That is why you don't want to spend too much mulah for an air intake. SCC claimed it ahs so and so power increase. But if you look at teh chart it is indeed at a high rpm range. But ppl stil go for it cus: 1) looks kewl and looks fast 2) bragging rights. "it adds 15hp!" but omitting where the 15hp comes in.... 3) going fast on a straight line is easier than giong fast on curves.... ;-P
I read that excerpt of Mike Shield's email, it's good (and what he's always espoused) but also a bummer. I completely agree that normal driving rpm is between 1500 and 3500. Maybe get it up to 4500 when I gun the hell out of it to pass a semi on a freeway. But USABLE, real power is around the 3000 rpm range and lower. True, braking and turning are vital--I've got Raceline wheels on order as well as upgraded brakes--but we all want more power to that 4-cyl engine too! Do we have to do like he says and swap in a WRX/STi-spec engine? I'd love to, but the $$$ outlay will be pretty high. Hell, heard of the B4 Legacy? Swap in the twin-turbo B4 and watch out! Big-time cash. So I want to increase performance without an engine swap. Where does that leave us?
--New camshaft grind. Paeco makes Subie cams
--Turbo install (Minnam and HKS, who has gotten a lot of press lately about their HKS-turbo Impreza)
--Cobb Tuning is working on a cold air intake, not those Weapon-R style intakes that suck in hot engine-bay air
--New ECU. Prova and SYMS make real ECU's, Cobb and AutocareSubaru.com make piggyback style modules. Pricey, but perhaps some real lower RPM power gains??
Has ANYONE put a cam into their Subaru? Or put a new ECU in?
Eric - the hood scoop cools in the intercooler on Turbo models.
The '99 and earlier models have two air filters and are harder to modify. I've seen people remove the 2nd filter and replace it with a gasket, and use a K&N in place of the first paper filter. Apparently there is an air flow sensor there, so you can't really remove it entirely (perhaps Ramon could elaborate?).
The 2000 models are easier to mod. Saw one this weekend. There is only one air filter and the flow sensor is further down stream, while the rest of the plumbing is to reduce intake noise. He had removed the plumbing and installed relatively simple home-made ducting to the front air dam for true fresh air intake.
I imagine you could swap for a K&N style filter there as well.
He also had the much-talked-about cart boy shifter. Indeed, a very short throw, snick-snick shift feel. I could get used to that pretty quick.
I think in orer to get that nice snick snick feel, you might want to try changing the shifter bushing which is located under the car. I know Cusco makes 'em and now Kartboy too.
Dave, how's your Stromung exhaust system performing? What did it cost you in total? I saw the retail price to be about $345. Who did the installation? I'm curious as this is one mod that I would probably do first. Does this void the vehicle's warranty? BTW, your latest off-road adventure sounded pretty hairy and exciting. I know where you're talking about. I live about 30 miles from there, in Seattle. Thanks for your input.
ramon: that RS did have the shifter bushing as well, also from kartboy (thanks for the correct spelling). Felt nice and tight.
On a lighter note, here are some of my "mods", including a hands-free kit for my cell phone, a sewn-on leather steering wheel cover, and a door edge guard:
Well, from what I've read, the gain is around 6hp for just the twin-tipped muffler section (2.25" mandrel bent tubing). But I don't think it's noticable, so I'm looking into completing the plumbing with a new intermediate pipe, also in 2.25" mandrel, then the Borla headers seen at http://www.cobbtuning.com
I was going to go with a Weapon-R intake to let more air in, but Cobb is working on a cold air intake for the Legacies; we'll see the details soon.
Frankly Stephen, at this point the power gain is minimal, but I like having my Outback just a bit different than the majority of OB wagon drivers...the nice dual chromed tips sets my OB apart. The job is easy to do with two people.
I'm thinking a Paeco cam may be in the cards, however.
Seattle is great...used to live there, now go to visit friends. My buddy has his place at 6th and S. Washington...great view of the Sound, downtown, and Safeco!
