHI66 > Tripper
02/15/2016 at 17:50

Yup, agreed

MUSASHI66 > N51fanatic
02/15/2016 at 17:52

Got them for 27400, MSRP was 31-ish. Wife wanted a replacement for RAV4 which was faster, and I needed a new car too. It was this, or a cheap Outback lease, and the sweet, sweet turbo on the XT was intoxicating.

Ngilbs > MUSASHI66
02/15/2016 at 20:38

I can assure you, get the XT forester. I have a 2015 forester, not the XT, it is an amazing offroad vehicle, safe as hell and amazing saftey, I am trading it in for a wrx sti tho.

Most WRX parts are compatible with the 16 FXT, since it uses the same FA20 block engine from the WRX?. correct me if i am wron.g

you can also get a badass exhaust

MUSASHI66 > Ngilbs
02/15/2016 at 22:06

Just bought two of them :)

Ngilbs > MUSASHI66
02/16/2016 at 11:31

Congrats! have fun!

MUSASHI66 > Ngilbs
02/16/2016 at 14:27

Thanks!

MUSASHI66 > Ngilbs
02/16/2016 at 14:29

Just listened to that exhaust - I guess I am spoiled by the Abarth. CVT and loud exhaust, and equal length headers just don’t do it for me. FE20DIT engine just doesn’t have the Subaru burble, even with a custom exhaust.