Subaru Crew: Suggestions for Subaru

rsholland · April 2003

but optional on TS and WRX Impreza wagons.

Bob

lark6 · April 2003

Dennis: IIRC Subaru does offer the Yakima round bars and cross tops (relabeled with Subaru decals) as accessories for the full model line. These are the same as my Yakima setup which we test fitted to your car at Flemington. I'm glad I bought them (cough*REI*cough*ebay*cough) 'cause I'm considering getting a clamshell for the rooftop as well.

Hindsight is 20-20, I know... ;-)

Ed

bluesubie · April 2003

Oh yeah. At the time I was thinking form over function. I should've had the dealer place both cross bars over the rails before I purchased.

I've actually seen used crossbars sell fairly quickly so I may eventually do that.

-Dennis

toboggan · April 2003

in the same location as the passenger side, ie. just above the drivers door on the inside.

MNSteve

jay_24 · April 2003

You mean remove it right?
The 2001 OB has it and I want to remove it. I keep hitting my head on it. (I'm 6'5")
Besides what's its use on the drivers side?

--jay

toboggan · April 2003

Naw, my '98 OBW Limited does not have the grab bar. It would be hice to have one so that one could use it when entering or leaving the car. Right now I've got a bum knee that doesn't like to support weight in certain positions.

But then I didn't know that the new models had the grab bar.

Ah, Well.

MNSteve

ateixeira · May 2003

I like 'em, but I'm not 6'5" either. I say keep them. Subies are generally disabled-friendly, and that's a good thing.

-juice

bkaiser1 · May 2003

I've banged my head on that too many times to count...I HATE that handle! All I can think is that it's there as a cost saving measure from other (right had drive) markets...cheaper to put one headliner in all cars than 2 separate ones? I figured I was just unusually clumsy, glad to hear there are others as coordinated as me!

Brian

ateixeira · May 2003

My Forester had two plastic plugs there. I actually bought one and installed it myself. Forester has tons of head room, though.

-juice

paisan · May 2003

I like to rest my hand on it during long trips. Most European cars have both driver and pass. side grab handles. I wish my Trooper and SVX did.

-mike

oregonboy · May 2003

Doesn't it interfere with use of the use of the sun visor at the side window? (to block morning sun when driving south).

-james

ateixeira · May 2003

Good question, James. My Forester has a rigid one on the passenger side, which does interfere somewhat, and a soft one that tucks in up against the ceiling, which does not. Go with the latter and you're fine.

Oddly, the extra one I bought was the rigid one. I put it on the driver side, but later swapped sides. Subaru provides the right ones from the front, I was just sent a rigid one meant for the rear seats.

-juice

outback_97 · May 2003

I used to hit my head on that too, until I figured out that you can (at least on the Impreza) push the ends of the strap into the mounting points, then the handle goes flat and no noggin bumping. It's still there for when you want to use it though. Not sure if this will work on your car. I'm 6'4", FWIW. Worked for me.

utahsteve

bat1161 · May 2003

I find I use the handle on long drives, especially on the highway where I am not doing that much shifting. It's nice to have something to hold on to to break the monotony by shifting my body around.

Mark

toboggan · May 2003

OK, OK, my '98 OBW Limited (30 yr edition) doesn't have a time delay on the rear wiper. Do the newer MYs? Sure would be nice on those rainy, rainy drives.

MNSteve

paisan · May 2003

'92 SVX has it

-mike

rsholland · May 2003

ateixeira · May 2003

Yes, even our 2002 Legacy L has that now. Though it is fixed interval, not variable.

-juice

bat1161 · May 2003

After driving a rental for a week a couple of suggestions come to mind:
1) A delay on the interior lights. Let them stay on for 30 secsonds, or until turning the ignition key.

2)Stereo controls on the steering wheel. It was nice to not have to fiddle with the radio to find a station or change between radio and CD.

Mark

erics6 · May 2003

I second the delay in the interior lights. Some of my older cars had it. Very nice feature.

