Subaru Crew - Meet The Members

subaru_team

From what I can see, sales are doing fine with this model. Sales are a bit over projections.

kate5000

I'd prefer an Auto with "AutoStick" or "SportShift" or whatever they call it, to be able to shift manually should I want to. Tried it on the high-end cars and liked this feature quite a bit. It seems to give you the best of both worlds.

miksmi

Lucien, funny you should mention the Focus. When we were looking for a new car in June 99, the Focus really got my attention with it's size, styling, and cost. We postponed our decision to wait for more info. The no-stick Focus wagon hit me like a bombshell. Hello?!? The auto-only wagon issue and the potential problems of a first year American-made product and we decided to pass.. to a Japanese-designed (2nd year worldwide), American-made (1st year) product (yes, I'm somewhat hypocritical). I was willing to take a chance on a first-year, US-built Subaru but not on something out of Detroit. I'm ashamed to say it, but Detroit's lack of quality made me shy away from the Focus.

But now we've got a 00 Legacy GT wagon, I've discovered the amazing benefits of AWD in the snow, and couldn't be happier Oh yeah, and it's a 5MT (with leather-wrapped knob, yum!).

Ken, you're brother's a lucky dog! We expect a full report, if he ever lets you drive it

Patti, the 5-speed issue is also a Catch-22: Most people buy off the lot, and if SIA doesn't build many sticks, few will be on the dealer lots. If someone is sitting on the fence about a stick or auto and an auto is on the lot, then auto it is. Many people buy cars impulsively (all sales are emotional), and if the right color with most of the right options is sitting right in front of them, they will buy it off the lot. My wife and I were willing to wait 12 weeks for our 5-speed with only the options we wanted, but most people won't wait that long. I wonder if demand for sticks would increase if you could get the order/delivery process down to say, 3 weeks (2 week build, 1 week ship)?

BTW Subaru is not alone regarding market data on manual transmissions. When we were shopping for a wagon we looked at a Passat, Volvo V-70, and Saab 9-5. Same story there; sticks were few and far between.

..Mike

locke2c

AFAIK, the only large manufacturer that sells MORE manual transmission cars than automatics is BMW. Everyone else, the automatic outsells the stick badly in North America.

-Colin

lucien2

Apparently the 5-dor Focus is on the way now, too. It isn't an issue for SOA, but I do think that Ford finally realizes it has something to take the stuffing out of VW's virtual monopoly on sport oriented yet affordable practicality. I'd say they're on par in terms of reliability. Actually the new Golf might be a bit better now, as it comes from wolfsburg and not Mexico.

kate5000

It's not bad, I should say! The model I tested was XLT 4x4 V6 w/leather

Road noise (wind+engine+tires) is very pronounced. My old Loyale'92 is quieter. Of course, truck tires (Firestone XT) are noisy by nature.

Just after starting up and while driving first 1/2 mi or so, engine felt struggling, to the point that I asked the salesperson if parking brake is on (it wasn't). After engine warmed up, it got better.

I did not do any measurements, but Escape *felt* a tad slower to pick up to 70 mph on the freeway than my Forester.

Loved that 6-way powerseat! I'm, um, vertically challenged (5'3), and height adjustment is very handy. On the Forester, there is no real height adjustment, just some play with the angles of the seat cushion.

Also loved soft wrap on the steering wheel. Finally a wheel that does not feel too thick for my small hands.

Overall, however, I liked the Forester interior and driving experience much more. Somehow Escape did not feel as "zippy" and "peppy" as the Forester, never mind the bigger engine. Escape's gas mileage sucks.

4x4 is sort of questionable on the Escape. In the model I tested, there were 2 modes: "Auto" and "On". The sales guy told me that Auto means it's FWD unless slippage is detected, and "on" is for full-time 4WD on a snow, bad road, etc -- not recommended on a dry pavement. Any thoughts on how good/bad this 4wd system really is?

