[dandy]

my budget for my 2nd car evah :woohoo: was/is around 10-12.. or so.. but could afford more if i want, but love a good deal.
Need something to haul art etc, and have a ford escort station wagon now.
Drove this 01 outback:
2001 Subaru Outback $9,995, H6 LL Bean Edition, 77,415 miles, dealer maintained.
And it was very very nice! super comfy.
[

But then i saw this 06 forester $13,988 , 36,753 miles, 2 hrs away.. not driven it yet.. but looks super nice too dealer said it has no noisy windows or rattles.. and exactly what i thought i imagined myself buying-
i had thought i liked the look of the foresters better, kinda cool looking, plus the aahmazing sun roof. And it is BLUE! my fave color. It is the same size as my escort which is fine for me.


So a price dif of $4500 around... which is very significant and i love a good deal because i am scottish, but dont we all.
what should i buy???? Help me!!!! btw i have posted this poll on the outback forum too

 

[09xtBrandon]

I would say forester, for the win. Better miles, newer and more capable, and only 45 price dif. And its blue, cmon. hehe GL.

 

[dandy]

1-o for the forester.
i am trying to figure out which would be better mpg.. the 6 cyl right but by how much i wonder

 

[Vinnyd]

well you are going to get quite the biased opinion on this site as Im sure you would guess. but anyways the forester being much newer is nice. the forester should get a better mpg, having the 4 cyl rather than the 6cyl.

both are going to give you the excellent reliability and safety of the subaru name but my vote is def the forester. its blue...duh

 

[ferret]

Well, what would you expect on a FORESTER board .... I'm certain the Outback forum will be just as biased.

But our opinion shouldn't be the final deciding factor, just information for your decision.

My sincere advice, Drive them both. I love my Forester, but my wife would easily pick the Outback. I have owned both. Been happy with both.

Take a 2 hour ride and take the Forester for a good hour ( or 2 if the dealer will let you ) drive. Explain you have come a long way and would like to make the decision based on an extended test drive. Most dealers have no problem doing it, especially if the buyer is sincere and driven so far just to check it out.

Best wishes either way ..... and you are always welcome to hang around here even if you do but the Outback .

P.S. being Scottish means we are frugal ..... and try to get a dollar from every penny we spend !

 

[dandy]

thanks so much Ferret, extended driving is a good idea.

 

[ferret]

Just remembered something else, daily cost to run both vehicles:

Forester, better gas mileage, Regular gas

Outback, H6, smoother, more powerful by far, but at a lower gas mileage and Premium gas.

Since I travel a lot, and the cost of gas is out of MY pocket, this was the deciding factor on why I opted for an XS instead of an XT when I bought my car. Granted the XT was even more fun to drive ( can you see the smile on my face as I type this ), but the XS has been more than adequate for my travels, and easier on my daily expenses.

 

[dandy]

Just remembered something else, daily cost to run both vehicles:

Forester, better gas mileage, Regular gas

Outback, H6, smoother, more powerful by far, but at a lower gas mileage and Premium gas.

Since I travel a lot, and the cost of gas is out of MY pocket, this was the deciding factor on why I opted for an XS instead of an XT when I bought my car. Granted the XT was even more fun to drive ( can you see the smile on my face as I type this ), but the XS has been more than adequate for my travels, and easier on my daily expenses.

ohh i didnt realize the ob 6 cyl had to have premium gas, mm.. i looked up mpg and it isnt much more.. like 1 or 2... but the premium thing yeah that makes a dif

 

[Papa_D]

The 06 forester provided you like it and it passes inspection and all for the telephone negotiated price of 12,700 (14,300 OTD) which sounds like a winner to me.

Congratulations, why aren't you test driving it right now instead of talking to us wankers around here, lol.

 

[dandy]

The 06 forester provided you like it and it passes inspection and all for the telephone negotiated price of 12,700 (14,300 OTD) which sounds like a winner to me.

Congratulations, why aren't you test driving it right now instead of talking to us wankers around here, lol.

I know~~~~ i want to go NOW~~~~!!!!!:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

 

[shalootm]

love the outbacks engine but the forister is the winner!!

 

[dandy]

the forester is winning the forester is winning!!!
am i surprised nooo.. even on the outback forum i have a vote for the forester (2 for the outback though)

 

[Papa_D]

I know~~~~ i want to go NOW~~~~!!!!!:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

Thata girl, I'm excited for you and hope it is to your liking and if so, you may be able to negotiate another 500 or 1000 dollars out of them and since you are a girl, that might be easier than for the guys, especially since you have cash in hand and don't really need to trade in your car.

Go test drive it, preferably on different road surfaces and conditions as the previous poster suggested and if possible, have someone with you that knows a bit about cars to listen, look and feel for anything out of the ordinary. It still has some warranty left on the drive train so I would tend to focus your attention a little more on the stuff that's out of warranty and maybe get some tips on what to look for on that specific vehicle from the folks around here so you can better direct your attention to potential known problems.

