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Discussion starter · #21 ·
I love Lake Placid. The Adirondacks are stunning, they really are so beautiful they defy description. I happened to be in Lake George at The Sagamore a few weeks ago and I swear I felt my blood pressure drop 10 points driving up I 87 and looking at nothing but greenery and trees.

Thank you everyone who weighed in, you all gave me some great information that I either didn't know or hadn't considered. What's fun about this one is that I don't think there is one right answer - it's all subjective based on what we each value the most.

The heart of my question is whether there are catastrophic mechanical failures that are as much a function of time as they are mileage and driving habits, etc. My car is almost 5 years old now, but really low mileage and looks brand new and has been well taken care of.

It sounds like the answer is that my 5 year old car has roughly the same chances of breaking down as a brand new car. What a new car gets me is...well, a new car. 😃 So I get a brand new warranty, start over at 0 miles again - and 3 years from now my car would be 3 years old instead of 8 years old. It's that last part that has me still thinking. Now is a good time for me, personally, to part with a few thousand to get a new car- so do I take the plunge now and trade away a car which is perfect but 5 years old to get a new car...which may or may not be perfect.

I'm going to think about it a few more days and keep poking around online for pictures and info about the 23. Really appreciate everyone weighing in, and your kindness too. Thank you!!
 
One option that hasn't been mentioned yet is seeing if there are any new 2022s on the lot near you. If dependability is your main goal, the 2022 is the last year of the current model and has the benefit of most of the bugs with this design being worked out.
 
One option that hasn't been mentioned yet is seeing if there are any new 2022s on the lot near you. If dependability is your main goal, the 2022 is the last year of the current model and has the benefit of most of the bugs with this design being worked out.
The 2023 is actually still a Gen 2 like the 2018-2022

2024 should be the big refresh hopefully.
 
I love Lake Placid. The Adirondacks are stunning, they really are so beautiful they defy description. I happened to be in Lake George at The Sagamore a few weeks ago and I swear I felt my blood pressure drop 10 points driving up I 87 and looking at nothing but greenery and trees.

Thank you everyone who weighed in, you all gave me some great information that I either didn't know or hadn't considered. What's fun about this one is that I don't think there is one right answer - it's all subjective based on what we each value the most.

The heart of my question is whether there are catastrophic mechanical failures that are as much a function of time as they are mileage and driving habits, etc. My car is almost 5 years old now, but really low mileage and looks brand new and has been well taken care of.

It sounds like the answer is that my 5 year old car has roughly the same chances of breaking down as a brand new car. What a new car gets me is...well, a new car. 😃 So I get a brand new warranty, start over at 0 miles again - and 3 years from now my car would be 3 years old instead of 8 years old. It's that last part that has me still thinking. Now is a good time for me, personally, to part with a few thousand to get a new car- so do I take the plunge now and trade away a car which is perfect but 5 years old to get a new car...which may or may not be perfect.

I'm going to think about it a few more days and keep poking around online for pictures and info about the 23. Really appreciate everyone weighing in, and your kindness too. Thank you!!
Lake placid is gorgeous! :)

I’ll say again, reliability shouldn’t be a issue at all. 2018 was one of the very best years for Crosstrek reliability - Id expect that the way you maintain and drive it, you won’t see an issue for a very very long time - probably never in fact, If you trade out in three more years, as it will still be a prepubescent boy at less than 30k miles 👍🏻


Check this website out. There’s many others too


By year eight of ownership it should still be worth $22,000 assuming you Put on 6k mikes a year. The way you drive, it will likely retain a value of over $23k which will be a much better trade in value in the future as skyfix noted - when an EV is likely your next car and a good trade in plus cash you didn’t spend now, will still be assets you have on hand.

Your car is not going to Depreciate substantially in a few more years, literally not much more than a dealership holding onto it in the lot for three years.

also this isn’t something that will likely change. Crosstrek has held its value like a boss since yours came out - the 2018 was notable in reliability and resale value. The trend of value retention and reliability in more recent models has not wavered, and I would expect to see them continue to be high in resale value for years to come, especially the unicorn of a car that you have that’s so well kept and extremely low on miles. Someone will pay royally for that in three more years.