If I really needed more power and/or towing capacity, I'd choose the Pathfinder with smooth tried-and-tested 240 hp. Gas mileage is very close to that of the Escape, and you get Nissan's reliability and better looks.

Patti, please add to your list of requirements:

a) real height-adjustment for a driver's seat (not necessarily power, can be manual)

b) longer seat cushions for better thigh support (my major gripe about the Forester so far is the lack of thigh support, very noticeable on the long trips).

c) adjustable pedals (for us short folks, to move further from the airbag) -- if you read the "Petite women" thread on Edmunds, you'll see that's an important feature!

d) make leather coating of steering wheel optional on S/S+ models, so that women with small hands can opt for a non-coated thinner wheel (I liked steering wheel on L more than S)

e) drop turbo and/or H6 engines into Forester soon!!!

dsackman

I have confessin to make! I am an automatic shift driver and will not buy a manual stick.
What for? 4 hours commuting in the bay area every day will give me a VERY BIG left leg with a stick shift. I love the fast gear change on the auto shift. By rapidly depressing the throttle, I am in a lower gear. I love putting my foot down at 85mph and gearing down to 3rd for overtaking. I can still use the gear box to reduce speed by just pulling the auto gear lever back to 3rd, or 2nd. This will also prevent a shift during cornering maneuvers. I can also slouch and let the gear box do all when I am in a lazy mood.
The initial uptake is slower in an auto, but that is not the end of the world.
Auto shift for me. Even F1 car drivers have a clutchless shift.
BTW, I drove stick shift for 20 years, from a VW Beetle to BMW and AUDI.

Daniel
Forester S+ 2001 AUTO

c_hunter

The Escape's AWD system is very similar to Jeep's gerotor design, in that any speed diference between front and rear wheels (ie, slippage) will spin an impeller and pump fluid into a chamber to actuate a clutch pack (all located in a central diff), transmitting torque to the other end of the vehicle (in the Escape's case, front to back). I think Jeep uses a multiplate wet clutch while the Escape uses a some sort of piston and dry clutch arrangement. The full time 4wd mode locks the clutch pack by manually actuating the piston. I'm not exactly sure of the numbers, but I think the Escape system distributes torque between 100F/0R and 50F/50R in auto mode, and locks it at 50/50 in 4WD mode. It's a decent system, but I think Subaru's AWD systems are a little more elegant, and probably better for all around performance (for instance, the AWD system in my 5-spd OB runs at 50F/50R normally, and then re-distributes torque frontward or backward when wheels slip.

Craig

locke2c

4 hour commute? Nothing is worth that to me... I cover 15 miles in 20-25 minutes every morning and love my 5 speed manual transmission.

-Colin

dsackman

Yep! 2hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. That is the SF Bay Area.
Nothing is worth that to you? Ask about 9 million people living in the Bay Area. It is worth it.

Daniel
Forrester S+ Auto '01

barresa11

From Seattle and second everything that Dsackman says about auto tranny, long commutes, and definitely worth it for those of us lucky enough to live in the Puget Sound area! As a side note, if I could dream, I would have my 00'OB Ltd auto and something like a Miata or Honda 2000 w/ stick shift for my non-commute car.

Stephen

subaru_team

I did a similar commute for the past two months and it was making me nuts. While I still prefer my 5-spd. - I loved flying down the expressway, I know I couldn't have done it for much longer.

Happy Drivin'!

subaru_team

It's kind of funny because if you see an Outback Sedan from the front, you assume it is a wagon (at least that's what my family says).

I'm thinking I might like to try an O. B. Sedan next!

p0926

Forgot to mention that last Saturday's paper (Atlanta Journal Constitution), had the Lienerts (SP?) review of the Forester next to a review of the Aztek. Yikes!!! It gave me shivers to see the Forester's picture in such close proximity to the Ughtek! BTW: It still really gripes me that the Lienert's lead off with saying that they like the Forester but then spend the rest of the time finding faults with it. To make matters worse, the review of the Aztek was mostly favorable. The reviewer quickly skirted the controversial exterior appearance issue and then gushed indepth over the interior and concluded that it was a wonderful life style vehicle. Oh well, to each his own I guess.