I think this may have been brought up before...I'd like to see Subaru engineer better brake rotors. Maybe a supplier like Brembo. I'm hoping the 05 Legacy has a better brake feel. The brakes work fine but there really is a mushy feel now.

-Eric

ateixeira · May 2003

What he means is replace the dual-stage brake boosters with a single-stage one! :-)

One more suggestion - KEEP the fade-out lights, I think that's a classy touch.

-juice

erics6 · May 2003

Maybe you can engineer the dual-stage to feel less mushy. I really notice it going back and forth from the Subaru to the Miata. :-)

locke2c · May 2003

pretty sure the miata is single stage! it definitely has a lot less boost, higher pedal effort.

-Colin

paisan · May 2003

Well gotta chime in here again...

SVX Brakes: Very nice pedal feel

No mush. Probably Single stage booster, but it stops the ~4000lb (live weight) car amazingly.

SVX Lights: Interior lights stay on for X seconds while you fiddle in the interior, they come on as soon as you pull on the handle (even if the door is locked) and also come on if the keyless entry is triggered, along with lighted keyholes on the outside of the doors, and lighted key ring inside.

Hmm, seems like Subaru should pull off the shelf items that a '92 Subaru had and just stick em in the '05s!

-mike

bat1161 · May 2003

Mike,

The keyless entry turns on the lights now, but as soon as you close the door-light out! At least on my OB it does.

Mark

p0926 · May 2003

My Forester's dome light stays on after you close the door but it fades out a little too quick. An extra 5 seconds would be nice.

-Frank P.

kens · May 2003

That's a great little feature our Jetta has that I wished Subaru would implement. I actually do use the passenger side auto up and down quite often. It comes in really handy when closing all the windows after I park the car. I get both front windows going up with a flick of the switches and I just hold the rear switches up.

Ken

paisan · May 2003

Ken the SVX and XT6 both had that feature as well

Bring it back SOA!!!!

-mike

locke2c · May 2003

liability issue, no doubt.

lame.

-Colin

ateixeira · May 2003

Vehicles now have power sliding doors, hatchbacks, even swing doors and trunks that close themselves. The industry is re-contenting and Subaru should too.

I'm not asking them to go overboard, just the most common conveniences.

-juice

rsholland · May 2003

Yesterday I forgot to close the moonroof of my Explorer. Today, after 12+ hours of pouring rain, I discovered my mistake. There was about an 1" of water in my console cupholders, and the front interior was a mess.

Why don't carmakers put a warning buzzer on the moonroof (and windows) when you shut the car off? They do it for your headlights...

Bobwith a wet butt

amsbear · May 2003

I waste so much wiper fluid trying to keep my rear window clean and the spray has a hard time reaching the outer arc of the wiper blade. How about integrating the nozzle into the wiper arm to deliver the fluid just in advance of the wiper blade?

There may be cold weather freezing issues with it so how about a warming element surrounding the line before it exits the tailgate and is activated with the rear defroster.

Bob - "A window is ajar."

(Ugh! 80's Chrysler reference)

Alan 98 OBW Ltd

subearu · May 2003

What about when you want to leave the moonroof open (either fully or in 'vent' mode)? I wouldn't want the warning chime (or voice if it was my old '86 LeBaron GTS) to be constantly buzzing.

It's just like leaving your windows open - and they have no warning chimes. There is no fault but your own on this one Bob. ;-)

What really would be nice is to be able to open/close the windows AND moonroof with the key FOB.

-Brian

rsholland · May 2003

But a chime that goes off maybe twice, just to alert you, certainly wouldn't be a problem. I know I'm not the only person who's suffered through this experience.

There's a headlight chime that doesn't shut off until you turn the light off, that comes with every car. A quick 2-beep chime for the windows and moonroof is all I'm asking for; something similar to that when you lock your car with your key-FOB.

