A New Forester for Ratbag's SWMBO

Well, Folks

It's done. SWMBO approved, and so did I. They put the acid on us, as have a "sale" on ending today, and had two other enquiries. Refused a holding deposit ... So I had to grovel and gawk today. All straight underneath. Doubt that it has ever even been off the bitumen. Some parts at the rear still looked "new" - i.e. original sub-frame paint with no layer of dirt ...

Car has not been detailed; so good to see it "raw".

Take delivery next Thursday.

This is it, here.

Got a reasonable deal on the Camry, $2,500, specially when one adds back the cost of imminent repairs of the order of $1,500~2,000 ...
The dealership had already reduced their asking price by around $2,000. So not a bad deal for a 3 y.o. car with 65K Kms on it, that had a delivery price around the $44K+ mark.

The dealer didn't realise that the Forester had about $2,200 worth of additional extras until they looked at the original order in the book wallet, BUT I had :iconwink: :) :) :). The deal had been struck by then. "Too late", she cried.

No cargo barrier, but has had a Milford professionally fitted previously - mounting points are still there ...

There is no key for the Thule racks, so they will either retrieve the keys, or re-barrel them :).

Drives well, with no sign of any kind of uneven wear on the Geolandar G95s, which are around 1/2~2/3 worn. Look to be OEM tyres, spare is new, and an alloy ...

Plenty of jump in the donk, even though duck-features managed to lock it in 1st to start with ...

Talked them up a grand on the Camry trade in; and also pointed out that by saying their car has "full log book records" by necessary implication meant that the normal servicing had been done, and that the 60K Kms service hadn't been ... They wanted to argue the toss about that, but agreed to do a basic service with both oil & air filter in the price. I mentioned that I didn't think that anyone would legally interpret "full log book records" to apply to a blank log book with no record of servise therein ...

MUCH running back and forth to the manager for approval of the various negotiations ... LOL. I had told the salesman at the beginning that I was a PITA ... :lol: :ebiggrin:

Will post some phone camera photos a bit later.

Need to exchange the brand new Bosch battery in the Camry for the fairly new but unknown age Century battery in Roo2. Exactly the same size/rating.

All up, the change over price was about $3K less than I expected it might end up being, with the car being both younger and with fewer Kms on it than I expected. Has the "Sports Auto" rather than the later transmission as well.

SWMBO is currently ringing around the party line telling all her friends, so obviously approved of ...

:ebiggrin: :cool: :lildevil: :biggrin:
 
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RonnyRoo got new booties today - 4x Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus 225/55 17" - fitted, balanced and wheel alignment for $750 under the Bridgestone '4 for price of 3' deal.

The tyres that came off were the originals - Yokohama GR95, manufacture date week 22 in 2009 (2209 in batch code). They still had legal tread, and had done 99,907 kms!

Hope the new tyres do as well!

It handles better and is more comfortable.
 
That's ridiculously good tyre wear... You'd never get that much out of a set in NZ due to our coarse chipseal roads. Lucky to get 30,000 km here.
 
Yeah fellas.
They might not have been the best performing tyres in the known Universe, but they certainly lasted well!
 
Ratbag said:
RonnyRoo got new booties today - 4x Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus 225/55 17" - fitted, balanced and wheel alignment for $750 under the Bridgestone '4 for price of 3' deal.

The tyres that came off were the originals - Yokohama GR95, manufacture date week 22 in 2009 (2209 in batch code). They still had legal tread, and had done 99,907 kms!

Hope the new tyres do as well!

It handles better and is more comfortable.
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How do you find the Turanza Serenity Plus after few months Ratbag? This tyre is on special again. I'm thinking about the stock size 215/60/16 though.
 
PauSum said:
How do you find the Turanza Serenity Plus after few months Ratbag? This tyre is on special again. I'm thinking about the stock size 215/60/16 though.
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Great, PS.

Because SWMBO's SH is an XS, its standard size rim is 225/55 17. 215/60 16 is mentioned on our SH's compliance plate. Personally, I wish it had the smaller size.
 
Thanks Ratbag. Will organize this for the Forester then.

Cheers
 
RonnyRoo went in for the front P/S airbag recall replacement today. As there are no replacement parts for this model as yet, it will be replaced with a new one (hopefully not 8 y.o.!!). A further visit will be necessary to have this new one replaced when 'proper' replacement ones become available.

Subaru Mentone said that this is the only model for which there is not a replacement with a new part number, or from a different manufacturer.
 
Interesting RB,
My forester is July 2005 MY06 XS manual, the stock tire size is 215/60R16 and my car does not have the airbag recall issue (checked on Subaru website and never get notification from Subaru) :surprised:
 
PauSum said:
Interesting RB,
My forester is July 2005 MY06 XS manual, the stock tire size is 215/60R16 and my car does not have the airbag recall issue (checked on Subaru website and never get notification from Subaru) :surprised:
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PS, If your car was bought s/h, you need to go to a Subaru dealer and register the change of ownership. Take your registration notice as evidence (preferably also take the purchase documents).

havachat said:
RB, you had better sit in the back seat till it is fixed :biggrin:
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They also fixed the piddle lights, even though our VIN is not on that recall list!

The car will have to be done again when a 'proper' replacement airbag is available. That will also be under warranty.

Shame the same can't be done for the osteoarthritis in my left shoulder joints, and heels, and knees, and left hip, back, both elbows and neck ...
 
Ratbag said:
PS, If your car was bought s/h, you need to go to a Subaru dealer and register the change of ownership. Take your registration notice as evidence (preferably also take the purchase documents).
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No RB I bought the car new...
 
Then nick down there and ask them if they have your vehicle on their register.

They (Subaru Australia - Trivett) managed to misplace my return letter about the airbag recall!!

I have learned never to trust any form of bureaucracy ...
 
Good point RB - did you just ask the dealer where you bought your car from?
 
I bought both ours s/h from third party dealers.

Just fronted the local Subaru dealer and filled in the paperwork.

Main reason was that Ronny was still under warranty when we bought it.
 
Took me a while but finally confirmed with Subaru today that both my Forester and Outback are not involved in the airbag or any recall :woohoo:
 
Good to hear, PS.

The airbag in our SH was replaced with like-for-like (original Takata part) on the grounds that a new one is less likely to have deteriorated than one that's nearly 9 y.o..

We have since had a letter from Subaru Aust stating this to be the case explicitly, and that when the correct replacement parts become available (shortly ... ), they will replace the airbag again at no cost.

The fact that they are prepared to replace the airbag twice rather than take the risk with the original part is right and proper IMO. Rare these days ...

They also replaced the puddle lights, even though ours was not on the original recall list for these!

And just to update my own body works: I had several injections (cortisone and an anaesthetic) into my shoulder 4 weeks ago, and now have (relatively) full movement back - I'm doing exercises to strengthen and improve the mobility of both shoulders. The physiotherapy and other exercises are slowly improving my back problems. Getting old ain't for sissies ... :poke: ;).
 
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