-Frank P.

kens

Frank,

I saw an Aztek in person at a local Art & Wine festival. Pontiac had set up two Azteks to showcase to the festival goers. Man, what a beast. I guess they were counting on the wine to get better reviews.

Okay, enough Aztek bashing. Back to work.

Ken

kate5000

My 13-yr old daughter begged me to take her for the Aztek test-drive. So I went for it again (2nd time). Her first reaction (from the back seat) was that it rides exactly like a minivan.

The funny thing is, with all this "in-your-face" bold looks, underneath the sloppy design it's just a plain ordinary minivan, with NOTHING special or exciting in either the drivetrain or engine departments.

This vehicle is touted as super-versatile and super-functional. I found that most of those "functional" items are gimmicky at least.

Take a camping package, for instance. Have you seen it? You have to like to sleep on the matress inclined about 25 degrees.

Did you sit on the tailgate? It's far from comfortable. I'd bring a folding chair.

And so on. As Ken said, let's go back to work.

lucien2

boy, you're a little chatty cathy today; still buzzed about the rendezvous, huh?

Turns out I could have made it after all!! The gig only lasted a half hour, but then I didn't have directions from there. By the time I got home it was really too late.

miksmi

So much so in fact that I put that last post (that you're responding too here) in the wrong topic. Now that I've deleted it, everyone's going to wonder what in the world we're talking about In short order, I'll be adding under Future Models where hopefully it'll make more sense. Sheesh, I am brain dead.

..Mike

grahampeters

I am slightly intrigued. The Outback is sold in Australia only as a base model and the Limited with leather, sunrooves, CD stacker, self levelling suspension etc. It is seen as a very practical car for a lot of Australian's lifestyle; city car but high enough, large enough and rough enough to cope with the weekend. Much of that weekend is carting stuff.

I can't really see the point of the Outback sedan as it does not have anything like the junk carrying space and the photos suggest the extra height makes the proportions look wrong. It sort of looks like a car look for a demographic. The absence of a manual transmission seems even stranger. Are many sold? probably not.

Cheers

Graham

breld

For the most part, I have enjoyed my 98 Legacy GT sedan, which I've owned for almost three years. I love the character the car has and appreciate the AWD traction in the winter. However, two unscheduled maintenance trips in the past week have left me quite frustrated.

Each time something has gone wrong with the Legacy, we've had it fixed and gone on, thinking that would be the last unusual repair. At 3000 miles, part of the exhaust system was cracked and replaced under warranty. About a year ago, the sunroof started leaking and was repaired numerous times. It now appears to be misaligned, but since it hasn't been leaking, I have chosen to leave it alone.

A week ago, I took the car in for its 45,000 mile service, and spent $100 extra for a broken exhaust system bracket, which in turn caused leakage in the exhaust gaskets.

This past Friday, my airbag warning light came on. Today, after spending $72 for the diagnosis, I was told the passenger side airbag needs to be replaced, which is a $750 repair. All the previous repairs have been annoying, but not too costly. This latest one is extremely frustrating to me. Not only is it a costly one, but the safety of my passenger is being compromised. Why would an airbag need to be replaced? The car has never been in any sort of accident.

I've called SOA to see if they would help out, based on the nature of the repair. They should be calling back within the next couple of days. Any suggestions on how to approach this if SOA's response is not favorable? Or am I simply being unreasonable?

Thanks for listening crew.

locke2c

I remember when shopping for my '99 2.5RS that there was a '99 Legacy SUS (sport utility sedan) that sat on the salesfloor for months-- even after I got my Impreza. I don't know who eventually bought it or if there was a dealer-to-dealer trade but I agree with Graham... It was not at all appealing.

I bet the Outback sedan (formerly the Legacy SUS) is a real niche vehicle and only sells in strong Subaru havens like Colorado, the Northeast and the Northwest.