I checked the Minnam Racing web site and there are some major changes....looks the company has changed around a bit, and has new parts planned...including a TWIN TURBO for the 2.5 Legacy engines on par with the Japanese Legacy B4!! Let's hope this pans out!
Thanks for the info on the exhaust system. Yeah, I agree, at the very least, something to be different.
On another note, (probably belongs in Events section) it might be cool to get some Soob people together in the NW to do a picnic or outdoor adventure...I don't know. What do you think? It would be nice to keep up w/the Eastern seaboard contingent :-). Anyhow, I live over in the Greenwood/Phinney section of Seattle on NW 82nd Street. If I go upstairs and look out of the 2nd floor bedroom, I get a peek-a-boo view of Mt. Rainier. I posted earlier in the year that there are about 7 Soobs on my street. They range in years from the late 80's to 2000. Both of the neighbors on either side of me have Soobs, a 98'OB Ltd and a 99' Forester L. I think that, next to the NE region, the NW is Soob's largest market. I've seen a lot in the Portland region. Let me know what you think about getting something together for the Soob owners in the NW.
Thanks Juice. I don't know if I'd be able to organize the whole thing myself because of major house remodeling going on this summer but I would certainly help out or partner up w/some help out here. I think it would be fun to find a fairly easy offroad adventure for a group to do. We certainly have a lot of logging roads and such. At the very least, we could all meet at some outdoor area and do a picnic. Hey Drew...you could come w/your MB. Anyhow, if we get something going, we'll definitely get pictures to post.
Sounds like fun, but it will have to depend on when and where because I'll be travelling later in the summer. My trip dates are still tentative so I'm not even sure when I'm leaving and returning.
You've heard me say before how reluctant I am to do anything substantial to my Soob for endurance reasons, but the trip to Rocks got my juices flowing. Aak, I wish I had disposable income for this sort of thing. If car life and re-sale were not issues, I would be tempted by turbo, but alas, I can't shake the feeling it would bite back in 5 or 6 years (maybe less). I am REAL interested in a wheel/tire upgrade...hoping it wouldn't look too wierd. DZATMAN, you MUST post pics when your wheels go on!! If it looks decent, I am right behind you. Part of the problem here is that there is next to nothing out there about Outbacks specifically. *pang of guilt for worrying about looks over performance* Koni shocks/struts?
'course, maybe I should save the dough and wait for the '01 turbo. There is a strong argument for that....right, honey?
Yes, please share those wheel/tire mods! The Forester L and 99 and older Outbacks have the same tire sizes, so I'm interested too!
Show us your rims!
-juice
PS Tire Rack has a pretty pitiful selection, and they're pricey at that. $129 and up per rim, plus tires, and the Forester needs 5 since it has a full size spare.
Finally got that wind deflector for my sunroof. It's the Windflector and it set me back $30 at Pep Boys.
Install was cake, just measure and press on with the provided two sided tape. Looks good to me. So the total tally for the 'roof was $400.
It does reduce wind buffeting up to about 30mph when the roof is removed, but you still need to crack the rear windows at higher speeds, though much less than I had to before.
I also finally found the door edge guards again. The brand is "Racer's Choice" and they were just $2 at the same store.
I recently ordered a 2000 2.5RS and am awaiting its arrival. I have a few questions on performance upgrades for this car.
A.) how can I expect an aftermarket air intake to improve performance before doing exhaust. in terms of horsepower gain and if possible quartermile times -compared to the stock 16.0 - 16.3 Sec B.) how much gain can I expect out of an intake and exahust together in terms of HP and or Q-mile. C.) what are some good brands of intakes and exhaust systems available for the 2000 subie. D.) does anyone have any good/bad experiance with coil over suspension upgrades. and or different springs. what is the bolt pattern for the RS .(ie 4/100mm). I know its 5 lug but nobody I know knows if it is similar to the Eclipse 5 lug. E.) I want to buy the OZ racing superturismo rims(which I know fit) but cant find a local distributer. any Ideas OZ wheels website does not have an order form and none of the local shops have accounts with them.
