Subaru Impreza, and high value re-sells

[goldgrasshopper]

Are there some cars out there that retain their value so well, that buying used is equivalent or even less desirable than buying new? I've owned used cars all my life, I just recently sold my 1998 Honda Civic this year with 190K miles for $1,500. Now my live-in girlfriend who already is inclined to buy a new car is looking at getting her first car, a 2016 Subaru Impreza 2.0 Premium. Taking up the challenge of finding her an equivalent model used cars, I came across used cars but damn do they hold their value! We live in New England, where demand for 4WD cars and particularly Subarus is always high. Case in point, here is a nearby search and keep in mind that a brand new base model starts at $18,295 MSRP http://tinyurl.com/qebrvtv

We're open to other models, the only other car we looked at was a Honda Fit. She likes the Impreza better, considering its a smoother ride. I was quite surprised by how versatile the Fit was, it had alot of space for such a small car, I liked that it had paddle shifters you could switch to for inclement weather and the front window had excellent visibility. No doubt the Fit is the old school Civic's true replacement.

On the other hand, the Impreza was just faster, smoother, 4x4 and felt a little more luxurious. My verdict is, if you want value and no frills then the Fit base model at around $15K is the way to go. If you care about speed, interior features and need a 4x4, then it makes more sense to more for an upgraded Impreza than an upgraded Fit.

[windypig]

Ill tell you this. We have an '08 impreza and we live in New England too. We like the car alot and think it is a good car if your family only has 1 car as its versatile.... If we had two cars I would do a 4wd truck and a prius c.

The impreza is easy to work on and cheap to work on (in my experience). Has required very little maintenance thus far.

[mrpercentage]

That was my second pick. I went with a focus. It doesnt hold value as well but I plan on using it until it reaches the common value of $2000. Most cars in the high 100,000 mile range end up being worth $2,000. This is true for 35k or a 15k car. They end the same. By the time I get rid of it-2K

Impreza hatchback is a great car. My wife has a Forrester. Its not as fuel efficient and it doesn't  really have that much more room. It just sits higher and has more head room IMO. Still a good car but the impreza is impressive. High fuel effiency and AWD. A very rare mix

[LouisPritchard]

I have a 08 WRX since 2009 and have really enjoyed it.

One possible tip on the Subaru. Keep an eye on ebay, this is where I bought mine. They are no where near as popular down south as they are in places where it snows and you can also have a car shipped cross country for $700-$1000 last time I checked. I ran into several online that were really good deals slightly used or previous year new even after shipping. If you're buying new or under 36K miles the factory warranty will still be in place, plus you can check car fax reports as well, so I wasn't too worried about test driving it before hand, but there is that risk.

I ended up finding mine about 5 hours away so we made a weekend trip out of going to pick it up. 

[younggunner]

I absolutely love my subaru!  I bought it new last year in 2014 and have loved it ever since.   I have owned 40-50 vehicles in my life (hondas, nissans, toyotas, chevys, mercededes, lexus, mazda, etc.) and I have to say that without a doubt, the subaru is my fav.  Anybody interested in a subaru, I highly recommend asking any subaru owner for their opinion and most often, they will tell you they wont ever want to buy another car (within the same price range)   

- I consistently get 43 highway mpg and it costs only like 30-35$ to fill up. 
- Its AWD and much better in the snow then my 4WD pickup truck (due to no weight in the rear of the truck I suppose)
- Roomier then most sedans in its price range
- Drives very smooth
- The safest brand
- Holds resale better than most other brands for these reasons

If you are considering it and can afford it than I would highly recommend it..

[younggunner]

I do want to add that I have a base model impreza, and though I wish it had cruise control and a sunroof, I have no complaints.  That being said, my friend who owns a performance and maintence shop swears by the subaru motors as long as they are not turbo'd.  He is constantly rebuilding blown subaru motors or turbos.. but that could be from people pushing the performance models to the limit.  The non-turbo 4cylinder subaru motors seem to have no problems .