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Tire thread pattern and the tire's rubber compound can all contribute to the tire noise. Obviously, the ideal all-season tire should be quiet at all speeds, and yet have good grip on dry/wet/snowy roads.
I've heard that you can spray the rubberised stoneguard stuff inside the wheelwells to reduce the noise levels. Also, adding full length door edge guards will lessen the gaps in between the doors, and help minimally in reducing wind noise there.
The large open cargo area of an SUV or station wago is succeptible to booming/echoing and amplification of the interior noises. Using the cargo area tonneau cover should help to marginally reduce noise levels even further. You can also use the Dynamat stuff (or maybe just a large old blanket) underneath the cargo tray to try and absorb even more sound.
I am more than ready to wave the truce flag and move on from ac discussions. I didn't realise that it would be such a hot topic (sorry, couldn't resist the bad pun).
I understand that alot of the tire noise comes from the 'slap' of the tire blocks as they hit the road. That is why knobby off-road truck tires make so much more noise than smoother car tires.
Does anyone here has the two tone 2001 Forester? I'm almost ready to buy the brushguard, but I don't know how is going to look if I don't paint it and leave it on black. Mine is Red/Pearl.
We have the monotone Sedona Red with the premium package on our 2001 Forester. There is another brush guard that is available that is two-toned. It is a burnished gold/bronze with black. The gold is very light--when you look at it at an angle, it matches the color of the new 16" rims on the tires. The top and bottom center of the brush guard is black. It looks great with the red body of the car. I like it better than the plain black.
Colin, I wasn't one of the proponents of a bypass switch for the auto-ac-on-when-defrosting mode, but I'll accept your apology anyway for going on way too long (just kidding, I actually like your technical mastery and like reading your insightful posts). Juice, I haven't looked at your nice new alloys yet, but I'm going to as I like to see cars with tasteful aftermarket alloys (as long as they're not garish chrome, low profile jobs that look like a black rubber band wrapped around a prop from an outboard motor). As far as prices, alloy wheels are like a pair of sneakers, where after about $60-75, you are essentially paying for exclusivity, advertising, high distribution costs, and celebrity endorsements. There may be some marginal differences between your wheels and the $200-300 ones, but for real-world use $75-100 is about all I'd want to lose when the wheel meets a pothole or curb. I had picked up a set of Subaru 15" alloys for $65 each from Tire Rack a few years back. The dealer wanted about $250 each, which is preposterous. Kathy, I'm impressed by your willingness to install the tailgate bar; my wife and any of her friends couldn't change a flat tire to save their lives. Come to think of it, many of my male friends couldn't either. The first time my wife saw one of those tailgate bars on an OB wagon, we were driving in her Legacy Wagon. She had no idea why anyone would put that on a Subaru wagon, saying that even though she's a 5'3" weakling, she never had any problem closing her liftgate. I had to explain that to many, it's more about style than function, even though I personally think it makes the back of the car look like a Broilmaster gas grill. I also like how you plan to find out how much it costs installed at the dealer so you can tell your husband how much you "saved". When I bought the alloy wheels when I took over her '92 Legacy, I tried that angle, but no matter what, she only focused on the $300 I "spent". I guess it's all about perspectives. Last, regarding overall road noise, I'm off to U of Michigan next week for a three day course at the Chrysler Center called Product Sound Quality Engineering. I'm no engineer, but it's related to the work I do. Some (or most) of it will be going over my head, but I'll be happy to present any questions to the Ph.D.'s conducting the class, (two are from Ford, but I'll try to keep my smart-[non-permissible content removed] comments to myself). But I don't need that $1,000 course to tell you that tires are a huge part of reducing NVH (noise/vibration/harshness. Yesterday, I had Michelin Pilot XGT's installed to replace my well-worn, out-of-balance, unevenly-worn Potenza RE 92's. It's as if I went from a Corolla to a Lexus LS400 in terms of quietness and smoothness. Of course I'm comparing old to new, but even Consumer Reports has noted huge differences in noise between different brands of new tires within the same class. (Sorry for the long post!)
Loved the grille joke! Does that mean you're cooking a bit more when you drive?
I think I need more sleep...
KenS: I'm trying to think of what cars come standard with a strut tower brace. It may have been an aftermarket conversion, but perhaps someone else can think of an OE application?
Skip: since you gave the OK, I'll "steal" the photos and post them on my site.
Kathy: way to go with the DIY (do-it-yourself) job. That's probably about an hour of labor at a dealer, or $65-80 or so.
Mary: I was going to comment on the tires, but looks like that's been covered pretty well already.
GTDriver: I actually did inquire about take-off wheels for Subaru. Problem is, they only had 15" alloys, and my biggest gripe was the 70 series tires, which meant 16" was a must. With what I ended up paying, I'm glad I kept shopping!
