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Looking at new cars, Outback or Impala...


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Thank you mwatt! I like hearing both sides of the table.

 

The good think about the Impalas right now is there are so many and they are cheaper then most other vehicles. Bad thing about the Subaru is it is much more and we just dont know if we can afford it. Plus side is the 2005 Subaru is cheaper for insurance then a 2004 Impala.

 

Decisions decisions decisions....

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the reason my wife and I drive Subarus (and a Caravan, but you didn't hear that) is because I used to work at a Chevrolet dealer...............remember the old saying "you get what you pay for"? That definately applies here. The Impala is NOT an awful car (that term is reserved for Kia) but you WILL be plagued with lots of little nagging problems (hey, you'll make new friends at the Chevy dealer.....) And I can't over-emphasize the fact that the value of the car will plummet like nobody's business during the first couple of years. If you insist on an Impala, why don't you consider a one or two-year-old used one and let someone else take the hit?

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Just curious, have you looked online to buy your car? I'm sure you can get a better deal than $26k for a subaru outback. You might also want to consider which car is better equipped to carry a child. I remember reading a thread that said outbacks are not the greatest cars for a child seat(do a search). With all that being said, I love my '03 outback which I did pay almost $25k for after taxes (H6-3.0 VDC). I get about 25MPG, but if I did it all over again, I would shop around over the internet before buying locally.

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Just curious, have you looked online to buy your car? I'm sure you can get a better deal than $26k for a subaru outback. You might also want to consider which car is better equipped to carry a child. I remember reading a thread that said outbacks are not the greatest cars for a child seat(do a search). With all that being said, I love my '03 outback which I did pay almost $25k for after taxes (H6-3.0 VDC). I get about 25MPG, but if I did it all over again, I would shop around over the internet before buying locally.

 

$26,000-$4000 cashback, etc = $22,000 + tax/title, etc = $24,000

 

:)

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You live in Michigan and would consider an Impala over an Outback? How could you consider such a decision? It's an apples and oranges situation - get the Subaru, of course!

 

I used to drive a 86 GMC S-15 fully UNloaded, couldnt have a worse of a vehicle and I managed just fine with it. :)

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Browsing the local bookstore, noticed that Consumer Reports rated the Outback a little doggy because of high 0-60 times. Don't know if this was tested before Subaru started making hood from aluminum and adding a few HP through engine massaging. I own both Outback and Forester and Forester has more get-up-and-go. I'd say both have equal kid-carrying capacity (I have 2 elementary age). Course, the SUV form-factor is "out" and the crossover is "in" so that may affect your buying decision.

 

 

Outbacks get worse gas mialage then a car, because they are heavier, the awd system is always on, and fatter tires. That said outbacks should be compared to small suvs. When that comaprison is done they get beter milage. I had a ford escape for 3 weeks, no matter what i did i got 13mpgaround town. my 97 outback with 178k on it (original tranny and engine and cyl head gaskets) gets 20 in stop and go with the ac on. I personally found that all my subarus get better highway milage then what they are rated for (that may be me, and I do have a lead foot).

Subarus in general are the most bought vehical with high milage on them used. They have a great reputation as a total car to last for ever. The only annoying thing is the stupid little switch bulbs burn out, otherwise everything seems to work on them right to the very end.

One thing I have noticed on this board, is very few AC failures, and thats always been a bane for GM. Also SUbarys have more head room and better visability.

GM's in general have very poor resale value. If you look at the numbers, GM America, if it wsnt for all of GM's businesses, would have gone belly up this year. Gm blames Health insurance costs, but thats only a small part of it. Mostly they sell junk, that is bland an uninspired. SUbaru sells everything they make without being forced to gimmicks. Right there that should say something.

 

Good Luck

 

nipper

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Got a call back from dealer, $12,000 is what they can offer me for trade-in. And I get the car with about 200 miles and get all incentives.

 

Man, really wanted $13,000 for it. Need some major convising here, is it REALLY worth taking the hit?

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Got a call back from dealer, $12,000 is what they can offer me for trade-in. And I get the car with about 200 miles and get all incentives.

 

Man, really wanted $13,000 for it. Need some major convising here, is it REALLY worth taking the hit?

 

Well, it's one hell of a lot less a hit than you'd be taking on an Impala a few years from now......

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If you want to see well a Subaru will last, or drive visit the Mileage thread here on the board, and the offroad thread to see the abuse they take.

 

How many impalas have you heard of with 200,000-300,000 miles on them? My Subaru just turned 220,000 miles. It has had one blown head gasket, a couple bad coolant sensors, and other than that just routine maintenance done to it.

 

Domestic cars in general are way behind on technology, heavy, depreciate fast, and are unreliable for the most part.

 

Imports are way more dependable and it shows in their resale values, agile, assembled with better parts, and built to last, and have the latest engine technology developed into them.

 

Subaru has been building AWD boxer platforms for the better part of a 1/4 century. They got it right, and most dealershipd I have been to treat you more like your buying an exotic import, than just a subaru.

 

My Suby is almost 20 years old, and if I ever have to go the dealership for anything, I am always treated as if she was a new car.

 

When I had my old Ford truck, I couldnt get the time of day at a ford dealership.

 

In short Subaru>*

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Guest Vickaroo
Applied for loan, put down a deposit....dealer prepping car....lets home the bank approves!

 

Uhhhhhh which one are you getting if the loan is approved???? Vicky

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If your worried about depreciation,

 

Go track the Impala for 5 or 6 years then

 

Track the Subaru for the same time frame

 

See which holds its value more.

 

....Subaru....

People just don't want an old impala.

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Guest Vickaroo
Still waiting on the bank:-\

 

fingers crossed here for your new OB mtmra70..... let us know and take pics so we can see your new baby!!!! Vicky

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