Good information on vehicle purchase for others to understand your choices. We've owned four Subarus and currently have a 2023 Forester Touring. The 2025 Forester is growing on me the more I watch videos on it.
I’m glad the video was helpful. I wasn’t sure how people would respond to it, especially whereas I’ve been mentioning I can’t provide full transparency with pricing. We reserved this 25 before I had first seen one in person, and I’m so glad we did. I was unsure about the looks but once finding a few at another dealership I was pleasantly surprised with how much better they look in person, while still looking like a Forester. 🙂
Very good video with good insight into ownership cost. In Massachusetts my monthly insurance premium on my 2024 Touring is about the same as yours. I received a discount not only on the policy for good driver credit, but also an additional discount for the safety features built into the Subaru. When I purchased in January the best rate was 5.9% for 60 months. Like you, I'm not a debt person and my plan is to pay off by year end once I retire. I agree with you that there is value in the extended service plan. I opted for the 8 year 80,,000 mile warranty also with the $100 deductible. I was able to negotiate that cost, but do wish I bumped up to the 10 year warranty as that is how long I would like to keep this car. I may go back and talk to the dealer after seeing your video. Again, congratulations on the new car and keep the Forester videos coming. .
Thank you! I appreciate you watching and providing your insight! That sounds like a great plan, and congrats on your retirement soon! And then once it’s paid off you can just enjoy it with low fuel and insurance costs which of course those expenses never go away lol. I’m sure you can upgrade your warranty, and hopefully you’ll be offered a fair deal on it. We had originally planned the same 80m/80k warranty since her vehicle doesn’t get driven a lot. But after seeing this in person I think we knew we wanted to just plan for 10 years. Buying a new vehicle is to expensive and with raising costs of everything I (a car enthusiast) don’t want to buy anything else for a couple years haha.
This is brilliant. I have loved your other Subaru videos too, but this one provides a lot of valuable information about the purchase process. Many thanks!
Thanks! I’m so glad you found value in it! I feel bad that I can’t share more specific deal prices on the vehicle and warranty. But no body else’s deal will be the EXACT same so that information wouldn’t necessarily be replicable anyways. 🤪
Just about every car person will say do not buy the extended warranty, but having worked in dealership service departments for over 5 years I can say with certainty: buy it if you can afford it and if you plan to keep the car for than 3 years. If the motor blows up at 37 months or 37,000 miles (and sometimes they do) you will end up owing payments on a car you cannot afford to fix, and your dealer can do nothing about it. Warranty is a contract between you and the manufacturer not the dealer. As a service writer, no call to a customer is worse than telling them they need a new transmission and it's no longer under warranty. Get it if you can.
Great insight! Yeah, I’m finally getting on board with extended warranties. I just can’t believe how complex and expensive to repair these vehicles have become, lol. 😔 I’m curious though why you mentioned 37 months and the engine not being over rather than at say 61 months? 🤔 Thanks for watching!
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 My 2019 Ram 1500 is starting to fall apart at 37000 miles. My last repair, etorque generator, idler pulley and new belts cost $100 deductible because of the extended warranty.
My 2019 ascent just had head unit fully replaced under extended warranty , fully covering the cost of the warranty. I still have 5 years and 50000 miles left on the warranty.
Nice!!! Yeah, a head unit replacement (which you probably shouldn’t risk an aftermarket one with how many things it controls) would definitely stink to pay out of pocket for. 😅
Thank you for sharing your buying experience and transparency with the costs. We too, sold a Miata late last year. Mazda was offering .09 % when we bought the car in 2021. We did not lose any money on the sale. (As much as I loved the car, my wife hated it!) We just bought our 2025 Forester. We took the eight year, 120K warranty through Subaru. (I do a lot of driving commuting). We took a 60-month loan at 4.99% through our credit union. Higher interest than we would like, but given the current market, pretty good. Ideally, we would like to pay the loan off early, perhaps in three years, or even less.
That’s awesome, and very relatable! Of all the vehicles I’ve driven the Miata is still my favorite. And although I plan to keep it very long term at the end of the day it’s just a toy and the first thing to go if ever needed. It’s going to be awesome having this Forester for such a long time, I hope you guys really enjoy yours!
Thanks! And I know some might be disappointed because I can’t share the exact vehicle discount and warranty price discount but also everybody is going to have a different set of circumstances and deal in their situation and collaborative business negotiations. 😅🤷♂️
Also it’s wise to save cash on hand vs paying everything cash all the time. I’m like you, we make smart moves and pay cash for some things while holding back funds on other things as well.
Now if only Subaru would offer a power plant that’s competitive in the year 2025 haha. Wouldn’t a 300+ HP STI model be an ever more exciting driving experience?! 😎
Haha true, but not by much!! I briefly had my GPS even back in my 2019 Crosstrek Premium days between 2019-2021 and it ran like a 10-12s 0-60 depending on density altitude. 2025 Foresters I’ve tested so far are mid 9, but also we’re not yet in the full heat and 7,500’ of DA that summer usually gives us.
If the auto loan interest rate is less than or equal to a high yield savings account interest rate then it makes sense to keep the auto loan until maturity. Keeping an auto loan with on-time payments is good for maintaining a high credit score.
Great insight, especially mathematically speaking! For me (and basically what the Ramsey focus is) it’s more about eliminating risk and having to in the present and future paying for your past decisions and purchases. Basically gaining more peace of mind and knowing that you don’t owe anyone or if you lose your job you’re not in as tough of a situation. But also I know for a lot of people it can be compartmentalized into just a math equation. A quote I also like is “pay once, cry once” and then move on with life and your finances haha.
You're not wrong but remember to account for inflation as well. Of course there's always an opportunity cost when making a large purchase but with high interest rates and high inflation it's probably just a couple hundred bucks on a 5 year loan for a $35k Subaru. In the end you never know where your portfolio is going to be or what a dollar is going to be worth the day you make your last payent. But you do when you make your first payment.
@@TC1Z2L3 the comparison is strictly between a savings account and an auto loan. If someone gets an auto loan they have to pay over a certain duration regardless of inflation. So if I can get 5.25% with a federal money market account that is as secure as the US government. So why pay down an auto loan that has an interest rate less than 5.25%? If the savings interest rates go down then that's a different story. This wouldn't happen if inflation goes up anyway. Of course, people will have personal preferences to pay off loans and I have paid off loans faster myself. However, the trade off math is simple.