Juice, Did the new wheels/rubber change your turning circle? I ask because I owned an 85 Dodge Shelby Charger which came stock with a set of fat Goodyear gatorbacks. Great tires, they stuck so well you could practically climb walls with them, but the downside was they were so wide you needed a tugboat to parallel park. I don't remember but they added a hefty amount to the turning circle over a stock charger.
The compartment in the back of the armrest is about the right size for credit cards or one cassette tape, It won't even hold my Palm Pilot. So I don't know what Subaru intended it for, Maybe something the japanese carry in their cars?
gtdriver,
I think SOA should take note of your comment about the liftgate grab bar and team up with broilmaster, much as they are with Eddie Bauer for a limited edition. It would be easy, just replace the rear hidden cargo compartment with gas burners and grills and Viola! The commecials could have Paul Hogan cooking shrimp on the barbie and talking about how RAV4 owners only have half the grilling area. :-)
I just took home my new Forester, a 2001 silver S with premium package. It was very hard to get since 5-speeds seem to be in tight supply, especially for the S models. (I'll give a big plug to Charlie Yokum at Frederick Motors in Frederick MD for searching everywhere to get just the car I wanted, and going way out to West VA to pick it up.) Anyway, on my very first drive home I got a couple of (admittedly very small) chips in the hood from a piece of gravel. That first mark on the car is always a bummer! I've decided to get a hood deflector or small hood cover. I'm leaning towards the plastic hood deflector as I've had problems with vinyl hood protectors in the past, but I don't want to drill or make any permanent modifications to the exterior of my brand new car. Is the hood deflector a bolt-on piece? Are all of the attachment points on the inside of the hood? I asked the parts department at my dealer and they were not sure. I'm capable of doing a lot of work myself so I expect I can do it all easily, I just want to be able to remove the deflector later and not leave any marks if I decide I do not like it.
Am equipping our 2000 Outback for extended travel and would like help with the following questions:
1.where can one order cartop cargo carriers, the kind that look vaguely like kayaks (shows you how much I know about them.) Will two fit on the foot side by side? Are there better cargo carrier options?
2. I bought the regular Outback, but now want to add the commpass-equipped rear-view mirror. Does anyone happen to know if the dealer can do that -- or is it only an option that can be factory installed?
I test drove GT wagon yesterday and was disappointed with this dual-moonroof. It left to little headroom for me, but I was prepared (I'm 6 and 3 ). But when I opened it during driving very strange "shaking" noise appeared, and then both me and my passenger we feel some presser on ears. It gone only when I closed half of back moonroof. Does anybody have similar experience? Do you suppose to use this moonroof only when you a not in motion?
New tires are quieter than they will be after they have been worn in a bit. Just warning you juice! Nice choice of rims there buddy - very attractive.
As for noise in the discussion group, be it heaters or cruise control, I think it is a sign of the 'maturing' of the group. We get to know one another more and more and eventually we are going to find things about which we simply disagree - such is life. The rule I live by is to read my own message BEFORE I hit the 'Post' button; it's saved me from myself more than once. Highly recommended.
gtdriver's rantings on cruise control and sunglasses and car accidents reminded me of a George Carlin bit. It went something like this: Did you ever notice just how many totally loony people there are on the highway? There are those idiots who go flying past at extralegal speeds, endangering everyone around them with their antics, and there are the morons who plod along at a snail's pace holding everyone up. Come to think of it, since everyone who drives faster than me is an idiot, and everyone who drives slower than me is a moron, that means the highways are completely filled with idiots and morons!
I know there are days when it looks that way to me ;-)
I like the idea of the outbackdraft, we could get Kurt Russell to do the ads, as Snake Pliskin he'd kick Croc Dundee's A**.
How about an outback sport version called simply The Flamer With what that Washington Post article was saying it would tie right in to SOA's "alternative lifestyle" ad campaign. It could even come with purple or rainbow paint schemes.
On a serious note, the sunroof(s) on the GT wagon actually work in concert, the front sunroof acts as a wind deflector for the rear and somewhere in the manual it recomends using the rear in the half open position to cut back wind noise.
jres: good question. I hadn't paid attention to that. I do park in a tight garage that requires 3 points turns anyway, but I didn't notice any difference.
Eric: the hood defelctor does not require bolts. You can order one cheap from a wholesaler like QSubaru, here is their web site. It's $48 bucks delivered.
Al: you have many options. Subaru sells a cargo basket and a hard shell case. The basket is cheap, but offers no weather protection. Follow the link above for those.
You can also go aftermarket. I've seen soft carriers at Target for $25, on sale this week actually. Not sure about the quality, though. I bought this Samsonite carrier for $50.
Finally, Sears sells a bunch of the hard shell cases for pretty good prices.
As for the moonroof, opening the rear windows also helps.
That plus you can get a wind deflector to help a bit more. QSubaru also carries those for $33.50.
