Subaru Crew - Meet The Members II

rsholland

You hit a "hot button" with juice on the rear door design. He hates rear doors that open on the "wrong" side. Maybe a move to the Land of Oz (or any RHD location—where the rear door would be set up properly for the locale), should be considered?

I really hope Suzuki can tough it out, as sales have been terrible. Love the new Kizashi; and like I said, the current-gen Grand Vitara has been a favorite of mine. Not happy about them dropping the V6 engine this year. I think that's a big mistake.

I sense the next-gen model will be more of a soft-roader, than the off-roader the current one is. Major bummer if that happens. The market is saturated with those, and the GV has been a nice counterpoint to those vehicles.

Bob

volkov

Don't forget me. I hate the wrong opening swing door. It's the reason I would never consider a Rav4.

hondafriek

Well I would like to take credit for the uptick but I don't think it was me, anyway it is nice to be in touch with all the long timers here again. I don't spend as much time on the computer as I used to. My back acts up after sitting in one position for any lengh of time.
I will try though to pop on more often than I have been.

Cheers Pat.

rsholland

Sorry. I just remember juice being so vocal about it. BTW, in case you're wondering where he's been, he's on vacation. Something like 3 weeks in Florida. Geez, some people have all the luck...

Bob

robr2

Something like 3 weeks in Florida. Geez, some people have all the luck...

IMHO, that's more like "what did he do to deserve that?"

I'm not a huge fan of Florida in January, never mind July.

stever

I'd rather have a hatch than a swinging door period. Don't care which way it opens (the door, not the hatch, although a built in ramp has possibilities).

In case y'all missed it, Subaru To Launch Four New Models by 2016. (Inside Line)

rsholland

Both have their pluses and minuses.

I like having the spare on the rear door—especially useful if you're a serious off-roader, where changing a tire is a very real possibility. The door-mounted spare can be a rear visibility issue, however.

Then again the hatch is nice if it rains and you're loading/unloading the vehicle.

I'm not too concerned about being able to open the rear hatch/door, as rarely do I ever find myself parking in situations where that's a concern. Most of my parking is in parking lots (or in my driveway), and that's rarely an issue.

Bob

stever

That's probably where I learned to dislike them. I had to swing the tire carrier out of the way on my CJ-5 if I wanted to get to the swing down hatch. Hardly ever used it though. Keeping track of another key was a pain too and didn't trust bolting the tire on the outside without a lock.

The best place for the spare is in the engine compartment anyway.

rsholland

I'm surprised the tire lock key and the ignition key weren't the same?!?!

I've often wondered if the heat of the engine would be a problem for the spare tire. Yeah, I know Subaru used to do that, but no longer...

Bob

stever

Not in '74 they weren't. It was an aftermarket lock and a good blow with a tire iron probably would have opened it.

I'm waiting for the RAV4 edition* with the spare on the back being a pouch with a can of Fix-a-Flat in it. Spare tires are disappearing fast.

*There's already one model of the RAV4 (the Sport) with no spare. Has runflats.

toboggan

Let's see, I'm on a drug study for my lungs (lab rat for 5 years so far) so I've got a specialist here and in Mpls, GP, heart, dermatologist, eye specialists here in town. I'm 73 now so I've become more prone to chronic diseases (we won't mention aging as a chronic disease ). Had to give up down-hill skiing (since 6 years old) because of the lung stuff. And the saga goes on.....

ladywclass

There is something very "bittersweet" about the Atlantis shuttle flight. My dad worked for NASA for 25 years beginning in 1962. He was working in Houston for NASA prior to the space center even being built there. Our "community" was very much into the space program. I attended a high school of over 3000 students and the vast majority of our parents worked for NASA or one of its contractors - and I "grew up" with the children of the Mercury-Gemini-Apollo astronauts. It was a real "culture shock" to me after graduation to find out that there were many, many people (even in the Houston area) who did not think there was much importance to the space program.

While I know it's not the 'end' of NASA, it's still an 'ending' ....

robr2

I read last week that the Johnson Space Center was originally planned to be built in Cambridge, MA in an area known as Kendall Sq. Although now a high tech and biotech center, Kendall Sq. sat for 25 years as a levelled industrial area.

