Subaru has addressed this issue to a small degree with the Forester. The Forester's angle of approach and departure are slightly better than those of the Outback.
However, compared to other SUVs, the Forester's angles of approach/departure are poor. If the Forester is ever to considered (down the [off-]road), the angles of approach/departure need to be dramaticly improved.
<<However, compared to other SUVs, the Forester's angles of approach/departure are poor. If the Forester is ever to considered (down the [off-]road) as an true off-roader, the angles of approach/departure need to be dramaticly improved.>>
I noticed a howl at speed that seems to be coming from my new OB's roof rack, and remember that it was discussed a lot on this board. One possible fix that I'm going to try is to spiral a rope or bungie cord around the crossbars (two or three turns ought to do it). Has anyone tried that yet? Yakima racks (round crossbars) are famous for "singing" when empty because of the same phenomena (vortex shedding), but the noise goes away if you put an attachment on the rack or just spiral wrap it with a rope or bungie.
Funny thing about the noise -- I didn't notice it last night or this morning while driving around, but it was there this afternoon.
Deadbolt, thanks for the info on the cup holder tensioner -- a very clever idea. I just used it to hold a small milkshake cup in place, and it works great. Much better than having cups rattle around . . .
Been kind of busy over on the "Future Models" topic area, from about post #379 on. Check them out, and please pass them on to folks at SOA. Welcome your comments.
We just returned from a 2500 mile trek from Chicago to Cape Hatteras N.C. Drove our 2KOB and all was well. We took the Southern route through Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia via Int 64. In Virginia we detoured to bike and drive The Blue Ridge Parkway (A must drive with your Sube!).
MPG Through the mountains, AC on most of the way, if it wasn't on, all the windows, moon, and sunroof were open and 2 bikes on a Thule rack, no fairing. We averaged 24.3mpg. Best was 25.7 worst 23.7. Speed from 55 to 80 with some mixed town driving at Hatteras. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to separate mountain mpg vs flat vs AC on or not. Decent mpg with bikes on top. All and all pretty good.
There were no other problems with the car. Just alot of bugs to clean off the hood and out of the radiator when we got back.
>>2) my OB came with no license plate brackets at all -- the plates are screwed directly to the bumper in front and to the liftgate in back. Is this the way it's supposed to be?<<
Craig, congratulations on the new ride. I too preferred the interior of the Legacy/OB to the Forester. In regards to the plates, my Legacy didn't come with any brackets either. I didn't have any brackets that I wanted to use, so at first I put the plates directly on the car. Not so bad up front, but in the back you could see where the edge of the plate could easily get pushed up against the tailgate and scratch the paint. As a solution, I took some high density rubber matting about 1/8" thick and cut six small squares out of it. (four for the back, two for the front) I drilled holes through them and mounted them at each screw location between the plate and body as spacers. You can't see them but they keep the plate out away from the paint. Took me only about ten minutes to make them, but then I had the material on hand.
As far as wind noise, I haven't heard any with just the bars on, but I don't normally have them on unless I'm carrying something up there.
I would definitely wait for the H6 outback. I often haul 5 adults and cargo. When I went to put my deposit on a 2000 Legacy GT Wagon, I test drove 2 different one's with 5 full sized adults (about 1000lbs) and no cargo, and no trailer. Unfortunately, it couldn't get out of it's own way so I had to buy a trooper, as my rodeo lease was up.
I just hope they don't price themselves out of the market with the H6 models...
CJ: glad you got to drive the BRP -- that and the Shenadoah National Forest are two wonderful places to drive, bike, and hike in Virginia. I'm lucky enough to only be 2.5 hours away! I hope to get out there for a little camping with my new OB soon. By the way, that mileage sounds excellent.
Dave: Thanks for the info. I was able to steal back the front license plate holder from my trade-in (a Honda), which is just a flat piece of black plastic with a small channel groove around the edge. The plate slides into it, and it mounts up against the bumper nicely. In addition to providing a layer between the plate and paint, it stiffens up the plate quite a bit. I haven't ever seen these in stores, but they come with most new Hondas, and can probably be bought at a Honda dealer. In back, I borrowed/modified your idea and used some 1/4" thick nylon bushings I had laying around. They worked perfectly, and leave a nice unnoticeable gap between the plate and paint.
OK, well, I hope to take my OB off-road on the 4th. It's just a rutted dirt trail that goes down to my inlaw's riverfront cabin, but it will be nice to drive down there without having to navigate in fear (at 2 mph no less) for a change. I used to clean handfuls of dirt, grass, and stones out of the undercarriage of my Honda whenever we drove down there, and the road was off-limits in any kind of inclement weather. It will be cake in the Outback.