I’ve never purchased an extended warranty buuuut I did purchase the 5 year warranty for the Ascent (touring) sooooo many electronics and turbo etc… Its a complicated vehicle so we opted for the extended warranty this time, negotiated it to $1,600 at the dealership.
Yeah, even though a lot of the Subaru engine and accessories are fairly simple under the hood, you’re right, there’s so much electronic complexity throughout the vehicle. For instance just to flush the CVT fluid you can’t just drain and refill like an old car, you need a very high end OBD2 reader to then sequence you through the process and do a relearn. 🤦♂️ I never thought I would buy an extended warranty but here we are lol. I’ve recently heard from a similar brand their mechanic rates at that dealership are up to $160 an hour. And if it sometimes takes a few hours just to figure out the problem, who has the time or money for that? 😬☹️
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208for sure! I’m lucky enough to have done a lot of work and modifications and minor repairs myself but some of those more complex systems and electronics can be a big issue quickly! Subarus are awesome vehicles all around. When we traded my 2016 Crosstrek for a Hyundai Tucson… I couldn’t do it and ended up trading it only 5 mths later for the forester which we had for 5 years. Wonderful vehicles ❤
I got about 25% of the original msrp on my 2013 Outback trade in, and could have gotten more on a private sale if I wanted to deal with it. I got 2.9%/48mo financing on a 2024 OB and got my payment down to $330 by putting more cash down. Total interest will be under $800. I am a big fan of keeping cars 10 years or more, maintaining it well and having no payments for 6+ years. I have seen some good deals at Subaru dealers for 1-2 year old loaner cars, but I would only do that if it had a decent warranty and paying cash (used car loan interest is too high).
FYI My Canadian version 2025 Forester Sport will cost just under $50K Cdn out the door ( when we get it later in the summer ...we pay 13% combined taxes). My insurance will be $1400 Cdn/year. I'm in Toronto Canada. You get to enjoy your car at a more reasonable cost. Hope you have many happy trouble free years.
Thank you so much for sharing your break down and taxes/insurance. I’m sorry to hear how much you guys pay for a similar vehicle. I visited Canada in the last year and I should have checked out the dealers there. Oh well, next time!
Haha, you weren’t kidding about the Pizza! Thank you so much for your generous gift! You seriously did not have to do this, but I’m very appreciative of it and ultimately just glad the coupon also worked out for you. 😊 🍕 🍽️
I’ve been a car nut my entire life but I’ve never heard of a manufacture giving out brand loyalty coupons… interesting…. My wife’s 2019 rav4 will be traded in a couple of years…. This is her 3rd rav4 and prior to that she had corollas and camris and 4Runner….will have to look in to loyalty coupons when time comes… like the video… thanks.
Absolutely! I always recommend calling the customer service department for the auto maker you’re considering just to see what they’ll offer. In my experience between the few brands that I’ve bought new, Subaru is hands down the best customer service department and has seriously taken care of some decent issues smoothly that my vehicles had in the past. But I will say when I was getting ready to buy the Miata last year I called Mazda customer service and they didn’t offer anything or act like that was a thing. I stopped buying new Toyotas a while ago and can’t recall if I ever tried with them on my last Tacoma. 🤷♂️ Thanks for watching! 🙂
I think you did good. It is a well made reliable safe car. $1000 a month for 72 months is one thing. For 36 months is a non issue. Lets see you have the house. Two SUV's and a roadster. What are we going to add next? Don't say a cat 😂
You can’t put a price on safety, but if I had to I’d say it’s $900+ a month for 36 months haha. 🤪 Although I usually don’t have complete peace about things when there’s debt attached to it, I can say I have A LOT more peace about this new Subaru then I was starting to not have on the last car, and to be clear, it’s been a fantastic little car. But safety or potential reliability issues in the coming years would have been no good, and starting to worry about them almost makes a figurative problem literal. 🤷♂️😅
Just bought a CX5 Carbon. For past year I drooled over a Forester Touring, watched you do test drives etc. I keep cars 10-15 years and you often caution about CVT trouble off warranty. Got cold feet re: Subaru. Other factor is that we’re a senior couple- Mazda cockpit is less confusing. Forester is a sweet car and a good buy.
We have 2020 CX-5 and now, a 2025 Forester. My wife drives the CX-5. She loves it. There are many minuses and pluses for both cars. As an older adult, I really appreciate the ease of ingress and egress of the Forester.
@@teda273We were very impressed with the appearance & room of the Forester. CX5 is narrower; I’m 5’6, wife 5’0 so we don’t feel cramped. 99% of the time back seats are empty. CX5 Carbon (after Nov ‘23) does not have Stop-Start or Cylinder Deactivation. Got lucky there.
@@teda273I was born and raised in Newark. My family tree lives in NY, NJ, CT. Grandsons inheriting my 19 yr old beemer ; they’re gonna fly to TX, drive back to Glen Rock, NJ.
Yeah, I actually did! Partially because I didn’t want to wait any longer to upgrade her to a better and more safe vehicle. And also to sell the old one before it starts to have any mechanical failures and the things they’re known to have as issues start being a potential issue (coolant issues, turbo cracking, water pump failure, etc). Those 2 reasons have kind of been a weight on my mind for a while now. I would feel awful if somehow she was ever in an accident in not a more safe vehicle just for the sake of saving money. But it’s also taken this long for her to be okay to say goodbye to the first new car she had bought. And as far as the hybrid goes, I don’t know that I would have a lot of confidence or trust in Subarus brand new U.S. model hybrids. I drove a second gen Crosstrek hybrid in one of my first and awful review videos and it did not seem worth even 70% of its MSRP. Basically it was just as slow as a regular non hybrid, it lost like 6 cubic feet of storage because of the battery in the back, it weighted a few hundred pounds more, the MPG was less than 10 better, and it also cost like 5-10k more from what I remember. It was a failure and they only sold a few thousand units before Subaru stopped producing them for the 3rd gen Crosstrek. I’m sure the new Forester will be better, but what if it’s not? 😬
Getting 1.9% interest for a 24 for model was a good incentive for buying the 24 over the 25. With 1.9%, you could leave your money in the bank and make money on the interest.
