Subaru Forester or Volkswagen Jetta Diesel

[adamfilip]

Im having a tough time deciding on a used car

I have about 9000 dollars (cdn) to play with
I have looked around and found two vehicles but i cant really decide
which one i like more or shall i say want more

Vehicle #1

1999 Subaru Forester
Silver
5 Speed , 2.5L Boxer 4 cyl
203,000 km (aprox 121k miles)
very good condition

Vehicle #2

2000 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sedan
Black
5 speed, 1.9L 4 cyl Diesel
230,000 km (aprox 140k miles)
a few small scratches and minor wear

both vehicles are about the same price

Insurance for both is pretty equal

I love the Jetta for its styling, Fuel Economy
But hate it for its bad rep for unreliability

I love the Forester for its All wheel Drive, Practicality
and Solid Reliability (from past expereince with subarus)

The Jetta would prob cost half as much to fuel up
but if i need to get it repaired more often well that savings in fuel with
be negated by the cost and frustration of repairs

My Family has had subarus for over 20 years. they have been great vehicles and if i got a forester it could be easily and cheaply maintained by my dad.

The Jetta is a nice change . from having subarus all my life

My Fiancee prefers the jetta from a style aspect

What is your opinion? what should i do

[Sun Baked]

Pass on the TDi if you cannot get an accurate account of when the timing belt, and water pump were replaced -- along with a couple of the things like the timing belt tensioner/roller.

The timing pump and the tensioner aren't always on the timing belt change list, but the can both let go at about that mileage and take out the head (would need rebuilt head replacement after that)

If the timing belt, tensioner, and water pump were replaced... soot in the intake would probably need to be cleaned out -- car should pull strong as long as the intake isn't clogged.

Which would get you a nice running car... that runs like new.

As long as you take care and change the Timing belt and keep and eye on the tensioner and water pump -- there's no reason that the engine shouldn't give you another 150k miles.

Of course you probably end up with an electrical gremlin or two (bad grounds) and a blown MAF along the way.

Both the MAF and intake sooting make for a pathetic running vehicle.

---

Not too troublesome a vehicle if you don't mind a little DIY to get decent fuel mileage, but with the high sulfer in the fuel in North America -- we get soot in diesels or sulfer caked parts in gas vehicles (clogged fuel pumps or sensors in some gas vehicles.)

So it's not just this diesels, gas cars come to NA and get eaten alive by sulfer.

---

Actually no bigger a deal than the Subaru to take care of (except the timing belt) -- but different, and something that you need to get used to.

[applefan]

You've got your choice narrowed down to two great cars. I like them both, but the only VW I've owned was a 76 Bug. However, I recently bought a 98 Forester similar to your prospect, except green and automatic. I'm a little disappointed with the fuel economy (avg 21 mpg, mostly city driving, but I expected more) but I am very satisfied otherwise. It is very durable and feels bigger and heavier than it really is.

Either way, I think you'll get a good car.

[stubeeef]

Get the Suburu based on reliability.

Consumer Reports Lists the forester on the reliable/good bets for used cars, but doesn't list a single VW.


edit: previous reliability is not a guarantee of future reliability, but......
The one on the left is VW Jetta and the right is Sub Forester

[gwuMACaddict]

stubeef is right on. i have heard nothing but absolutely horrible accounts of VW reliability from my friends. VW's are popular cars for college kids/city dwellars because they are reasonably inexpensive, packed with fun features, and small... but they break down constantly.

my friends who own subarus love them

[mpw]

I'd go Subaru. There's plenty of positives(durability, reliability etc.) and the only negative is fuel economy.

[natebg]

check out http://www.tdiclub.com and the forums at http://forums.tdiclub.com
I have both a '98 Subaru Impreza outback sport and a '03 VW Jetta Wagon TDI 5spd
Both of your choices are great cars!

[iBook]

Friends don't let friends buy Volkswagen. Current quality numbers speak for themselves. VW ranks as among the highest in problems per 100 vehicles.

I owned a Volkswagen once. Once.

Won't be fooled again. The company does not stand behind its products and will not act as an advocate for the customer when confronted by nonsense from its dealers. :mad:

[pseudobrit]

The TDI is the younger of the two, mileage-wise. That plug is good for at least 300,000 miles if kept by the book.

