Contemplating buying a Subaru Baja... any info??

[togan07]

what are some opinions on the vehicle?

[LetItSnow]

I can tell you a bit about the front 2/3... My Legacy wagon was a fantastic car. What it lacked in acceleration it made up for in ride, ergonomics, and quality of materials. The suspension was nicely tuneable, too, if that's your bag. The 2.5L engine is ridiculously common, and the Phase II during the Baja era had much better odds of escaping the notorious turn-of-the-millennium head gasket leaks, which went out instead of in like the Phase Is.

[Hondasucks]

My friend Mike has one, it's non turbo but it's 5 speed, he's happy with it, the bed is a bit small but he has still managed to haul plenty of stuff in it. I'd try and find a turbo one myself, since us SVX owners are used to more get up and go lol.

[Landshark]

just don't get a two-tone one! the solid silver ones look good.

turbo or NA?

[svxxx26]

I've had a 2005 turbo since Dec. 2009, put about 28,000 on it.
Personally, I love it. Very unique. I've had a lot of Subarus and this has to be one of my favorites.
I'm into cycling, so it's very handy carrying bikes and other related "junk". It came with the sport shift which is a lot of fun - but in practical terms I don't use it all that much. The turbo engine is a lot of fun too.
The back seat folds down flat and there is a pass-through for long items to lay from that area on into the bed - but again a feature I rarely use.
I've had a 3.0 Outback (2001) and the Outback sits up a little higher, so you can do backroads with more confidence. Keep in mind that if hauling a lot of stuff inside the car out of the weather is your priority, you'd be better off with the Outback.
Most people either love them or hate them - and most of my friends don't really understand it. Mechanically, I have not (knock on wood!) had any trouble with it. I plan on keeping it many years.

[svxxx26]

Originally Posted by Landshark

just don't get a two-tone one! the solid silver ones look good.

turbo or NA?

I don't get the two-tone either, although lately it's grown on me, especially the 2003 yellow.
I believe the two-tone was discontinued starting in 2005? 2005/2006 are monotone.

[Crazy_pilot]

I've always though the Baja was a good design. There's a bed cover available for it right? If so, then that's all I would need. I'm always worried with the wagon and Foresters about being nice when throwing things inside, since the trunk is a part of the car's interior, but with an open bed I'm not so concerned.

[svxxx26]

I like the open bed too, and if it gets dirty just hose it out. There is a hard cover tonneau as well as a soft cover for the back.

[subeman90]

I have a baja. I bought it new in May of 2006 and it has 32k on it. It is SOLID silver 5 speed nonturbo. I will say that it is very handy and I have used it more then I should at times. I have built a deck and used it to get all the lumber, hauled a 1.8 turbo subaru engine, a 2.5 subaru engine, I am in the process of cementing the basement and I have been hauling about 800 lbs of quickcrete in it fairly often here lately. I have a hitch on it and towed a decent sized trailer when we took down trees a month ago and I haul mtn bikes in the back too (not as often as I should though)

I have not had any mechanical issues with it but I have had some small BS issues like 3 trips to the dealer to get the side mirror to stop vibrating (mirror was made in mexico so...) and one time something came loose in the drivers door and jammed in the window track not allowing the window to go up. It gets about 26 mpg around town with some light highway driving.

I have driven a turbo stick one once and I got to say they really move but the cost of premimum gas doesn't interest me and my NA moves along pretty good as is. (i've got the speeding tickets to prove it)

Also they are very easy to "customize" to a certain degree. I put heated mirrors on, power seat (driver side), and I am in the process of installing an on board air compressor (hopelessly awaiting parts from God knows where).

All in all it makes a great "truck" for someone like me that needs to haul dirty crap and doesn't want to screw up the interior of an Outback.

Also, I have a bed cover for it. I have the www.ozzbros.com cover for it. It isn't cheap but it is really nice and will stow in the vehicle if you need to haul stuff. DO NOT BUY THE FACTORY SOFT COVER, IT IS CRAP. You have been warned and worst of all...the factory cover lets holes behind if you remove it.

