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Comments
Steve, Host
the rest of the accessories are OK. the mudflaps are not available until Sept the parts guy said. whats with that? car released and no mudflaps!
oh well stepping down (rant off)...
Now Mr. Surbaru pay attention to this! I want puddle lights dang it. I did not get them, or more to the point did not know that they were available till after purchase. No problem I thought, off to the dealer, and the big "Uh no, sorry, ummm, port installation, too bad, nothing we can do"
Come on Mr. Heavy Fuji Industries there has to be an answer!!!!
The first step would be getting access to the parts manual and service manuals for the Tribeca, and look at the wiring harness. This is a good place to start:
http://techinfo.subaru.com/html/index.jsp
Craig
In addition, as I understand it SOA is not installing them now. Some kind of supplier problem getting them I heard.
I had to refuse my B9 which was ordered with them and was delivered without them.
I found one at dealer that matched my pre-order - so I got lucky.
I am averaging almost 22 MPG with every road condition you can imagine: interstates, pitted-out dirt roads, stop-and-go, and 6-7% grades on lesser highways (both uphill and down). The last leg will be the fastest, and I expect the MPG to go up a bit. I'll have put 2600 miles on the car on just this trip (don't worry...I changed the oil before I left home). I have used premium gas exclusively. Oh, and the radar detector has kept me a little less poor :-)
Nav has worked pretty well. I have found typing in phone numbers is less taxing than entire addresses. You have to click on the second screen (continuation of the first destination screen, I think). It has definitely come in handy and given me peace-of-mind, although sometimes I ignored the directions and found shorter routes on my own. Mostly just common-sense stuff that a computer can't see or calculate. It's fun just to try to trick it, but usually it jsut recalculates and re-routes you. It is kind of silly that it will occasionally ask you to "make a left turn and then another left turn", or just a U-turn, when you are on the interstate....hmmm...
Gas prices have been pretty consistent...Arizona and Nevada have been the highest of all the states I have been in (including UT, ID, WY, MT). I just try not to look at the total when I'm done :-(
Driver's seat has been very comfortable for me on this whole trip, and I was worried as I have a bad back and hip. I have played with the lumbar, and I occasionally move the seat forward and back to rest my arms (telescoping wheel would be great here).
The speed shift and manual shift have been GREAT in the hills, and when passing slow-poke-80-year-olds-driving-RVs.
The DLO FM transmitter has worked quite well, dagnabbit...not much interference when you're in the boonies, but it worked all around Salt Lake City and Vegas, too. Sometimes I would have to tune it up or down a notch, but it worked. I still want to direct-connect it someday...
I'll add more later...for now. I need some sleep for the trip to the Land of the Dry Heat.
-Karen (almost) in AZ-
Wow, sounds like everyone is buying a blue 'beca with gray interior...copy cats! (Y'all have good taste :-) )
Thanks for all the new review links, etc. I'll update those this next week and post 'em for everyone.
Sorry if the seat belt thingy is still a mystery to some. I believe one poster is correct that you just initially turn the key to the on position, but don't start the engine. All I know is that I can consistently make it work. And I hope you can, too. Subaru, you are testing our patience on this one! Just remember, folks: keep that belt fastened regardless!!!!!
The champagne gold might look silvery in overcast skies, and a bit greenish under fluorescent or mercury lights (as in your garage, parking garage, parking lot at night, etc.). But don't fret...it's a gorgeous GOLD color (think light beer
Yes, the 'beca is tricky to back up, but I have managed to parallel park it twice more or less on the first try. Lucky? Probably... I am very consciences about it, though...I look around both sides, in all three mirrors, say a prayer, and then creep it into reverse. So far, so good, but yes, Subaru needs to add backup sensors or change the design of the back window.
Puddle lights are definitely a blessing in dark spots at night...you can see curbs, potholes, etc., but you can't read a book by them!
