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Subaru Impreza Outback Sport & TS

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Comments

  • chill105chill105 Member Posts: 13
    Well, I got the AMSOIL filter in the mail and installed it. It was a bit messy, but not too difficult. There's not too much of a difference, but I can feel it a little bit. The filter seems a lot nicer than the stock one though.

    After driving my friends around a little bit, they all think that the GanzFlow makes the coolest sound ever. When you're inside of the car while accelerating quickly, it makes the car sound (and feel) like a #!@*$?* monster. It's really awesome. I also like how it only makes the sound when I accelerate fast. I really dislike those stupid people that buy special exhausts that just make their car sound cool.
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    Robert: Good assesment. I agree that the OBS is a pretty nice package for the price.

    Zach: I agree with you also about the Ganzflow and the sound at wide open throttle. It makes you feel baaaad when that thing starts to growl... WAAAAAAaaaaahhhhh......
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    Still waiting, check in girl, let us know you're there and OK... come in Brekke...
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    We did an off-road run this weekend and Dennis took his Outback Sport along. It was mostly unimproved roads, which meant loose sand. We had quite a hoot driving about 15 miles in the AM, another 7 miles or so in the PM.

    I'll try to get photos up today. I should have some of the OBS because I was right behind him and took some photos of the trails.

    AWD rocks!

    -juice

    PS The narrow Outback Sport actually carried an advantage over the wider vehicles that were scratching up against tree branches and such.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Here is the whole Pine Barrens album.

    Photo #13 shows Dennis in his Outback Sport, which was awesome in the sand. The non-SUVs actually ran at a quicker pace on the easier trails, rally-style.

    His more narrow cabin and light weight were advantages, and his is the 2.2l.

    The Forester was able to shine in the water crossing (#16) and in deeper ruts (#32).

    Be sure to check them out.

    -juice
  • chill105chill105 Member Posts: 13
    My friend Andy has a nice mazda- I don't know what model it is, but it's an automatic, four seater with leather seats and it's pretty quick. One of their higher-line vehicles. Him and I have been egging each other on for a while as to who would win in a race. Not a straight-away drag type of race, but a race from one place to another in the suburbs, choosing any route you want to take. Well, we finally did it on Saturday this weekend. We were at his house, and decided to race to my house, which is normally about a 10 minute drive.

    The Rules:
    1.No running reds
    2.Don't kill anyone
    3.Try not to flip your car or run into anything
    4.All other rules of common sense apply

    It was actually incredibly scary, because it was about 9:00 at night, and there were still a bunch of cars on the road and people walking around and getting into and out of parked cars on the side of the street. Before I say any more, I just want you to know that Andy is a pretty crazy kid, so I was worried to get too close to his car in fear that he'd cut me off (or someone else around us) or try anything too stupid.

    We were really flying around curves, weaving in and out of other cars, and I was afraid we'd either hit another car or a cop would see us and pull us over. Fortunately, neither of those things happened.

    Bottom line is I whooped his pathetic Mazda butt. If it weren't for a red light I got stuck at, I would have beat him by over a minute (it ended up fairly close, cause he caught me while I was waiting at the red). Shifting through those gears with the throttle wide open felt sooo good. After the race, he said to me "man, your car takes turns like the road's still straight." I laughed. I was killing him on those curves. I love my Suby. After Andy admitted defeat, we both vowed not to race again for at least a couple months, because it's waaaay too dangerous (and very foolish).

    By the way, we made the 10 minute drive in under 5. That's including the time we were stopped at reds. It was craaaazy.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Watch out for those pesky pedestrians that get in the way! ;-)

    Seriously, why not enroll in auto cross to get it out of your system? Or better yet, rally cross to push the AWD to its full extent.

