Subaru Crew - Meet The Members II

fibber2 · January 2016

Hey guys! Been a while. Happy New Year to everyone. Just reading thru the last few months and it's good to 'see' so many familiar faces.

Well, two days ago I said my final farewell to my dear 14+ year old Outback. It served me and my daughter well, but it was time. Once the prior lease title clears, Emily will be driving a CPO 2013 Honda CRV LX back to school.

We searched long and hard for a Forester, but 3 year old examples are too close in price to new ones around here. A shame, but I'm sure the Honda will serve her well.

stever · January 2016

My sister just got a demo '15 Crosstrek for about the same price she could have gotten a 2016. Part of it was that none of the 2016s were in a color she wanted, but still....

Michaell · January 2016

stever said:
My sister just got a demo '15 Crosstrek for about the same price she could have gotten a 2016. Part of it was that none of the 2016s were in a color she wanted, but still....

Are the '15's still referred to as the "Crosstrek XV"? I'm pretty sure they dropped the "XV" part of the name for 2016.

Still, nice rig. Had a tangerine one as a loaner the first time I took the Outback in for service. A bit underpowered (well, probably overweight), but perfectly serviceable.

stever · January 2016

Yep, the XV and they dropped the XV for 2016.

I quizzed my sister a few times about the acceleration and she always said it was plenty peppy for her. She must be calming down a bit in her 70s - she always was a hot foot on the gas. I wonder if she'll start wishing for more oomph in a month or two.

@fibber2, my sister traded in a miled up '05 Forester. She had spotted the Crosstrek a few years back when they first came out and liked them, so she really didn't shop the new Foresters, other than to note that she couldn't believe they were up to $30,000 now (the one she glanced at was likely a Touring at that price).

xwesx · January 2016

Since she came from an '05 (with which she was happy!), it doesn't surprise me that the found the XV a good fit. As far as passenger space goes, the two are *very* similar. The third and fourth gen Foresters are much roomier!

Steve (fibs), your '01 was quite the car! It's a shame that the rear subframe deterioration finally did her in, but at least it did its job safely and the final nail was not a crash, etc....!

rsholland · January 2016

The Crosstrek is on my short list.

stever · January 2016

I'll get to drive my sister's in about ten days and am looking forward to it.

Still kind of wish she had sprung for a MINI but the dealer was a bit too far from her and the prices aren't cheap on those either.

fibber2 · January 2016

Hey Wes. Actually an '02, but built so early that parts like the brakes were actually '01 spec. I always had to give my VIN because more than once we got items that weren't right. But it was a great car. I took pictures from underneath. 99% of the original green paint was intact, and the front frame still looked like new. But the rear subframe looked like it came from some third world fabricator that built it from rusty recycled wrought iron lawn furniture. Just tragic.... I gave serious thought to rebuilding it (subframes are like $325), but just don't have the time for a project car. Getting out those 4 long bolts can be such a pain. I never felt uneasy about continuing to drive it. I think it was still quite strong despite looking ugly, but Beth totally freaked out over it and absolutely prohibited Emily from ever driving it again. The kiss of death!

I liked the Impreza when I drove it, but also felt it was underpowered. The Forester is quite quick, and very roomy, but even a Premium stickers for $26k+, and you won't get much off as they are in short supply. That drove used prices to $20k, making the basic CRV at $16k quite a bargain. I can't believe I just called $16k a bargain......

jfl · January 2016

I've had my Impreza a bit over 2 years. Same drivetrain as the Crosstrek.

Yes, I sometimes downshift to maintain momentum when climbing. I'm more than willing to do that for the 30 mpg I get in mixed driving.

Really glad I stayed with Subaru and AWD now that I live in Northern Nevada (light) snow country.

xwesx · January 2016

Beth totally freaked out over it and absolutely prohibited Emily from ever driving it again. The kiss of death!

Yeah, I know how that goes. I know it well.

rob_m · January 2016

Hey! Happy New Year to all!!! Just popped in for a quick hello and check in. Congrats on all the new vehicles ... love that Soul, Pat. Real nice ride. Mikey says hi.