The air ducts under the fronts seats are for heater only, I think (standard on all models). Also, I believe the rear fan is for AC only, and the temp is controlled by the driver's settings (available on 7-pass only....absolutely worth every penny).
I have the crossbars..there are specific slots where they must be mounted. It's because of the access to the moonroof, I was told.
Typos? Long-winded? Incorrect info? Welcome to the world on internet forums (Or is it "fori"?) We share, we learn, but we rarley hitt the spel cheker.
Has anyone else received requests from Subaru to complete online surveys? I have already done two or three...kind of cool they want to know what and how we think, but I'd rather give them this kind of info instead of whether I shop at Starbucks, Target, etc.
Roof vents for AC are absolutely a good thing in the AZ heat. My parents have a Park Ave with the console vents, which do nothing but freeze your knees. Mom and grandma regularly ride in the back seat, and have nothing but praise for the 'beca's system. However, it IS 115 degrees now...let's see what they say in December when it's only 59...brrrrrr!
Subaru themes for future commercials: What about "Chariots of Fire"? "Fanfare for the Common Man"? "Wheels" (Josh Gracin)? "Carefree Highway" (Gordon Lightfoot)? "Central Avenue" (Boney James)? "Country Roads" (Chick Corea or John Denver...same thing)? "Feels So Good" or "Cannonball Run" (Chuck Mangione)? Or something more Tribeca/Manhattan-related. Ah, this is a topic for another thread!
Can I burn MP3 files from the ipod music files I have on my computer? Any help would be appreciated.
I think we all are aware of the FM transmiter but most here don't like them. I actually threw mine away I was so frustraed with having to change the station and even then it was terrible sound quality. There is NOTHING like a direct connect into the AUX port of the system.
Someone else said something worth noting... I have burned 6 MP3 disc with 14 albums each or 84 albums with about 1,000 songs... surely that is a good start! Now that said I still have my iPod hard wired using the RCA jack behind the 2nd row! Nothing like having all 5,500 songs available...
A good example would be the auto-dim mirror/compass. The wiring is already tucked up inside the overhead console. At the port, all they do is remove the standard mirror, attach the auto-dim unit, and plug it in. Similar for the under-seat subwoofer. As most of the regulars here will tell you, port installed accesories are usually easy to install and you can save some $$ by ordering the parts online (wholesale) and doing DIY install.
I think we previously heard from a valid source (someone from the factory) that puddle lights are in stock and being installed on a regular basis. If your dealer said otherwise, they were probably making it up.
Craig
Icon-Tv and my dealer claim that use of the AUX will be possible soon...but everyone's waiting for more info and time behind the dash. My Sat. radio and Ipod will have to wait a while, but I'm pressing hard for a direct connect fix. You can see the overhead system here...smaller footprint than the stock unit.
http://www.icon-tv.net/catalog/popup/prodImages.php?productId=62
And there ya have it!
Robert B
NY
Well, this is from my dealer and he says the unit will fit fine. Is the 5 passemger sunroof position somehow different than in the 7 passenger?
Robert B
NY
A few early comments:
• The NAV is voice activated, which is really nice, as you don't have to be looking at the screen to figure out where you're going. It tells you when and where to turn, and gives you plenty of warning time to do so. One thing I did notice is that when it says to "turn right in a 1/2 mile," it always seems a bit further than the distance the voice mentions. Juice and his wife Lana just loved the NAV, which I'm sure you'll hear him rave about. I liked it a lot too.
• Driving by myself the power seemed pretty good. It's not a powerhouse, but it is much more responsive than our '01 Forester, which is shy about 85 hp, but is also about 1000 pounds lighter.
• The dash glove box is rather small, and it was a hard figuring out how to get the owners manual packet in there, and closing it. A small thing for sure, but with the owners manual et al, there's very little room for much of anything else in there.
• I'm really looking forward to being with this vehicle, without any pressure of a salesman sitting next to you.
