dakotajudo Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Greetings all. Ok here is the meat and potatoes of this thread. I am currently in the down slope of my last deployment to Iraq. When I get back i am looking into picking up a 06 Baja. I am looking at the leather turbo pachage. I have some questions. How dose the baja's hold up to just everyday driving? i am not planning on doing any offroading with it. just to work and back, and road trips. How is it on gas? Do I have to use Premium gas or if i use the cheap stuff dose this do damage/ void warrenties? I am looking for any input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subyguy522 Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Any reason for the baja? For daily driving and good gas milaege, I would go with the new non turbo Legacy, or turbo for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakotajudo Posted May 27, 2006 Author Share Posted May 27, 2006 Any reason for the baja? For daily driving and good gas milaege, I would go with the new non turbo Legacy, or turbo for that matter. I am looking more for the box. I am a homeowner now and when i had my sadan I was always bugging the guys that had the pickups....don't want to be that guy anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Not to rain on your parade, but is the Baja box big enough to be practical (Uh-oh, here come the flames!)? In 20 years of driving Subie wagons, DL, GL and Legacy, I've been able to carry some pretty bulky things in or on them. 'Course the Baja do look a lot sportier than my wagons!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 I am looking more for the box. I am a homeowner now and when i had my sadan I was always bugging the guys that had the pickups....don't want to be that guy anymore. Not to mention, Baja's are freaking awesome!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benebob Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Just buy yourself a folding trailer and you don't need a p/u 90% of the time. The Baja though is the perfect Home Depot shopper vehicle for bags of crap like soil and mulch but you can't get a scoop dropped in it and you'd be hard pressed to carry a 4x8 sheet of anything in it unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subaru_for_LIfe Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 I second to that, get the Baja for what it is, but not for what you want it to be. For utilities purposes, I recommend Outback Wagon with an extra rubber cargo tray and a lot old bed spreads. You could even put a few sheets of plywood on the roof rack and tie it down, no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 For what you want to use it for, I'd consider a Baja Sport. The Turbo will get worse gas mileage and it has to use premium fuel. But if you want a Baja, now's the time. I hear of no plans for an 07 model! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceyWV Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 The Baja's box is too small to be practical. But I didnt say that. I like them though, for some reason. I've fit small trees to plywood in mywagon, its basically a truck with a topper and a six foot bed when you fold the seats flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 yeah, i'm with the wagon folks on this one. if you were gonna use the pickup bed full time to cart around wheelbarrows, concrete tools, work boots, and other muddy stuff, the baja is perfect. but if you just want one to do commuting and misc home projects, a wagon is the perfect compromise. besides, my dad and i used two station wagons to haul EVERYTHING needed to renovate a 2000 sq. ft. house (well, everything except siding and the 12ft drywall panels, but plywood, wall studs, tools, you name it, it was wagon delivered. even pulled out shrubbery....[unfortunately, these weren't subaru wagons ]) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacinjason Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Greetings all. Ok here is the meat and potatoes of this thread. I am currently in the down slope of my last deployment to Iraq. When I get back i am looking into picking up a 06 Baja. I am looking at the leather turbo pachage. I have some questions. How dose the baja's hold up to just everyday driving? i am not planning on doing any offroading with it. just to work and back, and road trips. How is it on gas? Do I have to use Premium gas or if i use the cheap stuff dose this do damage/ void warrenties? I am looking for any input? I've had my '06 Baja Turbo MT for about 2 months now and I love driving the freakin' thing! I commute 70 miles a day (roundtrip) and it drives great, goes straight and of course the AWD handles whatever coditions are thrown at it (I live in Oregon). It's comfortable on the freeway, but the suspension feels a bit stiffer then the OBW's I've driven. I think it handles pretty well, but could benefit with some better tires. I enjoy it very much as my daily driver. My favorite thing about it though is the TURBO! Man it accelerates great, and will definitely *************** and get! It's hard to keep your foot out of it as it is just so dang much fun when the turbo is spooled up!Now to answer some of your