I paid $40 for an aftermarket model (Windflector), but then again my sunroof isn't OE so the Subaru deflector would not have fit (it fits the Outback, Legacy and Impreza though).
What's the rationale to have 2 glass roofs where one doesn't open? why not have 1 single unit? I tell you the more I think of it, the more I like the one on the trooper, it's about as big as the open of the 2 roof's on the OB, but it's one piece of glass that retracts into the rear section.
Remember, the wagon's roof is not completely flat. This is the reason why one huge moonroof can't be fitted. The first non-sliding tilt-only moonroof is curved upwards to accomodate the raised roofline.
This happens in all cars equipped with moonroofs. However, depending on the design of the built-in deflector, it can be better or worse on some vehicles than others. The problem is wind buffering. Try blowing across the top of an open pop bottle. You'll hear the resonance inside the bottle. Same idea when you open the moonroof, except that it is many time worse.
As juice said, opening the rear windows by about an inch or two virtually eliminates this problem. A moonroof deflector helps significantly as well.
That makes sense about the curved roofline now... Juice, I'll be @ my subie/isuzu dealer tonight, so I'll bring my trusty tape measure and report back later this evening. Do you know if the 2001 forester roof has a tilt up feature?
I have been following the topics here for a while and have a quick question regarding the 01 S + Forester ( which I hope to purchase in the near future). Has anyone noticed if the Silver color fades after a while? I like the color, but a friend mentioned that silver fades after a while to a "dirty" gray. Has anyone had this problem? Again, I appreciate all the help, and when I finally do get it I'll let you know.
Thanks all. Still I'm not very enthusiastic about double moonroof. I want ME to see sky, and I want ME to get fresh air, not the back passengers . It's look like Subaru tried to make some "special" moonroof, since you can fit there regular one without any problems.
I'm almost looking forward to when my tires wear out so that I can replace them with something quieter than the stock bridgestones. The car came with aftermarket Raceline Alloys that I probably wont replace. I tried finding out just what they are but they seem to be discontinued.
Juice: If you can easily compare, let us know how much louder your tires get with wear.
WBD: George Carlin is a funny man, thanks for the laughs. I always get going when I think of him ranting about people's "stuff".
bat1161: As I'm sure you know, all colors fade and I can't speak to the silver in particular, but I've heard that "since metallic colors reflect light more, they also reflect more into the paint itself and increase fading". Anyone want to confirm or deny this? My car is white and it's been on the road three years. I've just started taking the stickers, letters, pinstripes, etc. off and I can't see any signs of fading, but white is probably the best color to conceal shade variations.
Happy news: I didn't think I would like the fact that my 5Sp needs to be shifted into 4th at 40 and then into 5th at 45, but I've decided it's good because it helps keep me from speeding in the city. I wonder if this is intentional.
You have raceline wheels on your OBS? Do they have a model number on them? Don't get rid of them. They're not expensive like BBS or anything, but they are good wheels.
paisan: not sure if it tilts up, but I trust you'll let us know.
bat: I haven't heard of paint fade being a problem.
strvt: what about the back seat passengers
I thought about getting a 2nd moonroof installed for the baby. Wouldn't that be hilarious? I'd have to remove the roof rails entirely, though.
Aftermarket wheels, eh? Ask the dealer for info on them for future reference. At a minimum, it'd be nice to know their offset. Or try the manufacturer.
I just installed the optional trailer hitch on my 2000 OB. Pros: The fit is pretty nice, with the main bar curving to go over the tailpipe. The bolt points are already built-in to the car. Cons: Adds 40 lbs. Requires some bumper cutting. Had to re-tap a defective mounting hole (grrr!) Also, it reduces the departure angle of the car a bit, but after taking a closer look, it actually seems to be specifically designed with protrusions & curves to protect the muffler and plastic bumper cover. It acts almost like a skid plate. On hard packed dirt/rocks/gravel it'll take the load before the muffler gets dented, the tailpipe bent, and/or the bumper cover scratched up or even torn. Oh yeah, and now I can haul bikes with a stable, locking hitch-mounted bike rack, not the steal-able strap on racks (had it happen to me). I can help friends move (yay...). U-haul rents various trailers for ~$20, no mileage fees.
I had an '86 metallic silver Volvo which looked absolutely like new after 14 years (just got rid of it). Don't know about Subaru paint.
centavo- an addition to my note to you (#430)... The brushguard that we have is black and titanium (not gold/bronze). If your car is the sedona red with the titanium pearl, this brushguard is a perfect match with the colors of your car.
Our 21 month old LOVES that second moonroof on our OB. In fact, if it is closed she insists that we open it. Sometimes we get a tantrum out of it, so I wouldn't rush to install one!
I'm still maintaining the ban on eating in the car, but I think she and my wife will rebel when we take the road-trip to Montana later this year (from Chicago). I will hold the line.
