Subaru Crew - Meet The Members II

bluesubie · September 2003

Never thought it would happen to a wagon. I probably should have been more "aware" after several Rexes were stolen in NJ the past couple of weeks.

It was stolen from the parking lot at Sears Automotive in Watchung, NJ on Rt. 22 sometime between 7:30 am and 7 pm on 24 Sep.
Filed a report with the Watchung police, and now I'm just waiting.

-Dennis
'03 Black WRX Wagon
Anthracite P1's

bluesubie · September 2003

Great to hear from you and glad you're doing well!

-Dennis

damish003 · September 2003

Dennis-

Damn, man, sorry to hear about that. Here's to hoping it's found safe and sound somewhere soon. Hmm, didn't mean to use all that alliteration there <g>. Anyway, best of luck. Hope you have a good insurance company, if it comes to that.

-Dan-

c_hunter · September 2003

Oh, that sucks! I hope things work out -- keep us posted. Any theft deterrent devices, or did they have an easy go at it?

I would really be pissed if I had P1's on my car and they stole the whole package! That's insult on top of injury!

Craig

rsholland · September 2003

$#@*%!!!

Man, that's terrible news! I hope they catch the guy, and that your car is returned unharmed.

Bob

hypov · September 2003

It is appearing that the OEM security is wa.....ay too easy to defeat that I'm seriously going to go aftermarket, which I did with the other cars.
I know I know, if they want it they'll take it anyway, with or without a security system. But I rather make them really work for it. >:|

-Dave

twrx · September 2003

Sorry to hear that. They should have stolen mine....

Seriously, I remember when Subaru Impreza was the least stolen car. Hope you get it back in OK shape.

Bruce

p0926 · September 2003

Dennis - That sucks!!! Your's in the first Subaru that I've ever heard stolen (not that it's any consolation). Hope they catch the bast#$ds!

-Frank P.

amsbear · September 2003

Last night, I had a dream that my Subie was being stolen from in front of my house. I saw them out my window, ran out and caught them in the act. The next part was real fuzzy but I did get some revenge... heh heh heh.

I usually never remember my dreams unless they really hit home.

I must have felt a disturbance in the Force

Alan
98 OBW Ltd

bluesubie · September 2003

OEM alarm.

Several WRX's (including two wagons) have been stolen from Northern NJ in the past couple of months.

-Dennis

subaru_team · September 2003

What a bite!! I'm hearing about a lot of thefts up north myself. OEM and other systems seem to be getting defeated. I guess the theifs are getting slicker.

You took such good care of that car. Maybe you'd be better off if it's not found - - - are you insured for theft?

Once again - I'm really sorry.

Patti

c_hunter · September 2003

Does the OEM alarm have a starter cutoff?

Craig

kens · September 2003

Patti,

This has been one heck of a way to lose weight

I'm glad you still have a sense of humor after all you've gone through! Hang in there and get well soon.

I'll have to consult you and Bob on managing one's daughter's dating activities when the time comes.

Ken

kens · September 2003

I'm so sorry to hear about your WRX wagon. I really hope they catch whomever was responsible.

Ken

bluesubie · September 2003

I don't think so. An immobiliser is standard on UK WRX's.

From subaru.co.uk
"CATEGORY 1 REMOTE ALARM AND IMMOBILISER"
That's even standard on the 2.0 NA Impreza GX.

Keeping our costs down I suppose.

-Dennis

hondafriek · September 2003

Really sorry to hear of your misfortune, I am with Patti you may be better off if it is not found.

Cheers Pat.

jlemole · September 2003

Wow, sorry to hear the bad news Dennis. Mall parking lots in North Jersey are a real goldmine for car thieves. Hope you get it back in one piece.

And here I though my bad news was bad. Yesterday I was dropping my daughter off at school. I came back to my car to find that some lady in a behemoth Lincoln Fornicator had clipped the side of my front bumber trying to parallel park. Took a big chunk out of the plastic :-(

Jon

fibber2 · September 2003

I am so very sorry to hear about the theft, but unfortunately, not terribly surprised. A close friend of mine is a Morris County (NJ) officer. He told me that some weeks back one of their units nabbed some lowlifes working one of the malls. They were reportedly equipped with code grabbers that could capture your transmitters locking / alarm set signal and rebroadcast once the owner is out of site. With that type of technology, most systems can be rendered useless unless you lock & set the alarm manually with the key (no remote transmission that can be intercepted).