Buy it if you have a good, honest, competent mechanic. I have two.

I love my TDI; I hate the dealers and I hate VWoA.

If you don't have a good private mechanic available, and you're going to rely on a dealership for service, by all means buy the Boobaroo. I'll never buy a new VW again, but I will buy VW nonetheless.

[RBMaraman]

stubeef is right on. i have heard nothing but absolutely horrible accounts of VW reliability from my friends. VW's are popular cars for college kids/city dwellars because they are reasonably inexpensive, packed with fun features, and small... but they break down constantly.

VW's are great vehicles, as long as you maintain them properly (like you should ANY car). If you take it in for maintenance very 5000 miles (approx. cost is $45) like VW recommends, then you will have no problems. I have a 2001 VW Passat 1.8T, and it beats the crap out of my old Toyota Camry. I love my Passat, and I've been extremly impressed with its reliability, especially since all you hear is VW horror stories.

Also, VW service centers are rated #1 of any dealer. Why? Because VW punishes its dealers if customers rate them badly, so dealers and service centers work extra hard to keep their customers happy. If a dealer gets a bad customer rating, VW cuts the amount of new vehicles the dealer gets.

As for Subaru, I only know of one person who has one. If you go with the Subaru, get an automatic. My friend has a 2003 Subaru Forester and he's on his fifth clutch.

[mfacey]

As far as I'm concerned diesels are evil and horrid machines. Stay away. Go for the Subaru!

[blackfox]

adamflip, since many people have offered their opinions based on relative reliability, I will take a different tact:

- Does the extra space of the Subaru appeal to you? Would it be useful?
- The AWD of the Subaru will probably be useful in inclement weather, which I assume you see up in Ontario. Not that it should be a major concern, but AWD is a pricey repair, should something go wrong.
- Do you drive a lot? Commute etc. The fuel savings of the Jetta would add up under these conditions.

Other than this, I find SB's and pseudobrit's comments to be thoughtful regarding the VW.

As for the Subaru, they are fine cars, and you are used to them. As anecdotal evidence, however, a good friend of mine is on her 3rd Outback model, and for her, once her cars reached about 150K, she started having major problems (transmission, drivetrain etc). nevertheless, she kept buying them.

You couldn't find a nice honda in that price range?

[parrothead]

Well, I am a Jetta owner and I can tell you this, a Jetta is not a car for people who buy cheap oil and discounted regular gas at CostCo. They are not built that way. So if you are that kind of person, I agree, a Jetta is not your car. If you do the regular maintenance of your Jetta, give it good high quality full synthetic motor oil and fill it up with supreme gas from a good supplier like Shell or Chevron your Jetta runs like a charm for years and years. If a car is just a tool for you and you don't want to be bothered with caring for it, DON'T buy a Jetta, or any German car for that matter, you will be disappointed. If a car is like a family member for you and you treat it with care and love, then a Jetta is a great buy and you will have lots of fun.
Regards,

Ahmed

Filling a car with supreme gas that is engineered to take regular is a big waste of money. I have seen report after report saying that people who do this are doing it for the wrong reason. The only reason to buy supreme is if the car manufacturer recommends it.

[pseudobrit]

Filling a car with supreme gas that is engineered to take regular is a big waste of money.

Even moreso in this case where the car in question runs on fuel oil.

[Sun Baked]

We have fuel that sucks in the US, many cars are built to use low-sulfur fuel -- and bringing them to the US causes problems.

Fuel pump and fuel tank sensor problems in gas vehicles.

And soot buildup in diesels with an EGR valve.

So one fuel doesn't suck any worse than another, they all suck.

---

Many times all the raw gasoline for all the stations in a city will come from the same place, it's the additives that are added when the tanker fills up that make for a difference between Texaco, Unocal, Joe Blow's Gas station, etc.

[iDM]

Granted this is a really old thread but I had a question involving a Subaru I am about to buy next week. I heard someone mention off the cuff when I was test driving it that the WRX that I will be purchasing needs a higher octane. It is a '03 Impreza WRX manual sedan.

