Subaru Crew Cafe

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Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Frank you had to spoil the moment...LOL.

    Quest has plenty of problems. Material quality is poor, ergonomics are horrible, and even if you look beyond those, the price is WAY too high.

    Pricing is in line with the Sienna, which has much better resale and higher quality materials. Plus humans can actually understand it.

    I don't think rebates will be enough, to be honest. Nissan needs about a $3000 price advantage, at least, before I'd even consider a purchase. Even then I'd probably shy away given resale would tank.

    Make that $5000 and I'd test drive it again. I'm still not sure if I could live with its quirkys, though.

    -juice
  • rob_mrob_m Member Posts: 820
    I'm still not sure if I could live with its quirkys, though

    But you continue to drive Subaru's! LOL. Rob M.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Quirky as they are, ergonomics are actually very conventional. All controls are where you expect them to be. The radio functions are pretty standard, and the analog gauges are big and easy to spot.

    Even a Honda or Toyota owner would feel instantly at home in a Subaru.

    Not so in the Quest. It's just bizarre.

    -juice
  • ozman62ozman62 Member Posts: 229
    there's good/ quirky and there's bad/ quirky ;-)
    Owen
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Weather band on the radio is good quirky.

    A speedometer too far and small to actually read safely is bad quirky.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Weatherband radio is no more. It's MIA in '05 models. :(

    Bob
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    I would miss that.... really come to appreciate that feature.

    Steve
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Cost cutting? Why'd they drop that? Maybe they thought few would notice (I didn't)?

    -juice
  • rob_mrob_m Member Posts: 820
    I have never used it.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    weatherband and emergency RDS are both pretty rare features on radios any more. both just didn't really catch on IMO.

    ~c
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Weatherband radio is no more. It's MIA in '05 models. :(

    Nuh-uh. My '05 Forester XT has WB.

    Ed
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Oops! I know they're gone from the Outbacks this year (at least I think they are).

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Foresters lost the cassette in '04, though. That kills one way to connect an iPod.

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I have two auxillary RCA inputs concealed down behind my lower dash area. One goes into the head unit, the other straight in to the EQ. I could plug in an iPod with a miniDIN (5mm) to RCA converter and listen to it at full quality with 1kW of power. :)

    ~c
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Even better, get a dock connecter with RCA outs (ie, don't use the headphone jack), it will be pure line-level all the way!

    Craig
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Seems like Subaru is behind on stereos. I recall that Mazda shifted to CDs several years before Subaru made them standard.

    Gimme MP3 plus an input. Aftermarket you don't even have to pay $200 to get both.

    -juice
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    I think they are definitely behind. My 2000 Outback came with a cassette but no CD (was an option). My previous 97 Honda had CD standard, as did my wife's 2000 Mazda 626.

    Now we have nice in-dash 6-CD changers, but no way to hookup MP3 players easily!

    Craig
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    What Craig said! Dock connector!

    Ken
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    What is your beef with Quest controls? I want to compare them to my experience in the 2003 Espace, which the new Quest basically is....
  • tsytsy Member Posts: 1,551
    Actually, I like the Quest controls. Do I think they made a mistake in putting the gauges in the middle? Yes, but you get used to them quite quickly. The interior (and exterior) is a bit avant garde but like any car you buy, you get used to it. The center console is nice in that the HVAC, stereo, and Nav buttons are within a flick of the wrist- once you get used to them.

    You could argue that you shouldn't have to get used to a car's controls, but have you been in a Mercedes or BMW lately? Talk about complicated. You need to read a very long owner's manual to figure it out. And in any car it takes some time to adjust.

    At least Nissan was willing to try to be different- even if it was a little too far. ;-)
    (It does have a great engine though-arguably one of the best v6s in the world right now)

    By the way Juice, it was $4-5K less than an equivalent Sienna at the time I bought mine. ;-)

    tom
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    My Espace had the same center mounted guage pack. However, ALL radio controls were mounted on a stalk, and just the tuner readout was displayed in the guage pack. HVAC controls were on the door's armrest, right where your hand ended up, where you could easily manipulate them with your left hand without looking at them. They formed a circle, and were very easy to use once you remembered what button was where. (seperate fan controls for the dual zone stuff were mounted on the passenger door). It took a minor brain shift to get used to the radio/HVAC stuff, but once I did, I loved it. I really missed it all when I got home; I almost never took my eyes off the road when operating that van That, and the 6 speed manual. And the torque monster common rail turbodiesel. And French A-Roads where passing on the right is illegal...and foie gras...but I digress.

