I'm thinking of buying a new Subaru...

[BJ10]

anyone own one? If so, some feedback would be appreciated. I'm thinking of buying the Outback.

[hobbit709]

1. Don't you know than means you're a lesbian?

At least according to some of the nutjob BS it does.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Paladin]

35. Add Maureen Dowd To That "Nutjob BS"

Her column in this morning's "NYT" about Kagan links lesbians to Subarus. That's a new one on me. Here in the Denver area, every other car seems to be an Outback---they're really popular.....

[hobbit709]

46. Funny thing-none of the lesbians I know drive a Subaru

Most of them drive Toyotas, one drives a dually pickup.

[Paladin]

68. My Best Lesbian Friend Has Driven Fancy Infinitis For Years..... (n/t)

[IDemo]

39. My boss spouts this BS every time the word Subaru is mentioned

[Orangepeel]

48. Subaru made an effort to be "gay friendly"

It was an actual, planned strategy to go after a demographic that no one else was targeting.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=80061
http://www.aef.com/industry/news/data/2003/2459

But, apparently, the *really* gay car is a Saab. :-)

“We are definitely perceived as gay friendly,” says Dominick Infante, a Subaru spokesman. “We believe in fairness for our employees, and we were the first car company to offer benefits to same-sex partners. We have also used Martina Navratilova as a spokeman in commercials, and advertised in the Advocate and Out.”

Dig a bit deeper, and the results get more interesting. According to Joe LaMuraglia, a former Nissan employee who now serves as Gaywheels.com’s publisher, Saab deserves special mention as the brand most over-represented among gay and lesbian buyers. The Sweden-based General Motors subsidiary has only a tiny .1 percent of the U.S. market, but gay men are 18 times more likely to own one than is the general public. Lesbians are 11 times more likely to own a Saab.

http://industry.bnet.com/auto/10001205/gay-friendly-cars-is-subaru-number-one/

[Stevenmarc]

54. I've owned SAAB's and Subaru's

and yes I'm really gay

[Stevenmarc]

50. Actually it's not all nut job BS, Subaru actively marketed to that consumer sector.

They had product placement all over the L Word, they were Dana's sponsor, they had Martina Navatorola in their advertising, it's called niche marketing and it worked to some degree.

[CTyankee]

70. "But what do I know, I'm just a girl." Was that the gay friendly ad?

I love that line. I say it all the time to my husband...

[RKP5637]

2. Best car I ever owned, but that was years ago. Had about 225 miles on it with

never a major repair, no rust in harsh winter climate, was about 12 years old when I sold it... 84 hatchback. And was ultra-reliable.

[Poiuyt]

14. It had 225 miles on it without a major repair?

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. LOL

[RKP5637]

26. By major repair I mean no transaxle, engine, CV joints, etc. I don't consider

belts, plugs, etc., etc. major repairs. The clutch was replaced once, but that was not major to me, just an expected wear-out item... just routine maintenance to me. I do take exceptionally good care of my cars.

Now, I did have a VW Rabbit once, that one was just the opposite.

[Flubadubya]

31. I believe the chuckle was about your saying "225 miles on it"...

I suppose you meant 225,000 miles, right? :):hi:

[RKP5637]

33. LOL!!! Wow, that is funny!!! Thanks for pointing that out!

:) :) :) :toast: :toast: :toast: :hi: :hi: :hi:

[RKP5637]

34. Oh, that is funny!!! I can't believe I said 225 miles!!! LOL !!!

:hi: :hi: :hi:

[RKP5637]

27. See #26.

[RKP5637]

37. Oops!!! 225K I'm still laughing at my mistake!!! I was so serious and it was so funny!!!

:) :) :)

[rasputin1952]

73. I have to admit, my eye's popped at that one...

:rofl:

Don't feel alone, once, I posted years ago when I was ill that I had a 1002F fever...I got grief, some thought it was spontaneous human combustion as opposed to a flu thing...:D

[RKP5637]

74. LOL!!!

:toast:

[Poiuyt]

75. We tease because we love!

[underseasurveyor]

78. I had an 82 hatchback

A bull elk dove off, head first, off this embankment about 10-12 feet high onto the front, drivers side quarter panel. Dented the crap out of it to say the least but she still was able to drive away. Can't say the elk faired as well.

Snowdrifts.. no problem. 4 wheel drive on the fly.. loved it. Almost three hundred fifty thousand miles and the only major work she needed was one of the front axles replaced. And I was very hard on vehicles back in those days.

L-O-V-E-D that car! Love Love Loved it:hug:

[CanonRay]

3. I currently own two.

I live 9-1/2 miles up a dirt road. Only car that can handle it. Better than a 4 WD truck in mud. Awesome car.