My question is since I am buying it used(has 25,089 miles on it now) how bad would it have been if the original owner did not use that octane level. I will put exactly what octane is asked for it but since I have never met the previous owner I am a little worried he may not have been privy to the higher octane need. (Why am I of that opinion well because I have never bought a car before and I am thinking of every damn scenario possible)

My other question involves a warranty. I'm hoping all of you, a completely unbiased(as in not an immediate member of my family) can help me decide on a warranty. The car as stated has 25k on it. But it was purchased in Jan of '03 so the 3yr, 36K warranty is over. Subaru has in addition a 5 year, 60k powertrain (flywheel, cylinders, exhaust manifold, transmission, etc.) warranty that is transferable and still covers this car(I called and gave the vin to Subaru CS.) It also has the lifetime emissions warranty and rust perforation warranty, but I am wondering about the dealers warranty(A Chevy dealer). It costs $1300 and covers 5yrs or 60k. I have zero intention of paying full price and I am going to try my damnedest to get it included in the price of the car. What would all of you suggest? Pay 500 for the warranty, 0, don't bother trying to get it or what? Be brutally honest, my father the king of frugal wouldn't buy a warranty if the product was already broken, and my brother would buy a warranty on anything that moves so neither provide any sound advice.

P.S. I have beat myself up about ever mundane detail with this car. Checked carfax, searched with a fine tooth comb over the entire body, asked the dealer to fill in a small chip INSIDE the engine compartment, checked the fluids(to determine if it was dropped off by someone who cares), and my last wish is to take it to an outside mechanic with no relationship to the dealer I am buying from. The gearbox felt solid much more so than the newer '04 I drove that felt sloppy and hard to find a gear in. My brother who holds the world record for pessimism is telling me to keep a grand in my account and to plan on a new clutch soon and has me worried that I'll be purchasing a car with a need for a new clutch. He has been burned on 3 previous car purchases, 2 needed clutches right away(5.0 mustangs), his third and newest car('03 Grand Cherokee) has a few defects that showed up a couple months after buying and are not covered under his $3000 extended warranty.

I should also mention I am the first in my family to be buying a Japanese car which according to my dad is the rough equivalent of defecting to a communist country and taking up arms against him.(He actually half kidding say I don't want it parked in my driveway) So if this car has even the slightest malfunction guess who is going to be the first to say, "Shoulda never bought a damn Japanese car."

Anyway thanks for any info you can provide. Feel free to shoot me some concerns about used Subarus or whatever. (I also narrowed it down to a used Jetta Turbo and Subaru Impreza, but after reading a couple years of horrible Jetta Turbo ratings for used cars and nothing but the highest rating for used Imprezas my mind was made up)

Edit: Sorry I had intention of making the P.S. longer than the actually question.

[Chip NoVaMac]

stubeef is right on. i have heard nothing but absolutely horrible accounts of VW reliability from my friends. VW's are popular cars for college kids/city dwellars because they are reasonably inexpensive, packed with fun features, and small... but they break down constantly.

my friends who own subarus love them

I had '99 New Beetle, and can say first hand the VW quality is crap. I now have a Subaru Baja, been trouble free since 2003 (knocks wood).

[iGary]

My mother's Forrester has been pretty reliable. It blew a radiator, but that coul dbe from road debris - whatever.

I am not much on Subarus in general (no offense, Chip), but they are solid little tanks.

[cyberddot]

I had a 1967 VW Beetle in the 80's, modified as a baja-style, it ran great and was easy to work on -- I pulled the engine as a 17year old several times to modify.
I have a 2003 TDI Jetta wagon (built in Germany, not Mexico <--- this makes a difference), it has 60k miles on it, has had regular service, can still get me 800 miles on a 14+gallon tank (filled to the neck), and it burns biodiesel without any modification. :cool:

I bought it over a Subaru because the Jetta was listed as an ULEM or Ultra Light Emmission Vehicle, which was a better rating than a Subaru Outback's LEM, and because the VW sticker was correct about my 90hp engine -- I can get 52+mpg.

[geese]

You are aware that Regular Gas in Europe has 91 Octane right?
Ahmed

Are you sure? Regular Unleaded in UK is 95 octane. It might be 91 on the continent.

