Neither the Legacy nor the B9SC were a true debut, that's all. Of course both impressed me, why do you think I took about 700 photos!
Actually, I'm uploading a bunch more. Basically the rest of my pics that were not of the Legacy. So yes, lots of B9SC pics plus the rest of the stuff there.
I just read the link from Bob Hollands note. Subaru plans to sell 203,000 cars in the US next year. My first Subaru was a 1995 Impreza and Subaru sales were 100,000 vehicles. I am still using the car as a daily driver and they are projecting sales to double from that level. Subaru has come a long way. 1995 was notible as the last year you could buy a FWD car from Subaru. Some people thought they were crazy to discontinue the FWD cars since they were about 50% of the 1995 sales, but you can't argue with the results! By the way that Impreza is by far the most reliable car I have ever owned. 9+ years and the only repair is a $30 sensor. I am even on the original brakes @ 85,000 miles.
I think Brenda can type out an order for a B9 faster than you. Complete with a set of tires and rims for the winter. And then drive it to the Indiana plant! Your sc___d.
For some reason I can't love this car. They just didn't sort out some details properly. It also stands in stark contrast to the squared off sedans, i.e. doesn't seem to belong in the lineup.
Not as handsome as the concept, but still a step up from the unsorted current model. Front end has a family resemblence to the Scion tC, check them out back to back.
Hummer H2 fighter from Jeep. They need it to keep that off road image alive. Hummer has stolen their fire, if you ask me.
Never mind how ridiculous it is, they will sell every model they build at a huge profit.
Check out the steel rims. The too-high door handles. I do like the little kinks in the B- and C-pillars, though, note they match the angle of the A-pillar. Family resemblence to the Wrangler, too.
with the latest saga in my kid's cars. Last month my son was hot-to-trot on a Prius. That's been put on hold, since he's going back to college to take courses he needs in order to pass the M-Cats (sp) to get into medical school.
Now my daughter's '92 Prelude may have finally bit the dust. The other day I had it towed to our mechanic as oil was flowing out of he engine on to the street (yes -- flowing!), and white smoke was coming out of the exhaust. It needs over $2200 worth or repair (rings and various oil seals) to keep it afloat. So now we may bite the dust and really get her a new car, or a late model used car.
She drove a new Outback Sport yesterday, and liked it. However, she also drove a new CRV right after the OBS, and just flipped out over it. She flat out loved the interior with all its room, useful features, neat slide-and-fold rear seat, etc. It's more expensive than the OBS, and ABS is not available unless you get the more expensive EX model. We'll see...
what's up with NEW cars for both kids? that's nuts.
btw in case you haven't written off the Prelude yet, white smoke is coolant. coolant doesn't come into the combustion chamber via the rings, it gets there only via the headgasket or a crack in the head or cylinder block. if it has a lot of miles it might benefit from new rings, but you could just have a simple headgasket problem. I don't like headgaskets on hondas but I've had worse. oil flowing out of the engine sounds kinda bad though.
but again-- I wouldn't do the new car thing assuming you are talking about paying for all/most of the vehicles yourself.
No way a college student should be driving a FXT. I don't care how responsible he/she is, that's too much power. Besides, it would set a bad precedence and could eventually cause MY rates to go up ;-)
what's up with NEW cars for both kids? that's nuts
I respectfully disagree. If we can afford to do this (I don't know that we can), would be my preference. The peace of mind that comes from owning a new car, especially for your child, is as the TV commercial says: "priceless."
Let her get the Honda, if that's what she loves. She'll be the one driving it.
What about the Element? As a young single, I think it might meet her needs well, and it's cheaper and has more character.
Element has a real rear bumper, clam shell rear opening (vs. curb-side swing open), and the spare doesn't block your view. Bumper basher tests were much better, just get the side air bags because side-impact protection was poor without them.
CR-V has had 4 engine fires reported, FWIW. Ask for Sabrina in those topics, she'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know.
bah, everything has a price but if you're willing to pay it then that's that. please don't forget I love to play devil's advocate and argue just for argument's sake.
this is just a luxury though, not a necessity. in most of this country a reliable car is a requirement-- no question there. but it's a common myth that you have to buy new to have reliability. it's easier to buy new, and more and more people lack the skill to determine what makes a reliable used car-- or the smarts to have it thoroughly inspected by a trusted mechanic before purchase.
