Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
TWM Performance offers a Subaru short shifter that is actually shorter than stock - according to their website (which has side-view pics, unlike other shifter sites) switching to their shifter reduces the shift height by about 2". Is the TWM the only shifter that does this? It seems like Cobb, Kartboy, and STI shifters all alter the thisftyer throw without actually shortening the shifter. Am I right on this?
It seems to be that everybody upgrading their shifter would want a nice, stubby Mazda or Audi-type shifter, so why isn't every short-throw like this? Is there a disadvantage to shortening the whole shift lever?
FJ60
FJ60
The other aftermarket "short" shifters simply make the shifter rod shorter which places it further from your reach and makes it shorter throws simply because the rod is shorter.
If you look at something like a rally shifter they are very long rods but very short throws. This makes it quicker to shift cause you aren't reaching to the floor to reach the shifter, although they look cool at meets!
-mike
Bob
Congrats! I may actually be down in the DC area this friday picking up a 98 Legacy GT 5MT since my bonus was less than expected and the GTO out of the picture for me.
-mike
Pics can be found at Edmunds Carspace site: here.
Bob
Remember that you also give up leverage, so shifting becomes more difficult, not easier.
-juice
The change in appearance is minimal - I may upgrade the knob as well to the Subaru/MOMO item available on current WRXs.
For comparison, I've been driving my friend's 2001 A4 2.8 while I've been housesitting for him. That shifter is a DREAM - silky smooth, nice appearance, huge spherical knob and just the right height. Those Germans know how to make a shifter.
I also have a 2001 Outback that I ordered with a spoiler because forum members complained about dirt accumulating on the rear window. The dust deflector was not found to prevent this effectively but the spoiler was found to greatly reduce the problem. I also found it worked very well and was glad I opted for it. Now that I'm getting an Impreza Sport Wagon I was wondering if the same circumstances apply. Is there a problem with dirt accumulating on the rear window? If so, is the spoiler more effective than the dust deflector at reducing the problem? I have no interest in adding a spoiler unless it is useful in helping keep the rear window clear. Any input would be much appreciated.
(I've had both sets of speakers in my Forester, BTW)
I would get the spoiler, the dust happens to all wagons, including our Forester and our Legacy.
-juice
Any suggestions?
Cheers
Cheers Pat.
Is the Spoiler still a more effective way to reduce dust accumulation on the rear wagon window than the dust deflector that Subaru sells as an option? Regards, Jim
The most effective is the rear wiper that comes standard
Aftermarket system. Interior modifications/labor is minimal, if not none.
You may need spacers for the speakers.
Do a search over at nabisco or scoobymod. You should be able to find helpful how-tos
-Dave
Stereo - if I were going to swap out the entire head unit, I think I'd go for something with integrated Navigation. Panasonic makes a few for $1600 or so. But I want NAV so that would be two birds with one stone.
The speakers aren't hard to get to. I've changed all four speakers on my Forester.
-juice
On this factory order I'm doing all options are at factory invoice. Eliminating Subaru's upgraded speakers, tweeter and subwoofer saves $377. Eliminating the Spoiler saves $237. I'm still debating on the Fog Lamps ($257); they seem pretty small and I'm not sure how much benefit they would provide. The large ones on my 01 Outback seem to only make a marginal improvement in fog, rain, snow. Any input?
Also are there better aftermarket cargo tray ($46) alternatives or is the Subaru one the way to go to protect the cargo area? I was also planning on ordering the Rear Bumper Cover ($39).
I was planning on getting factory Splash Guards ($90) to help protect the paint from rock/gravel chipping. Are they effective as other alternatives? Would they hinder clearance in deep snow?
I called local stereo shops and was told that replacing the stock system with a quality (but not top quality) system would run about $1000-$1500. Are any of the stock components worth keeping and incorporating into a new system?
Regards, Jim
:surprise: :surprise: :surprise:
You only want a HU and 4 speakers :confuse:
Keep the stock HU and look for a good set of speakers that requires 5 watts or less to drive and a RMS of 30 watts or greater you should be good.
Also are there better aftermarket cargo tray ($46) alternatives or is the Subaru one the way to go to protect the cargo area?
Go with the Subaru cargo tray.
Aftermarket? Weathertech comes to mind, but it won't be $46.
I was planning on getting factory Splash Guards ($90) to help protect the paint from rock/gravel chipping. Are they effective as other alternatives? Would they hinder clearance in deep snow?
Jim... you worry too much
I'm still debating on the Fog Lamps ($257); they seem pretty small and I'm not sure how much benefit they would provide.
If I'm mistaken, the fog lamps are Hella Micro DE. Those little thing puts out good light.
-Dave
As for the stereo, OEM is a ripoff - go aftermarket. Get something with a front aux input, because if you're serious about music and you don't have an iPod already, you will soon. The key spec on speakers as you shop will be efficiency (unless you get an external amp) - expressed in dB (I think), get something over 90.