My 2 pence: my dads 98' VW Passat has been absolutly solid and a dream to run, apart from a faulty door lock once. VWs tend to be really well built cars, I cant think why US VWs get a bad rep- that Mexican factory must be a bit crap.

[AliensAreFuzzy]

I'd go with the Subaru. We have 2 of them. One a 1995 Outback Impreza (121k Miles), the only thing we've had wrong with it is a broken temperature gauge. And the other a 2002 Outback (50k Miles), no problems yet.

[Lord Blackadder]

A friend of mine has a Subaru WRX, and has beaten the hell out of it for years...it has been pretty reliable. My Aunt has a late 90's Outback that has been problematic; It blew a head gasket at 80k miles and has had electrical problems galore.

I have heard, but can't prove, that the new Golf (which is made in Germany) is significantly more reliable and better built than the Jetta (which is made in Mexico or Brazil). my dad bought a brand-new Jetta in 1988 and it was a lemon - the worst car ever in terms of reliability. Personally I would not be afraid to buy a new German-built Mk.V Golf GTI though.

Overall Subarus are considered to be a little more reliable, but personally I think the two companies are close enough in reliability that you should be more worried about

1. The condition and service history of the two cars in particular you are looking at.

2. Which one you prefer from a style/performance perspective.

Then buy based on that.

[adroit]

Good choices by the way.... for both cars.

I think it really depends on what you are going to use the car for. I find that the Forrester is quite big for city driving but if you are going to do a lot of camping etc, it might be worth it.

The fuel economy on the Jetta is wonderful I just fuel up our 1991 MK2 Jetta last night and it was 48.5L/647km (7.5L/100km) and that was for half-half city/highway. The TDI probably would do better than that and you will probably save hundrends of dollars on gas every year.

Neither car has glarring reliability problems and the TDI is pretty bullet proof compare to the rest of the VW lineup apart from some minor problems which pop up now and then. Keep in mind that if the Forrester does break it is going to be much more expensive to fix a boxer.

We're thinking of getting the new WRX (I'm just not sold on the front end yet, may be we'll wait for next year model and hope that they'll change it) ....so subarus are definately on the list.

[Lord Blackadder]

We're thinking of getting the new WRX (I'm just not sold on the front end yet, may be we'll wait for next year model and hope that they'll change it) ....so subarus are definately on the list.

Believe me, nobody has ever bought a WRX because it was a pretty car (it's hideous) - they buy it because it will outrun a Mustang GT on the straight but still turn corners.

[adroit]

Believe me, nobody has ever bought a WRX because it was a pretty car (it's hideous) - they buy it because it will outrun a Mustang GT on the straight but still turn corners.

I think the 2002-2003 and 1998 and earlier models are pretty sexy. I just don't like the alfa-romeo front end in this year's model.

You're right though... it's all about the 300-400+hp (with the control chip off) in a light car with 4WD :D

[Counterfit]

My question is since I am buying it used(has 25,089 miles on it now) how bad would it have been if the original owner did not use that octane level. I will put exactly what octane is asked for it but since I have never met the previous owner I am a little worried he may not have been privy to the higher octane need.
As long as the knock sensor was working, (which detects detonation caused by lower octane fuel and retards the spark accordingly) the only real downside to using the lower octane is having less power.
It costs $1300 and covers 5yrs or 60k. I have zero intention of paying full price and I am going to try my damnedest to get it included in the price of the car. What would all of you suggest? Pay 500 for the warranty, 0, don't bother trying to get it or what?
HAGGLE! :D
As for having it checked out, you should always have a private mechanic check out any used car you're looking at. Anecdote: Back in the 70's, my father bought a 1965(66?) Mustang convertible. He didn't get it checked out, and was thusly quite surprised when he noticed that the entire undercarriage was rusted due to flood damage. He gets all his used cars checked out now. ;)

[cycocelica]

After my moms experience with VW, I find it very hard for me to buy another VW. Her New Beatle was in and out of the shop multiple times and had other things wrong with it. Personally I love Subarus and any Japanese cars for that matter. Plus it is always better to have AWD.

[Lord Blackadder]

I think the 2002-2003 and 1998 and earlier models are pretty sexy. I just don't like the alfa-romeo front end in this year's model.

