Subaru Crew - Meet The Members II

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Comments

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I started an Auto-x discussion in the News and Views area. Not sure if it will fly but figured it would be a good place for Q and A and car setup questions.

    -mike
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Thanks Ken.

    The reason that I asked the question is that with some early WRX's, the ECM was removed and sent back to SoA(?).

    -Dennis
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246

    ..Mike

  • bsvollerbsvoller Member Posts: 528
    OK guys, help me out here. Trying to get my dear old mom into a Subaru. She's on a tight budget, looking at an OBS or Impreza wagon, maybe slightly used. Drives a lot with her job. Currently in a VW Golf with 135k on it.

    Who can recommend a good dealership in the North Suburban Chicago area ? She's in Northbrook.

    Thanks in advance,

    -brianV
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think the service campaign will be a big plus, I'm sure we'll see much fewer CELs. In fact, that could address the most common problem, I'd say.

    My dad's car is affected but I consider it good news that his will be less sensitive to CELs.

    Another cool wagon story. Yesterday my wife ran out to buy patio furniture, and ended up buying 6 chairs. She had the staff at the store load the car for her (she can't do any heavy lifting), and they all fit right into the cargo area without even putting any seats down.

    Any how, she e-mailed me to write "Did I tell you how nice it was not to stress about them all fitting in my new car? It was a snap getting them in. I can't imagine having done that with my Mazda without some major thought."

    HA! Rack up another point for wagons vs. sedans.

    -juice
  • outback165outback165 Member Posts: 108
    Hey Folks,


    I really want to be active on the boards again, and every day try to make it. (I've given up on trying to catch up on all the reading!) I thought of you all when I saw this while helping a friend moving to HK figure out how to buy a car.


    http://www.subaru.com.hk/image/news/jun/Jun.jpg


    I wonder whether SOA would run a campaign like this.... :)


    Hope everyone is well.

    Pete.

  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Looks like tomorrow is the big day! Post your comments in Town Hall Redesign 2002: Tell Us Your Thoughts.

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    Good to hear from you. That Subaru HK ad has got a Calvin Klein look and, um, feel, to it.

    ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • rblelandrbleland Member Posts: 312
    I would direct (if you don't already read it)all car nuts to www.autoextremist.com as a weekly source of out-spoken and controversial auto industry stories. This guy seriously says what's on his mind and often, the car cos' don't like what he says. Covers car co.activity, racing and auto related stuff. Check it out!!

    Rick
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Rick, I did check it out. Pretty interesting and I liked what he had to say about M-B and Porsche. I lost it when he started picking on the Subaru wagon/Matrix/Vibe/Protege5, my own bias notwithstanding. Not sure I see the problem with making the 2-box platform sexy.

    Ed
  • lilbluewgn02lilbluewgn02 Member Posts: 1,089
    That guy sure doesn't mince words! Very interesting site, now book-marked
  • rblelandrbleland Member Posts: 312
    I lost him a bit also when he started on the "two-box concept" being cool today; notwithstanding that, I read it every Wednesday and, like the comments or not, he is very interesting!!! Personally, I sure agree with his take on the new Porsche SUV-thing.
    Rick
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    It's OK to love a B4, just don't love a B4. *

    -juice

    * reference from the movie "The Truth About Cats and Dogs", which is entirely on-topic in a Subaru thread ;-)
  • subaru_teamsubaru_team Member Posts: 1,676
    isn't "like" always B4 love?

    Patti (sorry - couldn't help myself)!
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    Interesting story in the print edition of Drive, the car section of The Melbourne Age today. Seems that Holden, the local arm of GM lobbied hard to get hold of the latest Forester to rebadge and sell as a Holden 4WD here in Australia. Holden are actually good at Australianising vehicles from other parts of the GM empire but I think this is stretching the friendship a bit.

    Australia is Subaru's third biggest market and has the highest market penetration of any country in which it sells. Subaru of Australia have worked very hard to build the brand here and it is now selling pro-rata at about ten times the US levels. I am not sure that the dilution of the Subaru image which would come from selling Foresters as Holdens would benefit Holden and it would certainly hurt Subaru.

    Fuji in Japan supported the Subaru of Australia view that they should not pass over the crown jewels.

    When I was doing my Marketing degree, I looked at the rebadging of a Nissan GQ Patrol as a Ford Maverick for the Australian market. It was basically a case of "screw on a new badge". Ford's marketing executives confirmed that affixing the Blue Oval to a Nissan added about AUD1,000 of percieved value to the vehicle compared to the comparable Nissan.