Busy with the new job and still getting used to commuting to Boston every day. Never thought THAT would happen in my life ... avoided it like the plague for so many years. Not so bad where I flex my hours and maybe will be able to work from home. Unfortunately, that's one ride I will never, ever attempt with the Mustang.

In my spare time, I have been travelling back and forth to Verona Wisconsin for training at a 'little company' called EPIC ... learning all sorts of things and taking tests and getting Certifications and doing Projects ... yeah, FUN!!! (Actually, it's pretty cool and I'm having a blast). Leaving in the morning for another week of classes. Supposed to be wicked cold, but at least there's no snow in the forecast.

Mikey is loving his little Impreza. (Wes ... 2002 TS2.5 Wagon, AT, 122k, single owner and extremely well maintained. Cleanest car inside and outside. Technically a 'salvage', where it was rear-ended by a wanted felon in a stolen vehicle and totaled by the insurance, went to auction and repaired by a guy that 'plays' with Impreza's. Took it home for a bargain, detailed it, put in a battery and haven't done a thing since. Even my dealer was blown away when they saw this car)

Best to all and gotta go! Rob M.

hondafriek · January 2016

Hi Steve nice to see you checking in, I used to be like you and kept cars forever, selling was like parting with an old friend. Now though I am older and more decrepit

I have changed my tune, when the warranty is up car is gone, it is less appealing to get under a car for repairs. Sometimes like in the case of our last car, because of medical issues with us both the car was gone at 10 Months old. I loved the car but it just didn't accommodate our needs.

Cheers Pat.

rsholland · January 2016

hondafriek said:
Hi Steve nice to see you checking in, I used to be like you and kept cars forever, selling was like parting with an old friend. Now though I am older and more decrepit I have changed my tune, when the warranty is up car is gone, it is less appealing to get under a car for repairs. Sometimes like in the case of our last car, because of medical issues with us both the car was gone at 10 Months old. I loved the car but it just didn't accommodate our needs.

Cheers Pat.

Know the feeling Pat. I can't do much labor anymore. My back won't allow it. A new car whenever the warranty is up sounds good to me.

xwesx · January 2016

rob_m said:
In my spare time, I have been travelling back and forth to Verona Wisconsin for training at a 'little company' called EPIC ... learning all sorts of things and taking tests and getting Certifications and doing Projects ... yeah, FUN!!! (Actually, it's pretty cool and I'm having a blast). Leaving in the morning for another week of classes. Supposed to be wicked cold, but at least there's no snow in the forecast.

Thanks for the update, Rob! The Impreza sounds like a great score!

I hope that forecast holds for you. I heard on the radio that the NE and upper midwest is supposed to see a fair bit of snow this week....

hondafriek · January 2016

rob_m said:
Hey! Happy New Year to all!!! Just popped in for a quick hello and check in. Congrats on all the new vehicles ... love that Soul, Pat. Real nice ride. Mikey says hi.

Busy with the new job and still getting used to commuting to Boston every day. Never thought THAT would happen in my life ... avoided it like the plague for so many years. Not so bad where I flex my hours and maybe will be able to work from home. Unfortunately, that's one ride I will never, ever attempt with the Mustang.

In my spare time, I have been travelling back and forth to Verona Wisconsin for training at a 'little company' called EPIC ... learning all sorts of things and taking tests and getting Certifications and doing Projects ... yeah, FUN!!! (Actually, it's pretty cool and I'm having a blast). Leaving in the morning for another week of classes. Supposed to be wicked cold, but at least there's no snow in the forecast.

Mikey is loving his little Impreza. (Wes ... 2002 TS2.5 Wagon, AT, 122k, single owner and extremely well maintained. Cleanest car inside and outside. Technically a 'salvage', where it was rear-ended by a wanted felon in a stolen vehicle and totaled by the insurance, went to auction and repaired by a guy that 'plays' with Impreza's. Took it home for a bargain, detailed it, put in a battery and haven't done a thing since. Even my dealer was blown away when they saw this car)

Best to all and gotta go! Rob M.