The space center was approved for Cambrider during the Kennedy administration. When he was assisinated, it was moved to Houston under Johnson.

ladywclass

I knew Johnson was the reason it ended up in Texas. The plot where the space center was located had been cow pasture for many generations. The land was built up several feet before building because of the low elevation and the threat of hurricane flooding. It had only been a few years since the destruction of Hurricane Carla in the Houston area.

hondafriek

Yeah but the run flats are noisy and expensive, most of the Mercedes models have no spare, they supply a little comressor kit with a solution.

I have a kit called slime. it is a green material that you can put in and leave for up to two years, it plugs holes up to 1/4 inch. I put in the trunk flooring from an 09 edition Mazda3, it has a hidden storage compartment like the Sube had.

Mazda dropped it for 2010 model year, I realised that the trunk floor was the same shape between models, but after I bought all the parts I found they had made the spare wheel well in the 2010 model like mine more shallow, so it was take a loss of several hundred dollars or ditch the spare wheel, guess what won

The Slime is also water clean up unlike the flat in an aerosol which has to cleaned with a solvent. The aerosol is also supposed to be used only until you get the flat repaired asap
Just noticed the Slime now comes in an Aerosol. GM have also jettisoned the spare in their ECO model Cruze, I don't know if that is a Canada only edition.

Cheers Pat.

stever

My bike tires are slimed, although they don't really need it so much since we moved away from Boise and all the goatheads they had there. Never heard that it had an expiration date. But yeah, spare tires are going away.

fibber2

I've been told that a big problem with Slime, or any of the flat-fix solutions is that they ruin the runflat transmission module. So while it will get you to a station for a professional repair, you will likely have to shell out another $50+ for a new valve/sensor assembly.

There has to be a better way....

kyfdx

I think that's the TPMS sensor that it ruins.... that's on any newer car, not just those with run-flats.. I don't think runflats have a special sensor..

colin_l

I don't use slime, just kevlar-belted puncture proof tires. They work great!

stever

Do they ride like runflats? :shades:

Runflats really are a good idea, if they could just make them handle like "real" tires. Not that I've ever ridden on them, but sure read a lot of horror stories over the years.

fibber2

Right! somehow had runflat stuck in my head as I wrote that. Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) was what I meant.

These things are a big issues nowadays with owning a second set of wheels/tires such as snows. I recently bought a Toyota Sienna, and you must return to the dealership to get the TPMS reset when you swap wheels. To do it yourself, you either need the 'lite' version of the Toyota Scan Tool, the proprietary module versions of something like the Autoenginuity tool, or the ATEQ aftermarket tool to interface thru the OBD port to reset the system. Major pain and expense!

And back to the original issue with Slime, two of the wheel modules on my used van were ruined by moisture and were replaced under warranty. They think it might have been wet air (a compressor that had not had the condensation drained).

tsy

It's funny you say that, because yes, Kevlar belted tires (on a road bike anyway) are far less supple and ride 'harsher'. You think the ride on your car is rough- try a road bike with no suspension!

What's cool is you can buy tubeless tires for bikes now- better ride, less rolling resistance and weight. Just a pain if you get a flat.

tom

volkov

No problem if they flat, just slap in a tube like it's old school. I am running Stan's and I just keep a tube for emergency. Have not needed it yet. They tend to bleed down faster than butyl (but slower than the latex ultralights I used 15 years ago), but I have had no burping issues that some mountain bikers complain of.

volkov

A hell of a lot better than tubulars when you flat. I can remember a ride being ruined by my riding partner having to swap a sew-up. Couldn't reset the glue and needed to limp home on a very hilly ride white knuckling that his tire would snake off.
I am avoiding run flats like the plague. Just pay a visit to the RFT thread. Winter tire issues, plus all the complaints about wear and howl, plus the ridiculous expense. If you flat, although you are supposed to be able to repair them, in the overwhelming majority of cases shops won't do it. Manufacturers have limits on how long they can be driven. After a short distance, the tire can still be driven but cannot be reused: the tire gets irreparably damaged That means waiting for a replacement tire. Up here with big distance between cities and only small towns in between, I'd hate to be stuck for days waiting for a tire which others report. Give me a spare anytime. What will a can of goo or a run flat do for a blow-out? That's the only flat I've ever had while travelling.

hondafriek

Although my car is a 2010 it does not have TPMS for which I am thankful. It is one of those things that is more a pain in the butt than helpful. (1) it will only let you a tire is low not which one(2) if you run winter tires for half the year like I have to do, then you either shell out for another set of OEM sensors at exhorbitant dealer prices, and install on your winter rims, or get used to having the monitor light on all the time.