    -juice
  • chill105chill105 Member Posts: 13
    My friend Andy has a nice mazda- I don't know what model it is, but it's an automatic, four seater with leather seats and it's pretty quick. One of their higher-line vehicles. Him and I have been egging each other on for a while as to who would win in a race. Not a straight-away drag type of race, but a race from one place to another in the suburbs, choosing any route you want to take. Well, we finally did it on Saturday this weekend. We were at his house, and decided to race to my house, which is normally about a 10 minute drive.

    The Rules:
    1.No running reds
    2.Don't kill anyone
    3.Try not to flip your car or run into anything
    4.All other rules of common sense apply

    It was actually incredibly scary, because it was about 9:00 at night, and there were still a bunch of cars on the road and people walking around and getting into and out of parked cars on the side of the street. Before I say any more, I just want you to know that Andy is a pretty crazy kid, so I was worried to get too close to his car in fear that he'd cut me off (or someone else around us) or try anything too stupid.

    We were really flying around curves, weaving in and out of other cars, and I was afraid we'd either hit another car or a cop would see us and pull us over. Fortunately, neither of those things happened.

    Bottom line is I whooped his pathetic Mazda butt. If it weren't for a red light I got stuck at, I would have beat him by over a minute (it ended up fairly close, cause he caught me while I was waiting at the red). Shifting through those gears with the throttle wide open felt sooo good. After the race, he said to me "man, your car takes turns like the road's still straight." I laughed. I was killing him on those curves. I love my Suby. After Andy admitted defeat, we both vowed not to race again for at least a couple months, because it's waaaay too dangerous (and very foolish).

    By the way, we made the 10 minute drive in under 5. That's including the time we were stopped at reds. It was craaaazy.
  • chill105chill105 Member Posts: 13
    didn't mean to post that twice. my bad.
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    Juice: I saw that #16 pic. How deep was that water? Did you just go at a very slow pace or? Cooool photos. Anyone get stuck?? My husband went out with a friend in the Everglades about 20 years ago, they were going to go into the swamps and shoot their guns--and promptly got stuck. Well, Fred had some kind of SUV thing, whatever they made in the early 80's, can't remember, and had to hike in to civilizatation and get someone with a winch to come pull them out. They got home that night at 3:00 a.m. and did they ever catch hell from us wives!!! Now it's funny, though.

    chill: Dang, dude, take a chill pill. If it was scary, it was risky. AWD is not invincible and lots of folks have rolled their cars and wrecked them because they get over-confident. I'm with Juice--get info about autocross, you'd really have a chance to push your car and stay safe.

    Brekke---come on, girl, still waiting, and now I'm starting to worry why you're not responding. Let us know please, drop a line....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Celeste: the water was probably about two feet deep or so. Maybe a little more in the middle.

    It was enough to make an XT6 stall, though he went over it faster than anyone. He got water sucked into his intake - it was a mess. We pulled the spark plugs, cranked the engine, and it spit out water!

    Once it dried up we reinstalled the plugs and she actually started up. The exhaust had plenty of H2O, but it ran! Did you see the photo of us bailing water out of his interior? It was soaked!

    He went the fastest, by far. I crossed next, slowly, though everyone was calling me a wimp. We came around to that spot later in the PM, and I had to redeem myself, so I crossed at a quicker speed. Still nothing crazy like the XT6 - I wanted to get home without a tune-up, thanks!

    The RS crossed slowly, but a BRAT crossed with a big splash. It was pretty wild.

    The XT6 got stuck in the water, and another time in some really deep sand. He got sideways and almost slid right off the trail!

    The BRAT got stuck in a couple of mud pits, but he redeemed himself and got across later on. I was really impressed with that little BRAT.

    Even the big Monty with mud tires got stuck a couple of times. The Isuzu Troopers did a good job towing people out of trouble.

    I have to say, the Isuzu boys were cool. They never looked down on AWD (vs. 4WD) and made us feel welcome on the trails.

    The BRAT, the old hatchback, and the RS drove ahead of us many times, and at a faster pace. They were having fun rallying, sort of.