Mention of the wind noise on the roof rack suggests a couple of possible issues, gleaned from past experience. The appearance of differing noise at different times suggests that it could in fact be the sunroof/ sunroofs if fitted or windows left partially open. The rubber door seals are also prone to being pulled out, particularly by young inquisitive fingers (mine is three years old and has every prospect of becoming an engineer if he ever learns to put together the things he takes apart). Check the door seals, particularly on those doors near where kids sit. To check the seals, compare the fit on both doors to see that each looks the same.
A further possibility is that the noise may be weather related. I had a MB C Class which howled in moist air, the source ultimately being traced to the Cellphone aerial located at a critical point in the slipstream. When I drove through misty weather, it howled horribly, the frequency varying with speed. This was corrected by replacing the aerial with a stubby one.
If the noise is definitely rack related, try applying tape, such as masking tape over each of the joins, testing whether the noise disappears and then progressively remove the tape from each joint to spot the culprit. Remove all of the tape promptly so the glue does not stick to the car. My best bet is the leading edge of the rail where it meets the forward mounting point
The tape trick also works for the common problem of noise from the front door mirrors. This is apparently related to some small hole in the area between the base and mirror proper.
Hope the noise disappears. This whistles are always frustrating.
Hey, that's not too bad at all, but perhaps a little bit high. I would've liked to see the L.L Bean at about US$28-29K and the VDC at US$30-31K. But at least both of the figures are lower than the Passat 4-motion wagon or the Volvo XC/V70 AWD wagon, and justifiable so. After all, this is "just" a Subaru, no offense intended. I'm looking forward to test driving the VDC wagon.
but a 3-speed (a fixed speed plus 2 intermittent speeds) unit like that found on my Explorer is better still. Since they were going to the trouble of redoing the rear wiper, why not go all the way like Ford did?
Slowly but surely Subaru is coming around. For 2001 the Outback's front seats finally get rear map pockets and lighted vanity mirrors standard. That's great, but these upgrades should have occurred in MY 2000.
If you are successful, let Juice know so he can post the fix on his site. I'll be right behind you on that one, BTW. I rarely get enough wet back there to justify a constant speed; it just squeeks away.
I bought to clear plastic plate guards, but one of them cracked before I got it on the car, so I'm still in the market and may try the above suggestions, thanks.
Pep Boys has "Scooby Doo" plate guards with the cartoon dog--definitely not my style, but maybe yours?
I like the cruise engaged light as well and agree that it is a safety issue.
I haven't had the cruise control slip out yet on my Subaru, but I imagine that much like my Honda it may slip out on hills or sharp turns. As my Honda aged the cruise became less and less reliable and would slip often. The first warning (especially at night) came from the light on my dashboard.
Most if not all of the suggestions submitted I agree with especially -better quality/less cheesy interior esp. carpets -framed windows with auto power up & down -redesign visors *see below -improved sound deadening for road/engine noise -cruise engaged light on instrument panel -improve shifting for manuals -keep making manuals -keep pricing under control Give me more time with the car and I'm sure I could go on. And if I ever get the technical acumen, I'll go on about improving the manual gears. But make no mistake, I'm very happy with my sport.
*My personal twist on the visors is that the cut out on the inside edge, next to the rearview mirror, is too narrow. I tested every recent model and with my seat in position the visor hits me in the head when I turn it to the side window. It's a real pain in the &^%* to have to move out of the way of the visor every time the sun comes glaring through the side window. Note that I'm 5'2.5" or not quite 5'3", which is short but not that short so I'm sure that it effects other drivers as well.
I'd like to replace my visors and the mounts look pretty standard to lots of cars but I'd want the replacements to match the dark gray interior. Anyone have any suggestions?
Every dealer I've ever visited has always had far more Outbacks on their lot, indicating that's the hot seller. Compared to the Outback, Legacys are always far and few between. So I'm shocked when I read that the Legacy is outselling the Outback.
What is the deal with all the idiot lights on the dashboards of today's cars? I've noticed that FHI/Isuzu has since '97 cut down their available guages (except for the $400 guage pack on the RS) to only water temp and fuel. My '97 Rodeo had Oil Pressure, Water Temp, Fuel, Voltage. My '00 Trooper only has Water temp and fuel. The Subarus are the same deal. My '88 XT6 has Oil pressure, Voltage, Water temp and fuel. Also my '88 XT6 had a light indicating that a door was unlocked which I thought was great, especially driving in the city where you want your doors locked at all times. Then again, the XT6 also had power up drivers window too. I love my '88 XT6, hopefully it'll run for a good long while.
I finally found some side-by-side comparison pictures of stock 55w halogen bulbs vs. 55w PIAA Superwhites. These pictures were taken by a BMW M roadster owner who was unhappy with the performance of the stock headlamp bulbs; the pictures have not been altered in any way.
I think that all of you will agree that the PIAAs are brighter, whiter and seem to cover a slightly larger area ahead. See, I wasn't exaggerating in my earlier posts! :-) They may be pricey, but definitely worth it, IMHO. I recommend them to any of you who would like better performance from your headlights or foglights.