Poor bumpers plus that spare blocking the rear view might make it a bear to back out of your driveway. It's hard enough with a good view.
Also Marginal side protection on the LX, but get the EX for the side air bags and ABS. Still, it only protects the torso, Forester protects the head, FWIW.
NHTSA does give it 20/20 stars, like the Forester.
Not trying to talk her out of it, she should buy the one she loves, but she should also make an informed decision.
My dad was buying a car for my sister, and for a while she was eyeballing an XS Premium!
The XT wasn't available at the time.
Any how, she ended up with an X model, which to me makes more sense for a college student. They're used to roughing it out and probably won't appreciate heated seats and mirrors like we would.
Plus, Bob's wife has a Forester, I doubt the daughter wants to drive the same vehicle.
I think something compact and efficient would serve her well. I'd suggest you check out both Scions, Mazda3, Matrix, etc. A left over Protoge5 might be a good bargain.
The Mazda 3 is going to be a successful vehicle. It looks great and is supposed to handle quite well. Also, at NAIAS, I saw the upcoming Scion coupe. It's supposed to seel for just under 20K and it looked quite nice (and will have Toyota build quality).
They're used to roughing it out and probably won't appreciate heated seats and mirrors like we would.
Back in the day, when I was in college, "roughing it" was a Trailways bus ticket to get home. I can't even comprehend how a brand new car with AC, power everything and AWD could ever remotely qualify as roughing it ;-)
Dunno why they had to put the door pulls vertically. Also had no pass-through at all, not even for skis. Styling is a step up from the current crop, though.
They really do know how to square off the backs. The wagon looks much roomier than the sedan. The S60 is tight, the S40 is tighter. This V50 looks reasonable.
Comments
-c
Neither the Legacy nor the B9SC were a true debut, that's all. Of course both impressed me, why do you think I took about 700 photos!
Actually, I'm uploading a bunch more. Basically the rest of my pics that were not of the Legacy. So yes, lots of B9SC pics plus the rest of the stuff there.
-juice
By the way that Impreza is by far the most reliable car I have ever owned. 9+ years and the only repair is a $30 sensor. I am even on the original brakes @ 85,000 miles.
Frank
Greg
... and if you were referring to that 'terminology', that word has been played out for the longest, so you already revealed your age! LOL!
Hey, I have thick skin, my Ego strength was #1 in a class of 400+ Psychology 101 students at U of MD. )
Brenda just want the B9SC before I get it. So long as we don't have to enter a typing contest to see who wins it!
-juice
Greg
I say they shoud hold a give-away contest that should be Subaru trivia related.
-jucie
You think the next Tundra will be less boring maybe? This was overdone but still hints at a far more aggressive Tundra in the future.
-juice
For some reason I can't love this car. They just didn't sort out some details properly. It also stands in stark contrast to the squared off sedans, i.e. doesn't seem to belong in the lineup.
-juice
Not as handsome as the concept, but still a step up from the unsorted current model. Front end has a family resemblence to the Scion tC, check them out back to back.
-juice
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid98/pe5f29b1baaf6fa61ce37- 9a5989e7ccab/fa019f80.jpg
Hummer H2 fighter from Jeep. They need it to keep that off road image alive. Hummer has stolen their fire, if you ask me.
Never mind how ridiculous it is, they will sell every model they build at a huge profit.
Check out the steel rims. The too-high door handles. I do like the little kinks in the B- and C-pillars, though, note they match the angle of the A-pillar. Family resemblence to the Wrangler, too.
-juice
A Concerned Hoosier
Eww.
-juice
~colin
i'd be embarrassed to say i knew someone who owned that particular over-utilitarian-under-used machine.
blegh.
Now my daughter's '92 Prelude may have finally bit the dust. The other day I had it towed to our mechanic as oil was flowing out of he engine on to the street (yes -- flowing!), and white smoke was coming out of the exhaust. It needs over $2200 worth or repair (rings and various oil seals) to keep it afloat. So now we may bite the dust and really get her a new car, or a late model used car.
She drove a new Outback Sport yesterday, and liked it. However, she also drove a new CRV right after the OBS, and just flipped out over it. She flat out loved the interior with all its room, useful features, neat slide-and-fold rear seat, etc. It's more expensive than the OBS, and ABS is not available unless you get the more expensive EX model. We'll see...
Bob (wishing Fitzgerald had a Honda franchise...)
For $1000 more than an EX, you could get a Forester XT...