    -juice
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    That sounds sooo cool. So, the water was up to your lower door frame--any water get in, at all? We had that tropical storm blow thru last week and one road had pretty deep water, and I almost was tempted to hit it hard, but thought better of it and took it easy.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No water in the interior. Of course I spent about 1 second over water - and splashed right through. I had water on the hood and roof, but not inside, fortunately.

    The XT6 stalled while still in the water, so it had time to seep in. Plenty of time.

    Does the OBS have a bottom cover for the engine like the Forester and Outback? My concern would be to keep the intake dry.

    Bottom line was the Outback Sport in our group kept up with the best of them.

    -juice
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    Boy, I don't know, I'd have to look. I do know with my Ganzflow it sucks air thru that space in the front body fender. Seems it would have to be waaay up the tires to get in there. I'll have to look tomorrow when it's daylight to see if there a bottom cover for the engine.

    So, you just sloshed right thru? Interesting.

    We just looked thru all the photos. Looks like alot of fun. And it appears you did do more driving than digging!!
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    E-mailed you too and no response. Hope you're OK. Check in with us, and send us a signal.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The problem with the water is that is splashes up. If your air filter is open, then it's succeptible to water and you could have a problem. The cover under the engine keeps water out. An intake opening well hidden means water could not find it's way in, too.

    On the last trip an Isuzu Trooper sucked water into the intake, stalled, and bent a piston rod (water doesn't compress like air). So it's not just ground clearance. An RS made it across fine, though he went slowly and didn't make such a splash.

    -juice
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    Hey I'm OK! I was down south last week, safe and sound. Coming home the Exploder broke down on the PA turnpike. D'oh!

    Us: where are we?

    Towing Guy: Yer in Somerset County, PA!

    Me: Somerset, hmm, somerset, hmm, why is that so familiar?

    TG: Plane crash! Good luck getting a room or a car rental!

    ME: D'oh! Say, is there any type of car you tow more than others?

    TG: We tow a lot of Fords!
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    Sometimes after shifting I hear one "click" coming from the back (rear diffy?) Is this normal, or a sign of bad shifting?

    THat ganzflow sounds more and more tempting...But I want to upgrade the rear sway bar first.

    I did *not* like being a passenger for 11 days! (But being a pedestrian was worse. Hee.)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Click after shift? While in motion? 5 speed or auto? Do you have a rear LSD?

    Some drivetrain whine is to be expected, but a click? Hmm.

    -juice
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    no LSD, 2002 obs 5-sp, in motion. I don't hear it all the time, seems to be in lower gears 1-2, 2-3, etc.

    Just one short click-type sound, immediately after shifting as I'm letting up the clutch, possibly only when first starting out or after turning on the ignition. At first I mistook it for my tires running over small road debris. It sounds like it's coming from the rear center of the car.

    I will mention it to my dealer.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The 5 speed has the center VC, but it shouldn't click. The open rear diffy won't engage like the LSD would. I'd ask them to check all the fluid levels, just to make sure it's OK.

    -juice
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    Some i-clubbers complained of a loud "clunk" during hard shifting. The general opinion was the rear diff twisting its bushings and to shift smoother. My click isn't that loud and I haven't been shifting hard, but maybe that's it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Maybe it's clutch chatter. The pressure plate isn't the stiffest in the world, and unless you are Joe Cool with the smoothness you notice a little clatter, at least in low gears.

    -juice
  • jmill4343jmill4343 Member Posts: 1
    I'm looking at a 1999 Impreza OBS w/automatic.
    I would like to be able to tow a small (under 1500lbs total wt) pop up camper. Any experience with this would be appreciated.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I've towed about a 1500 lb load with my Forester, but I have the 2.5l engine, not the 2.2l in the earlier OBS. It did fine, no drama, just had to slip the clutch a little. An auto would actually be better suited to the task.