If any of you guys can help answer any of my questions that would be great .. Impreza's are not very popular(yet) here in New Mexico so its hard to find much info localy.
Mark Go check impreza-rs.com All of your answers can be found there. All the best. I suggest you enjoy driving hte car as is right now and then move along with the mods later. That is the best way of telling any differences. Also be reminded that the Impreza is not a drag car. It is made and optimised for blasting thru twisties and sliding on gravel roads.
Learn a lot about your car here: www.impreza-rs.com Use the search engine to find relevant material.
The bolt circle is 5x100mm. Additionally you must have at least +48mm offset on a 7" rim. (stock rims are 16x7 +53mm)
By the way, Rallispec has (had?) a limited quantity of the OZ Superturismo in gold 17x7. You might email them at rallispec@rallispec.com and see if they have any more. They quoted $325 each, plus shipping.
Won't the 225's bulge out more from the wheel? How wide are the RS' wheels, 6.5" or 7"?
What about a 2nd set of alloys, wider and with a lower offset so they don't rub?
I know, $$$.
I had steel wheels, 15", so it was a no-brainer to get 16"x7" alloys. They'll have 225/60HR16s mounted on them, but I'm not going to autoX, just want better handling.
It was $643 delivered, with tires mounted and balanced, a bargain.
RS wheels are 16x7 +53mm. I don't think STS allows more than a 7" wide rim, but it might be 7.5". At any rate, cost is a factor-- not because I don't have the money but because I'm a tightwad. And I'm not sure I'm keeping this car, remember?
225's will fit fine on the wheel though...
I know of someone running wider, but I'm sworn to secrecy. We'll see how it all pans out in the next few months.
So after getting nowhere with 2 local dealers I wrote to SOA to find out about replacing the stock fog lamps with driving lights. The message I received is below. I gather it cannot be done easily and I'm not too excited about paying for some custom thing. Does anyone here have any ideas on how to get some driving lights on my wifes OB? Can just plain driving lights be put on the bumper somewhere (like next to the licence plate)? Any guess on the cost?...I will not be doing it myself. Thanks
"Thank you for visiting the Subaru Web site, and for taking the time to contact us regarding the exterior lights on your 2000 Outback Ltd. I have been advised that it is not mechanically possible to replace the stock fog lamps with driving lights.
We hope you are enjoying your Outback, and please contact us again if we can future assistance.
The 225s ought to fit fine on that rim, then. I thought they were 6.5", since that's what the Forester S has. Good to go.
Still looking at a turbo, eh? Get in line behind me
I'm sure the lights can be replaced, it's just tricky. Higher wattage may melt the surrounding plastic, or even the harness. I'd be very careful myself.
Lights could be added to the bumper, but make sure a pro does a good installation. It may look better if you also added a rhino bar, and mounted the lights on that.
I suppose they could be spliced in to work with the headlamps or the foglamps. FYI, PIAA sells a pair of very nice (but pricey) HID Xenon driving lamps. I believe that www.autosupermart.com is one of the places that sells them. The Hella Micro DE or Micro Xenon lamps are also pretty nice. http://www.hella.de/shop/microxe/maine.htm
I've been looking at brush/grill guards lately and noticed that some third-party ones seem designed to accommodate a pair of driving lights. Unfortunately, though, I haven't found a ton of third-party brush/grill guards that are specifically designed for my Subaru (a Forester; frankly just haven't paid any attention to whether there are Outback ones since that's not my vehicle), and the few that I have found (WAAG makes a pretty attractive set, with matching rear tail- light grills available) are, at least by my standards, a bit too pricey.
Had the dealer put cruise control in my sport and it doesn't look like he used the parts designed for the 97 as it differs from the one pictured in the owners manual. He did not install the on/off switch on the dash, instead the part has an on/off button at the end of the select lever. The bigger deal is that he put the lever on the left side of the wheel instead of the right and positioned it in such a way that I can't see the control at all. I tested it on the highway already and it works, but I have to operate it blindly.
tex: I'd check out an aftermarket shop like Trick Trucks and see if a universal rhino bar would fit.