Bob
She must be. Because NAV is just heavenly and it's a female voice. ;-)
The NAV system is simply brilliant, just awesome. Found every address right away with just a street number and name, no city or state to enter. Seriously. I said this after the Detroit show and noone believed me. You guys actually convinced me that I was hallucinating. But I wasn't. You just enter the street number and name, period. She batted 1000, too.
And if we chose a different route it just recalculated the route in seconds. Add a sexy female voice and I give it an A+.
Averaged 20.4 mpg, about 16 in pure city driving and 24.9 on a road trip to the beach and back. Not bad given 5000 miles means it's not yet fully broken in, Subies don't usually peak until about 15k miles.
Here is an oddity - the on-board computer told me I averaged 20.4 mpg, but when I filled up the tank and calculated the mileage myself, I came up with 23.3 mpg. So in my case the computer actually seemed a bit pessimistic. Or maybe the fuel filler at the Amoco station was a bit off and didn't fill it up all the way?
I used Amoco Ultimate, $36. Ouch, just a little. I'm used to $22 with the Miata and about $30 with the Forester. It's fair, though, given how much bigger this thing is. And cheap skates like me could move to regular fuel and then it would be more than reasonable.
Plenty of room for the 4.3 of us, 2 kids and a dog if you're wondering what that last 0.3 is. Drove in torrential down pours on the way so the AWD and stability control were very welcomed.
Kids enjoyed DVDs both ways, Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo. Wireless headphones meant we could enjoy our own music...Aaaah! Each takes 2 AAA batteries, I had to change them because the previous person probably left them on.
Had the A/C on but still used the heated seats to soothe our backs. Heated mirrors cleared up the rain so we could see better. They stay totally clear, neat feature not just for snow/ice. Dual-zone is nice, wife had it at 71 while I like it a little cooler so 68 for me. Cycled the heated seats high and low as well.
Acceleration was good, did some passing on 2 lanes and never had white knuckles. Quick enough that I could pass whenever I wanted to, basically. The wife made me stop doing that.
Complaints? The arm rests are set too wide, i.e. too far from the seat. Maybe I'm just used to cramped quarters. Bit I'd prefer captain's chairs with built-in arm rests that moved with the seat. Or maybe a telescoping wheel so I could rest my elbows and still have my hands at 10 and 2 o'clock. Either/or.
My other qualm was city mileage was poor. I know, what do I expect? Again I'm used to a Miata (27mpg avg) and a Forester (25mpg avg), so any SUV would guzzle gas compared to those. $36 seemed like a lot until the Tahoe next to me went up to $44 and that was with regular fuel. OK, I'll stop whining.
Conclusion: this make a great family SUV for the suburbs and rural areas where it can stretch its legs and make a family of 5 comfortable doing so. My kids fit fine in the 3rd row so call it a 5+2 for short trips and car-pooling.
What it is not is a city car meant for one single person commuting alone, then it's just overkill. So this would end up being my wife's car, not mine, since I commute to DC every day.
So yes, I want one, this test did nothing to talk me out of it. For MY2007 I'd like to see arm rests in the seats or a telescoping steering wheel. And I'd like for the price to do down to apprimately Zero so I can afford one.
-juice
PS On a scale of 1 to 10 we give the NAV a 12
Bike fits in the cargo area fully assembled and upright.
3rd pic is beautiful, no? The Z8 is also nice. LOL!
-juice
Last shot has a water tank in the background, and a good view of the "shoulders" on the Tribeca. Quite fetching style IMO.
-juice
I generally sort the main library by Date Modified when I'm done to find the most recent changes, and then those should be the MP3 versions you want to burn to a CD.
Hope this helps.
-Karen in AZ-
Also, I believe you can change the voice to male, or mute it altogether in the Nav Setup menu.
But, yes, juice, God is a woman...
-Karen in AZ-
-juice
http://members.cox.net/kamartin/seatbelt.html
-km-
Juice- sounds like you really loved the Tribeca. Was the bike in with the 3rd row in use? Also, how did you carry all the luggage? Did everything fit in that little space in back of the 3rd row?