Hi Rob and Hi back to Mikey, good to hear from you. Rita and I both love the Soul everything we need in a car. Never saw myself in such a vehicle which proves you are never too old to change things up.

Cheers Pat.

hondafriek · January 2016

Yeah Bob I still do what I can around the cars, I still like to detail my car, for me that is therapy, but all the heavy crap well that's just out of the question now. Just had an MRI scan done on my lower back, my doctor wants to see how much more deterioration there is since I last had a scan. Will get the results on the 18th at my next visit.
Bit of a waste since I won't consider any more back surgery.

Cheers Pat.

volkov · January 2016

Happy New Year to all. Had one boy home from boarding school for the holidays so it was nice to have him around again. We all went to Disney in LA after Xmas to finally keep a promise to my daughter. Turns out it is the busiest week of the year. NOT doing that again.
Not a surprise that Heather proved to be an adrenaline junkie, so next trip will be a couple of days at Disney and the rest at Knotts Berry or maybe 6 flags for the big coasters. She still hasn't forgiven me that we didn't go, but it would only have been the 2 of us and I was ready for a bilateral foot replacement after 4 days (sometimes carrying said 10 year old) so I appreciated the quiet last day and did Star Wars in iMax 3D for excitement.

fibber2 · January 2016

Oh you people are so old! Listen to the bunch of you whine!

Just kidding.... My two crappy disks in my lower back have slowed me a bit too. I really know it when I try to lift a tire and get it up on the hooks on the wall. In my younger days I'd have done that subframe just for the fun of giving it a go. Now? Fuggetaboudit. Ain't gonna happen!

We should pick up the CR-V tomorrow, barring any other mess ups at the dealership. Lost CPO paperwork, bank sat on the former lease holder's title for a week, and then it wouldn't start last Sunday. Paperwork, check. New battery, check. Fingers crossed.... But unfortunately Emily had to return to school yesterday, so I'll have to drive the car up (about 300 miles) and catch a train down maybe in a week or two. Figure I'll shop for winter tires, make sure the no-start was only a battery issue, etc., before handing her the keys.

xwesx · January 2016

fibber2 said:
Oh you people are so old! Listen to the bunch of you whine!

Just kidding.... My two crappy disks in my lower back have slowed me a bit too. I really know it when I try to lift a tire and get it up on the hooks on the wall. In my younger days I'd have done that subframe just for the fun of giving it a go. Now? Fuggetaboudit. Ain't gonna happen!

Hahahah! I'm starting to go there, too, Steve.

I bought a 1/2" cordless impact wrench this fall because doing the seasonal tire change outs with a standard tire iron was just not in the cards anymore. Two weeks of lower back pain in both the spring and fall of 2015 made that $200 price tag look really attractive!

And, I'm so glad I did it, too, because the front differential on my plow truck self-destructed this winter, so I tore the whole thing down in the driveway last month and put in a Detroit Locker along with replacing a host of other parts under the truck. The impact wrench was INVALUABLE on the project, which I completed without a single busted knuckle! Maybe not worth celebrating on most days, but this is my first significant auto project ever that I accomplished with no blood in the mix.

Hah!

Older.... and wiser, too!

jfl · January 2016

'1/2" cordless impact wrench' just great...another tool for me to consider buying!

xwesx · January 2016

jfl said:
'1/2" cordless impact wrench' just great...another tool for me to consider buying!

It is so very, very worth it!

hondafriek · January 2016

xwesx said:

fibber2 said:
Oh you people are so old! Listen to the bunch of you whine!

Just kidding.... My two crappy disks in my lower back have slowed me a bit too. I really know it when I try to lift a tire and get it up on the hooks on the wall. In my younger days I'd have done that subframe just for the fun of giving it a go. Now? Fuggetaboudit. Ain't gonna happen!
Hahahah! I'm starting to go there, too, Steve.

I bought a 1/2" cordless impact wrench this fall because doing the seasonal tire change outs with a standard tire iron was just not in the cards anymore. Two weeks of lower back pain in both the spring and fall of 2015 made that $200 price tag look really attractive!

