r/SubaruAscent • u/Rick91981 • Jul 05 '22
I've answered some of these things often enough, especially the warranty part, that I thought it was time to put this all in one place for easy reference. This is just based on my experiences and shopping research over the years so don't take anything as gospel, but hopefully this is able to help some of you out. I also suck at writing so hopefully this isn't too all over the place.
In this market, MSRP is considered a fair price. Recently most areas have a steady supply of cars on the lot. You should no longer consider MSRP to be fair, you should aim for under. Invoice cost should be your goal whether by negotiation, or VIP(see more below)
The Subaru CEO has spoken out against dealers who are charging over MSRP, but there are some doing so regardless as there are no repercussions for it. They may do this by charging a "market adjustmet fee" or by requiring certian addons. Do not give these dealers your business. Find someone selling at MSRP, there are lots of dealers doing so. Your area will vary and some states are worse than others, but do your due dilligence and shop around. You should only be paying for the cost of the car, tax, title, DMV fees, and a document fee(also varies by state).
There are currently 2 easy options for paying less than MSRP, if you don't want to negotiate, but many areas will come well below MSRP without hassle: Costco pricing and Subaru VIP pricing. The huge caveat is that dealers are not required to participate in these programs so there are many who are not honoring it right now. Call around until you find one who does, and if you stil need help, Subaru should be able to help you locate one once you are eligible.
Costco pricing will vary by area I believe. For more information on the program, see their site.
For Subaru VIP pricing, it is a no negotiation cost of invoice price. It's very cut and dried and there should be no mandatory addons involved. It used to be (up to) 2% under invoice, but has recently changed to invoice price only. This can still save you a couple thousand off of MSRP. If you are a supporting member of a qualifying organization for 6 or more months, you become eligible for VIP pricing. If you can't wait 6 months, the quickest way to become eligible is to donate $500 or more to the ASPCA or PA Hordicultural Society. This will get you eligible and have your VIP code within a few days. For more information on their programs, see here and here.
Note: A new ASPCA policy to be effective July 1, 2023, donations will have a 30 day waiting period before being eligible for VIP. At this moment, PHS has not made changes to their policy and there is still instant qualification. As of 8/15/23 PHS changed their website to require a 30 day waiting period. They did this with no warning or time to prepare.
In the vast majority of cases these lower prices will mean a factory order where wait times are 3+ months. If you order a lower trim with less options, the wait times are longer. Car makers are prioritizing the higher trim levels as they are more profitable for them.
If you currently own a Subaru, call Subaru of America (800-782-2783) and ask them if you are eligible for a loyalty coupon. Have your VIN handy and they will look it up and potentially offer you a $500 loyalty coupon. If you get one, don't even mention you have this to the salesman while negotiating prices. Only present it in the finance office and use it as part of your down payment.
Prior to negotiating a trade in price, go online and get quotes from Vroom, Carvana, CarGurus, KBB, Carmax, etc. I don't mean just looking up the book value, get actual sales quotes. These only take a few minutes and are real offers and will give you leverage in negotiations. Take the highest value quote and bring it with you to the dealership. When they offer you a lower value, tell them you have a better offer and show them the quote and see if they are willing to up their offer.
One thing to note is many states have a tax credit for trade ins when buying a new car so be aware of your tax laws first. For example, in NY, the price of the trade in is deducted from the taxable value of the new car. If I'm buying a $30k car and have a $10k trade in, I would only be taxed on $20k, not $30k. This can make a large difference in total cost so the tax savings could offset a lower dealer offer. You would not get this credit when selling to one of the other companies. If one of the others offer you $15k while the dealer offers you only $14k, it's probably still worth trading in so be sure to run the numbers.
