I have been seriously considering trading in my mustang on a scooby. The thing is I dont have a lot of info...and no experience on subaru's. I am looking at a subaru baja. With the way that colorado winters are, I know I made a mistake with my mustang.

I love the stang to death. She is quick, and a lot of fun....but its just not practical. I was just kinda wondering if anyone has any info/input/experience with subaru's. I would love to have a wrx...or even a wrx sti, but I need storage space now.

I have been looking around quite a bit....and out of the x-terra, outback, forrester, baja, etc. I like the baja the best. Thanks in advance for the replies, and your input is greatly appreciated.

i LOVE the bajas!!

they have a baja with the wrx motor.

not sure what kinda times it runs but the forester version that comes with the wrx motor runs low 14's





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The baja I have been looking at comes with the N/A 2.5 boxer engine...168ish Hp...enough to carry a couple of buddies up to winter park for some boarding, or out camping. Plus a fast car is just going to make me want to drive it fast. So I'm not too concerned about speed for the time being. Thanks for the reply

cool :::gets excited about the mention of winter parks:::

::calms down::

im sure that na 2.5 is pretty zippy. although i have not been in one.


i love the way the baja looks and its functionality.




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sorry i just think the baja is up there with the aztec in the looks department. Two big thumbs down. Probably very practical though. I personaly love the X-terras! Let us know what ya get.



"Custom cars, custom problems."-me

The baja is certainly a niche vehicle, more so than any other Suby. In fact Subaru has already started to phase them out. I think that 06 is their last year. I don't even believe they bothered to give it the redesign which the LGT and Outback got for 05.

Certainly can't go wrong with any of their engine / AWD platforms though. I can personally attest to them being excellent in the snow! I'm not sure what tires are on there, but usually suby stock tires leave a good amount to be desired. Change them up and you have a mountain monster usually. They are typically much more predicable in the snow than many SUV's i've ever driven. The only thing SUV's have in bad weather over the subaru is more weight which will give you slightly more stability. Otherwise, they are very even when it comes to bad weather.

It depends on your cash flow, but the larger engine is the most recomended way to go. Not just for speed, but also in terms of carting people around, possible towing, etc. While the 168hp is descent, it by no means feels strong, especially in a vehicle that size. I had my GT in the shop a few weeks ago and was given a 2.5i legacy for the day. It is most likely the same 2.5L that would be in the baja and it was managable, but not somehting i could live with on a daily basis. However, it was only for a bit and you have to understand i was coming from the GT which has just about 100hp and 100 ft/lbs of torque more. Not to mention the loaner was an auto. It was just a dog...no surprise and that was just with me in the car, couldn't imagine it filled with people and gear. If you are going to spend more money anywhere, spend it on the engine.

I personally haven't ever driven the baja, its not really my taste, so i can't really give any advice into that specific car. I'd seriously look into the outback as well though. Its their top sellling model and there are tons of different trim options.

Like subaru25gt, I also have a 05 Legacy GT (mine is black). The best course of action when deciding on an engine is to drive both. Once you see the difference in engine, I think you will change your mind. When buying a car and you can afford it, don't have any regrets. The second biggest descision on a Subbie is the transmission. The MT and AT have different types of AWD systems. Pick up a brochure sometime and look into the differences. I think you can download brochures on the Subaru website in PDF format.

If I was in your position and wanted a mountain climber on a daily basis, I would go with an Outback XT (H4 turbo for change in elevation). Either the Sedan or Wagon trim... The LL Bean trim is nice on the Outbacks, as well. If you stay out of the mountains and don't make much elevation change, I would then recommend an Outback 3.0R (H6) with VDC.

IMO, I would pick up the brochure for the Outback and Baja and do some comparisons. The wagon Outbacks have a great rack system and have lots of storage capacity in rear area. You can always put a hitch on any of them for extra bike carrrying.

I did not detail the Baja. Because I don't know how much you already know about them. Like I said pick up the brochures and go to the website and figure out the differences. Also, a Forrester or Impreza Wagon are excellent utilitarian vehicles (with these you have a choice of 2.5 NA or 2.5 Turbo).

Good luck and happy hunting.






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Only thing I can tell you on this is that I bought my '99 Outback in May & I absolutely LOVE it. I'm actually excited to get snow for once so I can test it out.

I also have the 2.5 engine, which I can tell you doesn't feel "fast" by any means. It doesn't feel slow, but it's not nearly as fast and nimble as my Sunfire, it's a way heavier vehicle. I have no regrets though, it's been great for hauling the dog & bikes & taking our every-so-often 5 hour trip to NY. It can get up and go, but I never really challenge it since I'm still getting used to how it shifts, although it is automatic. It just shifts way differently than my Sunfire. I've had it on highways & back roads with 3 other adults in the car & it still feels pretty much the same. In my Sunfire it feels way different with people in the car, but not so in the Outback.

I personally like my cargo space to be covered, so I'd probably never go with a Baja.

Why not get a chevy, ford or dodge 4x4 truck?

^^ Gas....enough said.

As i said before too, the only real advantage those types of cars have is weight. It can be a downside as well as you have more momentum to overcome in an emergency situation. Subaru's are excellent in the snow when properly equipted.

I went around today and did a lot more looking and test driving....and I found something that I had overlooked before. I am currently in the middle of a 24 hour test drive. I am looking at a 2005 nissan frontier. It is a black 4wd mid sized pickup with a 265 HP V6.

What really turned me on about this truck was how sure of its self it felt. The steering actually felt a lot more positive than the Mustang. It is a nice riding vehicle, with more than enough room for 4 people plus all of the camping/boarding/fishing stuff in the bed. I am seriously thinking about signing the papers tomorrow.

Any thoughts?

Subaru Forester XT...STi motor with a WRX turbo...hello upgrade path!

Nissans site says the frontier gets 15 city 20 hwy... I dont know how much the one you were looking at costs, but if its around 20k I would look into a GM truck, they get around the same gas mileage and are better trucks IMO.

according to consumer reports the baja's are very prone to reliablity troubles.....besides that it seems like it got a decent review

I love everything Nissan has out right now

The Frontier is hot, if you like it go for it. I think they look and probably drive better than the Subaru

Alright I did it. I traded off the stang and picked up a black 2005 Nissan Frontier King cab. Has the utili-track system with spray in bedliner, bed extender, cargo divider. Very nice truck, and my payments are only $246 a month. I am extremley happy with it. Rides and drives extremley well. The truck feels very sure of itsself. And I did it just in time too....here comes the bad weather. I will take some pics when its not raining/snowing outside.

Congrats....no matter what you decide a new car is a new car...i'm sure you'll love it

Nice man, get some pics up

You got a steal. Congrats and happy boarding.


Sig'less since '02!