Outback or Tacoma

[awd-gg]

But....OP's tacoma is 2010 (2 yrs old) don't make sense for him to keep it and buy another New Small car with better mileage, if the OB serve him well towing ATVs on weekends and safe $$$ on gas as a DD....

The Diff. in Total cost of Ownership(TCO) of a new small car (ie.. impreza) vs an OB is so little compare to the TCO on keeping the 2 yrs old Tacoma...(more so if the Tacoma is NOT paid off).

It may make slightly better sense(long term) if he sells his tacoma, get a new impreza and buy an OLDER truck/large SUV for his weekend towing car. (Like some of you suggested/doing)...(especially, how cheap these large SUV are going in the used car market today).

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by awd-gg

But....OP's tacoma is 2010 (2 yrs old) don't make sense for him to keep it and buy another New Small car with better mileage, if the OB serve me towing ATVs on weekends and safe $$$ on gas as a DD....

The Diff. in Total cost of Ownership(TCO) of a new small car (ie.. impreza) vs an OB is so little compare to the TCO on keeping the 2 yrs old Tacoma...(more so if the Tacoma is NOT paid off).

It may make slightly better sense(long term) if he sells his tacoma, get a new impreza and buy an OLDER truck/large SUV for his weekend towing car. (Like some of you suggested/doing)...(especially, how cheap these large SUV are going in the used car market today).

Yes correct especially if he has a new Taco and it isn't paid for. Heck a neighbor down the street just sold his old Sequoia it was their third car - kids finally packed up and left for college. 2005 limited super clean 80,000 miles he listed it for $17,000 bucks. Sold it in a week. His wife has a new Impreza 5 door and just yesterday I spotted him driving a older Cayman turbo. My wife and I have a standing bet that their 5bd house is on the market by March next year. LOL

I'll never buy a new car again unless the mileage capability and vehicle choices are soooooo much better than the used options and prices. Example would be - today if I were looking for a mid sized 4dr pickup - I would never buy new or even just a couple of years old given from about 2005 to current the trucks are all virtually identical. Now if two years from now we have the new 3L diesel mid sized Ford Ranger and other models being sold which can see nearly 30mpg then it would be a tough call to buy a 16mpg Tacoma or Frontier.

[awd-gg]

The funny thing is what stop me from getting a 3rd car is...
(I would like another Minivan and/or large SUV(ie.. Suburban) with 3 rows of seat)

Having to clean up my 3rd car garage and find place to put my lawn tractor, Snow Blower, garden hose and lawn furniture for winter....etc
The 3rd car just not worth all these works and inconvenient having to deal with a tight garage... it is easier to rent from Hertz/Enterprise when I need to Haul anything the Wife minivan cannot handle...(Once a year, Mulch or bigger tree/bushes)...

[awd-gg]

Originally Posted by subiesailor

Now if two years from now we have the new 3L diesel mid sized Ford Ranger and other models being sold which can see nearly 30mpg then it would be a tough call to buy a 16mpg Tacoma or Frontier.

Why wait 2 yrs for the new diesel pick-up. Start shopping for used Dodge Ram with Cummins Diesel! Sweet! That thing last 2 million miles.

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by awd-gg

The funny thing is what stop me from getting a 3rd car is...
(I would like another Minivan and/or large SUV(ie.. Suburban) with 3 rows of seat)

Having to clean up my 3rd car garage and find place to put my lawn tractor, Snow Blower, garden hose and lawn furniture for winter....etc
The 3rd car just not worth all these works and inconvenient having to deal with a tight garage... it is easier to rent from Hertz/Enterprise when I need to Haul anything the Wife minivan cannot handle...(Once a year, Mulch or bigger tree/bushes)...

I just use the trailer hooked to the Subaru for that. I don't see us having the 8 passenger for more than 6-7 years. If you buy clean used cars I've found in many cases you can almost sell them for what you spent for them. My Landcruiser cost me $8000 back in 2004 - sold it for $7000 in April this year. I consider the maint simply the cost of having the joy of using it. I'd say that was pretty good. So far my sailboats have all been sold for what I had paid for them or added to them so net cost was simply insurance - sails and storage which is cheap fun if you add up the hours and hours we spent messing with them. Not all cars and boats are like that but if you do your homework and be patient you can find them.

[rj4510]

I've been following this thread and been reviewing somewhat similar options. To the OP, I just ran depreciation on three cars, The Outback, The Tacoma and my own, a GX470, based on as close to an original purchase price of $28,500. Both Tacoma and Outback have models retailing new in that range, but my car was purchased for that price, two years old and at wholesale.