I really appreciate your insights into why the Forester is a good buy, but I think it lost the advantage over its competitors when the price jumped $3K for the base. It remains a safe, utilitarian, and reliable vehicle, but I would go for an SUV with style, performance and reliability for the same price.
That’s a good point! It would have been cool if the Base stayed relatively the same, and then all the extra features were an optional package for that 3k difference. I actually have a video (maybe I’ll release it tomorrow) comparing the 2024 to 2025 Base and 2025 Premium and Sport.
I went with Subaru for their all wheel drive. I think Honda CRV is better looking but Subaru is tops for safety and all wheel drive. RAV4 looking a little long in tooth now. Even when they redesign still can’t beat Subaru’s all wheel drive.
I’m sure there’s A LOT of warranties people have been burned on or had to jump through hoops to get their issues taken care of. And as mentioned, I never thought I would buy one. But I will say Subarus Gold warranty is their own manufacturer warranty, not a third party, and Subaru of America on other vehicles I’ve owned have taken care of and in some cases over compensated on issues that I’ve had. Knowing that and the cost of out of warranty repairs these days are the reason I find great value in the warranty for a long term vehicle. Worst case I’m buying 10 years of peace of mind. With that said, anyone else who’s considering an extended warranty should really try to negotiate on price and see if it can come down a bit.
Why paying the manufacture wzrranty when its already came with (36K/3yrs warranty free)? Purchase the extended warranty before or after the 36K warranty, you would had save more money, thought! I do not purchased any warranty on any autos over the years, whether new ir used and i drive a lot. I basically believe if a brand isn't good, why buying or just get ripped off! Loved your videos!
I could be wrong but with this specific Subaru warranty it can only be bought while under the factory warranty. And the longer you wait the chances are it will be more expensive. Either as a sales tactic or even just due to inflation and Subarus price chart that the dealer can’t adjust for what they personally pay for the warranty. I also agree regarding not buying it if you don’t trust it. But I’d argue that if any major failure or electronic system goes out on a modern car outside of warranty it’s going to cost much more than the actual warranty. So it’s more for peace of mind, and choosing to buy it now means I “buy once, cry once” and now there won’t be a big expense in a couple years. Also knowing well plan to keep this for 10 years is peace of mind and allows me to better plan for my Outback’s replacement as our next new vehicle in a couple years from now. Thanks for watching another one and for sharing great insight/opinions on this matter! 🙂
So we are looking at buying a 2025 touring XT outback, you mentioned you got a discount from the dealer, though you didn't say how much. What is the name of the place you got yours and you mentioned they would ship it? We are paying cash
That’s exciting! Yeah, the dealer sells everything below MSRP, but because most deals likely have some further negotiation and various aspects associated with the deal I was asked not to share the exact discount and insider information with warranty pricing that I was trusted with being shown. Always do what’s best for you, but that is cool that you’re potentially interested in working with them. The owner and management team is awesome! I don’t know all the staff and sales guys but they’re not the typical commission base model so it’s a much more low key buying experience from what I’ve seen and heard. And why I personally recommend them. Here’s the website link to Twin Falls Subaru. I know they’ve sold to other out of state buyers before through my videos and I’ve been told from them that they had a good experience. Best of luck in whatever you end up doing! 🙂 www.twinfalls-subaru.com
I believe Subaru will let you buy the warranty at any time that the 36/mo bumper to bumper is still in effect. We bought our Forester in Oct 23 so I plan to buy the warranty in September of 26 if we plan to keep it. Why would you buy the warranty upfront? Just curious, thanks.
Thank you for bringing this up, that is also what I’ve heard. I think you’re being very wise to wait and see how you feel in a couple more years. And typically that’s probably what I would have done if this was one of my frequently traded daily drivers. But as much as I don’t want to pay for an extended warranty I know it will be worth the peace of mind of not being doubtful of the vehicles reliability in 5+ years. Especially where this is going to be a long term vehicle just like her old one. And even though we did decide to finance it for the time being I would still rather “pay once, cry once” and know what to expect to pay right aways so it could be budgeted for and then forgotten. Also, this is hopefully unlikely, but if in a couple years if I didn’t have the relationship to this dealership for some reason I would be missing out on the discount they currently could offer me. As well as general inflation could raise the warranty prices over the next few years. Sorry this was a wordy response, but I hope it was helpful! Thanks again for watching and choosing to be supportive of what I do here on TH-cam! 😊
I’ll share more on future 2025 Forester update videos how this compares after having owned an Outback for close to 3 years. But the Outback’s do feel a bit more stable driving (heavier and lower with longer over hangs) But around town this thing is so compact and easy to place and maneuver, and it’s even better visibility is nice. Honestly, they’re both great and very similar vehicles, I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Definitely test drive both and see what feels like the right decision! 🙂
Haha high today is upper 90’s so today I can relate and I can say like most vehicles it takes a few minutes to cool down, but then it does a good enough job that I eventually turn the temp up or the fan speed down. Hope that helps. Basically the AC doesn’t stand out to me, which means it’s good enough lol.
Why dont you say what you paid for the car compared to MSRP and what you paid for the extended warranty? Thats the information that will really help and im not sure why you feel those are the one numbers you "cant" share
I was given a good deal partially because of my connection to the dealership and I’ve helped them sell cars before through my videos. But they sell everything under MSRP and a similar deal maybe could be worked by another customer. I was just asked not to share the exact figure because even though it covered the vehicle and the expenses of their time in putting the deal together, it’s likely not enough to keep them in business if everything they sell doesn’t net much actually profit. So I apologize for the inconvenience of this. Additionally deals are probably not exactly the same between customers anyways based off of a number of other factors and if they have trade in. 🤷♂️😬
No, for the time being I’m keeping that just as the toy and 40+ mpg car for all the interstate driving I do. But if anything big happened in life that’s the first thing to sell. If you missed my recent Miata update video though I am waiting on a factory transmission replacement under warranty as mine had the synchros defect. During the frustrations of dealing with that the first couple days I did have moments thought of wanting to just trade it in for this car (after fixing it), or just sell it and buy index funds and downsize the garage for a bit lol. But with everything I’ve been fortunate enough to drive the Miata is the best drivers car, in my opinion. 🤷♂️🤪 Thanks for watching!!
