Subaru Crew Cafe

p0926

There was a piece on the local radio this morning saying much the same thing but went even further and stated that some manufacturers "recommend" premium because of its "high performance" connotations. They went on to say that many owner manuals (including Subaru's) don't require but only recommend premium for best performance. The article concluded by saying that with today's computer managed engines, the computer would automatically adjust for the octane being used thereby preventing any danger to the engine. I guess the question is: is it worth saving a couple of hundred a year to find out? :P

-Frank

ateixeira

Extra cost per year: $150
Replacement Engine: $6000
Colin's Big Oil Pension: priceless!

:P

-juice

rsholland

I really think as these gas prices keep rising, and show no signs of dropping, this "premium-vs-regular" issue is going to become much more important—as a sales tool. People will be looking for every way to save money on gas, and if so-and-so brand/model runs fine on regular and another so-and-so brand/model only runs on premium, guess which vehicle will likely be bought.

Bob

rsholland

This has got the panties of all the WRXers over at nabisco all twisted in knots.

Here's the CA law:

http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/streetlegal.html

Bob

bigelm

Hey Dennis,

Hope all is good!

I've been looking into getting one of these things. Been doing some research but I know that you've done more, so I need to know what are the new models you're aware of coming out? Also how big are the HD's in these devices? Because there are constantly changing names and adding new roads here in Atlanta, what would be the best way to go? HD or Card?

You can email me. I don't want to clutter my NAV questions on the forum.

Thanks.

erics6

Hmm... Not sure I understand what the issue is? Now if they would only start targeting the Hogs with aftermarket pipes. ;-)

locke2c

it's just a revenue play. that's all they care about.

~c

ladywclass

I just can't figure it out ... yesterday our gas prices went WAY up ... I mean WAY up ... from $2.22 to about $2.55 ... and the story in today's paper was about one station that had changed the price 3 times yesterday by 10:00 ... now someone explain this to me .. the price of the gas in the tank at the station did NOT change 3 times yesterday as far as what the companies PAID for it .... grrrrrrrr

lark6

Brenda, I imagine I know some of the answers to your question but will refrain from making political comments here.

The situation does beg another question: Why do gas stations still post their prices using signs that require the numbers be changed by hand? Given how frequently they raise prices, shouldn't the numbers be LEDs/LCDs or on rolling drums, as on the pumps?

Ed

ateixeira

Bob - so Spinners are legal? They're not mentioned.

Ed: they should use analog gauges with prices on them so we can see how quickly the prices are changing. LOL

-juice

rsholland

Bob - so Spinners are legal? They're not mentioned.

Unfortunately there's no law against poor taste.

Bob

ateixeira

Cops can't stop the Dubs!

-juice

lark6

Unfortunately there's no law against poor taste.

Again at the risk of being political IMO a lot of laws being leveled at motorists are thinly veiled forms of taxation and have little to do with improving highway safety or vehicle emissions. I don't wear a tinfoil hat but I'm convinced there's a lot of this going on at least at the municipal level, where governments would rather collect from nonresident people passing through rather than raising property and school taxes above their already high levels.

Taxing visual vehicle modifications of suspect taste might be another source of revenue that could be guised as "highway beautification proejcts."

Ed

ladywclass

Ed: they should use analog gauges with prices on them so we can see how quickly the prices are changing. LOL

gauges .... shouldn't those be calls gouges?

ateixeira

Gas gouge gauge?

-juice

njswamplands

i was thinking how much i miss pattys contributions to this arena

njswamplands

i forgot to take a pic with my new john deere lawn tractor loaded up in my odyssey.

i know how much you love pics with your car loaded to the gills.

john deere tractors rock

locke2c

ding... Ed is right on the mark. I didn't elaborate in my last post, but this is all about tax revenue and not at all about safety, noise, emissions, or anything else.

~Colin

ateixeira

Cool, my latest was a dish washer. Not much of a challenge, though. I've done a large gas grille, an oversized clothes washer, a piano/organ, etc.

-juice

robr2

What size tractor? I've got a 42" and have not yet attempted to fit it in the Ody.

njswamplands

height was the only concern, width and depth were easy

njswamplands

jeffmc

What, you want 'em to compete with honda in the lawnmower market, too!?

I've got a Deere too, but it's only a mower. I could probably do the lawn in just 1 pass with a 42" tractor! (I know, I know. City folk.)

ladywclass

jfl

It's also another way to harass the street racing crowd around here. And they DO exist in this part of Calif. So in that regard, I really don't mind.

Jim

See Bob's post 10942 :P

robr2

(I know, I know. City folk.)

That's what my neighbor once called me when I pruned a tree. "Umm, the 128 corridor around Boston ain't exactly rural!!"

I like my 42" tractor. 45 minutes of mindless quiet time every weekend while mowing the lawn. Wifey and I sometimes race each other out the shed.

ladywclass

ok today I pass several stations where gas is $2.45 and within a 1/4 mile I see several more (some of the same 'brands") and regular is $2.65 !!! ...

and for juice .... today I passed a station that had an electronic sign for the price of gas .... just like you described was needed ... too bad you don't get royalties ...

rsholland

I just saw on the evening news that some place in California premium is now over $4.00 a gallon and regular is well over $3.60 a gallon. YIKES!

Bob

jfl

...of mindless quiet time every weekend while mowing the lawn.