questions.....You have to run Premium in it, or it will not perform properly. I don't really know if it will damage anything, but it's not going to perform well on regular. I average about 20 MPG, but have gotten as high as 24 MPG. I just can't keep my foot out of it, so my gas mileage suffers. Know what though? Don't care!!! It makes you smile everytime you punch it, so I don't mind paying a little more at the pump for the excitement it provides when you push down on that little gas pedal thingy. It's a great rig for my family (we also have a '98 Camry), we have 2 girls still in car seats, so don't really need a whole lot of legroom in back. I can definitely see why some people would prefer a Legacy or OBW, the bed is pretty small on the Baja and you could actually haul more stuff in a wagon. I personally prefer the versitility the Baja provides, and really want to have an open bed (even if it is small). I've always had 4x4 trucks as my daily driver in the past, and just love having an open bed to toss stuff into. Weather it's dirty, sandy toys, motorcycles, kids stuff, tools, wood, gravel whatever. I also don't want a wet or dirty dog inside my car. My favorite use is dumping the front lawn clippings into the bed, driving around the house and dumping them into my mulch pile. No wheelbarrow needed, and way easier on my back! I wouldn't want to do that kind of thing in my nice Legacy or OBW, It does surprisingly well off road, but the approach and departure angles leave a bit to be desired and seems like it wouldn't be to hard to break some plastic. It would be great to have a 4LO option, but at least they have LSD rearends. It's really fun in the snow, that is were Subarus really seem to shine. All in all, I really like the Baja (we call it the Ca-truk). It's definitely one of the funnest vehicles I've ever had. So fun to drive! Seats are very comfortable. If I could change anything, I would like to see it built on a larger platform (Forester maybe?). It is a little small inside, but it is kind of a sports car and they are usually small. Cupholders get in the way of the shifter. Make the pass through from bed to cab larger (like the Avalanche), or get rid of it all together and have a power rear window. I would prefer that myself. The negatives ars so minor though, they are hardly worth mentioning. If you buy one, get the Turbo. My nieghbor has a '03 Baja and it isn't nearly as much fun to drive. His non turbo gives up 44 HP. Plus you don't get the cool hood scoop and roof mounted antenna. Not to mention the cool red shading around the Baja logo. If you go for a leather edition, you may have to get an AT. I personally would want a MT with any turbo vehicle. Good luck with whatever you decide to do, and hope I was able to provide a little 'insight' to the world of Subaru Baja's! Spacinjason '06 Baja Turbo MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 I've had my Baja for a year and a half. I agree with everything that has been said. I love my turbo... especially while entering the highway and passing. Whoosh! One thing that hasn't been mentioned, is that the tailgate will support 666 lbs. so it's strong and can be used as the floor of the bed. There are plenty of tiedown points for securing taller cargo that wouldn't fit in a wagon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacinjason Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 I've had my Baja for a year and a half. I agree with everything that has been said. I love my turbo... especially while entering the highway and passing. Whoosh! One thing that hasn't been mentioned, is that the tailgate will support 666 lbs. so it's strong and can be used as the floor of the bed. There are plenty of tiedown points for securing taller cargo that wouldn't fit in a wagon. I got the bed extender with mine, and it does give you a bit more room. I think it extends the bed to about 5'. That's almost as long as the bed on my Dakota Quad Cab I traded in for Baja. Also, If you open the tailgate and don't flip out the bed extender, it is very comfortable to sit back there with the bed extender as a backrest. My wife is in the process of making a cushion for it. Spacinjason '06 Baja Turbo MT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger83 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Hey, Airborne, look for a used one. Their sales performance is terrible so you'll take a huge hit on depreciation. I like Subarus but the extended cab pickups - or a wagon - are a better compromise for most people. I think they've sold something like 900 of them this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BajaGuy68 Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Greetings all. Ok here is the meat and potatoes of this thread. I am currently in the down slope of my last deployment to Iraq. When I get back i am looking into picking up a 06 Baja. I am looking at the leather turbo pachage. I have some questions. How dose the baja's hold up to just everyday driving? i am not planning on doing any offroading with it. just to work and back, and road trips. How is it on gas? Do I have to use Premium gas or if i use the cheap stuff dose this do damage/ void warrenties? I am looking for any input? Just to put my 2 cents in- I have an 06 Baja Sport (non Turbo) and I love it! It handles the Buffalo snow with ease and the daily commute to work (70 mi. round trip) is a joy. I'm not going to win any races at the red light,but then I average around 27 mpg on regular gas-24 mpg around town. The trunk is big enough for bringing home a TV or stereo and groceries(on a nice day!