Subaru Crew Cafe

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  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    ...here's a hydrogen motorcycle, three-wheeler, AND lawnmower. :) They also had a prototype of a hydrogen fuel pump and a hydrogen fueled power washer. I tried to get close to hear what the rep for Ovonics was saying, but the crowd around him was pretty deep.
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    When I arrived, the car was running, but you couldn't hear it till you got within 6 ft. So I'd say it was very quiet. They never started up the lawn mower. That would have been interesting to hear the noise level.
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    and lawn mowers
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    a motorcycle? that is clearly a SCOOTER, ma'am!

    :P

    <-- motorcycle rider
  • bigelmbigelm Member Posts: 995
    Boy... that's offensive... scooter vs. motorcycle? HOW DARE YOU KAREN???? :-P
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Ohhhhhh....how embarrassing. :blush: I knew it was a scooter, but for some reason typed motorcycle.

    I'll never-ever make such a blunder again....well...for today, anway. ;)
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I suspect the truck/SUV phenomenon will fix itself after we endure another 12+ months of these $2.40-3.00/gallon days.

    not that I think CAFE is fair.
    ~c
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Yeah, nothing like the marketplace to fix some of these things.

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    http://earthroamer.com/index.html

    Check this vehicle out. It's flat out amazing. All you need is $185K (to start!) and it's all yours. :)

    Bob
  • jeffmcjeffmc Member Posts: 1,742
    Cool, Bob. That's seriously beefy. It's nice that they responsibly participate in Tread Lightly. Did you notice their "EarthRoamer2KProof of Concept" vehicle for sale? "Only" $85k for that one... Dodge-based. Tribeca still beats it with bigger wheels & heated mirrors. :) lol
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    which I guess is the good news.

    http://www.detnews.com/2005/autosinsider/0508/17/A01-283759.htm

    The bad news is that by being an "Asian car brand," Subarus will at least be suspect by many.

    Bob
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    But what gets me is that it seems that unless the powertrains are new or revised, they don't have to be retested under the new SAE guidelines. At least Honda and Toyota are retesting now instead of waiting like Ford and Chrysler.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Regarding the Lowrance iWay500.

    I tried it in a store and it couldn't match the Garmin "c" series or Tom Tom for ease of use. With those units, it's very easy to turn on and figure out what you want to do without even opening the manual. The Garmin has a reputation for having the best maps. The built-in battery is a great feature allowing you to plan trips from anywhere. Neither is for off-roading or hiking though because the maps are not that detailed. The iWay did not have my parents address in SC listed.

    The Garmin c340 is $640 from
    http://www.cascadegps.com/260858_GARMIN_STREETPILOT_c340_CAR_GPS.html

    A smaller, less expensive unit with less features by Garmin comes out this month called the "i" series at a little over $300.
    http://www.cascadegps.com/260869_GARMIN_STREETPILOT_I3.html

    juice - Where's your 320 review!? :)

    Mark - Which Garmin do you have?

    -Dennis
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Suspect, perhaps, but the published FXT dyno tests which have spread over the 'net should quell many fears.

    Ed
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    juice - yesterday I met Manon. She is VW's voice for the nav in the 06 Passat. Polite, yet firm is how I would describe her insistence that I make a u-turn when possible and to proceed on current road until further instructions are given. I really liked the additional display in the guage cluster showing exactly the instructions Manon was giving. "Exit round about at third right" would show a pictogram of a round about with an bold arrow showing the third right along with the name of the road.

    Bob - I know you weren't totally happy with the Sub NAV. I'll admit, I knew better ways to get places than Manon did. She preferred that I stay on state roads instead of main streets which around here are similar. She routed me around a lake 3 miles out of my way on a state route instead of a fun little twisty that is only about a mile long. They're not perfect, but if you don't know where you're going - you won't know anyways.

    I had an 06 Passat overnight as part of the VW Alpha Driver's program. Lots of nice new features. The keyless entry and start/stop procedure are neat. Double sunvisors, cooled console, sunglasses holder were all nice little additions. The leatherette is better than mine. It's huge in comparison. But IMHO, it's a little less Teutonic than the 05 Passat. The 2.0T was responsive and the sport mode on the transmission really held the gears. Suprisingly it had a throaty growl that I don't expect from VW's.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    you're not fooling me, Bob. You just like it coz it has a full size spare. :)
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I showed my husband that uber-camper and have been wiping the drool off the monitor since. He's in love. :surprise:
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    My monthly issue of the Studebaker Drivers Club's member magazine arrived today. The feature article covers in detail a horizontally opposed, water-cooled four-cylinder engine built by Studebaker in late 1960. The engine was designed for a proposed subcompact model to slot below the Lark starting in model year 1962. Photos of the engine and the subcompact are in the article.

    The Stude subcompact program was cancelled in 1961 when the automotive division changed presidents. The incoming president decided that a new performance sports/GT car (that would become the Avanti), as well as performance variants of the existing Lark and Hawk lines, would better boost the division's ailing finances. Hindsight proves otherwise, though many Avantis and the hotter Larks and Hawks survive as examples of Studebaker muscle that was and what might have been.

    Several prototype Stude flat fours were built and tested but when the program was cancelled, all were destroyed save one. That survivor, saved from scrap in 1964, is on long-term loan to the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend.

    I'll post more details if anyone's interested once I finish reading the article.

    Ed
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,398
    I didn't know there was a Studebaker museum in South Bend! I'm going to be there next week. Won't have time for the Studebaker museum but plan to attend an evening lecture at Notre Dame's Snite Museum of Art on "Italian Carrozzerie" (specifically car bodies by Scaglietti and Frua).

    I'll keep the Studebaker Museum in mind for a future trip.