    From Nissan's perspective, it made sense as they achieved good margins on increased volume with only marginal cannibalisation of their own fairly small market niche. Major conquests were claimed to come from Toyota (Landcruiser) and from large wagons. Large 4wd's are frequently used as tow cars here as many people have boats and caravans. The mainstay has been the Toyota Landcruiser for many years. It's bulletproof and you can get parts anywhere in the Outback.

    Fifteen years on, a neighbour has one of those rebadged Nissans. Ford did not maintain the brand connection, shifting to importing the rather nasty US 4wd's which you know and love so well (sorry but with the possible exception of the Ford F series, I can't think of an American 4wd I would want to take home - Japan does them so much better). With the lack of continuity, parts are sourced from Nissan dealers who understand the product. Resale values are down on equivalent Nissans and it seems the ugly duckling.

    I'm rather glad that Fuji resisted but does it bode well for the future?

    Cheers

    Graham
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Holden will be re-badging subies and GM products for their SUVs. Now that the Jackaroo/Big Horn is discoed.

    -mike
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    We can always count on interesting and informative posts from you. :)

    Bob
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    I was going to say the same thing. I'd pay to read most of Graham's posts.

    Steve
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    We don't want Graham to get too big of a head now, do we? ;)

    Bob
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    I'd pay him off in Aussie dollars, just to keep him modest. :-} And I should add that I love your posts, too, Bob. I think of you as the hunter-gatherer for the Subie Crew. Whenever we get unhappy because things are too stale, you disappear in the bushes and appear a bit later with some fascinating new material to chew over.

    Steve
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    That would make me the roudy kid in the back who is always wising off to the teacher :)

    -mike
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    Got that right! LOL You are like Juice's evil twin, always keeping things fun, light and a bit off-center. What a great crew!

    Steve
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    starting to swell...

    Bob
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Interesting description of Crew members as hunter-gatherers, schoolkids and evil twins. :-)

    Graham: Interesting commentary about the Patrol/Maverick. I believe the lovely Escape (I use the term facetiously) is badged as a Maverick outside the US as well. I guess Ford doesn't wish to remind us of that early 1970's compact that kept getting its rear splash pan torn off on curbs and speed bumps.

    Not sure so many of us in this group love US-built SUVs. Curious though as to why you like the Ford F-series as opposed to their SUVs which use many similar parts?

    Ed
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Isn't the upgrade of the board suppose to occur today?
    If it did, anyone notice anything new nothing or something?

    -Dave
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    ...should be taking place around noon (Pacific Time), but don't take my word for it! As far as I know everything is a go. However, last minute gremlins sometimes put a hitch in the get-along.

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Thanks Karen.
    I'll look out for the switch @ 1500hrs EDT. :)

    -Dave
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    was pretty much the mechanical successor to the Falcon/Futura. I helped to convince my dad to buy one in '73 with the 302 V8, and it was the car I learned to drive on. It was crude and rude (non powered 4 wheel drum brakes, for example), but very fast for its day. I won many a 'Saturday night contest' with that machine, against the much more famed wheels of my friends!

    Steve
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Steve: I had a '62 Falcon (144 I6)and a '66 Mustang (289 V8, just a Falcon in a fancy suit) so I know wherefrom you speak. Mavericks got clapped out pretty quickly in my neck of the woods, again those rear pans kept getting ripped out and a lot of rust in the quarters and rockers.

    Ed
  • ffsteveffsteve Member Posts: 243
    Fibber,

    My Dad also bought a 73 Maverick with 302, non-assist brakes, which I also learned to drive on. I never explored its speed potential, just knowing it was "good enough", but that car just ran, and ran, and ran... 10 years later my wife learned to drive on it as well, and took it for her driving test. She passed, but the tester commented on how she would press with both feet on the brake to keep it stopped at a light (combination of small person and a high idle).

    Ours was the baby blue 4-door. How about yours?

    Never had damage to the rear pan, but one day I got it stuck in about 1 inch of loose dirt in an empty lot. Without LSD one wheel would just spin uselessly. My dad was in a bad mood that day and yelled at me to move the car to where he wanted it, after I explained that it wouldn't go he just shook his head and helped me to push it along! Cleared his mood dramatically, and that's why now I have an AWD Subie after all these years.

    There, the story's out and I feel a lot better!

