Why no other engine options on the crosstrek?

[BENZ BOY15]

I don't get that. I understand that 148 horsepower will suffice for a solid amount of Subaru buyers but why not drop the engine from the Forester 2.0XT for those who want a little extra bang? The outback nor the Crosstrek have that engine as an option.

I feel like they should, don't you? Or at least something else....the outback would certainly benefit from a turbocharged option. I'd like a turbo for the power and efficiency at higher elevations (I'm at 5,260 but the many mountain roads go over 7,000) and it seems like it's an issue. But just how much of an issue is relative to the individual and I guess it's not a deal breaker; there are plenty of non turbo Subarus here and everybody digs them (that I've talked to anyway).

But it's still a bit of a letdown.

Another thing I don't get about Subaru is that their vehicles appear to compete against each other. The forester , from my conversations with others, doesn't seem to be as nice or polished as the Outback. Yet I see plenty of all of them (old ones too, so clearly they all last) so I'm always wondering what drives people to pick one or the other.

We'll see what happens. I also am beginning to wonder if I need a wagon and a legacy would be fine. They look pretty nice, if a tad generic.

[Laconian]

A turbo XV Crosstrek exists; it's called a WRX wagon.

My mom loves having a hatchback car for her real estate duties. It makes schlepping around props and signs much simpler. TBH I think you'll have more of a need for cargo utility than power.

Subaru's cars do split niches pretty finely it seems, but they are having no problem finding lots of buyers for their wares.

[MX793]

A turbo XV Crosstrek exists; it's called a WRX wagon.

There is no WRX wagon anymore.

[Laconian]

Oh, how'd I miss that? Pffffft. That's too bad.

[BENZ BOY15]

Oh, how'd I miss that? Pffffft. That's too bad.

Yeah they dumped it from their lineup though I read that it might be coming back at a later time frame. And Kevin, you weren't joking about the scarcity of the new outback. Very rare, unfortuantely. They have one 3.6 but it's a light blue which isn't my type of color......I'll take a dark blue, black or grey.

[Laconian]

Order one from the dealer.

Special ordering is risk- and cost-free. If you get cold feet, they'll give you your $500 back.

[MX793]

Order one from the dealer.

Special ordering is risk- and cost-free. If you get cold feet, they'll give you your $500 back.

Depends on the car.  Some deposits are non-refundable.  The other downside is that you often lose price negotiation leverage when you special order.

That said, given that it's exceedingly rare for a dealership to stock a vehicle in a color and with the options I want, I don't hesitate to order what I want.

[2o6]

Most dealers can dealer trade for them

[Laconian]

Depends on the car.  Some deposits are non-refundable.  The other downside is that you often lose price negotiation leverage when you special order.

Our price negotiation advantage trebled when we pit one dealership's offer against another. An hour of emailing saved us a grand.

[SVT666]

I special ordered our old Freestyle because I couldn't find the configuration we wanted anywhere.  Even the dealer looked everywhere and couldn't find one.  I paid dealer invoice for the car.  I bought my old Dodge Ram for dealer invoice and they had to trade with another dealer to get the truck.

[r0tor]

Last time I drove a forester, it ran out of chassis wayyyy before it ran out of power from its 2.slow L engine

[68_427]

Forester was never sold here with an N/A 2.0L

[BENZ BOY15]

Order one from the dealer.

Special ordering is risk- and cost-free. If you get cold feet, they'll give you your $500 back.

That's what I'm going to do tomorrow if I can get down there. It's my day off but sometimes it doesn't quite work like that.... In the meantime, tomorrow (hopefully.....)I'm going to drop the accord at my parents' house and bring back the one and only BURBAN' up to get me through the next couple weeks. Electronically it's a mess but mechanically it works well.

So that solves the issue of dealing with winter until the subaru comes. We got a good storm coming tomorrow night into Wednesday. I would have bought/ordered one earlier in the fall but I had just started my job and so I needed first to see if things would work out. Thankfully, it has worked out nicely and I don't foresee me moving anytime soon.  I'm really digging my job/living in the mountains, so for those reasons.....a new subaru would do me well. 

