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Comments
-mike
-juice
-mike
So, for the first time since '91 when I purchased the first of three Subarus, I'll have to wait more than a few hours for "service." I'll keep you all posted on the results. A "new" dealer, direct contact with Subaru and relocation to Florida at the same time!
Bob Rolland and Serge: thanks for the "welcome' to the south. And Serge, I look forward to receiving your e-mail.
Don
:-0
I am going to try to go up to Delray this weekend, I saw that they had a WRX wagon and I wanted to check it out; haven't seen one live yet...good luck with the Bean
Loosh: the Sante Fe is God re-incarnated, don't you know? There are NO negatives, period. Never mind that it's slower AND guzzles more gas then the Forester. ;-)
-juice
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Ross
Anyhow, since buying the car, my mother confessed to being a former rally race champion navigator (coulda knocked me over with a feather). I thought that maybe someone on this message board might be able to point me to a place where I could get my hands on some old rally stats.
Here's the facts; it would've been about 1957 in western PA. My father drove, mom navigated. She had to drop out when she found out she was pregnant with my brother who was born in May '58. She says if she hadn't had to quit she would've been the top ranked navigator (in their class? region?).
That's all I know. Just thought if I could find some info that mom might enjoy the walk down memory lane. If anyone can help, thanks.
Katti (ooopps - I meant Patti)
Patti
Patti
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
At great expense (AUD205 or about USD105 per wheel) and after 50,000 kilometers (31000ml) I have just replaced the tyres on my 99 OB.
Interesting that the enquiries by various tyre dealers here all came back to the only viable option in Australia being the Yokohama Geolandar G040. Apparently this is the only high speed rated Mud and Snow tyre suitable for the Outback. Given that mine does do some rougher road touring and is used in very muddy conditions, it is back to the same.
I must say that I have been very impressed with the Geolandars. Adhesion remained excellent up to the last couple of thousand kilometers when they were wearing down to the wear strips. They still had 2-3mm of rubber on them which is just legal here but I prefer a little bit more safety margin. Wear had been very even across all four wheels with no apparent alignment problems.
The change in handling when you fit new tyres still comes as a bit of a shock. Suddenly the whole car seems sharper again.
Also had a 50,000km service costing about AUD620 or about USD320. Seemed a bit steep but included pollen filter and wiper rubbers. They also sorted an unpleasant shudder traced to the hill-holder mechanism. Apparently this depends on a ball rolling backwards when stopped on a slope and cluch and brakes engaged, preventing the brakes from disengaging. Not sure what was wrong with mine but it was taking me back to the learner driver days of kangaroo hops on take off.
Car seems much tighter again and I am seeing 10l/100km in a spell of heavy driving and towing a laden trailer. By the way, The Outback is an absolutely fabulous tow car, particularly with the self levelling rear suspecnsion and dual range transmission fitted here.
Cheers
Graham
I used to run local timed rallies. They were on public roads that were open to traffic. The goal was not to race around in the shortest time but to manage your time very precisely and finish as near as possible to the pre-calculated time. It wasn't a driving challenge but rather, and very much, a test of navigational and mathematical skills under pressure and on the fly.
Whichever kind of rallying they did, my hat is off to your folks!
Cheers,
-wdb
Thanks for your note. I decided NOT to take a rental car as I have the use of my wife's 5 speed Impreza while she's back in Evanston working! I know the car will beat anything Enterprise has to offer.
BTW, Delray Subaru, in my opinion, has handled the problem in a most professional manner. They told me to check in with them for a progress report if I haven't heard anything by the end of the week.
I'll keep the Crew in formed.
Thanks again for the follow-thru!
Don
Welcome to the Crew. Not sure if anyone stores rally results from that far back, but give your mom a pat on the back for me. I can imagine her yelling "Hard Left" as they travel sideways through a turn. Good for her.
Hey - why don't you check out a local rally cross event, and maybe take her with you? I'm sure it would be a blast, and very nostalgic for her. Your OBS could handle it easily.
Now Patti drag racing I can imagine...
When I read that Graham got new "wiper rubbers" it cracked me up. We call 'em blades, but your way of saying it is probably more accurate. Yeah, we're jealous of all the goodies you get there, like the dual range!
BTW, I put a photo up in the Gallery, for those interested in towing. Took Bob's trailer up to the mulch store for 6 yards of wood chips (2 trips, 3 yard per). Check it out.