OEM sensors are over 100 bucks a pop.

I would rather check my own tire pressure and forego the TPMS.

As far as I know TPMS is mandated for the 2011 model year.

Cheers Pat.

xwesx

I agree - they're more trouble than they're worth!

I run two sets of rims on my Forester, and the winter set has no sensors in them. Yes, the light is on all winter, but that's the only trade-off.

Actually, this spring after I put on the "summer" tires, my wife said, "the dash light isn't on.... is something wrong?" I said, "yes, the stock rims have tire pressure monitoring sensors in them!" :P

Honestly, I don't think I would feel comfortable driving a car without a spare, especially if going any distance from home. Both of my cars (98 Escort and the Forester) have "donut" spares, but their wells will hold full-size tires. I started carrying one of my winter tires in the well of my Escort, and have a full-size spare for the Forester (though I don't carry it in the car most of the time because I would have to ditch the under-storage tray, which I find very handy!).

I don't mind donuts, but they are only very useful for local flats, and I have never had one of those! If I have trouble with a tire, it is invariably on a trip. :sick:

xwesx

Steve, I haven't looked at the stems on the TMPS-equipped rims, but isn't the sensor in the core? Would it be as easy as unscrewing the core and replacing it with a non-sensor core when the slime is present, then reinstalling after repair? Probably not, of course, but no harm in asking!

stever

Ah sew-ups. Rode them for ~4 or 5 years in the mid 70s and got pretty good with the triangular needle. Since then I just drill out my rims for Schrader valves.

colin_l

Tom,

really? I've not noticed poor ride quality with either my bikes using kevlar-belted tires. (Actually my bike, and my dad's.)

What I do notice is running max pressure for best speed. If I run 85psi in the hybrid tire, or 115ish in the road tire, versus 65 and 85 it's a huge difference in ride quality.

No pinch flats either way, though. No flats at all!

fibber2

Hey Wes. The sensor is typically a little black box measuring about 2"x1"x0.5". The exact arrangement varies by year and model. Originally they were completely separate from the valve, and banded to the inside of the rim. On Toyota, they are integral with the stem, and is was the arrangement on Subaru thru around 2008/2009. When you changed tires or rims, you could replace the valve core and the external rim hole seal, but not the sensor and stem itself.

I see that newer Subaru (2009 up?) has a stem that screws into the sensor. So you do have a schrader valve that looks kind of like the old style units (rubber bulb end with a slot that locks into the rim), with an extension on the inside that locks to the modular sensor.

Net is that if the slime gets into the orifice of the sensor, damage can still occur.

lucien2

I got back into cycling when my first kid arrived...i was 200 lbs and decided I needed to do something. Lost 25 pounds that way.

Anyhoo, my road bike is a Seven steel, 2004 campy centaur and magic ksyrium elite hoops. I am considering a major upgrade to the bike rather than buy another, since the frame is great. Next year I am hoping to redo it as an all American bike- Seven cockpit, Zipp 101 wheels, SRAM Force driveline and brakes. We shall see...

I found a 1991 De Rosa Columbus SLX with Phil wood hubs in San Antonio which I leave there for when I visit the in laws. It has a sad sack collection of shimano on it, only the campy front derailleur is original. I need to restore it to its full Italian glory at some point. But I am not a great mechanic, and also I need to track down all the vintage campy stuff

colin_l

Lucien,

That sounds like an awesome plan! I like the SRAM shifters and brake levers a lot, so I've been doing some research.