Finally, my wife this evening managed to close the garage door onto the rear bumper of our OB. I had backed it up a little to squeeze the lawn mower out, but I guess she didn't notice that, or me mowing. Thankfully, she was VERY lucky - the door cleared the rear window and lights and the puny screw-drive motor didn't exert enough force to damage anything - not even a scratch! Still, I shall use this incident to leverage as much from her as I can...
Sorry Mary, reflection means bouncing off. By definition light can not be reflected into the paint. Darker colours absorb more light and all other things being equal will therefore fade more rapidly. A very basic question. I am new to driving automatic. In terms of long-term wear, is it better to shift into neutral or stay in drive during a long stop?
I was test driving a corolla wagon with a youngish salesman in the passenger seat and I noticed that the steering wheel was rotated by about 25 or 30 degrees and mentioned it. The salesman says "they're all like that to prevent injury in case of an accident".
The wheels are American Racing not Raceline with stock tires. Either way they're still decent wheels and I doubt I'll change them. I would like to know the specs--tried my dealer, a local retailer, the web site and calling; I have the warranty card but still no model name or number. Per American Racing, they don't put model numbers on the wheels. I'll try another retailer and if that doesn't work, maybe I'll mail them a picture.
Well as for total square inches the Trooper wins with 30inches wide x 24 inches front to rear. The 2001 Forester on the other hand... is 26 inches x 26 inches. Neither one tilts (as they are too big )
Greetings to all you subbie fans out there! Just traded a '90 Legacy L wagon with 126K for a new Outback wagon and am loving the upgrade. Subarus just keep improving on a great product.
This is also a response to a posting to a Trooper owner who compared his to an Outback. I owned a 94 Trooper (the first year of this latest-and now outdated) redesign. I put 90,000 miles on it after three or so years and was totally disappointed with it. I got two flats going off-road in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. And those tires were about $150.00 a piece to replace. The 5 spd. tranny needed to be replaced (for $1,000.00!) at 89,000 miles. And the radiator got clogged at 70K and need to be pulled and replaced. The SUV drove well enough when it wasn't breaking down. I just got tired with averaging 18 mpg. and putting up with all the incredibly expensive repairs.
Subarus are just like their old ad line--inexpensive and built to stay that way. Inexpensive does NOT mean cheap, either. I love the styling and luxury of our new Outback and am looking forward to at least a decade of great fun with this one!
Dave: my hitch is on the way. Wonder if I'll have to cut the Forester's bumper too. That would be...painful! Any install tips for me? What tools? How much time?
iscotts: Montana? Too bad the "no daytime speed limit" is a goner.
Ross: haven't heard of any tranny durability issues, so leaving it in Park should be fine.
Mary: what's odd is that I had a retailer check if American Racing rims would fit on my Forester, and they said it would not. We've just entered...the Twilight Zone.
That's 4.7 square feet for the SMALLER moonroof. Holy Cow! Mine is 15"x30", a puny 3.1 square feet. A-HA! Mine tilts, though!
BTW, the Trooper had an update since '94, I forget exactly what year though. They *tend* to be reliable, but of course YMMV.
Paisan, the large sunroof in the Trooper is designed to double as an exit after the Trooper rolls onto its side (just kidding with you again).
Silver Paint: I think clearcoat finishes have drastically reduced the amount of fade that used to occur. Silver may contain more "metal" especially since silver is usually "metallic" as well; this could account for more oxidizing of the paint from UV. One thing for sure is silver is the hardest color to get a good match on a repainted panel.
American Racing are pretty basic alloys, as far as I've seen, although they make some higher end stuff, too. My friend had them on an Accord that he bought new from a dealer. It had the plastic wheel covers on the lot, and part of his negotiation was that the dealer swap the wheels for alloys. The dealer put American Racing alloys on the car instead of the Honda alloys my friend expected to get (is anyone shocked by this?). He didn't complain too much because it was a lease and he knew he'd never buy the car. Mary: My advice is to keep them waxed well, especially prior to winter if you live in an area where salt is used; they tend to oxidize and pit after a few years.
Iscotts: Glad your bumper wasn't damaged by the overhead door. More importantly, make sure your 21 month year old baby never gets hurt by the door. Do this test: put a full roll of paper towels where the door will close and then close it. It should compress the roll somewhat, but then reverse without pinning the roll or squeezing it too severely. If it doesn't, you need to adjust the reversing mechanism. Don't underestimate the strength of that "wimpy screw-drive motor". A 1/2 horsepower motor can exert a lot of force. Since you mentioned "screw-drive" I'm assuming it's a Genie. You can also install an infra-red beam as an extra reversing safety feature if it doesn't already have one. This won't work with your car unless the wheels are in its line of sight, but it will most likely help with kids and pets.
Ross, the shifting in and out of Drive would likely cause more wear than leaving it alone.