You can find buy the PIAAs at a variety of places online. The two more well known ones are www.autobulbdepot.com and www.autosupermart.com . Autosupermart guarantees that they have the lowest prices online, or they'll match or beat their competitors' prices. The bulbs that were used on that BMW M Roadster in the pictures were of the 55w 9006 variety.
Patti, Hope you are not getting overwhelmed by all the suggestions here. I think that we love our cars and are glad to finally have somebody "in the loop" listening to our thoughts. Besides, when you have something so good, you always want to make it just a little bit better:-)
Which leads to my other pet-peeve about the Outback. Is it possible to disable the auto-on air conditioning when the air is turned to the windshield position? I know that the ac helps remove humidity, but when it is 30 below I want the air to be as warm as possible as fast as possible to melt the ice. If the ac must come on, then at least let us manually turn it off.
>>It's a real pain in the &^%* to have to move out of the way of the visor every time the sun comes glaring through the side window. Note that I'm 5'2.5" or not quite 5'3", which is short but not that short so I'm sure that it effects other drivers as well....Anyone have any suggestions?<<
Wear sunglasses and leave the visor up. The only thing I use my visors for is to hold my garage door openers and sunglasses holder. I can't stand for anything to block my vision out of the car, even at the upper edge of the windows.
This site was bad over the past year or so I have been around, but it has been crazy since I became a very part-time visitor (alas, no surfing at work). There's no way I can keep up on borrowed Internet time at the in-laws place.
Patti coming on board is an amazing scoop - makes everyone hopeful that we are not just whistling in the wind.
Still think the Forester is an awesome machine for people with big plans and small money. Through both 4000 and 5000kms this weekend with a trip to the Okanagen via the TransCanada (through Banff &Yoho National Parks). 30mpg at 110-120kmh is pretty good, with decent lick of speed in 4th gear up long RV- clogged climbs. First (of many) extended road/camping trips, I hope.
Have you all a Sube-tastic summer (and get out from behind those computers!!).
I agree with you. If I turn off the AC Compressor I want it off!!!
I fought this battle with the manufacturer of my previous vehicle, and lost. Apparently the engineers feel that they know better than we do and so don't give us a choice.
I think you will find that the AC compressor does not operate when the outside air temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of whether the AC button is pushed.
My sentiments exactly. Except for times where I've been a passenger and didn't have sunglasses, I have never once driven with a sun visor. And the people I see using them are usually the scariest, most clueless drivers (no offense Mary). Speaking of Mary, I have to chuckle when the last item on a wish list of improvements that require expensive technical, manufacturing and engineering modifications is "keep pricing under control". Last, and I swear I don't mean to pick on you, Mary, what on earth would possess one to buy a clear plastic license plate guard? Does someone sell a protective guard to keep the plate guard from scratching (that would be a "plate guard guard")? Not to mention that they are also illegal because they make it more difficult to read the plate. I've known people who have rubber mats to protect their carpeted mats (which of course protect their carpets). As a clean person who takes good care of his cars, I can understand that psychosis at some level. But a license plate protector?!?
I also agree with you guys about the ac/defroster issue, but you have to understand it from the manufacturer's point of view. Fact: most people are truly clueless about the proper operation of their climate control systems. Therefore, several years ago, most manufacturer's built in the auto a/c compressor feature at temps above 32-40 degrees, depending on the manufacturer. This undisputedly does improve defogging of the windows, which is a major safety issue. If you don't want the cold air, why not just slide the temp control to the warm side? The compressor will still run and do it's job, and you won't be uncomfortably cold. My point (and probably the manufacturers') is: if you make the a/c switch physically go to the on position rather than bypassing it, most people will just quickly push the button and disarm it, defeating its intended purpose. If the climate control system can be programmed to do certain things, many people will inadvertantly set them incorrectly to work inefficiently. And a separate button to disable the compressor on a single-use basis will be just one more button to confuse the already confused consumer, and will undoubtedtly be used when it really shouldn't be in the first place. So, what do you guys propose?
Can anyone say for sure whether the AC/defroster combo is or is not a federal requirement? I first saw it on a late 80's Jeep so it has been around for a long time. Also please note that it only happens on the defrost setting.
I have several pairs of very good sunglasses which I use quite a lot when I am outside. Nevertheless I must use the sun visors at times, particularly when the sun is near the horizon. I can also read in very low light, low enough that Carol tells me I "read in the dark". Carol almost never uses her sun visor, or sunglasses for that matter. I suspect that her eyes and my eyes have a different level of sensitivity to light. None of the above has a blasted thing to do with whether or not Carol and I are safe drivers.
I didn't realize that the compressor does not come on below 32F. I hope the temp sensor is more reliable than my first O2 sensor was. I also hope I won't be in a position to test that for a few months :-)
What I would like to see is what some other manufacturers have done - when set to defrost the ac comes on automatically, but the ac switch is also turned on. Thus, by pressing the ac switch, you can turn the ac off again. No need for an extra button.