    Jim
  • ladywclassladywclass Member Posts: 1,713
    Jim, want to try for that cup of coffee again when you're in town? Next week is the first week of school, but everything on the schedule doesn't gear up yet. Email me if you want - ladywclass@comcast.net

    Brenda
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    I have $185k.... but I've got nowhere to roam.

    -Dave
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    And boy does it ever! Did you see the size of those sneakers!?!?

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Karen, sounds like an Edmund's "Uber-Off-Road Test" is in order here.

    Bob (raising his hand to drive)
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    The coupons are now coming attached to the monthly bill. No longer as a separate mailing.

    I almost overlooked mine and nearly tossed it :surprise:

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That lawn mower looks pretty scary, with the hydrogen tanks exposed like that.

    Alan: caught that too. They have a white background so pay attention folks!

    -juice
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Quick! Remove your name before your post is deleted (not allowed on Edmunds). ;)

    -Dennis
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    Dennis-

    I have the Streetpilot 2610 for about 2 years now. I just received the updated maps (which I have to load). The unit has defintely come in handy. One thing that was a little weird. Last week while in vacation, I was driving along A1A near Boca Raton. The map showed I was on the road, but showed no side streets for about a 1 mile stretch. Hopefully the updates will have it.

    A really good site for getting GPS info is : http://gpsinformation.net/

    They also have links to online stores that have very good prices.

    BTW -only saw one Subaru dealer where I was staying. He had more Chrysler/Jeeps that Subies. I only saw a blue STI, and a black WRX form the street.

    Mark
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    And Subaru only offers it on its most expensive models. :(

    image

    Subaru better get with the program here, and spread this feature around to less expensive models!

    Bob
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    maybe I'll sit tight for a bit. :P
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
    did it have anything to do with vw changing back from premium pricing to regular? :P
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Not that anyone was interested but I saw some parallels between it and the cars we typically discuss here. Cliffs Notes:

    143 cu. in (2.34 L), square (3.25"x3.25" bore/stroke); a 157 cu. in.(2.7L) version was built, but scrapped

    Block and crankcase integral

    No main bearing caps

    Timing gear, not chain or belt

    No separate oil pump initially, later added; problems with oil cooling led to cooling coils installed in oil pan

    Test results and blueprints have not survived, but written reports estimated 85hp using SAE methods of the time (1960). The engine still runs and again, is on display in South Bend.

    The car in which the flat four was to have been used was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan of 100" wheelbase. Transmissions were 3-speed manual + overdrive with Hill Holder clutch or Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic. A running prototype was built but also scrapped. Photos are in the magazine but I haven't seen them online yet.

    Ed
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sounds cool, if you e-mail me scanned pix I can put them up for you, as long as you have permission to use them.

    NAV, MP3, iPod aux input, ... let's face it, Subaru is in the stone ages when it comes to car audio. I mentioned this to my dealer buddy and he said most Subaru buyers don't care! A lot of them listen to AM or talk radio and don't ask for the high-end stuff.

    But if they want to draw younger buyers and performance buyers, they do have to get with the program.

    That Si looks sharp, but it's not the first. Mazda3 offers NAV, so does the Mazda5 by the way. You can get them for $22k or so with NAV, not $30k+ like Subaru.

    Problem is Subaru will lose cutting-edge trend setters if they don't offer these options.

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think Mazda does well here. I believe they went to CD players way, way back in 1997 or something. They were the first car maker to have CDs on every model as far as I recall.

    Acura probably leads the industry in NAV availability. No doubt they'll have some loyal customers for that reason alone.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Not that I recall. It just focused on the fact that there's a huge nationwide trend of car owners switching to regular, even though premium may be recommended.

    Bob
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I'm surprised you have to register. I'm not registered and it works fine for me.

    It's a front page story in today's Baltimore Sun newspaper, if you want to Google it. Here's the headline:

    business
    The Cost of Energy
    With gas prices going up, drivers downgrading fuel
    Owners: Many are buying lower octane no matter what the car makers recommend.


    Bob
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Yep you have to register. It's a one time registration that's free. No doubt they're hoping to track reader demographics (my local paper has the same thing). Bob you probably registered so long ago you don't remember... but the site remembers your computer :P (warning, cookies at work!).

    -Frank
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Rumors are that a V6 may be available too. I can't wait for the all-new '08 Forester!

    image

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Almost looks like a little brother to the Tribeca (or Murano). Looks like they kept it small, guess the Highlander lets them do that.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    the '08 Forester gets the 3.0 H-6, at least on the LL Bean trim level.

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I dunno, the auto XT now gets 21/26mpg and it's quicker than the H6 would be. Unless the H6 is cheaper to produce I don't see why they should.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Oh I do think the 3.0 will make it into the Forester LL Bean, especially now that the Rav4 will offer a V6. I also expect the XT2.5 to remain. Think Outback LL bean & Outback XT2.5 kind of releationship.

    I also expect that the Outback (and Tribeca) will get a larger H-6, to maintain their superior trim level status.

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I missed that, the RAV4 is getting a V6? Wow, that's a lot for such a small vehicle.

    Will they call it the RAV6?

    Note: originally it stood for Recreational Active Vehicle 4WD, but they used the name even for the 2WD models.

    -juice
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    I should hope a new Forester has more behind the C-pillar than that RAV4, otherwise it's pointless vis-a-vis the Impreza hatch/wagon.

    Ed
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Let's see what they do with it.

    One biggie is the CAFE rules - mileage goals vary according to wheelbase and track width. This would put a massive penalty on the current Forester, with its very short wheelbase, in fact it would be forced into the highest class for fuel efficiency targets.

    That alone may push them to go bigger. Plus rear leg room is still probably the #1 complaint.

    So I'd guess it'll grow at least 2-4" in wheelbase.

    -juice
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