-Colin

lark6

...from the road trip. Highs and lows:

Lows: Got nailed in a speed trap on US 58 just east of Emporia. 70 in a 55. Shame on me. Let this be a heads up to out-of-staters as many VA tagged vehicles blew by me faster than that and didn't get pulled. Also had a rock thrown up in my heated windshield by a cement mixer in Baltimore. Left a star crack the size of a quarter. Now I need to replace the windshield. Insurance company (USAA) has to have verification from a repair shop that it can't be repaired first, though. Then it's a $500 deductible. Rats - that's what I get for jumping on the missus' policy to get lower premiums. My old company (Liberty Mutual) used to cover the whole thing. Rained the whole time until the day I got back to PA. Bummers.

Highs: Ate at Formy's - it rules. Ate lots o' bad fer yew stuff in SC. Saw the sun rise over the Bay Bridge. Found my great-great-great grandfather's grave at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg. Got interviewed by a reporter for the Pilot (yea, hutch!) while at the cemetery - it should run in about 3 weeks. Averaged 27.6 mpg in the Forester (26 until the ticket, better with the hangdog look).

Neutral: After working on our house for almost 2 years, worked on my folks' place. Saw my first Mazda Tribute while on the Eastern Shore - I thought none of those had hit the market due to recalls. Hauled a lot of antique furniture back - Forester handled it well. It also was sweet on those rough gravel, clay, sand, coquina and beat up asphalt rural roads in SC - better than the OB I rented in July.

Got a lot of posts to catch up on, plus I promised to add my 2 cents on what I'd like to see in future Subarus for Patti. Catch up with you all later.

Ed

breld

Quick update on my airbag issue - the service department from the dealership called me and said SOA is paying for the part, and I'll be responsible for the labor, which will be at warranty rates.

I'm certainly happy about this, but I still feel SOA should pick up the whole tab. The labor part will still be between $100 and $200, plus the $72 I already spent for the diagnosis. It seems to me they are acknowledging the repair should be covered under warranty; isn't it all or nothing?

paisan

I actually like it 2nd only to the GT (and if you could get the open grille in the front like the OB sedan on the GT it'd be perfect)

Not that I'd actually buy it but it's not bad looking.

-mike

rsholland

I think the future for manual transmissions is for close-ratio 6-speed units, paired to performance-oriented vehicles. I think the days of conventional 5-speed manuals are numbered. They will still linger on in economy models, but as a mainstream transmission, automatics are for the most part better. And -- the public knows that most automatics today are pretty good.

I would like to see Subaru offer a 5-speed (5EAT) automatic with sport-shift capability. I think 5-speed automatics are the wave of the future for most cars. High-end brands are starting to get 6-speed automatics.

Bob

gtdriver

Not trying to rub salt in your wounds, but my '97 GT, which is virtually identical to your '98, has 50,000 miles and has been almost perfect, except for two minor things corrected under warranty. Yours is DEFINITELY NOT the normal Legacy.
I agree, SOA is being very tightfisted (and foolish) to not cover that airbag repair, especially in light of your car's less-than-stellar history. Paying for the part and not the labor is just plain illogical. It's like saying, "you pay to install our defective part". Maybe it's rhetoric, but if they wanted to split hairs, they should have said, "It's not under warranty, but we want to help. We'll absorb all but $250 of the cost of the repair". Separating the parts and labor always sounds stupid in cases like that.
I'm curious as to what was involved in the 45,000 mile service. Since most things are done at 30 & 60, I'm wondering what that includes other than an oil change and tire rotation.

Drew, what's up with that Forester? Was it hit up front, too? Why are the airbags deployed?

subaru_team

Hang in there for a bit. I'm checking into your case.

Just to clarify - once something is outside the terms of the warranty (in this case 3/36), we look at things from a goodwill standpoint. It can get a little tough to offer 100% goodwill for someone who did not purchase and extended service agreement. It can be perceived that the folks that paid for the additional coverage are getting the same benefit of those that did not. However, with a safety component, it bears more looking into. You will hear from us soon. I know that you spoke to Kate and William today.