Again, I am sorry to hear that a member of the gang became a victim...

Steve

bat1161 · September 2003

Dennis-

I'm sorry to hear about that. To say that it sucks is being the politest possible. I hope it works out for you folks.

Mark

twrx · September 2003

Well I now have my WRX back. It is going to take a week for the new transmission to arrive. In the meantime I have the shifter dance to contend with. Told the service advisor that I was going to "road test" the car for a week. The adventure continues.

TWRX

jim_loves_cars · September 2003

Sorry to hear about your wagon. I live and work in Northern NJ and never really considered my '04 WRX wagon as a target for car thieves -- I figured there's not a great demand for parts and it's not like it's a BMW, MB, etc that might be a desireable joyride. Now I know better.

Any ideas on what you'll do if the car isn't recovered? Another WRX? XT? STi? or will you go economy?

-jim

paisan · September 2003

We (APZ)are working on a very simple cut switch, basically it will replace the fuse that controls the ignition/airbags (you pull this to check the timing belts) the motor will crank and crank, but never fire up.

What our plan to do is to put a dead fuse in, and wiring will lead from the dead contacts to a good fuse + switch. Switch is on, car will start, switch is off, car won't start. We figured out it will cost about $15 in parts, our plan is to market it as an add-on at installfests etc for around $50 installed. Worst case if it ever fails, bango, you put in a good fuse and the car will start, no cutting wires, etc. It won't stop a pro, but it will stop joy-riders.

-mike

fibber2 · September 2003

and got a fresh Mobil 1 oil change and a new inspection sticker as presents! 17.5k miles - still a baby...

Steve

bluesubie · September 2003

It's like one big happy family here. :-)

Not sure what I'm going to do if it doesn't show up.

mike - looking forward to see how it works out.

-Dennis

c_hunter · September 2003

Sounds like a good idea. I think you can actually buy fuse blanks with solder tabs -- check places like MCM electronics or Digikey.

Craig

hondafriek · September 2003

like we discussed on the chat, my insurance company automatically gives two years coverage full replacement cost if the car is totalled or stolen and unrecovered.

I would check what coverage you have and I think you would be better off if it never turns up, I had a car stolen and it was flogged to death I had to replace the motor but the car was never the same, I lost all my sense of enjoyment with it.

Cheers Pat.

jlemole · September 2003

When are you gonna start driving that Outback?LOL

Jon

stever · September 2003

Which Steve - Fibber and his 17.5 k or me and the 41k on my '97 OB?

FibberSteve is running his into the ground, lol.

Steve, Host

fibber2 · September 2003

Hey, I don't want to use it up! She still looks and smells like a new car, and I want it to stay that way.... Our '02 Odyssey is 21 months old and has about 26k on it, so that is the car that gets the use/abuse.

If you do a little extrapolation, Host Steve actually has proportionally less mileage than I do. I guess I need to give mine a rest and drive the Ody more!

Steve

bluesubie · September 2003

I'm going to make a list of questions for the insurance co.

-Dennis

bat1161 · September 2003

I'm curious if there are any bicycle riders out here, and what type do you ride. I'm asking because I recently started riding again on a daily basis. I have an old Peugot bike that has occassional slipping gears, so I figure its time to upgrade, I'm just not sure what to go for. I'm doing mostly street with a little bike trail riding. I've been checking out the TREK mountain & hybrid bikes - any recommendations?

Also, anyone use a "portable" type of bike rack on their OB? Right now I'm just sticking the bike inside, but I would prefer it outside, possibly a roof rack. Definitely using the OB more for recreational purposes.

TIA

Mark

Karen_S · September 2003

I intended to say something yesterday...but all it amounts to is..that stinks. Whatever the outcome, I hope it's good for you.

c_hunter · September 2003

If you want something simple, Yakima makes the "MightyMount 24H" clips that let you attach several of their bike mounts to the factory crossbars (and various other Yakima attachments too). The Subaru bike mount may also be an option.

The 24H clips are $30, and the various bike mounts are $85-125.

