Subaru Crew: Suggestions for Subaru

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Comments

  • ken_from_njken_from_nj Member Posts: 105
    i'm with ya rebecca - the cargo cover doesn't fit in that storage space because the spare tire because it is fullsize is in the way. personally i like the full size spare so i leave our cargo cover in it's natural place - we don't fold the seat often because baby seat is in the rear seat so by having the cargo cover sitting in it's nautral location and retracted - it is ok with us.
    ken
  • subewannabesubewannabe Member Posts: 403
    Toyota opted for run-flat tires and lost the spare tire in order to save weight and enable the split folding/dissappearing 3rd row seats in the 04 Sienna. Now folks are discovering its a very unusual tire in an unusual size and NOBODY has it in stock....some serious grumbling in the Sienna boards!

       I emailed SoA with my advertising idea for the new 7 passenger SUW, and they emailed me back and said they couldnt use customer marketing ideas for legal reasons. Hmmmm...I told them up front that I was a lawyer and they could use my idea without and claim, fee or credit of any kind. Maybe they just didnt want to hurt my feeings.
       I also gave them a laundry list of other helpful suggestions. Im expecting their call offering me the job of VP of new product development any time now...
    Mark
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Run-flats are also very heavy, unsprung weight is much higher than normal. Ride tends to be stiffer. Lots of trade-offs there.

    -juice
  • earthwomanearthwoman Member Posts: 47
    Yes, we Forseter owners have a full size spare and I am very happy about it. It is even the same tire as the stock Yokohamas. I would not have purchased my Forester if it didn't. Can you imagine out in the backroads with a flat and one of those donuts spares? or in winter weather?

    It is amazing how many people buy cars/vans/trucks because they like the way they look and don't do any research to see if the auto really fits their needs mechanically. The spare is often a purchasing afterthought.

    I happen to adore my Forester's looks and have exactly what I need in a car. I can call myself fortunate and a bit smart too. ;-)

    Rebecca
  • ken_from_njken_from_nj Member Posts: 105
    what the heck is a runflat tire?
    ken
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    it has modified construction that allows it to survive a few hundred miles (or so) at very low pressure. if you had a blowout, you'd still be SOL but if you had just a leak or a small hole the tire would be fine.

    basically, the carcass is very stiff.

    when you use a runflat you also have to have air pressure sensors in the hub or wheel, because they can't run forever on low pressure and you need to know. tire selection is very limited and in most cases very expensive. all in all, an impractical and ill-advised technology in its current state.. MHO.

    -Colin
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    That just brings us back to what has been said numberous times: put a full size spare in the OB/Legacy.

    Mark
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Another stupid idea IMO. Heavy. Expensive. Hard to find replacements. Limited use, as Colin said. Give me a 'real' spare tire any day of the week.

    Bob
  • ken_from_njken_from_nj Member Posts: 105
    tks for the explanation. agree - sounds like a stupid idea. i'm happy w/my full size spare on the 'ole xs forester. rgds,
    ken
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    The only place I see for them is on high-performance cars that have different size front and rear tires. Other than that, a bad idea...

    Bob
  • subaru_teamsubaru_team Member Posts: 1,676
    for Subaru working with me and he has been working hard at gathering all the information off here for us to present to product planning. So, it's not falling on deaf ears and thank you, Sean, for your help!

    Patti
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Sean, please please pleeeeaase make sure there is either a high-output H6 or a turbo 2.5L four with a manual transmission in the new Legacy.

    ;-)

    -Colin
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    In fact, if it isn't available in the next subie I intend on purchasing, I probably won't be buying one. As much of a subie fan as I am, there are other AWD choices out there now. Heck Hyundai offers the 5EAT+Shiftronic in it's cars!!!!

    -mike
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    You know my mantra: VTD + Sportshift in the Forester XT. It already looks as though the new Legacy will get 5EAT + Sportshift in some variant.

    Ed
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Now the Subaru Team truly is a 'team!' Welcome aboard Sean! :)

    Speaking of teams... Let's see if we can get this under-the-cargo-floor cargo shade storage & full-size spare tire on the Forester to work together (as a team!) on next year's model.

    As has been stated in the last few posts, you can either store the cargo shade under the floor (and lose the spare tire), or you can keep the spare tire (and not be able to store the cargo shade). You can have one or the other, but not both, so it seems. Sounds like a engineering/design revision is in order...