Running the numbers, based on the same mileage I put on mine in the time of ownership and considering I bought mine used, the trade in value of the Tacoma six years later, far exceeds the Suby and on par with my car. Had I paid the TMV price of 41K for it, I would have been way worse off than had I picked up the Tacoma I was considering at the time.

The point I'm making is, The Tacoma is holding its value very well and by the time you consider the loss on the trade, sales tax and in the case of this comparison, 3K additional depreciation for the Outback over 6 years, your savings in fuel would have to exceed well over $100 per month to realize any savings.

If the OP is paying interest on a loan, the additional interest on a new loan will have to be factored in as well, which may also rob him of any realized savings. I've factored in the cost of some expensive repairs I may be face with down the road as well, but it still come out to be cheaper in the long run, but the Tacoma is fairly cheap to repair and parts and mods are plentiful.

I really like the Outback and was really hoping to be more incognito than in my GX, but the numbers just aren't working and my truck has been paid off for over two years. I've even price out an even trade scenario and older Subys just need too much attention to make even that scenario really pay off....

The more I look at it, unless the current vehicle, is causing a financially strapping position, i.e. constant pricey repairs, super high payments or an all around pile of unreliable junk, it makes more financial sense to just keep what you have.

Now the financial gurus have been preaching this forever, but I had to waste days crunching numbers every which way to come to the same conclusion.

Keep the Taco, unless you really hate it, but don't trade it in. Those things are selling like crazy and you could at least minimize your losses, by getting near retail, in a week selling on your own, than letting the dealer wash it and make 5K or more on it. Just my 2 cents

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by awd-gg

Why wait 2 yrs for the new diesel pick-up. Start shopping for used Dodge Ram with Cummins Diesel! Sweet! That thing last 2 million miles.

Too big not all of us have a place to park a 20ft long powerwagon that gets 20mpg

[jackw49]

Originally Posted by KansasOutback

As a related point, I received my Subaru Gold Plus Added Security agreement today. Covers 7 years and/or 100,000 miles.
On page 4GP (the exclusions page), Item #5 reads, for a breakdown caused by neglect, abuse, racing, or others forms of competition, towing a trailer or another vehicle.

I must say I was surprised to see that it listed an exclusion for towing when the vehicle has a listed tow rating. What is the current gas mileage for the Tacoma?

My opinion would be to keep the truck. I agree with the previous poster, heavy traffic in the Subaru will not yield the savings you are hoping for. In my situation, I traded in a Nissan Titan that was returning 13.x mpg for my commute. I am now at 25.x mpg. That coupled with less expensive gas and I am saving quite a bit monthly.

Just my 2 cents,
Paul

I tow my trailer and I have Subaru Gold 7 years , 100,000 miles coverage.

I interpret the towing clause limitation as applicable to the case where such breakdown can be directly attributed to the towing (cause/effect ...towing caused breakdown)
This is Subaru car and towing is obviously allowed by the manufacturer. Subaru Gold extented warranty is provided by the same manufacturer (this is not third party warranty).
Subaru would have tough times legally claiming that you can tow the first 36,000 miles and enjoying the regular warranty but you can not tow between 36,000 miles up to 100,000 miles and maintaining the extended warranty.
Am I right?

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by jackw49

I tow my trailer and I have Subaru Gold 7 years , 100,000 miles coverage.

I interpret the towing clause limitation as applicable to the case where such breakdown can be directly attributed to the towing (cause/effect ...towing caused breakdown)
This is Subaru car and towing is obviously allowed by the manufacturer. Subaru Gold extented warranty is provided by the same manufacturer (this is not third party warranty).
Subaru would have tough times legally claiming that you can tow the first 36,000 miles and enjoying the regular warranty but you can not tow between 36,000 miles up to 100,000 miles and maintaining the extended warranty.
Am I right?

Correct. Your subie gets a flatbed ride to the dealer in say front range CO on a 100+ temp day and your tow driver notes you were attempting to tow a 32ft Airstream trailer to Dillon transmission is fried and engine is cooked. Dealer will tell you to break out your checkbook.

Your car ends up at the dealer for a bum wheel bearing no signs of abuse warranty covers it

[lucian688]

I get 23.4 mpg combined & 27.9mpg highway in my 2013 (with less than 3000 miles). In the 07 we get about 26mpg combined. In the 08 I am getting 23.4mpg (something is off...).

Also see my post "Compare to the newest generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (again)" - this will be helpful in your decision. You may want to go big & get a GC instead.
Compare to the Newest Generation Jeep Grand Cherokee (again).