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Comments
Some like the Highlander Hybrid keep the CD player hidden behind the nav screen which tilts away. That's nice.
To me that was a deal killer.
Later AVIC models were better, but I still didn't like the interface.
Just read one of Bob's old e-mails and the 2010 Forester with Nav actually has Bluetooth integrated.
I'd still like to see a bigger screen (it's 6.5", isn't it?) and especially a backup cam.
I think CD's are headed the way of 8 track tape!
As long as a stereo has an iPod or aux input, it's all I need.
I think the newer AVIC models are much better than the old ones.
If you need a bigger screen just have an aftermarket 20" installed!
tom
I had an 8-track in the 77 Mustang Ghia back in high school. Decent selection of tunes took up the whole back seat!
Edit: the upside was that they were dirt cheap in the bargain bins.
http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/5231876/13809646
The USB input can even charger your iPod, or you can just plug in a plain old $5 flash drive and put music on there.
With that, the CD drive becomes obsolete.
2010 Outbacks - higher end models only of course - will get that.
I read an interesting interview with product planners for a couple of major motor manufacturers.
We are just seeing the switch on of digital radio in Australia, covering the major population centres. The radios out now are pretty straightforward but will have ability to store and playback and will get fancier over time. They can display album covers, frame ads and similar. There is also an increasing demand for remote audio inputs and USB connections, so drivers can select their own music.
The product planners talked of a shift as definite as the demise of tape players or cartridges (never big in Australia). They forecast that 6 stack CD players will disappear very rapidly and in a year or so, there will not even be a single CD player in cars. Reliance will, instead, be on flash memory, USB or similar.
That is quite a shift. A couple of years ago, I queried a retailer as to how to play MP3s assuming that there was connection for mass storage device. He was as mystified as me, assuring me that they would only ever play off burnt CD's and there was no way to connect through USB on any players. Given that USB at 64GB is now easily available and lower capacity devices are cheaper than a pre recorded CD, we must have moved along a bit!
I am old enough to recall 78 records still being around. LP records played at 33rpm seemed pretty nifty At that time, owning a car radio seemed incredibly exotic. . I wonder where we go next?
Cheers
Graham
In my house -
an antique player piano
a Victrola which plays those 78's just fine thanks
(the kids used to play with these 2 things when they were young and the power would go out in the house!)
still have a turntable from the old "Realistic" components bought at Radio Shack in the 70's (difficult but not impossible to get a new stylus for)
numerous CD/cassette players
but you guys know I'm not a Luddite
we also have various MP3 players (I hate to think of how many my husband has bought on Ebay, but he DOES give them away and I think every one of our 5 kids plus all the grandchildren have had at least one!)
I have an iPhone, he has an iTouch (and a Zune, and .....)
and then there are all the computers!
We were counting up the other night ... there are 3 desktops, 3 laptops, 2 netbooks, and, of course, the iPhone and iTouch have online capabilities also!
Do you think we're "connected" enough?
Particularly since neither of us has any job connection in any way to any sort of tech business !!!
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Ford has Sync and Chrysler has that MyGig by Infinity, and even the upcoming 2010 Legacy lacks the ability to accept voice commands and store Gigabytes of music internally, years later. And this is their state-of-art, top-of-the-line system.
Bob and I went to check out a Cube after lunch yesterday but the dealer was closed so we were only able to inspect the outside. Got a pic of one here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=coachjuiceman&target=ALBUM&id=534495- 4374152051985&authkey=Gv1sRgCL-H0YqW2NHCYw&authkey=Gv1sRgCL-H0YqW2NHCYw&invite=C- LKfrpsP&feat=email
Very space efficient design, lots of cool styling cues. Prices ranged wildly from $16k to $24k with the $2000 ADM they had on some stickers, crazy.
The rims on the high end models look great, it'll definitely be the type of car that sees a lot of customization.
Nit picks: drum brakes on the rear axle, plus the driver's side D-pillar has this ugly matte black plastic peice covering what probably ought to be a window.
Didn't get to drive it.
Gen Z may luv cube though.
Interior shag rug for dash is wierd, but I can see practicality.
Sat in one - comfort was so so.
But the Deux Cheveaux had its [non-permissible content removed] up in the air like no car ever before. At the time I thought it was like a snail part way out of its shell. I haven't driven one for more than fifty years, but that was a memory of things French that I'll never forget. The name which means two horses is appropriate. It had a very soft ride and the ability to go over large curbs and bumps with aplomb
I had entirely forgotten about the pleasures of the 2CV. The gear change looked like an umbrella handle poking out of the dashboard. You wiggled it vaguely and hoped to find a gear. The tiny engine revved freely and it was real fun. Suspension incredibly compliant over rough ground and the roof folded back to make the car wide open. I seem to remember that you could take the seats out somehow so as to have seating for a picnic. They kept making them until 1991.
Car magazine in the UK turbocharged one and it was apparently very fast until it self ignited, terminating the experiment.
