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Subaru ready to retire, looking at a new car. HELP!


Big Cliff

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Well, a new item thrown into the mix. Sue test drove a Toyoto Martix today and a Hyundai Elantra. She liked the Matrix better. Price wise they were almost identical, the Elantra had more bells and whistles or so it seemed but she prefered the Matrix just for the feel of it and perhaps even the seaming simplicity. It has everything we wanted; air, cruse, automatic without a steering wheel full of buttons and I am told it is rated for towing 1500 lbs. The Elantra only 1000 lbs.

 

(I rarely have to tow anything but I do like to trailer my ATV once in a while) the Elantra on the other hand seemed more like a luxery car, it had all the same bells and whistles but they were all flashy and illuminated. Both offered zero down and zero financing Elantra had a 5 year warrenty, Toyata was only 3 years, both offered road side assistance. Resale value on both seemed to be about the same, we looked at a couple of 2010s in both and they were both in the $15,000.00 range.

 

When I talked to the Toyota dealer about snow tires he immediatly offered me a discount of almost $500.00 toward the snow tires and the first 4 oil changes free, (he wouldn't throw the snow tires on rims in for free) Hyundai wouldn't budge. The Toyota included floor mats, the Hyundai were extra.

 

So we spent a good part of the day going over all the reviews, going back for second looks, and finally decided it was going to be the Toyota.

 

Now here is where I really got impressed! Within 10 minutes of telling the Toyota dealer whe wanted to buy the Matrix, the paper work was done, our loan (if you will) was approved, our insurance company had been notified on our behalf and the insurance all arranged and there was a temporary insurance slip waiting on my computer for me by the time I got home. I pick up the Toyata tomorrow morning at 9:00 am. No hassle, no pressure, no bull, no trying to up sell us (but we did purchase the 6 year 200,000 km bumper to bumper warranty including road side assistance) for piece of mind. Just good honest people with fantastic service and we are looking forward to owning our first ever Toyota.

 

BTW, when we went into KIA the salesman wanted a copy of our drivers license and insisted on going with us for the test drive, kind of made me feel like he didn't trust me which made me not comfortable with him hense Kia fell out of contention very quickly.

 

Thanks for all the help and opinions, you guys are awesome!

Edited by Big Cliff
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I would not even concern with an offshore adventure. I would purchase a north amerian vehicle.

oh well im old school.

imports are not allowed on my property....period.

Maybe if north american vehicles had something comparable that would last, I would agree. No bang for my buck with the big 3 as far as I'm concerned. No resale, no reliability....where do you get your value?

 

S.

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Very nice Cliff, I've heard good things about the matrix, I'm sure you'll both enjoy it. I will say the dealership I bought my Kia was not great in the customer service dept. I decided not to worry too much about it...I take my car elsewhere for service...look forward to seeing the new ride :)

 

Maureen

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Well, it just keeps getting better! I went in this morning to pick up our new ride.

 

Got introduced to the service team, they set up my cell phone for me on the blue tooth, spent 1/2 an hour going over everything on the car with me aranged to get me steel rims that would fit the 15" snow tires I had just bought last year for the Subaru so I wouldn't have to buy new snow tires this year and then, to top it all off, GAVE me a trailer hitch (used and pulled off a 2009 trade-in and I'll have to get the wiring done but just saved me another couple of hundred bucks) . I don't know if every Toyota dealership is as good as these guys but they take customer service to a whole new level. As far as being made in NA. This is made in Alliston ON (CANADA) for those of you that don't know.

 

Also, I bought a Chev a number of years back and the car and the customer service were both the worst thing I had ever encountered. I told them then I would never buy another Chev product again! Oh and outlaw, around here we we don't discriminate, you can drive anything you want on to our property, if it is a big three product we'll even help you tow it off!

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Oh and outlaw, around here we we don't discriminate, you can drive anything you want on to our property, if it is a big three product we'll even help you tow it off!

Lol......

 

Glad to hear your getting the treatment you deserve, Cliff. I've had nothing but trouble with the big 3, and also with Kia.

 

S.

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I would not even concern with an offshore adventure. I would purchase a north amerian vehicle.

oh well im old school.

imports are not allowed on my property....period.

 

 

theres a difference between built in NA and assembled in NA. gauruntee your parts were made off shore

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Nice. I believe the Matrix has the Corolla powertrain. Bulletproof.

yessir!

 

I got the 160 000 extended with my 09' Corolla and I've only had to use it once for an alternator issue which never caused any other problems. I'm at 150, 000 kms and the car still drives like new. Just love that car and I trust all the dealerships I've used. On the other hand my mazda truck is falling apart and is two years newer...mind you I don't take the corolla off-roading nearly as much.

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Big Cliff,

 

You have made a good choice. My father bought a Camry new in 2009. 1 year or so and 7000 K after purchase his Dr. took his license from him for medical reasons. The dealership took back the car and gave him 90% of the total purchase price. That really impressed us as I really thought he was going to take a huge hit. The salesman showed me a list of customers looking for a near new Toyota, the car was sold before the paper work was done that tells a lot about a Toyota. I suggested he show that list to potential customers buying new. He has been and sent me Jays tickets as a thank you.

 

Congrats and good driving.

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Cliff you mentioned it has a 1500LB towing capacity. I just checked the specs on the Toyota website. The basic Matrix is NOT rated for towing at all. But the XRS and the AWD are rated for 1500 as you mentioned. You might wanna look into it further in case you have warranty issues down the road.

No problem my friend, ours is the XRS

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This has to be the most informative sight on the internet! No matter what the topic I can always count on honest opinions, information, and advice (well except when it comes to fishing LOL).

 

Thank you one and all for always giving me help with what I am sure to many of you are no brainers but to some of us older guys seem like a real challange. To many of you a new car purchase isn't a big thing. To some of us it is a lifetime commitment.

 

You guys/gals are the best!

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A step down going Korean.

 

Forester is currently the top rated small SUV/wagon in Consumer Reports.

 

Best AWD system, crash test, resale. I prefer the look of the Outback. it will be our next car.

 

I got a 2013 Subaru Forestor back in Jan.

 

Great ride, getting 9l/100 on mostly hwy driving.

 

I used to have a WRX in 2004-2007... Great cars!

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