A week ago, when I first test drove the 2019 Impreza base hatch I like, I didn't notice the wandering. Then I read all the posts here about wandering, steering issues, Perrin dampers etc. I sorta fell in love with the car, but am now questioning my love, well her parents – the dealer.
I test drove 2 different 2019 Impreza base hatches yesterday. Both felt floaty, disconnected from road.. They wander most often to the right, a little at 65-70 (hands off the steering wheel for 8-13 seconds before it's on the lane markers). My 2014 does that too, but not floaty. In occasional wind gusts, the 2019 moved around a lot more than my 2014 Impreza hatch. In general, the steering/handling feels “floaty”, like I've got 150 pounds of rock salt in the trunk. On the final test drive of the car I want, I adjusted the dealer-tire-pressure down to 33psi all tires. Same problem.
By comparison, I've put 66,000 miles on my 2014 Impreza Premium hatch which now has slightly aggressive tires. It feels locked on the road. I can “feel the tires” in a turn through the steering wheel. It takes slightly more effort to turn the steering wheel, which I like. Despite my tire choice, I'm not an aggressive driver; I get passed on 2-lane curved on-ramps regularly. I've driven my 2014 Hatch with 150 pounds of rock salt in the trunk. It felt like the 2019, floaty, very light steering. I may swap my allow 2014 Premium wheels for the 2019 steelies.
So is it worth buying the 2019? No significant repairs or maintenance on the 2014, so I expect there will be some in the next couple years.
I'd be happy to put the Perrin damper on it'll make the 2019 feel somewhat like the 2014. I like the styling, chassis, etc and have tried everything else on the market up to $40,000. Wife won't let me buy a VW Alltrack or SportWagen (politics). Money is not an object, but I won't buy a Premium, Sport, Limited. I hate the look of the roof rails and leather seats and sunroofs. I'll never used Eye Sight (I did try it-it's a trust issue). I'm 67 years old; I don't need an excuse not to pay better attention to the road.
So yesterday after hard negotiation(which I also hate) about price, dealer ethics, and fffing small print in their online ads, I gave dealer a final low price and walked out the door when they wouldn't budge...after they budged twice already despite their “very aggressive internet pricing”. I was pissed and fell back in love with my 2014 Impreza. Dealer called today, left a message offer to “meet me in the middle”. MSRP $21,58O, Sale price $1787O, “doc fee” $484, “License & fees” $17O. Total $18524 before tax. No trade-in. And they're REQUIRING I take Subaru financing for at least $10,000 and 4 months before I pay it off “without penalty”. My “final offer” was $5OO less than theirs, so the “meet me in the middle” out-the-door b4 tax would be $1825O. This price “appears” to be $250 to $500 less than much less convenient dealers, and that's before they may disclose their doc fees, etc. Maybe negotiate for some free oil changes or Weathertech floor mats?
Also, on the second/final test drive of the particular car I want with only 15 miles on the odometer, the check engine light was on. Also the driver and passenger windows kept rolling down after I tried to roll them up(as if they'd bounced on your hand-a safety thing, until I fiddled with them 3 or 4 times.)
Is the steering/floating really fixable? Should I be scared about the check engine light? Massachusetts does have a Lemon Law if my love goes bad. It seems unlikely that this local dealer will get another base model, Dark Blue with Ivory interior, more of a Florida car. And it's the end of the month.
I test drove 2 different 2019 Impreza base hatches yesterday. Both felt floaty, disconnected from road.. They wander most often to the right, a little at 65-70 (hands off the steering wheel for 8-13 seconds before it's on the lane markers). My 2014 does that too, but not floaty. In occasional wind gusts, the 2019 moved around a lot more than my 2014 Impreza hatch. In general, the steering/handling feels “floaty”, like I've got 150 pounds of rock salt in the trunk. On the final test drive of the car I want, I adjusted the dealer-tire-pressure down to 33psi all tires. Same problem.
By comparison, I've put 66,000 miles on my 2014 Impreza Premium hatch which now has slightly aggressive tires. It feels locked on the road. I can “feel the tires” in a turn through the steering wheel. It takes slightly more effort to turn the steering wheel, which I like. Despite my tire choice, I'm not an aggressive driver; I get passed on 2-lane curved on-ramps regularly. I've driven my 2014 Hatch with 150 pounds of rock salt in the trunk. It felt like the 2019, floaty, very light steering. I may swap my allow 2014 Premium wheels for the 2019 steelies.
So is it worth buying the 2019? No significant repairs or maintenance on the 2014, so I expect there will be some in the next couple years.
I'd be happy to put the Perrin damper on it'll make the 2019 feel somewhat like the 2014. I like the styling, chassis, etc and have tried everything else on the market up to $40,000. Wife won't let me buy a VW Alltrack or SportWagen (politics). Money is not an object, but I won't buy a Premium, Sport, Limited. I hate the look of the roof rails and leather seats and sunroofs. I'll never used Eye Sight (I did try it-it's a trust issue). I'm 67 years old; I don't need an excuse not to pay better attention to the road.
So yesterday after hard negotiation(which I also hate) about price, dealer ethics, and fffing small print in their online ads, I gave dealer a final low price and walked out the door when they wouldn't budge...after they budged twice already despite their “very aggressive internet pricing”. I was pissed and fell back in love with my 2014 Impreza. Dealer called today, left a message offer to “meet me in the middle”. MSRP $21,58O, Sale price $1787O, “doc fee” $484, “License & fees” $17O. Total $18524 before tax. No trade-in. And they're REQUIRING I take Subaru financing for at least $10,000 and 4 months before I pay it off “without penalty”. My “final offer” was $5OO less than theirs, so the “meet me in the middle” out-the-door b4 tax would be $1825O. This price “appears” to be $250 to $500 less than much less convenient dealers, and that's before they may disclose their doc fees, etc. Maybe negotiate for some free oil changes or Weathertech floor mats?
Also, on the second/final test drive of the particular car I want with only 15 miles on the odometer, the check engine light was on. Also the driver and passenger windows kept rolling down after I tried to roll them up(as if they'd bounced on your hand-a safety thing, until I fiddled with them 3 or 4 times.)
Is the steering/floating really fixable? Should I be scared about the check engine light? Massachusetts does have a Lemon Law if my love goes bad. It seems unlikely that this local dealer will get another base model, Dark Blue with Ivory interior, more of a Florida car. And it's the end of the month.