Oh, and don't get the spoiler, they make your car look like it belongs to a teenager IMO
I guess I'll stick with the fog lamps and cargo tray.
I'd rather go without the splash guards unless they help significantly to protect the paint from rocks being spun up by the wheels. As another Alaskan noted they tend to accumulate and pack in snow in the winter.
It sounds like you have a plan for quite an audio system, hopefully your $1500 budget will be enough! It's a subject near to my own heart as I have, I don't know, maybe $3k-4k of carfi gear including labor in my Evo.
What sort of subwoofer are you planning? If you want a simple plug-in type, I would use an Infinity BassLink-- fairly impressive for what it is; much better than the Bazooka tubes I've heard.
Here's what I'd try to fit in your budget:
- Decent head unit with mp3 playback: $199 - 299 (I like Clarion)
- Decent 2-5 channel amp: $250-600+
- Good front door speakers: $100-200+
- Subwoofer: $250-400 for a powered model, less for a bare sub if you are using external amp and building your own enclosure.
I would get rear door speakers last; the Impreza only uses 4" back there which suck even if upgraded, and honestly, you should have most of the sound coming from the front doors anyway. The stock rear door speakers will be good enough for a long time.
Conversely, the front door speakers are by far the most important component in your whole system. Get something that you like; I would suggest auditioning speakers at your local shops but if you want to buy something online (like crutchfield) without listening to them first, just ask what the return/restock policy is and send 'em back if you are unhappy.
I'll post about my system later if you're curious.
~Colin
But I'm more in to features, vs. sound quality.
-juice
I don't need navigation at all here in Wichita and I see Jim is in Fairbanks so I suspect he doesn't value it much either. I have used a GPS before as a gee-whiz thing and I do find value in them when hiking or riding dual-sport bikes in the hills.. but in this case, I think that's $1500 poorly spent.
~c
Even if you know the route, you can relax and not worry about missing a turn because it prompts you. So it's not all about getting directions, it's so that you can enter a destination and basically sit back and relax.
-juice
We do a lot of road trips to different state parks etc. It would help finding top tier gas locations and restaurants in a new town.
I've been driving the OBW on ATV trails lately and will soon have to replace my tires. Any ideas on tires that have a good mix of on and off road performance? Oh and H-rated, all the tires I've found are from Q to T rated.
Eric
~Colin
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4286502791
Here's my system, what it listed for, what I paid, and about how old it is. --I have kept re-using some stuff since I got seriously into carfi in the mid-90s.
Receiver: Clarion DRZ-845MC ($649 list, ~$280 greymarket, '04 model). It has a bunch of inputs and outputs but the big reason I bought it was when it was new, not every deck supported mp3/wma. But none of them except this one had internal flash memory and the ability to rip audio cds to it in wma format. Unfortunately, it is only 96kb in HQ mode which definitely results in harshness that most critical listeners can hear, but it sounds better than FM radio. I play conventional or mp3 cds in it or connect an mp3 player via the auxiliary jack (which, sadly, is rear-facing and RCA format, so I have a RCA-to-miniDIN cable running under the dash).
In dash EQ / line driver: Audio Control 4.1 ($225 list, $150 from eBay new in box, '98 model). The current model is the 4.1i but I looking at the features, I don't see what the difference could be. It has a parametric EQ for the subwoofer range (40-80 Hz adjustable) and fixed EQs for 125, 500, 2k and 8 kHz. I only have modest tweaks on it and don't use any tone control on my receiver, but it steps the signal up to 9 volt RMS / 13v peak, which makes sure that a very clean, very strong signal is passed to the amplifiers.
Front & Sub amp: Precision Power PC4100 ($899 list, $649 from soundcity, '97 model). It's a behemoth measuring over 27" long and during large peaks can draw 50 amperes at 12 volts dc. Rated at 4x 100 watts RMS in 4 ohms or 4x 200 at 2 ohm so it's an 800 watt amp. I have the rear channels bridged to provide 400 watts mono to the sub and the front 100 watt channels go to the front doors. It has a built-in crossover so I use that, I think it is set somewhere around 150 Hz.
Rear amp: Precision Power PC250 ($249 list, $150 from eBay new in box, '97 model). It's a little guy, only 2 channels doing 50 watts at 4ohm / 100 watts at 2 ohm. I use it with the gain turned down fairly low to power my rear speakers. It also has a built-in crossover too but it's a lot cruder than the big amp. I think it is 90 Hz fixed; you just plug it in one way for bass or the other way for treble.
Capacitor: I think it's only wired into the big amp; that's all that would need it. I have a Memphis 1 Farad capacitor which would shock you silly if improperly discharged but it helps a lot with large current draws. Even still, the system will definitely dim the headlights and dash. LOL. For the most part, a capacitor is a capacitor, so I picked this one because it matches the gunmetal grey amps fairly well.