-juice
The rally's that francophile is referring to are Time Speed Distance rallies (I think). There is one the day before the SCCA STPR(?) Rally in Wellsboro on June 1. There is also one in the fall in the Pine Barrens of NJ. There are a few people on the i-club (www.i-club.com) that are usually in these rallies. Go to the Tri-State or Motorsports Forums and there's some info there.
Dennis
-mike
-mike
The wife's brother will be having a baby in the fall, so we're kind of on-call to go visit and help out a bit. Not sure on the due date, but I think it's October?
A friend at work had to shop all over town for a 5 speed WRX wagon. He finally did find one, though. Haven't seen him since, must be out driving all the time!
-juice
Nice write-up. New tires are fantastic. Probably one of the most important investments for your vehicle.
I'm jealous of your dual range and self-leveling suspension. Patti -- Can't SOA bring those options here?
Ken
Patti
Patti - I have a favor to ask. Send this link to everyone in product planning:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/46122/article.html
I'm serious. Print it out. Post it everywhere. Don't forget to mention Impreza sales are up 222%.
Then ask them if they think a Blitzen would sell well here. Gee, I wonder...
-juice
-mike
juice -- Blitzen! Yes! I'd buy one!
Anyone see the Car Place.com review of the WRX:
http://www.thecarplace.com/02wrx.htm
Ken
-Colin
To me, even the noise is a dead give-away. Particularly air-cooled boxers.
-juice
Patti
Can we call you Super Juice? ;~}
Patti
You forgot to mention I bought my mom a car! :-)
OK, I'll shut up now.
-juice
Bob
Patti
Ed
http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/Forum9/HTML/000861.html
-mike
A dealer cannot deny repairs under warranty, but they are responsible for maintaining their own schedules.
I'd suggest that customer's wanting to service at Metric contact Dave Brown, the Service Manager. I've known Dave for a number of years and he is really a decent guy.
Patti
ok ok ok. I'll quit.
Good one, Ed. Ayrton Senna was my childhood hero. He still holds the record for the most pole positions in F1. Absolutely the Master in rain, too.
OK, gotta bring up an old topic - I'm still trying to get enough Subaru-related songs for a CD. I've got 5 songs so far and need more suggestions. So questions:
1. What was the theme song to Crocodile Dundee?
2. What Australian bands are popular? (Men at Work is one I can think of)
3. What music do they use in Subaru ads? Specifically, the cool new WRX ads?
Help me out, folks!
-juice
Not bad for $23,995, a sticker price that places it in a virtual no man's land of sport sedan competitors. That undercuts the Germans by a full $10K and anything cheaper is pointless to bring up.
There ya go, SoA. Bang for the buck! That's where Subaru lives, and the REX hits the bullseye.
However. They gave the car a "buckboard" rating for ride, and also suggested that it is not a daily driver for the meeker among us because of the harsh ride. That's the first time I've read any review of the WRX that came down so hard on its suspension settings. Plus the sedan I drove was no buckboard, not by a long shot. It was taut and controlled but never harsh. Could the 17" wheels really make that much difference?
Cheers,
-wdb
Hmm, let's see. A GT wagon goes for about $24 grand retail. Slap the engine in that, not a gussied-up high-priced Super Premium Limited LL Bean VDC Grand XL Plus that would cost over $30k. Offer it for $26k instead, just the drivetrain bits.
Heck, just keep it under $28k, and people will line up (behind my wife).
-juice
-Frank P.
re: Could the 17" wheels really make that much difference?
Absolutely! But it was technically the tires. The 215/45-17 Bridgestone Potenza RE011 were also directly responsible for the awesome improvement in braking and handling, thus the 60-0 of 115 feet.
If Subaru of America simply used the RE011 (a mid-performance summer tire) in 205/55-16 as the original equipment tire instead of the RE92 (a so-so all-season, no match for ANY performance summer tire) the performance data would instantly jump the car from "hmm, not bad" to "whoa!". Braking, slalom, skidpad would improve by a decent margin. Acceleration probably would only improve by a tiny bit on standing starts.
The RE92 was not enough tire for the 98-01 Impreza 2.5RS, which paved the way for the WRX in North America. To me it's simply ridiculous to handicap the faster, better handling (stock) WRX with such tires.
-Colin
Bob
Are their any Bridgestone all-seasons better than the RE92?
Is Subaru using only Bridgestone/Firestones now? Whatever happened to the use of BF Goodrich tires (old OBS') and Michelins? Don't either of them have a better all-season tire?
Enough questions.
Dennis