    Another Steve
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    One inch of loose dirt? Wow. I have two Maverick memories. This was Ford's big effort to be hip and cheeky, so they announced the car with a bunch of fun color names. They later on decided it was a mistake to call any Ford "lemon yellow" as they did the Maverick, and that color name was changed.

    I also think the Maverick was the only car in my memory to be promoted as easy for a mechanic or home mechanic to work on. Maybe someone remembers more about this.

    Steve
  • armac13armac13 Member Posts: 1,129
    is interesting, but I haven't checked the search function yet. Has anyone else? Does it help any? Inquiring minds demand an answer.

    Ross
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Ross-
    The search function, compared to what was had (pre-conversion), which was 'zilch', is a nice step forward. Could do better.

    -DAve
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Please post any comments in the Town Hall Redesign 2002: Tell Us Your Thoughts discussion. That way our tech team will be sure to see them.


    Thanks!


    KarenS
    Senior Host
    Owners Clubs
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    miksmi asked about the search function in Ask the Hosts. Here is the reply by Jonah, Consumer Services Manager:

    /direct/view/.ef0b764/154

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • storytellerstoryteller Member Posts: 476
    Karen: I don't want to say I like or dislike the new look until I get more used to it. Do you know how I could land on a page with the same listings (no more, no less) as the old Subaru Crew page? I haven't found my way to that yet, if it is still possible.

    Thanks.

    Steve
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Here ya go...this should explain it all.

    Get Started in the New Town Hall

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Thanks. Don't mean to imply that I was dissatisfied. Like storyteller, it's too early to like or dislike.

    -Dave
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    74, 250cu in, straight 6. Learned to drive on, work on, have fun in, went to school with, and brought it with me to CA when I moved after college. It served it's purpose well. It was that wonderful green though. Wonder what my parents were thinking - parents just don't get it! ;)
    Oh yea, 4 wheel, unassisted drum brakes with leaf springs in the rear.

    Greg
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    I can't answer all your questions, but I do want to make sure your concerns/comments are heard by those implementing the redesign. They have been working very hard on this and are interested in the members perspective.

    Going thru a change is notta-lotta fun, but we're trying to make it as painless as possible. :-)

    KarenS
    Host
    Owners Clubs
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    So that's why the boards were down around lunch time.

    I'm only noticing minor changes, but so far so good.

    -juice
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    So from what I gather in the reply to mike's question is you can use search to find a particular discussion (i.e. Subaru Baja), but not any specific postings that are in the discussion (i.e. Baja price).

    Correct?
    Would a software like vBulletin work here?

    -Dennis
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Don't forget to drop in tonight, last week was great.

    I may be a little late, but I should make it.

    Suggested topic? Upcoming summer road trips!

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Just got the latest issues of both C&D and CR in the mail. C&D tested the Forester X (not XS!), and CR had a comparison test between the new Corolla, Impreza RS, Mirage, and one other(?).

    From C&D:

    • The Forester's top speed is governed to only 107 mph! That surprised me.

    • They also listed their choice for top trucks, and the CRV bested the Forester in small SUVs.

    • The new CRV is quicker 0-60 than the Forester!

    From CR:

    • The Corolla won, in their opinion, with the Impreza coming in second.

    • They mentioned only 22 mpg for the automatic Impreza, which was lower than the other cars in the test.

    • They liked how the Impreza drove, and it's AWD system.

    Bob
  • mrk610mrk610 Member Posts: 378
    I'm not able to get on the chat it keeps saying not able to connect o server .

    Mike k
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I cannot get into the chat either. I just see a blank screen, noone in there, and what I type does not show up in the window.

    Is the new format affecting it somehow?

    -juice
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    check your preferences, makes sure it's pointing to the Java chat. I'm in ok.

    -Brian
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    My Dad's was the two door, in medium brown. It was a bit lighter than the 4dr (our school had 4dr Mavericks for drivers ed cars), and with the V8, quite fast.

    I remember the DIY campaign that accompanied the 1970 intro of the car. And it might have been possible with the 170/200/250 cid I-6 engines, but shoehorning in the V8, with PS/Auto/AC made it a true nightmare to work on. The intruding upper arm spring towers made changing a rear plug almost as difficult as on a friends Chevy Monza.

    Steve
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    but Beth needed the internet to make some flight confirmations. We really need another phone line...

    Steve
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Steve-
    Get DSL or cable, if available. Don't need another phone line and couple with a router. That way more than one computer can use the internet. :-)

    -Dave
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