Dave, gtdriver: I agree completely on the visor issue. Do either of you think the rear view mirror is a bit low? I've had cars that were worse (like my wife's last car, a 96 mustang) but it seems to block a pretty useable portion of windshield in the front viewing arc. If it were mounted just 1-2" higher it would help immensely.
>>Do either of you think the rear view mirror is a bit low? ... it seems to block a pretty useable portion of windshield in the front viewing arc. <<
It's never bothered me before. However now that you've brought it up, I'll probably notice it on my next drive and it will start making me crazy. You better help with the psychiatrist bills!
I use the PIAA Platinum Superwhite bulbs and I'm happy with them, but I've seen rave reviews of the PIAA Super Plasma bulbs as well, so its up to you which one you want. However, stay away from the Solaris bulbs because they're junk and a waste of money.
The rear view mirror does seem low on my 2000 Outback. The digital compass takes away another fraction of an inch of viewing space. It bothered me when I picked up the car 2 weeks ago, but I've adjusted to it now.
I agree with leaving the decision to run the A/C with the defroster up to the driver. The IQ test at the point of sale is a great idea!
If you slide the temp up to the hot setting, the A/C doesn't come on... It only comes on when the temp setting is 1/2 or below on the dial.
I got the PIAA Superwhites today... So far they are better than stock. I also have the Hella Optilux, which are better than the PIAA ones on low beam, but the PIAAs are better on the high beam. So now I'm torn, probably do the PIAAs in the summer, and the Hellas in the winter. I've heard the PIAAs are horrible in the snow too much reflection...
I've never heard of "too much reflection" in the snow. Since HID lights are much brighter and whiter than the PIAAs, this would mean that they're blinding in the snow? ;-) I can't say I've experienced this trait with the HID lights on my car.
Wow, I didn't think I'd have to defend myself for wanting to use my visors; they are standard on virtually (if not every) vehicle and it's intended for more than your map. In fact, most manufacturers probably advise you not to store things on your visor.
If sunglasses alone work for you than great, I'm happy for you. I suspect that you're all taller than me, so that the sun is less likely to shine right in your eyes and that the visor is also more likely to obstruct your view of the road. The visors do not obstruct my view of the road one bit, not even of overhead traffic lights. And yes, my eyes are light blue and very sensitive to light. When the sun is at the horizon using a visor makes the difference between seeing the road in front of me or not, sun glasses or not.
Now if you compare the visors to other vehicles you'll see that that are cut very close to the mirror which is why they hit me in the head and why other posters have had problems with visors moving their rearview mirrors out of position.
When I asked for suggestions it was to find a suitable replacement for the visors. I didn't really expect an answer, because no one else has mentioned it in a post and because I doubt there's any substitute for scrounging junk yards. But I certainly didn't expect to get flamed or belittled either.
If you must know, I bought the plate guards to replace the ones that the dealer put on and to protect the car from the edges of the metal plates, which if my memory serves was the point of the thread. I bought clear plastic because that's all they had without writing or pictures. The guards I bought turned out to be too cheaply made so they'll be returned, but they certainly are not illegal and would not obstruct view of the plate.
Lastly, I'm well aware of the irony in my wish list; it was a wish list! But just the same, the second to last item was about improving the shift. There are, in my opinion, other cars available in the same price class with better shifting. I'm very happy with the car, but I'm not completely satisfied with this crucial feature and I'm sure that improvements can be made.
Not to pick on you though .... I'm through defending myself,
The defroster on the 2K OB does indeed have the compressor on ALL the time (I verified this), above freezing. This does not mean that the air doing the defrosting has to be cold. The intention is to dry the air that is used for defrosting. Using dried air to defrost results in a highly effective and quick defrost as compared to un-conditioned air.
Even with the compressor running, you can dial any air temperature you want for the defroster - this is the intent and normal functionality of the system.
I am a supporter of having the compressor on ALL the time in defrost mode because most folks don't realize that effective defrosting takes place only when the compressor is on. If you opt to defrost with the compressor off, you might complain about how crappy the car's defrost is. Why not use the system to its fullest and defrost the fastest you possibly can? The only way to do that, is to have the compressor on, doing its thing.
I don't know about you guys but in my Forester and all the Hondas I have owned the compressor does not shut off at below 32 degrees and it really shouldn't. In the Subarus and many other Japanese autos the compressor has a separate switch to turn on the compressor and this helps even in the winter to get rid of the humidity. Here in New England this really helps out in clearing up the window in winter. Many American cars though have a system that will not run the A/C below 40 degrees (such as my Ranger). In fact it is recommended to run your A/C at least once a week in the winter to keep the compressor seals lubricated thru the oils in the refrigerant. Remember that you can run your A/C with the heat on it just helps to remove the moisture in the winter better. Also the compressor is supposed to cycle on and off as your house A/C does. It does this so the evaporator dosen't freeze up as in the older cars of the 60's and 70's. The only problem I have found with my Forester is that if your idling in traffic for a long time the A/C dosen't cycle a lot so as not to overheat and tax the engine so I just slide over the the air circulation to internal air and close off the external air. Keeps the interior cooler.