Ouch dude, how can you insult Alfa Romeo like that? :p

Tell me this beauty has even a passing resemblance to the Impreza/WRX, and I'll beat you sensless with the same ugly stick that comes with every Impreza WRX. :D

[balamw]

Are you sure? Regular Unleaded in UK is 95 octane. It might be 91 on the continent.

My 2 pence: my dads 98' VW Passat has been absolutly solid and a dream to run, apart from a faulty door lock once. VWs tend to be really well built cars, I cant think why US VWs get a bad rep- that Mexican factory must be a bit crap.
Octane ratings vary by country, because there are many ways to calculate the octane content of gasoline. See the Wikipdeia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

the octane in the United States will be about 4 to 5 points lower than the same fuel elsewhere: 87 octane fuel, the "normal" gasoline in the US and Canada, would be 91 in Europe

As the owner of a german made 2002 VW Passat with ~105K miles on it, I can tell you that it ain't just the mexican factory. I enjoy driving my car, but it has been rendered undriveable twice due to ignition colilpack failures. It's a design flaw that has plagued the 1.8T models and can be quite expensive to fix, when it happens out of warranty. I had one failure before they issued a recall and replaced them all, and also had one fail since then. :( Overall though, in surveying other VW/Audi owners it seems that some of the cars are solid, while others have lots of little issues. Mine's sort of in between, failry solid with this one design flaw.

Note: The few times I have erred and filled up my tank with regular gasoline, I have noticed that I burn through a tank about 15-20% quicker which would make it the same or equal cost-wise to premium gasoline.
I should also mention I am the first in my family to be buying a Japanese car which according to my dad is the rough equivalent of defecting to a communist country and taking up arms against him.
LOL. You might want to point out to him that at the time the WRX was made GM owned 20% of Subaru. (They have since divested from that though). In this age of globalization it's getting really hard to tell what's a "domestic" car vs. a "foreign" one, and even many of the real foreign ones are actually manufactured here and supply jobs into the local economy. And the domestic cars were all designed elsewhere and are rebadged from another brand.

B

[cyberddot]

Methinks it may be the Jetta wagons or at least the TDI wagons that're made in Germany. One of the reasons that some of the gas burning VW's purchased in the US have some issues is that they are assembled in Mexico, not Germany. (This is about QC and the car-assembling experience at the plants, not nationality.)

Or so most of my research revealed before my purchase in late '92. Now I'm just too jaded to find the links. Whatever the case, I hope VW works out the kinks while expanding and improving the diesel options. For example, and increase from 90hp to 100hp engines and the resultant reduction in mpg...wtf?

[balamw]

One of the reasons that the gas burning VW's purchased in the US have some issues is that they are assembled in Mexico, not Germany.
As I mentioned above, my '02 Passat was assembled in Germany, and it still has issues. That said, I haven't ruled out a TDI for my next car. VW is one of the few companies that actually makes a decent, "clean" car that can run on something other than gasoline today.

B

[rockandrule]

Cyberddot, how'd you get a 2001 built in Germany?

Another good thing about having a VW is VW Vortex (www.vwvortex.com). This is practically the MacRumors of VW and has well over 1+ million registered to the forums. All around you can find great deals on everything for a Volkswagen, if you know the right people. Vortex is definitely a place to start if you don't know a good, qualified, trustworthy mechanic. I have a mechanic that lives about 45 minutes away that does all of the work on my car. He's great and will pull parts from all over the country to get the best deal for me. Anyone who has a VW and doesn't know about VW Vortex is missing out on a lot.

[rockandrule]

Also, VW isn't doing Diesel Jettas in the US after the 2006 model year:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/article_1639.shtml

[cyberddot]

It's a 2003 that I bought in 2002...too brand spanking new :o
Were I inclined to naming cars I'd name this one...but I'm not so I won't :D

42388

and BOOO on VW for making that change in 2006.

[CompUser]

I would say forester. Better reliability, AWD, and bigger.

Jetta's are really tiny and VW will kill you with there repair costs.

[alexstein]

Which Volkswagen does, not suprisingly. You are aware that Regular Gas in Europe has 91 Octane right? Super has 95 and Super Plus has 98. So filling it with the 91 Octane Gas here is the only logical thing to do.
Regards,

Ahmed


Europe uses a different Octane rating then the US. The two are slightly different.