[matt819]

4. I have two

Super cars, great in winter. One has 200,000 plus miles, the other somewhere in the mid 100s. The older one needed a head gasket replacement, which was steep, but not surprising with so many miles. Other than that routine maintenance and no problems.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Never ever heard a complaint about one

but allow for the fact I'm UK. I don't think you've got our full nutter turbo Impreza's over there - have you ?

[depakid]

6. People who I know who have owned them have been very satisfied

with their reliability for what they use them for.

[Bonhomme Richard]

8. We are on our third. The latest is an outback with 100K on it now.

My wife's car and she loves it.

[BJ10]

9. After some more research...

I wonder if the Forrester wouldn't be a better option? It still has the AWD and plenty of room. And a few less thousand than the Outback to boot.

[Lost4words]

19. I thought Subaru moved the name Outback to the Forester line.

My sister bought a new one in 2008 I think that was the last year for the body style moving to the new slightly larger Forester.

Does Subaru still have Legacy and Impressa Outbacks?

Anyway she loves hers its a PZEV = practically zero emission vehicle, its a great car. If I ever find a job again and have a need for a newer car it will be a Subaru, preowned or otherwise.

:hi:

[CabalPowered]

10. I have a '10 Outback

This is my 4th Outback. For the most part I'm very happy. There is a bulletin out for the driver's seat and I believe it only affects the standard seat and not the upgraded seat. Something about the bottom of the seat and where it attaches to the floor, that frame will need to be replaced. I have a few other complaints...

In previous models, when the back seat was folded down there was enough length for me to sleep. The redesign shortened that length by 6" or so. Also, they don't fold perfectly flat like they used to. There's a 2-3 degree inclination.

The stock speakers are junk and I replaced them immediately with after-market speakers.

The standard engine is still underpowered but not terribly.

The roof rack redesign is good and bad. The noise is WAY down but it does limit the functionality and capacity of the rack. The car is very quiet at highway speeds with the rails in.

With all that said, I really like the interior, the mpg boost, the 6 speed manual and the additional clearance. I had no problems getting to the cabin or the slopes this last winter.

In hindsight, I might have saved for a bit longer and opted for the automatic and the bigger engine. I like the manual but my parents borrow it from time to time and they haven't driven a manual in years.

Overall I give it a 8.5 out of 10. I also looked at the Venza but it's more car than utility wagon.

[BJ10]

12. Thanks for the detailed review...n/t

[cali]

11. Subarus are the work horse of Vermont

I've never bought a new one, but I've been very happy with my used outbacks.

[NotThisTime]

38. Literally everyone in the neighborhood has at least one, except us, we might have to buy one :)

Everyone we talk to is very happy, most have the Outback.... they run them into the ground, they last a long while :) When it does come to buying a new car, it will be the first thing we look at.

[Mnemosyne]

13. My mate's Subaru Outback has over 250,000 and runs like a tank.

We're in NW PA in the snowbelt and he was only stuck one time the entire winter.

Really great car!

[NNN0LHI]

15. "Kaizen" means bad karma for Subaru workers

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45b/010.html

"Kaizen" means bad karma for Subaru workers

By Ryan Amptmeyer <[e-mail]>
2 September, 1995

LAFAYETTE,INDIANA... Indiana politicians cheered the anti-union Subaru-Isuzu Automotive plant in Lafayette when it was built in 1989. Today the plant is eliciting harsh criticism from labor leaders. The company located its huge factory in Tippecanoe County due to lucrative cash handouts financed by county and state taxes. The handouts were the brainchild of Republican former Governor Robert Orr, and amount to roughly $50,000 per job created.

Laurie Graham, a former doctoral student at Purdue and currently a professor of labor studies at Indiana University in Kokomo, worked at the Subaru plant for six years. She entered the factory with the intent of exposing the horrors of a non-union shop. Her new book, "On the Line with Subaru-Isuzu: The Japanese Model and the American Worker" blasts the anti-union management philosophy of KAIZEN. In a kaizen-oriented shop, workers are encouraged to complain and blow off steam, but the complaints are only swept under the rug by management.

Such disregarded complaints have resulted in several lawsuits. A class action suit filed by Bruce Socker alleges violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The suit also accuses the company of negligence in knee and shoulder injuries, and wrist injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. These injuries are caused by mandatory 12-hour shifts. Prof.Graham said,"I have never worked so hard for so long in my life. If workers don't organize there, the injuries will continue." Prof.Graham correctly criticized her former bosses because of their vicious anti-labor policies, not because of their nationality.

African-American inspection worker Reginald Mallett filed a separate lawsuit. He says he was the victim of racist slurs, jokes, prejudice, and even physical threats. In 1992, Mallett was officially reprimanded for refusing to accept a verbal apology instead of filing a written complaint when a co-worker threatened to burn a cross on his lawn.