Good luck with your decision! I hope none of us have been too pushy (myself included!) but rather helpful in
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
No one is being pushy at all, you have all been great. What I like about this forum is that everyone is passionate about Subaru. The people here know more about Crosstreks than basically anyone else on the planet - it's why I asked the question here, I knew I'd get very useful information.

You all have no idea how helpful this forum is for someone like me, who isn't knowledgeable about cars. Any time I've ever had a question about my car, I search here and someone else has almost always asked/answered it. How do I stop that annoying seat belt alarm from chirping? Solved that here. :ROFLMAO: How the heck do I replace the battery in the fob? Found step by step directions here.

I also learned that the 23s may not have manual dials to adjust HVAC anymore. If that is true, that’s a minor detail to a lot of people which is going to annoy me greatly. Ha. I fiddle with air flow and direction all the time and really don’t want to scroll through 7 screens. Right now I don’t even need to take my eyes off the road because I know which button or knob I need and what direction I need to go.

I appreciate all the responses. I understand where everyone is coming from and several people pointed out things I hadn't thought of before...including seeing if I can find a 22....

(y):giggle:
 
I also learned that the 23s may not have manual dials to adjust HVAC anymore. If that is true, that’s a minor detail to a lot of people which is going to annoy me greatly. Ha. I fiddle with air flow and direction all the time and really don’t want to scroll through 7 screens. Right now I don’t even need to take my eyes off the road because I know which button or knob I need and what direction I need to go.
I don't think anything has changed for '23. You either have the manual controls or auto. Both have knobs but the manual is connected with cables, the auto electronically. Depends on which model you buy as to which version you get. I have a US Sport with the auto climate control. The manual version is a little easier to adjust without looking but there are advantages with the auto such as when remote starting turning on the AC or Heat remotely. You'll get used to either version in no time.
 
Some really good responses here. I'll quickly add my $0.02. If you can find a new Crosstrek Sport to test drive, you should. If you like your current car better, keep it. I feel like you're not going to go wrong with either choice based on what you've shared, and the insane used market as well. I only recommend driving a new Sport because I really, truly love my 2021. It's a fabulous car.
 
The only reason I see to upgrade is a new capability with significant benefits. For example, sensor based safety systems, especially front radar braking, are worth the upgrade in my book. Your 2018 may already have them.

My son has a 2022 on order, replacing a 2004 Volvo. He has good reason.
 
The only reason I see to upgrade is a new capability with significant benefits. For example, sensor based safety systems, especially front radar braking, are worth the upgrade in my book. Your 2018 may already have them.
Conversely, for some folks additional nanny safety systems in new model is a reason not to upgrade.
 
I went through this myself about 4 months ago. I have a 2019 Limited and just hit 9,000 miles last week. The car has been 99.9% reliable (there have been occasional hiccups with the head unit on startup but those should be fixed by a dealership update of the firmware (that's what they said)). And I do like the car very much, too.

However, the actual cost of upgrading to a 2022 (not a '23) was something like $5,400. At the rate I'm going regarding mileage, that $5,400 will pay for about 3 or 4 years of gas and insurance and I still won't be in need of any repair work by that time and estimated total mileage. So even with depreciation, at my low income level, it's a no-brainer to keep my current Crosstrek. Also, if I traded it in, I'd probably have to wait a few months to get the new car and I would only have my motorcycle for transportation in the meantime and it's not a grocery-getter by any means.

Sure, I love shiny new things and the more powerful 2.5 liter engine and slightly better mpg is appealing but it's not the smart move for me. It doesn't sound like it's the right move for you, either.
 
If your 2018 is paid off or is close to being so keeping your car is a good idea especially if your only putting 2500 miles on your car every year.

on the other side your trade in value may be high enough to get you into a 2023 for not a lot of money with inventory so low its a strange time that your old car is worth a lot if money now but next year may be different if inventory levels improve.

