I've always liked the style of the Subaru cars but everyone I see driving one is an eco-nut, granola eating, goofball. So the question, is a great car or douchemobile?
I've always liked the style of the Subaru cars but everyone I see driving one is an eco-nut, granola eating, goofball. So the question, is a great car or douchemobile?
Bando wrote:
I've always liked the style of the Subaru cars but everyone I see driving one is an eco-nut, granola eating, goofball. So the question, is a great car or douchemobile?
You are a douche if this concerns you at all.
Badddger wrote:
Bando wrote:I've always liked the style of the Subaru cars but everyone I see driving one is an eco-nut, granola eating, goofball. So the question, is a great car or douchemobile?
You are a douche if this concerns you at all.
+1
I like 'em, but they do tend to draw a certain audience for some reason. I guess it's the way they market the cars but they are quality vehicles.
Badddger wrote:
Bando wrote:I've always liked the style of the Subaru cars but everyone I see driving one is an eco-nut, granola eating, goofball. So the question, is a great car or douchemobile?
You are a douche if this concerns you at all.
Obviously this topic concerned you enough to post fellow douche.
Not sure where you live, but here in Colorado the Outback is simply viewed as a very practical car. I think of a Lexus as pretentious. Never considered an Outback in such a manner. They run well and can go just about anywhere in the mountains.
Bando wrote:
everyone I see driving one is an eco-nut, granola eating, goofball. So the question, is a great car or douchemobile?
I usually here them called Lesbarus. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Mr. Obvious wrote:
I usually here them called Lesbarus. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
++1
I live in the mountains too. Subarus are all-wheel drive family cars available at a much better value than a truck or an Audi. When a luxury car like a Lexus or BMW drive buy it's hard not to think what dopes the drivers are for living in the mountains and owning a car that won't function for several months of the year.
I see a lot of them in the Northeast with a 40-50 year old man or woman driving. Usually with one or all of these bumper stickers; Coexist, Obama 2008, Save our Planet.
I see a lot of people in their 40-50s in the South driving a rusted out late 80/ early 90s. Ford F250s with a dog in the seat, shotgun on the rack and a median of 7 teeth.
Who gives a crap what social/age group drives a specific car. A well-built car is a well-built car at the end of the day.
HA! On a trip up to ME many years ago, a friend and I checked every Subaru Forrester from MA to ME and damn if there wasn't a flannel-wearing woman in and a rainbow or equal sticker on every single damn one of them. I still think this, especially when passing one in a rural area. Outback's are more mainstream, granola-type drivers.
Pretentious ? Subarus are pretty blue collar. I got the most blinged out 2011 Outback, and it cost under 33k for the V6.
My wife's BMW wagon is double the price with better performance but overall lower quality. But she wanted the BMW. That's a pretentious ride.
Is it a better car than Honda, Toyota, and Chevrolet CUV's that all cost less, have AWD, and get better MPG's? Subarus seem to be seen in groups in certain parts of the country by certain age/social groups. That's why I posted my original question.
They could be both, of course.
They are practical, well-engineered, and reliable and if you have to deal with alot of snow, rain, mud, gravel roads, mountains, etc they are a sensible car to get.
However, if your main concern is to project a particular image or to show that you are part of some subgroup in society, then I guess you should pick a car that projects whatever that image is.
I'm in my 40s and live in the NE. I drive a wrx hatchback. It's a practical car and great to drive. I've had it for 8 years, 120,000+ miles with no problems, just routine maintenance. Hopefully that continues well into the future. I do wish the mpg's were better.
huh? wrote:
Not sure where you live, but here in Colorado the Outback is simply viewed as a very practical car. I think of a Lexus as pretentious. Never considered an Outback in such a manner. They run well and can go just about anywhere in the mountains.
This is pretty much the case here in SE PA too. The people I know with Subarus tend to be middle-class and either have an outdoor bent or simply a need/desire for practicality and durability. The AWD doesn't hurt either--we get a lot of sloppy weather. Moreover, around here Subaru owners don't seem to have any particular political/cultural affiliation. My sixty-something parents just bought one--they're unpretentious and quite conservative.
For what it's worth, in an area affluent enough to support lots of truly pretentious rides, Subaru doesn't come close to entering the mix.
Which Subaru?
The Impreza WRX or WRX/STi are both great cars. And I don't recall ever seeing a lesbian behind the wheel of either of those models...
I just bought a 2011 Forester with a 5speed manual. Had it about 3 months and it kicks ass. It replaces a '99 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 4X4 pickup - how's that for a image switch?! I backcountry camp a lot (doing some Death Valley camping next week), skiing and dirt-biking so I like AWD vehicles. Believe it or not I can transport my dirtbike on the back of the Lesbaru with a hitch-mount motorcycle rack. 30MPG vs 15MPG aint' bad either. But the Lesbaru CANNOT hold a candle to the heavy Dodge 4X4 in deep snow.
gasser wrote:
I live in the mountains too. Subarus are all-wheel drive family cars available at a much better value than a truck or an Audi. When a luxury car like a Lexus or BMW drive buy it's hard not to think what dopes the drivers are for living in the mountains and owning a car that won't function for several months of the year.
Both Lexus and BMW make vehicles with quite capable AWD. I was talking to a guy yesterday who took his X3 (maybe X5) out on some trails that most usually wouldn't dare try without 4x4 and locking diffs!
BMW and Lexus do not make very advanced AWD systems and thats a knock as I own an AWD BMW. Basically, the xDrive system provides power to certain wheels on demand...whereby Subaru does not use the theory. There is always power to all four wheels...it's just distributed differently, under different circumstances.