Glenman, not to be a Devil's advocate (or Trooper's advocate), but a tranny needing a repair at 89,000 miles in a vehicle used off road shouldn't be considered short-lived. The radiator fluid clog was either a case of too-infrequent maintenance, contamination, or use of some second-rate slop that some shops pawn off as coolant/antifreeze. As far as condemning a vehicle's reliability based on number of flats: you are joking, right?
Yeah there was an update in '97, went to a 3.5l engine, and re-did the suspension, and grille, lights, hoodline.
It's always a crap shoot no matter what car you get, my dealer has a 2000 or 2001 forester with a bad tranny, bad radiator, bad main seal, and it only has like 2500 miles on it.
Also $1000 is cheap for a transmission, FWD/AWD trannies are closer to $2000.
There are two noises you are probably hearing. Chirping is the blow-off valve, this allows the system to purge unnecessary compressor boost when the throttle is lifted.
The other noise that is somewhat similar is the sound of the straight-cut planetary gear transmissions. That makes the whirring noise when they accelerate.
Folks, check out this dealer website I just finished building for my local Subaru/Jaguar dealer. Right now, there's very few used vehicles and no news items on the site, but please let me know what you think.
It's built using Apple WebObjects which is an internet application server that can generate web-pages dynamically. It's running on a G4 w/Mac OS X Server 1.2
The original dealer probably put the american racing alloys on my car too because it was a leased vehicle and I can't see someone leasing a car and then going out to find aftermarket wheels.
They do look like pretty basic alloys and the retailer that I brought it to agreed.
About them fitting, well they're on the car, whether the offset is right or not I wish I could say for sure but the tires are stock and they're not rubbing or anything. The americanracing.com site lists wheels for forester and forester s.
Do I really have to wax my wheels as well--uugh, hope I get around to all this.
I usually slip my car into neutral @ stoplights. I believe it is bad for the car, because when you do the N-D thing it puts more pressure from the change than if you left it in D all along. As for someone's comment about the Jeep GC being RWD masquerading as AWD, the opposite can be said for the automatic versions (less the VDC) of the subies they are 90%FWD 10%RWD (at least from the initial starting position)
I destroyed an automatic transmission in my old Chev Corsica (w 160,000 miles) like this. The problem was that the car stopped upshifting properly. The engine would just rev up, but wouldn't shift at the correct rpm, or at all...
Seeing as that's the only auto I've ever owned (5sp MX6, and OB right now) - it'll probably be my last.
I installed the Sub hitch on my 99 Forester. Not difficult although .. you do have to take one muffler hanger backet loose and also disconnect a cannister that covers one bolt hole. No cutting or anything w/ the factory hitch. Recommend a helper or a small jack to lift the hitch into place. I'm not a mechanic so I'm sure you would have no problems .. Good luck Larry H
I don't think back passengers will appreciate moonroof as much as I do. Just because I'm on my place more often. And baby is too small to be able to understand .
Any thoughts on shifting gears manually for an Auto Transmission. Is this generally a bad thing? Sometimes when I need extra power I will manaully shift my Auto OB.
Comments
While I'm at it, anyone have any suggestions for sound deadening mods to a sport?
Mary
I've heard that you can spray the rubberised stoneguard stuff inside the wheelwells to reduce the noise levels. Also, adding full length door edge guards will lessen the gaps in between the doors, and help minimally in reducing wind noise there.
The large open cargo area of an SUV or station wago is succeptible to booming/echoing and amplification of the interior noises. Using the cargo area tonneau cover should help to marginally reduce noise levels even further. You can also use the Dynamat stuff (or maybe just a large old blanket) underneath the cargo tray to try and absorb even more sound.
Drew
I am more than ready to wave the truce flag and move on from ac discussions. I didn't realise that it would be such a hot topic (sorry, couldn't resist the bad pun).
I understand that alot of the tire noise comes from the 'slap' of the tire blocks as they hit the road. That is why knobby off-road truck tires make so much more noise than smoother car tires.
MikeF
Juice, I haven't looked at your nice new alloys yet, but I'm going to as I like to see cars with tasteful aftermarket alloys (as long as they're not garish chrome, low profile jobs that look like a black rubber band wrapped around a prop from an outboard motor). As far as prices, alloy wheels are like a pair of sneakers, where after about $60-75, you are essentially paying for exclusivity, advertising, high distribution costs, and celebrity endorsements. There may be some marginal differences between your wheels and the $200-300 ones, but for real-world use $75-100 is about all I'd want to lose when the wheel meets a pothole or curb. I had picked up a set of Subaru 15" alloys for $65 each from Tire Rack a few years back. The dealer wanted about $250 each, which is preposterous.
