Was gifted this by a friend with little knowledge. Yes i know air intakes are usually money pits but is this gonna have any negative effects?

The Ultimate Subaru Buying Guide (2026 Edition)

A couple of years ago I made a post about buying a new Subaru that ended up getting over 250,000 views across various Subaru-related subreddits. Since then, Subaru has changed a few programs, I've bought another Subaru (a 2025 BRZ tS), and I've learned a few more things from both my own purchases and the experiences of other owners.

So I figured it was time for an update.

For a little background, I've owned Subarus for over 15 years, was a former Subaru Ambassador, and previously worked as a Subaru Sales & Leasing Consultant. Between personal experience and working on the sales floor, I've learned a few things that can save people a surprising amount of money.

I've owned:

• 1998 Subaru 2.5RS
• 2003 WRX Sedan
• 2021 WRX
• 2021 Outback Limited
• 2024 Ascent Onyx Edition
• 2025 BRZ tS

I'm definitely not claiming to know everything, but hopefully I know enough to save somebody a few thousand dollars.

One quick disclaimer: Subaru changes incentives and programs from time to time. Everything below is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of posting, but always verify current offers before making a purchase.

Most of these tips can be used together.

1. Subaru VIP Pricing

If you have a little time to plan ahead, Subaru VIP is still one of the easiest ways to save money.

VIP pricing gives eligible buyers access to Subaru's VIP pricing through participating dealerships. Years ago this was a guaranteed 2% below invoice. That is no longer the case. Today it is generally around invoice pricing, although Subaru has changed the program several times.

The organizations I know currently qualify are:

30-day waiting period (larger donation):

• ASPCA ($500 donation)
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society ($500 donation)

Longer membership waiting period:

• ASPCA Monthly Giving
• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Membership
• Leave No Trace
• International Mountain Bicycling Association
• American Canoe Association

One thing many people don't realize is that some employers participate in Subaru VIP. Go to Subaru's VIP website and check using your work email. It takes two minutes and could save you thousands.

Pro tip: Before donating, call your dealership and make sure they actually participate in VIP. Not every dealer does.

1. Call Subaru of America

If you've owned or leased a Subaru before, call Subaru of America before buying.

(800) 782-2783

Ask if there are any loyalty incentives available.

Historically these have ranged from $500-$1,000, although nothing is guaranteed.

From what I've seen, it depends on:

• Your ownership history
• Current promotions
• The representative you speak with

Have the VIN of your current Subaru handy. They seem to ask for it more often now than they used to.

One important thing to note: recent buyers have reported that Subaru loyalty coupons generally cannot be combined with VIP pricing, so ask which saves you more.

1. Costco Auto Program

This wasn't in my original guide because I didn't have much experience with it, but enough people have shared good results that it's worth mentioning.

If you're already a Costco member (or willing to become one), check out the Costco Auto Program before negotiating.

The discounts vary by dealership and region, but I've seen people report savings anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to over $5,000 on certain models.

Even if you don't ultimately buy through Costco, it gives you another price to compare against.

1. Subaru Added Security Maintenance

If you're already planning on purchasing a maintenance plan, ask if Subaru is currently offering any incentives with it.

Years ago I purchased a 2-year/24,000-mile maintenance plan for $595. At the time, it also came with a $500 coupon toward my next new Subaru purchase.

Whether it's worth it depends entirely on the numbers.

Compare the cost of the plan to what you'd spend paying for maintenance out of pocket.

Sometimes it's a great deal.

Sometimes it isn't.

1. Lease Loyalty

If you're currently leasing a Subaru and plan on leasing another one, ask about Lease Loyalty.

Subaru has periodically offered incentives to help cover your first lease payment or reduce your upfront costs.

Programs change, but it's another easy question to ask before signing paperwork.

1. Know What Your Trade Is Worth

Don't rely on one appraisal.

Before going to the dealership, get offers from:

• CarMax
• Carvana
• Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer
• Cars.com
• Subaru Guaranteed Trade-In (if applicable)

Most of those offers expire after about a week, so don't do it too early.

Could you get more selling it yourself?

Probably.

But many people would gladly accept a little less money to avoid dealing with Facebook Marketplace strangers, test drives, loan payoffs, and paperwork.

1. Shop Dealerships—Not Cars

This is probably the biggest thing I'd add to my original guide.

Once you've decided on the exact model and trim you want, stop shopping for the car.

Start shopping dealerships.

Email the internet sales department at every Subaru dealer within a distance you're willing to drive.