-juice
Bob
btw in case you haven't written off the Prelude yet, white smoke is coolant. coolant doesn't come into the combustion chamber via the rings, it gets there only via the headgasket or a crack in the head or cylinder block. if it has a lot of miles it might benefit from new rings, but you could just have a simple headgasket problem. I don't like headgaskets on hondas but I've had worse. oil flowing out of the engine sounds kinda bad though.
but again-- I wouldn't do the new car thing assuming you are talking about paying for all/most of the vehicles yourself.
~c
-Frank P.
We've pretty much come to the conclusion that we've put enough money into this car, and really don't trust it any longer.
As to new vs. used, we're still debating that. I'm hoping the Subie (of some sort) will ultimately win out.
Bob
I respectfully disagree. If we can afford to do this (I don't know that we can), would be my preference. The peace of mind that comes from owning a new car, especially for your child, is as the TV commercial says: "priceless."
Bob
What about the Element? As a young single, I think it might meet her needs well, and it's cheaper and has more character.
Element has a real rear bumper, clam shell rear opening (vs. curb-side swing open), and the spare doesn't block your view. Bumper basher tests were much better, just get the side air bags because side-impact protection was poor without them.
CR-V has had 4 engine fires reported, FWIW. Ask for Sabrina in those topics, she'll tell you more than you ever wanted to know.
-juice
Bob
this is just a luxury though, not a necessity. in most of this country a reliable car is a requirement-- no question there. but it's a common myth that you have to buy new to have reliability. it's easier to buy new, and more and more people lack the skill to determine what makes a reliable used car-- or the smarts to have it thoroughly inspected by a trusted mechanic before purchase.
meh, getting off the soapbox now.
~c
http://www.highwaysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_smsu- v_overall.htm
Poor bumpers plus that spare blocking the rear view might make it a bear to back out of your driveway. It's hard enough with a good view.
Also Marginal side protection on the LX, but get the EX for the side air bags and ABS. Still, it only protects the torso, Forester protects the head, FWIW.
NHTSA does give it 20/20 stars, like the Forester.
Not trying to talk her out of it, she should buy the one she loves, but she should also make an informed decision.
-juice
-Frank P.
The XT wasn't available at the time.
Any how, she ended up with an X model, which to me makes more sense for a college student. They're used to roughing it out and probably won't appreciate heated seats and mirrors like we would.
Plus, Bob's wife has a Forester, I doubt the daughter wants to drive the same vehicle.
I think something compact and efficient would serve her well. I'd suggest you check out both Scions, Mazda3, Matrix, etc. A left over Protoge5 might be a good bargain.
-juice
Ken
Back in the day, when I was in college, "roughing it" was a Trailways bus ticket to get home. I can't even comprehend how a brand new car with AC, power everything and AWD could ever remotely qualify as roughing it ;-)
-Frank P.
2nd car: had to run efficiently.
3rd car: needed A/C and a cassette player and be fun to drive.
4th car: add power windows and locks, AWD, and ABS.
5th car: add AWP, 200+ HP, stability and traction control, 6CD changer, alloys, 4 wheel discs, etc.
We get spoiled with age and want it all. A college student just wants wheels (typically).
-juice
Ken
Subaru has to stop viewing these as "premium" features, they aren't. Mazda 3 has them, as does the existing focus. Even the Scion xB.
-juice
-juice
-Frank P.
-juice
The longer wheelbase helps a lot, makes the back seat and cargo area more useable.
Bob thought this might replace the regular Wrangler. I think they'll sell both.
-juice
Very cool, looks much better in person when you realize how low to the ground this is. It's soooo low.
The rear has a glass panel with the logo on it, that logo appears to float in air, it's neat.
-juice
Dunno why they had to put the door pulls vertically. Also had no pass-through at all, not even for skis. Styling is a step up from the current crop, though.
-juice
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid98/p2d1597400918f1d0216c- 7b8995835769/fa01a36a.jpg
Those hinges are very neat, and look how wide open it gets. It's not that much cargo space, though, the Legacy GT has more.
-juice
They really do know how to square off the backs. The wagon looks much roomier than the sedan. The S60 is tight, the S40 is tighter. This V50 looks reasonable.
-juice
Don't say Blackwood. I bet this will have 4WD. It's also a Crew Cab.
Still, it's just a chrome stripe and Navigator grille on an F-150. I hope it at least gets more engine.
-juice