    Bob
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    And with that VTD as well. No need to make 10 different AT trannys. 5EAT + VTD + Shiftronic or BUST! :)

    Welcome aboard.

    -mike
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I would love to see all Subie automatics be 5EATs, with SportShift & VTD. That would greatly simplify production and inventory, and I would think, in the long run save money for both Subaru and the customer (assuming of course, that Subaru passes along those savings).

    Bob
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Hey I don't care if they pass along the savings, keep the extra profit for all I care! :)

    -mike
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Body design attractive and catches the eye NOT stones ;-)

    -Dave
  • gvmelbrtygvmelbrty Member Posts: 64
    I'll also vote for 5EATs with SportShift across the Subaru line ... and fixing the Forester rear shade storage issue too (of couse doing so while retaining the full-size spare).

    Other Forester suggestions:

    1. Optional in ALL 5spMT Foresters (including XT): low-range transmission! (Aussie's already have this, but only in X).
    2. Self-leveling rear suspension (Aussie's already have this too).
    3. The current Forester stereo would be just about right (and I wouldn't have to think about replacing it) if it had: a). an input jack for portable music players like the iPod b). the ability to play CDs w/ MP3's.

    -tom
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Agreed! We've been asking for the dual-range tranny and self-leveling rear suspension for some time now. Thanks for adding your reminder. Hopefully if enough people ask for these goodies, SOA will respond. :)

    I'd like to see the Baja and Outback get those features too. As to the dual-range, I'd love to see it hooked up to the new (and beefier) 6-speed tranny.

    Bob
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    I'm sure a lot of the product planning decisions have already been made for the 05 Legacy but here's my 2 cents worth.

    Please add the 2.5 turbo with 5 speed manual to the Legacy GT or Outback. Please offer it on a base model with cloth seats and no sunroof. A premium package as an option would be fine, but I want the base.

    My wife and I test drove the Forester XT and WRX back to back. We liked and disliked things on each car. The Forester has a great engine but the shifting was a bit sloppy and gear ratios could stand some improvement. The WRX handles great and I prefer sitting lower. (Our Outback seating is fine but the Forester felt too tall.) The WRX felt too slow in the lower end with turbo lag like our old Saab. Once it spooled up, it was great. Shifting and handling in the WRX was great. We also realized we really like the space of the Legacy.

    So, basically I want a combination of the two. 2.5 turbo power with revised gear ratios from the XT and handling and shifting like the WRX. I'm hoping the turbo won't only be offered in the high-end fully optioned models. Okay, that's my two-cents.

    -Eric
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    sweet, Eric wants the same thing I do... so that's two of us-- surely enough to justify a product line? ;-)

    -Colin
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    As silly as it sounds, Tom's suggestion for the CD player to be MP3 compatible makes a lot of sense, especially since we lost the cassette. A friend is getting ready to buy the 03OBW and was disappointed it does not play MP3's.

    Mark

    PS: Add another vote for 2.5 Turbo Outback/Legacy.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Keep it simple:

    * VTD on all models, period
    * 5 speed trannies only, clutch or SportShift
    * make leather and moonroof a la carte options
    * do not package performance engines with pricey options, i.e. offer value priced performance

    My dream fleet is a real possibility:

    * Forester XT Premium 5 speed manual, cloth, 2.5T
    * Big SUW, 5 speed Shiftronic auto, cloth, H6

    The only question would be which I'd buy first.

    -juice
  • mikef11mikef11 Member Posts: 74
    MP3 player is a good idea. A direct input so that I could plug in an iPod, Nomad, etc would be great.

    The biggest annoyance is the two most clockwise vent controls - windshield and windshield/floor settings (which is my prefered setting for fall/winter/spring). They have two bad attributes:

    1. You cannot turn the system to recirc when the vents are set to this position, and
    2. The a/c comes on automatically and cannot be shut off.

      I sometimes want to switch to recirc briefly if I get stuck behind a car burning oil, or am near a pulp plant or some other odiferous source. :-(

      The a/c we have discussed before and while I can accept it turning on, I want to at least have the option to turn it off. As it now stands I can't have air up near the windshield and through the car unless it is conditioned from the outside. This is bad for performance and mileage.

      Another option would be to be able to simply disable these features, either by the owner or the dealer.