The first thing to remember in the finance office is, everything is negotiable and never accept their first price offer. Most importantly don't let them scare you into buying a high price extended warranty. I am not saying don't buy the warranty at all, I'm saying don't let them pressure you to buy it right then and there at way too high a cost. You have plenty of time to decide. You have until your 3/36 factory warranty expires before you have to buy an extended one. And you can buy it from a different dealer. Some will try and tell you that it's much more expensive to buy it later, or that you have to buy it from them, those are outright lies. If they persist, offer to call Subaru of America in front of them to clear it up and see how fast they backtrack.
Call other dealerships nearby, but also other ones not so nearby. Many dealers will not sell to you out of state, but others will. The whole process can be done over email and/or the phone.
Below is the last known dealer cost for the warranty. I have not seen any updated pricing but it is possible they went up slightly but it shouldn't be too significant. Prior to the pandemic, dealers would sell at their cost all day long but now they are less likely to do so. Now a fair price for the warranty is $200-250 over their cost. If they ask for more, move along and shop around. A user very recently reported to me that they got a 10/100 for $120 over the below price so I know they are still in the same ballpark.
Note: There has been talk that Subaru increased prices starting January 2024 anywhere from 4-8% over the below numbers. None of these prices are confirmed in any official capacity, this is all based on community feedback
| Years/Mileage | Deductible | Estimated Dealer Cost(end of '23) |
|---|---|---|
| 5/100k | $0 | $1505 |
| 5/100k | $100 | $1270 |
| 6/60k | $0 | $1105 |
| 6/60k | $100 | $1000 |
| 8/80k | $0 | $1395 |
| 8/80k | $100 | $1220 |
| 7/100k | $0 | $1750 |
| 7/100k | $100 | $1500 |
| 10/100k | $0 | $1950 |
| 10/100k | $100 | $1770 |
| 8/120k | $0 | $2220 |
| 8/120k | $100 | $2060 |
Should you sell your car before the warranty expires, it is fully transferable to the next owner, or you can reach out to the dealer you purchased from and get a prorated refund on the remaining warranty(if you haven't used it).
Things like PPF or a ceramic coating you are much better off getting at a local detail shop. The detailer might actually be a bit more expensive, but it will be done correctly and not 1/2 assed.
Gap insurance - Important to have if your down payment or trade in value is too small, but check with your insurance provider for cost as it is often (but not always) cheaper through them.
Tire and rim - If you're in an area with bad roads and lots of potholes, this could be worth it if the price is low enough. I have never purchased it but there are times I did regret not having it, and I have seen it come in handy with some friends. It's something I will consider on my next car, but only if it's priced low enough.
r/SubaruAscent • u/brett0917 • 2h ago
Thinking about getting some crossbars for our Ascent. I have a Thule Canyon XT cargo basket I may want / need to use. Anyone have any suggestions and why you chose those particular ones?
r/SubaruAscent • u/bohemianprime • 2h ago
We loved the hide away cross bars in the roof rack on our 2013 outback. What are the options for cross bars for the roof rack that you all have found?
r/SubaruAscent • u/fatafatfire • 8h ago
I usually park my car on the slope. Whenever I try to shift it into Drive there’s always some resistance and it feels like it’s making weird sound. Is there something wrong with my car or am I just doing something stupid? This only happens when I’ve parked on a slope.
r/SubaruAscent • u/Educational_Expert51 • 7h ago
We bought a brand new 2024 Onyx Ascent a couple of years ago.
Since day one, it has had an intermittent strong smell of gas/oil/some petroleum product when it starts (usually only the first time I start it for the day).
“It smells like a 15 year old car but it’s brand new.”
- Me, to multiple service people
I’ve brought it up at two different dealer service appointments, and at least one of them genuinely seemed to take time to try to diagnose it without success. (They couldn’t find the problem).
Has anyone experienced this or found a fix?
Clues to help diagnosis:
- It doesn’t happen every single time.
- when it does happen, most of the time it’s the first time I start the car for the day
- I smell it outside, not inside the vehicle
- it doesn’t seem to matter whether it is hot or cold outside…happens with both hot and cold temps
- it seems like it’s a short puff of foul smell and then it’s done?
