MY06-07 Autos thin on the ground

Ratbag

Ratbag

Administrator
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
7,483
Location
Bayside, Melbourne, Vic
Car Year
MY06, MY10
Car Model
Forester SG & SH
Transmission
5MT/DR & 4EAT Sports
Gidday Folks

Well, the dreaded Camry goes in to have its oil leak fixed next Thursday ... shudder ...

I have been having a bit of a look for a replacement for SWMBO. Has to be an auto.

IMHO, it appears that the very best of the Foresters are the MY06/07 models. They seem to have all the goodies, and are a tad smaller than the MY08 onwards models, with better gear in quite a few small ways (pocketses and stuff; underfloor storage in the boot; that sort of thing).

Problem is, there don't appear to be all that many around in Victoria! Like, bugger all, Your Honour! :(

Saw a nice one going in Brissy, but that's a flaming long way to drive if the car isn't up to snuff (I have always admired ST for going from Perth to Sydney to get theirs ... ). Also, we will be trading in the Camry on it. I am too old, and too irritable, to go through the pain and suffering involved in doing the private sale route these days.

Potential places are really limited to Adelaide, Sydney and that horrid place our political lords and masters inhabit ...

Maybe things will change with the local supply over the next few weeks, but if anyone has any suggestions as to reliable Subaru experts in any of those places (or Brisbane, for that matter). Since I have a swag of friends and family in Brissy, I don't mind driving up for a visit ... Just not to look at a lemon ...

She would also be very happy with an Outback. Maybe even a Liberty wagon.

TIA.

br, J.
 
 
Gidday Taz

taza said:
Does it have to be of that age?
Click to expand...

Not really. I just reckon that Subaru went off on a cost-cutting exercise after the MY06/07 models, leaving out lots of pockets, and a few other little niceties.

The later MY08 onwards are also bigger.

What's wrong with private sales? They aren't all that bad.
Click to expand...

I don't really have a problem with PSs; just that we then have to do the same with the Camry. A RW certificate is good for slightly longer than 5 minutes in Victoria (about 6 weeks [EDIT: Correction - they last for a whole 30 days ... [end edit]), and then one has to have it done again if you haven't sold the car in that time - real PITA! AND it costs about $200 a throw to have done ... The one thing that is almost always demanded by the RW tester is a new windscreen at around $250~300. Regardless of the condition of the existing w/s. All these problems simply vanish when buying from a dealer, and they have no come-back regarding the vehicle one trades in.

Therefore I would rather avoid these hassles by trading the Camry in; therefore buy from a dealer and pay the premium. There is also a statutory warranty from dealers that one can collect on.
Many dealers also offer extended warranties that are worth something, particularly in my hands ... I am far better at "bluffing" than they tend to be ... :iconwink: :lol:
 
Last edited:
taza said:
Here's some of what I found...
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking mate.

Forgot to mention:

Preferably under 80,000 Kms;
XS, not X;
No turbos ... :lildevil: :raspberry: SWMBO is a bit of a leadfoot, doesn't need encouragement!

br, j
 
Ratbag said:
Gidday Taz

I don't really have a problem with PSs; just that we then have to do the same with the Camry. A RW certificate is good for slightly longer than 5 minutes in Victoria (about 6 weeks), and then one has to have it done again if you haven't sold the car in that time - real PITA! AND it costs about $200 a throw to have done ... The one thing that is almost always demanded by the RW tester is a new windscreen at around $250~300. Regardless of the condition of the existing w/s. All these problems simply vanish when buying from a dealer, and they have no come-back regarding the vehicle one trades in.

Therefore I would rather avoid these hassles by trading the Camry in; therefore buy from a dealer and pay the premium. There is also a statutory warranty from dealers that one can collect on.
Many dealers also offer extended warranties that are worth something, particularly in my hands ... I am far better at "bluffing" than they tend to be ... :iconwink: :lol:
Click to expand...

Wow, in WA with a private sale there is no need of a RW cert or anything. Pay the agreed valve, file transfer form with Dep of Trans and your done.. Probably explains why there are so many POS for sale :lol:

I can see why now there is a limited no' of Soobs for sale at dealers.
 
I guess a lot can change in a week or so.