Janitors working for a contractor at the plant have observed management personnel coercing workers into wearing anti-UAW stickers on their hardhats.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. 1995 was 15 years ago

[NNN0LHI]

42. United Auto Workers (UAW) first negotiated domestic partner benefits in 1982

That was almost 30 years ago.

Don

http://www.working-families.org/newsletter/winter09.html

Domestic Partner Benefits on the Rise

Since workers at the Village Voice in New York City and the United Auto Workers (UAW) first negotiated domestic partner benefits in 1982, a growing number of employers have followed. As of March 2006, 49% of the Fortune 500 offered domestic partner health benefits, compared to 25% in 2000. The trend toward domestic partner benefits is increasing regardless of business size, although the most substantial gains are among large employers. But many public and private sector LGBT workers do not have access to these benefits. In a 2003 study, 48% of LGBT workers identified domestic partner benefits as the most important consideration in a potential job change. And where state and federal laws provide little to no rights, union contracts provide the only protection.

[WyLoochka]

16. I'm on my second

First one had 250K miles - never a problem. Then I went to a Nissan Xterra which I dumped at 80K miles because it just couldn't do what the Subie could.

So happy to be back in an Outback.

[jotsy]

17. I have a 99 Forester, it is not the first Subaru I have driven.

My daughter has an Outback which we got lucky in finding as it had less than 100,000 miles and a price of just under $5,000. Ask about how much oil a vehicle is going through if you can, that seems to be an indicator of a head gasket on its way out. It depends on what kind of driving you anticipate. For me, here in the Pacific Northwest, I say it's the best of both worlds. They get pretty good gas mileage and yet handle off road and snowy conditions well because of its all wheel drive all the time. My man loves it when it snows. Refers to my Forester as his 'lil snow plow.

[SocialistLez]

18. Are they made in the U.S.? NT

[BJ10]

20. I'm not sure if all of them are...

but they do have a plant in Indiana which is the first zero-landfill plant.

[JNelson6563]

47. I wonder if they're unionized.

I try to buy cars made by union workers in America.

Julie

[Codeine]

52. They aren't.

There are no UAW-built Subarus.

http://216.197.111.222/uawmade/auto/2010/index.cfm

[JNelson6563]

71. ah. Good to see so many pro=union DUers.

Oh wait....we're just pro-union in theory. I forgot that those union people don't make cars good enough for anyone to drive.

Julie

[Codeine]

72. The shitstorm that happens whenever anybody

even sneezes at the teacher's unions doesn't seem to extend to respecting blue-collar labor.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Everyone I know who owns one loves it

Seems to be a great car.

[Highway61]

23. Bought one in 95

NEVER a problem...until some bonehead hit it while it was parked and totaled it. Bought a Forester in 2005 to replace it...NEVER a problem and now I am in the market for a new one (keeping my 2005, of course) Lowest priced AWD on the market...hands down. All I spend is an oil change like clock work, tire rotation and new tires when needed. Good luck...It's the car of choice in New England.

[DavidDvorkin]

25. My wife loves her 2001 Outback

I prefer driving my Camry, but when we go on a road trip, we always take her car. It feels safer, and I think the numbers bear that out. And the hatchback design lets us take lotsa stuff with us (e.g., different clothing for different climates) and get it out quickly and easily.

[BJ10]

28. The VW Tiguan is pretty cool too...

http://www.vw.com/tiguan/en/us/

[nashville_brook]

65. that is indeed a cool car -- don't make any decision until you drive your "possibles" a few times!

you have to really get into the activity of test driving. every time i've bought a car i had something in mind, but once i drove a few, things really changed. to me, the difference in a VW and a Subaru is in the build quality and general feel of the ride. i much prefer the ride of a VW, and the Tiguan is an ADORABLE car. not too big, but practical.

think about what you need your car to do. will you need to haul stuff on roof racks? then, don't get a car that's so tall that's it's too difficult to load that kayak, or those bikes. Will you be doing some off-roading, or snow-driving, then consider AWD.

i'm just going to throw this out there, b/c i'm a hybrid fan -- the new Honda Insight is a fabulous car. inexpensive, practical and a gas-sipper. i'm not sure about AWD, so it might not compare to the Subaru.

good luck and have fun!

[Codeine]

29. As long as you don't find giving the finger to American union workers. nt

[aikoaiko]

30. Why do you hate unions, all American workers, and America itself?

Sorry, I just thought I'd put it out there before the usual suspects show up. ;)

More seriously, my friends who drive newish Subarus still sing there praises. If you live areas with snow or inclement weather, or messy dirt roads, they are especially useful.

[Codeine]

44. The usual suspects

being working-class, blue-collar folks and those who respect them and the dignity of their labor.

