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Comments
a mustache or Eyelids w/o Eyelashes. Had to
have it simply for aesthetics. Certainly gives
the car more character.
Any other functions of the Dust Deflector
is simply an unexpected advantage. IMO :-)
Later Ya'll
Drew Oo\=|=/oO
P.S. Bob, ugh, I don't even want to think of the kind of carnage that will cause in an accident. The drivers should have special training to manuever one around town, ;-)
Also, the glove box light suddenly appeared. ???
What do you think it could be? A fuse fell into place or something? How can I turn off the chime?
I buckle up and don't need a chime to make me!
Has this happened to anyone else?
We haven't got all the estimates in but it looks like somewhere around $1500-2200. I'm still sick to my stomach. The poor Sube, will to ever be the same again?
So anyway, in my body shop encounters, I haven't a clue what to look for. How do you tell a good body shop from a bad one? Will the paint match?
Is the paint the same brand and type? Will it not peel or discolor in years to come? Unfortunately, of three shops I have estimating, none have work on a 2000 OB. All use OEM parts. (Our insurance will not accept anything but OEM). All were recommended by our Chicago area Subaru dealer. I was originally looking for a " Subaru Certified Body Shop". I could not find such a distinction. SOA also had no recommendations or list to provide.
Any advise would help.
Crash Judy
http://www.autonews.com/html/main/stories/jdp712.htm
-mike
if you look for imperfections, you will find them. First, it's very difficult for even the best shop to duplicate the quality of computer controlled factory robotics. You may find a particle or two imbedded in the finish, buff marks, or an occasional sag on an edge. Hopefully, if they paint your hood (rather than replace), they will remove the washer jets, not mask them. Second, unless your car shipped with a pint or two of leftover paint from the batch used to paint it, there may be a noticeable difference (that difference is directly proportionate to your level of OCD). Third, hopefully the auto body technician will be able to correctly install the bumper, grille, hood, etc. so that all panels line up to their factory tolerance specifications. And last, the finish may not be baked like a factory finish and won't have the strength and flexibility. This may lead to more chips on the leading edge of the hood. (A good analogy is the paint on a mainstream Sunbeam gas grill vs. the 1600 degree baked finish on a Weber). You can always get one of those silly wind deflectors, though.
At least you'll get oem parts. State Farm uses aftermarket where possible. I hypothetically asked if the customer can pay the difference for upgrading to oem parts directly to the shop, and they said no. Most "smart" insurance companies know that aftermarket parts lead to more recall work and dissatisfied customers, despite the lower cost.
A lot will depend on your car's color, too. Some colors are easier to match and lighter colors will show fewer imperfections and swirls in the finish.
aftermarket where possible. I hypothetically asked
if the customer can pay the difference for upgrading to oem parts directly to the shop, and they said no.
This probably ultimately depends on the state in which you reside, but AFAIK you can *REFUSE* anything but original equipment parts and the insurer has to cough up the cash for them. Some insurers will spend 30 minutes or more convincing your that their aftermarket (read: cheap Chinese) parts are as good or better than OEM but it's simply untrue.
-Colin
http://www.iace.com/soa
We are usually on all day and all night...
-mike
-mike
-mike
Craig
My '00 Forester S just had both rear wheel bearings go bad at 8,9xx miles. I'm glad it's under warranty but otherwise really disappointed. I'd like to think this is anomalous, but I've seen comments to this effect both in the edmund's and other forums, so I don't think it's something of which SoA is unaware. Worse yet, the service department (Fred Beans in Doylestown, PA - y'all listening?) didn't have them in stock - again something you'd think they'd have taken notice of. Goes to the point of the poor JDPower ratings.
I really like the Forester otherwise, but the bloom is a bit off the rose and I hope this isn't going to be a recurring problem once the warranty expires, otherwise that's when my Soob experience may come to an end. Sorry to be a sourball but I am hoping this will be an 8-10 year car and drivetrain engineering was one of the biggest selling points of the Subaru.
Love this GT.
Bitman
-mike
The way in which the wheel bearings are re-assembled in the hub has a lot to do with the longevity. I noticed that some folks have repeated premature wheel bearing failures, others it's a one time deal. Here's an interesting discussion on it from the iclub, with some SVX owners weighing in with great advice. (the SVX has the WORST wheelbearing problems because it's very heavy yet uses the same hubs as the other models.)
http://www.impreza-rs.com/NonCGI/Forum15/HTML/002955.html
I would gently make sure that when the new bearings arrive that the dealer install them properly. Questioning their ability outright isn't something you want to do, but this part WILL fail again if it's not fixed right.
Hopefully this just means that they weren't installed correctly at the factory and you'll never have another problem until they reach normal wear age (75k-100k miles under normal conditions).
-Colin
Colin - BTW, I did lightly lube (lithium) the bushings on the Impreza rear bar and the clunk is gone. The dealer either didn't notice the swap or noticed and didn't comment. The improvement in handling is noticeable. Thanks a bunch.
ed
After replacing the housing, and proper installation of the bearing, you should have no repeat failure.
Also the housing will be covered under warranty if they claim resulting damage.
Darlene
I drove about 3000 miles, all up and down the Pacific Northwest, in the Forester. No problems anywhere, gas mileage went up (lots of steady driving at 45-to-65 MPH, in the "sweet spot" for mileage). Lots of stuff to do before I get pictures developed, though, and I doubt the car is in any of them.