Also, please send in the repair orders for the other problems you have had with your GT. William will take a look at those to see what is happening.

Thanks for your patience!

miksmi

Bob, I wonder how long manual transmissions will survive in the marketplace (hopefully forever as I love 'em), given the resources required design, test, produce, service, and maintain parts inventory on two systems with little in common. I'm not just talking about the different mechanics of the two gearboxes. Think of all the ancillaries -- Transmission Control Unit, Engine Control Module (perhaps identical software but the program must understand the diffs of auto vs. manual), sensors.. ok that's exhausted my faux knowledge base -- Colin, feel free to help me out. With escalating labor costs, I would think that at some point it will be less expensive to develop a single transmission, and we all know it can't be a manual.

I agree w/you Bob, a 5-speed (5EAT) automatic (or 6) with sport-shift would be great. I'll have mine with flippers on the steering wheel. Hehe, just like my Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback.

Graham, as our in-house cost accountant (former?), do you have any words to enlighten me about the cost issues? (Or any other accountants/economists).

..Mike

aling

Yup, it was hit from the front too, which is why the airbags are deployed. You can't see much of the damage from this angle, but there is a buckle in the hood on the passenger side. The rear quarter panel is also damaged; the gas cap lid doesn't quite close.

Drew

peterson10

Now I may be whistling in the dark, but I can't imagine that the manual transmission is going to disappear any time soon. With the exception of a few short-lived used cars during my late teens, all of my vehicles have been manuals: three-on-the-tree, four-on-the-floor, etc. I first FOUND Subaru precisely because they were the only auto maker at the time to offer a manual wagon. I was at the time dumping my dreaded Blazer 4x4 (this was before they were called SUVs). At the time I regarded the Legacy wagon as the best kept secret in America: actually roomier than a Blazer, with a sophisticated AWD system, a suspension NOT designed in the 1800s, and with a lower cost (initial and long-term). However, had Honda offered a manual wagon (they claimed to, but that was a bait-and-switch ploy) I know I would have gone that route.

I know that Subaru sells more wagons than anyone else in the US, but isn't it also true that they sell more manual transmission cars (per capita) than any other automaker?

If I had a long bumper-to-bumper commute I would probably opt for the auto too. But for me, with the manual transmission I feel I'm truly DRIVING the car. When I get behind the wheel of an auto I feel like I'm riding in the driver's seat.

Can't wait for that 6 spd H6!

p0926

peterson10- I'm with you. 6-spd H-6....YEEAAHHH BABY! The public perception is that you can count on Subaru if you want a manual tranny.

Patti- are you taking notes?

-Frank P.

breld

Thank you so much for looking into my situation. Your points regarding the "goodwill standpoint" and fairness issue are well taken. It is indeed the unusual nature of the problem, as well as the safety issues, that has me seeking assistance.

The response and treatment I have received thus far from SOA have been superb - timely, professional and courteous. Patti's involvement is beyond my expectations and I am confident a satisfactory resolution is forthcoming. Thank you so much.

bluesubie

Would it be possible to get an update on my case (253349)? It's hard to call from work. My squeaky clutch problem has been ongoing since 12,000 miles (now at 42,000) and 5 dealer visits (3 different dealers).
The first 4 visits I was told it was simply the pedal and the cable. On the last visit I was told I need a new clutch because of a bad throw-out bearing (now they tell me). What isn't noted in my file is a long list of other issues I've had with this service department (over/under filling engine oil, under filling gear oil, lack of communication, disrespect towards customers by the service manager, mis-diagnosis of problems, etc.) My wife and I now drive 30 miles out of the way to a different service department (she has an OB and I have an OBS). Tom told me a couple of weeks ago that they have a new service manager.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dennis

nvy

Now we are talking!

rsholland

I agree with you Petterson 10. Long live the manual!