If you plan to do more with your rack (lumber, canoes, etc) then step up to Yakima cross-bars, they are much more robust and versatile than the factory cross bars. With an adapter, the Yakima crossbars can attach to the factory side rails.

Craig

fibber2 · September 2003

Your use description: "I'm doing mostly street with a little bike trail riding", pretty much matches mine. The fairly new designation of 'comfort bike' sounds like it might fit your needs as well. 26"x1.95" tires with mildly agressive tread, shock front fork and seat post, 21-24 gears, decent seat comfort, somewhat upright riding position, etc. They are sturdy, all-around performers for the casual rider. I can do an hour or two of moderate terrain after not touching it for two weeks, and still walk the next day!

I bought the Trek Navigator 200 (around $320), a friend bought a Navigator 300 (around $380 after riding mine). Giant has the Sedona DX & LX (my second choice). My wife liked the K2 Rosario. All are in the same class and price range.

Steve

twrx · September 2003

That is what I bought this summer. I am 51 with a history of back problems. It is not for trail riding as it is on 25c slick tires but it is the ultimate comfort road bike. The stem is adjustable height, fork carbon with an elastomer insert for shock absorbing, seat post shock, and 24 speed sti shifting. Aluminum frame about 20 lbs and $800 price. It got me back riding again.
TWRX

rangerron7 · September 2003

I'll second what Steve wrote. If you aren't doing alot of off-trail "bushwacking" type riding, I think a comfort/hybrid type bike would be a better fit. It certainly will be more efficient than a moutain bike with fat tires in terms of rolling resistance.
One thing that I would suggest - buy from an independent bike shop. Stay away from the department/discount store bikes. You might pay a little more but staying with a name manufacturer will ensure a quality bike that will last for several years. Also, a good dealer when ensure that you get a "good fit" as well.
Ron

nygreg · September 2003

Dennis - sorry to hear about your car. I heard about the use of scanners to pick up the signal when you lock your car. I now lock my car manually when in questionable areas. I hope things work out.

Serge - good to hear from you again.

Patti - Hang in there!

Mark - I purchased a Giant Rincon. Similar to the Sedona Steve mentioned, but with more of a mountain bike slant. $320. Very happy with it and try to get out as much as possible during lunch with friends from work.

Greg

bluesubie · September 2003

From nasioc's tri-state forum:

"My friend Jim's WRX just got stolen as we were going out to lunch from work. It was stolen in our work parking lot.

We work in Bloomfield, which is where it just got stolen from. Other surrounding towns, Clifton, Belleville, Newark, etc.

His car was black, big STI wing, pink suburu emblem, on the front.

This car along with possibly an Audi S4 and a Blue STI (also stolen) were seen on parkway south this afternoon coming down from the Clifton/Bloomfield area.

-Dennis

mrk610 · September 2003

Damn soprry to hear about your car . Hope it comes back ok. My 20 outback turned 2 this month also .30k miles and I still love it . I'm in the middle of doing the 30k service . Other then getting the rear diff pliugs loose everthing else has been a peice of cake . Still debating on doing the coolent and brake fluid change my self.

Mike k

bat1161 · September 2003

Thanks for the response on the bikes. I plan to go to a local bike shop, not a department store. The one closest was a couple of $$ more than another one, but he said he'll do maintainace for a year or so at no charge. That was on the TRK 4200 (mt bike). I'm thinking more along the lines of a hybrid/comfort bike, so I have to see what he has.

Question on the Yakima bike rack- when I checked out their site I didn't see bars. MAybe because it automaticlly lists the OB as having factory bars already?

Thanks for all the info. I'm enjoying the riding, and I want to be able to go on trips with the bike- one of the reasons for a Subie!

Mark

twrx · September 2003

A hybrid is an excellent choice. I'm a road bike person and I have owned just about everything. A "real" mtn. bike with its 2+in tires is just not a bike that will be comfortable for any long mileage on the streets. Hybrids with 35c to 45c tires can be taken on trails but sure will be much nicer for streets than a mtn. bike. Another interesting option, but not so cheap is a cyclocross bike. Cannondale makes several of these. They are drop bar with wider treaded tires and are for both on and off road.

