Possibly buying a Subaru Legacy...

[Stealth22]

I searched around, but I didn't find much on this...

I might be looking at getting a 2010 Legacy, and I was curious if anyone on Beyond could tell me which of the two dealerships is better to deal with, and/or if anyone knows a salesman.

I haven't bought a Subaru before, but a friend of mine (who lives in a different city) has an '06 Legacy, and on a visit down there, I liked his car, so its on the short-list of models for my next car. As we all know, the design has changed for 2010, but I like both of them. If a dealer had 2009s left I might consider those too. My above-mentioned friend's family has all Subarus, and he loves them for the AWD and reliability. How do Subaru cars compare to Toyota and Honda in terms of reliability? And is there anything I might need to know before buying one? (Either about the car or of either Calgary dealership)

Last question- and I know this varies with options, dealership, model, etc...but how much off MSRP can I expect to get? Like I said, I haven't bought a Subaru yet, so I'm not sure what their negotiating style is like. (Would carcostcanada help me on a 2010 Legacy?)

[wes_v]

Come to subaru of calagry and see Chris Konaz.

[max_boost]

PM JDM_XSI aka Bobby Clarke

Yeah you can get some $$$ off for sure but not sure exactly how much. That's between you and the salesman and whether the manager approves of the deal. CCC will help. You can see how much markup there is and go from there. I think cost + $1000 is fair for everyone.

2010 Legacy's look hot and pretty quick. 0-60 in 5.8

Reliability? Aren't Subaru's known for being rock solid? At least that's my experience with them. My family has 5 and we've had no problems whatsoever. The maintenance schedule is so easy to follow as it's the same for each vehicle (unless it's changed recently) and you can get it performed anywhere you want.

[That.Guy.S30]

^ max, he left SOC

edit: im not sure about the new subaru's reliablity. the old ones were awsome. the new ones EJ255 seem prone to problems. also the new legacy is a new platform, i would wait or get an 09. personally the 09s look better as well.

my old subaru has been just as reliable as my toyota. except the subaru cost more.

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by max_boost
PM JDM_XSI aka Bobby Clarke

Yeah you can get some $$$ off for sure but not sure exactly how much. That's between you and the salesman and whether the manager approves of the deal. CCC will help. You can see how much markup there is and go from there. I think cost + $1000 is fair for everyone.

2010 Legacy's look hot and pretty quick. 0-60 in 5.8

Reliability? Aren't Subaru's known for being rock solid? At least that's my experience with them. My family has 5 and we've had no problems whatsoever. The maintenance schedule is so easy to follow as it's the same for each vehicle (unless it's changed recently) and you can get it performed anywhere you want.

Thanks for the reply. That helps a bit- any ideas which dealer is better, or are they equal? I mean in terms of honesty (if stealerships can be considered honest nowadays), quality of service, etc

[That.Guy.S30]

^ i will tell you honestly.. that i would go to neither... actaully, i rather go to centaur and deal with their shitty attitude then spend my hard earned money at SOC.. ive had more than enough problems at SOC then at centaur.

[max_boost]

Bobby still sells them through appointments at Centaur.

I can't comment on the service aspect as I never bring my cars into the dealers unless it's warranty related and I haven't had that issue yet with Subaru. The service you get will ultimately come down to who you deal with as all places has a few bad apples.

Just follow the maintenance schedule and get it done anywhere you want. I would bring it to a place like Option Auto or Integra Tire before it goes to Subaru but that's me. For convenience I just take my car to Mr. Lube for oil changes.

I really like the new look of the 2010 Legacy and possibly considering one too but with my WRX being faster and the new R20 VW Golf coming, I can't see myself pulling the trigger unless I get 1%rate lease or something haha

[psycoticclown]

Both dealerships are meh tbh. My dad services his Jag through SoC/JoC and he hasn't had any really really bad issues with them, just kinda pricey. If you are getting a Subaru though, take it to AllMakes Subaru in the NE near Speedtech. They are top notch and won't rip you off like the dealership does.

Other than that, Subarus are pretty reliable, maybe not AS reliable as a Toyota or a Honda, but really really close. Plus the new '10 Legacy's are pretty nice, took a drive in one past 2 weeks and it's pretty quick, decent luxury too. Felt a lot bigger than the current model. I would get the 2.5GT over the H6 if you are looking to do any modifications to it whatsoever since it is the exact same engine in the WRX and STi. The 6spd isn't the same as the STi though, so dunno how much power you can get outta that tranny.