I'm signing a new contract with my bosses in the next couple days.

Had I known about the stipulations behind pre-ordering, I probably would have done it. I thought they were much stricter about locking you in.

[Cookie Monster]

Damn Joe, didn't think you'd go from a San Diego beach bum to a Subaru-driving realtor who lives in the mountains.

[AutobahnSHO]

Forester= way cheaper though.

I truly don't understand why both are still sold though. New Outback looks more SUV than previous generations did, which is why I assumed the Forester sold- Forester looked more SUV and Outback appeared more "wagon".

It is a complete shame they didn't do a WRX hatch. But unfortunately 'Murricans like their sedans.

[68_427]

Forester= way cheaper though.

I truly don't understand why both are still sold though. New Outback looks more SUV than previous generations did, which is why I assumed the Forester sold- Forester looked more SUV and Outback appeared more "wagon".

It is a complete shame they didn't do a WRX hatch. But unfortunately 'Murricans like their sedans.

The Forester is cheaper for a reason.

And 50% of WRX/STi sales for last gen were hatches

[BENZ BOY15]

Damn Joe, didn't think you'd go from a San Diego beach bum to a Subaru-driving realtor who lives in the mountains.

Neither did I.

I was getting really desperate by July and I needed to make a change. 25 years old living with my parents with no real income....fun! My attempt to sell my grandmas house imploded and Keller Williams turned out to not be a good match at all. So I reached out to this couple and sent a shot in the dark to see if they needed help. My timing was very lucky and they were really in need; I went up for an interview and moved up two weeks later.

Mountain living is quite different but it's awesome. It's hard to believe it'll be five months in mid January.

[BENZ BOY15]

The Forester is cheaper for a reason.

And 50% of WRX/STi sales for last gen were hatches

A 2.0XT is in the low 30s, which puts it in the Outback range and other trims aren't too far off the Outback.  The higher trim Forester look good, IMO.

I've always thought they  need to build a small dealership up here given the demand; one of my dreams is to somehow get in on that in the future. Probably a pipe dream but I sense that a mountain Subaru dealer could do really well.

[BENZ BOY15]

Forester= way cheaper though.

I truly don't understand why both are still sold though. New Outback looks more SUV than previous generations did, which is why I assumed the Forester sold- Forester looked more SUV and Outback appeared more "wagon".

It is a complete shame they didn't do a WRX hatch. But unfortunately 'Murricans like their sedans.

It's not too much of a difference, actually.

[Laconian]

The Forester's fit and finish is definitely not as good as the Outback's.

[Laconian]

OK, I love how this car drives in Seattle. Shitty streets, NO PROBLEM! Stoplights on steep hills? NO PROBLEM! Random congestion? NO PROBLEM! And when you finally *do* get up to highway speeds--once in a blue moon--it cruises with vaultlike solidity. It's so easy to drive over the speed limit.

The CVT keeps the engine RPMs surprisingly low most of the time, so you don't often hear the ugly boxer growl. I don't really get the love for boxers. :P

[NomisR]

Neither did I.

I was getting really desperate by July and I needed to make a change. 25 years old living with my parents with no real income....fun! My attempt to sell my grandmas house imploded and Keller Williams turned out to not be a good match at all. So I reached out to this couple and sent a shot in the dark to see if they needed help. My timing was very lucky and they were really in need; I went up for an interview and moved up two weeks later.

Mountain living is quite different but it's awesome. It's hard to believe it'll be five months in mid January.

Is it snowing up there

[Laconian]

That's what I'm going to do tomorrow if I can get down there. It's my day off but sometimes it doesn't quite work like that.... In the meantime, tomorrow (hopefully.....)I'm going to drop the accord at my parents' house and bring back the one and only BURBAN' up to get me through the next couple weeks. Electronically it's a mess but mechanically it works well.

