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Comments
I would recommend that you look at Nokian WR. They are ALL-season tires with a winter snowflake rating.
http://www.etires.com/showSizes.jsp?manufacturer=nokian&categ- - ory=SNOWS&group=WR
There are a couple of dealers in Buffalo.
http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/dealer_output.cfm?startrow=6&a- mp;a- mp;location=New%20York
DaveM
Make sure you don't top off the tank after the first click of the pump, otherwise all sorts of problems can result!
CRaig
I've been telling my Dad that for probably 30 years and he still doesn't listen. :-( Yeah, it didn't matter back in the old days but their's too much to screw up with today's fuel systems.
DaveM
It didn't use to be a problem! My OBXT is my first car for which you absolutely cannot do that!
Sly
Dave M
I personally do not have any experience with them but I've read quite a bit of positive feedback regarding them.
DaveM
Generally, when backing off in speed rating, you will notice squishier sidewalls, more tire flex, and possible instabilities according to a tire guy I know. In fact, he won't allow people to downgrade the speed rating more than one category because he has seen too many problems. SO I wonder if that's the case here and you found out the hard way?
Craig
250 HP
Curb Weight 4245 Lbs
7.6 qt oil capacity
18X8" Wheels
Is there a difference between the 97 and 05 Outbacks that would cause the tires to perform so differently? I've got 205/70/15s on my car.
The temptation is to scrap the T/As for Nokians, or maybe go for the Blizzaks for winter...either way, laying out +/-$600. Ouch!
Craig
-juice
How long have you had the Traction T/As? I thought they just came out in '04?! May I assume the Traction T/As are not so hot in winter driving, hence the snow tires?
I got the snowtires because the rear of my car was fishtailing on turns on snow and ice and to improve stopping ability on snow and ice. The Winter Slalom's are great on the Outback. The car doesn't fishtail and the ABS rarely if ever engages when stopping. I got them after two winters with the Touring T/As, which are still fine for the rest of the year. So I can't comment specifically on Traction T/As, but I've been pleased with BFG tires generally.
They are better than the stock RE92s in the dry, maybe not quite as good in the wet. They are not as good as something like a Blizzak WS on ice but are probably as good as Blizzak LMs/Arctic Alpins etc.
The best thing about them is you can run them in the summer and not lose all your tread unlike most winter tires. They do not do well on heavy vehicles though (the Windstar has had them for over a year and 15K and half the tread is gone).I also have Nokian CSs on a small Winnebago and they lost half the tread on the drive wheels in 6K! The NRWS on the Legacy are used in winter only and on their 3rd season and still maybe a 1/3 worn only.
Overall, they are a good compromise if you want some decent winter tire traction without needing a dedicated winter tire or you want a winter tire with decent snow traction without needing excellent ice traction like a hard core Blizzak WS.
Incidentally I just got some Michelin X Ices (the replacement for the Arctic Alpin) for a Venture and they seem like they are almost as good on ice as the previous Blizzaks and hopefully will have much better treadwear.
Chuck
http://www.subarugtx.com
Dave
I've also heard some bad feedback about that dealer on another forum.
Sly
There are plenty of portable GPS navs that are quite good, and if you want something better you can buy some systems that are built in for about the same price as a stock nav unit.
Or just wait and hope for changes in '06. ;-)
tom
The one in the Tribeca was very impressive, took me all of 15 seconds to put my house on the map.
-juice
Mark
tom
I agree with the portable route. Much cheaper, and you can take it with you. I personally rarely need nav in my own car. When I need nav, I am usually in a rental car in a city I don't know.
Unless you're a travelling salesman or something along those lines, I personally don't see the usefulness of a built-in system.
I'm to cheap to even pay for a map. I still use the free ones I got when I was a AAA member!
-juice
Garmin makes a unit, the 2650, IIRC, which is installed and has dead reckoning if you really need it.
It's a 'nice to have' feature. If anything, it allows me to give my kids an answer to "how much longer" ;-)
tom
I'm disappointed in Subaru since ESP seems to be offered only in the top end VDC model. Here I'm assuming that VDC equates to ESP. I may be wrong. My OBXT, Limited put me back $31,000 and ESP or VDC were not available. I liked the feel of the turbo engine so I missed out. I would have opted for stability control as an option even at another $500-800 but it wasn't available.
Anyone else feel that Subaru should be putting this technology in all its vehicles at least as an option? Would that be so hard to do?
Bob
Last time I was in downtown Boston with a Hertz NeverLost system, which has DR, it was showing me out in the middle of the bay!
Well we Bostonians are considered clever drivers!! Even if it's not paved, it's considered fair game for driving on.
BTW - it's a harbor.
VDC is extremely sophisticated and it would cost much more than $500-800 as an option. the question is, would people
A) pay whatever its cost is, say $1,500 for argument's sake
pay $500-800 for some lesser system-- which subaru currently does not offer on any model.
~Colin
I opted for that unit over the one from Magellan that sells for around the same price as there is much more flexibility on installing on dash or using temporary "bean baggy" think that works ok. Magellan you are supposed to stick to front windshield with suction cups which seems like that would be kind of a pain.
Otherwise, I think the two are probably very similar. Takes a while to get used to.
Had my OB 2.5 ltd for two weeks now. Put on this week 1100 miles in less than two days from Prov RI up to New Brunswick & return. Having a hard time getting comfortable in the front seats, although 20 hours in the car out of 42 is a lot of time to spend. So far, averaging 25 mpg on highway driving & hope that once it breaks in will get better.
I don't think anything works well in Boston! But there aren't enough high buildings to lose your sat signal there (at least I didn't seem to- other than the tunnels of course) BTW, have they finished that tunnel yet?
I think the neverlost is based on the magellan gps. I've never used it. But I had no troubles through downtown LA driving an LX470 or LS430 with gps. The dead reckoning did fine. Even my Garmin GPS will actually keep track for 30sec after losing the satellite- provided you don't turn. ;-)
tom
Craig
Actually I think downtown Boston is worst then downtown LA where the buildings are spaced out a lot more.
You don't need very tall buildings, as long as a majority of the sky is blocked, and depending on how many satellites are currently in view and where they are located, the GPS will easily get lost.
I was actually lost downtown Boston going around trying to find my way and the NeverLost was no use as after a while it was more lost then me. We affectionately called it AlwaysLost after that.
BTW: A harbour is just a built-up bay.
Sly, they call it Boston Harbor, not Boston Bay. ;-) I think that's why rob's being picky. ;-)
tom
I think what would happen is no one would buy VDC if it were priced higher since the general public wouldn't really understand the benefits.
Ken