I would honestly get a '09 Spec B tbh, they're a little faster, have the 6 speed from the STi, almost as nice interior and you can probably get it for a bit cheaper. And tons of aftermarket support. Only downside vs the '10 is the space, if you need the rear legroom/trunk than stick with the '10.

[kbye]

Yea always be wary of first-year models. I would go with an '09 model as well, and they should be clearing them out by now. Subaru has been up there with Toyota and Honda in terms of reliability so I really wouldn't be worried.

If you do go with '10 model, stay away from the V6 models.

And kinda off-topic.. but I thought the R20 Golf wasn't coming to Canada.

[doctortalon]

I have worked at Centaur for about 2 years and i think we are fair and honest with everyone that comes on the sales floor. personally i treat people how i would like to be. if and of you have any Subaru questions or wants a straight up answer just send me a PM.


Alex Ewan

[bignerd]

Bought both of mine from the States-was generally quite painless.

[BlackArcher101]

It might be worth a trip to Red Deer to the dealer there. Scott Subaru. They were great to deal with when I lived there.

[Stealth22]

So I haven't bought a new car yet..might be looking at the Impreza (2.5i Sport) cause its cheaper than the Legacy...how much more is the Impreza on insurance?

[Stealth22]

Just to bump this up again, I thought I'd give an update.

My car was written off in an accident..we still have another car for me to use, but I want something newer, closer to what my car was. As I said in my original post, I visited a friend in the US, and saw both his '06 Legacy and his wife's (current-gen) Impreza. I liked both, although I liked the Legacy more.

I'm one of those people that at some point, is going to learn to drive standard, but for a daily driver, prefers auto. I also don't plan to do any mods to this car, if I were to get one. (I lurked on Beyond as a guest just for the laughs before I signed up...co-worker who spent his lunch hour surfing Beyond made me do it lol)

I'm not into JDM cars or anything, just want something of decent quality thats fun to drive, and doesn't break the bank. Seeing my friend's Legacy drove me toward Subaru- the standard AWD is an added perk for Calgary's roads. :D

I won't be paying cash for the car, but if we're talking MSRP ranges, my budget caps out around $25K. The 2010 Legacy (2.5i Sport) is a tad over that obviously, but I was looking at either the Legacy 2.5i Sport, or the Impreza 2.5i Sport Sedan.

I know the Impreza is a bit more on insurance (not sure how much) than the Legacy, but it is cheaper to buy- and its the 2.5i, not the WRX or the STI, so it can't be all that much more. I tried searching for used '08+ Imprezas (don't like any of the older-gen Imprezas) and used '05-06+ Legacys, but theres not much selection at all in AB or BC. What there is available, is a manual, and in general all I could find were LGT's and Spec B's for $25K+

[Stealth22]

For those who have experience..is it worth it to buy from the US? The Impreza is $6k cheaper there..what I'm wondering is..will subaru canada honor the warranty, and if you buy from a US dealer, do you have to pay cash?

[bignerd]

Well you would get a bank loan and then wire the funds to the dealer in the States. I am not sure what Subaru finance rates in Canada are right now but a bank loan will be a bit higher of a rate... 6%?

When we bought the first STi it was brand new and the dollar was close to par so we did save, even with shipping, duty, GST etc... saved quite a bit vs. buying here.

Subaru does honor the warranty however now I believe you may have to pay upfront and send in for re-imbursement. They may transfer straight over on used cars, not sure about that yet.

The next STi was used but barely had any miles on it. The exchange rate this time around was not as good. Did I save any money on this car? Probably not, saw one smoking deal here but it was sold almost immediatley and all other comparable cars (same price as what I paid from US with shipping, taxes etc...) all had higher mileage. Mind you I wanted a specific year as well...)

I bought both cars from New Hampshire so my shipping was higher than say if you bought from Seattle... The border work is really quite painless, I had the car shipped to Sweetgrass and drove down with a friend to meet the truck and did the paperwork at the border, paid duty etc...

Pretty easy, locate car in the States(we bought both from dealerships), place deposit with credit card, get bank loan, dealership couriers paperwork to you, wire money, sign and courier paperwork back, arrange for shipping or go pick up car, send paperwork to border 3 days in advance of when you are crossing, pay duty, gst etc at border, drive car home, do RIV Canada inspection, get RIV Canada sticker and approval, done.

There are a few minor steps in between but I don't think the process is anymore painful than dealing with a salesman and car dealership here.