Yeah, I didn’t even look at the terms of the 60 month loan because it was 1-2% higher haha. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks 4.99% is high. My Miata was .90% so interest was literally almost nothing, but peace of mind and not owing the bank is priceless! It’s not always about the math.
If you cannot pay cash, you cannot afford it, unless you wish to work your entire life. In regard to repair insurance, what I tell the dealership is that if the car is no good, I will move along to another brand. Actually, I am not overly impressed with all new cars, for various reasons, thus if buying new, assume I will be replacing every five to six years. For car repair to pay out one has to assume that grand hotels are not paid by slot machines. If the odds of you getting the money worth out of car repair insurance was close to even the insurer could not make money. They have advertising, management, office support people, simply the whole enchilada for cost on their side, then have to show a good margin in profit the other way, or it would not make any sense for them to offer a plan. Due to the complexity of what used to be a car and not a computer, and then the added cost of a CVT which could cost $10K to replace, I understand the concern. Maybe new cars are not a logical choice. Alas, it is nice to have a new auto, but I think I will take my chances, and lick my wounds should something break before replacing the car. So far, over the decades, it has worked out in my case. Risk is spread out over time, thus you might make several $3K insurance payments, yet one out of four or five pay-out. Better luck in banking money at 3 to 5%. Back to buying on time. When you buy on time, the propensity is to overspend. I see on the options list, automatic emergency steering listed. That is the scariest thing I can imagine. But then again, I was not impressed with the lane centering grabbing the steering wheel and trying to place the car near the edge of the road. Auto braking may have its moments of glory. Alas a gazzilion other nanny things blinking and beeping at me, I would prefer to turn off for good. The rear facing camera and the seat belt are the positive additions to the automobile.
Absolutely! Paying cash is definitely the best way to go. And if you can’t you probably shouldn’t be buying that specific vehicle. It’s definitely a tough spot to be in. Modern cars keep getting more safe to hold up to accidents. But also they’re getting over complex. Warranty businesses stay in business by making money. Thankfully this is at least a Subaru brand warranty, otherwise I’d be that much more iffy of it. But with that said and what you mentioned about trading cars after 5-6 years, you’d be getting a nice new and likely more safe vehicle, but the payout for the new car might be 10x of a price jump compared to the warranty to just keep your car an extra 5 years. In my opinion even if this Forester is worthless after 10 years at least we got the full monetary value out of it. The adaptive cruise is fantastic on Subarus, but the lane keep assist like 1-3% of the time is very dangerous and can toss you out of your lane. I’m hoping this new system is better. I actually didn’t look closely enough at the window sticker to notice the emergency steering, lol. Thanks for mentioning that!
Haha thanks! I definitely recommend everyone who hasn’t already made a plan should assess their situation, decide what they want their life to look like, and make a plan to start taking the steps necessary to get to where they want to be. In whatever aspects of life that is. 🤪
I called today the guy said he would put in a request in for me. That department is closed but they will get back to me in two business days. It would be my 3rd one so hopefully I have a good shot. My new 2025 Forester supposed to be here next week same options as yours except no LED upgrade and no rubber floor mats I wanted to order WeatherTechs. Which are not available yet.
Subaru of America emailed me. They said reply and they will send me a $500 loyalty coupon. I think you have pizza coming. I wouldn’t have known if you didn’t have it in your video.
I mean, I don’t think that’s too bad based off of what I know I’ve seen on various car forums. Some people pay over 300 a month just on a single vehicle. 🤕
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 that’s excellent I meant to imply. I’m paying like 230 per month on my ‘23 which I think is insane for insurance companies to charge (no accident history) I could just save that money for anything that could happen
Oh gotcha! I’m sorry I didn’t know if you thought that was high or low lol. I’m sure it’s only that low because of a number of other really good factors that help out. I’m sorry to hear that yours is $230. I’ve actually heard on some Mustang forums that some people pay $500-700 per month. Who in their right mind would still think a mustangs of all things is worth that. 😬
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 yeah might be cheaper when insuring a second car, or so I was told. I’d really like to get a sporty car like the legacy sport or brz to have beside the forester but insurance cost is what is holding me back mainly.
I’m glad it all worked out for you! If more people listened to Dave’s suggestions on money management a lot of people would be less stressed out and in better shape.
Good information on vehicle purchase for others to understand your choices. We've owned four Subarus and currently have a 2023 Forester Touring. The 2025 Forester is growing on me the more I watch videos on it.
I’m glad the video was helpful. I wasn’t sure how people would respond to it, especially whereas I’ve been mentioning I can’t provide full transparency with pricing. We reserved this 25 before I had first seen one in person, and I’m so glad we did. I was unsure about the looks but once finding a few at another dealership I was pleasantly surprised with how much better they look in person, while still looking like a Forester. 🙂
Very good video with good insight into ownership cost. In Massachusetts my monthly insurance premium on my 2024 Touring is about the same as yours. I received a discount not only on the policy for good driver credit, but also an additional discount for the safety features built into the Subaru. When I purchased in January the best rate was 5.9% for 60 months. Like you, I'm not a debt person and my plan is to pay off by year end once I retire. I agree with you that there is value in the extended service plan. I opted for the 8 year 80,,000 mile warranty also with the $100 deductible. I was able to negotiate that cost, but do wish I bumped up to the 10 year warranty as that is how long I would like to keep this car. I may go back and talk to the dealer after seeing your video. Again, congratulations on the new car and keep the Forester videos coming. .
Thank you! I appreciate you watching and providing your insight! That sounds like a great plan, and congrats on your retirement soon! And then once it’s paid off you can just enjoy it with low fuel and insurance costs which of course those expenses never go away lol. I’m sure you can upgrade your warranty, and hopefully you’ll be offered a fair deal on it. We had originally planned the same 80m/80k warranty since her vehicle doesn’t get driven a lot. But after seeing this in person I think we knew we wanted to just plan for 10 years. Buying a new vehicle is to expensive and with raising costs of everything I (a car enthusiast) don’t want to buy anything else for a couple years haha.
This is brilliant. I have loved your other Subaru videos too, but this one provides a lot of valuable information about the purchase process. Many thanks!