    MikeF
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I beg to differ on the milage POV of the AC. I agree on the option to turn it off after it automatically comes on. I do that often on my Trooper as it comes on automatically but can be turned off.

    -mike
  • mikef11mikef11 Member Posts: 74
    Mike,

      Using a/c doesn't bring down mileage? I always was under the impression that it did.

    MikeF
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    But driving style outweighs it considerably. For instance I can drive the same trip at nearly the same speed aproximately 250miles and my milage is not off more than 1mpg w/AC basically if i normally calculate 28mpg with the AC on, with the AC off I calc 28mpg as well it might be 28.1 v. 28.8 but IMHO it's not that great a difference. On the other hand, if I drive like at say 80mph v. 65mph my milage varies by >1mpg.

    AC units these days are pretty efficient.

    -mike
  • mikef11mikef11 Member Posts: 74
  • subaru_teamsubaru_team Member Posts: 1,676
    When listing your suggestion, can you please indicate the model that you would prefer to have the suggestion added to? If you mean across the board, say that? He's trying to make it easier for our friends in Product Planning to summarize your comments.

    Thanks!

    Patti
  • mikef11mikef11 Member Posts: 74
    I am writing from my experience with an 03 Outback, but I would like to see my suggestions applied across the board (Forester XT looks like a very tempting replacement for my 94 Accord).

    MikeF
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    MP3 capability would be cool, on all models. Mazda is well ahead of the industry in that regard. Maybe the sporty models first.

    My suggestions were across the board, what I want is the higher-performance engines without having to pay for things I don't want, like leather or climate control.

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Should be like the STi, 100% up to the user. Why should I have to pay maybe $50 extra for a car with an MP3 player that I don't want? Give me a nice blank slot and I'll go to circuit city or the internet and get my own stereo and speakers, just pre-wire it for me!

    Same idea as people who want "great all-season tires" give me the crappies RE92s you can give me and I'll replace them with ones of MY choosing.

    -mike
  • subewannabesubewannabe Member Posts: 403
    A/C compressor draws the same amount of torque from your engine regardless of your RPM, MPH, grade or temp setting. Thus, the impact on milage and performance is most apparent at low speeds, steep grades, attempted passing, when you really notice the drain on available torque.
    once you get up to cruising speeds, you dont use but small fraction of the torque you use on accelerating , so the AC impact is minimal. For better performance on grades and passing, I turn off AC button before I hit the gas. Wind buffetting and resistance from open windows is obviously increased at higher speeds, so you are almost always going to get better highway gas milage with the AC on and windows up rather than driving with the windows open.
        AC /defogger interlock is pretty common these days..hitting your inside windshield with a stream of moist air can produce an instant visibility crisis. even recirculated air tends to have high moisture content. When you turn on the windshield defrost in cold weather, the air coming from those vents has been dried in your ac system .
    Mark
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    Starting with 7/18/01 Legacy / Outback production, the recirculation button is electronically disabled when the selector switch is in any part of the defroster mode.

    My '96 OBW did not allow recirculate in defrost mode but my Mom's early '02 OBW (6/01 production) does. Apparently they made a change to allow recirculate w/ defrost sometime after '96.

    DaveM
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    I like to see Subaru come up with:

    Cargo Cover/Shade that doubles as a Rear Strut Brace for the Wagons.

    Door Panels with easy access to swap speakers i.e removable grilles. One shouldn't have to remove everything but the door.

    Options/Standard Equip. on latest model made available as Accessories for earlier models i.e. Heated Seats, Heated Mirrors mainly... and, wishful thinking, upgrade from a 4EAT to 5EAT :D

    -Dave

    edit: Oh, across the board where applicable :)
  • ken_from_njken_from_nj Member Posts: 105
    speaking of audio improvements, the problem with leaving a blank pre-wired hole in the dash is that probably 99.5% of people just want a basic unit from the factory and don't want to mess with aftermarket. i will make a suggestion on the stereo currently in the 03 xs forester - the seek/cd track advance thing - having a knob you twist left/right to go up/down is egonomically not sound. edmunds report of this in the long-term report for july on the forester is right on target. the seek/advance function should be performed by a a button mechanism, not a twisting knob. also - when seeking for a radio station - it stinks, it just seems to advance to the next number, i.e. 105.5, 105.7, 105.9 - no true 'seek' to the next powerful station. granted i live in a heavily populated area and there are a lot of radio stations but this over sensitivity in seeking the next signal is ridiculous. ok - i'll get off my soapbox. tks, ;)
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    The vehicles can come with factory radio/cds standard, but give that percentage who prefer not having them the option of not having them at a reduced price :)

    -Dave
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I wish Subaru (across the board) incorporated a retractable mesh cargo guard, like that found on Volvos and some other brands. The cargo guard hooks into the headliner when in use, and retracts when not wanted into the cargo shade unit.