So that solves the issue of dealing with winter until the subaru comes. We got a good storm coming tomorrow night into Wednesday. I would have bought/ordered one earlier in the fall but I had just started my job and so I needed first to see if things would work out. Thankfully, it has worked out nicely and I don't foresee me moving anytime soon.  I'm really digging my job/living in the mountains, so for those reasons.....a new subaru would do me well. 

I'm signing a new contract with my bosses in the next couple days.

Had I known about the stipulations behind pre-ordering, I probably would have done it. I thought they were much stricter about locking you in.

Go for Eyesight. It reduces your insurance premiums and might compensate for your ditzy driving skills.

[r0tor]

Forester was never sold here with an N/A 2.0L

I said 2.slow....  not 2.sl0w

[BENZ BOY15]

Is it snowing up there

Yup! It's coming down good right now and it's been snowing all day (but it was pretty light). We've maybe gotten 3-4 inches so far and now it's 24 degrees, so the roads are iced over with snow sticking and it's just a mess. Crashes all over.

You know what I was thinking? You guys need a vacation getaway up here. We got all price ranges and even though the temperature has dropped, people are still buying. In fact, I showed homes today in the snow....which was a first. A house my bosses had for sale sold two weeks ago (guy paid $2,500,000....all cash); the guys extended family was up and now they want to buy. I showed his sister around the neighborhood and we checked out our listings for a couple hours.

It went really well and it was a lot of fun too. They'll be back up in January (bosses are out of town, so I'm kinda running the show for a little) with the whole crew to browse more but I planted the seed. She wants to buy.

But yes Subarus. Back on track.

Go for Eyesight. It reduces your insurance premiums and might compensate for your ditzy driving skills.

Fuck you.

I drove pretty good today. I didn't crash despite the snow and shit.

My dad and I almost got into an argument last night because he thinks I'm going to load it up with frivolous options and not think it through. I don't think he's too impressed with how I've gone about the whole car purchase because he was saying I should have gotten one in the fall to be prepared for winter.  He was right though I probably won't admit it.



After driving around today I'm here to say that the accord is marginal in these conditions. I shoulda gotten a cheap older subaru or at least ordered one. Because now it's hard to get around.

The eyesight option I think I'll get but the navigation system is something I probably don't need. That's what my dad got on my case for, along with the moonroof. He has a point that I can always use my iPhone and connect it through the car.

I've also heard that Subaru's navigation system is too great.

That true? My other question is what options are best to have if I ever want to sell it? I don't plan on it but shit happens.

[AutobahnSHO]

I read an article the other day that suggested getting all the options you want or might want. Might as well like the car you have more.

[Laconian]

The nav is OK. The voice recognition is pretty awful but the nuts and bolts of navigation work fine...

[Laconian]

I'm pretty sure you can only get the Eyesight package on the Premium trim.

IMO the trim packages are pretty sensible - better audio, nav, leather, autodimming mirrors, heated seats, etc. It's not like BMW or Mini where you're blackmailed into getting a bunch of useless, expensive features via bundling.

The options that are less widely useful (trailer hitch, cargo net, etc.) are standalone line items.

[BENZ BOY15]

I'm pretty sure you can only get the Eyesight package on the Premium trim.

IMO the trim packages are pretty sensible - better audio, nav, leather, autodimming mirrors, heated seats, etc. It's not like BMW or Mini where you're blackmailed into getting a bunch of useless, expensive features via bundling.

The options that are less widely useful (trailer hitch, cargo net, etc.) are standalone line items.

Yeah, I definitely want all the goodies and while the navigation isn't that important, I wouldn't mind it. I also imagine that with resale it would be more attractive.

I hear that there's heated seats in the back, which is awesome. I usually don't drive my bosses' clients around but I most likely will be driving people coming up. My bosses want me to start working the $200-$500K range and to start building my own client base. So it'll be nice to have the outbac for that reason.

It's a nice car and I'm looking forward to getting one. I was driving around in the accord today and it wasn't that great. Many hills were impossible to get up but perhaps that's my driving skills playing a part.



But I don't think so honestly. The roads are icy like no other.

[Secret Chimp]

I said 2.slow....  not 2.sl0w

Since when does 2.slow not only mean 2.0?