Kathy, I'm impressed by your willingness to install the tailgate bar; my wife and any of her friends couldn't change a flat tire to save their lives. Come to think of it, many of my male friends couldn't either. The first time my wife saw one of those tailgate bars on an OB wagon, we were driving in her Legacy Wagon. She had no idea why anyone would put that on a Subaru wagon, saying that even though she's a 5'3" weakling, she never had any problem closing her liftgate. I had to explain that to many, it's more about style than function, even though I personally think it makes the back of the car look like a Broilmaster gas grill.
I also like how you plan to find out how much it costs installed at the dealer so you can tell your husband how much you "saved". When I bought the alloy wheels when I took over her '92 Legacy, I tried that angle, but no matter what, she only focused on the $300 I "spent". I guess it's all about perspectives.
Last, regarding overall road noise, I'm off to U of Michigan next week for a three day course at the Chrysler Center called Product Sound Quality Engineering. I'm no engineer, but it's related to the work I do. Some (or most) of it will be going over my head, but I'll be happy to present any questions to the Ph.D.'s conducting the class, (two are from Ford, but I'll try to keep my smart-[non-permissible content removed] comments to myself).
But I don't need that $1,000 course to tell you that tires are a huge part of reducing NVH (noise/vibration/harshness. Yesterday, I had Michelin Pilot XGT's installed to replace my well-worn, out-of-balance, unevenly-worn Potenza RE 92's. It's as if I went from a Corolla to a Lexus LS400 in terms of quietness and smoothness. Of course I'm comparing old to new, but even Consumer Reports has noted huge differences in noise between different brands of new tires within the same class.
(Sorry for the long post!)
I think I need more sleep...
KenS: I'm trying to think of what cars come standard with a strut tower brace. It may have been an aftermarket conversion, but perhaps someone else can think of an OE application?
Skip: since you gave the OK, I'll "steal" the photos and post them on my site.
Kathy: way to go with the DIY (do-it-yourself) job. That's probably about an hour of labor at a dealer, or $65-80 or so.
Mary: I was going to comment on the tires, but looks like that's been covered pretty well already.
GTDriver: I actually did inquire about take-off wheels for Subaru. Problem is, they only had 15" alloys, and my biggest gripe was the 70 series tires, which meant 16" was a must. With what I ended up paying, I'm glad I kept shopping!
-juice
Did the new wheels/rubber change your turning circle?
I ask because I owned an 85 Dodge Shelby Charger which came stock with a set of fat Goodyear gatorbacks. Great tires, they stuck so well you could practically climb walls with them, but the downside was they were so wide you needed a tugboat to parallel park. I don't remember but they added a hefty amount to the turning circle over a stock charger.
The compartment in the back of the armrest is about the right size for credit cards or one cassette tape, It won't even hold my Palm Pilot. So I don't know what Subaru intended it for, Maybe something the japanese carry in their cars?
gtdriver,
I think SOA should take note of your comment about the liftgate grab bar and team up with broilmaster, much as they are with Eddie Bauer for a limited edition. It would be easy, just replace the rear hidden cargo compartment with gas burners and grills and Viola! The commecials could have Paul Hogan cooking shrimp on the barbie and talking about how RAV4 owners only have half the grilling area. :-)
I just took home my new Forester, a 2001 silver S with premium package. It was very hard to get since 5-speeds seem to be in tight supply, especially for the S models. (I'll give a big plug to Charlie Yokum at Frederick Motors in Frederick MD for searching everywhere to get just the car I wanted, and going way out to West VA to pick it up.) Anyway, on my very first drive home I got a couple of (admittedly very small) chips in the hood from a piece of gravel. That first mark on the car is always a bummer! I've decided to get a hood deflector or small hood cover. I'm leaning towards the plastic hood deflector as I've had problems with vinyl hood protectors in the past, but I don't want to drill or make any permanent modifications to the exterior of my brand new car. Is the hood deflector a bolt-on piece? Are all of the attachment points on the inside of the hood? I asked the parts department at my dealer and they were not sure. I'm capable of doing a lot of work myself so I expect I can do it all easily, I just want to be able to remove the deflector later and not leave any marks if I decide I do not like it.
-Eric
1.where can one order cartop cargo carriers, the kind that look vaguely like kayaks (shows you how much I know about them.) Will two fit on the foot side by side? Are there better cargo carrier options?
2. I bought the regular Outback, but now want to add the commpass-equipped rear-view mirror. Does anyone happen to know if the dealer can do that -- or is it only an option that can be factory installed?
Thanks much -- Al
Do you suppose to use this moonroof only when you a not in motion?
As for noise in the discussion group, be it heaters or cruise control, I think it is a sign of the 'maturing' of the group. We get to know one another more and more and eventually we are going to find things about which we simply disagree - such is life. The rule I live by is to read my own message BEFORE I hit the 'Post' button; it's saved me from myself more than once. Highly recommended.
gtdriver's rantings on cruise control and sunglasses and car accidents reminded me of a George Carlin bit. It went something like this: Did you ever notice just how many totally loony people there are on the highway? There are those idiots who go flying past at extralegal speeds, endangering everyone around them with their antics, and there are the morons who plod along at a snail's pace holding everyone up. Come to think of it, since everyone who drives faster than me is an idiot, and everyone who drives slower than me is a moron, that means the highways are completely filled with idiots and morons!