    Bob
  • joybelljoybell Member Posts: 275
    OK, so I bought one, but I still think it's ugly, harder to keep clean looking, and harbors rust.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    How do you know it harbors rust? Have you ever seen even one Forester with rust on it?

    There was one that sold on E-bay with 270K plus miles on it that was rust-free. 3rd tranny, even the seats had worn through, but there was no rust.

    Grand Cherokees have used the cladding for a long time, and those don't rust. Believe me, Chrysler would figure out a way if it were possible! LOL

    But seriously, I feel basically the opposite. The cladding is very, very easy to keep clean, it's like teflon.

    It does not scratch or chip nearly as easily as the paint, which earns far more criticism for being supposedly too thin.

    I dunno, it's lower maintenance, easy to wash, you don't have to wax it, the panels behind it don't chip or dent so it actually prevents rust...

    I wish (jokingly, Sean, don't write this down) that the entire body was covered in cladding! ;-)

    But I'm curious, what makes you feel that way about my beloved cladding?

    -juice
  • joybelljoybell Member Posts: 275
    ...from previous experience with Subaru (1987) does harbor rust. Of course you can't see the rust...the cladding hides it! I thought my 1987 looked pretty good until the wheel well cladding fell off and exposed "rust rot" that had been hidden under it. As far as keeping it clean I often hose my car down because we have a very muddy farm lane in wet weather but the clay won't come off the cladding without detergent and a brush(because it is porous?). The painted surface is not a problem to hose down. I sure don't want to or even have the time to wash it every day!
    As for it being ugly, I guess that's a matter of personal preferance.
  • gvmelbrtygvmelbrty Member Posts: 64
    Mike,

    I understand your concerns about making the factory stereo too elaborate and therefore more expensive. Perhaps Subaru could offer a 'radio delete' option, or two tiers of stereos, one optional and one standard?

    I agree with you, I'd love to go out and buy a cool unit with dolphins swimming on the screen ;) that also has all the features I'm requesting from Subaru. But my main concern is discouraging theft. "My stereo was jacked" threads are on every auto forum I frequent. I too once had a nice Alpine ripped from my '68 Mustang several years back, and I'd rather not go through that again. It was such an unpleasant experience that the stereo in my current vehicle is installed in the glovebox.

    So, I've decided to stick with the stock HU.

    Plus, I like the Subie's combination of six CD changer and weather band. I'm not aware of another HU that has those together.

    Still, I'm willing to compromise: just give me a line-in jack (that can't be too expensive to add) so I can hook up an iPod and then the MP3 capability is not nearly as important.

    -tom
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I hate the cladding too.

    It's definitely one of the reason I'm waiting for the next Legacy versus buying a Forester XT.

    -Colin
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    I also hate the cladding,and BTW juice, you might just be surprised at the amount of crud that is behind that cladding were you to take it off.

      Cheers Pat.
  • joybelljoybell Member Posts: 275
    ...is it possible to take it off permanently? What's underneath? Or, could it be taken off for cleaning underneath once a year? I remember hearing (on this board?) that there is steel underneath, unpainted. If that's the case then humidity (condensation) would be trapped with the dirt and start the rust. That would explain the "hidden rust rot" under the wheel well cladding of my older Subaru before any other part of the body showed rust.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    is what is underneath.

    Bob
  • joybelljoybell Member Posts: 275
    Dou you have a picture (just curious). Well, when they rust I assume that they can be replaced? Hopefully before my Forester is 10 years old and I lose the bottom half of the body on the highway when the brackets rust through :-0.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    No I haven't a picture, but I'm sure you've seen cars that were missing trim bits. What you have showing are the brackets that hold those missing parts on. You can assume a Forester without cladding has similar clips and brackets. Hardly something I want to look at...

    Bob
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