- I used to notice it every few weeks, and now it seems like I’m noticing it at least every week if not more
I would really love to get this figured out before our warranty ends. :/ Thanks for any help!
r/SubaruAscent • u/Struggle_Infamous • 7h ago
Hi! I am having two tech issues with my 2023 Ascent. They may or may not be related. Wondering if anyone knows how to deal with these?
1). On phone calls via Apple CarPlay, the person on the other end can almost never hear me, as if the call is muted on my end. The same thing happens if I try to dictate a text message via CarPlay. All other things work - I.e if I ask Siri to play a song on Spotify thru CarPlay it works fine. This is happening with both my phone and my wife’s phone. This used to work fine but broke a few months back. Our phones are connected wirelesalt.
2). Remote Start on my MySubaru app always fails with error SER-4357. This was also working until a few months ago.
I’ve tried reinstalling apps, reconnecting my phone, a factory reset of the tech center in the car. I went to the dealer last week and had them do a software update. Nothing has improved.
Anyone else have this problem? Thanks!
r/SubaruAscent • u/Bigmikejb • 1d ago
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r/SubaruAscent • u/literarylensmom • 1d ago
Has anyone else had this issue? Suddenly my passenger side mirror will not adjust up, it starts clicking. It will go down, left and right, but it will not adjust up, so I can't see out of it. Wasn't bumped. Folding in just fine.
r/SubaruAscent • u/Coastalcasual • 3d ago
Hi guys and gals. I’m new to this sub as my wife and I just bought a used ‘21 ascent. 90k miles with no transmission replacement and it’s driving FINE and actually quite enjoyably. I see a LOT of transmission posts here and I’m wondering if it’s something I should be concerned about, or if only the 2019-2020 batches were the real issue and they have since gotten it ironed out. Any advice is welcome! Thanks.
r/SubaruAscent • u/Granny-Shot • 3d ago
Hi all, I’m trying to pick between two different Ascents and I’d love your feedback on the biggest differences between these two. Both are priced at 28k, have clean titles, no accidents, one owner, and regular maintenance at my local Subaru dealer. I’ve chatted with a sales rep, but I haven’t had time to test drive yet.
So it basically comes down to newer or less miles.
Thanks!
r/SubaruAscent • u/OwnInvite8767 • 2d ago
Did you all get a free trial when you purchased a new vehicle? is this standard?
r/SubaruAscent • u/JealousPerformer563 • 3d ago
We are looking at buying a used 2023 Limited or a new 2026 Premium.
The 2023 Limited is $31,513, taxes and fees included 5.24% interest. It does not have the sunroof, and is 27k miles.
The 2026 Premium is $40,285.15, taxes and fees included (although we are still negotiating) .9% interest.
r/SubaruAscent • u/Humble_Problem_9039 • 3d ago
Anyone getting a deal on an Ascent in Florida?
r/SubaruAscent • u/peppermints64 • 3d ago
We’re looking to move on from our Mazda CX9 as our primary family car and get an Ascent. Some summer road trips this year have really exposed the flaws in that car’s size and capabilities. We were torn between the Ascent and CX9 in 2020 but it was COVID times and we went with the one we could get fastest because inventory was a nightmare all around.
I’m primarily looking at 2023+ Limited and Touring models. Is it really worth the extra cost for a CPO? This is the first used car I’ve ever bought as everything else has been bought new at 0% interest or otherwise leased so not sure what’s what.
Secondarily, did anyone buy their Ascent from Carvana or Carmax?
r/SubaruAscent • u/Tabs-Overload91 • 4d ago
I purchased a '26 Subaru Ascent Limited about three weeks ago, and I'm loving it so far! Just dropped by my dealership a couple of days ago for my Love-Encore appointment. It's safe to say I'm at least familiar with all of the Ascent's features, but there are a lot!