I know there are days when it looks that way to me ;-)
Cheers,
WDB
How about an outback sport version called simply The Flamer
With what that Washington Post article was saying it would tie right in to SOA's "alternative lifestyle" ad campaign. It could even come with purple or rainbow paint schemes.
On a serious note, the sunroof(s) on the GT wagon actually work in concert, the front sunroof acts as a wind deflector for the rear and somewhere in the manual it recomends using the rear in the half open position to cut back wind noise.
Eric: the hood defelctor does not require bolts. You can order one cheap from a wholesaler like QSubaru, here is their web site. It's $48 bucks delivered.
Al: you have many options. Subaru sells a cargo basket and a hard shell case. The basket is cheap, but offers no weather protection. Follow the link above for those.
You can also go aftermarket. I've seen soft carriers at Target for $25, on sale this week actually. Not sure about the quality, though. I bought this Samsonite carrier for $50.
Finally, Sears sells a bunch of the hard shell cases for pretty good prices.
Happy shopping.
-juice
That plus you can get a wind deflector to help a bit more. QSubaru also carries those for $33.50.
I paid $40 for an aftermarket model (Windflector), but then again my sunroof isn't OE so the Subaru deflector would not have fit (it fits the Outback, Legacy and Impreza though).
-juice
-mike
-juice
PS I'm still curious to measure the Forester's roof against yours. It'd be a world's largest moonroof comparo!
There's also a full shot of my Forester in the sunlight, and Skip's new, blue Forester that I stole. The photo, not the Forester.
-juice
As juice said, opening the rear windows by about an inch or two virtually eliminates this problem. A moonroof deflector helps significantly as well.
Drew
-mike
Again, I appreciate all the help, and when I finally do get it I'll let you know.
Still I'm not very enthusiastic about double moonroof. I want ME to see sky, and I want ME to get fresh air, not the back passengers
Juice: If you can easily compare, let us know how much louder your tires get with wear.
WBD: George Carlin is a funny man, thanks for the laughs. I always get going when I think of him ranting about people's "stuff".
bat1161: As I'm sure you know, all colors fade and I can't speak to the silver in particular, but I've heard that "since metallic colors reflect light more, they also reflect more into the paint itself and increase fading". Anyone want to confirm or deny this? My car is white and it's been on the road three years. I've just started taking the stickers, letters, pinstripes, etc. off and I can't see any signs of fading, but white is probably the best color to conceal shade variations.
Happy news: I didn't think I would like the fact that my 5Sp needs to be shifted into 4th at 40 and then into 5th at 45, but I've decided it's good because it helps keep me from speeding in the city. I wonder if this is intentional.
Mary
-Colin
bat: I haven't heard of paint fade being a problem.
strvt: what about the back seat passengers
I thought about getting a 2nd moonroof installed for the baby. Wouldn't that be hilarious? I'd have to remove the roof rails entirely, though.
Aftermarket wheels, eh? Ask the dealer for info on them for future reference. At a minimum, it'd be nice to know their offset. Or try the manufacturer.
-juice
I had an '86 metallic silver Volvo which looked absolutely like new after 14 years (just got rid of it). Don't know about Subaru paint.
Dave Chen
The brushguard that we have is black and titanium (not gold/bronze).
If your car is the sedona red with the titanium pearl, this brushguard is a perfect match with the colors of your car.
I'm still maintaining the ban on eating in the car, but I think she and my wife will rebel when we take the road-trip to Montana later this year (from Chicago). I will hold the line.
Finally, my wife this evening managed to close the garage door onto the rear bumper of our OB. I had backed it up a little to squeeze the lawn mower out, but I guess she didn't notice that, or me mowing. Thankfully, she was VERY lucky - the door cleared the rear window and lights and the puny screw-drive motor didn't exert enough force to damage anything - not even a scratch! Still, I shall use this incident to leverage as much from her as I can...
A very basic question. I am new to driving automatic. In terms of long-term wear, is it better to shift into neutral or stay in drive during a long stop?
Ross
Mary
Mary
Mary
Regarding eating in the car -- I highly recommend it, especially if you make it a big, juicy burger and you're wearing your best suit and tie.
And you're on the way to a wedding.
On the in-law side.
Lucky to still be co-habiting on this planet,
Randy
-mike
Just traded a '90 Legacy L wagon with 126K for a new Outback wagon and am loving the upgrade. Subarus just keep improving on a great product.