Europe uses RON (Research Octane Number)

The US uses an average of MON(Motor Octane Number) + RON

91 RON is equal to today's regular gasoline, with an octane number between 85 and 87 (RON+ MON divided by 2).

It's a little confusing but it's differently measured.

[rockandrule]

What is really tiny about a Jetta? Have you been in one? Depending on what you really need them for, they're not small at all. At least not the MKIIIs.

[CompUser]

What is really tiny about a Jetta? Have you been in one? Depending on what you really need them for, they're not small at all. At least not the MKIIIs.

He said he was looking at the 2000 Jetta TDI. My moms VW has been fixed many times and has had many problems. We have had loaner Jettas and they are just way too small and uncomfortable (I'm 5'10").

[alexstein]

He said he was looking at the 2000 Jetta TDI. My moms VW has been fixed many times and has had many problems. We have had loaner Jettas and they are just way too small and uncomfortable (I'm 5'10").


Jetta's might be small. But what is subaru than? Super small? I've driven in many Jetta's/Golf's and they never seemed small to me. However I had a subaru forester as a rental car(several times) and my in-laws have a subaru Outback and every time I sit or drive in one it feels cramped to me. (I'm 5'10" as well)

[iBlue]

... VW will kill you with there repair costs.

jettas are not that much smaller than foresters. plus you'd be surprised what repairs cost on a subaru... not cheap. (i know from experience)

but i think the forester is a better idea for all intents and purposes.

[pseudobrit]

OMFG, do any of the 20 or so people who posted in this thread in the past two days giving the guy advice about whether to buy a VW or Subaru realise that the original post is over a year old and the guy probably already bought whatver he was going to buy?

[adroit]

OMFG, do any of the 20 or so people who posted in this thread in the past two days giving the guy advice about whether to buy a VW or Subaru realise that the original post is over a year old and the guy probably already bought whatver he was going to buy?

:p Ha Ha Ha... I feel so stupid right now. I (and many other people) obviously didn't read the whole thread or look at the posted date and totally missed the reason why the thread was brought up again. Still pretty funny though.... now I'll have to go and give my head a shake. :o

Thanks for pointing that out pseudobrit ;)

[iBlue]

OMFG, do any of the 20 or so people who posted in this thread in the past two days giving the guy advice about whether to buy a VW or Subaru realise that the original post is over a year old and the guy probably already bought whatver he was going to buy?

nope, it slipped completely past me. :o

[Lord Blackadder]

I hate it when that happens...

[rockandrule]

Excuse me, but I am sure that if he/she hears our rumblings more he might just be trading-in/re-trading as we speak depending on what we say. Plus, if he got a VW and for some reason has checked, Vortex is good for him :rolleyes:

[iDM]

I resurrected this thread from the dead because I had a couple questions about buying a WRX, which were not answered completely......hint hint.

[saabmp3]

Well, I'll try to throw in what advice I can about this. First off, you're looking at a car notorious for having owners that want speed and to show off. Of course this isn't a good start, but if you do you're homework, then I wouldn't worry about it. I'd look where it came from first. I found my used Saab off lease, which is a good start. Dealers who lease out cars generally give the third degree to the leasee (word?). Because they know they'll need to resell it, the terms can be quite strict.

That said, here I go.


My question is since I am buying it used(has 25,089 miles on it now) how bad would it have been if the original owner did not use that octane level. I will put exactly what octane is asked for it but since I have never met the previous owner I am a little worried he may not have been privy to the higher octane need. (Why am I of that opinion well because I have never bought a car before and I am thinking of every damn scenario possible)

Over 25k miles, there shouldn't be too much damage, if any. My car, which requires 89, will retard the timing and open the boost valve prematurly when 88 or lower octane fuel is detected. Because of this, basically any damage can be averted. The only way to really hurt the engine is by modifying the computer to advance the timing, regardless of fuel.