Front door speakers: Memphis MC-65 ($149 list, $110 from local carfi shop, '04 model). It's a 6.5" coaxial with a tweeter than can be aimed, so both of them point up at the driver's head. Good sound for cheap; I liked them better than most of the speakers costing twice as much. I did hear something I liked better at the $600 price point, but decided to pass. I will probably go big someday, something like this with custom lower doors to handle it: http://www.dynaudio.de/eng/auto/mobile/360.php
Rear deck speakers: JBL GTi 525 ($129 list, I think, '97 model). These were in the doors of something I owned way back when; honestly I'm not even positive what vehicle they came out of. They sound great and being a 5.25" doesn't matter for rear speakers, it's hard to distinguish midbass and you can hear the much louder front speakers quite well. They have an angled tweeter on a coincident source; the midrange cone actually has a hole in the middle and the tweeter is in the center. Fancy stuff back then. I had my stock rear Evo speakers until one of them melted, forcing me to dig in the closet and come up with the old JBLs.
Subwoofer: single JL Audio 12w3 ($299 list, $250ish from local shop, '04 model). It's a high quality 12" woofer that can easily handle the 400 watts being provided. The spare tire and jack mounting bracket was removed from the trunk and a custom fiberglass tub was built to accommodate the woofer. The floor of the trunk was raised a little less than 2" to wire the amplifiers and cover the top of the sub enclosure. The trunk was about $700 labor and since they were doing that much, I let them install the rest of the system. Since then I have replaced the receiver and rear speakers myself.
How it sounds: It can play any sort of music well but obviously with a large sub it is particularly good with hard rock, rap and dance music. It isn't really that loud outside of the car; I've had it up ridiculously loud in the car before and while the backseat passengers are getting a pretty good massage, it doesn't travel outside all that much which is definitely a good thing. I consider it a good starting point since I plan to keep my Evo for a while. Subjectively, I would say it is better than most hobbyist systems I’ve heard but not even close to some show cars. It is clean and loud, but not as accurate or smooth as my home stereo which mostly is the fault of my budget front door speakers. However the home stereo doesn’t have to overcome road & exhaust noise, either. :P
~Colin
Anyway, I am planning on putting Goodyear Assurance TripleTred 225/60R16 97H tires on my 2000 Outback. The reviews for these tires are generally pretty good, but I was wondering if anyone here had any comments. Quite honestly, I am overwhelmed by the options. Basically, I am looking for high-quality, four-season tires (well, Texas, so only two seasons, at most) that are a tad less noisy than the stock tires. Any help appreciated. Thanks so much. Cheers!
Just put a set of BFGoodrich Traction T/A T rated on our '02 MPV. They are priced better than the Goodyears and have gotten decent reviews on TireRack.
-Brian
02 outback great in rain and snow ,no difference in MPG,
no noticeable increase in road noise .My outback also likes to go around corners and winding roads much faster now .
the best part 80k mile treadwear warranty
-juice
Still ugly, but should get out of its own way with more aplomb.
~COlin
320hp sounds nice, but I bet that thing would guzzle the premium. I'd be surprised if you could manage 16mpg if you drove like you're supposed to.
-juice
Does anyone know if I can put the heavier STI clutch on the X? I can't get an answer anywhere. I have looked online for after market clutch info and no luck on anything after 2002 models. It appears there is less after market stuff than on earlier models to me.
I am also going to put the load leveling struts on it. I noticed that they are standard equipment in Australia and that they have a low range transmission in theirs. If I had had that perhaps I wouldn't need a clutch now...
Please help.
Load-leveling struts are sold on the Forester LL Bean right here in the USA, but someone looked up the price and it was painfully expensive, at least the list price. $200 plus each IIRC.
-juice
My Mod Voided My Warranty!
Second-hand stories are fine, but first hand accounts would be terrific. Thanks,
Steve, Host
Have you tried looking at aftermarket clutches like ACT? I know that back when I had a Forester, they had kits that were compatible with the Impreza/Forester line.
Another thought would be to see if a Forester XT clutch could be used. I believe the entire drivetrain on the XT is strengthened compared to the naturally aspirated models.
Ken
I'll try and watch for anything that might be said there about adding a grille in front of the radiator.
I put a simple aluminum wire mesh screen on my '04 Impreza Outback Sport because it looked so vulnerable to possible off-road debris which it might encounter.
I figured it could at least help prevent some kicked up stones or wayward sticks from causing damage and maybe a leak. I mean, heck, that radiator grille on the Impreza is almost nonexistant (none for the lower half!)
I've been concerned about air flow, though, ever since putting that mesh screen on there. However, it hasn't seemed to make any difference in coolant temperature or fan run times. But then again, I hadn't really timed how long or often the fan runs before and after the "mod" either. I know the fan starts and stops a few times at fast-food drive-thru's but it seemed to do that anyhow during the first months I had the car before that grille addition.
I just think the dealership would see it as a plausible reason for denying a warranty fix, of any kind, if something ever goes wrong so that makes me want to remove it before taking it in for service and yet I hate to go through the trouble-- in fact, the risk of doing damage to the radiator when putting it in or taking it out (two parts: above/below) has me believing it could be worse than leaving it alone from now on.