Driver’s Seat

So that new spinning wheel I bought last weekend wasn’t the only new wheel in my life. Or should I say wheels?

Her name is Ruby.

We took the plunge last week and bought a 2012 Subaru Outback. I haven’t had a new car since 1987 and I’m am now seriously in love with this one. I know my excise tax is going to be high and I know a slightly used car is probably a better value but damn it feels good to be the first owner of this car.

26+ miles to the gallon feels pretty good, too.

 

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This Post Has 45 Comments

  1. Congrats! My parents just got a new Outback and I was impressed after I drove it. I’ve been thinking about trading in my CR-V for one.

  2. What a coincidence! We bought our third new car in 41 years, a 2012 Outback on Valentine’s day!! I ordered a silver one, but the red was definitely in the running. This is Outback #3 that we’ve owned.

  3. Congratulations! Isn’t it wonderful to have a lovely shiny new car? I just bought a new one (a Mini Cooper) last Sunday!

  7. NICE! What a lovely shade of red, too. Have fun with your Subaru. Tom has an Outback (now 10 years old), and loves it so much he may never get another car. ( And I have a Forester, so we’re kind of Subaru fans around here!)

  10. Ahhh, new car love – good for you! That red is gorgeous. I bought my first Subaru 2 years ago, an Outback. That was the year of the redesign that changed them from station wagon to crossover. Love the car, haven’t been as happy with the company. And watch your oil consumption. Seems like right at the 3,000 mile mark on an oil change, the engine swallows a quart. I got the 6 cylinder engine, what engine did you get?

  11. Smith has a Subaru Outback and loves it. You’re in good company. LOVE the color!!!!! I’m a bit envious of your brand new car. My last new car was in 1989, but I’ve been driving clunkers for years.

  12. I’d be green with envy, but I suppose given that enchanting red, I’m ruby with envy! Our civic (lovingly nicknamed the “go-cart”) is held together with duct tape and prayer. And the Mom-Van? Almost 200G miles. Yep. Ruby with envy, my friend. She’s a beauty!

  13. WOW that’s gorgeous! (I LOVE my Forester, so I’m sure you’ll love your Outback just as much – in fact, we’re a 3-Forester family down here…We loves Subarus)
    (((hugs)))

  14. Gorgeous! I think the trade-off of buying new vs. used is that you always know how it was cared for and any mishaps it may have endured. Technology has made it easier to keep up with the used ones, but I still like knowing my car got it’s oil changes and other TLC along the way. We replaced an ’88 Honda when we got our Prius last year, so you can see we don’t have to drive new ones all the time, just like to start that way.

  16. Congratulations! We were real close to buying one a couple of years ago but ended up with the Ford Edge for various reasons (most of it being the rude people at the dealership – it was no reflection on the Subaru or the car, which we loved).

    My NY brain still can’t get accustomed to this excise tax thing after 15 years.

  17. Welcome to the Subie club! I got my 2012 (named Pearl) on Black Friday and love driving it, especially on snowy days and in the mountains. (Plus, I think to be a Colorado citizen, you have to have a Subaru.)

  19. Oh, I envy you being done with the haggling more than the new car….. Subie’s on my list to test drive as we get ready to retire my blazer which has served me well for 250K+ miles

  20. She’s a beauty! By a remakable coincidence my granddaughter is also named Ruby and she too is a beauty!! Maybe now you and Dale will one day motor down to NO for Jazz Fest–nothing like a road trip in a new car to really break it in. I don’t know about you but I just have such peace of mind in a new car–probably unfounded, but there it is! And Ruby looks like she will haul lots of knitting and spinning stuff.

  21. Lovely new toy, enjoy! 🙂

    Coming from a hot country where even a cream car is a problem in the summer, I am automatically choosing white cars always but this red one can make me change even that old habit,,,,

  22. Sweet!! Nice new wheels, Carole — all of them! Love the color of the Subaru. My last new car was in 2000 (Maddy has it now), prior to that it was 1982, and it seemed like my “new” car for a long, long time!!

  25. Congratulations! The smell of a new car … and it’s newness! I imagine you were pretty surprised and pleased with all that comes as part of ‘standard’ in a car these days. It is one sexy beast! Enjoy!

  26. Beautiful new car! I hope you have many years of happy and safe driving in it!

    We’re going to be purchasing a car this month, but I think ours will be “gently used,” – something that has just come off a lease, perhaps.

  27. Congrats! You should move to Boulder, CO. Everyone out here has a Subaru!

    I haven’t commented in a while but just wanted to say I’ve been enjoying your blog lately! Especially all the great photos.

  29. Sorry about the second comment…My husband and daughter did her car shopping together. She choose a Subaru Forester in a light teal and named it Lennon after the Beatle. They found that the CarSense price for a 1-2 year old car to be very close to the cost of a new one.So new it is.

  32. Just seeing that beautiful red daily…wow! And, there’s nothing like a new car. Speaking of which I remember the 50,s when lots of working class people got new cars (many Chevies) after two years…can you imagine!?

  34. Congratulations! My last new car was a 1988 Ford Festiva. I drove it for 16 years. I currently drive an 18 year old Subaru Legacy. I hope you enjoy yours for a good long time as well. Red is definitely the color choice I would have made.

  36. I love that color! I have an Outback and am thinking of test driving a used Forester and Legacy sedan this weekend. The Outback is staying though as it’s a great car.

  37. Way cool! Enjoy it, and if you make it last 10-15 years, will be worth every stinkin penny.

  42. A new car is such a lovely thing and I love the red. There is definitely something about being the first. May your tank always be full and the lights always be green.

  43. Hearty congratulations! You’ll be amazed at all the new features…for example, I know the Toyota dealer fully expects my timing chain to last to about 300,000 miles, conservatively. I expected it to need to be replaced at 50,000 before it broke and stranded me somewhere.

  45. I’d say you absolutely deserve a new car! Wow, since 1987?! Ruby is lovely! We are getting ready to stimulate the economy also and buy a new Chevy Volt in the next 2 weeks. Ours is on the train making it’s way to Seattle. We actually know our car’s birthday!! Feb 23 is the day she/he (?) rolled of the factory floor completely formed- how odd is that?

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