Mark
The bike fit with the 3rd row folded. The family that was supposed to come with us cancelled due to severe rains. We waited and went up on Saturday, so we only stayed for less than 24 hours. It was worth it - Sunday was a beautiful beach day!
We own the beach condo so we took very little luggage. I put the bike there just to show an example of what can fit. FWIW I've managed to get that same bike in the Forester as well. But I do not think it would fit in our Legacy (too tall).
Cargo area also has a little indent on the right side that was perfect for my wife's purse. It was the exact size.
We loved the center console, too. Even with 2 cups there's room for stuff. We had two cups, extra straws, a Blackberry, two DVD cases, chargers, change, my wallet, and a bunch of other stuff in all the storage spaces they give you up front.
It spoiled us, no doubt.
-juice
Can the NAV DVD system from the 7 passenger be installed into a 5 passenger?
Is the 5 passenger display a touch screen? Or would the screen need to be replaced as well?
Thanks....
But I buy the car to drive not to look at the nose. The way we park and exit the car, you rarely get a chance to look at the front end of the car.
What really matters is when you sit behind the wheel. That is a world of difference compared to, say, MDX and Pilot. How can you endure the dull and featureless looking of the interior of MDX or Pilot day in or day out and worry about something you rarely see?
What's the flag icon, and the small number icons? Destination end points and starting points? Geez... There's a dedicated owner/user manual just for the NAV!
I'm off to DC now, and will give it another try...
Bob (the idiot)
I try to test 1 but the dealer doesn't have it in stock :.... (
Strange directions - keep in mind there are many paths that get you to the right destination. If you prefer another route and take it, it recalculates the path from there automatically. So just keep driving if you know you are right, that's fine.
I'll use a line from Finding Nemo:
Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...
Some of the portable Garmin device do *not* do this, and for me that's a deal killer, because I know/take lots of short cuts.
Flag icon is for GO, i.e. Start. Hit that and it should calculate the route and then begin the voyage. If you haven't hit that you haven't really starting using it.
Small numbers? Well, there is Zoom in/out, I happened to like it at 1/16 mile or 1/8 mile because you saw all the street names. Not sure which other ones you are talking about?
FWIW I played with some units at Best Buy and a couple of them gave me a hard time, too.
-juice
-juice
http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000017049276/
Wonder if optional voices will be available for the Subie system.
Take another look at that Z8 picture above. Note the lights above the grille.
Check out a Cayenne, or most other Porsches for that matter. Same thing, the lights are above the grille.
Finally, look at the pictures of the Alfa SUV concepts I've shared.
Subaru went out on a limb, so not everyone will like it, but it's not "design by committee" boring, either. It's something that gets noticed, I got lots of stares. A pair of surfers in an XTerra did a double-take. That Z8 followed me around. A guy in a pool asked me about it when I took some pics from across the street.
It's a polarizing design that pushes the envelope a little. Sure it's extroverted, but you won't mistake it for a generic two-box-styled SUV that only makes people walking by yawn.
Read the first editorial in this week's Autoweek and you'll understand what I mean. In fact Bob has been saying this for a long time, he could have written that editorial:
http://autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102740
And his conclusion:
For those companies desiring to build iconic vehicles and daring enough to do it, the new order is here: Go bold or go home.
Bob's no idiot. Instead, he's insightful and way ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding design. He beat Ceppos and all of Autoweek by about, oh, 18 months.
-juice
-juice
Yes, you can scroll around the map simply by tapping the screen. Everytime you tounched screen (after initial tap), the screen will re-center around the position you tapped. Not as convienent as the scroll button on MDX.
I think once you're moving, a lot of functions, including setting destination, are disabled for the safety sake. You can, however, set them when you stop at traffic light.
The tap feature worked well for me, but he's a hint. Zoom way out first. Then tap in the vicinity, and zoom in a little, tap again, zoom, etc.
-juice