Mary: I also had cruise added after my purchase, in my '98 Forester L, which has essentially the same interior as your Outback Sport. It's on the right side of the wheel, with the "on" button on the left side dash, so I imagine that's how yours should have been done.
I would take it back and have them redo it, or perhaps it can be moved so at least you can see it to operate it. Otherwise, what's the point?
Sorry it's not forced induction, but some folks may find the new mods I've done interesting.
I put in the dual cup holder from the 2001 Forester in my '98 model, and it fits. It should also fit the Impreza and OBS, since they have the same dash. Hmm, wonder if it'll hold a bottle on synthetic oil or something. See, it's performance related!
I also added a leather shift knob (guess you could call that a performance mod) shown here. The same page also shows a deflector for my moonroof and my new Forester watch. The deflector adds 200 lbs of downforce at 180mph, if I could ever reach that speed
Don't fret, I'll soon have my new rims and I'm sure some of you will find those more interesting!
The dealer says that they could no longer order the part that was designed for the '97 sport (that sounds bogus to me, but I don't really know).
I told them that they have to fix it but that it can wait until the title and registration issue is resolved and had them agree to it in writing.
The real problem is that they put it in the wrong place and I can't see it. I'd be happy if they can fix it without having to put another hole in the steering wheel mount.
Check out www.nordleth.com for the Manik brushguards for the Forester, as well as many other accessories for your Subaru (i.e. headlamp protectors, hood deflectors). Members get 15% discount, I believe (and membership is FREE!).
Sorry, made a mistake on the discount. It's actually 25% off the MSRP. FWIW, many M-class owners have bought stuff from this company, and they seem to be pretty good. Juice, how 'bout some wood trim on the dash for your Forester :-)
Sudhir <249</A>> and texsubaru <252</A>>, Also see the brush/grill guards at 249East Boast BullbarsClubs in Australia. Forester, Liberty/Legacy, and Outback-specific bars (even Brumby/Brat)!
Drew: no wood dash for me, not my style at all. If I had cash to burn, it'd be carbon fiber anyway
The 16"x7" rims and H-rated tires are on the way, so I think I'll have to stop spending money before I go broke!
Mary: make sure you price shop the wholesalers. I've seen decent price differences, given some charge big bucks for shipping.
Whew, no offense fellas, but some of those bigger grille guards are a real eye sore. The "nudge" bar is nice, however, and does offer a good spot for lighting.
The dual is about as sturdy as the single, no more, no less. You don't have to remove the dome, I did for better pictures. That was actually the easy part.
Yes, the leather knob is the OE one.
Again, yes. To order, just e-mail Darlene and give her your credit card number, exp date, full name and billing address, plus the products you want.
My stuff arrived in just two days!
-juice
PS Tell her I sent you. She's sent the Crew freebies for our events, so she'll know her efforts are appreciated.
So, Juice, the dual cupholder really *does* work as well as the solo one and is nice'n'sturdy? Hmmmm, well, that might put it on my to-do list ... I kind of like Manik's Forester brush guard myself -- though I'm not sure I like it quite as much as the WAAG equivalent -- but Bullbars' "Type 8 Bar" does sort of strike me as something you'd normally only attach to a vehicle in which the command "ramming speed!" is frequently issued. Part of that reaction might just be that the Bullbar shiny stainless finish might make it look bulkier to me than a matte black finish. I think the Bullbars' "Nudge Bar" might look quite nice on an Outback (something about its swoop doesn't quite say "Forester" to me, though; I'm not sure exactly why).
tex: I didn't think the single one was that sturdy, but it did the trick. The dual is really no different. It's one of those clever designs that makes you wonder why they didn't do it earlier.
I guess I'm not into rhino bars 'cause there are just too many LX470's at the local country club parking lots that I know never even make it to the state fair grass parking area, much less off road.