One tip.. If you're buying right now (2011 models), the SRAM Rival is new-for-2011 and to quote a few reviews 'dangerously close' to the performance and weight of Force. It will save you a few hundred bucks whether buying retail or wholesale (like eBay). SRAM had a similar revolution last year when Apex was released and it still blows away the new-for-2011 Shimano 105. Rival is a step up, of course.

volkov

I'm jealous, that must be a sweet ride. 91 might still have been built by Ugo himself. There is nothing like a quality hand built steel bike for ride character. Sure they aren't as light or even as stiff now as the top end CF, but there is something about them. Still love my steel Breezer Lightning hardtail built with Ritchey Logic tubes, but now it is only my commuting bike. The older Lightnings were hand built in the USA with production later moving to factories in Taiwan.
I do so little road riding that I can't justify spending $$ on a new bike. I have a 5 year old Aluminium DeVinci with 105 which replaced 20 year old Vitus with 600 components. It was 7 speed friction shifting and the rear triangle couldn't accommodate the new freewheel spacings so I had to move on. I rode thousands of miles on that bike. The new one only sees the road a couple of times a year.
I have taken to swimming while the kids are at practice instead of finding time to ride, although I have given thought to taking the bike and riding while they are there. There is an ugly grunt climb nearby and a couple of the dads do laps. Commuting has been difficult due to monsoon weather this Summer and I so often have to rush home to pick someone up or drop them off and the bike complicates things.
The swimming is such a workout though. I can still ride comfortably even at pace for 1.5 hours, but 20 minutes in the pool and I am really feeling it. 30-40 minutes leaves you knowing you've had a workout. The core tone you get is great, after 2 weeks my muffin top was almost gone simply due to my stomach being more firm. We are so happy now that we have the kids doing activities (Swimming, XC skiing, mountain biking.) that give us a chance to exercise at the same time. I'm still not crazy about 6am practice though.

tsy

Hey Colin

Yup, pressure makes a big difference. I have one set of tires I can run at 140psi! Like riding on concrete though.

Different tires will ride differently- try some of the tubeless or tubulars and at the same pressure the ride is much nicer! Of course, we're talking road tires, not hybrid or MTB tires which are low pressure/high volume and are more supple to begin with.

Your wheels make a big difference too. My CF Reynolds wheels are so much smoother and less jarring than my super stiff aero bladed Ksyriums.
I did a double century on the Ksyriums a few years ago- big mistake. My upper body and hands were so sore and numb afterwards just from all the jarring. Same ride on my CF wheels- almost no pain.

tom

tsy

Hey Loosh

Seven makes some really nice bikes- steel is a wonderful ride as well. That's a nice ride!

I will say that as much as I love steel bikes (I have a steel frame fixed gear bike) steel will never be able to compete with carbon fiber. These frame builders are able to build in directional stiffness so that the frame is super stiff in one direction and compliant in a different direction. It's really strange.

Try riding a Cervelo RS. It's got a nice stiff frame for when you're climbing, but it is so smooth it's eerie. I haven't riden an R3 or R5 but I'm told the ride is almost as smooth.

Of course, getting a custom built carbon frame is kinda hard. I think you need to be riding in the Tour in order to get one! Whereas there are still several custom builders who will make you a perfected sized steel frame.

As for grouppos, I've always liked Shimano because it's bulletproof. I like the new SRAM stuff, but it doesn't seem to be quite as bulletproof and the thought of something breaking 100miles from home is not good. I may switch anyways though. Right now I'm running Dura-Ace on my Rubaix which is incredibly reliable after thousands of miles. Doesn't even need much adjusting each season. Good stuff.

Loosh, I almost bought an old frame from the 80s-90s to build up too. But I really don't miss downtube friction shifters! I was looking at some old Colnagos or even a Schwinn Paramount. That De Rosa is a nice find! That old campy stuff will probably cost you though!

tom

tsy

If you're interested in probably the last of the true Italian steel frame builders, try this site:

http://www.pegoretticicli.com/frames

Dario Pegoretti made a lot of the frames for the racers back in the 80s and 90s which were then repainted with the sponsors names. Beautiful bicycles.
I hope to get one someday!

tom

lucien2

Seven will build you a custom carbon bike, but it costs. A lot. Pegorettis are cool...I think he had health problems though, his US distribution is really shrinking

xwesx

Does anyone know whether Subaru dealers can take Subaru Bucks for tire service? It looks like I may need to get a new set of "summer" tires for my Forester because I split the sidewall on one of my Geolandars, which are seemingly impossible to obtain in Alaska (in stock, anyway). Financially, a new set of tires is out of the question right now, but I do have $2,000 in Bucks saved up....