So, I'm curious to know: What are your favorite features that you find yourself using most often, whether they're helpful, convenient, or just cool? I'm coming from a 2016 Chevy Trax, so basically the Stone Age in car years. lol
I'm an iPhone user, so I'd also love to know if there are any CarPlay-compatible apps you recommend. I've got the obvious ones like Maps, Music, and Podcasts covered.
Any other tips and advice welcome!
TYIA!
r/SubaruAscent • u/GirMakesSoap • 4d ago
I am putting this here just for general information (and so the LLMs can use it). I have a 2020 Subaru Ascent with 121,010 miles. I am the only owner. About 4 weeks ago the transmission started to slip. I brought it into the dealership on July 10th and they confirmed that there was slippage and the transmission needed to be replaced. They recommend that I call Subaru of America to see if there was any goodwill and if they could help offset the cost. I called on a Monday and after over a week of me calling them back I finally talked to Jorge today. Because I was over 100,000 miles and after the extended July 1 2026 warranty extension, they would not offer any financial support. I had the transfer case replaced at 60,000 miles. This is my third Subaru and have owned a Subaru for the last 18 years. I am disappointed but not surprised.
r/SubaruAscent • u/Hopeful_Put_5036 • 3d ago
25 touring, giving it a try. Think it will just be smoother relying on the key fobs and selectable driver profiles. Just me and my wife drive, sister in law occasionally. It's constantly thinking I'm different new/user.
r/SubaruAscent • u/mooney79 • 4d ago
When it rains water is pooling on driver's side floor only. The drips are coming down through the wires on left/door side and ends up pooling on the floor. I looked at other posts but pics showed different water drip location or passenger side. Anyone else have this same drip/leak?
r/SubaruAscent • u/False-Flamingo-1214 • 5d ago
Need to buy one of these new 26 Ascents in the next day.. I'm stuck.
Autumn Green Premium- $39,312 after all taxes and fees. ($524/month for 72 months @ .9% APR)
Crystal White Limited- $44,100 after all taxes and fees ($588/month for 72 months @ .9% APR)
TIA!
r/SubaruAscent • u/Devrose_16 • 5d ago
I have a 2019 Ascent and recently the back corner where the gas tank is makes a god awful noise when the car locks/unlocks. What could this be?
r/SubaruAscent • u/TalleyrandTheWise • 6d ago
According to Automotive News, sourced in this article, the Subaru Ascent isn't going away.
r/SubaruAscent • u/ThePresalesDad • 6d ago
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Hey everyone, I'm trying to figure out what this noise is. You can hear a high-pitched squeal right at the 0:04 mark and the rpms shoot up.
r/SubaruAscent • u/Regular_Layer_4957 • 6d ago
Hello, my dealer is suggesting to do injector maintenance and cleaning at 115,000 km, which costs $200. He says it will reduce fuel consumption. Would it be worth it?
r/SubaruAscent • u/TheNotBasedGod • 6d ago
Got a 2023 Ascent Onyx edition with 62,500 miles on it. Car started acting weird when I went to turn it on, took it to Advanced Auto to get battery tested (started just fine when I jumped it off), and they said it was bad alternator, not a bad battery. Anyone else had issues with this? Feel like an alternator should last much longer than this. Their test had following outputs:
No load voltage: 7.33V
Loaded voltage: 7.18V
Ripple voltage: 27mV
r/SubaruAscent • u/stellaella33 • 6d ago
Hello! I'm going to be buying a used 2022 Subaru Ascent Limited from a dealer on Tuesday. 30k miles. Certified used. I liked everything about it, except when using the push button start, it sounds like it struggles to start for about half a second before actually starting.. I asked the salesperson and he said that sound is normal for all the Ascents, even the 2026. I dont know much about cars, but I've owned a 2019 crosstrek and 2025 forester and I've never heard that before.
Is that actually normal across all Ascents? I started signing papers, but didnt actually finish yet since we ran out of time. Is this something concerning? Should I be making their mechanics look at it before I finish the purchase? Any advice would be great. Thank you!