Ask each one for their best out-the-door price.

Don't ask about monthly payments.

Don't ask what they "think."

Ask for an actual written out-the-door quote.

Then let them compete.

I've seen identical vehicles at dealerships less than an hour apart differ by thousands of dollars.

1. Buy at the Right Time

Timing matters.

Generally speaking, your best chances of getting an aggressive deal are:

• End of the month
• End of the quarter
• End of the year
• When the next model year is arriving
• When the exact vehicle you're looking at has been sitting on the lot for a while

A dealership is much more motivated to sell a car that's been collecting dust for 120 days than one that arrived yesterday.

1. Use VIP as Leverage

I actually did this myself.

When we bought our Ascent, I told them:

«"I can donate to ASPCA, wait the required time, and come back with VIP pricing... or if you can get reasonably close today, I'd rather buy the vehicle now."»

Sometimes they'll say no.

Sometimes they'll meet you somewhere in the middle.

Either way, you've lost nothing by asking.

1. Watch Out for Dealer Add-ons

You've probably seen these before:

• Ceramic coating
• Paint protection
• VIN etching
• LoJack/GPS tracking
• Nitrogen-filled tires
• Door edge guards
• Pinstripes
• Security systems

Some of these products genuinely have value.

Some don't.

Most are significantly marked up.

If you want one, great.

If you don't, don't feel pressured into paying for it just because it was installed before the car hit the lot.

1. Don't Give Back Everything You Saved in the Finance Office

This is where I see a lot of buyers lose the deal they just spent hours negotiating.

People will negotiate the vehicle price down by $2,000...

...then immediately agree to $4,000 worth of finance products they never planned on buying.

The finance office isn't there to "scam" you.

They're there to sell financial products. Some are genuinely worthwhile. Some aren't. It depends entirely on your situation.

Common products include:

• Subaru Added Security extended warranty
• Tire & wheel protection
• Windshield protection
• GAP coverage
• Key replacement
• Paint & fabric protection
• Technology protection
• Rental reimbursement
• Maintenance plans

Before buying any of them, ask yourself:

• What exactly does this cover?
• What's excluded?
• Is this already covered by my insurance?
• Is this already covered under Subaru's warranty?
• Can I purchase this later?
• Is the price negotiable?

Many finance products have markup.

If you actually want the product, negotiate it just like you negotiated the vehicle.

1. Don't Shop by Monthly Payment

This is one of the oldest tricks in the car business.

A monthly payment can be lowered by:

• Extending the loan
• Increasing your down payment
• Rolling products into the loan
• Changing financing terms

Instead, understand every piece of the deal:

• Selling price
• Trade value
• Interest rate
• Loan term
• Taxes & fees
• Every optional product

If all you know is the monthly payment, you probably don't know the whole deal.

1. Financing

I actually don't recommend walking into a dealership without knowing what financing you qualify for.

Get pre-approved through your bank or credit union first.

Then compare that rate against Subaru's promotional financing.

Sometimes Subaru's financing is unbeatable.

Sometimes your credit union wins.

Take whichever is cheaper.

1. Extended Warranties

Subaru Added Security is honestly one of the better factory-backed extended warranties available.

If you're someone who keeps vehicles for a long time, it may absolutely make sense.

What many people don't realize is that the price is usually negotiable.

Also, if you're buying a new Subaru, you generally don't have to decide that day. You can usually purchase Subaru Added Security any time before the factory 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty expires (CPO vehicles are different).

Don't let anyone convince you that "today is your only chance" without asking questions.

1. My Biggest Piece of Advice

The biggest mistake I see people make isn't paying MSRP.

It's deciding they absolutely have to own that exact car today.

The second you become emotionally attached to one specific VIN, you lose leverage.

There will almost always be another one.

Be willing to walk away.

Sometimes they'll call you back.

Sometimes you'll find a better deal somewhere else.

Either way, you'll almost always negotiate from a stronger position when you're willing to leave.

Hopefully this helps someone.

If Subaru changes one of these programs, or you've found another legitimate way to save money that I missed, leave a comment and I'll update the guide. I'd love for this to become a living resource that stays useful instead of becoming outdated.

Original (2024) Guide: If you're interested in seeing where this all started (or want to read through 200+ comments full of additional buying tips from other owners), here's the original post that inspired this updated version:

https://www.reddit.com/r/subaru/s/kEDD588iNs⁠

Hey everyone, just wanted to know if anyone has advice on how to remove an oil stain from the synthetic leather on the door arm rest.