And, I'm so glad I did it, too, because the front differential on my plow truck self-destructed this winter, so I tore the whole thing down in the driveway last month and put in a Detroit Locker along with replacing a host of other parts under the truck. The impact wrench was INVALUABLE on the project, which I completed without a single busted knuckle! Maybe not worth celebrating on most days, but this is my first significant auto project ever that I accomplished with no blood in the mix.

Hah!

Older.... and wiser, too!

Hah! no blood then the job ain't done right.

Cheers Pat.

fibber2 · January 2016

Upteen years ago I invested in a vertical tank compressor, put a retractor reel for air and one for electric on the ceiling of the garage, and I do the heavy duty stuff with air impact tools.

Now I just need to design a winch for getting those tires up off the floor and onto those wall hooks.......

xwesx · January 2016

Good call!

When I was building out the storage system inside the shed I finished up this last summer, I built a multi-tier tire storage rack behind the door. Previously, I stored all my seasonal tires in stacks in my van. It seemed like it became more and more difficult to heft those things in and out each season. Now though, I just roll them up to the rack, lift to the height needed, and roll them into the cradle. It holds up to three sets of four, plus a random spare or two if needed, in one compact 30"x36" space.

I had not considered it, but, yeah, I should put in a double-pulley on the rafter above so that I can just hook onto the rim and hoist each into position without having to lift them. That would be perfect!

jfl · January 2016

Perfect would be...not needing to swap tires in winter!

fibber2 · January 2016

I look at the winter tire dilemma as an 'opportunity'. At least twice a year I am forced to check the condition of my brakes, boots & struts, and wash & wax my wheels! Perfect solution for the OCD and borderline Asphergers engineer!! (we thrive on routines....)

cmhj2000 · January 2016

hondafriek said:
I used to be like you and kept cars forever, selling was like parting with an old friend. Now though I am older and more decrepit I have changed my tune, when the warranty is up car is gone, it is less appealing to get under a car for repairs.

Boy can I relate. I was once a full time mechanic and kept a car or truck until the fenders fell off. I still do my own light maintenance, oil changes, wiper blades, filters etc but anything more than brake pads it goes to the shop.

I too have started trading in shortly before the warranty goes off. Just ain't worth it anymore.

Last night wifey and I picked up a new 16 Forester 2.5i touring. For a while I thought I was divorced until she came to bed about 2 hours later than usual...

xwesx · January 2016

Congrats on the new ride, and, hopefully, on your continued marriage!

xwesx · January 2016

fibber2 said:
I look at the winter tire dilemma as an 'opportunity'. At least twice a year I am forced to check the condition of my brakes, boots & struts, and wash & wax my wheels! Perfect solution for the OCD and borderline Asphergers engineer!! (we thrive on routines....)

LOL Steve, that is truth right there!

I don't bother waxing my wheels, but that is probably not a bad idea if it cuts down on the propensity for ice buildup in there. Winter wheels are not a necessity, but they do make the difference between "getting around" in the winter months and "driving."

We always used all-seasons on our 1996 Outback and didn't have any issues. In fact, we didn't go to winter tires on any of our cars until we bought the 2010 Forester. I told my wife that we were not keeping the crappy stock tires on there through the winter (those were the Yokohama Geolandar G95), so we could either buy a nice set of all-seasons (about $850), or a set of rims and winter tires (about the same price)... it was her choice.

She went with winter tires, and they were just so darn impressive that I went to that routine for all our daily drivers.

hondafriek · January 2016

Last car I used all season tires in winter was a 1981 K car, the car was only a couple a months old so the tires were new. The SOB refused to make a right hand turn on a snowy hill and we hit another car, Since then I have run dedicated winter tires in winte, summer tires in summer. All seasons are at best a compromise.

Cheers Pat.

dcm61 · January 2016

cmhj2000 said:
Last night wifey and I picked up a new 16 Forester 2.5i touring

Congrats on the new arrival. I have a 15 Forester 2.5i Touring (no NAV or Eyesight).