Sweet. My rims should arrive today or Monday, also. I get to just bolt 'em on, though
Where are you having them mounted? Are you also doing an alignment?
I'm surprised about what you wrote, though. I though 225 was the width at the tread, and so was 205? I should only be 2cm wider, or about 3/4 inch. I guess they can cheat a little with the tire design?
It's funny, as much criticism as I've heard from the RS92s, other sources still say it's a pretty good OE tire. I guess they're making compromises?
Some Forester buddies with big tires have literally moved the spring base up and rewelded it, but that would lift your suspension, and I doubt you'd want that.
Sounds like you have access to some nice tools, though. Too bad you're in Kansas, or I'd swing by with the Digital and get a web page up tonight!
Just got a pair of Sony Xplod speakers (XS-V1621)for my front doors last night. I ordered through Crutchfield and managed to get a pair through their outlet for $70. This was my first time buying from Crutchfield and I was impressed with the overall buying process.
Anyway, the Xplods are a three-way design and fit right in my 98 Forester without any modifications whatsoever. The installation took about 30 minutes and involved only removing a couple of screws, unplugging the OEM speaker, inserting the Xplods and putting it back together.
The sound is noticeably better. The mid-range that I had complained about with my Premium Sound Package II is a lot clearer and more pronounced. Overall the sound is a lot more fuller and crisp.
Juice, the RE92's are fairly well known to be puny for their rated size. They are a quiet tire, that's for sure. But if someone thinks they offer decent performance, that should be your first clue they don't drive very hard.
After I get everything scanned I'll email you a few pics. Guess I oughta clean the car, if it's going to be on your famous Scooby site.
I made a mistake last year of putting RE92s on my Prelude (as summer tires). On this car, I can be definitive: their handling is horrible, if the standard is something like an RE71. There is a decided lag between turning the wheel hard and anything happening in the turning department. I suspect they have overly soft sidewalls.
Skinny and quiet, eh? Sounds like an OE compromise. Few complaints from the masses for noise, and narrow for better aerodynamics and perhaps infalted EPA ratings.
Well, I've had the Stromung dual 3" tipped axhaust on for awhile now and I can say, it's a cool inverstment! The best part is the sound. It makes that boxer sound like an ENGINE, dammit! Deep, resonating, a bit of a growl, not that annoying Honda drone. Plus, the twin chrome tips don't extend to the edge of the bumper, which helps keep a safe angle of departure when dirt roading. For $359, I'd say it's a cool way to start out tricking your Outback. Good for estimated gain of 6hp (according to Mike Shields at spdusa). Scott the owner of Stromung told me he was making an intermediate pipe (center section) in the same 2.25" mandrel for Legacy Outbacks, so stay tuned! With the muffler, center, and Borla headers, I'd think we'd see some decent HP gain. Colin, Ramon, others, how much HP gain do you think one would see with the Borla headers and bigger piping? A guy at Cobb Tuning told me the headers start to make power after 2400 rpm. Any input?
Comments
I couldn't quite figure out what the hood scoop does. That would be a great source of intake air, but it's in the wrong place.
The cone-type air filters are the wrong idea entirely as far as I can tell. They force you to get the hot air from inside the engine compartment.
Well that good idea came and went pretty quick.
1) looks kewl and looks fast
2) bragging rights. "it adds 15hp!" but omitting where the 15hp comes in....
3) going fast on a straight line is easier than giong fast on curves.... ;-P
--New camshaft grind. Paeco makes Subie cams
--Turbo install (Minnam and HKS, who has gotten a lot of press lately about their HKS-turbo Impreza)
--Cobb Tuning is working on a cold air intake, not those Weapon-R style intakes that suck in hot engine-bay air
--Exhaust options--Stromung, JC Sports, Borla, SYMS, STi, ZeroSports
--Lighter flywheel and pulleys add power
--Lighter wheels (less rotational weight)increases acceleration
--New ECU. Prova and SYMS make real ECU's, Cobb and AutocareSubaru.com make piggyback style modules. Pricey, but perhaps some real lower RPM power gains??