BTW, this is the second time this has happened to me in the past two years, but last night's rain was by far the worst of the two.

Bob

hypov · May 2003

bat1161 May 14, 2003 1:32pm

Mark-
That's odd.
My '98 OB stays on for ~30 sec. or until I turn the ignition.

-Dave

dcm61 · May 2003

Subaru moved the rear washer nozzle above the window on '00+ Legacies / Outbacks so it now sprays and runs down the window. It works much better than the last generation that squirted from below.

DaveM

hypov · May 2003

would have preferred if it SPRAYs instead of DROOLing down the window.

-Dave

p0926 · May 2003

Bob- Sounds like you're suffering from the early stages of oldtimers desease :-)

-Frank P.

rsholland · May 2003

and it ain't pretty!

Bob

gvmelbrty · May 2003

Bob,

You may already know this, but you can get after-market alarm systems that will accept a variety of trigger inputs. One of them is a rain sensor that can trigger your windows and sunroof to close when water is detected.

With this feature you can walk away from your vehicle with sunroof/window venting w/o worring about an unannounced afternoon rainstorm.

-tom

ateixeira · May 2003

Bob - better yet, make it like my ASC roof. It will automatically shut when you remove the key, it's brilliant!

Plus you can program it *not* to shut, say, if you're in a garage and want fresh air (to dry that wet interior). Best of both worlds.

Dave: some of the new ones do, but yeah, let's ask for nozzles that spray instead of pour! :-)

-juice

beachfish · May 2003

I probably didn't use the low range of the dual-range tranny twice in 14 years on my '86 GL wagon, but I used the metal skid plate a lot on the beach. And some on the snow.

The armored exhaust system took a bit of a beating too.

Now I have an '02 Forrester with leather seats and a, what, plastic or cardboard skidplate. What's with that? My mistake, I assumed Subaru had me covered with a metal one from the parts department. Wrong. They've turned into a yuppiemobile carmaker.

Come on Subaru, you can do it. Or are you happy being known for your cupholders and autodimming mirrors?

John

ateixeira · May 2003

Plastic, yeah, and on the Forester only by the way. Others are unprotected.

Primitive Enterprises sells aftermarket versions, but maybe Subaru could offer them, at least as an option, on the Forester and Outback. They'd be more useful than the rear skid plate, since the rear diffy is a good 2" higher off the ground compared to the front cross members (under the tranny).

-juice

leo2633 · May 2003

juice,

My wife's '03 Outback has a plastic "skidplate" as well. No protection from anything more than mud and dirt, in my opinion. It has a removable cover so you access the drain plug and oil filter.

Len

rsholland · May 2003

the idea of a programmable moonroof, like what you have juice.

Bob

kens · May 2003

you could add a feature where a turn of the key in the driver's side door closes/opens all the windows.

My apologies for yet another VW reference, but I'm refering to the infamous commercial where the guy is reading is owner's manual, goes "hooooo" and drags his wife out who was painting her toes to show the window up/down feature.

Ken

paisan · May 2003

Had the auto-open from the keypad back in '92/93. Shame that it hasn't filtered down into everyday cars.

-mike

subearu · May 2003

Please don't implement the vertical roof glass panels that Nissan is using in the Maxima and Sienna. They don't open to vent or anything, but are there just to let light in.

I'll take a normal moonroof please. Preferably in a Forester XT ;-)

-Brian

rsholland · May 2003

not with a key-FOB auto open, but with memory lapses on the driver's partin this case me. That's why I think a quick warning beep/chime is the answer.

Bob

ateixeira · May 2003

It's cool, Bob. All the buttons are backlit a light green.

When you press that button, it becomes red, warning you that it will not close the roof when you remove the key. When it's green, it does automatically close them.

So no chime, but you can't help but notice the red light, so you're reminded.

I would always forget, and have to reinsert the key. So we leave it programmed to close it. It "wows" a few passengers, too.

-juice

Subaru Crew: Suggestions for Subaru

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