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Comments
Bob
and not one word in the press yet?
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Bob
Cargo Space
Christmas tree fits fine inside, surprised the young lass who asked if I needed twine to tie it to the roof, and said no thanks since it is going inside. Then asked if I had a truck. Nope, just that Subaru over there. She gave it a look and said, "Whoa! A new GT!" My kind of woman!
Looks huge inside with the rear seats folded.
Full Passenger Load
Still could move decently, had one person say "Whoa, this has some power, and it is a Subaru?"
AWD
Ah, being to accelerate out of corners. What a joy. Never going back to FWD. One snowstorm so far, had a blast practicing lift throttle oversteer in a closed furniture store parking lot.
Visibility and Parking
Love the low cowl. Coming from a "cab forward" car, don't like the new high beltline look so many cars have nowadays. Edge of hood is near edge of car, good turning radius, and great rear visibility makes parallel parking in the city a snap.
Don't Like
Spongy brake pedal. No real center armrest. Taking public transportation to work so I don't get to drive it everyday.
This car can do so many things so well. Very pleased so far, hoping for many years of driving enjoyment from this one.
-B
I solved the center armrest problem with an armrest extension for $149 plus $40 installation at my dealer.
Bob
Long Island
LOL, I hope you have a good source of cheap hay!
My take. The OBXT is a lot faster in the 1K to 4K RPM range than my old WRX; lots of torque down low. I find myself keeping it in 5th on undulating hills that warranted a downshift with the WRX. In fact the engine characteristics are similar to my wife's GX470. I cannot fathom where the complaints about turbo lag are based-there is none to speak of.
Yes the mod bug is bugging me. I miss my WRX's Stromung dual-tip. The OBXT's suspension is a tad underdamped, and I am fantasizing about some Edelbrocks or Bilsteins. The car understeers- a lot, and I will put the Japanese-spec rear sway on, dial-in more negative camber, and swap-out the tires at some point.
I did have the seat modded, and now find the seat infinitely more comfortable for my body. Best part is that there is absolutely know way to tell that the seat has been altered. I did not tell my wife I had it done, and she has not figured it out yet:) It is so nice to be able to drive with your head not firmly into the head liner.
Kids love the sunroof. The interior is huge and swallows surfboards, baby joggers and the like.
Martin
Lots of people confuse the lack of power below boost RPMs with turbo lag. I agree that turbo lag is barely noticeable.
What did you do to your seats? I find the seat bottoms in my OBXT to be a bit too hard.
Sly
Then someone adjourns the meetinng and I feel happy.
Thank God we never hit anything, because you would not have survived.
Even our first new car...a '61 Chev Bel Air....the side mirror (on the driver's side) was an option, there were no seatbelts and the dash was solid metal. Amazing how we all made it through those crazy years.
I asked the shop that did the alterations to give me about a half-inch of head room while not corrupting the top of the seat at all, so that you could not tell the seat had been altered. I also told them that I did not want my wife to know, so be stealthy.
They took about three-fourths of an inch of foam off of the bottom of the seat and replaced it with a less dense foam. The theory being that my wife is lighter, so she will not compress the foam as much as I do. The result is that I have the half-inch I needed, and find that my lower back now fits the lumbar support. Before, it hit me below the kidneys.
Acker Leather Works in SF performed the surgery, and did an amazing job. Could not be happier.
Martin
Seat belts were not standard on my Pontiac until 1964...lap belts only...no padded dashboard. It had a 283 V8 which would move pretty quickly.
Make sure the dealer adjusts the tire pressure correctly -- they usually forget.
Have fun!!
Craig
Today the temperature is 26 (and feels like 13). I have no courage to wash it myself when it is so cold. So my question is the following:
Is it okay if I drive through the automatic car wash that the car wash places have (will the presence of dirt cause scratches on the car when I go through the automatic car wash)? OR do you suggest I offer to pay them extra and MUST ask them to wash it by hand (I do not know whether this option is even available but in case it is, I would appreciate your response). Please reply soon.
Thanks.
This is what I was referring to. I found this over on Triple Zoom, but I can't post the link, due to Edmunds restrictions.
BMW to show new 5 Series AWD models, 3.0-liter engines at Detroit show
BMW is coming to the Detroit show with an all-wheel-drive 5 Series model in tow. Making its world debut in Detroit, the U.S. market awd 5 Series will come in 525xi, 530xi and 530xi sport wagon versions. The vehicles will be equipped with BMW’s xDrive system, which is standard equipment on the company’s X3 and X5 utes.
BMW will also unveil a set of new inline-six engines for the U.S. market that the automaker says will make more power and achieve greater fuel economy – all while lowering engine weight.
The two new 3.0-liter engines feature BMW’s fully variable Valvetronic valve drive system, which replaces a conventional throttle setup. Among the other upgrades are a composite magnesium / aluminum crankcase, lightweight camshafts, electric water pump, a fully controlled oil pump, a single-belt drive and a magnesium head cover.
The 525i and 525xi will come with the 3.0-liter which produces 210 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0-liter for the 530i and 530xi models will produce 255 hp and 220 lb-ft of torque, according to BMW.
Also making North American debuts at Detroit will be the 5 Series sport wagon, the new M5 and BMW's H2R Hydrogen Record Car, which recently set nine world speed records.
This was posted yesterday over there.
Bob
At the show.. Hmmm.. I wonder how long before they go on sale here? I know that dealers are supposed to have E90 demos by May, and stock by June....
