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Comments
For the hood -- I have had the bug deflectors for my last two Outbacks, but for the new one, I installed rockblocker paint protection film. It won't take heavy abuse, but I like the invisible look and so far, no chips!
Craig
Great stuff!
-Karen in AZ-
The Info Screen buttons on the console are pretty handy, and the reach is not as far as the touch screen itself. I found myself using the buttons more in order to keep my hands near the wheel.
I found the gauges and dash in general to be very easy to locate and figure out the first time I drove the car. And the aluminum trim IS very cool, in my opinion.
Maybe Karl was driving some other model??? To each, his own...
-Karen in AZ-
I am sure Yakima and Thule will come up with rack options for the Tribeca, using clips that hook under the door openings (which will result in a slightly wider crossbar spacing, but not by much). These systems work OK, but I really prefer setups like the Outback where you get a sturdy siderail running the length of the roof -- to me, that is one benefit of having a long wagon or SUV roof.
As much as I use racks, the narrow spacing and the 4" higher roof are two big factors that would steer me away from a Tribeca and into an Outback. Otherwise, I would seriously be considering a Tribeca.
Craig
Subaru should have the option to give you a list of a catagory by distance even if your not zoomed in close. just give me the list dang-it. plus the menu layout is a bit clunky and non-intuative.
The Pacifica was still not as easy as the Acura. I had the older Acura NAV system. The new Acura's have their NAV linked into their bluetooth handsfree. that means, click nearest hotel.. find hotel you want, click call. and it dials your phone automatically... so you can find if there is vacancy before getting off the turnpike, ect.
As I reported earlier, I drove the B9 FAST in manual mode, up to 120 MPH going to PA and barely got 20 MPG. On the way back I took it easy and things improved by 5MPG. It may get even better in the winter with the AC off. 7 passenger loaded models may be a bit worse off and if you have 4 people on board that's going to effect things as well.
Robert B
NY
It's not a fatal flaw, but still surprised me!
Robert B
NY
Steve
I noticed that there are a number of ways of inputting data. Why? Why not just offer one way to do so, and make it the easiest and most logical way to do so? All this high-tech complexity is really nothing but counterproductive.
I'm now curious as to how easy other NAV units operate. I've heard some good things about the unit in the Acura MDX. That unit, if you should venture off a paved road onto some dirt path reportedly shows "crumbs" on the screen so that you can find your way back. In addition to voice guidance it has voice activation.
Bob
The 23 mpg on the highway, what is the average speed you were driving at. I usually average about 75mph and get a bit over 21 MPG on flat roads.
Why would you want to drive at 70 MPH with the rear windows down. They are so big it is not surprising about the buffetting. Also, if you drove any distance like that it would probably cost 2 or 3 MPG because of the drag you are creating.
Ok, I give up. Su? Sub? bru? bar?
I saw a Passat changed to a##, and of course there's the Toyotas that become "yo".
That price is an insult. My dealer offered me a pretty complex additional alarm system for 500 bucks. I didn't want it and got just the remote start for 175.00 installed. It works great, though they needed to reprogram my master remotes after forgetting to put in the trunk hatch release function.
500 is WAY TOO MUCH.
Robert B
NY
costs 400, i got it for 250 at the time of buying the car
On a related note, I see that Subaru offers both front and rear bumper covers. What about a skid plate and rear differential protector? I have both on my Outback Wagon, and they come in handy driving around NYC:-).
Mark
I was thinking of posting one but then realized you can just look at the Subaru.com site, build a B9 and then click on the hood protector and front bumper underguard in options to see a picture, if thats the additions you are talking about. Thats pretty much what they look like. Of course its close up and look diff on diff colors and from diff angles etc.
Main thing I would say of note on the front bumper underguard is that its more then just what looks like a silver strip in the picture as it covers more area including the center column of the front bumper under part and wraps under as well.. Seems to be protective on what is a low bumper and adds a cool look with the silver. I am pretty picky and am happy wiht the look of both of these options as well as the other ones i mentioned.
But speaking of the front bumper. It still bugs me a little how much the hood slopes down and how low the front bumper is to the ground for an SUV. In looking at for example the Lexus RX and a Porsche Cayenne yesterday I noticed how high up their front bumpers are off the ground. I was worried that not only does the B9 have less ground clearance but that the low front bumper makes it look more like a car.
As well, other suv's including the Murano seem to sit some space above their tires giving it more height. I know its nice how the wheels fill the wheel wells and most ppl i have talk to that know cars say you want that and I do agree i don't like the look of say the Pilot and MDX that sit well above their tires that look small in the huge wheel well but I'm just worried the B9 will be mistaken for a Toyota Matrix or Pontiac Vibe type vehicle.
