Villages Subaru

Do not buy the Forester Hybrid! What the salesman and dealership does not tell you: 1. If the hybrid system fails, the gasoline engine will not run. the gasoline engine does not What the salesman and dealership does not tell you: 1. If the hybrid system fails, the gasoline engine will not run. the gasoline engine does not have a starter and requires the hybrid system electric main motor to start the engine . You will probably need a tow to the dealer. 2. If you only drive 5 to 10 miles you will only get 23 to 25 MPG, and that's if you baby the accelerator. The 35+ MPG is only on longer drives at constant speeds, not going to happen with city stop and go. 3. You lose the spare tire, as that is where the main hybrid battery is located. Instead you get a can of tire inflator and if that does not work you have to be towed to a dealer, where they will charge you a premium since they have you at a disadvantage unless you buy the optional $1,800 tire protection plan and then you must be reimbursed thru the Subaru Dealer General Warranty optional plan which takes weeks. If the tire tread difference between the new and older tires is over 9/32, you must buy 4 tires or void the warranty as it throws the suspension out of alignment. Or get towed to a tire dealer instead, but then you may not be covered by the optional $1,800 tire warranty plan as they are not original Subaru equipment. 4. Your Forester hybrid will be around app. 244 lbs. heavier which affects the mileage on short drives. 5. Using climate control and most accessories will reduce your hybrid even more as these are powered by the hybrid system and diverts energy from the drive train. 6. At the end of 8 years the hybrid main battery Subaru warranty expires and you are looking at estimated $8,000 to replace. 7. The Forester Hybrid requires specially trained mechanics that are in short supply and will depend if the dealer has one on staff when you go in for repairs or diagnostics. Only Subaru Dealers are allowed to work on the hybrid or your warranty is voided. If the sales personnel, Villages Subaru, or Subaru Corporate had told us these facts in advance, I never would have purchased one. All you will hear from them is 36 to 38 MPG! 8. Last but not least: When starting the hybrid system, the driver must be in the driver’s seat and must not depress the accelerator pedal. Failure to follow these instructions can result in accidents, serious injury or even death (Subaru Forester Hybrid Manual Page 320 section 7-4.) After 50 years of driving gasoline engine vehicles, instinctively you press the gas pedal when starting , sometimes pumping it first in cold weather. Verify all this on any AI search engine! On a further note: I bought my 2025 Forester Hybrid, with 5,900 miles and the seller had returned it after 6 months and took a financial beating, I am sure. Now I know why. The salesman said the original owners probably wanted to upgrade to the advanced features on the Forester Touring models. Stick to the gas powered Forester and get it from another dealer. Villages Subaru told me I had to purchase a $1,200 warranty for paint and fabric protection and it is was dealer required. After signing and reviewing the written contract, it states this warranty is absolutely NOT dealer mandated for the sale of the vehicle. This was added to the original purchase price and was Florida state taxed. Also charged me a $1,200 pre sale preparation fee which was for cleaning, oil change and tire rotation for a used car. That's because they could not stick me with a $1,200 delivery fee. Told us we would get a $900 discount for not paying cash and financing thru them, but never credited on the printed Finance Agreement. Financing, warranty contracts and options info are displayed on a desktop sized monitor laying flat on the desk , and unless you were in the military and can read upside down, forget it. When the display was turned our way, when we tried to read , he would zoom in for the signature blocking the info. Everything must be signed on the monitor before it can be printed for reading , then its too late, you own it. More