Has ANYONE put a cam into their Subaru? Or put a new ECU in?
Dave
http://www.syms.co.jp
http://jprova.co.jp
http://www.zerosports.co.jp
http://www.cobbtuning.com
http://www.spdusa.com
http://autocaresubaru.com
http://www.spomotorsports.com
http://home.att.net/~teaguesauto
http://www.jcsports.net
http://www.quicklink.net/bham/paeco/home.html
HOW CAN WE GET MORE LOW END POWER?
http://www.writerguy.com/primitive
http://www.unorthodoxracing.com
http://www.subysports.com
The '99 and earlier models have two air filters and are harder to modify. I've seen people remove the 2nd filter and replace it with a gasket, and use a K&N in place of the first paper filter. Apparently there is an air flow sensor there, so you can't really remove it entirely (perhaps Ramon could elaborate?).
The 2000 models are easier to mod. Saw one this weekend. There is only one air filter and the flow sensor is further down stream, while the rest of the plumbing is to reduce intake noise. He had removed the plumbing and installed relatively simple home-made ducting to the front air dam for true fresh air intake.
I imagine you could swap for a K&N style filter there as well.
He also had the much-talked-about cart boy shifter. Indeed, a very short throw, snick-snick shift feel. I could get used to that pretty quick.
-juice
Stephen
On a lighter note, here are some of my "mods", including a hands-free kit for my cell phone, a sewn-on leather steering wheel cover, and a door edge guard:
http://thejuiceman.homepage.com/care.html
Also, here is Lucien's bike rack, that RS, and a standard equipment trunk monkey.
http://thejuiceman.homepage.com/rocks.html
Long story...
-juice
Well, from what I've read, the gain is around 6hp for just the twin-tipped muffler section (2.25" mandrel bent tubing). But I don't think it's noticable, so I'm looking into completing the plumbing with a new intermediate pipe, also in 2.25" mandrel, then the Borla headers seen at http://www.cobbtuning.com
I was going to go with a Weapon-R intake to let more air in, but Cobb is working on a cold air intake for the Legacies; we'll see the details soon.
Frankly Stephen, at this point the power gain is minimal, but I like having my Outback just a bit different than the majority of OB wagon drivers...the nice dual chromed tips sets my OB apart. The job is easy to do with two people.
I'm thinking a Paeco cam may be in the cards, however.
Seattle is great...used to live there, now go to visit friends. My buddy has his place at 6th and S. Washington...great view of the Sound, downtown, and Safeco!
Dave
http://www.minnamracing.com
On another note, (probably belongs in Events section) it might be cool to get some Soob people together in the NW to do a picnic or outdoor adventure...I don't know. What do you think? It would be nice to keep up w/the Eastern seaboard contingent :-). Anyhow, I live over in the Greenwood/Phinney section of Seattle on NW 82nd Street. If I go upstairs and look out of the 2nd floor bedroom, I get a peek-a-boo view of Mt. Rainier. I posted earlier in the year that there are about 7 Soobs on my street. They range in years from the late 80's to 2000. Both of the neighbors on either side of me have Soobs, a 98'OB Ltd and a 99' Forester L. I think that, next to the NE region, the NW is Soob's largest market. I've seen a lot in the Portland region. Let me know what you think about getting something together for the Soob owners in the NW.
Later,
Stephen
Don't let us East Coasters stop you, either! There are plenty of Soobs in other regions (New England, SF Bay Area, etc), probably more than here.
You also have plenty, PLENTY of interesting drives.
Make sure to take pictures and share them.
-juice
Stephen
Drew
Stephen
Koni shocks/struts?
'course, maybe I should save the dough and wait for the '01 turbo. There is a strong argument for that....right, honey?
Show us your rims!
-juice
PS Tire Rack has a pretty pitiful selection, and they're pricey at that. $129 and up per rim, plus tires, and the Forester needs 5 since it has a full size spare.
Dave
Install was cake, just measure and press on with the provided two sided tape. Looks good to me. So the total tally for the 'roof was $400.
