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Subaru Tribeca 2008

723 messages,  Last post on Dec 03, 2012 at 4:46 AM

You are in the Subaru B9 Tribeca Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru B9 Tribeca, Automotive News, SUV

Messages Page 68 of 73

#666 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [ateixeira] by mike1944

Jun 04, 2008 (4:45 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 02, 2008 10:06 am)
tried the dealer route, I was told they couldn't give me a trade-in value since the car is relatively new.
 
because the car was new, they couldn't do a swap, for an outback, or a forester,which were my first choice.
 
I'm not in a panic to change the car, but hybrids are becoming non-existent on dealer lots. the camry hybrid will only be available as a special order,with a 3-6 month wait. wish subaru had a hybrid,read that they have one in japan, but it's not awd.Nissan coupled the toyota system to their 4 cylinder engine, to get a hybrid out, I thought subaru was doing the same.the escape hybrid doesn'y offer stability control with 4wd, and the highlander hybrid is too expensive.

#667 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [mike1944] by bdyment

Jun 04, 2008 (5:55 am)

Replying to: mike1944 (Jun 04, 2008 4:45 am)
I believe that the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, which will be out soon, will have stability control with 4wd. There are a lot changes to the 2009 Escapes, both Hybrid and regular models.

#668 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [mike1944] by ateixeira

Jun 04, 2008 (10:13 am)

Replying to: mike1944 (Jun 04, 2008 4:45 am)
Wait a year or two until Subaru offers the GTP program for a model you like.
 
Under the Guaranteed Trade-in Program, people were getting close to new prices on 1 and 2 year old used Imprezas when the 2008 Impreza came out.
 
It's not worth taking an $8000 depreciation hit to save maybe $20 a week on fuel. It would take 33 months to make up that amount.

#669 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [ateixeira] by paisan

Jun 06, 2008 (6:09 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 04, 2008 10:13 am)
The Escape AWD Hybrid also stickers at $35k. That's outrageous for what it is. We have one here at work and it yields 25mpg, but has the power of a 1992 Hyundai Excel, and is almost dangerous to drive in suburban areas. At $35k you could buy a less efficient vehicle and the $ you saved on the initial purchase could be put towards your gas bill!
 
-mike

#670 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [paisan] by robr2

Jun 06, 2008 (7:32 am)

Replying to: paisan (Jun 06, 2008 6:09 am)
The Escape AWD Hybrid also stickers at $35k.
 
That's if you tick off every option - just like most vehicles, you can add plenty of extra coin to the base price.

#671 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [robr2] by paisan

Jun 06, 2008 (4:44 pm)

Replying to: robr2 (Jun 06, 2008 7:32 am)
Our $30k AWD Hybrid Escape is pretty spartan (No Navi, No auto-dimming mirror, No-Sat Radio, heck not much of anything that I don't expect in a basic car). They had told me the sticker was $35k, but I just optioned it out as we have it and it came to $30k, still a lot of money for a relatively small, spartan, car with the interior and performance of a 1992 Hyundai Excel!
 
-mike

#672 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [paisan] by ateixeira

Jun 10, 2008 (8:20 am)

Replying to: paisan (Jun 06, 2008 4:44 pm)
Don't hold back, mike!
 
I actually took a look at a Mercury Mariner hybrid. It was well equipped, and the price with discounts was set at a no-haggle $30k or so.
 
Not too bad, but the thing is, at $30k that interior falls short. There are lots of hard and shiny surfaces and the leather seats look like vinyl to me.
 
It would be a deal at $25k, maybe a bit more, but for $30,000 I expect a much nicer interior.
 
Plus, at about $5000 more than a Forester LL Bean (or Limited), I'm not sure that you'll ever break even on gas savings. By the time you do, you'll need to replace the battery pack, which ain't cheap.

#673 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [ateixeira] by ateixeira

Jun 10, 2008 (8:25 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 10, 2008 8:20 am)
OK, I checked.
 
Per the EPA, you save $579 per year.
 
So it would take about 9 years to break even, and recover that $5000 up front investment, even if we ignore the interest you may pay on a loan, or the opportunity cost of not having that $5000 available to invest. When you account for that, it's probably more like 10-11 years.
 
By then you'll need new batteries, if you even keep your Mariner (or Escape) for that long.
 
Financially, it doesn't make sense. Buy the Forester, it's got a much nicer interior.

#674 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [ateixeira] by robr2

Jun 10, 2008 (9:13 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 10, 2008 8:25 am)
Financially, it doesn't make sense.
 
For many buyers, it doesn't have to. It's about image, doing what they feel is right and perhaps getting other benefits like tax breaks, use of carpool lanes with only one passenger, et al. For many companies, using hybrids is about showing corporate responsibility and being do-gooders.
 
Paisan - I know you hate hybrids. Heck Subaru could offer one for $5K that got 90 mpg and spewed hundred dollar bills from the tailpipe and you're still bound find something wrong with it!!

#675 of 723 Re: 2008 tribeca limited [robr2] by ateixeira

Jun 10, 2008 (9:27 am)

Replying to: robr2 (Jun 10, 2008 9:13 am)
So true.
 
Around here I think the car pool lane access in VA expired already. MD and DC never had those perks.
 
Tax breaks can offset some of the extra cost, I suppose it depends on your tax bracket. I don't pay income taxes, though.
 
As for doing good, get the PZEV Forester. That's what we did.
 
We also got special tags that not only will match the color of the car (Newport Blue Pearl) but also raises funds to help preserve the Chesapeake Bay.

Messages Page 68 of 73

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