Also, wondering if the 5-series with new engines will be available as '06 models this summer, or not available till fall delivery...
Good info!
kyfdx
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Bob
I've been using car washes for many years with no ill effects on my many autos. I think the more modern ones have perfected the technology to the point where they don't do any harm. I believe that it's better to use them than to wait until spring thaws to hand wash. Of course if money was no object I'd get the VIP Super Wax treatment where they hand wash and wax the vehicle for $55 but I only do that every three months or so.
The tire pressure is a good barometer of pre-delivery inspection (PDI) completeness. It's an easy checklist item to forget and the car usually is delivered with higher than normal pressures for transport. If your tire pressures are exactly as noted on the door jamb, it's a good sign they nailed everything else.
I like to bring a second pair of eyes to a vehicle pick-up. You're going to be overjoyed to see your new car and it's good to get someone else helping to check stuff out.
Last piece of advice is to take your time and enjoy. Don't let the dealer rush you. It's not yours until you're satisfied and sign the paperwork. If something is amiss, have the dealer look at it right then. There is never a time where the dealer is going to be more willing to address your concerns than the time of sale.
Enjoy the experience and congrats!
Ken
First of all, kudos to you for staying on top of your car washes. Your paint will thank you a few years down the line.
As for automatic car washes, don't worry, they're not ALL that bad. If possible, choose a "touchless" wash where they don't use any scrubbing device. These car washes use only water pressure to clean your car.
The second best is to use ones that don't employ rotating bristles. Usually major car washes have at least this level of sophistication. Stay away from the small units at gas stations, often offered free with a fill-up.
Most automatic car washes do have a pre-rinse step where they should wash away all the built up grime. The scratches that can be caused by automatic washes is more from the use of hard bristles that come down on your paint.
So, hopefully, you'll find one place in Rochester that is either touchless or brushless. I used to go to school in Ithaca so I know how harsh those winters can be.
Once the weather warms up and you are able to wash yourself, plan on giving your car a good detailing. Also, planning ahead giving your car a solid coat of wax or sealant before the winter also will help make the dirt wash off easier in car washes.
Ken
When I was at the alignment shop, the techs immediately knew what it was. They service quite a few WRX/STis so they recognized the GT. A customer also waiting for his car commented on how Subaru really has improved the styling.
Last night, our company had a Holiday party. As I was leaving to go home, a few co-workers saw me getting into my Legacy. One of them had been shopping for a WRX wagon so he immediately took notice. It was fun showing them around the vehicle, aweing them with the moonroof and then watching them drool as I read off the specs. ;-)
Ken
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzah, Festivus and Chanakkuh everybody!
-B
I found a cut in the leather in my doorpanel, a misaligned body panel. and a small ding in the cloth under the visor. But mine was an early model- hopefully yours will be fine!
Congrats- enjoy the ride!
tom
"And now, the airing of grievances."
LOL!
Ken
Ken, as you said the car wash I went to had a pre-rinse step. Also, it was touchless and they had what is called an underbody rinse, that cleaned the wheel wells and the bottom of the car. I checked the wheel wells which were cleaned quite well.
They charged 11.90 for the wash. But it has a 5 day guarantee...basically I can get another free wash the following Wednsday. They way cars get dirty here, that will be useful.
Thanks for your inputs. I really appreciate it.
Craig
Ken
Can anyone help me with 'hard-wiring' an iPod into a factory audio unit of an 05 Outback Wagon. I didn't have any luck with doing this in my 02 Outback, and have used an FM transmitter for a couple of years....it's good, but not as good as the quality gained from a wired set-up.
Any input/suggestions would be appreciated....Thanks!
Ken
It does involve soldering, so not for the faint of heart.
Sly
The direct line in hack is not ready for primetime yet. I would still call it highly experimental.
Craig
Maybe they use Dawn!! The other problem is that many of these places uses heated water in the winter time, and that is also unfriendly to waxes.
When my wife took her TSX through the wash, it came out looking clean, but the Klasse smooth feel was gone AND her windows and mirrors are covered with water spots now. I had a fun time driving her car up to DC for a wedding today -- the sun hit the mirrors and back window this morning and the waterspots really lit up.
BTW, that car is seriously underpowered for DC traffic!
Craig
~c
Thanks!
DC Steve
Automatic.
Craig
CRaig
Craig
But without any interference, an FM transmitter isn't all that bad. It's better than having no ability to play back the uPod.
Ken
Which brings me to my next question... out of the 11 or so, which service manuals are actually useful to the consumer. I don't plan on doing much engine maintenance myself, but I do want info on changing out my brakes, removing body panels, ripping out the stock stereo, etc. I also had a hard time telling which engine service manual referred to my car, H4SO, H4SO-U5, or H4DOTC. Again, I have an '05 Outback XT Limited.
Thanks in advance for your input.
J
The seatbelt chime can be turned off by the user. Just turn the key to the ACC position and begin buckling and unbuckling the seat belt as soon as the chimes start. Remember to wait until the seatbelt icon stops blinking before unbuckling. Repeat twenty buckle/unbuckle repetitions and remove the key. The chimes should be disabled the next time you start the engine. The process seems to be finicky so you may need to repeat it several times before it takes hold.
I'm going to take a guess on the engine code and that the XT uses the H4DOTC for Dual Overhead Turbo Charged.
Ken