My other question involves a warranty. I'm hoping all of you, a completely unbiased(as in not an immediate member of my family) can help me decide on a warranty. The car as stated has 25k on it. But it was purchased in Jan of '03 so the 3yr, 36K warranty is over. Subaru has in addition a 5 year, 60k powertrain (flywheel, cylinders, exhaust manifold, transmission, etc.) warranty that is transferable and still covers this car(I called and gave the vin to Subaru CS.) It also has the lifetime emissions warranty and rust perforation warranty, but I am wondering about the dealers warranty(A Chevy dealer). It costs $1300 and covers 5yrs or 60k. I have zero intention of paying full price and I am going to try my damnedest to get it included in the price of the car. What would all of you suggest? Pay 500 for the warranty, 0, don't bother trying to get it or what? Be brutally honest, my father the king of frugal wouldn't buy a warranty if the product was already broken, and my brother would buy a warranty on anything that moves so neither provide any sound advice.


Would do it for 500, but otherwise, I would just put 1500 into a saving account and let it sit there. Look what's not covered under the warrenty. Basically anything that you would expect to fail before 60k isn't (aka brakes, clutch, etc). Do a clutch test on the car (I can explain if you want). If it's dead at 25k, I'd walk away anyways as this hints at more problems. I've seen clutches go well beyond 10 years and 100k miles.

P.S. I have beat myself up about ever mundane detail with this car. Checked carfax, searched with a fine tooth comb over the entire body, asked the dealer to fill in a small chip INSIDE the engine compartment, checked the fluids(to determine if it was dropped off by someone who cares), and my last wish is to take it to an outside mechanic with no relationship to the dealer I am buying from.

Good, but have an indy mechanic that you trust check it out. Also, make sure the mechanic doesn't know the seller by name. I had that happen once in the middle of no where. I basically had no choice on mechanics (only guy for 30 miles), so I just asked for a compression test and a oil pressure test and said stop there. Wait, back to the advice. You can't do alot of the stuff a mechanic with some knowledge can do, so get it tested. He'll know what kind of driver had it first, what to expect, etc.

Remember, this is a far east car, it should hold up MUCH better than an american over time.

Ben

[Chip NoVaMac]

I resurrected this thread from the dead because I had a couple questions about buying a WRX, which were not answered completely......hint hint.

At lest from a US perspective, the WRX line is a performance car, and will have been driven mostly by those that want the "most" from their cars. That can mean heavy wear even with 24K on the odometer.

[CompUser]

jettas are not that much smaller than foresters. plus you'd be surprised what repairs cost on a subaru... not cheap. (i know from experience)

but i think the forester is a better idea for all intents and purposes.

I agree that the forester is a better choice.

The oil change for my mom's touareg from the dealer is almost $65.

[iDM]

Well, I'll try to throw in what advice I can about this. First off, you're looking at a car notorious for having owners that want speed and to show off. Of course this isn't a good start, but if you do you're homework, then I wouldn't worry about it. I'd look where it came from first. I found my used Saab off lease, which is a good start. Dealers who lease out cars generally give the third degree to the leasee (word?). Because they know they'll need to resell it, the terms can be quite strict.

That said, here I go.



Over 25k miles, there shouldn't be too much damage, if any. My car, which requires 89, will retard the timing and open the boost valve prematurly when 88 or lower octane fuel is detected. Because of this, basically any damage can be averted. The only way to really hurt the engine is by modifying the computer to advance the timing, regardless of fuel.



Would do it for 500, but otherwise, I would just put 1500 into a saving account and let it sit there. Look what's not covered under the warrenty. Basically anything that you would expect to fail before 60k isn't (aka brakes, clutch, etc). Do a clutch test on the car (I can explain if you want). If it's dead at 25k, I'd walk away anyways as this hints at more problems. I've seen clutches go well beyond 10 years and 100k miles.


Good, but have an indy mechanic that you trust check it out. Also, make sure the mechanic doesn't know the seller by name. I had that happen once in the middle of no where. I basically had no choice on mechanics (only guy for 30 miles), so I just asked for a compression test and a oil pressure test and said stop there. Wait, back to the advice. You can't do alot of the stuff a mechanic with some knowledge can do, so get it tested. He'll know what kind of driver had it first, what to expect, etc.

Remember, this is a far east car, it should hold up MUCH better than an american over time.