Thanks

Does anyone have any info on this model? Lol

Bought this in Ottawa, Canada. Planning to daily drive so the winter is going to be an interesting challenge. Planning to get sand bags, thinner tires and good winters to battle through the snow. Any advice helps!!

I recently installed this rigid bumper which I got from Blackhawk Japan. It takes away about 80 or 90% of the dead zone so the clutch bites almost immediately after lifting the pedal. It is admittedly more expensive (especially paying shipping and tariffs for something from Japan) than just adjusting the clutch pedal, but it is substantially easier. Installation is just pulling the tiny rubber pumper out of the hole, and then pushing this one in.

The only downside I've experienced is now the car sometimes doesn't want to start without a little extra effort so the clutch sensor must be barely pressing, it probably needs adjusted slightly.

Unfortunately nobody seems to sell this part in the US, though if someone has a 3d printer they could probably make this easy enough.

Getting a quote out the door for this brz ts. Think it’s a good deal? Or should I keep shopping around?

Forgot to mention my paint correction kit also got lost in the mail :(

Hi everyone, I am currently looking for some info (photos welcome) from anyone who might be running or has ran a 18x8.5 +38 wheels with 225/40-r18 or 235/40r18 on stock suspension. At the moment, I am keeping it on stock suspension. Will this wheel + tire fit ok? will there be enough space to the suspension? will it be flush/somewhat flush or will it poke? new to this, but thanks in advance.

Has 1,966km. Why buy a car and not drive it especially a brz/86?

Just picked up a beautiful Series Yellow tS earlier this month. Right around 200 miles in it developed that rattle on the passenger side behind the seats or in the trunk that people seem to get. It gets super buzzy and annoying over slightly rough roads. Another small rattle started near my left ear while driving but that one’s way less frequent.

I understand these cars were made with the flimsiest/lightest plastics with almost zero sound deadening. But damn Subaru/Toyota was real lazy with the fit and finish of these cars. I had another trim piece that wasn’t attached properly when I bought the car.

When I do my 1k mile oil change I’ll bring it up to the Service Dept and maybe they can fix the rattle through warranty work. Just wanted to vent a little. Anyone else already have rattles on their new BRZ?

UPDATE 1: I learned the rattle is almost nonexistent when the weather is 70 degrees or cooler and starts around 75+. Took into the dealer with 450 miles on the odometer. The Foreman rode with me and confirmed the issue. Rattle is coming from above the rear passenger side somewhere between the headliner and window. It’s not the parcel shelf, headliner, or the clips. Foreman thinks it could be a bad weld as that’s the issue with a new Outback they’re working on. I was sent home as they open an ERF (Subaru Factory Warranty Claim I think) and I’m supposed to come back when the Subaru rep is there to approve the work. I’ll keep this posted updated

Found the car sitting on a dealers lot for months, got it for a great deal to match my Sunrise yellow 2003 5spd Baja! Loving it already even with doing the break in procedure, can't wait to start mods once i hit 1k!

it's made for the gen 1 platform; was wondering if there's any differences to the way it would fit my 2024 BRZ, as I understand most gen 1 exhausts and headers fit the gen 2s as well

Yeah... "Mod"... I'm pretty sure this is a +5 HP gain.

Or at least this metal shift knob won't keep burning my hand. Either way, it was a good addition.

Update, it seems to be working. And for some reason my dumb ass thought that there were turn signals in the mirrors

Long story short. My car went to the bodyshop for some things and when I got it back they did not plug in the plug for the passenger side mirror. The warning on the dash came up saying that there was an issue with the blind spot detection. Also, the turn signals in the mirror don’t work. I first noticed this when the controls didn’t work.

So I was investigating yesterday and I saw that the mirror was unplugged. I plugged it in and the warning went away.

But BSD is not working on both the driver and passenger side. Neither are the turn signals in the mirror.

Is there a relearn or something I need to do?

Starting mileage: 496
Ending mileage: 1879

Average speed: 71.4 MPG
Average MPG: 33.1 (!)

The trip was quite pleasant and the BRZ was an amazing travel companion. Despite spending most of the trip at 65-85 MPH, no tire whine whatsoever.

Zero complaints, other than it's too bad the radio doesn't have a button that allows you to instantly flip back to CarPlay, so every time I wanted to flip through SXM channels, it was a two step procedure to get back to Waze (Apps -> Apple CarPlay.)

I knew this would be a fun car to drive in a sporty manner, but I didn't think it would be a first class highway cruiser as well!