    That's about the limit I would recommend. Just keep the camper empty, and put the gear inside the vehicle, evenly spread out. Keep in mind braking distances are longer, too.

    -juice
  • aajoslinaajoslin Member Posts: 15
    Anyone installed one? I'm wondering what the options are. What companies sell them (if any)?

    I know there is some issue with airbags mis-firing (recall in the past earlier model year... bumping the tow hooks fires the airbag) so maybe this is not an option...

    Anyone...
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I think ECB makes brush guards for subies. I'll e-mail them and see if they have something for the new impreza line. Check out http://isuzu-suvs.com/ecb for details. The way that airbags work nowdays is that they aren't bumper mounted anymore. All ECB stuff is air-bag compliant. Also drop me an e-mail directly and I'll get you info.


    -mike

    mike@iace.com

  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    is less than other Subarus. I think the 1500 pound limit is if the trailer has brakes. I'm almost certain if the trailer doesn't have brakes, the limit is around 750 pounds.

    Check you owner's manual. I'm sure that info's in there.

    Bob
  • celeste2celeste2 Member Posts: 362
    is this the "click" someone described as like a b.b. hitting the bottom of a pan? I never did hear if he found out anything. Maybe try a post at the i-club, you'll find more people there and maybe come up with something, besides there is one or two Subie mechanics there, I think. One is named Alan and he's here in Winter Park. You could look at his member profile and e-mail him. He may list his address in Orlando because I think he actually lives in Orlando although he works in Winter Park. Maybe in the member list you can find him thru the city name and state. He's pretty good from what I hear.

    I just looked him up. His user name on the club is Alan Rod. Not sure if it's his real name. He's a British Subie mechanic, very nice chap, works at the Subie dealership near me.
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    I don't mean to be a pain about the click, I assumed it was normal AWD stuff. Sometimes it sounds like a pebble hitting the car in the back, or that I've run over a styrofoam cup. There's no resonance, as i imagine a bb dropped into a pan would have. Maybe this is a job for Colin! I know he doesn't hang out here.
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    hi all,
    just want to let you know that ramon is still alive and kicking. =) I've been quiet of late. but am still reading up all those wonderful OBS posts!
  • chill105chill105 Member Posts: 13
    Hey brekke- I have a 2002 five-speed OBS as well, and I know exactly what you're talking about. Right after you shift gears, you hear it as you're letting in the clutch. I think I also notice it sometimes when I'm just cruising in gear, and then give it some gas. It seems it's just there sometimes and not there other times. I only notice it in low gears as well. There doesn't seem to be a specific circumstance where it happens though. It sounds almost like running over a very small twig. It's definitely more of a click, not a thud at all. You can't really feel it- you only hear it. I guess if we're both hearing the same thing, it's not really a problem. Hopefully not.

    I do have something that has been bothering me though- sometimes (very rarely though) when I'm at a stop sign or a red light, I'll push in the clutch and then shift into first. As I shift, I can hear and feel a grinding sound. I don't feel any real resistance to me putting it in gear, it goes in fine, it just makes a real bad sound, and it doesn't feel good. Only going into first from a dead stop. I'd say it happens once ever 10 or 15 drives, so it's not a common occurrence. I can't figure out why it happens- I definitely push in the clutch all the way. Have you ever noticed this?
  • rachelukracheluk Member Posts: 12
    Hi all,

    About ten days ago i totalled my much loved 2000 Forester 5 spd(story available on the Forester thread, if you're interested, under Hard Luck story). Fortunately, I escaped unscathed.

    I've read the last 200 posts or so on this lively thread, and thought I'd ask you this question.

    I'm trying to decide between replacing the Forester with itself, or with an OBS. There are various minor differences between the cars: the Forester comes with a full size spare, the OBS does not. The Forester's arial is now in the windshield, the OBS arial is not. The OBS comes standard with the CD player and the Forester does not. Beyond these small things, it's a question of taste, I think. The Forester is definitely roomier. I like the Forester's height, but then again, in thinking about my accident it worries me (I lost control of the steering when bumped from the side on the freeway), and perhaps the OBS is safer because it rides a little lower?