Benefits of upgrading
Fresh warranty
Better engine 2.5L
Remote starlink features (I love remote start with climate control so your cars more comfortable to get into ) on hot or cold days
 
Rest assured that both options have their pros and cons, it's not a clear cut decision. I'll add a few arguments in favour of the new car though:

- Current market conditions with a spike in the value of used cars are very anomalous and won't last forever. It's a period where upgrading to a new car costs the least due to two overlapping factors: a nearly inexisting depreciation of used vehicles combined with the fact that new car prices haven't caught up with inflation yet, which they will. In essence, 2022 is/was the window to get maximum equity for a used car without paying too much for a new one. Expect (IMHO) sustained jumps in new car prices in 2023/2024, along with financing rates.

- 2018 was the first year, not without some troubles as all the recalls testify. Reliability will likely be a notch higher for later years. 2021 saw, for example, minor modification in suspension design and there were other parts that were quietly replaced by improved versions throughout this generation, eliminating some quirks or potential reliability issues.

- Wear and tear occurs with time as well as with mileage. Your current car has a fabulously low mileage, but all its parts are already 4 years old. Weather strippings, rubber gaskets, bushings - pretty much anything flexible "dries out" over time, no matter the distance driven. Each winter adds to the beating as well due to corrosion. There's a reason that scheduled maintenance intervals are in mileage or months, whichever comes first.

Basically, picture yourself in 2028. By that time, will you want to have a 10 year old car (with its first share of maintenance issues) or a 5 year old one ? Do you have any long-term financial plans to correlate with your vehicle? Is warranty important to you? Would you rather save your money now and be ready to spend it in 5 years, or do you prefer to spend it now and avoid car-related expenditures for much longer?
 
Discussion starter · #36 ·
Some really good feedback here, thank you so much everyone!! I love that the feedback is roughly 50/50. That makes me feel so better about my internal waffling. :ROFLMAO:

Bluefoton may have actually just summarized where I think I've landed. As much as I love my current car, there are personal circumstances where trading up now make sense vs. pushing it out another 3-5 years. I keep my cars for a long time, and buying new now puts me in a great position in terms of my longer term plans.

Yes, my car is paid off. I wouldn't take out a loan for the new one, so it's a wash there.

After debating this all weekend I'm close to pulling the trigger for a 2023. It's the last year before the possible major refresh, it still has buttons and knobs for the HVAC, and the money being offered for my current car is insane.

The value of my current car is likely at it's zenith and the cost of a new car is unlikely to get cheaper over time. For a few thousand dollars I'm getting a new car and will be set for the next 7 years (at least.)

2023 ice silver limited. So pretty. So maybe the pretty new sparkly thing did win in the end....

😆
 
I think you are making the right decision. As I mentioned on the first page, your current car will never be worth as much so upgrading 5 model years for a minimum cost will pay off in the future when you do go to sell or trade. i would hope that in your area the dealers are not charging above sticker so that should help keep the new costs low. Maybe also hit one of the ambassadors up on here for the $500 coupon since they are going away soon.
 
I'm a bit concerned that it's "only a few thousand out of pocket". Are you sure? So you'd really need to go in and work with the dealer and get a complete sales written up. I would be concerned that the "few thousand" could rack up to ten grand when all is said and done. They work in the $495 "doc fee" and of course sales tax, registration fee, inspection, "runner fee" to register the car for you. I mean, if it were just a grand, I'd say to go for it. But getting an out the door price could be completely different.
 
Discussion starter · #40 ·
Thank you for the thoughts Jack - I am sure. I don't know squat about cars, but you give me something that can be solved in an Excel equation and I'm in my element. 😆

I do have the complete sales agreement with all fees outlined. They don't require a deposit to order the car either, so the absolute worst case scenario is that if they tried to pull something funny when the car comes in and I show up to pick it up....I walk away still owning my current car outright and I'm out $0. Not a lot of risk there.

But again, thank you!
 
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