Thanks! I’m so glad you found value in it! I feel bad that I can’t share more specific deal prices on the vehicle and warranty. But no body else’s deal will be the EXACT same so that information wouldn’t necessarily be replicable anyways. 🤪
Just about every car person will say do not buy the extended warranty, but having worked in dealership service departments for over 5 years I can say with certainty: buy it if you can afford it and if you plan to keep the car for than 3 years. If the motor blows up at 37 months or 37,000 miles (and sometimes they do) you will end up owing payments on a car you cannot afford to fix, and your dealer can do nothing about it. Warranty is a contract between you and the manufacturer not the dealer. As a service writer, no call to a customer is worse than telling them they need a new transmission and it's no longer under warranty. Get it if you can.
Great insight! Yeah, I’m finally getting on board with extended warranties. I just can’t believe how complex and expensive to repair these vehicles have become, lol. 😔 I’m curious though why you mentioned 37 months and the engine not being over rather than at say 61 months? 🤔 Thanks for watching!
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 My 2019 Ram 1500 is starting to fall apart at 37000 miles. My last repair, etorque generator, idler pulley and new belts cost $100 deductible because of the extended warranty.
Dang, I’m sorry to hear that. But I’m glad you were covered!!
My 2019 ascent just had head unit fully replaced under extended warranty , fully covering the cost of the warranty. I still have 5 years and 50000 miles left on the warranty.
Nice!!! Yeah, a head unit replacement (which you probably shouldn’t risk an aftermarket one with how many things it controls) would definitely stink to pay out of pocket for. 😅
Thank you for sharing your buying experience and transparency with the costs. We too, sold a Miata late last year. Mazda was offering .09 % when we bought the car in 2021. We did not lose any money on the sale. (As much as I loved the car, my wife hated it!) We just bought our 2025 Forester. We took the eight year, 120K warranty through Subaru. (I do a lot of driving commuting). We took a 60-month loan at 4.99% through our credit union. Higher interest than we would like, but given the current market, pretty good. Ideally, we would like to pay the loan off early, perhaps in three years, or even less.
That’s awesome, and very relatable! Of all the vehicles I’ve driven the Miata is still my favorite. And although I plan to keep it very long term at the end of the day it’s just a toy and the first thing to go if ever needed. It’s going to be awesome having this Forester for such a long time, I hope you guys really enjoy yours!
Definitely appreciate the blatant honesty, AA.
Thanks! And I know some might be disappointed because I can’t share the exact vehicle discount and warranty price discount but also everybody is going to have a different set of circumstances and deal in their situation and collaborative business negotiations. 😅🤷♂️
beautiful Forester, love the color. I know you will be happy with it. We are with ours.
Thanks!! Yeah, so far it’s been a really nice upgrade. I’m glad you guys are enjoying yours! Thanks for watching. 🙂
Very insightful video. Great review as well.
I’m glad it could be helpful, thanks for watching!
Also it’s wise to save cash on hand vs paying everything cash all the time. I’m like you, we make smart moves and pay cash for some things while holding back funds on other things as well.
I think the styling of the 2025 is the best the Forester has ever looked
Now if only Subaru would offer a power plant that’s competitive in the year 2025 haha. Wouldn’t a 300+ HP STI model be an ever more exciting driving experience?! 😎
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 We know that’s a pipe dream 🤣, but take comfort in the fact that you’re quicker than a 2L Impreza
😃👍
Haha true, but not by much!! I briefly had my GPS even back in my 2019 Crosstrek Premium days between 2019-2021 and it ran like a 10-12s 0-60 depending on density altitude. 2025 Foresters I’ve tested so far are mid 9, but also we’re not yet in the full heat and 7,500’ of DA that summer usually gives us.
If the auto loan interest rate is less than or equal to a high yield savings account interest rate then it makes sense to keep the auto loan until maturity. Keeping an auto loan with on-time payments is good for maintaining a high credit score.
Great insight, especially mathematically speaking! For me (and basically what the Ramsey focus is) it’s more about eliminating risk and having to in the present and future paying for your past decisions and purchases. Basically gaining more peace of mind and knowing that you don’t owe anyone or if you lose your job you’re not in as tough of a situation. But also I know for a lot of people it can be compartmentalized into just a math equation. A quote I also like is “pay once, cry once” and then move on with life and your finances haha.
You're not wrong but remember to account for inflation as well. Of course there's always an opportunity cost when making a large purchase but with high interest rates and high inflation it's probably just a couple hundred bucks on a 5 year loan for a $35k Subaru. In the end you never know where your portfolio is going to be or what a dollar is going to be worth the day you make your last payent. But you do when you make your first payment.
@@TC1Z2L3 the comparison is strictly between a savings account and an auto loan. If someone gets an auto loan they have to pay over a certain duration regardless of inflation. So if I can get 5.25% with a federal money market account that is as secure as the US government. So why pay down an auto loan that has an interest rate less than 5.25%? If the savings interest rates go down then that's a different story. This wouldn't happen if inflation goes up anyway. Of course, people will have personal preferences to pay off loans and I have paid off loans faster myself. However, the trade off math is simple.
i was born in Twin Falls. The people at that Subaru dealer are awesome.
That’s awesome! Yeah, the current owner/management and overall staff there is awesome! I wish every dealership did business the way they do.
I’ve never purchased an extended warranty buuuut I did purchase the 5 year warranty for the Ascent (touring) sooooo many electronics and turbo etc… Its a complicated vehicle so we opted for the extended warranty this time, negotiated it to $1,600 at the dealership.
Yeah, even though a lot of the Subaru engine and accessories are fairly simple under the hood, you’re right, there’s so much electronic complexity throughout the vehicle. For instance just to flush the CVT fluid you can’t just drain and refill like an old car, you need a very high end OBD2 reader to then sequence you through the process and do a relearn. 🤦♂️ I never thought I would buy an extended warranty but here we are lol. I’ve recently heard from a similar brand their mechanic rates at that dealership are up to $160 an hour. And if it sometimes takes a few hours just to figure out the problem, who has the time or money for that? 😬☹️
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208for sure! I’m lucky enough to have done a lot of work and modifications and minor repairs myself but some of those more complex systems and electronics can be a big issue quickly! Subarus are awesome vehicles all around. When we traded my 2016 Crosstrek for a Hyundai Tucson… I couldn’t do it and ended up trading it only 5 mths later for the forester which we had for 5 years. Wonderful vehicles ❤
I got about 25% of the original msrp on my 2013 Outback trade in, and could have gotten more on a private sale if I wanted to deal with it. I got 2.9%/48mo financing on a 2024 OB and got my payment down to $330 by putting more cash down. Total interest will be under $800. I am a big fan of keeping cars 10 years or more, maintaining it well and having no payments for 6+ years. I have seen some good deals at Subaru dealers for 1-2 year old loaner cars, but I would only do that if it had a decent warranty and paying cash (used car loan interest is too high).