It does reduce wind buffeting up to about 30mph when the roof is removed, but you still need to crack the rear windows at higher speeds, though much less than I had to before.
I also finally found the door edge guards again. The brand is "Racer's Choice" and they were just $2 at the same store.
-juice
Heck, if anything it increases drag very slightly, just the opposite of what you'd want in a race car!
-juice
A.) how can I expect an aftermarket air intake to improve performance before doing exhaust. in terms of horsepower gain and if possible quartermile times -compared to the stock 16.0 - 16.3 Sec
B.) how much gain can I expect out of an intake and exahust together in terms of HP and or Q-mile.
C.) what are some good brands of intakes and exhaust systems available for the 2000 subie.
D.) does anyone have any good/bad experiance with coil over suspension upgrades. and or different springs.
what is the bolt pattern for the RS .(ie 4/100mm). I know its 5 lug but nobody I know knows if it is similar to the Eclipse 5 lug.
E.) I want to buy the OZ racing superturismo rims(which I know fit) but cant find a local distributer. any Ideas OZ wheels website does not have an order form and none of the local shops have accounts with them.
If any of you guys can help answer any of my questions that would be great .. Impreza's are not very popular(yet) here in New Mexico so its hard to find much info localy.
thanks § Mark §
Go check impreza-rs.com
All of your answers can be found there. All the best. I suggest you enjoy driving hte car as is right now and then move along with the mods later. That is the best way of telling any differences. Also be reminded that the Impreza is not a drag car. It is made and optimised for blasting thru twisties and sliding on gravel roads.
www.impreza-rs.com
Use the search engine to find relevant material.
The bolt circle is 5x100mm. Additionally you must have at least +48mm offset on a 7" rim. (stock rims are 16x7 +53mm)
By the way, Rallispec has (had?) a limited quantity of the OZ Superturismo in gold 17x7. You might email them at rallispec@rallispec.com and see if they have any more. They quoted $325 each, plus shipping.
-Colin
What about a 2nd set of alloys, wider and with a lower offset so they don't rub?
I know, $$$.
I had steel wheels, 15", so it was a no-brainer to get 16"x7" alloys. They'll have 225/60HR16s mounted on them, but I'm not going to autoX, just want better handling.
It was $643 delivered, with tires mounted and balanced, a bargain.
Your brake pads should make a big difference.
-juice
225's will fit fine on the wheel though...
I know of someone running wider, but I'm sworn to secrecy. We'll see how it all pans out in the next few months.
-Colin
"Thank you for visiting the Subaru Web site, and for taking the time to contact us regarding the exterior lights on your 2000 Outback Ltd. I have been advised that it is not mechanically possible to replace the stock fog lamps with driving lights.
We hope you are enjoying your Outback, and please contact us again if we can future assistance.
Best wishes!
Pam Federer
Subaru of America, Inc."
Still looking at a turbo, eh? Get in line behind me
I'm sure the lights can be replaced, it's just tricky. Higher wattage may melt the surrounding plastic, or even the harness. I'd be very careful myself.
Lights could be added to the bumper, but make sure a pro does a good installation. It may look better if you also added a rhino bar, and mounted the lights on that.
Whatever you do, please share photos!
-juice
I suppose they could be spliced in to work with the headlamps or the foglamps. FYI, PIAA sells a pair of very nice (but pricey) HID Xenon driving lamps. I believe that www.autosupermart.com is one of the places that sells them. The Hella Micro DE or Micro Xenon lamps are also pretty nice.
http://www.hella.de/shop/microxe/maine.htm
Drew
This can't be right or can it?
Mary
Mary: I also had cruise added after my purchase, in my '98 Forester L, which has essentially the same interior as your Outback Sport. It's on the right side of the wheel, with the "on" button on the left side dash, so I imagine that's how yours should have been done.
I would take it back and have them redo it, or perhaps it can be moved so at least you can see it to operate it. Otherwise, what's the point?
