So I bought a vehicle, NOT a van

Splash

New member
I bought a Subaru Forester.
I almost went with the Outback because it has rear side curtains, but I liked the Forester more. And it will be a long time (if ever) before Charlie really benefits from the side airbags anyway.
It was between this and the Mazda5... and even though this ended up costing a lot more, I feel like this was the better decision.

I called to make an appointment today to see if someone else could wrestle his Boulevard into the center. If not, he'll go on the side and I'll get over it. Or I'll put his SafeSeat in the center which I am sure I can do.

I like it. But it was tough to turn over my rhino.
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Awwwww, hugs. My best friend was just here this weekend and I mentioned that I might end up with a *shudder* minivan next, and she suggested a Subaru. She drives an outback sport (no kids). She loves it.

Course, then today the instructors moved Piper out of the middle, and now I want a new car TODAY (not going to happen, Nathan is sitting in an airport in Detroit on his way to Ottawa) so I can put her back in the middle. Even if it is a *shudder* minivan. The Odyessy is looking nicer and nicer. Just not from the outside. :p

Wendy
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Congratulations on the new Forester, Splash. I looked into getting one in my pre-minivan days back when I vowed never to own a van, lol. Honestly, my motto used to be "death before a minivan" and I never thought I would change.

I had a hand me down Escort wagon for my first car, and actually bought a Saturn wagon when I was still in my 20s before having kids. Talk about image challenged vehicles, lol. Notice how car companies try desperately to avoid to use the word "wagon" anymore?

I ended up getting a Vue instead of a Forester, and sheepishly traded the Vue post-wreck for the Sienna. I love the Sienna but every time I take the Sienna into the Toyota dealer for maintenance, I ogle the shiny new Foresters at the Subaru dealer right next door, sigh. ;)

Enjoy your new wheels!
 

ccjones

New member
Congrats on the new car purchase! I thought for sure you would go with the Mazda5! :p I used to have a Subaru WRX wagon and loved, loved, LOVED it! But then I got rear-ended while stopped at red-light by a Dodge Ram going 45-50 MPH, and my WRX was totaled because it had over $18K in damage! :eek: I was considering buying another WRX wagon, but DH and I agreed that I should get something bigger since we have two big dogs and now the baby. So, I got the Xterra instead, and while I have always liked the looks of the Xterra since my sister bought hers in '99 when Nissan first came out with them, I still miss my Subie!

My good friend has a 2000 Forrester and is able to get a rock-solid install in the center with both her her MA and RA. I wonder if they've changed the rear bench seat much since then, because I would think your BV would fit well. Can you use LATCH in the center? In my WRX, the use of LATCH in the center was allowed. I wonder if that's changed since 2002?

Colleen
 

Splash

New member
Yeah, I thought I would go with the Mazda too! It would have been a lot cheaper, as well as cheaper to insure. And I'm not in love with the forester, but it will meet my needs. There are a few annoying things, but I'll adapt.
The Mazda a lot of people complained about not having enough power. I'm not a speed demon or anything but when I want the car to move I want it to MOVE!
His BV will fit in the center fine, it's just getting it tight. No anchors in the center. It even says they recommend not putting a seat there, but that you can if you want to. Huh? So is it okay or not? I mean, they put three tether spots, so eventually they figured someone WOULD use a carseat there.
His SS1 is rock solid. Though that lockoff sometimes scares me... like it's gonna bite the belt in half. If I put the lockoffs back on his BV (I took them off because they interfered with the install in the Aztek) and use them it might work okay. And if not, he'll be on the side. I'm not going to agonize too much over it. It's not my preference, but it'll still be plenty safe.
We also have two big dogs (Splash- Great Dane, Wally- Saint Bernardish) and they fit so well in the Aztek. It was a big reason I bought it, because Splash could sit in it. Other cars she had to either lie down or stand up (she's taller sitting than standing) and the Aztek she could sit comofortably in. Ah, back in the day when life revolved around the dogs! Now they're lucky if I remember to feed them twice a day!
 

ccjones

New member
Did you get the turbo-charged Forrester? MY WRX had a turbo-charger, and it had awesome get-up-and-go! We have a Great Dane, also (Luke) and a chocolate lab we got from a rescue (Riley). They both fit really well in the back of the Xterra (both can sit, lie down, or stand comfortably) and in the back of the Jeep, but we have to take out the rear benchseat in the Jeep to fit both dogs in there, so having the Xterra definitely makes it easier to transport the dogs. When we had the baby, we weren't sure how Luke was going to handle not being the center of attention. That is partially why we got another dog, so he would have a playmate (and I'm a softie when it comes to labs). We have been lucky because both dogs have taken to Jeremy very well, and I'm still in awe about how careful and gentle they are (considering their sizes) when Jeremy is crawling and toddling around on the floor.

Colleen
 

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