    I wonder, if they'd had the balls to bring the Espace over as is instead of dumbing it down and softening it for the US, whether it would have been a hit or a flop.i
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    flop. it's a renault.

    next question? :)

    ~c
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Going to the hospital now for a hernia operation. Woopee!!!
  • ladywclassladywclass Member Posts: 1,713
    oh yeah .. sounds like 'fun' ...

    i'll be thinking of you ..
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    What's a young buck like yourself doing getting a hernia?

    -Frank
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    lifting wine and a cello

    ~c
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    I had a hernia repair a couple of years ago, and it was a piece of cake (from the standpoint that I was expecting much worse). I went home from the hospital the same day, and was back in gear within about a week and a half. Honestly, I was impressed by the whole routine. I heard that hernia repairs were much worse just 20 years ago.

    Craig
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I visit this site often to get news on upcoming models.

    http://autodeadline.com/

    On the left column it lists all the brands this site is affiliated with, some of which aren't even sold in the USA -- yet Subaru is NOT listed?!?!?!

    Bob
  • bigelmbigelm Member Posts: 995
    Get well soon buddy...

    Ouch! ;-)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Loosh: I really don't think they have that much in common (Quest and Espace).

    I believe the Quest is based on the Altima platform. FWIW, the Altima has none of the Quest's quirks.

    Basically, the center-mounted pod is the primary problem. The speedo is a mile away and too small, the tach even smaller. The glove box is in front of the driver, bizarre to the say the least, maybe even dangerous.

    Funny thing is the Altima is conventional and I felt instantly at home.

    FWIW, I am definitely in the school of thought that you should not have to learn or adapt to any car, instead they should feel familiar.

    I hate the Echo and Ion also, the Scions a little less so since at least the gauges are slightly closer.

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I do think you can get imaginative on the inside but still keep things familiar, so I'll offer 4 examples:

    Acura TL
    Subaru Legacy
    Nissan Altima
    Mazda 6

    All four have nice cockpits, all familiar, all condusive to sporty driving, with nothing to distract you.

    -juice
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Our 9-month-old son weighs in at 25 pounds. As much as I lift him in and out of his crib, car seat, exersaucer etc., I may not be far behind you!

    Good luck,
    Ed
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Our 2 year old just weighed in at 34 lbs. Pretty soon he'll need a booster, the child seats can only hold up to 40 lbs!

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Maybe when he fell off The Fence?

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    it really does look like one, just wash the roof, get those big government blocks of cheese and have a block party. hook up bob's new baja generator with a microwave and its nacho heaven.

    thats it the baja needs to renamed to the nacho with that cheese slicing wing and the microwave
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Loosh: I hope you didn't get your hernia from lifting jug wines. ;-P Good luck and speedy recovery!

    Ed: Whoa, 9-months and already 25lbs? I feel for you. Erina is 16 months and only 20lbs. Watch that lower back!

    Ken
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    The first chat with Phil Reed opens in a couple of hours. Anyone coming?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Save those for Suggestions to Subaru, swampy!

    -juice
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Sounds like I was wrong about Espace/Quest. Colin, I think you would like the Espace; it took a little "adaptability," as juice says. But once adapted, it was awesome. The guages weren't anaolog, but big easy to read digital. You used a stalk to cycle through the trip computer as well as the radio and CD changer. No where near as intimidating as i-Drive....but for me, a clear case of moving the ergonomics ball foward. And it say out on A roads all day long at 165Km with nary a compaint. Good economy, good grunt, spacious interior and great lines of sight.

    Phew, Percoset makes typing difficult.
  • hammerheadhammerhead Member Posts: 907
    Been there, done that re the hernia. I got 8 weeks off due to what the job entails.
    Just remember, for the next few days, Percocet is your friend. Sneezing is not :)

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's how patti threw out her back, don't sneeze!

    I saw an Espace here, a diplomat from France owns it, and what I liked were the modular seats. 5 in the back could be set up in any combination.

    -juice
  • tsytsy Member Posts: 1,551
    Loosh- Take things easy the next few days and learn to enjoy prunes! (Or you can just go down to your local pharmacy and buy some other equivalent- the Percocet will 'bind' you up ;-)!)

    Speedy recovery. By the way, don't drive on the Percocet!

    tom
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If I see a swerving black F-XT in the area, I'm pulling off the roads! ;-)

    -juice
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    No laughing, sneezing, or coughing. They really need to give you drugs to damp out your sense of humor!

    Craig (who also threw his back out by sneezing)
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ladywclassladywclass Member Posts: 1,713
    awwww nj .. aren't ya ever gonna give juice a break?
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    no laughing! owee ow ow
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