If you are shipping from further away it can take a while, like two weeks or more for the car to get to you.... depends on how the trucks go. I bought both cars from a Subaru dealership sight unseen-the new car was well, new. The used car had a few minor dings and what not but no real surprises or issues. Obviously buying from a dealership I was comfortable that once I wired the money they would put my car on the truck.... with a private deal I am not so sure you would want to buy sight unseen and wire large amounts of cash to a private seller not knowing if your car will actually come.... If you flew down and picked it up in person it is not a big deal.

The car will also have a speedo in miles (small km's underneath) not a big deal to me but it is to some.

[anschutz_92]

Originally posted by Stealth22
For those who have experience..is it worth it to buy from the US? The Impreza is $6k cheaper there..what I'm wondering is..will subaru canada honor the warranty, and if you buy from a US dealer, do you have to pay cash?

When you add in duty (6.5%), gst (5%), and the current canadian dollar (it's trading ~95cents US which means at best you will be adding at least 7%) You shouldn't look at a USDM at this time.

When you are paying an extra ~18.5% it doesn't make sense to purchase the car in the states. If you option out a Legacy to $30k US, it now costs the exact same to import it, than to buy it at the dealer. In actually fact it costs more because you now have to either get a plane ticket and drive it up, or pay some company $1k+ to bring it up for you.

As bignerd said, you don't save any money buying from the states and when it comes time to sell you have to price your care lower than a local car to get it to move. Just ask all the retards who bought STI's (sight unseen, regardless of condition and milage) for ~30k landed back when the dollar was at par and are trying to sell them at the price of local cars. They aren't moving at all. The market is saturated with these things. People got greedy and figured there was a profit to be made. Only problem is the people who buy a used 35k car aren't stupid and know that these cars were brought up for thousands less.

[Zero102]

Originally posted by bignerd
Bought both of mine from the States-was generally quite painless.

I am going to make a trip down to pick up an impreza around march/april this year, there is almost $7k to be saved by buying in the USA (including all import fees, duty and taxes). The savings on a legacy are probably just as good (I haven't checked). The only down side is that for all warranty work you have to pay out of pocket then be paid back by subaru of america. Or, you could take some of the 7k you saved and buy a comprehensive warranty that is valid in canada.

The only modifications that need to be made are the addition of a french airbag sticker (provided by RIV), updating of the child seat anchors (very cheap to do) and make sure the car comes with an electronic immobilizer (as far as I know all 2010 subaru's qualify here).

[bignerd]

I never had to change anything regarding adding a french airbag sticker or child seat anchors... both cars were '07's. The only sticker I was given was the one showing it passed the RIV inspection and was legally imported.

Apparently I am one of those retards... and I sold my first STi (American car) for exactly what Canadian cars were going for-I took ZERO loss on that car. The market is not saturated with them. Why would I sell my car for any less than what they are being sold for locally? Because I did all the work of importing it and was smart and bought it for less than everyone else who purchased a Canadian car? If you think about it, it would make more sense to sell them for the same price or really we would be bringing down the re-sale prices on the Canadian cars that were purchased for 50K originally. Not one person that looked at or called about the car cared it was American nor did they ask about softening the price because of it. Do not let this scare you.

Yes the Canadian cars have heated seats and wipers and fold down seats but I also saved 10K on my first Subaru (after duty, taxes, shipping etc...) so I didn't mind one bit. I never should of sold that car.

This time around I did not save any money on the car but I did get what I wanted with ridiculously low mileage so really no loss there either. Honestly I have to say buying the first STi new from the US dealership was the best car-buying experience I have ever had.

There are deals to be had but it does depend on the dollar-you are best to have the cash ready to go so you can have it wired when the exchange rate is good. Even a cent or two on 30K can be a few hundred dollars. If the dollar goes to par again or close to par and you are ready to go YOU CAN SAVE MONEY. Duty may depend on the model of car you buy as well, I know all STi's are built in Japan so we were always nailed with duty, not sure about other models.

A flight to Seattle would be a couple hundred bucks and the drive is awesome, I know several people that bought from Seattle and drove home. I paid $800 US to ship my car from the North Eastern United States, finding a decent priced shipping company was probably the most work out of the entire process.

[anschutz_92]

Originally posted by bignerd
.....

Sorry wasn't intending to take a shot at you personally. But IMHO American cars are worth less than canadian cars given all other things constant. Since I am in the market for STI's I'm looking both state side and local. I'm interested only in a 2006+ with at most 40k miles (~70k km) and no mods. Locally I'm looking around 28-33. Looking at American Subaru forums a good condition STOCK vehicle can be had for anywhere from 19k-22k, which when you factor in all taxes and duty will cost ~23.5-26 into your driveway provided you drive it up yourself. Importing isn't difficult, and a drive up the coast of California is great. Now why would I ever pay 33k for this same car?