After the inspection and test drive if you like the Foz, tell them if they give you 2000.00 for your car, you will take it. That probably won't happen but with cash in hand you never know and they may offer to give you 1500.00 real dollars for the Escort which would bring the real price on the Foz down to 12,200 which is only 350 above rough book, a price I like to shoot for OTD but that is tough to do and you would still be about a thousand dollars away from that even with 1500.00 for the Escort.

Don't be afraid to keep the Escort and sell it to someone on Craig's list for a couple of grand either but never tell prospective buyers where you live, meet them somewhere else instead and and don't let them follow you back home either, that is unless you have weapons and know how to use them and then you can disregard the safety precautions provided you are stocked up on ammunition, lol.

Maybe there is a Forester Club member that is well known here and lives in that area who isn't a stalker and would help look at it with you. I would offer but I am happily married, not much for stalking and consequently there is no way I am spending four hours driving to Tampa and back with you, lol.

 

[dandy]

Thata girl, I'm excited for you and hope it is to your liking and if so, you may be able to negotiate another 500 or 1000 dollars out of them and since you are a girl, that might be easier than for the guys, especially since you have cash in hand and don't really need to trade in your car.

Go test drive it, preferably on different road surfaces and conditions if possible as the previous poster suggested and if possible, have someone with you that knows a bit about cars to listen, look and feel for anything out of the ordinary. It still has some warranty left on the drive train so I would tend to focus your attention a little more on the stuff that's out of warranty and maybe get some tips on what to look for on that specific vehicle from the folks around here so you can better direct your attention to potential known problems.

After the inspection and test drive if you like the Foz, tell them if they give you 2000.00 for your car, you will take it. That probably won't happen but with cash in hand you never know and they may offer to give you 1500.00 real dollars for the Escort which would bring the real price on the Foz down to 12,200 which is only 350 above rough book, a price I like to shoot for OTD but that is tough to do and you would still be about a thousand dollars away from that even with 1500.00 for the Escort.

Don't be afraid to keep the Escort and sell it to someone on Craig's list for a couple of grand either but never tell prospective buyers where you live, meet them somewhere else instead and and don't let them follow you back home either that is unless you have weapons and know how to use them and then you can disregard the safety precautions provided you are stocked up on ammunition, lol.

Maybe there is a Forester Club member that is well known here and lives in that area who isn't a stalker and would help look at it with you. I would offer but I am happily married, not much for stalking and consequently there is no way I am spending four hours driving to Tampa and back with you, lol.

LOL!

i am pleading with the BF to come with, he doesnt really feel like the long drive but if he did then he could drive the escort home for me ..
Will see. But will be sure to update.

 

[bbottomley]

It's not just because we're Forester people here. Potential for trouble with a 2001 vs. a 2006 just can't be ignored.

Personally, I think the earlier Outbacks just looked too funky.

 

[dandy]

yeah me too.. also i kinda feel like a change after my escort wagon. and this one is burgandy and my car is red.. red and tan.. so it wont feel like a change as much.
Except it prob will since i dont have power windows, power locks, cd player, moonroof etc etc etc

 

[Papa_D]

LOL!

i am pleading with the BF to come with, he doesnt really feel like the long drive but if he did then he could drive the escort home for me ..
Will see. But will be sure to update.

Don't try and guilt trip me, I am married 20 years now and consequently immune to coercion so I AM NOT DRIVING TO TAMPA, lol.

Seriously, maybe for a good lunch at a nice restaurant in the area you can have a girlfriend go with you and that beats a 200 or 300 dollar tow bill or worst case, you leave the old beater there and go back for it when your BF has time.

In a case like that, you may want to have a shop in the area check it out for you but honestly, if it drives well and you like it, you have a one owner, low miles car with a clean Carfax and a drive-train warranty and you could do far worse price wise so in the end, I would trust your instincts a bit if it drives well and all the bits and pieces are intact and functional.

I have purchased worse sounding vehicles than that with far less evidence of fitness and done alright and I don't think this is a vehicle to be scared of provided you do a thorough check of all the major systems as well as the interior mechanics such as seats and belts.

 

[dandy]

Don't try and guilt trip me, I am married 20 years now and consequently immune to coercion so I AM NOT DRIVING TO TAMPA, lol.

Seriously, maybe for a good lunch at a nice restaurant in the area you can have a girlfriend go with you and that beats a 200 or 300 dollar tow bill or worst case, you leave the old beater there and go back for it when your BF has time.

In a case like that, you may want to have a shop in the area check it out for you but honestly, if it drives well and you like it, you have a one owner, low miles car with a clean Carfax and a drive-train warranty and you could do far worse price wise so in the end, I would trust your instincts a bit if it drives well and all the bits and pieces are intact and functional.

I have purchased worse sounding vehicles than that with far less evidence of fitness and done alright and I don't think this is a vehicle to be scared of provided you do a thorough check of all the major systems as well as the interior mechanics such as seats and belts.

lol
my friend and her husband live out there. Could always leave it at theirs.. actually he might know a thing or 2 about cars.

 

[Papa_D]

lol
my friend and her husband live out there. Could always leave it at theirs.. actually he might know a thing or 2 about cars.

That's cool and since you know them, they will be happy with maybe some Arbby's or Boston Market, lol.

 

[scubadoober]

Looks like I'm in the minority here, don't frown upon me Forester Gods.