Chris
Maybe it was a loose harness connection that magically tightened to restore these funcions in my car?
PS- does FVKLLR=Fearless Vampire Killer?
Thanks again,
Ed
I'll make a copy tomorrow and send you an e-mail to get your fax number. I'll be happy to send you a copy.
Darlene
To bring it back into topic, the 323 has frameless windows like a Subaru, but when you open the door they actually roll down a 1/4" and when you shut the door, the roll up snug. Neat trick! I've never had a problem shutting my doors, but passengers do, and BMW has solved the issue.
Couple of other impressions, I am now spoiled by the smooth ride of my OB. The BMW was a little harsh on bumps (but it took any turn I threw it into without any body roll or complaint) and the road noise from the tires was much louder, surprisingly. Fun car to drive, but it's not my Subaru.
Boy, the Japanese models sure look better with blackwall tires. I wish the US Subarus would rid themselves of those pretentious white outline tires.
Bob
P.S. The new Lexus LS430 has got to be the boldest ripoff of a MB product (S-class) yet.
Please send me an e-mail with your fax number and I'll send it to you.
I do have access to all bulletins, but I would need to know a specific problem to see if there are any bulletins or Service helpline updates on that problem.
Darlene
When I open the moonroof a deflector pops up. What is the difference between that one and the one that is coming out in the fall (other than the cost to buy the new one and have it installed)? Will it cut down on the wind noise when the moonroof is open and also when it is closed?
Any information would be much appreciated!
~~~Pat
I can tell you however, that there will be very little changes for 2001. maybe a little bit of stuff inside, but for the most part the same car as 2000. You are actually better off to buy a 2000 car with incentives than buy the 2001 for full retail.
The 2002 impreza wil lbe the real beauty. it will be such a huge leap over what North American Subaru owners are used to! Anyone driven a European spec car? I have. outstanding. next year's WRX will open a lot of people's eyes!!
Yes, I do believe the C/20 has been on the market for some time. The difference with this one is that it gets the new "lean-burn" engine.
Wonder if it meets SULEV standards...
Ken
As for the looks of the spoilers, I prefer the spoiler on the Outbacks, but the dust deflector on the Foresters. Personal taste.
Crash Judy: sorry to hear that. You can demand OE parts because your vehicle is new. Even if you go to a non-dealer, order parts from Darlene and have her ship them to your body shop.
As for shops, check them out on the inside. Look for clean room style paint booths with down draft venting. OE body panels are primed in black, so they will have to be painted.
Any panel that is creased should be replaced. There is no way they can save your hood.
Bob: I prefer black side walls, too. Indeed I requested such tires.
-juice
bitman
The new Impreza will be offered as a four-dour sedan and a five-door hatchback, but Subaru reportedly will discontinue the two-door variants.
U.S. versions will be equipped with all-wheel drive, powered by a flat-four engine with a new six-speed manual gearbox."
-Colin
That Impreza would therefore get a stiffer structure but more weight. More equipment and a longer wheelbase is a safe guess, too. Hard to believe they'd drop the coupe, though.
6 speed? Probaly only on top models.
-juice
Garry
http://www.subaruclub.com
I think you're right - there is a metal deflector that pops up, but it certainly doesn't do the job, especially at high speeds (as you can probably attest to). I assume the wind deflector that is coming out is one of those large, molded hard plastic deflectors that attach directly to the roof around the front of the moonroof opening - probably similar to the deflectors for the legacy and impreza (there are pictures of them in the 2000 brochures of each - in the options section). I have one on my Hyundai and it does a great job of cutting down on wind noise. They also usually contain a UV filter to reduce sun glare.
Hope this info helps.
boris
Sounds like the built-in moonroof deflector is small; most are. The outside ones are bigger and probably do a better job of eliminating the buffeting.
Of course I had none since mine's a pop-up, so the deflector made a huge difference. I still have to crack the rear windows at higher speeds, though.
noclass brought up a good point, a lot of i Clubbers insist on the 2 door model.
-juice
In addition to cutting down the noise, I am looking forward to the UV filter-aspect of the deflector. I didn't know that was one of the benefits of the deflector. The sun can be a little too bright when it is overhead. A filter to reduce the glare would be great!
It is also good to know that I won't have to drill any holes to put it (and the stone/bug deflector) onto the Forester.
~~~Pat
I really want a 2001 RS coupe, but I've heard that they're going to stop making them very early in 2001 (Like Jan-Feb) as they prep for the new model coming out sometime in 2001. Does anyone know exactly when or have any idea...I was planning on waiting till May 2001 when I finish grad school...but this may be too late
Ross
I think that the next generation impreza will offer a 2.5RS or something similar with some performance/appearance items in addition to the top level turbo.
And if not, there will be some (perhaps considerable) current 2.5RS owners selling as they trade up to the turbo.
-Colin
http://www.drive.com.au/news/default.asp?section=news&page=http://drive.fairfax.com.au/content/20000728/news/news2.html
Total shock!!
Nothing remakable about that other than the fact that I noticed it at just above eye level in my windshield.
It's the only light on the dashboard that shows up in the windshield. I don't know if Subaru planned it but I'll think of it as a heads up display since I've always thought they were cool.
hmm... maybe time to trade in my MX-6...
ash
Drew
Dave #274