How much is the cost of those lights? Is the electrical system ready to accept them on my 2001 Forester? I've heard that you can't put some kind of bulbs, because they can affect the live of the battery and/or alternator.
Nobody's trying to "belittle" you (no pun intended, your word choice). OK, so at the risk of pissing you off again.... If the visor doesn't affect your view of anything, presumably as you are peeking through the crevice created between the top of the dashboard and top of the steering wheel, what exactly does the visor do for you? Regarding your license plates, if you are merely referring to license plate FRAMES, then please accept my apology. Although I'm struggling to understand how the edge of a license plate, framed or unframed, scratches the paint. Jumping back to the visor issue, I agree with you, Bill (WDB), people DO have different sensitivities to light. So why not buy sunglasses that polarize to conditions or ones (like Serengeti) that work great in all type of conditions (snow glare, direct sun, haze, dusk) rather than simply restrict your field of vision with opaque barriers? Last, jumping back to the defroster/ac issue: Mike, re-read my post. I said that if the a/c button physically goes on automatically with the defroster, most people will incorrectly turn it right off figuring it's a mechanical glitch or they simply don't need it. In Japanese cars back in the 80's, you could use the compressor with the defroster manually by pushing the a/c button. But few knew this, even though it was always explained in the owner's manuals. How many accidents do you think have been caused by people driving with fogged up windows? Be happy that auto makers successfully came up with something that makes safety passive, not active. Remember automatic seatbelts? Huge disaster. How about manual airbags? You push the button just when you think you're about to crash.
As long as you use bulbs of the same wattage as your stock bulbs, you shouldn't have any electrical problems. The Forester uses HB2 (aka H4) bulbs at 55/65W.
The PIAAs are pricey. A pair will set you back about $70. Hella Optilux and Sylvania Cool Blues are about $20-$30 for a pair and offer almost the same performance.
FYI, I use the Hella Premium bulbs in my Forester. Unlike the bulbs mentioned above, they do not employ a tinted quartz housing to make your light look whiter. All it does is use a higher percentage of xenon gas to allow for a higher light output. In fact, the Hella Optilux Xenon Whites are simply the Premium Bulbs with a purple/blue quartz bulb to filter out the longer wavelength light.
Mary, you clearly singled out the visor problem as regards swinging it to the side. While I can't offer any suggestion to your critique (every car I have owned often required some head bobbing in this regard), I don' think it warrants too much sniping from anyone else. FWIW, my glasses don't fully protect my peripheral vision from driver side sunsets either. I hope you aren't considering leaving the forum. May I respectfully suggest we all let the visor issue fade into the sunset....
As far as the license plate thing goes, it may not be appropriate, at least in the spirit of this forum so far, to diss anyone's style choice, at least until that person has posted enough for others to be sure he or she won't be sensitive to it. That said, no one is to mock my Scooby Doo sticker, and I personally think Mike Smith's rotating xmas light frame looks schweet, even if he takes it off before attending meets.
Sorry if I have stepped too far out here, feel free to put me back where I belong.
In most if not all states the clear or tinted liscence plate covers are illegal because it will take away from the reflective properties of the plates for law enforcement purposes. I used to put a plastic cover on my plate in the front cause I have vanity plates and it would get scratced by NYC parrallel parking drivers. Now that the mounting is not the frontmost item on my car I don't need em.
Comments
However, compared to other SUVs, the Forester's angles of approach/departure are poor. If the Forester is ever to considered (down the [off-]road), the angles of approach/departure need to be dramaticly improved.
Bob
<<However, compared to other SUVs, the Forester's
angles of approach/departure are poor. If the
Forester is ever to considered (down the
[off-]road) as an true off-roader, the angles of approach/departure need to be dramaticly improved.>>
Bob
Funny thing about the noise -- I didn't notice it last night or this morning while driving around, but it was there this afternoon.
Deadbolt, thanks for the info on the cup holder tensioner -- a very clever idea. I just used it to hold a small milkshake cup in place, and it works great. Much better than having cups rattle around . . .
Craig
Bob
We just returned from a 2500 mile trek from Chicago to Cape Hatteras N.C. Drove our 2KOB and all was well. We took the Southern route through Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia via Int 64. In Virginia we detoured to bike and drive The Blue Ridge Parkway (A must drive with your Sube!).
