Help! Your input wanted. Please Read I am a Future Subaru Owner

[Loscocco]

Well this is my very first post here on this message board so far. I have been a member of another forum for maybe years now, Dodgedakotas.com and still am.. well until last night. I kinda crashed my Dakota last night and it needs major repairs if it is fixable. I have had my eyes on the Baja now for a few years and am considering spending my life savings to join this fine message board. I am looking at possibly the 2005 Baja Turbo or a 2004 regular. I would like to get your feedback on these models esp if you own one. What do you like, not like, or wish it had or that oyu had done differently when buy it. I am considering buying a Turbo which i believe is new for the 2005 model but also might buy like an 03 or 04 regular. I like the cargo versatility of the Bajas for hauling stuff but also want a Tonneau or roll up cover on the back. Is the cover from the factory worth the $409 extra or would you get an after market one. I am definatly going to get the Manual tranny on whatever model i get Would you reccomend for or against getting the turbo? I know often first productions of a model will have bugs to work out so thats my debate between getting an 05 and a 03 or 4 as well as the price. Any input would be much appreciated. You can reply here or email me at

Erin@Loscocco.net

Thanks a lot in advnce

hopeful Subaru owner

Erin Loscocco

[SevenSisters]

Welcome to the board.

 

You’re getting a lot of reads, but no replies. Hope you are OK after the mishap. I don’t have answers for your questions but note switching from a p-up to a Subaru is a bit of a change.

 

 

A lot of Subaru owners buy a Subaru for winter (snow) traction or mild off road use. Do you need AWD? Do you haul a load? Do you get much snow in SF? (joke) Go camping out in the boondocks? Pull a trailer? Tell us a little bit about your driving habits and needs and more people will be able to help.

 

I see the Baja as giving a passenger car ride and performance with the ability to haul a load. In the Snow Belt I’d get 4 or AWD. Without snow I may opt for a 2WD pick-up.

 

[Chip]

If you want to go fast, don't buy the normally aspirated Subaru...especially automatic. The 165HP 2.5L is a torquey motor but the weight of the vehicle pretty well removes the excitement factor.

 

I don't know what the towing capacity is for the new ones but for my 98 O/B, I can only pull 1500 lbs.

Depends on what you wanna do.

[s'ko]

Welcome.

 

The way I see it. The Baja is part of a new breed of vehicles called the Sports Activity Vehicle. They are mostly designed for pavement driving, maybe dirt roads or mild off roading. Versatility of having the pseudo-bed is great for dirty gear and maybe some light duty hauling from Home Despot. It is far from a replacement for your pickup. It just depends on what you are going to do with it.

Re: turbo vs N/A I have a 2.2L Outback Sport (OBS) 140 HP. sure it's no turbo but I like it's performance and power. Don't have trouble getting zipping around. With my lead foot, turbo would be really dangerous.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

BW

[rweddy]

I know often first productions of a model will have bugs to work out so thats my debate between getting an 05 and a 03 or 4 as well as the price. Any input would be much appreciated.

Even though the 03 was the first year of the baja, it is just a Outback with a different back end. So the new model of the Legacy was 00 so 03 or 04 would be fine.