[MYSTi]

I got a call the other day from my local dealer - they wanted to know my backup color. Backup color? If my car is being ordered through Subaru, why cannot they get me the color I want? They told me they couldn't be 100% sure that I would get the color I wanted.

Has anyone else had this problem? Unless I am mistaken, since we are pre-ordering these cars, with deposits, even before production then the factory should be able to meet demand for specific colors. Am I wrong?

I told them that my deposit is on a WR Blue STi with gold rims, something that I am very insistant about, and if I don't get that car I expect my deposit back (or at least hold me deposit until the next model year when that color combination is available). No WR blue with gold rims means no deposit.

Now to my knowledge, there is going to be only FOUR STi's alloted to the four provinces in my area and, as far as I know I am only one of two to have these cars spoken for. Since people aren't exactly jumping up to lay down more than 50 grand Canadian for this car around here, you would think that the loss of a sale would result in the local dealerships trying as hard as possible to sell these cars, which would include getting the customers the color combinations they want.

So to those of us that are buying these cars, don't let the dealers push you around. These cars are, as far as I know, the most expensive Subarus that these dealers have ever sold. And, aside from areas where waiting lists are long, these are high ticket items to be sitting in dealer showrooms not selling, so use the low demand as a tool to get what you want, especially when negotiating for price.

 

[4MLA1FN]

luckily they have basic colors; i.e. no red or green. my order of color preference is: blue, white, black, silver. (my wife insists i get the silver with silver wheels. not gonna happen.)

 

[91TB78]

I am flexible about colors.

My choice goes black/gold, blue/gold, then white/gold..but honestly they are all pretty much equal. I wouldn't turn one down.

I guess since I cannot decide I'll let availability decide for me I think.

 

[CloNeGTS]

Hmm....this is news to me. Haven't heard of such an issue before.

I'm pretty insistent on blue/gold as well, but I'm also a silver man, so I suppose my backup would be silver/gold. But they had better be 99% sure it's gunna be blue!

 

[zerepjd]

Hey all,

If what my dealer said is true. The reason for the secondary color choice is supposedly all our STi's are already on there way over from Japan. It's suppose to take 4-5 months to travel from there to the port in washington. So if this is true I don't know how they selected the colors. Maybe based on what colors sold best in the WRX. But if this is true than there are so many of each color on there way over. So if there are 20 WR Blue STi's and more than 20 people want one, that may be where the second color choice is coming from. Of coure this is just opinion based on hearsay. Makes sense though.

Jared

 

[miked801]

if you look at recently-released car that was in high demand you'll see that the first few people didn't get to pick their colors. this was true (st least here in utah) of the s2000, mr spyder, e46 m3, z4, z8, 350z, and i'm sure many other cars. i think it's wishful thinking at best to presume that you're placing a "custom order" for your choice of colors and options on a car like the STi.
on the upside, all information seems to point to their being no options from the factory, so at least everyone will be even there.

here's a thought - if it indeed turns out to be "take what you get" as far as colors go, maybe we could set up a wheel-swap forum for people that get stuck with wheels they don't want.

personally i like all the colors and i'll probably have the wheels powdercoated first thing anyway.

 

[Agent Chobos]

No way. If I'm paying that amount of money for ANYTHING, it better be the color I want. When I bought my truck, the Toyota dealer was nice enough to actually trade a truck from his lot with another dealership so I could get the beige/tan interior instead of the bluish grey. That was cool, and I got the exact truck I wanted.

 

[91TB78]

Agent,
I am sure within the network of dealers we all will get the color we desire. If not, it will just be a matter of waiting for it. If my dealer gets in a silver one and a white one and I really want a blue or black..then I will just have to wait...this is true with any car though.

I don't think any of us put in "custom orders." I think it is more of a "wish list."

 

[miked801]

please don't misunderstand, i'm not saying you can't get the color you want. what i *am* saying is that it's highly unlikely that the first 5-10 people on the list at each dealership will get the color they want. i don't see a reason that you couldn't order the exact car you want at some point. BUT - if you're first in line and you're that picky about color, i'd start preparing for a tough decision.
with all due respect, i don't think comparing a limited-run (5k -6k units/yr) specialty vehicle to a toyota truck is reasonable.
was anyone first / second on the list to get the wrx? how did that work?

 

[91TB78]

More site support?

I would imagine that the market will be flooded with WR blue cars. Especially after the market survey of wheel colors. I think it helps to get an idea of what the market wants. In this case, I do think that the first few cars will be WRBlue.

 

[miked801]

yeah i was intending to mention the same thing in my last post but it slipped my mind. subaru is going for a rally image for this halo car and i think it obviously suits them best to manufacture more of the blue / gold for the first little while.

 

[MKIVSupra]

I was originally worried when I wanted a white one, but now that I changed my mind to the wrb/gold color combo, I am not too worried anymore.

 

[ldivinag]

you gotta remember that there will be a few thousand cars (okay so i buy that stuff from SOA) and they will be dropped off at the dealers.

so lets say the dealer gets 8 cars in 4 blue, 1 black 1 silver and 1 white.

and the dealer has 10 on the waiting list. the #1 gets color prefs. if #1 picks black, then you are left picking from blue, silver and white...

of course i could be totally wrong...

me, i want white, then silver then blue, then black...

of course i really want the new red on the wrx...

 

[alfredob1]

so lets say the dealer gets 8 cars in 4 blue, 1 black 1 silver and 1 white.

Doesn't 4+1+1+1=7.

Just playin.

 

[jbhebert]

please don't misunderstand, i'm not saying you can't get the color you want. what i *am* saying is that it's highly unlikely that the first 5-10 people on the list at each dealership will get the color they want. i don't see a reason that you couldn't order the exact car you want at some point. BUT - if you're first in line and you're that picky about color, i'd start preparing for a tough decision.
with all due respect, i don't think comparing a limited-run (5k -6k units/yr) specialty vehicle to a toyota truck is reasonable.
was anyone first / second on the list to get the wrx? how did that work?

When I pre-ordered my '02 WRX, it was done as a standard order and I got the color I wanted. There was no indication of that ever being a problem. My order was in long before they shipped cars, though. Not sure what the deal will be with the STi.

 

[miked801]

well i hope that's how it works out. i'm just skeptical because that would be in sharp contrast to nearly every other manufacturer.
i guess i should at least ponder the choice in case i have to make it. i'm second on the list at my dealer and i never seriously considered the possibility of being able to pick my color...

 

[ldivinag]

so lets say the dealer gets 8 cars in 4 blue, 1 black 1 silver and 1 white.

Doesn't 4+1+1+1=7.

Just playin.

damn pentium computer...

thanks for the catch.

 

[alfredob1]

"It's not a bug, it's a feature." :lol:

 

[zerepjd]

Hey all,

I think that when the WRX first came out (now I could be wrong I really don't know) But if the WRX was built here you should have been able to get oyur color choice, because if they didn't have waht color you wanted they could just build you one. With the STi being built in Japan, they had to make an initial shipment from Japan to the U.S. so they probably just sent out a rainbow of colors. If they have to send more over from Japan after the initial shipment the may take the rest of the orders and match color requests. Just my opinion

Jared

 

[91TB78]

What they probably did is saw what colors the WRX was most popular and sent over a statistical similarity from 01-03 sales. So, I think there will be more WRBs than say blacks..

just a thought, and I could be way off the money.