Subdriven | The Subaru Enthuisast Website

Searching for that one special car can take minutes, months or years. Knowing what feels right is no small task, especially if you are not in a hurry. My particular new car search has gone on for two years, but with more focus over the past six months.

I’ve owned close to thirty cars over the past twenty years. Several are truly missed, while others are faded memories. Once particular project was with me for five years. It started out simple enough as a small pickup to help us with our first home. Over five years it was transformed from a simple diesel Rabbit pickup to a gas fueled show car and found its way to the pages of VW Vortex (http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/article_306.shtml ). Since the Rabbit Pickup departed, the void has never been completely filled.

My wife and I currently own a 2003 Volvo XC90 and a 2005 Honda Odyssey minivan. The thought of a third vehicle was not something she wanted to entertain. We didn’t need another car but I prefer to have something to drive to work, use for non-family related activities and serve as backup during repairs. The recent snow and the Odyssey’s struggle with traction helped convince us that perhaps a second all wheel drive car was not a bad idea.

There are so many cars on the market, yet so few with the right combination. Of course that “right combination” is different for everyone, but a general consensus would be safety features, comfort, good power and fuel efficiency. Beyond that opinions are as varied as the grains of sand in the Sahara.

I kicked more than a few tires over many months. I drove such a variety that no one had a clue as to what I would finally end up purchasing. I gave serious consideration both new and used. My fellow staff members starting calling me a “professional test driver.” Options inculed such cars as the bi-turbo Audi S4, Audi allroad, Volvo S60R, the new Subaru Legacy GT and Outback XT, Subaru Forester XT, Volvo V50 and S40 T5 AWD. All of these vehicles are very nice and offer something unique. This car purchase needed to hit the mark, as it would be the last one for a few years.

The S4 and allroad offer performance, AWD, good looks and upgradeability. Without an extended warranty, the bi-turbo 2.7L is an engine buyers should consider with caution. Replacing the turbos can quickly cost thousands of dollars, making a really good purchase price instantly evaporate. Certified pre-owned Audi vehicles essentially extend the 4/50 warranty, but only to a total of six years from the in-service date or 100k miles. Without having an Audi dealership close to my home and not wanting to deal with the closest Audi dealer, I chose not to purchase an Audi product.

I have owned fifteen or so Volkswagens since 1988 and I’ve tried to find something in the product suite that would do the trick. The R32 is a fantastic automobile and the TDI Jetta wagon an efficient option, though not available here in AWD. A fellow VMG staff member went with me on a test drive on January 3rd, the last day of VW’s 2004 promotions. The R32 met and exceeded my expectations except it lacked a second set of doors. Although the $26k deal was almost unheard of for a leather trimmed R32, I felt it was in my best interest to find a four door car. The search continued.

Having owned four Volvos since 1999 and the fact there’s a dealership within a few miles of our home, it seemed only natural for another Volvo to be among my choices. The biggest challenge with purchasing a Volvo is justifying the additional cost. Yes, the quality and safety features can easily justify several thousand more over a competitor, but when tight budgets are a factor, it can also be a difficult justification. The best deal I could find on a new S60R was $37k ($41k msrp) and I was trying to say under $30k.

I began searching hard for a slightly-used S60R. Wholesale was running between $25k and $27k, so a $30k certified pre-owned car was a possibility. I thought I had found a very good CPO deal - an actual Volvo executive vehicle with less than 20k miles for $29,500k. After driving two and a half hours to test-drive the S60R, the dealer increased the price of the car by $700, stating that the car was not certified and that they would discount the cost of certification. As a matter of principal, I chose not to do business with an organization that operated in this matter, no matter how good the deal. Our contacts within Volvo were also trying to find me an S60R and for that I am very thankful for their assistance. The cost of the S60Rs that were popping up were in the $33-$35k range and most possessed Geartronic transmissions, not six-speed manuals.

In an effort to find a less expensive yet still fun to drive alternative, I looked at the Volvo V50. The T5 model mated to the Haldex AWD and six-speed transmission is a spirited compact wagon. I found an excellent deal at $30k ($35k msrp). I test drove the V50 several times but the “wow” or “this is it” factor was missing.

The new Subaru Legacy GT has a nice design and its new 250-hp turbo four-cylinder makes for an attractive alternative. The performance is near that of the Volvo S60R and it offers more rear seat room. Safety features are very similar, but the Legacy does not offer a whiplash protection system like Volvo’s WHIPS. The new Legacy is most definitely Subaru’s greatest step forward with their automotive design and quality. The doors sound solid when shutting and it comes well equipped for $26k. The Outback XT offers everything and more over the GT, including several inches of ground clearance and a few more interior amenities. For performance handling, the GT mated to a five-speed manual is a good choice, while the Outback XT 5-spd gives similar acceleration but sacrifices handling for ground clearance. For $29k you can get a nicely equipped Outback wagon that is enjoyable to drive and offers good utility. These two cars made it to my final list.

The Subaru Forester and Baja Turbo are two of the oddest vehicles in Subaru’s line-up. The cars are rated at 210-hp, but Subaru owners have dyno runs that show the actual numbers are closer to 240-hp. These two cars are fun to drive and they offer good utility and performance that rival cars double their price. Combine Subaru’s good reliability history with a low cost of ownership and the justification for not purchasing a Subaru becomes more of a challenge for the average car buyer. The Forester XT and Baja Turbo were $24k and $23k, respectively.

2005 offers more alternatives from foreign and domestic manufactures than what was available just a few months ago. In my next installment I will step through the final elimination process, review some specific details and discuss how I came to a purchasing decision. I will also share my dealership experience, as it is the last hurdle before getting the keys and hitting the open road.

Stay tuned.


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