Once the Camry has been fixed and serviced, I will be ready to pounce on whatever comes up. Until then, I am just in 'tourist' mode ... :lol:

The good ones tend to last less than a day or two here. I know, I had this problem when I bought Roo2.
 
Gidday DG

d_generate said:
Try pickles buy it now page, a few in Vic, out of the 18 they have for sale now 15 are auto's lol.

https://www.pickles.com.au/cars/fix...priceRange=All&damaged=EXC&sortBy=DESCRIPTION
Click to expand...

Thanks for looking for me mate, but there are many, many attributes I am looking for in buying a s/h car. Most of them cannot be established at auctions (they do have very important uses, and for some vehicle buying I wouldn't bother looking elsewhere ... ).

Also when one places search restrictions that fit what I am after (MY06/07; >100K Kms; auto; XS) even Pickles have precisely none ... :(. I want a low mileage car for SWMBO - preferably around 60~80K Kms.

I am also looking for a one owner car, not originally bought as a demonstrator ...

Must be straight - never been pranged (I run all the welds I can reach with my fingers checking for deformation and/or repairs); and look good underneath, as well as on top ...

Then it must drive well - responsive; straight under cruising, accelerating, braking and direction changes.

Even with Roo1, I had it up on a hoist for about 3 hours with the workshop manual open on the bench nearby - and it had literally just got off the truck and had about 3 Kms on the odometer!

I am what dealers would call a PITA buyer; but I have always got on well with any dealer I have bought a car from. They either respect that I am careful and thorough about these things, or I go elsewhere.

Thanks again for bothering to look ... :)
 
Are you sure you're not interested in moving up to a SH9? Having had one for just over 3 years, it's lost a bit of the 'Subaruness' of the earlier versions, but still a good car nonetheless.

Black MY07 XS

MY06 Auto

Blue MY10

MY08 Outback - SA
 
Gidday Aware

aware said:
Are you sure you're not interested in moving up to a SH9? Having had one for just over 3 years, it's lost a bit of the 'Subaruness' of the earlier versions, but still a good car nonetheless.

Not even having a temperature guage is pretty ugly, IMNSHO ... But yeah, I am sure they are still excellent cars, but I still believe that Subaru reached a peak in 2006/07 models before they let the accountants loose in a cost-cutting exercise ... i.e. before GM sold out of the company ...

MY06 Auto

MY08 Outback - SA
Click to expand...

These two look good, specially the Outback.
But I really don't want to go through the hassle of private buy/private sell mate. I have done it all before, and it is painful, and sometimes considerably more expensive than just paying the dealer their premium.
There is also no meaningful warranty with a privately purchased vehicle; and none at all when buying at auction ... :(

Thanks for looking for me. Appreciated.

After we get the Camry back from Ross, hopefully at the end of this week (and paid the bill ... ), I will start looking in earnest.
 
Ratbag said:
Gidday Aware



These two look good, specially the Outback.
But I really don't want to go through the hassle of private buy/private sell mate. I have done it all before, and it is painful, and sometimes considerably more expensive than just paying the dealer their premium.
There is also no meaningful warranty with a privately purchased vehicle; and none at all when buying at auction ... :(

Thanks for looking for me. Appreciated.

After we get the Camry back from Ross, hopefully at the end of this week (and paid the bill ... ), I will start looking in earnest.
Click to expand...

Agreed with you there mate - I included Private Sale as each person is different, and I didn't know which way you were headed. I'm happier to pay the premium to get a statutory warranty as a bit of protection.

Not a problem mate - happy to have a real excuse to look at Subarus on carsales for once :rotfl:
 
Gidday Thunder

thunder039 said:
look at any of the 2nd gen forester ratbag, my 04 is the xs and has the climate control and all the goodies and personally before the facelift in 05 i think they looked better;)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the thoughts, mate.

However, I reckon they got a number of very important things right with the '06 - far superior lights and the extra bits inside being among the more important of them. The Camry has got superb lights 90/55 on the high/low and 90 on the highs. Roo1 had barely acceptable lights, even after I replaced the meltable plugs and fitted them with 90/55s; and it seems to be a problem to many who have the '97 to '05 Foresters.

Getting rid of the dual front seat armrests might make the later cars slightly less comfortable, but it does mean that one can buy sheep for them that are air bag compliant without having them tailor-made, at vast expense (2~3 times the price).

