Subaru Crew Cafe

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  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    I love that red. Finally Subaru has put a nice red back into the Legacy line!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    Well, my wife taught ME to drive stick in an Isuzu I-Mark diesel!
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    Little did she know how much that would cost..

    ..Mike

  • colin_lcolin_l Member Posts: 591
    I Mark?? Was that the funny hatchback 'styled by Lotus'? :D
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 267,604
    That was the Impulse..

    Not styled by Lotus... Handling by Lotus.. Lotus tweaked the suspension..

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  • colin_lcolin_l Member Posts: 591
    Aha. The I Mark was a regular sedan/coupe, then, and this explains why the Impulse was ugly. :D
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No wonder you married her. ;)

    My best buddy in High School drove a Chevy Spectrum, which was a clone of the gasoline I-Mark. Not a bad little econobox.

    His friend had an Impulse and de-badged it, keeping only the Lotus badges. It was funny how proud he was of that little car. It had ZERO torque, I think something like 99 lb-ft, but it did rev high enough to be fun.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    this one was a 1982. Like this, but white:
    http://img4.abload.de/img/imagen183lwy.jpg

    anyhoo, I think her Dad sold it to his secretary in 1993 with 150k or so on it. After driving it for a few years it went to her son, then back to her. I think the rest of the car finally fell apart around the drive train at the 225k mark.

    Kirsten learned stick on a 1975 International Harvester 1 Ton grain truck with straight cut gears, so I had a teacher with lots of experience. And stoic Scandinavian farm stock patience. :P
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Weren't those a clone of the Chevy Chevette?

    If so both of my brothers owned coupes. 1.6l running on alcohol, too.
  • lilbluewgn02lilbluewgn02 Member Posts: 1,089
    Hey Mike, good to hear from you again...how's the family? Are you coming down here anytime soon?
    Serge
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    Hey Serge,

    Family is doing fine, older son is a baseball machine and the younger likes Boy Scouts and backpacking. I became a Scoutmaster last year and I'm having a great time watching the boys develop into leaders. Didn't make it to conference in Miami this year due to the economy, not sure about next year.

    ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    A little off topic but GM is getting very serious about getting folks interested in their new products. They hosted a 2-day event for which 70 people were picked from blog posters (including me), publicity writers, and other customers who had by comments or other means made themselves known to GM. We were flown to Michigan, given the VIP treatment with food and 1-night lodging, shown the GM prototype salons and pre-production plant (where we saw Volt's being pilot-assembled), and finally allowed to drive a number of experimental and just-released GM products. The GM staff attending took many notes and comments from us.

    Has Subaru ever done anything like this? :confuse:
  • colin_lcolin_l Member Posts: 591
    Yep, on a much smaller scale. Bob and Juice have attended, along with the founders of some of the big Subaru enthusiast sites.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    There have been several reports recently that Subaru dealer inventories were getting low, thanks mainly to the government C4C deal. I was by my dealer yesterday, and yeah, they had a lot less new cars on the lot. They were really down on Foresters, as there were only a few there; maybe 4 or 5? A few weeks ago there were maybe a couple of dozen.

    Bob
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    I've noticed that as well, but hopefully it does not matter to me. Autos are still somewhat plentiful, but manuals are tough to find.

    I managed to get our Caravan up and running yesterday; it is back to being smooth as butter! For some reason, when I tried connecting my OBD-II reader to it while diagnosing the problem (turned out to be a bad fuel pump), the reader would not link to the van. It just said, "ERROR." I need to check it again now that everything else is working properly. If the link is still bad, I will do a little more research into possible causes. We may still end up getting rid of it if we cannot use the on-board diagnostics system, as that could be a disaster later on as more problems inevitably arise. If I can fix it, though, I will.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, and I hope they'll do it again once the economy picks up.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    Hahahaha - figured this one out.... bad fuse! Figures. :blush:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • colin_lcolin_l Member Posts: 591
    I blew a fuse today... stranded me on the side of the highway, in pouring rain. It's the first time I've ever had any problems with this car.

    20A fuse. My guess: rear oxygen sensor shorted to ground.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Wow, it actually sort of works, style-wise.

    Needs a longer wheelbase and a longer bed, too.

    Makes you think if the new platform would be ideal. With a 4" longer wheelbase they could stretch the bed by 10" or so.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    Yeah, darn well could be. If the water was coming down that hard it may have just been a fluke of conditions....

    I think mine shorted while I was doing testing on the electrical system for the fuel pump. I probably just shorted something..... :mad:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's funny. I bet she didn't want that to get out, though, now she won't be incognito.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    IGOTCHA on the license plates, hysterical.

    Go Brenda! :shades:
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    That's funny. I bet she didn't want that to get out, though, now she won't be incognito.