-juice
I put in the dual cup holder from the 2001 Forester in my '98 model, and it fits. It should also fit the Impreza and OBS, since they have the same dash. Hmm, wonder if it'll hold a bottle on synthetic oil or something. See, it's performance related!
I also added a leather shift knob (guess you could call that a performance mod) shown here. The same page also shows a deflector for my moonroof and my new Forester watch. The deflector adds 200 lbs of downforce at 180mph, if I could ever reach that speed
Don't fret, I'll soon have my new rims and I'm sure some of you will find those more interesting!
-juice
I told them that they have to fix it but that it can wait until the title and registration issue is resolved and had them agree to it in writing.
The real problem is that they put it in the wrong place and I can't see it. I'd be happy if they can fix it without having to put another hole in the steering wheel mount.
Mary
Juice: a leather shift knob is definately on my list. The rubber thing I have looks so bazaar.
Mary
Drew
..Mike
..Mike
Hey, you finally mounted the new cupholders! Looks good. Is it as sturdy as the single cupholder?
Question on installation -- do you need to remove the 'dome' over the HVAC vents to replace the unit?
Also, is the leather shift knob the standard one offered by Subaru?
I think I'll order the dual cupholder too. Is it as simple as e-mailing QSubaru and giving them my card number?
Ken
The 16"x7" rims and H-rated tires are on the way, so I think I'll have to stop spending money before I go broke!
Mary: make sure you price shop the wholesalers. I've seen decent price differences, given some charge big bucks for shipping.
Whew, no offense fellas, but some of those bigger grille guards are a real eye sore. The "nudge" bar is nice, however, and does offer a good spot for lighting.
The dual is about as sturdy as the single, no more, no less. You don't have to remove the dome, I did for better pictures. That was actually the easy part.
Yes, the leather knob is the OE one.
Again, yes. To order, just e-mail Darlene and give her your credit card number, exp date, full name and billing address, plus the products you want.
My stuff arrived in just two days!
-juice
PS Tell her I sent you. She's sent the Crew freebies for our events, so she'll know her efforts are appreciated.
I kind of like Manik's Forester brush guard myself -- though I'm not sure I like it quite as much as the WAAG equivalent -- but Bullbars' "Type 8 Bar" does sort of strike me as something you'd normally only attach to a vehicle in which the command "ramming speed!" is frequently issued. Part of that reaction might just be that the Bullbar shiny stainless finish might make it look bulkier to me than a matte black finish. I think the Bullbars' "Nudge Bar" might look quite nice on an Outback (something about its swoop doesn't quite say "Forester" to me, though; I'm not sure exactly why).
I guess I'm not into rhino bars 'cause there are just too many LX470's at the local country club parking lots that I know never even make it to the state fair grass parking area, much less off road.
-juice
Where are you having them mounted? Are you also doing an alignment?
I'm surprised about what you wrote, though. I though 225 was the width at the tread, and so was 205? I should only be 2cm wider, or about 3/4 inch. I guess they can cheat a little with the tire design?
It's funny, as much criticism as I've heard from the RS92s, other sources still say it's a pretty good OE tire. I guess they're making compromises?
Some Forester buddies with big tires have literally moved the spring base up and rewelded it, but that would lift your suspension, and I doubt you'd want that.
Sounds like you have access to some nice tools, though. Too bad you're in Kansas, or I'd swing by with the Digital and get a web page up tonight!
-juice
Anyway, the Xplods are a three-way design and fit right in my 98 Forester without any modifications whatsoever. The installation took about 30 minutes and involved only removing a couple of screws, unplugging the OEM speaker, inserting the Xplods and putting it back together.
The sound is noticeably better. The mid-range that I had complained about with my Premium Sound Package II is a lot clearer and more pronounced. Overall the sound is a lot more fuller and crisp.
After I get everything scanned I'll email you a few pics. Guess I oughta clean the car, if it's going to be on your famous Scooby site.
-Colin
I'd never buy them again for any vehicle.
Norman
I thought RE71s are good.
I'm with you: wider, lower profile tires.
-juice
Dave