Ben

Precisely the response I was hoping to get thanks for all of the info. The story I heard made it seem like the guy who owned it before bought it for what it is a performance car but he was middle aged and the lack of aftermarket parts anywhere on the car makes me feel real good about things. Hoping it was well driven and never had any aftermarket junk on it. How much of this is the actual truth who knows the dealer could/has been blowing smoke up my butt since he new I was serious about buying it. (I looked at one that had a custom gauge bar put on the dash, a WRX automatic with a wing made for an F-14, and one that had Alteeza headlights and black tint) All of which I passed on, on site going by my rule of thumb that I will/would not purchase a car some punk in highschool had with multiple add ons, new computers, exhaust, headers, blow off valves or any of that junk immediately makes me turn away. It stills has the original stereo which is usually one of the first things to get swapped out.

In your opinion what would be the most important things that I should make sure are covered under the dealers warranty? My brother(I am not sure if i mentioned this or not above) bought a $3k warranty much to the dismay of my dad and now his speaker has blown, his electronic seats and heated seats went out and none have been covered at all.

I'd like also if you could give me the quick and dirty on the clutch test.

The indy mechanics may be a problem. I know that I could take it to Pep Boys and have someone there look at it and I know of a Subaru dealership that said they are willing to do it. My concern is that Pep Boys is well Pep Boys and that the Subaru dealership is gonna bust my chops and tell me the car is a mess since I am not buying it from them. I know how these places can be and I have blatantly been taken for a ride by a couple of the places on a couple of occasions.(A dealership told me my Cherokee needed $700 in brake work when all that I was bringing in the car for was an oil change) I took it somewhere else that said all I needed was pads in the REAR.(50-75 bucks)

So as a recap my two questions are what should I look for as making the 500 warranty worth it and two any suggestions on what kind of check-up and/or where I should get it done at?)

[Chip NoVaMac]

The indy mechanics may be a problem. I know that I could take it to Pep Boys and have someone there look at it and I know of a Subaru dealership that said they are willing to do it. My concern is that Pep Boys is well Pep Boys and that the Subaru dealership is gonna bust my chops and tell me the car is a mess since I am not buying it from them. I know how these places can be and I have blatantly been taken for a ride by a couple of the places on a couple of occasions.(A dealership told me my Cherokee needed $700 in brake work when all that I was bringing in the car for was an oil change) I took it somewhere else that said all I needed was pads in the REAR.(50-75 bucks)

I understand the concerns and feelings. No perfect answer. I have had a shop that I have used and trusted over many years. Relationships mean much.

To be blunt, dealerships are not the best value, yet at the same point their "over repairing" can mean a better recourse down the road. For they tend to err on the side of bringing the vehicle to specs, and other shops tend to address only what work is needed.

So as a recap my two questions are what should I look for as making the 500 warranty worth it and two any suggestions on what kind of check-up and/or where I should get it done at?)

IMO most extended warranties are in favor of those that offer it, at east when it comes to cars. The list of what would be covered requires a lawyer IMO to understand the exclusions.

[Counterfit]

OMFG, do any of the 20 or so people who posted in this thread in the past two days giving the guy advice about whether to buy a VW or Subaru realise that the original post is over a year old and the guy probably already bought whatver he was going to buy?
Hey, I replied to iDM. :p

Remember, this is a far east car, it should hold up MUCH better than an american over time.
You might want to be more specific. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=151314&highlight=Chinese+SUV)

[saabmp3]

You might want to be more specific. (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=151314&highlight=Chinese+SUV)


Ok ok, you got me there. But you have to agree, on average, they're good cars. I can make a point for the americans for showing off Jeeps. Those engines can go forever, but that doesn't mean all american cars are good.

There are two ways of doing a clutch test. The first, best, but a little obnoxious on a car you don't own, is to pull up to a stationary object, say, the dealership itself. Put the car in 3rd gear and put the RPM's up to about 4k. Slowly let out the clutch and hope it stalls. Obviously is the engine keeps running, the clutch is shot. You can however get a slight idea of how much life is left depending on how soon the car dies. If it goes right away, the the clutch has good grip and should give you decent life. The longer it runs, the less life is left in it.

The more othordoxed way to do this is to forgo driving into a building, but firmly affixing the parking break.

Ben