I'm not at all against importing vehicles from the states but if I am going to deal with the hassles of an American car when it comes to features and warranty I better be saving some coin.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by Stealth22
Just to bump this up again, I thought I'd give an update.

My car was written off in an accident..we still have another car for me to use, but I want something newer, closer to what my car was. As I said in my original post, I visited a friend in the US, and saw both his '06 Legacy and his wife's (current-gen) Impreza. I liked both, although I liked the Legacy more.

I'm one of those people that at some point, is going to learn to drive standard, but for a daily driver, prefers auto. I also don't plan to do any mods to this car, if I were to get one. (I lurked on Beyond as a guest just for the laughs before I signed up...co-worker who spent his lunch hour surfing Beyond made me do it lol)

I'm not into JDM cars or anything, just want something of decent quality thats fun to drive, and doesn't break the bank. Seeing my friend's Legacy drove me toward Subaru- the standard AWD is an added perk for Calgary's roads. :D

I won't be paying cash for the car, but if we're talking MSRP ranges, my budget caps out around $25K. The 2010 Legacy (2.5i Sport) is a tad over that obviously, but I was looking at either the Legacy 2.5i Sport, or the Impreza 2.5i Sport Sedan.

I know the Impreza is a bit more on insurance (not sure how much) than the Legacy, but it is cheaper to buy- and its the 2.5i, not the WRX or the STI, so it can't be all that much more. I tried searching for used '08+ Imprezas (don't like any of the older-gen Imprezas) and used '05-06+ Legacys, but theres not much selection at all in AB or BC. What there is available, is a manual, and in general all I could find were LGT's and Spec B's for $25K+

If you are over 25 there should be little to no difference in insurance cost between two cars. (Not more than $5-$10 per month) The auto impreza still comes with the 4 speed auto which is just ok but there is a bit of a dead spot between 2-3 gear.

The new legacy comes with the CVT if I remember correctly when you get the 4 cylinder model. It's been getting good reviews, I haven't tried one so I can't comment but you should try both as that's pretty big difference in transmissions alone.

Also I think SOA told their dealers to stop selling new cars to Canadians so buying a new one might be impossible.

http://www.cars101.com/canada.html#warranty

[Zephyr]

yW3064x5_aE

Subies are such good cars, can't go wrong with your choice.

[bignerd]

Originally posted by anschutz_92


Sorry wasn't intending to take a shot at you personally. But IMHO American cars are worth less than canadian cars given all other things constant. Since I am in the market for STI's I'm looking both state side and local. I'm interested only in a 2006+ with at most 40k miles (~70k km) and no mods. Locally I'm looking around 28-33. Looking at American Subaru forums a good condition STOCK vehicle can be had for anywhere from 19k-22k, which when you factor in all taxes and duty will cost ~23.5-26 into your driveway provided you drive it up yourself. Importing isn't difficult, and a drive up the coast of California is great. Now why would I ever pay 33k for this same car?

I'm not at all against importing vehicles from the states but if I am going to deal with the hassles of an American car when it comes to features and warranty I better be saving some coin.

No offense taken-this is only the internet after all. Really what it comes down to is that a car (any car) will sell for whatever someone is willing to pay for it-you are not willing to pay the same price for a US car so be it, someone else in another thread hates Preludes and can't understand why they still sell for 12K, so be it-you guys will never pay this for these cars, but other people will. I paid more for my second '07 than what you have mentioned above but it also only had 7,000 miles on it.

The real problem is the manufactorers pricing-they price the cars based on how the Yen is against the US dollar and how the Yen is against the Canadian dollar-this is how the difference in price was described to me. Back when the dollar was par there was a Subaru club in Toronto that arranged a group buy of Subaru's (all various models) and I think they took a bus down to get their cars... think they bought 25 or 30. When you have situations going on like this then you know there is an issue with pricing in Canada.

[Stealth22]

Thanks for the replies guys. At this point it'll probably be the 4 door 2.5i Impreza Sport. Its cheaper than the Legacy and is probably good enough for me..pending a test drive of course :)

I'm 22 with a good driving record so hopefully the insurance hit won't be too bad...especially since I'm not even going for the WRX.

I checked into US cars, and there's no doubt..they are cheaper down there. But all things considered, i'll probably go with a Canadian car.