I actually like the look of the MY06/07 better. Our lovely next door neighbour across the road has an '05 which she nearly sold and I nearly bought, so I see them every day ... :iconwink:
 
The 06/07 does look better than the 03-05- except for the base model which looks worse. The engine is better, but unfortunately it has the dreaded drive by wire. A real PITA. Swings and roundabouts, but the interior is certainly better than the current car. If you find one in Sydney a mate of mine can do an inspection for you. I'd stick to a dealer too.
 
Gidday Rally

Rally said:
The 06/07 does look better than the 03-05- except for the base model which looks worse. The engine is better, but unfortunately it has the dreaded drive by wire. A real PITA. Swings and roundabouts, but the interior is certainly better than the current car. If you find one in Sydney a mate of mine can do an inspection for you. I'd stick to a dealer too.
Click to expand...

I have got used to the dreaded fly-by-wire. Takes some getting used to, but it has all sorts of good ramifications for the way the ECU controls the vehicle, not just the throttle; and what is even achievable to this end.

Thanks for your offer of getting someone to inspect if I find one in Sydney. I assume they don't do it for nothing ... :iconwink: :lol: :cool:
What sort of rate do they charge?

Thanks also for your comments. I am not even considering the X model, now matter how it is tricked up. I have noticed that a lot of dealers cannot tell the difference between the X and XS; let alone the difference between an XS and an XS with a bucket load of extras, or the 'luxury pack' (e.g. mine ... :ebiggrin: :biggrin:).
Some identify an XS as an X, and vice versa. Doesn't seem to be a pattern to their mis-identification. I just look at the wheels, first up. The X came with steelies; the XS with alloys. VERY rare for someone to go "backwards" from alloys to steelies, AFAICS. I have seen the occasional X with alloys fitted, but still relatively easily identifiable as an X series.
 
The XS has colour coded bumpers- which is why they look so much better than the X. Speak to Dave: https://www.subaru-service-sydney.com/ I'm not sure of the cost, but another ORS member has used him

One advantage of the drive by wire is that the cruise control is a lot better.
 
G'day again mate

Rally said:
The XS has colour coded bumpers- which is why they look so much better than the X.
Click to expand...

That too ... I had forgotten that is how I do primary identification ...
Going dippy :rotfl:
Some would say "GONE dippy" ... :raspberry:

Speak to Dave: https://www.subaru-service-sydney.com/ I'm not sure of the cost, but another ORS member has used him
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.
IIRC, ST used him to check out his MY07 Fox.

One advantage of the drive by wire is that the cruise control is a lot better.
Click to expand...

I suspect that it also gives the ECU better and more direct control of things like the rear LSD and EBD systems. It is certainly more capable of doing these things with f-b-w than with mechanical linkages, and 'second hand' info gleaned from the crankshaft sensor, etc.

Roo2 certainly seems to work these things exceptionally well, and seamlessly AFAICT. I am certainly aware of the rear LSD functioning, even when just plodding along. When I hoof it on slippery dirt, it sure feels like something slams shut in the back end, and the Fox leaps like a flea!

I am gradually getting used to cruise control, never having used it before. Kind of handy being able to give one's right foot/ankle a rest at times :).
 
Ratbag said:
Gidday Thunder



Thanks for the thoughts, mate.

However, I reckon they got a number of very important things right with the '06 - far superior lights and the extra bits inside being among the more important of them. The Camry has got superb lights 90/55 on the high/low and 90 on the highs. Roo1 had barely acceptable lights, even after I replaced the meltable plugs and fitted them with 90/55s; and it seems to be a problem to many who have the '97 to '05 Foresters.

Getting rid of the dual front seat armrests might make the later cars slightly less comfortable, but it does mean that one can buy sheep for them that are air bag compliant without having them tailor-made, at vast expense (2~3 times the price).

I actually like the look of the MY06/07 better. Our lovely next door neighbour across the road has an '05 which she nearly sold and I nearly bought, so I see them every day ... :iconwink:
Click to expand...

the lights in my subi are fantastic, still has the same safety features.
the major improvement was the torque distribution that changed with the facelift.
an i spose looks are a personal prefference but i didnt by a 06 forester because i hate the rounded front end the earlier models are much more agressive styled
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top