Any questions feel free to PM me.

brush duty after a storm:

[zukiru]

what, no pics of you pulling austin's bumper out?

[subeman90]

Originally Posted by zukiru

what, no pics of you pulling austin's bumper out?

somehow I knew you were going to say that.

[SVeXy96]

I don't know anything about the baja either, but I want one too! Anyway thats not what is important here..Your wife can't drive a tiny little Dodge and you won't let her touch some Bimmer you prolly over paid by at least 10 g's for and you are willing to let her drive an SVX that she is SCARED of? What the hell is going on here? I'm not trying to offend you here and I'm sorry if I did, but seriously?

[togan07]

Originally Posted by SVeXy96

I don't know anything about the baja either, but I want one too! Anyway thats not what is important here..Your wife can't drive a tiny little Dodge and you won't let her touch some Bimmer you prolly over paid by at least 10 g's for and you are willing to let her drive an SVX that she is SCARED of? What the hell is going on here? I'm not trying to offend you here and I'm sorry if I did, but seriously?

1. She's my girlfriend of 3 years, not wife. Being the case, she won't touch the BMW thats in storage. I don't understand the overpaid part either.. how do you over pay for perfection? Not to mention the overwhelming power? No, I didn't over pay though, it was left to me from my grandfathers will. Kudos to you.

2. Tiny Dodge? It's pretty huge. lol

3. I'm not making her, this is why I'm buying her a new car, she doesn't like any of the vehicles I've layed out for her(and believe me there are quite a few more.. such as my 300M, Intrepid, and CJ) among others.

I don't really get where you're even coming from or if you understand what you yourself are saying.. but hey next time you decide to just drop 12 grand to see your girlfriend happy let me know and I'll find a way to discourage what you did.
Or maybe you should rephrase what you asked, because it still doesn't make sense to me.

[SVeXy96]

Sorry I tend to confuse people a lot. I say overpaid as a metaphor. BMW's are very nice, but also very, very expensive to fix. I never owned one, but all my friends that have seem to end up in a hole because once they start falling a part they can't afford to fix them (of course they're not rich either)
I say a Dodge in tiny because I drive 7-tons, tractor trailers and buses (HMMWV's too, but they're also small)
Also I will never drop 12 g's on a girlfriend because I am not a lesbian lol, but still, I would not have spent that much money on my husband either before we were married. The question wasn't really about money though. I am overprotective of the cars I love and an SVX may be no where near as costly as a BMW, but sentiment wise they are priceless!

[togan07]

Originally Posted by SVeXy96

Sorry I tend to confuse people a lot. I say overpaid as a metaphor. BMW's are very nice, but also very, very expensive to fix. I never owned one, but all my friends that have seem to end up in a hole because once they start falling a part they can't afford to fix them (of course they're not rich either)
I say a Dodge in tiny because I drive 7-tons, tractor trailers and buses (HMMWV's too, but they're also small)
Also I will never drop 12 g's on a girlfriend because I am not a lesbian lol, but still, I would not have spent that much money on my husband either before we were married. The question wasn't really about money though. I am overprotective of the cars I love and an SVX may be no where near as costly as a BMW, but sentiment wise they are priceless!

Parts aren't expensive for the BMW, its the labor that will kill you. Lucky for me I can handle myself there or yes perhaps owning a BMW or even Audi for that matter would be a bad move. In terms of pricing though for parts, not only are parts for the SVX harder to get but they are generally more expensive than the M3. That's just been my experience though with Bumper to Bumper/Napa/Auto Zone and the worst part about the SVX is that a lot of the parts you just cannot get and you have to either buy from a person junking his car or get SUPER lucky at a junk yard.

Even with your tractor driving... I don't think my Ram is tiny.. :P lol TO EACH HIS/HER OWN. & I spose technically I'm not dropping that money on her... since the title will be in my name.. but she gets to drive it.
Anyways, glad to clear it up. =)