    Any current thoughts on comparing the two are greatly appreciated. Oh - I drive a 5 spd.

    Rachel
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I don't think it would have mattered which vehicle you were driving when you got bumped - you probably still would have lost control. The fact that you came out unscratched is a plus for the Forester and Subaru, since all of their vehicles have low centers of gravity, etc., etc., etc. The ride height difference between the OBS and the Forester is almost nothing (ok, it's what, an inch?).

    If you liked the Forester before, go for it again.

    -Brian
  • newobslvrnewobslvr Member Posts: 8
    Hello, all--

    I haven't posted in a while, but have enjoyed keeping up with the board and continuing to learn more about various obs-related stuff.

    Just wanted to say I'm another who has noticed the click in the back. My experience has been the same as others who have posted... it doesn't happen often, and there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to it. It's has always been when I'm shifting out of first... one click... doesn't seem to be hurting anything, except to make a new obs owner wonder what the heck that click is! I've noticed it happening less... I have about 2,800 miles... could it be something wearing in, or just that I've gotten used to driving and shifting a new/different vehicle?

    As for the Forester vs. OBS... I made that move a couple months ago now. The Forester was a terrific car--no complaints whatsoever. For me, it was just a matter of wanting something a little sportier. Yes, there are a few differences in options, but that wasn't enough to sway me one way or the other. Just liked the look of the OBS better. Although it is a bit smaller, it isn't a terrible sacrifice space-wise. I actually thought I would feel cramped and notice the space thing more, but I and my few passengers have been very comfortable, and I've still been able to schlep around my bike and whatever other gear with no problem.

    Whichever you choose, enjoy and have fun!

    Kim
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    they both base on the impreza chassis. same engine size too now. prolly weighs the same. Interior wise, I think the OBS has improved sustantially. Which Forester flavour are you thinking about? The S models has more toys than the OBS. Has rear discs too. New FOresters are more upscale. But the OBS has gone upscale too. I do like the windshield antennae tho. Drive them both! Rumour has it that the Forester maybe coming out with a turbo version!!!
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    hey guys - thanks! For some reason I feel better since you guys hear it too. I've only noticed it during shifts, however, not during cruising like Chill mentioned. Hopefully it's nothing to worry about.

    chill - So far I have not had that grinding noise that you described, but I only have about 1800 klicks.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Rattling is probably coming from a loose exhaust shield. When you shift, rpms change suddenly and at a certain frequency the vibes will make any loose shields rattle.

    Rachel: glad to hear you are OK.

    There would be trade-offs. The Outback Sport is smaller and more nimble, but it's lighter weight also means it would likely get tossed around more.

    Both are safe, so I'd let other criteria determine which one you choose. Get the OBS is you have no kids, one dog, pack lightly and drive hard. Get the Forester if you have 1-2 kids and haul big boxes home often.

    Both are fun.

    -juice
  • chill105chill105 Member Posts: 13
    Hey everyone. I just noticed that my front driver-side window on my 2002 OBS has become very squeaky when I'm putting it down. It squeaks for like a second when the window is about halfway down. This problem seemed to start about a day after it rained a few weeks ago. Sometimes the sqeak goes away when it's raining, which leads me to believe it has something to do with moisture (and rubber maybe?). I looked at the posts on the yahoo message board, and although people had reported the same problem, nobody seemed to have a solution.
  • twrxtwrx Member Posts: 647
    Rachel, I traded a '98 Forester on a WRX wagon. OK so it is not an OBS but there is a pretty good comaparison here. I find the WRX or OBS is not as good for hauling large objects home from the home imporvement store. I have two large dogs (60 lb and 140 lb.) and like the WRX better because the lower rear end height makes it easier for my older dog to jump in. If you want a much more fun car to drive go for the OBS. With the same wheel/tire combo and almost identical ride height to my WRX it should have about the same handling which is much better than the Forester. On the Forester I did like all of the extra storage compartment that the OBS/WRX wagons do not have. The OBS/WRX body is still very practical though so for the fun factor I'm glad I got my 5 speed rally blue rocket.
    twrx
  • rachelukracheluk Member Posts: 12
    Thank you all for your responses to my post.

