Subaru barrels through recession

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37274797/ns/business-bloomberg_businessweek/

That was a great article.

I liked this quote: Subaruers are "customers who are not buying things, but experiences," says Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mahoney.

That hit my lifestyle on the head. I'd love a good long trip over a new tv.

Hopefully with the cut in incentives and the low advertising spend we will see some nice investment in SOMETHING with all those GP margins staying healthy. Doesn't that prove what we've always thought, $100M less than what VW spends on advertising and they sell the SAME amount of cars now.

Subaru marketing reminds me a lot of Saturn, before GM screwed up that division and ultimately killed it. I owned one of the "real" Spring Hill built Saturns - an SL2 that I put 220,000 miles on before retiring it. I still miss my dent resistant plastic body panels!

Unfortunately, the cost cutting at Subaru reminds me of the cost cutting I saw with GM. I wouldn't buy the new Legacy not only because of styling, but because of the de-contenting. But I guess the average customer doesn't care about the things that I do, as Subaru seems to be doing quite well.

But I guess the average customer doesn't care about the things that I do, as Subaru seems to be doing quite well.

Yeah, you're obviously better then myself and the rest of the 2010 owners out there. Did it ever occur to you that maybe the the people on here are just a whiny minority and that most people don't give a crap about folding mirrors that have redundant turn signals or a stupid button that either neuters the performance of the car or makes the car drive like it ought to? Because it sure seems that way.

But now it DOES have folding mirrors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And for no EXTRA cost.

Yeah, you're obviously better then myself and the rest of the 2010 owners out there. Did it ever occur to you that maybe the the people on here are just a whiny minority and that most people don't give a crap about folding mirrors that have redundant turn signals or a stupid button that either neuters the performance of the car or makes the car drive like it ought to? Because it sure seems that way.

Obviously most people don't care about those types of things, but I still do. It's the little things that can make all the difference. But to each his own. Subaru apparently is doing better marketing the Legacy as a Camry/Accord competitor than an A4/3 Series competitor.

That was a great article.

 

I liked this quote: Subaruers are "customers who are not buying things, but experiences," says Chief Marketing Officer Tim Mahoney.

 

That hit my lifestyle on the head. I'd love a good long trip over a new tv.

 

Hopefully with the cut in incentives and the low advertising spend we will see some nice investment in SOMETHING with all those GP margins staying healthy. Doesn't that prove what we've always thought, $100M less than what VW spends on advertising and they sell the SAME amount of cars now.

VW hasn't been profitable in the US for years now. Despite low incentives and advertising, FHI still wasn't profitable for 2009... and their fiscal year runs through March 31st.

I doubt all the information B4 purports to know is just freely at hand to any outsider, either.

He seems to have an awful lot of stuff, right at the tip of his fingers that seems like inside information.

Are you suuuuure you don't work for SOA? You seem to know every facet of their operations, GP structure, who they source what from, etc. It's like you spend hours just researching stuff about them to post on here. No way you just talk to your buddy as your only source and get THIS MUCH info.

http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/ir/report/fr.html

I doubt all the information B4 purports to know is just freely at hand to any outsider, either.

 

He seems to have an awful lot of stuff, right at the tip of his fingers that seems like inside information.

you can doubt all you want... but you'll still be wrong as usual. If you actually took the time to research before formulating opinions... People might take you seriously

Yeah, you're obviously better then myself and the rest of the 2010 owners out there. Did it ever occur to you that maybe the the people on here are just a whiny minority and that most people don't give a crap about folding mirrors that have redundant turn signals or a stupid button that either neuters the performance of the car or makes the car drive like it ought to? Because it sure seems that way.

But FRAMED windows? [shudder]

Grammar nazi much? OMG, I used the wrong then so I must not know what I'm writing about. STFU.

What is so bad about framed windows? Do you like wind noise? Both my moms Impreza and the Outback at work the doors sound tinny as hell when you shut them with the window down.

you can doubt all you want... but you'll still be wrong as usual. If you actually took the time to research before formulating opinions... People might take you seriously

You saying I'm wrong doesn't make it true.

And I usually don't just quote the company line, and claim to have insider information that I can't really talk about, or just generally speak as though Subaru could sell rubber dog droppings, and it would be a fantastic business move, just because it is *Subaru*. I believe the term is unobjective, or FANBOI.

Re-gurgitating Subaru reports is just regurgitation, not vaunted research. Maybe you should try actually cogitating, instead of regurgitating.

:rolleyes:

What is so bad about framed windows? Do you like wind noise? Both my moms Impreza and the Outback at work the doors sound tinny as hell when you shut them with the window down.