That sounds like an awesome deal, and great insight! I’m glad it all worked out for you and I hope the new OB is everything you’re hoping for!
Highest car payment I ever had was $307 dollars a month and, I thought that was high.
FYI My Canadian version 2025 Forester Sport will cost just under $50K Cdn out the door ( when we get it later in the summer ...we pay 13% combined taxes). My insurance will be $1400 Cdn/year. I'm in Toronto Canada. You get to enjoy your car at a more reasonable cost. Hope you have many happy trouble free years.
Thank you so much for sharing your break down and taxes/insurance. I’m sorry to hear how much you guys pay for a similar vehicle. I visited Canada in the last year and I should have checked out the dealers there. Oh well, next time!
Thanks!
Haha, you weren’t kidding about the Pizza! Thank you so much for your generous gift! You seriously did not have to do this, but I’m very appreciative of it and ultimately just glad the coupon also worked out for you. 😊 🍕 🍽️
I’m supposed to get the new Forester Saturday. I hope it’s as quiet as my 2017 Legacy was. Seemed quiet on the test drive. I drive a lot of highway.
That’s exciting, I hope you really enjoy it!
I’ve been a car nut my entire life but I’ve never heard of a manufacture giving out brand loyalty coupons… interesting…. My wife’s 2019 rav4 will be traded in a couple of years…. This is her 3rd rav4 and prior to that she had corollas and camris and 4Runner….will have to look in to loyalty coupons when time comes… like the video… thanks.
Absolutely! I always recommend calling the customer service department for the auto maker you’re considering just to see what they’ll offer. In my experience between the few brands that I’ve bought new, Subaru is hands down the best customer service department and has seriously taken care of some decent issues smoothly that my vehicles had in the past. But I will say when I was getting ready to buy the Miata last year I called Mazda customer service and they didn’t offer anything or act like that was a thing. I stopped buying new Toyotas a while ago and can’t recall if I ever tried with them on my last Tacoma. 🤷♂️ Thanks for watching! 🙂
I think you did good. It is a well made reliable safe car. $1000 a month for 72 months is one thing. For 36 months is a non issue.
Lets see you have the house. Two SUV's and a roadster. What are we going to add next?
Don't say a cat 😂
You can’t put a price on safety, but if I had to I’d say it’s $900+ a month for 36 months haha. 🤪 Although I usually don’t have complete peace about things when there’s debt attached to it, I can say I have A LOT more peace about this new Subaru then I was starting to not have on the last car, and to be clear, it’s been a fantastic little car. But safety or potential reliability issues in the coming years would have been no good, and starting to worry about them almost makes a figurative problem literal. 🤷♂️😅
If we can wait until next spring price will drop a couple thousand
Just bought a CX5 Carbon. For past year I drooled over a Forester Touring, watched you do test drives etc. I keep cars 10-15 years and you often caution about CVT trouble off warranty. Got cold feet re: Subaru. Other factor is that we’re a senior couple- Mazda cockpit is less confusing. Forester is a sweet car and a good buy.
We have 2020 CX-5 and now, a 2025 Forester. My wife drives the CX-5. She loves it. There are many minuses and pluses for both cars. As an older adult, I really appreciate the ease of ingress and egress of the Forester.
@@teda273We were very impressed with the appearance & room of the Forester. CX5 is narrower; I’m 5’6, wife 5’0 so we don’t feel cramped. 99% of the time back seats are empty. CX5 Carbon (after Nov ‘23) does not have Stop-Start or Cylinder Deactivation. Got lucky there.
@@teda273Forgot to say that we live in South Texas. Snow is hard to find.
Congratulations on the CX-5. I’m sure you’re going to love it. We’re in NJ, with a temperature of nearly 100. I “almost” miss the occasional snow.
@@teda273I was born and raised in Newark. My family tree lives in NY, NJ, CT. Grandsons inheriting my 19 yr old beemer ; they’re gonna fly to TX, drive back to Glen Rock, NJ.
Did you consider the coming hybrid? Your thoughts on why this as opposed to the hybrid would be appreciated
Yeah, I actually did! Partially because I didn’t want to wait any longer to upgrade her to a better and more safe vehicle. And also to sell the old one before it starts to have any mechanical failures and the things they’re known to have as issues start being a potential issue (coolant issues, turbo cracking, water pump failure, etc). Those 2 reasons have kind of been a weight on my mind for a while now. I would feel awful if somehow she was ever in an accident in not a more safe vehicle just for the sake of saving money. But it’s also taken this long for her to be okay to say goodbye to the first new car she had bought.
And as far as the hybrid goes, I don’t know that I would have a lot of confidence or trust in Subarus brand new U.S. model hybrids. I drove a second gen Crosstrek hybrid in one of my first and awful review videos and it did not seem worth even 70% of its MSRP. Basically it was just as slow as a regular non hybrid, it lost like 6 cubic feet of storage because of the battery in the back, it weighted a few hundred pounds more, the MPG was less than 10 better, and it also cost like 5-10k more from what I remember. It was a failure and they only sold a few thousand units before Subaru stopped producing them for the 3rd gen Crosstrek. I’m sure the new Forester will be better, but what if it’s not? 😬
Getting 1.9% interest for a 24 for model was a good incentive for buying the 24 over the 25. With 1.9%, you could leave your money in the bank and make money on the interest.
Absolutely! And for a lot of people that could be the deciding factor. There’s multiple ways to peel a pear 🍐 🤪
@AutomotiveAnonymous208
The 25 will have better resale value. Plus you will be able to enjoy the newer features of the 25 model.