    Oh I'm sure the people she's chasing already knew exactly what she drives. Heck, I'm sure she often walks right up to them.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, and after watching the video that was pretty clear.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    still on the 09 Outback. Given the # of 2010s on the road already, I think it's time for SoA to throw in the towel and get the thing current.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    I agree; it is annoyingly late in the year to still have the 2009 model listed there.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    This model just went on sale at the beginning of August and I ordered it online. It came just the other day. This is my first NAVI unit, so I'm still learning it, therefore it's a bit hard for me to comment on it just yet. Most places are selling it for ~ $500.00, but I paid $429.00 + shipping.

    The big advantage over other Nuvis is it has a large 5" screen (most NAVI screens are 4.3" or 3.5"), which is what sold me on it. Other features are Bluetooth and traffic. It also has a "trip log" which puts out a visual trail of the route you just took (sort of like breadcrumbs in the off-road mode), which allows you to retrace your route back to your starting point. Kinda neat.

    [url]https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=36082&ra=true[/url]

    Bob
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    and it's still nice!

    It is, however, a little too much car...er, suv, for us I think. It really drove home the point that we just don't need the ground clearance and the body roll that goes with it. We'd much prefer a Legacy wagon. I think for the time being we'll continue to maintain our '99....it just works better for us.
  • saedavesaedave Member Posts: 694
    We'd much prefer a Legacy wagon.

    Since the ground clearance probably lets the Outback be classified as a truck for Corporate Average Fuel Economy rules, its lower mpg does not generate a penalty to Subaru by the government. A wagon with the same mpg = penalty.

    If you like the 99's interior passenger room, you can essentially duplicate it with the current Impreza wagon. The cargo area is a bit shorter. The Forester has much more room than your 99.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    yea but with Forester, there's that pesky body roll again. I think it will be Honda Fit for Kirst, and an Impreza 5 door for me down the road. gotta get SOMETHING to bolt my SSR Comps to, right! :P
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Edmunds has a long-term Fit Sport. Here's a link with all of their postings (77 to date!).

    http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/Vehicles/2009-honda-fit-sport/

    Bob
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I missed this buzz about Fiesta. Guess I'd better try and wait for that before pulling the trigger on the Fit. May not be in time though, depending on when they take the Camry away.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sure it rolls, but the consensus is that is handles a bit better than the Outback, while the Outback has a smoother ride.

    Still, you'd be happier with an Impreza.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    yes, let me remind the court I did have a 2004 FXT, which was a hoot, but I found myself missing the handling of my prepped Legacy GT more than I dug the new-found power. And that iteration of Forester was not as soft as the new one. So yea, I'm self-realized on this one,. it's going to have to be Impreza. 2.5i 5-door, manual, 16" rims for winter, and run my Comp SSR 16s from the FXT in summer. aaaah, daydreaming. :)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You will from here forward refer to me as Your Honor...

    :D

    Just kidding. My brother's the judge. And I still don't show him any respect. ;)

    Yeah, I think if the Forester hadn't replaced a sportier vehicle, you may have been happier with it.

    It varies by year but they usually have a Premium package that's a bargain for that model line up, hopefully it stays until you get one.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    ...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLPp-NFInXw

    Do you really want to call your product Ugly??
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    BWAAAAAH HA AH AH AH AH A. sooBAru. wow those are funny
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The bear even relieved itself on the passenger seat, I'm sure that's because it's lower than the driver's seat! LOL :D
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Cheap and ugly! :lemon:

    The honest approach may have worked, getting people to laugh about it.

    Even BMW had the Isetta...
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    And plenty of people bought Yugos too...

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    Cheap and ugly!

    But today they are only ugly (well not every Subaru)!!

    :D

    The Isetta was a a panic move - they built them under license to have something to keep them in business in the 50's because the first two BMW's intoduced after WWII were horrid.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I always joked that Subarus are supposed to be ugly (and purposeful). Function over form.

    The new Forester is actually attractive, and that's strange to me. :D
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 17,728
    Sure is; then again, the 96-99 and 05-09 Outbacks were very pleasing to the eye as well.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Absolutely, and there have always been attractive cars in the lineup.

    It's just that Subaru has also always had, um, obscure cars? Quirky? Odd?

    I'm thinking about the XT, SVX, 06 Tribeca, for starters.

    Plus almost every car in the lineup has at least one unusual feature. The very first Legacy sedan had an odd shaped C-pillar, and that's just the start. The original Forester looked like it was 4" lower than it should have been. Remember the 02 WRX bug eyes? Heck all WRX headlights were unique, while we're at it.

    The 95-09 Legacy and Outback lineup were surprinsingly mainstream, which no such oddities.
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