Nothing is wrong with framed windows. But if company was claiming to be better from others because they put metal where it counts (ie not window frame) then one may have second thoughts about the message and the message bearer when they change the design to be like others.

Krzys

You saying I'm wrong doesn't make it true.

 

And I usually don't just quote the company line, and claim to have insider information that I can't really talk about, or just generally speak as though Subaru could sell rubber dog droppings, and it would be a fantastic business move, just because it is *Subaru*. I believe the term is unobjective, or FANBOI.

 

Re-gurgitating Subaru reports is just regurgitation, not vaunted research. Maybe you should try actually cogitating, instead of regurgitating.

 

:rolleyes:

once again... if you researched instead of rehashing your tired personal opinions (which you like to present as fact)... maybe someone would take you seriously.

who's to say they still don't have that metal plus the frames?

That adds weight, and visual thickness to the roof. The last place you want to add weight for good CG, and that needs no help to look visually thick, and to make the windows look disproportionately small.

With a window frame, you have to have the framework on the door, and the seals for the glass in the frame, and the frame to the body, and the tolerance gaps between the window frame and the roof structure.

With frameless doors, the doors are lighter, (and mine seem fine... I don't get the "tinny sound with the glass down" argument...)

The glass seals stay on the roof, and there are many fewer seals needed, and less clearance gaps, a thinner over-all B-pillar structure, and all the strength is retained in the B-pillar and the roof arch from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, which are part of the chassis structure, not just holding the side window glass in place.

The same given strength rating requires less over-all space on the car, with frameless glass.

AND if the door opening is impacted, the window frame doesn't get crimped into the bodywork, effectively trapping the door closed, in an accident. The glass shatters either way... but a frameless door is more likely to be able to be opened, than one with a mangled window frame twisted into interference with the car's structure.

If Subaru had actually followed the procedure for frameless glass, they would have implemented the same thing that BMW, Porsche, Mini, and even the Mustang do... a minute retraction of the glass when the door is opened, and a minute push-up action to seal the glass into the rubber seals again, when the door is closed.

But no... They made the roofs HIGH, THICK, and bulky looking, with lots of thick window framing. Wonderful.

Where am I so WRONG?

I don't mind framed windows, but I wish Subaru had kept the trademark C pillar glass separate from the back door (think Infiniti M instead of Infiniti G).

What I do mind is a parking brake that is dependent upon electronics and the battery. That is the worst feature of the new Legacy, imo.

That adds weight, and visual thickness to the roof. The last place you want to add weight for good CG, and that needs no help to look visually thick, and to make the windows look disproportionately small.

 

With a window frame, you have to have the framework on the door, and the seals for the glass in the frame, and the frame to the body, and the tolerance gaps between the window frame and the roof structure.

 

With frameless doors, the doors are lighter, (and mine seem fine... I don't get the "tinny sound with the glass down" argument...)

 

The glass seals stay on the roof, and there are many fewer seals needed, and less clearance gaps, a thinner over-all B-pillar structure, and all the strength is retained in the B-pillar and the roof arch from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, which are part of the chassis structure, not just holding the side window glass in place.

 

The same given strength rating requires less over-all space on the car, with frameless glass.

 

AND if the door opening is impacted, the window frame doesn't get crimped into the bodywork, effectively trapping the door closed, in an accident. The glass shatters either way... but a frameless door is more likely to be able to be opened, than one with a mangled window frame twisted into interference with the car's structure.

 

If Subaru had actually followed the procedure for frameless glass, they would have implemented the same thing that BMW, Porsche, Mini, and even the Mustang do... a minute retraction of the glass when the door is opened, and a minute push-up action to seal the glass into the rubber seals again, when the door is closed.

 

But no... They made the roofs HIGH, THICK, and bulky looking, with lots of thick window framing. Wonderful.

 

 

Where am I so WRONG?

I'll respond to this later... so be prepared.

Grammar Nazi much? OMG, I used the wrong then so I must not know what I'm writing about. STFU.

 

What is so bad about framed windows? Do you like wind noise? Both my moms Impreza and the Outback at work the doors sound tinny as hell when you shut them with the window down.

OK, first off, I didn't get on your case for the grammar error. I just bolded it for the particular irony in that sentence. Get over yourself.

As has been pointed out, frameless windows save real and perceived weight. It's also been a Subaru tradition for a long time. It's a mark of a higher-end car.

As for the tinny sound, Likewise, for the wind noise. Sounds like someone hasn't been properly maintaining their door seals. Try cleaning them now and then.