I'm pretty much over both of these issues though as I realize that the sloping hood and low front bumper liken the B9 to the FX as one of the most sporty SUV's and though the body doesn't sit above its wheels on shocks, that the wheels filing the wheel wells is a sign of quality, looks better, and the vehicle still seems to sit just as high as the vehicles it competes against (Murano, Highlander etc.) in fact the view from the back seat seems higher so i was wondering if the Tribeca is supposed to have "stadium seating" like hte Xterra had/has?
The surprise these days would be finding a car that didn't have the buffeting:
tidester, "Volvo XC90 SUV" #930, 4 Jan 2003 1:19 am
Steve, Host
MDX/Pilot: 8"
X5: 7.1"
XC-90: 8.9"
Murano: 7"
RX330" 7.48"
Tribeca: 8.4"
As you can see, Tribeca has the second highest ground clearence.
Now the front end and rear end bumper hight issue. This is usually called approch angle (front) and departure angle (rear). RX330 is a good example of high approch and departure angle. Subaru traditionally sucks in the area. However, both approch and departure angle are only useful when you want to do serious off-roading (like climbing steep slops). On normal pavement driving this is not important.
Bob
Good point. However, driving on the beach would be called extreme off-roading in my book With the extreme touchy gas paddle of Tribeca, I'd stay away from beach sand.
I said this before but they are smaller then I though and not a big flap. But they integrate nicely with the lower bumper and add a nice look without being too noticeable.
Bob
'm glad the B9 is low on advertising besides the wordless Subaru badge on the front, back and center cap of the wheels ( which I'm thinking about getting chrome versions of these which I'm assuming would chrome out the badge so no blue, but keep the factory wheel as they clean up nice)
Anyone know where the Subaru badge of the big 4 pointed star with 5 other little stars to its right comes from or what it means?
Oh boy, a softball question. Who wants this one?
Steve, Host
(Wikipedia has a good entry about it)
Where is ground clearance measured exactly? from the side or something. As far as approach (front) and deaparture (rear) angle I understand this must not be good good on the B9 as it looks low mostly in front, back seems high enough. I realize its not important unless doing serious off roading and climbing steep slopes. Was more just concerned with the car like looks of the low front bumper and maybe the occasional small obstacle , curb etc. that would need to be traversed.
I'm surprised the RX has good approach and departure angles as it really isn't an off road vehicle and is the most car like pavement suv toyota has but i did notice its front bumper is pretty high off the ground.
I guess it comes down to opinion on what yout think looks better. The high up front bumper like the RX and even porsche cayenne and touareg i guess or the lower sportier looking bumper. I love the sporty looks of the FX and feel the tribeca combines the best of both worlds but guess i was partial to an aggresive raised front bumper look and still getting used to the b9's lower sportier front bumper in that respect.
The name "Pleiades" itself may have been derived from the Greek word for "to sail" or the word "pleios" meaning "full" or "many".
Another theory is that the cluster is named after the mythological mother, Pleione, which is also the name of one of the brighter stars. According to Greek mythology, the main, visible stars are named for the seven daughters of "father" Atlas and "mother" Pleione: Alcyone, Asterope (a double star), Electra, Maia. .Merope, Taygeta and Celaeno.
Although somewhat similar to the constellation Crusis, comprising Gacrux, Alpha 1 Crusis, Beta Crusis and a few other unnamed stars, which we know (in Australia) to be the Southern Cross, the Subaru badge represents a totally different group of stars.
But why does the Subaru badge only have six stars?
Ken Takeuchi from Japan has provided this insight, including an alternative background for the star emblem:
To say first, SUBARU may stand for "seven sisters" may be true but the Pleiades stars are also called "Mutsura-Boshi", which means "six gathered stars". The star SUBARU even appears in the lyrics written more than 1000 years ago. The word has some romantic feelings to we Japanese.
Fuji Heavy industries, the maker of SUBARU cars, was known as Nakajima Aircraft before WW II, which made many fighters and bombers. Even the famous Mitsubishi Zero fighter had a Nakajima 14 cylinder engine. After the war, the company was forced to spread into 15 companies to cut the strength of the huge weapon industry. But in the early 1950s, five of the companies gathered into one again to restart as a transportation company. That's FUJI and that's why there are five little stars and one big star.
So, the present SUBARU emblem represents the company structure rather than the original star cluster image.
also:
http://www.subaru.com.cy/about/origin/index.html
good thing the first president of Fuji Heavy Industries didn't name it after his last name or we'd be driving Kita's which is too much like Kia and there already is another company named Fuji.
Lowest point underneath the car to the ground. If you look underneath the B9, it is vertually flat. Some cars appear to have higher ground clearence. Examining the underbody, you often find exhaust pipes hanging low or other stuff protrude out so its actual ground clearence is low.
