Driven: 2010 Subaru Legacy, the car Subaru needs...

[Geoff]

Diesel around here is floating between regular and premium costs.

I have a few issues with a Jetta TDi Wagon....

I'm not sold that it's a good winter car. Fuel jell issues if you buy fuel in the flatlands. They take forever to warm up.

I don't like the way the TDi is optioned. The seats blow compared to the seats in my GTI. You can't get Xenons and that's something where once you cross over, halogens look really dim.

I'm a "thou shalt not pay retail" kind of guy. The GTI I'm driving now had a $3K marketing incentive and it was an invoice deal. The last one was also an October leftover with a dealer incentive an an invoice deal. The TDi is in such short supply in Europe that not many come over to the US. That means the dealer isn't going to be very flexible on pricing and there's no way VW will ever discount the car when they can sell the engine in Europe for a higher profit.

The engine option is also pretty expensive. I'm not convinced you make it back in fuel savings considering that they make you pay pretty much MSRP for the car. I get 31 mpg with my GTI. I have way more horsepower and comparable torque once the car is up over 2000 RPM.

I'm also not wild about the style of the MK V wagon. I like the look of the hatchback better. Neither gives you much of a back seat. I own an eco-disaster SUV so I have another option if I need more cargo space or if I need a back seat.

 

[Trekchick]

I have a few issues with a Jetta TDi Wagon....

I'm not sold that it's a good winter car. Fuel jell issues if you buy fuel in the flatlands. They take forever to warm up.
.

As a person who lives in cold weather with high moisture, and buys an average of 17,000.00 diesel/month in the summer and 8,000.00 diesel/month in the winter, I am confident that this is a minor issue. Occasional use of Powerservice or anti algae treatment is adequate to avoid jell issues.

 

[Philpug]

Yes, the TDi is comanding (close to) MSRP, but take a look at used TDI values, way above the average., so the actual cost of ownership is less. 66 cu ft is exactly what I am looking for in space in a wagon. Yes, you get 31 mpg with your GTI, I am sure that is when you are trying to get good MPG, if I try to get good MGP with a TDI, I will pull 45, real world is prolly 3-5 less in both accounts. Seats are better than my Subie bit not as good as your GTI, I agree and am not surprised there. There is no car out there that will ever be optioned exactly how you would want it...I would love 4 motion and a cloth interior, it is not going to happen.

 

[Geoff]

As a person who lives in cold weather with high moisture, and buys an average of 17,000.00 diesel/month in the summer and 8,000.00 diesel/month in the winter, I am confident that this is a minor issue. Occasional use of Powerservice or anti algae treatment is adequate to avoid jell issues.

I'm referring to people who live in the warmer parts of the flatlands and drive to ski country. If you live around Newport, RI, on Cape Cod, Long Island, or along the Jersey shore, the diesel you get isn't the winter mix. I have first hand experience with fuel jell problems from the 70's gas crisis years when my dad had a Mercedes turbodiesel. It died driving up more than once when the diesel in the fuel line turned to sludge and clogged the fuel filter. Everything is fine after the car is towed to a warm garage and sits for 30 minutes but you're dead on the side of the road in subzero. You pretty much had to plan your gas tank so you could buy winterized fuel enroute. I'[m not sure I believe there is a pint of something you can pour into your tank to stop the problem. You need to cut the fuel with kerosene.

Until recently, I had a 250 hp turbodiesel in my boat. I understand the whole biocide thing. I had that issue with a sailboat back in the late-1980's. After replacing the Raycore 3 times in 30 minutes, and bleed the injectors to get it running again, it was obvious what was going on. The boat yard had to cut an inspection port in the cockpit sole and drill a fitting into the top of the fuel tank to get the fuel out and into a fuel cleaner. I'm really anal about biocide after that incident. I also pumped all the fuel out of the tank every spring and filtered it.

 

[deadheadskier]

Sold

2004 Mazda 3 Hatchback

J is going to love it

Picked up the car today. She LOVES it.

The Mazda 3 is certainly not a rally car, but it's clear they put focus into making it a fun car to drive for the average person looking to get from A to B. I'm sure the Mazdaspeed3 would be a rocket ship. The standard 3 actually utilizes the same platform as a Volvo S40. It handles real well, has decent acceleration. I dig the styling of it both inside and out. After an afternoon, very impressed so far.

 

[Philpug]

Picked up the car today. She LOVES it.

The Mazda 3 is certainly not a rally car, but it's clear they put focus into making it a fun car to drive for the average person looking to get from A to B. I'm sure the Mazdaspeed3 would be a rocket ship. The standard 3 actually utilizes the same platform as a Volvo S40. It handles real well, has decent acceleration. I dig the styling of it both inside and out. After an afternoon, very impressed so far.

The 3 is a very nice car and a ton of fun to drive. Yep, it is on the same P(I forget which number) platform as the S40. Material and Fit & finish are one of the best in this price class.

 

[bvibert]

I like the looks of the Mazda 3 hatchbacks. Enjoy it DHS!

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

thanks a lot, campgottagopee, the euros get a 6-speed manual legacy wagon that's available with a diesel, and all we get is the much-maligned (well, on this board) outback??

:-(

"We would like to remind Subaru that they are selling us Americans the Outback (which is a jacked up Legacy Wagon with plastic cladding and a name derived from Paul Hogan), the Forester (another high-riding Legacy derivative with a tall roof that looks exactly like a station wagon) and the Tribeca (the less said here, the better). Oh, and the Impreza/WRX also come as five doors. Hey, the STI is wagon-only. In fact, the only car Subaru sells in the U.S. without a rear hatch is... the Legacy. Hey Subie, you know how you made all-wheel drive standard on every car and that helped to differentiate you from the competition? Why not go all wagon, all the time and see how that sets you apart? Just a suggestion."​

 

[campgottagopee]

Sorry dude---I'll bring it up at the next meeting for you tho---May 2010, Vegas baby

 

[wa-loaf]

That's a nice ride. Too bad it's white.

 

[WJenness]

I'm toying with the idea of trading in my car for a newer A4 Avant with a manual... They're hard to find (was looking in the 2005.5-2008 range), and Audi dropped the manual in the latest iteration of the A4 Avant.

If Subaru can get a Legacy wagon in the US with AWD, Turbo, and a stick, I might be tempted...

Just sayin'

-w

 

[wa-loaf]

I'm toying with the idea of trading in my car for a newer A4 Avant with a manual... They're hard to find (was looking in the 2005.5-2008 range), and Audi dropped the manual in the latest iteration of the A4 Avant.

If Subaru can get a Legacy wagon in the US with AWD, Turbo, and a stick, I might be tempted...

Just sayin'

-w

Why don't you pick up an 08 or 09 Legacy GT?

 

[WJenness]

Why don't you pick up an 08 or 09 Legacy GT?

It's an idea...

I'll think about it.

Going to try and get through the winter before I take any action on it though, so we'll see what I feel like when I get to the end of ski season.

-w

 

[campgottagopee]

I'm toying with the idea of trading in my car for a newer A4 Avant with a manual... They're hard to find (was looking in the 2005.5-2008 range), and Audi dropped the manual in the latest iteration of the A4 Avant.

If Subaru can get a Legacy wagon in the US with AWD, Turbo, and a stick, I might be tempted...

Just sayin'

-w

Just a couple years too late