[aikoaiko]

49. Those are not the usual suspects of which I am speaking

I'm talking about the folks who attempt to guilt, browbeat, intimidate and/or bully people for making economic choices.

I support unions and American labor, but not necessarily the pro-union tactics that get used here and elsewhere.

[Codeine]

55. They remind people that economic choices

have consequences for American workers, and every time one undercuts a union by supporting union-busters our economic future is weakened and leveraged a bit more.

[aikoaiko]

58. I think that 'reminder' can be achieved without the bullying tactics.

But if you think it can't, then so be it.

[Codeine]

60. Gentle reminders don't work.

Unions have always known that, and they used to remind people with a bat to the dome if needed. Sadly, those days are gone, and the working men and women are poorer for that.

[aikoaiko]

64. "remind people with a bat to the dome if needed"?

If you think you need to beat people in order to grow your support, then you really need to look at your ineffective message.

[hlthe2b]

32. Anyone own one? LOLOL

Only about half the state of Colorado, including myself. ;)

[Extend a Hand]

36. subaru was on a "top cars ticketed" list

I saw not long ago
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13746_7-10151380-48.html

[aikoaiko]

41. Look at all the Scions in the top 10 list.. that's funny.

Said as a Xb owner.

[NNN0LHI]

45. That because most police belong to a union

I would be writing up every import or scab built vehicle I seen if I was a cop too.

Don

[Statistical]

51. Thank God you aren't a cop with prejudice like that. n/t

[NNN0LHI]

57. Prejudiced against stupidity?

Where's all the jobs?

I know people who are in the position to hire new employees and they won't hire people who don't support their fellow workers. I knew two out of work guys. One drives a scab built Honda and the other drives a union made Chevy. Which one you think I helped get a job at one of the local Ford plants?

I fired my lifelong insurance agent over his choice of a Lexus as his new car not very long ago too. And I told him why too.

Lot of former and current UAW members I know are doing the same thing.

Thats just the way it is. You help us. We will help you.

Don

[Statistical]

61. Thats fine a personall choice but to apply that to application of law is criminal and fascist.

So I restate my opinion thank god you aren't a cop if you are unable to separate your personally feelings from the oath to enforce the law.

Thats just the way it is. You help us. We will help you.
Exactly and if you are a cop with this attitude you are a crooked cop.

[proud2BlibKansan]

56. Good thing you aren't a cop

That is called profiling. And it's illegal. So you wouldn't be a cop for long.

[Motown_Johnny]

40. out of a job yet?

Keep Buying Imports!

[Kalyke]

43. Buy American.

While this may be made in America (some of it), it's made in non-union plants with the profits going overseas.

So, no, I wouldn't condone it.

[Statistical]

53. Profits go to shareholders not the country of origin.

Come on this isn't the 18th century anymore.

[Toucano]

76. Thank you!

It's time to kill that "profits overseas" myth.

[Fumesucker]

59. I can't think of a domestic equivalent to an Outback..

Highly reliable smallish all wheel drive car..

There are plenty of four wheel drive domestics but they are all larger SUVs as far as I'm aware.

[rox63]

63. I did that with my last car, and GM discontinued the brand last year

I have a 2005 Saturn, and I'd buy another if they hadn't stopped making them. American-made and union-made were a factor in that purchase. But I've also owned imports, and will likely own another import at some point in the future.

[rox63]

62. Never owned one, but friends who have swear by them

They last pretty much forever. The only downside I've heard is that they are expensive to repair when they finally do need work done.

[intheozone]

66. Hubby and I had a 2001 Outback V-6 model, top of the line

with all the bells and whistles. We just sold it last summer with 100,000 miles on it. It was a great running car with lots of power. I've cruised the salt flats through Utah at 105 mph. without a problem. The only complaints we had were the front seats were not cushioned enough for long trips (we drove from CA to CO often) and the brakes on the V-6 should have been larger for to compensate for the heavier weight of the vehicle. But it was a great vehicle.

[GreenPartyVoter]

67. They are lovely. We've had two, one older pre-Outback wagon and one Forester. We test drove

a new Outback recently and it was just lovely, but the gent who was showing it to us said they expect to have a hybrid out in the next few years so we may wait a bit longer.

[Davis_X_Machina]

69. With Saab going under...

...or becoming Dutch, and Volvo going under, or becoming Chinese, by the middle of the decade, every single car in Maine will in fact be a Subaru.

[eggplant]

77. We've owned four so far

- 1992 Loyale Wagon, bought new, sold used
- 1998 Impreza Sedan, bought used, still own
- 1998 Legacy Wagon, bought used, sold used
- 2006 Outback, bought used

We love 'em. I'm not a big fan of the latest versions -- they are a bit to big for my tastes. I'd love to find a cheap 06 or 07 Impreza to replace my rusting 98, but it only has 90k miles on it -- the engine is barely broken in.