    I'm leaning towards the OBS and I can't really say why. I think it's that I've had the Forester, loved it, and am ready to experience something else. I like the somewhat more nimble drive of the OBS, although I'll miss the slightly higher ride and the lumbar support of the F. The new OBS with its 2.5 liter engine and today's particularly negotiable price, including CD player, is just too tempting....

    Will let you know what actually transpires.

    oh - The Click! - I also am quite familiar with that clunk that I used to hear mostly going from 1st into 2nd on my Forester. Doesn't it have something to do with the design/differential in the boxer engine? At first I thought the engine was backfiring....but the dealer's mechanic said this is an aspect of the engine's sensitivity and that shifting must be very smooth and slow. Guess those of us who clunk our 5 speeds have to keep practicing!

    Thanks again -

    Rachel
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    Someone in the obs yahoo club totaled their new OBS (someone pulled out in front of them, OBS did a tuck and roll) Apparently the driver and passenger are only suffering minor bruises, muscle soreness, etc. I was impressed how well their Subie protected them, especially if you take a look at after-accident pics.

    Right, subymamma?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    There you go, Rachel, WRX wagon. That's the ticket. You'll be passing people all the time, so you'll never get hit from behind again! :-)

    Zack: are the inside of the windows clean?

    All current Soobs have a bracket from B-pillar to B-pillar across the roof, except the Forester S Premium because of the moonroof. I've seen Subies that suffered severe collisions, and nothing aft of that B-pillar was damaged, so kids in the back seat would be completely unharmed. I've also seen a Forester in Australia that rolled over (he was off road, non-stock suspension) and none of the glass even broke. They rolled it back over and there was sheet metal damage and the rack was broken up, but the structure held up amazingly well.

    -juice
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    Juice: Unfortunately, some folks like to get a little too close for comfort (especially from the rear) when I'm in the WRX wagon. :-) Maybe debadging the rear tailgate wasn't such a good idea afterall ? :-)

    Stephen
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They just want to get a closer look. It's up to you to prevent that! ;-)

    -juice
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    I now have a mission! :-)

    Stephen
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Slam on your brakes! That's what I usually do when somoeone is tailgating me. Generally that will get their attention and they'll back off :)

    -mike
  • brekkebrekke Member Posts: 304
    Stephen, you mentioned you ordered the 20mm rear sway bar for your wagon from Subaruparts. Is that the same one for the sedan? I'm assuming if it fits your wagon it will fit mine.

    Lisa from the other parts place said she only had a sway bar for the previous gen. Imprezas.
  • twrxtwrx Member Posts: 647
    Rachel, Forgot to mention: since you drive a 5 speed--the improvement in clutch and shifter from the 98 Forester to the 2002 WRX is dramatic. Oh yes one other very important piece of advice: If they have a WRX 5 speed wagon--DO NOT TEST DRIVE IT! HEH HEH!

    TWRX (Bruce)
  • barresa62barresa62 Member Posts: 1,379
    Yes, the 20mm rear sway bar is the same one that is std on the WRX sedan. The RS sedan has a 17mm bar and that same bar is std on the WRX wagon. The 20mm bar fits the WRX wagon just fine. I'm hoping to install this weekend. I see no reason why this bar would not fit on the OBS or TS wagons. I personally think that this is one of the biggest bangs for the buck. The bar w/the two bushings that come with totals less than $90. I'll post some results/impressions after I get it installed.

    Stephen
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