You got it just in time to try out X-Mode in the morning after 8 to 10" is dumped, then see how it does after another 8 to 10" is dumped during the day.

cmhj2000 · January 2016

dcm61 said:

cmhj2000 said:
Last night wifey and I picked up a new 16 Forester 2.5i touring
Congrats on the new arrival. I have a 15 Forester 2.5i Touring (no NAV or Eyesight).

You got it just in time to try out the X-drive in the morning after 8 to 10" is dumped, then see how it does after another 8 to 10" is dumped during the day.

Yup I plan on going out tomorrow before the plow comes thru just to see how it works. Wifey said she'll sit in the sunroom and watch. We might have 15 inches by the afternoon so it should be educational

xwesx · January 2016

The car's biggest limitation will be its tires, if you still have the stock shoes on it.

stever · January 2016

Did your Forester come with all seasons on it, @xwesx? Or was it the other Ford that you got new?

If so, don't you know that those don't work below 45°F ? (Just having some fun with @carboy21

).

carboy21 · January 2016

stever said:
The car's biggest limitation will be its tires, if you still have the stock shoes on it.

Did your Forester come with all seasons on it, @xwesx? Or was it the other Ford that you got new?

If so, don't you know that those don't work below 45°F ? (Just having some fun with @carboy21 ).

Forester comes with OEM Yokohama Geolanders . They are not good for winter and snow . No car company is going to give winter / snow tires as OEM. It is up to you to change to winters tires if you value yours and your family's well being over trying to be a snitch.

carboy21 · January 2016

Last night all four townships in our area banned cars and vehicles on the snow route roads except those with winter tires or chains as we had 24 inches of snow forecast. Were they stupid not to trust the "ALL WEATHER" favorites @stever

dcm61 · January 2016

carboy21 said:
Forester comes with OEM Yokohama Geolanders . They are not good for winter and snow .

FYI - Forester XT ('14+) and 2.5i Touring ('15+) come with Bridgestone Dueler H/L. Of course, they also are not very good in snow.

xwesx · January 2016

stever said:
Did your Forester come with all seasons on it, @xwesx? Or was it the other Ford that you got new?

If so, don't you know that those don't work below 45°F ? (Just having some fun with @carboy21 ).

LOL. Yep, they had those Geolandar G95s. There are some all-season tires that are pretty decent in snow and on ice, but these are NOT among them. We used to run Goodyear Assurance TripleTred year-round. Those were by far the best all-season for winter conditions that I've ever experienced. But, compared to our Ultra Grip Ice tires? Not even a comparison! In deep snow, they did pretty well compared to something like Blizzak or X-Ice, but ice conditions is where those winter tires really shine.

The UGIs were really quite good on both ice and deep snow; they weren't quite as good as Blizzak or X-Ice on ice, but kicked their pants in deep snow conditions. The newer design of UGI, the "WRT," is a pale performance comparison to the original UGI, though. It's sad that Goodyear quit offering the original. The good news is that both the original and WRT wear much slower than the Bridgestone, Michelin, or Continental winter tires. In that, they are a bargain to purchase.

Twenty-four inches of snow?! I would love to play around in that.

jfl · January 2016

I just noticed the 2016 Legacy doesn't offer a manual tranny!

xwesx · January 2016

Neither the Legacy or Outback have offered a manual transmission since the 2014 model year. It was dropped from the line concurrent with the generational update.

kurtamaxxxguy · February 2016

There are a few all weather tires out there: Toyo Celsuis, Nokian WRG3.
I've used Nokians for years and find they work quite well (25% grade in heavy snow was no trouble (had X mode on just to be sure)). WRG3 wet ice grip is only so so, but much better than those stock tires Subaru chose.

dcm61 · July 2016

Tire pressure light came on this afternoon. Got home and checked the pressure: RF - OK, LF -OK, LR - OK, RR - very low ... a nail in the edge of the tread.

2015 Forester 2.5i Touring with 225/55-18 Bridgestone Dueler H/Ls. Just under 30K miles but not much tread left.

Anybody with 2015+ 2.5i Touring or 2014+ XT have a recommendation for replacement tires? I live in the Northeast but usually stay home when it snows, so a good all-season (3 season) should be fine. Thinking about Michelin Premier A/S or Goodyear Assurance Comfortred Touring.

xwesx · July 2016

I don't have much experience with Michelin tires, but do have a set (not necessarily the same as the one you listed, but don't know the model for sure) on my '08 Forester. Those seem to be wearing okay and traction is decent (not exceptional) on wet.