Cheers
Graham
The 2CV was arguably better post-war European engineering than Beetle. But it was the look of the Beetle that won hearts, so.....the rest is history.
The 2CV is actually easier to repair in the field, and has a suspension designed to handle comfortably what would have been bombed out country roads ripped to shreds by half tracks, Panzers, and who-knows-what. Then there is the sardine can roof and the ability to remove the rear seats. Picnics? Perhaps. Hauling the goat to the vet? More likely.
A friend of mine is angling to have a pretty clean '74 Truckette brought over. He already had a 2Cv and and Ami 8. The guy helping him has a Pallas and a DS, both from the 60's
Bob
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1786584
His comments almost mirror mine—and he has driven a Camry, and others too, and has made references to those cars.
Bob
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=27140354#post27140354
Bob
Bob
We have a ton of Subarus up here in Portland OR and I suspect our local area could easily make a huge parade of Subarus.
6/22 JD Power 90 day new car problem survey for 2009...... Overall, the industry average for initial quality is 108 problems per 100 (new) vehicles (PP100) in 2009, down from 118 PP100 in 2008...
Subaru is #28 on the 2009 list with app 130 PP100 cars sold. At the bottom is Hummer, Jeep, Saab, Smart, Land Rover, and Mini.
So Subaru is now well below Industry average? What happened?
And will this get worse when the new '10 Legacy and Outback hit the streets?
Doesn't matter - what matters is long-term reliability. IMHO their 5 year Durability study is far more important, and Subaru does better in that study.
Think about it - this is just 90 days, and you're not only under warranty, but even within the adjustment period, so you'll get even new windshield wipers replaced for free if they're streaking too much.
Point is - who cares? Those problems won't cost you anything.
We're discussing this at length in the thread called "Is there room for Hyundai in the Luxury Segment" (something like that).
Jesse Snyder from Automotive News wrote:
The difference between fifth place (Honda) and 24th place (Saturn) is one-fifth of a flaw per vehicle
Then joked:
Gee, guess I'll use that as my No. 26 tie-breaker in my decision [of which car to buy].
With AWD on every car, there is an extra drive shafts, two extra half shafts, an extra rear diff, plus most of them have extra features like heated seats, mirrors, wiper de-icers, etc. The H-4 engines have twice the number of camshafts, valve covers, and head gaskets. More potential defects, basically.
I think the IQS issues are more likely little things like rattles or paint chips, though. Long-term Subaru beats the industry average by quite a bit.
Why the heck they are not doing this in the NW puzzles me...
On other hand, is anyone from the NW USA considering going to this?
There are a couple people I could visit on the trip, but it would add 6000 miles to my 'Bu.
Car was still wrapped in plastic and tape from shipping so will have to wait until dealer puts it on display to see what interior is really like.
My Miata is the opposite, and I think revs would be near double that Outback CVT.
16.9 gallons and 31mpg highway should mean excellent range.
BTW, juice has a new Miata now ('08 leftover model).
Bob
Thanks for the warm welcome.
I'm working on getting my CarSpace profile setup. Really short, short update:
- Son is now 2.5 -- Evan may not have even been born when I was posting last!
- Shared custody of kiddo and a second mortgage payment, I mean, totally fair child support
- Still have my '03 Evo, 77k miles. It's been paid off a while now and I dread ever having a car payment again.
- Still work for the largest US-based privately held company
- Still love cars
BTW, I've now got a '09 WRX 5-door Premium. My '06 WRX was totaled (I got rear-ended) last September in a nasty 5-car accident on the Capital Beltway.
Bob
I see Lucien, Juice, and a number of other folks all from 3-5+ years ago. I'm glad to be back, but I don't have a lot to say about Subaru these days. I'll probably be limiting myself to the Cafe and Problems & Solutions.
I do like some of the stuff that is new (to me) on Carspace. I'm going nuts over in the Answers area.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2008/11/the-wrx-is-dead-long-live-the-wrx.- html
Bob
But, for fun, let's say my Evo got squashed on the highway today. What would I buy to replace it? I really haven't thought about this much, or followed new cars closely.. but I'll take a stab at it. Money would matter a lot. I'd want to get the best bang for my buck, instead of justifying the best car I can afford. What I mean is that even if my total budget was $30k, if I could be happy with a $20k car, I'd buy it.
Not an EvoX. They grew fat and soft, losing the things I cared about. There are many performance sedans and I don’t feel the EvoX is one of the best ones.
I’m not sure how much I really care about performance any more. I’m definitely not buying a hybrid, but I might buy a diesel. I might buy a performance sedan or wagon/5-door hatch. No 2-3 doors for sure.
Does Juice still do the 'What's in your 100,000 garage' question once a year?
Serge
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/LongTerm/articleId=129981/pageId=173- - 842
They also still have another EVO (5-speed) in which they've modded somewhat.
Bob