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Comments
When we counted up all the days we had loaners from the rental slips out of seven months we had the car for three months and the dealer had it for four no s#**.
2nd worst car easy, 1986 mercury topaz when I complained to the sales manager how bad this car was he told me it was a throw away car this was my last domestic car ever, both were bought as second cars both new and both cheap compared to the Accords I owned as first cars, just goes to prove the old saying you get what you pay for.
Cheers Pat.
PS. juice how about them there dang paragraphs Ha!Ha!
Normally Java (in your preferences) is what it should be set to.
As mentioned in the chat, I'll let you all know more about the VCD's WRX STi as soon as I watch it :-)
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Interesting topic. My worst (and there is some competition here) was a 1994 Mercedes C220 Manual. Drew is enthusiastic about the three pointed star but I can tell you, the build quality is nothing to write home about and service worse.
Every orifice, or potential orifice leaked at some point; the boot repeatedly, both front and rear screens and, most spectacularly, the sun roof which (apparently sealed shut) dumped a puddle of snow melt on my lap one day. There is somehing extraordinarily depressing about finding ones groin doused with icy water whilst wearing a business suit.
The fan chose its operating speed randomly. Headlamps blew with spectacular frequency and it started to burn oil after only 120,000 miles. It whistled mournfully, a problem I ultimately traced to the boot lid sitting proud. Mercedes service rep claimed there was no problem.
With blissful uncertainty, the engine immobiliser would decide to ban all attempts at engine starting and Mercedes road side care was absolutely useless. I fortunately mastered the trick of disengaging the computer cables to reset the immobiliser but this also meant that the codes for any errors were lost.
Service was woeful with a typical fix requiring four visits to rectify the simplest problem. My car would disappear, possibly returning days later. This did however mean that I got to try out much tastier Mercs used as loaners.
In its final days, it broke down six times in seven days. Probably the final indignity came when I found myself being held to ransom by four guys and had to talk my way out (long story; there are hazards to investigating insurance claims) and realized that after persuading these guys to let me go, I had to ask them to push start my Mercedes. I was almost tempted by their offer to "Torch" the beast.
In comparison, a Subaru seems damned near perfect.
Cheers
Graham
Drew, FWIW I had trouble last night after Comcast @home became @hung. I dialed in on a backup POTS* modem but the Java Chat Applet couldn't connect to the chat server. It works fine over broadband so I wonder if the Java applet requires more than POTS bandwidth. My home machine isn't behind a firewall (shh!). The HTML/JavaScript Chat works (but I dislike the interface so I disconnected to try something else).
Pat, Since you had a 1982 K car you'll appreciate this video, assuming you haven't already seen it (I post it periodically). It's a 3.28MB QuickTime movie that's worth the download.
88 Dodge Aires K Car spoof Groove to the Chemical Brothers.
BOOYA!
..Mike
* POTS - Plain Old Telephone Service (voice) vs. broadband (cable, DSL, ISDN, etc.). (Drew already knows this but others might not.)
..Mike
I heard that @Home needs to get like $70Million in additional revenue by June or else it is going to go the way of Northpoint. Have you heard this at all?
-mike
Bob
..Mike
..Mike
Hmmm, maybe I should just buy my leased OBS, sell it to you and then get a WRX Wagon.
Dennis
A conjugal visit in an Aztek?!?!?!?
I haven't had enough coffee yet...
Cheers!
Paul
Wow, we've gotten Pat to use SEVERAL paragraphs! Yipee! ;-)
Dennis' subie looks pretty cool.
-juice
If you go to Pontiac Aztek owner's club here at edmunds, you will see that not a single owner posted a picture of his/her Aztek in the Photo Gallery section. Drew tried to get them rolling by posting pix of Pontiac Aztek Salsa, but that did not help. I wonder why they're so shy?
-mike
-mike
Loosh: have you driven the previous-gen OBS? You like?
-juice
I personally don't like those retro-incarnations like New Beetle and PT Cruiser. I absolutely LOVE restored authentic classic cars, but not the modern replicas. Each time should have its own styling cues and be proud of it. I can even name 2 people who liked 80's styling (me and my brother paisan)!
It's funny that my toddler, when sees a New Beetle or PT Cruiser, always yells "baby car!" -- which he never does with any other car on the road! I can see that designers succeeded if a toy look was their goal.
Bob
-mike
Face it, any change to GM design would be good.