The Assurance tires are fantastic for treadwear and are also good on wet/slick roads. The Assurance TripleTred is the best all-season (three season?) I've ever experienced, but they're more expensive than the models you're looking at (as well as costing you some fuel economy): They keep you sure-footed on any surface, frankly. I have those on my '10 Forester now, and this is the fourth summer I've used them. Estimating probably 30,000 miles over that time, I've lost 3/32nds of an inch in total treadwear (they start at 12/32). From that perspective, they have impressive bang for the buck, but they did cost me $900 installed (225/55/17).

dcm61 · July 2016

Thanks for the feedback, Wes. Luckily I was able to plug the tire, so I have some time before I need to buy tires.

I am now leaning toward General Altimax RT43. They are rated fairly high on Tirerack and subaruforester.org They are about $50/tire cheaper than Michelin Premier A/S and are pretty close in the comparison tests on Tirerack. The Generals are rated slightly better for dry and snow traction/handling and slightly worse for wet and ice traction/handling than the Michelin.

xwesx · July 2016

I have never used Generals, but I'm considering trying their winter tire the next time I need a set.

So far the studless winters I've used are Goodyear UltraGrip Ice (by far the best), Continental ExtremeWinterContact, Michelin X-Ice, and Bridgestone Blizzak. The Continental and Bridgestone tires wear too fast, and, sadly, Goodyear "upgraded" their UGI to the "WRT" model, which just doesn't have the grip or the deep snow traction that the original had. I'm currently using X-Ice, but I fear that, while it has wonderful ice traction, it, too, just wears far too fast (not to mention deep snow traction is poor with these; probably the worst of the bunch).

Good luck with your plug (I'm not sure I have any tires that do *not* have a plug!), and let us know how the new tires perform once you get them!

jfl · July 2016

Here's a side note regarding tires: I replaced the stock Yokohama Avid S34 tires on my Impreza Sport with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06. (I've gone thru several sets of Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires on my Subaru Legacy in the past and was happy with them.)

This change has resulted in a 0.75 MPG drop during the last 7,000 miles.

xwesx · July 2016

jfl said:
Here's a side note regarding tires: I replaced the stock Yokohama Avid S34 tires on my Impreza Sport with Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06. (I've gone thru several sets of Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires on my Subaru Legacy in the past and was happy with them.)

This change has resulted in a 0.75 MPG drop during the last 7,000 miles.

Yeah, same for me with the Assurance TripleTred. But, they are so sure-footed and wear so well, I just feel like this is a reasonable price to pay. I'm not sure if you keep your tires at the factory recommended spec (I think it is something like 29 PSI), but, if you keep them at 35, it will help a little on the economy.

I carry heavy loads in my 2010 Forester fairly often, so I keep the rear tires on that car at 40 PSI so they are better able to handle heavy loads.

jfl · July 2016

I've run my tires at +4 psi above mfr spec for decades. For me, anything above that seems to make the rear end prone to bounce around. Spec for my Impreza is 32f / 30r.

nippononly · January 2017

Hey there, just checking in, my '09 OBS is still going strong at 110K and I'm thinking I've got about 3 years left with it before I give it to my niece as an incentive to learn to drive stick.

Wondering if anyone has heard if they will offer the Forester XT with a stick shift at any point, or else anything solid on when/if the WRX hatch is ever coming back?

xwesx · January 2017

Thanks for checking in! You passed me by in miles there (on our 2010 Forester). We're at 106K and change right now, and not without a fair bit of (mechanical) work to keep it running well.

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any indication that the XT will see a stick again, but the WRX has definitely had a lot of rumor swirling around the possibility of a five-door variant (or, possibly, exclusive). The lid has been kept pretty tight on it, though. I think that 3/24/17 is supposed to be the official launch date.

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