This is also a response to a posting to a Trooper owner who compared his to an Outback. I owned a 94 Trooper (the first year of this latest-and now outdated) redesign. I put 90,000 miles on it after three or so years and was totally disappointed with it. I got two flats going off-road in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. And those tires were about $150.00 a piece to replace. The 5 spd. tranny needed to be replaced (for $1,000.00!) at 89,000 miles. And the radiator got clogged at 70K and need to be pulled and replaced. The SUV drove well enough when it wasn't breaking down. I just got tired with averaging 18 mpg. and putting up with all the incredibly expensive repairs.
Subarus are just like their old ad line--inexpensive and built to stay that way. Inexpensive does NOT mean cheap, either. I love the styling and luxury of our new Outback and am looking forward to at least a decade of great fun with this one!
iscotts: Montana? Too bad the "no daytime speed limit" is a goner.
Ross: haven't heard of any tranny durability issues, so leaving it in Park should be fine.
Mary: what's odd is that I had a retailer check if American Racing rims would fit on my Forester, and they said it would not. We've just entered...the Twilight Zone.
That's 4.7 square feet for the SMALLER moonroof. Holy Cow! Mine is 15"x30", a puny 3.1 square feet. A-HA! Mine tilts, though!
BTW, the Trooper had an update since '94, I forget exactly what year though. They *tend* to be reliable, but of course YMMV.
-juice
Silver Paint: I think clearcoat finishes have drastically reduced the amount of fade that used to occur. Silver may contain more "metal" especially since silver is usually "metallic" as well; this could account for more oxidizing of the paint from UV. One thing for sure is silver is the hardest color to get a good match on a repainted panel.
American Racing are pretty basic alloys, as far as I've seen, although they make some higher end stuff, too. My friend had them on an Accord that he bought new from a dealer. It had the plastic wheel covers on the lot, and part of his negotiation was that the dealer swap the wheels for alloys. The dealer put American Racing alloys on the car instead of the Honda alloys my friend expected to get (is anyone shocked by this?). He didn't complain too much because it was a lease and he knew he'd never buy the car. Mary: My advice is to keep them waxed well, especially prior to winter if you live in an area where salt is used; they tend to oxidize and pit after a few years.
Iscotts: Glad your bumper wasn't damaged by the overhead door. More importantly, make sure your 21 month year old baby never gets hurt by the door. Do this test: put a full roll of paper towels where the door will close and then close it. It should compress the roll somewhat, but then reverse without pinning the roll or squeezing it too severely. If it doesn't, you need to adjust the reversing mechanism. Don't underestimate the strength of that "wimpy screw-drive motor". A 1/2 horsepower motor can exert a lot of force. Since you mentioned "screw-drive" I'm assuming it's a Genie. You can also install an infra-red beam as an extra reversing safety feature if it doesn't already have one. This won't work with your car unless the wheels are in its line of sight, but it will most likely help with kids and pets.
Ross, the shifting in and out of Drive would likely cause more wear than leaving it alone.
Glenman, not to be a Devil's advocate (or Trooper's advocate), but a tranny needing a repair at 89,000 miles in a vehicle used off road shouldn't be considered short-lived. The radiator fluid clog was either a case of too-infrequent maintenance, contamination, or use of some second-rate slop that some shops pawn off as coolant/antifreeze. As far as condemning a vehicle's reliability based on number of flats: you are joking, right?
It's always a crap shoot no matter what car you get, my dealer has a 2000 or 2001 forester with a bad tranny, bad radiator, bad main seal, and it only has like 2500 miles on it.
Also $1000 is cheap for a transmission, FWD/AWD trannies are closer to $2000.
-mike
Drew
The other noise that is somewhat similar is the sound of the straight-cut planetary gear transmissions. That makes the whirring noise when they accelerate.
-Colin
It's built using Apple WebObjects which is an internet application server that can generate web-pages dynamically. It's running on a G4 w/Mac OS X Server 1.2
Ash
They do look like pretty basic alloys and the retailer that I brought it to agreed.
About them fitting, well they're on the car, whether the offset is right or not I wish I could say for sure but the tires are stock and they're not rubbing or anything. The americanracing.com site lists wheels for forester and forester s.
Do I really have to wax my wheels as well--uugh, hope I get around to all this.
Mary
-mike
Seeing as that's the only auto I've ever owned (5sp MX6, and OB right now) - it'll probably be my last.
ash
Not difficult although .. you do have to take
one muffler hanger backet loose and also disconnect a cannister that covers one bolt hole.
No cutting or anything w/ the factory hitch.
Recommend a helper or a small jack to lift the
hitch into place. I'm not a mechanic so I'm
sure you would have no problems ..
Good luck
Larry H
And baby is too small to be able to understand
Other auto owners say that at WOT the Subaru automatic is actually pretty smart about where and how firmly it shifts.
-Colin
(5spd RS, but had lots of GM 'glides & TH400s in drag cars)