I really appreciate your insights into why the Forester is a good buy, but I think it lost the advantage over its competitors when the price jumped $3K for the base. It remains a safe, utilitarian, and reliable vehicle, but I would go for an SUV with style, performance and reliability for the same price.
That’s a good point! It would have been cool if the Base stayed relatively the same, and then all the extra features were an optional package for that 3k difference. I actually have a video (maybe I’ll release it tomorrow) comparing the 2024 to 2025 Base and 2025 Premium and Sport.
I went with Subaru for their all wheel drive. I think Honda CRV is better looking but Subaru is tops for safety and all wheel drive. RAV4 looking a little long in tooth now. Even when they redesign still can’t beat Subaru’s all wheel drive.
I totally agree! She test drove a rav4 and didn’t like it as much. Plus knowing it’s AWD is pretty sad helped to deal the deal.
manufacturer extended warranties are the biggest scam right after the rona price adjustments
I’m sure there’s A LOT of warranties people have been burned on or had to jump through hoops to get their issues taken care of. And as mentioned, I never thought I would buy one. But I will say Subarus Gold warranty is their own manufacturer warranty, not a third party, and Subaru of America on other vehicles I’ve owned have taken care of and in some cases over compensated on issues that I’ve had. Knowing that and the cost of out of warranty repairs these days are the reason I find great value in the warranty for a long term vehicle. Worst case I’m buying 10 years of peace of mind. With that said, anyone else who’s considering an extended warranty should really try to negotiate on price and see if it can come down a bit.
Why paying the manufacture wzrranty when its already came with (36K/3yrs warranty free)? Purchase the extended warranty before or after the 36K warranty, you would had save more money, thought! I do not purchased any warranty on any autos over the years, whether new ir used and i drive a lot. I basically believe if a brand isn't good, why buying or just get ripped off! Loved your videos!
I could be wrong but with this specific Subaru warranty it can only be bought while under the factory warranty. And the longer you wait the chances are it will be more expensive. Either as a sales tactic or even just due to inflation and Subarus price chart that the dealer can’t adjust for what they personally pay for the warranty. I also agree regarding not buying it if you don’t trust it. But I’d argue that if any major failure or electronic system goes out on a modern car outside of warranty it’s going to cost much more than the actual warranty. So it’s more for peace of mind, and choosing to buy it now means I “buy once, cry once” and now there won’t be a big expense in a couple years. Also knowing well plan to keep this for 10 years is peace of mind and allows me to better plan for my Outback’s replacement as our next new vehicle in a couple years from now. Thanks for watching another one and for sharing great insight/opinions on this matter! 🙂
So we are looking at buying a 2025 touring XT outback, you mentioned you got a discount from the dealer, though you didn't say how much. What is the name of the place you got yours and you mentioned they would ship it? We are paying cash
That’s exciting! Yeah, the dealer sells everything below MSRP, but because most deals likely have some further negotiation and various aspects associated with the deal I was asked not to share the exact discount and insider information with warranty pricing that I was trusted with being shown. Always do what’s best for you, but that is cool that you’re potentially interested in working with them. The owner and management team is awesome! I don’t know all the staff and sales guys but they’re not the typical commission base model so it’s a much more low key buying experience from what I’ve seen and heard. And why I personally recommend them. Here’s the website link to Twin Falls Subaru. I know they’ve sold to other out of state buyers before through my videos and I’ve been told from them that they had a good experience. Best of luck in whatever you end up doing! 🙂
www.twinfalls-subaru.com
I have 2013 lexus
Rx 350 at 96k miles today
I hope it will go 300k miles
I change oil every 4 months
That’s awesome! I hope it does too. Thanks for sharing!
I believe Subaru will let you buy the warranty at any time that the 36/mo bumper to bumper is still in effect. We bought our Forester in Oct 23 so I plan to buy the warranty in September of 26 if we plan to keep it. Why would you buy the warranty upfront? Just curious, thanks.
Thank you for bringing this up, that is also what I’ve heard. I think you’re being very wise to wait and see how you feel in a couple more years. And typically that’s probably what I would have done if this was one of my frequently traded daily drivers. But as much as I don’t want to pay for an extended warranty I know it will be worth the peace of mind of not being doubtful of the vehicles reliability in 5+ years. Especially where this is going to be a long term vehicle just like her old one. And even though we did decide to finance it for the time being I would still rather “pay once, cry once” and know what to expect to pay right aways so it could be budgeted for and then forgotten. Also, this is hopefully unlikely, but if in a couple years if I didn’t have the relationship to this dealership for some reason I would be missing out on the discount they currently could offer me. As well as general inflation could raise the warranty prices over the next few years. Sorry this was a wordy response, but I hope it was helpful! Thanks again for watching and choosing to be supportive of what I do here on TH-cam! 😊
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I like thoughtful wordy responses, it makes sense what you said. thanks!
I see my local dealer has 2024 Outback premiums for less than the forester. Which one would you choose?
I’ll share more on future 2025 Forester update videos how this compares after having owned an Outback for close to 3 years. But the Outback’s do feel a bit more stable driving (heavier and lower with longer over hangs) But around town this thing is so compact and easy to place and maneuver, and it’s even better visibility is nice. Honestly, they’re both great and very similar vehicles, I don’t think you can go wrong either way. Definitely test drive both and see what feels like the right decision! 🙂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Looking forward to seeing your comparison. Thank you. I’d ask you about AC but it’s probably not 100 degrees like in NJ.
Haha high today is upper 90’s so today I can relate and I can say like most vehicles it takes a few minutes to cool down, but then it does a good enough job that I eventually turn the temp up or the fan speed down. Hope that helps. Basically the AC doesn’t stand out to me, which means it’s good enough lol.
Why dont you say what you paid for the car compared to MSRP and what you paid for the extended warranty? Thats the information that will really help and im not sure why you feel those are the one numbers you "cant" share
I was given a good deal partially because of my connection to the dealership and I’ve helped them sell cars before through my videos. But they sell everything under MSRP and a similar deal maybe could be worked by another customer. I was just asked not to share the exact figure because even though it covered the vehicle and the expenses of their time in putting the deal together, it’s likely not enough to keep them in business if everything they sell doesn’t net much actually profit. So I apologize for the inconvenience of this. Additionally deals are probably not exactly the same between customers anyways based off of a number of other factors and if they have trade in. 🤷♂️😬
Did you trade in that beautiful MIATA for a down payment for the Subie?
No, for the time being I’m keeping that just as the toy and 40+ mpg car for all the interstate driving I do. But if anything big happened in life that’s the first thing to sell. If you missed my recent Miata update video though I am waiting on a factory transmission replacement under warranty as mine had the synchros defect. During the frustrations of dealing with that the first couple days I did have moments thought of wanting to just trade it in for this car (after fixing it), or just sell it and buy index funds and downsize the garage for a bit lol. But with everything I’ve been fortunate enough to drive the Miata is the best drivers car, in my opinion. 🤷♂️🤪 Thanks for watching!!
My 24 Ascent insurance with good driver discounts in CA is $240. a month. Want to sell it and get a 1980 Ford Focus.
A lot of people seem to love their Ascents, but I’m sorry to hear about the price of insurance. 🤕
@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Yeah, Love the car hate insurance.
4.99% is high 😅 don’t be crazy ;). People are afraid to say it - it sucks. I’m surprised that Subaru won’t negotiate or at least for 60 months
Yeah, I didn’t even look at the terms of the 60 month loan because it was 1-2% higher haha. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks 4.99% is high. My Miata was .90% so interest was literally almost nothing, but peace of mind and not owing the bank is priceless! It’s not always about the math.
If you cannot pay cash, you cannot afford it, unless you wish to work your entire life. In regard to repair insurance, what I tell the dealership is that if the car is no good, I will move along to another brand. Actually, I am not overly impressed with all new cars, for various reasons, thus if buying new, assume I will be replacing every five to six years. For car repair to pay out one has to assume that grand hotels are not paid by slot machines. If the odds of you getting the money worth out of car repair insurance was close to even the insurer could not make money. They have advertising, management, office support people, simply the whole enchilada for cost on their side, then have to show a good margin in profit the other way, or it would not make any sense for them to offer a plan. Due to the complexity of what used to be a car and not a computer, and then the added cost of a CVT which could cost $10K to replace, I understand the concern. Maybe new cars are not a logical choice. Alas, it is nice to have a new auto, but I think I will take my chances, and lick my wounds should something break before replacing the car. So far, over the decades, it has worked out in my case. Risk is spread out over time, thus you might make several $3K insurance payments, yet one out of four or five pay-out. Better luck in banking money at 3 to 5%. Back to buying on time. When you buy on time, the propensity is to overspend.
I see on the options list, automatic emergency steering listed. That is the scariest thing I can imagine. But then again, I was not impressed with the lane centering grabbing the steering wheel and trying to place the car near the edge of the road. Auto braking may have its moments of glory. Alas a gazzilion other nanny things blinking and beeping at me, I would prefer to turn off for good. The rear facing camera and the seat belt are the positive additions to the automobile.
Absolutely! Paying cash is definitely the best way to go. And if you can’t you probably shouldn’t be buying that specific vehicle. It’s definitely a tough spot to be in. Modern cars keep getting more safe to hold up to accidents. But also they’re getting over complex. Warranty businesses stay in business by making money. Thankfully this is at least a Subaru brand warranty, otherwise I’d be that much more iffy of it. But with that said and what you mentioned about trading cars after 5-6 years, you’d be getting a nice new and likely more safe vehicle, but the payout for the new car might be 10x of a price jump compared to the warranty to just keep your car an extra 5 years. In my opinion even if this Forester is worthless after 10 years at least we got the full monetary value out of it.
The adaptive cruise is fantastic on Subarus, but the lane keep assist like 1-3% of the time is very dangerous and can toss you out of your lane. I’m hoping this new system is better. I actually didn’t look closely enough at the window sticker to notice the emergency steering, lol. Thanks for mentioning that!
A man (and woman) with a plan! 👍🏻
Haha thanks! I definitely recommend everyone who hasn’t already made a plan should assess their situation, decide what they want their life to look like, and make a plan to start taking the steps necessary to get to where they want to be. In whatever aspects of life that is. 🤪
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 💯 my friend! 👊🏻
Sl63 Amg 2023 $2562 a month for a 39 month lease. I prepaid it in full yikes
Lol, I bet that’s a fun ride. 🏎️ Thanks for sharing!
Congrats bro
I buy now my piggy bank
Start saving now
Ill open 2030
Thanks!! Haha that sounds like a great plan! 🙂
If that saves me $500 on my next one I’ll buy you pizza
Haha, I hope for both our sakes it works out for you. 😉
I called today the guy said he would put in a request in for me. That department is closed but they will get back to me in two business days. It would be my 3rd one so hopefully I have a good shot. My new 2025 Forester supposed to be here next week same options as yours except no LED upgrade and no rubber floor mats I wanted to order WeatherTechs. Which are not available yet.
Subaru of America emailed me. They said reply and they will send me a $500 loyalty coupon. I think you have pizza coming. I wouldn’t have known if you didn’t have it in your video.
Haha you don’t owe me a thing, I’m just grateful my video could inform you about it! Thanks for watching. 😊
$77 per month on insurance 😮
I mean, I don’t think that’s too bad based off of what I know I’ve seen on various car forums. Some people pay over 300 a month just on a single vehicle. 🤕
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 that’s excellent I meant to imply. I’m paying like 230 per month on my ‘23 which I think is insane for insurance companies to charge (no accident history) I could just save that money for anything that could happen
Oh gotcha! I’m sorry I didn’t know if you thought that was high or low lol. I’m sure it’s only that low because of a number of other really good factors that help out. I’m sorry to hear that yours is $230. I’ve actually heard on some Mustang forums that some people pay $500-700 per month. Who in their right mind would still think a mustangs of all things is worth that. 😬
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 yeah might be cheaper when insuring a second car, or so I was told. I’d really like to get a sporty car like the legacy sport or brz to have beside the forester but insurance cost is what is holding me back mainly.
Yes , Dave Ramey is amazing and so is TRUMP
And I even owed 46 thousand dollars when I tolled it and AAA car insurance paid it off
I’m glad it all worked out for you! If more people listened to Dave’s suggestions on money management a lot of people would be less stressed out and in better shape.
And I get a new one as well
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 yes and vote TRUMP