Remember what that Aztec page said? GM Designers + Brains & Talent = Chrysler Designers.
Keep in mind we're talking only about design here.
-juice
SVX is my first love though
-mike
Bob
-mike
I think when designers do retro styling they can run the risk of going "too far" and alienating everyone. Of course, there is always the challenge of designing something that is quite retro but still efficiently packaged. With the "square" styling this is quite easy though.
Stephen
Loving my "gorgeous"(?) WRX wagon
I think when designers to retro styling they can run the risk of going "too far". Of course, there is always the challenge of designing something that is quite retro but still efficiently packaged. With the "square" styling this is quite easy though.
Stephen
Loving my "gorgeous"(?) WRX wagon
Forester is at the dealer today for recall oxygen sensor replacement. Also having a problem with the hood prop rod and rubber socket popping out of its hole with the rod getting skinned up and banging under the hood. Will take the opportunity to get new wiper blades while there as I haven't replaced them since I bought the car in January 2000.
I'm having a hard time tying ABBA references into the conversation. They played ABBA tunes in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," in which the main characters drove through the Outback in a tour bus. Subaru builds a model called the Outback. (?)
Ed
Kevin
;-)
-juice
http://www.parklaneuk.net/sales/stock-compucars.asp?model=*&new=*&gearbox=*
-juice
Now for something completely different: I'm still looking for a good "second car" (you know, cheap, small, nimble, reliable, fuel efficient; did I mention cheap?). So, I test drove every Honda on the lot and was totally unimpressed. I've explored every make out there and have come to the realization that if it isn't a Subaru, I'm not interested. So.....I went to test another RS and, to my surprise, found a brand new 2001 Impreza Coupe on the lot. They'll let me have it for close to the invoice price, which makes it all the more attractive. I'm going to have to think about this one.
Thanks Serge! Now I know I want one of those! If only they'd bring them here. *sigh*
-Brian
P.S. This year, at San Francisco auto show Subaru and Volvo displays were next to each other...
Anyway. The only song *I* know with the words "money money money" in it is by a Dave, David whats-his-name Bowie, and it actually has more in a row than that; "Money money money money, mmmooonnnneeeyyy" to be precise.
Consciously streaming,
-wdb
-mike
Ross
Cheers, Tom
-mike
Stephen
..Mike
..Mike
Just love driving the GT wagon on those twisty roads even when it is rather loaded (except by Paisan's rating). Anybody out there considering an OB take a look at the GT and please get the 5 speed. This one definitely shifts smoother that my 00 did and in general the MT just makes it easy to take advantage of the torque. We averaged 26.5 mpg and that is a lot of 2 lane and a lot of elevation changes.
OCD kept me up most of the night in Trinity. We were the only folks in our campground (excellent site on the edge of the lake with picture perfect campfires) but got the usual bear warning when the ranger stopped by. That was okay but when Vicki found the womens rest room window ripped out with claw marks up the wall and the inside trashed it raised our sensitivity to the issue. I was more willing to risk keeping our food in the tent than have my poor soobs windows ripped out. Vicki wouldn't go for it. No bear... phew.
Speaking of OCD, need to pick the bugs out of the radiator and wipe clean the inner wheel wells. 3k miles now so another oil change and first tire rotation. Going to see if one of the wheels fit where the mini spare is.
bit
I think Kate's lucky rabbit foot must be working here in Melbourne. I was rammed from behind today with wife and kids in the car. I braked hard for a car stopped in road and the van behind did not have quite the same quality brakes as the Outback has.
It's just about a mirror image of what happened to me a year ago. I got a nasty thump but the Ouback has no damage. However the guy who hit me lost his bumper and has some fairly hefty damage under the body. Seems the tow bar and rear bumper on the Outback took all the shock.
I've looked hard under the Outback but cannot find anything worse. Does say something for their strength.
Happily, the worst we suffered was our seven year old sporting a small scrape on her neck from the safety harness. Here in Australia, kids belts require an H-harness over both shoulder blades (effectively resulting in 4 point harness) so they are very well secured in an accident. The four year old's Teddy bear took a nose dive but seems uncomplaining; worse things happen to a bear most days! Reminds me why I check they are securely fastened before each trip.
Cheers
Graham
Bob
Graham: Glad to know no one was injured. You may want to have the bumper checked out. There is a piece of energy absorbing foam (much like a bike helmet) all inside the bumper. Once that's been squashed, it looses it's effectiveness.
Ken
Cheers!
Paul