Others I forgot to list:
Ford Explorer: 8.5"
Jeep Grand Cherokee: 8.5"
MB ML350: 8.6"
Highlander: 7.3"
4Runner: 9.1"
And finally: Subaru Outback (2005) : 8.7"
Also, having owned/driven an '05 OB and a '99 Forester in similar conditions, I would say the ride was comparable to the OB, but the handling was much easier and tamer in the B9. The Forester was always a bit too light for some of those roads, but still always got me through all the same terrain (although less clearance). The higher seat height on the B9 will make you think you are in a much bigger, heavier vehicle, but it is quite nimble and smooth even on rough dirt roads.
When I first test drove the vehicle, I was only offered the main paved roads around the dealership (which was in a somewhat rural area). Just to see what he would say, I asked the saleman if we could take it on a dirt road somewhere. He kind of hesitated, and finally said he had been wanting to do that, too, but I had to promise not to tell his boss. We found a bumpy dirt shoulder off one of the ranch roads and I drove it across all the cross ruts for about a mile (it had rained recently and the ruts had dried very hard). I was pretty much sold on the possibilities of the ride then and there, and we never told his boss :-)
Hopes this helps.
-Karen in AZ-
that was good information no one else has written about. thanks
-Karen in AZ-
http://www.subaru.net/rally/2005/miller/miller.htm
Well they are not standard equipment on the Outback, that is one thing I can confirm. I doubt they are included on the Tribeca. The diff protector has always been an accessory for Subaru as long as I can remember, but they have never offered a skid plate that I recall.
By skid plate, I am referring to an actual metal plate under the engine/transmission. Most cars come with a plastic undercover these days (for aerodynamics/cooling), but it is not meant to serve as a skid plate.
Craiig
-Karen-
Craig
Bob
Craig
Steve, Host
Only a plastic plate under the engine. As for diff protector, can't tell as it is buried between two exhaust pipes.
Jeep Grand Cherokee: 8.5"
MB ML350: 8.6"
Highlander: 7.3"
4Runner: 9.1"
With the exception of the MB - aren't all the others true SUV's where as the B9 is a cross over xuv. A true SUV would really the extra clearance.
What is 5EAT, I saw on the title when I registered my B9 and thought it was a typo:)
Just bough my new 2004 infiniti FX35 3 weeks ago, but becoming a bit bore with the interior. I test drove the B9 when it first came out begining of June in Canada, love the interior mainly the lighting system, but not very keen about the exterior design. Anyone experiences with both in detail, please give me some honest, unbias advices. I know that in terms of power, appearance, reputation, reliability and warranty, the infinity is more superior, but B9 has more toys. Does B9 really have to use premium fuel? is recommended for FX35, but not required. Thanks guys/gal
Mrlover
Karen - sounds like you had some fun! Cool.
Swampy - no, I didn't get on the sand. Keep in mind I spent less than 24 hours at the beach, it was a quick in-and-out trip, no time to set up for surf fishing (which is required for you to drive on North Bethany's sands).
For Assategue Island you have to get there by 10am because they close once a certain number of cars pass through. Plus I was meeting Dennis.
Karl was indeed wrong about the NAV, see the picture below. When you hit any audio controls the audio info pops up on the bottom of the NAV screen.
FWIW, Bob, we went to Philly in an Audi S4 yesterday and the NAV was much less intuitive IMO. It uses a light version of MMI, but we had to enter the state, then the city, and it had trouble finding Miller Subaru's street address. In fact we could only find the town and then had to ask for directions, which sort of defeats the purpose of NAV, don't you think?
It seemed to make more mistakes than Subaru's NAV, too.
I had just used the Tribeca because I got a bonus drive up to Baltimore to return the vehicle. So I used the two systems back to back.
The Subaru's screen is much bigger, 7" to 5". Does size matter? LOL
Also, the Tribeca's NAV is a lot easier to use. The Audi's is *not* a touch-screen, so you have to scroll through everything, even the alphabet to spell a street name. It took 15 minutes and we still failed to find Miller Subaru.
I can say, conclusively:
Tribeca NAV > Audi NAV
Much greater.
-juice
-juice
Same with all H-6 Subies. Subie turbos, however, are "required" to use premium.
Bob
FX35: Power - Yes, appearance - subjective (same as B9), reputation - don't know, reliability - questionable. Subaru is ranked #1 last year by CR, I don't know where Infinity stands but it won't be more than Lexus which is #2.
Premium is recommended, not required. But with an already underpowered engine, why would anyone put cheap gas to degrade the engine furthermore.
This can do it for $700
http://www.garmin.com/products/sp340/