MPG
Through the mountains, AC on most of the way, if it wasn't on, all the windows, moon, and sunroof were open and 2 bikes on a Thule rack, no fairing. We averaged 24.3mpg. Best was 25.7 worst 23.7. Speed from 55 to 80 with some mixed town driving at Hatteras. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to separate mountain mpg vs flat vs AC on or not. Decent mpg with bikes on top. All and all pretty good.
There were no other problems with the car. Just alot of bugs to clean off the hood and out of the radiator when we got back.
CJ
all -- the plates are screwed directly to the
bumper in front and to the liftgate in back. Is
this the way it's supposed to be?<<
Craig, congratulations on the new ride. I too preferred the interior of the Legacy/OB to the Forester. In regards to the plates, my Legacy didn't come with any brackets either. I didn't have any brackets that I wanted to use, so at first I put the plates directly on the car. Not so bad up front, but in the back you could see where the edge of the plate could easily get pushed up against the tailgate and scratch the paint. As a solution, I took some high density rubber matting about 1/8" thick and cut six small squares out of it. (four for the back, two for the front) I drilled holes through them and mounted them at each screw location between the plate and body as spacers. You can't see them but they keep the plate out away from the paint. Took me only about ten minutes to make them, but then I had the material on hand.
As far as wind noise, I haven't heard any with just the bars on, but I don't normally have them on unless I'm carrying something up there.
Welcome to the Sube owners club.
Dave
I just hope they don't price themselves out of the market with the H6 models...
-mike
Dave: Thanks for the info. I was able to steal back the front license plate holder from my trade-in (a Honda), which is just a flat piece of black plastic with a small channel groove around the edge. The plate slides into it, and it mounts up against the bumper nicely. In addition to providing a layer between the plate and paint, it stiffens up the plate quite a bit. I haven't ever seen these in stores, but they come with most new Hondas, and can probably be bought at a Honda dealer. In back, I borrowed/modified your idea and used some 1/4" thick nylon bushings I had laying around. They worked perfectly, and leave a nice unnoticeable gap between the plate and paint.
OK, well, I hope to take my OB off-road on the 4th. It's just a rutted dirt trail that goes down to my inlaw's riverfront cabin, but it will be nice to drive down there without having to navigate in fear (at 2 mph no less) for a change. I used to clean handfuls of dirt, grass, and stones out of the undercarriage of my Honda whenever we drove down there, and the road was off-limits in any kind of inclement weather. It will be cake in the Outback.
Everyone: have a good 4th of July holiday!
Craig
A further possibility is that the noise may be weather related. I had a MB C Class which howled in moist air, the source ultimately being traced to the Cellphone aerial located at a critical point in the slipstream. When I drove through misty weather, it howled horribly, the frequency varying with speed. This was corrected by replacing the aerial with a stubby one.
If the noise is definitely rack related, try applying tape, such as masking tape over each of the joins, testing whether the noise disappears and then progressively remove the tape from each joint to spot the culprit. Remove all of the tape promptly so the glue does not stick to the car. My best bet is the leading edge of the rail where it meets the forward mounting point
The tape trick also works for the common problem of noise from the front door mirrors. This is apparently related to some small hole in the area between the base and mirror proper.
Hope the noise disappears. This whistles are always frustrating.
Cheers
Graham
I just came across this on the SOA website. 2001 model pricing is out. The LL Bean edition is about $30K and the VDC is $32K:
http://www.subaru.com/news/press_releases/pr_00/06_29_00_pricing.html
Drew
>>...and all wagon models receive a fixed intermittent rear window wiper.<<
Well they went and fixed my biggest peeve! Hopefully now I can modify my 00 and make the rear wiper intermittant without too much trouble.
Dave #274
Slowly but surely Subaru is coming around. For 2001 the Outback's front seats finally get rear map pockets and lighted vanity mirrors standard. That's great, but these upgrades should have occurred in MY 2000.
Bob
Lucien
Pep Boys has "Scooby Doo" plate guards with the cartoon dog--definitely not my style, but maybe yours?
Mary
I haven't had the cruise control slip out yet on my Subaru, but I imagine that much like my Honda it may slip out on hills or sharp turns. As my Honda aged the cruise became less and less reliable and would slip often. The first warning (especially at night) came from the light on my dashboard.
Mary
-better quality/less cheesy interior esp. carpets
-framed windows with auto power up & down
-redesign visors *see below
-improved sound deadening for road/engine noise
-cruise engaged light on instrument panel
-improve shifting for manuals
-keep making manuals
-keep pricing under control
Give me more time with the car and I'm sure I could go on. And if I ever get the technical acumen, I'll go on about improving the manual gears. But make no mistake, I'm very happy with my sport.
*My personal twist on the visors is that the cut out on the inside edge, next to the rearview mirror, is too narrow. I tested every recent model and with my seat in position the visor hits me in the head when I turn it to the side window. It's a real pain in the &^%* to have to move out of the way of the visor every time the sun comes glaring through the side window. Note that I'm 5'2.5" or not quite 5'3", which is short but not that short so I'm sure that it effects other drivers as well.