Unfortunately, not everybody agrees with us. Ten years ago, most small cars were still manuals. That's not the case today. And -- ten years from now, I have a feeling that the manual transmission will be relegated to folklore; just like the hand crank, floor button-operated high/low beam switches, and mechanical brakes.

Whatever manuals that remain will be hard to find, unless you live in a third-world country, or are a hyper-performance nut.

Besides, there will hardly be anyone around who remembers how to use a clutch in ten years.

Bob

lucien2

I think also a lot of manual drivers fancy themselves as more performance oriented. Not in terms of what they drive per se, but in how they drive. No surprise that BMW, VW and i suppose Audi sell so many, and why the Lincoln LS has a 5-speed option. he heh...the "standard" transmission is an auto.

And another reason to like them? Ain't no one tried to steal mine, 'casue the punks don't know how to drive it. Wait a minute, I take that back..they just keep oing after Mike Smith's rice-free Civic!

nvy

the art of a five speed. They have been shifting
the old Subies for years now. They seem to do
this by ear. Guess all those years of hanging out
w/ me had an effect,(poor things). I figure if
they learn on a five speed, they can drive just
about/almost anything, even though BMW seems to
be all they talk about. Thats a good point
on the ten year thought. Yet, we may have to consider Fuji trains by then (if we have'nt already started). I don't know y'all, I just know I like a manual. A H6 w/ a 5 speed is going to
be fun for years and years.

Later Y'all

gtdriver

Glad to hear that SOA is looking further into your dilemma. They are another solid factor in my devotion to the brand. I've had a couple of minor situations where SOA went beyond the call of duty to help me.
Although I understand the point about perceptions by extended warranty owners, I have a simple philosophy: If something fails out of warranty on a relatively late-model car (such as a '98 with 45,000 miles), it should be reviewed based on the part. There are many parts that could be subjected to owner abuse, overuse, neglect, etc. such as power window motors, a/c compressors, transmissions, suspension, and other "moving" parts. But an airbag sensor/assembly is a completely passive, stagnant part. The owner never has anything to do with it, unless of course, he crashes the car. Same for gauges; it is impossible to abuse them and they should last the life of the car, or at least a very long time. In those cases, SOA should have some recourse with the parts supplier, which in this case supplied an apparently defective airbag assembly.

locke2c

I think SOA is interested in replacing the airbag because it is a safety device and they don't like their odds in court defending a safety issue. Seatbelts are lifetime warranted in most vehicles for the same reason. You might think that's because seatbelts are inexpensive compared to airbags-- mostly true, but the automatic belts used in the late 80's -early 90's are not cheap to repair. A friend just had his fixed for free on his '92 Integra, P&L ran to about $800.

Gauges have mechanical parts and will wear or fail at some point. I disagree that SOA should pay for things that should last the life of the car but don't for whatever reason. Represent all these things in the basic warranty, which all consumers pay for, and cover it longer in an extended warranty which some consumers chose to pay extra for.

-Colin

aling

Guess what? The Escape has been hit with another (3rd) recall: http://www.bonforums.com/escape_onhold3.htm

rsholland

... that more and more new commercial vehicles (trucks of all sizes) are being equipped with automatic trannys. One of the reasons is the companies can't find enough drivers who can drive stick shift.

Oh, how the times have changed!

Bob

miksmi

Loosh, funny point about young thugs not knowing how to drive a stick. They just want my Civic's stereo, hehe, and break out the window. Fortunately, only happened once.

Drew: Man that is so sad. I guess I stand by my decision to not give Ford a chance on the first-year Focus wagon. I read the articles but they didn't say: were these built in the US?

Bob: Yes, the times they are a changin. Oh, the humanity! Civilization may end as we know it unless nvy has more kids!

..Mike

amishra

Patti, have you had a chance to look into the reason why the fuel injectors on the 2000 OB 5-speed seem to have problems in some areas?

Is it possible that it's due to the ECU? (mine was replaced).