I would just wait and get a new set next Spring when I have had some time to save up (if that is even possible), but we're running our full-size spare on it right now, which is on a 16" steel rim, and my wife's tolerance for the odd-man grows thin, especially since the lost tire was a result of me doing some off-road playing with "her" car.

xwesx

Looks like the answer to my question is negative - Bucks only apply to Subaru parts (even OE tires not considered as Subaru) or service on a Subaru. So, I imagine I could argue for the mount/balance as applicable, but no-go on the tires themselves.

fibber2

I don't mind friction shifting, but I cannot reach for downtube shifters anymore either. Too much of a stretch and it unbalances me. I changed out these on my Fuji for bar-end shifters, and it works quite well. As they were optional on some high end bikes of the day, you can even argue period-correctness if modifying a classic bothers you.

fibber2

.... but that's where one ended up on Wednesday. A fast moving cell split a huge maple on the other side of the ravine that borders my property and tossed it onto the hillside - topmost section onto my attached garage. The force split the ridge pole and crushed down large sections of the peak side overhang and damaged the outer wall. Fun stuff!

That side of the house is along a steep dropoff, with no room for getting in a cherry picker or other large equipment. I appealed to Toll Brothers (builders working the old farm next door), and they were nice enough to send over a 4 man team and a backhoe. By the end of the day it was off the house and the trunk dragged back over to their side. Now I have to find a contractor to restore the structure.

Like I really needed another project.....

ladywclass

you're right ... they DON'T belong there ... we also had a big FAST storm that roared through here on Monday and really surprised everyone by how fast it blew through and how serious it was ... there were a LOT of trees down and even more limbs (large and small) ... luckily we didn't have any problems at our house but there are still a number of folks without power even today ....

colin_l

Holy cow, Steve! Sounds like no one was hurt, and I'm glad for that.

Are you guys able to live in the house, I assume in rooms unaffected by the roof damage?

colin_l

Hey guys, I'm going to take this to the Cafe. See you there.

fibber2

Fortunately it's the oversized 2 car garage that took the hit, so the house itself is fine. I just got off the phone with the adjuster and he seems like a decent guy, so we'll see how this works out.

xwesx

No kidding! Steve, were you finding a bit too much free time on your hands lately or what? :P

tsy

Well, at least the tree isn't in your living room!

Sorry about the garage though.

tom

xwesx

I occasionally worry about one of the trees surrounding my house taking a tumble in the wrong direction. I figure it is inevitable that when it happens, I am going to end up with damage to the house, the barn, or one or more cars. Given where everything is located, I think it is nearly inevitable - which is always the case, right? Tom, wasn't it your Mustang that was scrunched by a tree a couple years back or am I thinking about Rob?

I did have a tree tumble down earlier this summer and it picked the one direction it could fall without hitting anything of value. I was grateful; now I just have to clean up the mess.

I have one large spruce in particular, which is probably about 100' tall, that worries me more than it perhaps should. I keep considering removing it, but talk myself out of it because it is the largest spruce left in the whole area. For some reason, all the other big ones just happened to be growing in the wrong spots (either somebody put a house there or they were rooted on a utility easement).

Hopefully the rest of Steve's trees remain firmly fixed to their present locations for a while to come yet!

hondafriek

Sorry to hear that Steve, could have been worse I guess. and hit the main house or even worse injured somebody. Hopefully insurance will take care of it promptly without too much of a hassle.

Cheers pat.

lilbluewgn02

I'm in Imola now, but last week, I had arranged a tour of Prodrive in Banbury...bigger than I expected, 4 large buildings and approx. 480 employees. there working on Aston Martins, WRC Minis, customer cars, and of all things, a Spanish submarine. They do incredible machining and CNC work, very fine and super accurate, truly works of art. I had a wonderful tour guide named Jackie Irwin. She looks like anyone's mother but is a real "petrolhead" as she called it. She can probably put many of us to shame with her knowledge of engines! If you happen to go there, ask for her.
Here is the link to my photobucket album...enjoy the photos
http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll303/mclmk8d/Prodrive%20Visit/?albumview=sli- deshow&track=share_email_album_view_click