I'd like to replace my visors and the mounts look pretty standard to lots of cars but I'd want the replacements to match the dark gray interior. Anyone have any suggestions?
Mary
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000703/nj_subaru_.html
Every dealer I've ever visited has always had far more Outbacks on their lot, indicating that's the hot seller. Compared to the Outback, Legacys are always far and few between. So I'm shocked when I read that the Legacy is outselling the Outback.
Bob
-mike
pictures of stock 55w halogen bulbs vs. 55w PIAA
Superwhites. These pictures were taken by a BMW M
roadster owner who was unhappy with the performance of the stock headlamp bulbs; the pictures have not been altered in any way.
I think that all of you will agree that the PIAAs are brighter, whiter and seem to cover a slightly larger area ahead. See, I wasn't exaggerating in my earlier posts! :-) They may be pricey, but definitely worth it, IMHO. I recommend them to any of you who would like better performance from your headlights or foglights.
Before After
Drew
-mike
Drew
Hope you are not getting overwhelmed by all the suggestions here. I think that we love our cars and are glad to finally have somebody "in the loop" listening to our thoughts. Besides, when you have something so good, you always want to make it just a little bit better:-)
Which leads to my other pet-peeve about the Outback. Is it possible to disable the auto-on air conditioning when the air is turned to the windshield position? I know that the ac helps remove humidity, but when it is 30 below I want the air to be as warm as possible as fast as possible to melt the ice. If the ac must come on, then at least let us manually turn it off.
Thanks for listening.
MikeF
Wear sunglasses and leave the visor up. The only thing I use my visors for is to hold my garage door openers and sunglasses holder. I can't stand for anything to block my vision out of the car, even at the upper edge of the windows.
Dave
Patti coming on board is an amazing scoop - makes everyone hopeful that we are not just whistling in the wind.
Still think the Forester is an awesome machine for people with big plans and small money. Through both 4000 and 5000kms this weekend with a trip to the Okanagen via the TransCanada (through Banff &Yoho National Parks). 30mpg at 110-120kmh is pretty good, with decent lick of speed in 4th gear up long RV- clogged climbs. First (of many) extended road/camping trips, I hope.
Have you all a Sube-tastic summer (and get out from behind those computers!!).
JP
2000 Forester 5-speed
Calgary
-mike
I agree with you. If I turn off the AC Compressor I want it off!!!
I fought this battle with the manufacturer of my previous vehicle, and lost. Apparently the engineers feel that they know better than we do and so don't give us a choice.
I think you will find that the AC compressor does not operate when the outside air temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, regardless of whether the AC button is pushed.
gearhead4
Speaking of Mary, I have to chuckle when the last item on a wish list of improvements that require expensive technical, manufacturing and engineering modifications is "keep pricing under control".
Last, and I swear I don't mean to pick on you, Mary, what on earth would possess one to buy a clear plastic license plate guard? Does someone sell a protective guard to keep the plate guard from scratching (that would be a "plate guard guard")? Not to mention that they are also illegal because they make it more difficult to read the plate. I've known people who have rubber mats to protect their carpeted mats (which of course protect their carpets). As a clean person who takes good care of his cars, I can understand that psychosis at some level. But a license plate protector?!?
If you don't want the cold air, why not just slide the temp control to the warm side? The compressor will still run and do it's job, and you won't be uncomfortably cold. My point (and probably the manufacturers') is: if you make the a/c switch physically go to the on position rather than bypassing it, most people will just quickly push the button and disarm it, defeating its intended purpose. If the climate control system can be programmed to do certain things, many people will inadvertantly set them incorrectly to work inefficiently. And a separate button to disable the compressor on a single-use basis will be just one more button to confuse the already confused consumer, and will undoubtedtly be used when it really shouldn't be in the first place. So, what do you guys propose?
I have several pairs of very good sunglasses which I use quite a lot when I am outside. Nevertheless I must use the sun visors at times, particularly when the sun is near the horizon. I can also read in very low light, low enough that Carol tells me I "read in the dark". Carol almost never uses her sun visor, or sunglasses for that matter. I suspect that her eyes and my eyes have a different level of sensitivity to light. None of the above has a blasted thing to do with whether or not Carol and I are safe drivers.
Regards,
WDB
What I would like to see is what some other manufacturers have done - when set to defrost the ac comes on automatically, but the ac switch is also turned on. Thus, by pressing the ac switch, you can turn the ac off again. No need for an extra button.
MikeF
I agree completely on the visor issue. Do either of you think the rear view mirror is a bit low? I've had cars that were worse (like my wife's last car, a 96 mustang) but it seems to block a pretty useable portion of windshield in the front viewing arc. If it were mounted just 1-2" higher it would help immensely.
Maybe I'm just nuts.