Thanks, ash

shndvn

Well, I seem to be getting about 22 or 23 MPG
these days (2001 Forester, 3 months old, 5000
miles). I didn't measure scientifically at the
start but I was getting about 285 miles from
Full to 1/4 left (on fuel gauge) - now it seems
to be significantly worse (maybe 240-250).
Isn't the MPG suppose to increase over time?
(I don't know what the MPG was at the start but
I'm doing the actual calculations now.)

This is almost all highway driving, no fast
starts/stops, maintaining constant speed,
no AC, etc. I suppose the lower numbers has
something to do with the driving speed. How
much would one expect the MPG to decrease as the
speed increases to say 85 MPH? (In case you're
wondering, I get passed all the time by people
going faster.)

The EPA numbers are averages, correct? So one
could expect to get OVER 27 MPG on a good day.
I wonder how much the MPG varies by car depending
on speed (ie. are some cars optimized to get
better fuel economy at 75 MPH while others are
good at 55 MPG)?

Besides the higher speed, I'm doing everything
else right (I think). Tire pressure is not low.
I'd expect to be closer to the highway MPG than
just above city MPG, no? Any ideas?

texsubaru

'Tis a little thing to be sure, but ... Am I the only one who finds it a bit grating that if you actually use the Edmunds townhall spellcheck function before you post (which, admittedly, I only do somewhat sporadically) it consistently flags "Subaru" as a misspelled word????

kate5000

It seems that no matter how and where I drive, my MPG is always between 22 and 23 mpg (Forester'01, auto, 3K miles. I second the post above: isn't it a bit too low for a highway driving?

nvy

Hey Tex, I thought those 112 degree temperatures
we had last week were awful. Sounds like that
spellcheck feature won't help to cool things
down.

Oh, by the way y'all, the a/c worked just fine.
Who said the a/c was a little weak @ 98 degrees
for his taste. I stand corrected.

lucien2

yea, that is funny. it does let all sorts of apostrophe "S" violations go by.

Off Topic: this is one of my biggest peeves with the state of our language right now.

's = indicates posession, NOT plural. There is no need to use an apostrophe to indicate multiple items. An example: there were lots of Subaru's at the meet. NOT!! (no, Mike, you did not commit this error. And I thank you)

O.k I feel better now. :-)

locke2c

I get good gas mileage for how I drive-- 5-10 MPH over the speed limit everywhere I go. I never shift before 4,000 RPM and I see 6,200 RPM several times per day. On ramps are toys, unless slow traffic in front ruins the fun.

I average 22 MPG with the AC on and about 24 without. The best mileage I've gotten in pure highway use was around 27 MPG.

I presume those that get better mileage are lighter on the throttle than I am. Anything beats my old '65 Chevelle -- 8 MPG "behaving" and *maybe* 4 driving spiritedly. (No speedometer, no fuel gauge, no windshield wipers, no AC, and an 8 gallon fuel cell.) I actually had to daily drive it for a few months waiting for my '97 Neon ACR to arrive. The Neon got 26 MPG in daily driving and I hit 36 MPG on the highway once.

I don't miss either car with my Scooby!

-Colin

torek

Went on a 3-day-weekend type camping trip to the High Sierra (around 8400 ft, at the Agnew Meadows campground in Devils Postpile National Monument [NB: no apostrophe in "Devils" any more, a bit like the Jackson's Hole => Jackson Hole change :-) ]). It was rather chilly the first night ... I think I might want a 0-degree bag instead of the 20-degree one I have now. Brr.

$1.58 for gas? At Lee Vining, just north of the intersection of SR120 and US395, gas was going for $2.549 per gallon. Fortunately, in Mammoth it was a mere (?) $2.299/gal.

On the brush guards: I have them; I even noticed that they did a very slight something on this trip, where the weeds were growing up a bit in rutted dirt track they call a "road" out to the campsite. :-) For the most part, though, they do not do much: You can stand on them when you need to reach the roof. The main drawback is not with cleaning (although they are slightly in the way there), but rather with everyday use: the brush guards stick out where you might want to put your leg, when getting out of the car.

Chris