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Also, with the baja you can use the all famous 'Throw it in reverce, get going pretty fast & slam the brakes' trick, to remove items from the back i've done it with my OBS... but it wasn't the most spectacular thing ever... main problem w/ the wagons is the lip for the hatch to close.. or the little latch thing... i've nearly bent it a few times If i ever had a chance i'd get one, with a turbo, and put my thule box on it too!! (there's one at school w/ a box on it.. it's HOTT) i heart the baja!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Also, with the baja you can use the all famous 'Throw it in reverce, get going pretty fast & slam the brakes' trick, to remove items from the back i've done it with my OBS... but it wasn't the most spectacular thing ever... main problem w/ the wagons is the lip for the hatch to close.. or the little latch thing... i've nearly bent it a few times thats when you use a 2x4 to prop open the tailgate and do that stuff i like the baja too, but a smart purchase is always best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holland_patrick Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Just buy yourself a folding trailer and you don't need a p/u 90% of the time. The Baja though is the perfect Home Depot shopper vehicle for bags of crap like soil and mulch but you can't get a scoop dropped in it and you'd be hard pressed to carry a 4x8 sheet of anything in it unfortunately. This is just not true.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 wow! mind if i use it as my computer wallpaper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahag1978 Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Just to put my 2 cents in- I have an 06 Baja Sport (non Turbo) and I love it! The trunk is big enough for bringing home a TV or stereo and groceries(on a nice day!) Unless you buy a dollar shower curtain from Wally World, then weather not an issue:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benebob Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 This is just not true.... Funny but just shows how unpractical of a truck it is. Besides, I wouldn't drop a rock in it as the bed isn't corrigated steel like a truck should be. It is simply flat pressed panels. So what? Did they put 300lbs of stone in until it sat on its bump stops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 that looks like more than 300lbs of stone to me... oh well, everyone has their preferance. I like em, although i might think of adding some more structual stuff in the back there & some heavy duty bedliner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 all it needs is some linex and some welded tube in the chassis for more strength and its good to go. its a nice little rig that is different. different is good (except pontiac aztek different, thats just torture ) and why would you drop a rock in there? thats just stupid.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benebob Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 all it needs is some linex and some welded tube in the chassis for more strength and its good to go. its a nice little rig that is different. different is good (except pontiac aztek different, thats just torture ) and why would you drop a rock in there? thats just stupid.... Obviously you're not a working man. I used to drop literally a ton of stone in the back of my Brat when needed. There's a reason trucks are made with corrigated beds not flat steel. Go bend a piece of steel then see if its stronger than flat steel that is 5x as thick. Not saying they don't have purpose but not really as a truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastwgn286 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 umm...don't judge a book by the cover, dude. i work with concrete, drive a truck that has equipment thrashed in the pickup bed, own a hard hat and work boots that are used every day. while i drive an outback, i am a working man who does work on construction sites. i don't have the luxury of throwing large, heavy objects into the back of my wagon or company truck, i still wouldn't throw them in if given the chance. the kinetic energy of a large rock hurdling toward the bottom of the bed is too much of an insurance risk from my point of view. why drop stuff like that when you can take two seconds to place it in the bed? besides, end result: baja can still haul it if not dropped in bed. it could handle the stuff i haul in my company rig if the bed was a little longer. easy if it was available in a brat-like 2-door model. while its bed isn't drop a big slab of concrete in there capable, it will drive it where ever you need it. and thats the important part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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