Ask the Car People.SM


Subaru Forester Prices Paid and Buying Experience

3509 messages,  Last post on May 17, 2013 at 2:32 PM

You are in the Prices Paid - Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Forester, Wagon, SUV

Messages Page 333 of 351

#3320 of 3509 Re: Did I Pay a Decent Price for the 2012 Forester 2.5X(base) [dalon] by dalon

Dec 16, 2011 (5:04 pm)

Replying to: dalon (Dec 14, 2011 7:42 pm)
Yea, I could've shot for more but I heard from a Nissan dealership that they would give me $500 below invoice and that the sales guy would only make $75 commission.
 
So, I figured, I wouldn't haggle my sales guy with Subaru too much b/c I felt like he deserved to get some commission. At a certain point, haggling over an extra $100-$250 is somewhat unnecessary if you're trying to squeeze every little cent you can. At some point, it is like when you pay tips to your waiter/waitress. I felt like the guy deserved some kind of commission out of it, so I didn't push the issue. I could've easily gotten it to $900 below invoice but I got some of that money back by getting a lower price on the protection package, and I'll only have to pay less than $500 for 6-month car insurance and I'm 23 and a male.

#3321 of 3509 under invoice by cdndriver

Dec 17, 2011 (4:08 pm)

HI,
I'm looking at a 2012 forester Touring up here in Canada. invoice for us is: 28067.00. The dealers here are loath to go below msrp, and even when you go in with invoice, they are saying they "have to make something". How do you get below invoice pricing? We have to pay to get the invoice details and also lists of rebate programs and such. The company I do that through has prenegotiated rates which are invoice plus 3 %. Because Subies are in demand up here, it's hard to get them to budge on prices at all. Other than simply asking for below invoice, any strategies for getting under it? How do you then figure on the sales guy's commission? I mean they should make something to be fair.
We don't have the options here for 'winter packages and such' they come with that installed for Canada. So there aren't many options other than the touring, or limited package for example.
I appreciate your ideas and strategies for getting a good deal.
thanks,
cdndriver

#3322 of 3509 Re: under invoice [cdndriver] by dalon

Dec 17, 2011 (7:04 pm)

Replying to: cdndriver (Dec 17, 2011 4:08 pm)
The Forester, and I mean in general, has very few issues. You cannot bring up recalls or any real issues with the car itself. I don't know about the Touring model of the Forester, but for the 2.5X model, the only real issues are:
1. No new features from 2011 model. Due to the tsnumais in Japan, they stopped manufacturing 2011 Foresters and thus, the 2012 model is basically the same as the 2011. You can use the arguement that there are no new features in the 2012 model as a way to drop the price down a little bit.
 
2. The Forester does have an outdated transmission system. I didn't use this in my arguements but this is a slight issue with the Forester. I'm sure it is also the case with the Touring model although don't quote me on it.
 
3. Go to Truecar.com, it is a site where you can get car quotes from dealerships in your area, and those quotes are usually well below invoice. You take that quote to those specific dealerships, and they have to match the quote. Also, you can shop around for dealerships near your area and ask if they are willing to come close or match the quote. I'm not sure if this works in Canada, so if not, then that sucks. But, this would be a good gauge for you to determine what type of price you would want to pay if it is available for you to use in Canada.
 
The problem is that Subaru doesn't have any discounts or rebates or manufacturer-to-dealer discounts that a consumer can take advantage of with Nissan or Toyota or other dealers. If you can afford 0% APR and pay the car off sooner, that is another option to consider b/c I believe that Subaru just came out with the option of doing 0% APR according to what my salesperson said.
 
Good luck with it and hopefully you can get it below invoice. Dealerships still make money even if you go below invoice, just depends how much you want to go.

#3323 of 3509 Re: under invoice [dalon] by cdndriver

Dec 18, 2011 (2:44 pm)

Replying to: dalon (Dec 17, 2011 7:04 pm)
thanks for the advice.
Interest rates for Subs are 2.9, 3.9,4.9 for leasing depending on the term, 2 years, 3, 4, respectively. They sell well here, and the banks aren't in the same situation as there, so they just don't move much on interest here, at least not for 2012 models.
I'll see if truecar works up here. and what they offer.
I'll let you know what happens. I've got two dealers I can try.

#3324 of 3509 Re: under invoice [cdndriver] by mickfickle

Dec 19, 2011 (8:23 am)

Replying to: cdndriver (Dec 17, 2011 4:08 pm)
I contacted every Subaru dealer within an hour/hour and a half driving distance, got their quotes, then argued them down using quotes from other dealers going back and forth, slowly working down to the few dealerships who would go down the most and would work with me. Ultimately, I got them $1150 below invoice before I even stepped on their lot.
 
Good luck!
-John

#3325 of 3509 Re: Did I Pay a Decent Price for the 2012 Forester 2.5X(base) [dalon] by aatherton

Dec 19, 2011 (5:09 pm)

Replying to: dalon (Dec 14, 2011 7:42 pm)
The $800 protection package was useless to you but high profit for them. Don't worry about going below invoice. You treated them well and everybody is happy. It was a fair deal.

#3326 of 3509 I have spent too much money repairing my subaru by marianneo

Dec 19, 2011 (7:45 pm)

I have paid twice in last year for head gasket replacement. Then my engine became cracked. There is something wrong with these engines.

#3327 of 3509 Re: I have spent too much money repairing my subaru [marianneo] by dalon

Dec 19, 2011 (8:07 pm)

Replying to: marianneo (Dec 19, 2011 7:45 pm)
Yes, I also heard that other Subarus have had head gasket issues, usually after 80,000-100,000 miles. What year is your Forester? Must be a 2002 or something.
 
I mighta f'ed up on the protection package but since I live in Illinois and we can have harsh winters, it was a necessary evil b/c I'm not going to keep up with spraying that rust stuff every year.

#3328 of 3509 Re: I have spent too much money repairing my subaru [dalon] by xwesx

Dec 20, 2011 (11:10 am)

Replying to: dalon (Dec 19, 2011 8:07 pm)
Don't worry about it, Dalon! If you're happy with the car and the price, it was money well spent.
 
The "mid-west" and east can be brutal on cars. I remember looking at several sales of late '90s Outback wagons a few years ago when I lost my '96 and was considering replacing it with a similar model/year. Every one of them had all sorts of surface rust in the engine bay (so what does that say about the rest of the car?)!
 
These were cars with 100-120K miles. Mine had 220,000 at the time, and there wasn't a hint of rust anywhere on it.

#3329 of 3509 Re: I have spent too much money repairing my subaru [dalon] by aatherton

Dec 21, 2011 (7:10 am)

Replying to: dalon (Dec 19, 2011 8:07 pm)
"... the protection package... since I live in Illinois and we can have harsh winters, it was a necessary evil b/c I'm not going to keep up with spraying that rust stuff every year."
 
The annual spraying of "rust proofing" is another service like the "protection package". Paraffin wax sprays and bituminous undercoatings served a purpose decades ago when car bodies were made of plain steel which was bare inside the door and body panels, and the undercarriage and wheel wells were only painted.
 
However now bodies are made of galvanized steel dipped in primers, with electrostatic paint that reaches every side and crevice. Undercarriages and fender wells receive tough elastomeric coatings, and fender wells have plastic liners to protect against stones.
 
Spraying of "rust proofing" on modern cars makes the owner feel good but does nothing for the car as there is no bare metal left for it to benefit.

Messages Page 333 of 351

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement