Berkeley Parents Network: Subaru Forester

Berkeley Parents Network

Subaru Forester

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > What/Where to Buy > Subaru Forester

See also: Subaru mechanics, etc.

Aug 2003

We're looking for information about: (1) the Subaru Forester; (2) the quality of service at Downtown Subaru in Oakland; or (3) the quality of service at a different Subaru dealership or independent (and authorized?) repair shop in the East Bay. We'd appreciate any information. Kate

We just purchased a new Forester XS in April, which we really are happy with so far, after our '97 Outback fell apart (another story). It has been improved since older models and the boxier interior is good getting 2 kids in and out. We weren't happy with the finance dept. at Downtown Auto and the service there has been so-so for us... I feel they're a bit condescending and haven't always found or fixed our problems right away. We've used Oceanworks II in Berkeley for regular tune-ups, but they couldn't handle (or wouldn't) the major stuff with our Outback. Good luck. A Happy Forsester Owner

I'm a huge Forester enthusiast and can't recommend them highly enough. I also can't recommend the Oakland Subaru dealer at all, we had terrible service there.

I ended up buying my Forester through autoweb.com, a service that connects you with dealers that deal in high volume and will give you a very good, non-negotiable, rock bottome price. I ended up actually buying the car at the Subaru dealer in Redwood City (Carlson's, I think.) For service, I take it to the Albany Ford-Subaru on the corner of San Pablo and Solano. I have had pretty good experiences there I guess, not an intimate little shop where you get to know the guys, but they seem to do fine work. And my Forester (2000) just hasn't given me any problems to speak of, it's such a sweet car, so I haven't spent much time taking it in for service at all. happy driving! Kathleen

I purchased a subaru legacy wagon at downtown subaru about 6 years ago and if the same folks are still there *don't* go. The car had a minor factor defect that they never fixed no matter what I did (I finally gave up & lived with it -- paint issue on the bumper). Pretty classic sales techniques that involved alot of waiting, two sales people, etc. I had done enough reserach to konw what I wanted to pay (Consumer Reports) and got a good deal. Anyway, I have friends that purchased a Forester through Albany Subaru and were very happy with the service and the car. I do love my legacy and would probably purchase one again.

I bought my 2001 Forester from Albany Subaru. They were listed as a ''no haggle'' dealership in the CSAA magazine. I got their price and then called other dealerships within an hour's drive. The Walnut Creek people had the lowest price, so I called Albany and asked if they would match it (it was a few thousand lower than their no haggle price). They did, so I felt like a got a good deal. So far, I haven't had any mechanical problems, but I feel the bumpers scratch too easily (my steep driveway is narrow and I've had a few scrapes).

This was my first new car, and I'm hoping to use it for 15+ years. In retrospect, I wish I had considered a mini-van. Vans don't fit my image, but I regret not having more seating. With carseats, you can really only fit two kids in the back, so the Forester becomes a four-person car. We're a two-person family, but often we go on trips (to camp, the Zoo, Fairyland) with other families (of 3 or 4 people), and it would be nice to go in the same car. Jenne

July 2000

I'm looking for opinions and feedback on the Subaru Forester. Both pros and cons will be greatly appreciated. Also, can anybody recommend either a Subaru or Dodge Dealership that is not in the immediate, more pricey area, i.e., is there advantages to driving 30 miles out of the Bay Area to get a better deal on a new (or 1999 models) car somewhere???? Any advice would be so much appreciated. Thank you.

We bought a Forester in February after much research and thought. So far, we are very, very pleased with the car. We like the ride, we like the cargo space, and have had no problems (but what do you expect in 5 months?).

We bought it at Diablo Subaru in Walnut Creek. We tried Albany Subaru first, because we wanted a local dealership. We found the people at Diablo much easier to deal with (and negotiate with) than Albany, and we got a much better price.

The more price research you do before you go shopping, the less you will pay, I guarantee it. Go to the library and look at back issues of Consumer Reports and their carbuying books. Go online and try to find out how much the dealer has paid for the model you want (try edmunds.com for a start). See whether you can get a low "$xx over invoice" quote online from a local dealer (it will be lower than anything they'll quote you when you go in person). Knowledge is power... Kristine

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