Quiet??? time? Is that tractor electric? :P

Jim

jeffmc

For any of you running Apple's Tiger OS, here's a fun, attractive widget that finds gas prices for you.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/transportation/gas.html

Feature list from Apple's website:
"- Up-to-date gas prices
- Many ways to search, including by ZIP code and by station
- Choose to sort by price, station, location and more
- Filter results to get only the most up-to-date prices
- Color coded results let you know how up to date they really are
- Intuitive keyboard controls and scrollwheel support
- Links directly to Google Maps to locate your station of choice
- Optional pole, for added “realism”
- Animated transitions, for your visual pleasure
- New, compact design"

rsholland

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102922

It's pricey, at over $2,200.00 (not including monthly satellite fee), which I'm sure will come down in time.

Bob

bat1161

Bob,

Here's a portable alternative that is just being released by Garmin that does the same thing for ~$699 for the C340 and $199 for the traffic alert part. So for roughly $900 you get real time traffic updates with NAV.

http://www.garmin.com/products/sp340/

Mark

rsholland

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=106822

rsholland

Mark, Jeep has just announced a NAVI unit for Wranglers. One of the things they're promoting is that with this Jeep unit, you can take it with you and use it while you're hiking in the woods. Can't you do that with any of these portable NAVI units?

And yes, the example you just showed is a perfect example of how competition will eventually lower the price on all these NAVI units.

Bob

njswamplands

where are u seeing the $699 price?

rsholland

I see...

Garmin part number: 010-00401-20
Suggested Retail Price:
$857.13 U.S.D. (for domestic US market only)

Still cheaper than $2,200.00 though...

Bob

robr2

...of mindless quiet time every weekend while mowing the lawn.

Quiet??? time? Is that tractor electric?

Jim

...mindless quiet time from a 5 YO and 8 YO who begin every conversation with the words: Dad, you know what??

Sometimes even good Dad's need a little alone time.

bat1161

Sorry about that. If you look for a list of vendors on the Garmin site, one of them is The GPS Store (http://www.thegpsstore.com/Detail-Garmin-StreetPilot-c340-car-gps-system.asp). They have it for $699 on pre-order. A really good site for finding vendors for GPS items is http://gpsinformation.net/. When I bought my Garmin 2 years ago I picked it up at Adventure GPS. They have the c340 for $689 pre-order.

I had no problems with any of the vendors, and they were very helpful for information.

Mark

ateixeira

Saw that thing with Apple. Thing is, all the gas around me costs a fortune so it's like torture, I'd have to pay a lot and that little device would keep reminding me!

The traffic news is interesting but I'm not convinced that the information arrives in real-time, i.e. not early enough to be useful. Perhaps as demand for the service and info grows, the quality of the info will get better. Garbage in, garbage out.

I got my c320 for a whole lot less than the list price and even a lot less than places mentioned above charge. So it's not too pricey at all, I would just have to be convinced that the "garbage in" portion was fixed before I took a dive.

-juice

ateixeira

$73,745?

No, really, $73,745?

Seriously, $73,745?

Enough said.

-juice

rsholland

Well, it's MB. There is a cheaper R350. Those customers don't think like you and I.

Bob

njswamplands

dont worry juice that price is cdn so it is like $20k us lol

ateixeira

LOL

That's just insanity, though. It's about double what a totally loaded up class leading minivan would cost. You could get an AWD Sienna fully loaded plus a Solara convertible and have a lot of change left.

I just wonder how many "cost no object" buyers are even considering something in the minivan segment.

-juice

rsholland

You could say the same about S-Class sedans. How can you justify an S500 at over $80K? People who buy these vehicles would certainly shop a R500—and wouldn't be caught dead in a Toyota of any sort.

Bob

bigelm

You probably missed this...

Hey Dennis,

Hope all is good!

I've been looking into getting one of these things. Been doing some research but I know that you've done more, so I need to know what are the new models you're aware of coming out? Also how big are the HD's in these devices? Because there are constantly changing names and adding new roads here in Atlanta, what would be the best way to go? HD or Card?

You can email me. I don't want to clutter my NAV questions on the forum.

Thanks.

I've got a fat headache researching all this stuff.

Why not this?

Lowrance iWAY 500C

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,,1817854,00.asp

ateixeira

Yeah, guess so.

Noone has tested the waters when it comes to luxury minivans so we'll see how it does.

Interestingly it's the loaded up models that have always been in high demand, commanding higher margins, even.

-juice

bat1161

Elm-

Actaully that unit received several good reviews. It combines the NAV with MP3, so you get the best of both worlds.

Most of these systems are pretty good. The best suggestion I would make is try to go to someplace that sells the different models so that you can look at and handle each. You may find one that appeals to you more thna the rest.

Hope everything is going well in Atlanta.

Mark

bigelm

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the reply... :-P

Anyway, my wife got lost in a not so great area (really ghetto) and called me freaking out. I was waiting a bit to get a portable NAV but that wait is no longer. Gotta order one this week....

Hotlanta is good... still adjusting but we love our 5 bdrm, 3 bthrm and basement house. Too bad I can't attach a pic.. I don't have internet access yet at home so I'm taking a chance to get here through my job... shhhh... .don't say anything...

nmgridl

I'm getting confused about whether the 2006 Legacy 2.5i, Limited, or Spec Ed will have AVLS and \ or AVCS. The sites I've looked at show that AVLS is only available on the OB, and the AVCS is only available on the GT & OB. But I'm sure I previously read that all 2006 Legacy's were going to AVLS. Now I'm not so sure, and I can't find it on the web. If I went non-GT, I would need that extra HP.

Karen_S

...verrrry interesting.