-Colin
useable portion of windshield in the front viewing
arc. <<
It's never bothered me before. However now that you've brought it up, I'll probably notice it on my next drive and it will start making me crazy. You better help with the psychiatrist bills!
Dave #274
http://www.wave.net/diveguy/Dave/
Hope this helps!
Drew
I agree with leaving the decision to run the A/C with the defroster up to the driver. The IQ test at the point of sale is a great idea!
I got the PIAA Superwhites today... So far they are better than stock. I also have the Hella Optilux, which are better than the PIAA ones on low beam, but the PIAAs are better on the high beam. So now I'm torn, probably do the PIAAs in the summer, and the Hellas in the winter. I've heard the PIAAs are horrible in the snow too much reflection...
-mike
If sunglasses alone work for you than great, I'm happy for you. I suspect that you're all taller than me, so that the sun is less likely to shine right in your eyes and that the visor is also more likely to obstruct your view of the road. The visors do not obstruct my view of the road one bit, not even of overhead traffic lights. And yes, my eyes are light blue and very sensitive to light. When the sun is at the horizon using a visor makes the difference between seeing the road in front of me or not, sun glasses or not.
Now if you compare the visors to other vehicles you'll see that that are cut very close to the mirror which is why they hit me in the head and why other posters have had problems with visors moving their rearview mirrors out of position.
When I asked for suggestions it was to find a suitable replacement for the visors. I didn't really expect an answer, because no one else has mentioned it in a post and because I doubt there's any substitute for scrounging junk yards. But I certainly didn't expect to get flamed or belittled either.
If you must know, I bought the plate guards to replace the ones that the dealer put on and to protect the car from the edges of the metal plates, which if my memory serves was the point of the thread. I bought clear plastic because that's all they had without writing or pictures. The guards I bought turned out to be too cheaply made so they'll be returned, but they certainly are not illegal and would not obstruct view of the plate.
Lastly, I'm well aware of the irony in my wish list; it was a wish list! But just the same, the second to last item was about improving the shift. There are, in my opinion, other cars available in the same price class with better shifting. I'm very happy with the car, but I'm not completely satisfied with this crucial feature and I'm sure that improvements can be made.
Not to pick on you though .... I'm through defending myself,
Mary
Even with the compressor running, you can dial any air temperature you want for the defroster - this is the intent and normal functionality of the system.
I am a supporter of having the compressor on ALL the time in defrost mode because most folks don't realize that effective defrosting takes place only when the compressor is on. If you opt to defrost with the compressor off, you might complain about how crappy the car's defrost is. Why not use the system to its fullest and defrost the fastest you possibly can? The only way to do that, is to have the compressor on, doing its thing.
The horse, I think, is dead.
Enjoy!!
-Howard
Regarding your license plates, if you are merely referring to license plate FRAMES, then please accept my apology. Although I'm struggling to understand how the edge of a license plate, framed or unframed, scratches the paint.
Jumping back to the visor issue, I agree with you, Bill (WDB), people DO have different sensitivities to light. So why not buy sunglasses that polarize to conditions or ones (like Serengeti) that work great in all type of conditions (snow glare, direct sun, haze, dusk) rather than simply restrict your field of vision with opaque barriers?
Last, jumping back to the defroster/ac issue: Mike, re-read my post. I said that if the a/c button physically goes on automatically with the defroster, most people will incorrectly turn it right off figuring it's a mechanical glitch or they simply don't need it. In Japanese cars back in the 80's, you could use the compressor with the defroster manually by pushing the a/c button. But few knew this, even though it was always explained in the owner's manuals. How many accidents do you think have been caused by people driving with fogged up windows? Be happy that auto makers successfully came up with something that makes safety passive, not active. Remember automatic seatbelts? Huge disaster. How about manual airbags? You push the button just when you think you're about to crash.
As long as you use bulbs of the same wattage as your stock bulbs, you shouldn't have any electrical problems. The Forester uses HB2 (aka H4) bulbs at 55/65W.
The PIAAs are pricey. A pair will set you back about $70. Hella Optilux and Sylvania Cool Blues are about $20-$30 for a pair and offer almost the same performance.
FYI, I use the Hella Premium bulbs in my Forester. Unlike the bulbs mentioned above, they do not employ a tinted quartz housing to make your light look whiter. All it does is use a higher percentage of xenon gas to allow for a higher light output. In fact, the Hella Optilux Xenon Whites are simply the Premium Bulbs with a purple/blue quartz bulb to filter out the longer wavelength light.
As far as the license plate thing goes, it may not be appropriate, at least in the spirit of this forum so far, to diss anyone's style choice, at least until that person has posted enough for others to be sure he or she won't be sensitive to it. That said, no one is to mock my Scooby Doo sticker, and I personally think Mike Smith's rotating xmas light frame looks schweet, even if he takes it off before attending meets.
Sorry if I have stepped too far out here, feel free to put me back where I belong.
-mike