TWRX
BTW:
I own a Specialized Sequoia drop bar sport road bike, a Trek 2300 road bike and a Trek 8900 mountian bike.

mruebusch · September 2003

Well let me start this off by saying seeing a Subaru employes and her company be this involved is outstanding. I am currently looking to replace my vehicle next spring and so am actively researching AWD vehicles. My job requires me to be able to get to a nearby hospital regardless of the weather. After searching the car discussions and the net, Subaru appears to be a leading candidate. Now if i can just wait for the 2005's to get here.....

c_hunter · September 2003

Welcome! Yeah, we are all pretty thankful to have Patti and Subaru so involved here.

If you're talking about the new Lagacy and Outback, yep, you'll have to wait until the spring of 04 for the 05 models to arrive. But, it will be worth the wait -- they will be great cars.

Craig

ateixeira · September 2003

We finally got power on Wednesday night - after 7 days in the dark! At least we had city water and a gas stove, even the water heater was gas. Still, it was a *real* test of patience.

Happily, our daughter did the Flower Girl thing nicely, my wife was Matron of Honor! She didn't even know until she got there! Imagine if she hadn't gone?

EIGHT pounds? *gasp* There are no words!

Met up with Ed on Tuesday night, that was fun. Made me look forward to going to Philly again. We even saw another Subaru nut in the parking lot - 4 in his family, one with nearly 1/4 million miles!

Gotta say thanks to Ed for leading me around to several hardware stores, where of course there were absolutely no generators in sight! Finally we stopped in Yardley (quaint little town and site of a former Studebaker dealer) for a pint.

-juice

ateixeira · September 2003

Serge: teaching is a very rewarding job, I hope that works out for you. Summers off! You could do some serious road trips. :-)

I had looked for you a while back, to get a new copy of your resume. Too late now, oh well. Funny thing is the guy we eventually hired car-pools with me some days.

Bruce: I swear I was thinking the same thing - steal yours, not Dennis'! Oh man, that makes me feel sick to my stomach.

Fitz performed the recall on my wife's car, anyone want to guess what loaner they got us?

Well, I said I didn't want a Cavalier, and we were giving up an AWD wagon so we wanted something similar that would fit the whole family, and flashed our Subaru Gold warranty card. Guess what we got?

A shiny, new Mercedes C240 4Matic wagon! Talk about red carpet treatment!

side note: she felt heavy and a little smaller than our Legacy, but hey, as a free loaner, I'll take it!

Sadly, they finished so soon that we brought it back less than 24 hours later. :-(

-juice

lark6 · September 2003

I've been away in SC since Thursday AM and slowly catching up.

Dennis: I'm sorry to hear about the loss, glad you weren't there when it happened (in the sense that you could've been harmed), and disturbed that WRXes are becoming joyriding targets in NJ, where I do a lot of work. I hope that trend doesn't spread further. It may come as cold comfort to you but Hadwin-White has a silver WRX STi on the lot. ;-)

juice: Glad you finally got power restored, and enjoyed the side trip even if no generators to be found. I imagine I'll run into that guy again; it was interesting that he picked up on the subtle little visual modifications I've made to my car. We did tell him to visit this site so we may even see him here! I guess Subie fans are a little cultlike(?).

Amazing that a town as small as that one (Yardley) could have supported a major make dealership (yes, Studebaker was one of the majors at one time) for as long as it did.

I test drove a V6 2WD Highlander Saturday. Once I get caught up I will post about it in the Cafe.

Ed

bluesubie · September 2003

I kept my EZ Pass (electronic toll tag) active to see if it would be used, and it was!

They're still cruising around on the Parkway with my car!

I almost turned in my bright yellow S-10 rental for a car. I've decided to hang onto it because it's really handy having a pick-up. I hauled away lots of branches from my yardwork Saturday. I'm thinking about getting a cheap beater pick-up now.

-Dennis

bat1161 · September 2003

Dennis-

Anyway to notify EZ-Pass it was stolen-this way maybe they can co-ordinate with the police and nab the culprits?

Mark

hypov · September 2003

Dennis/Mark-

But, it may only be the tag thats cruising the Parkway and not the car.

-Dave

ateixeira · September 2003

Yardley was very cool, kind of reminded me of Harper's Ferry in MD. The former bridge with the plaques on the wall remembering soldiers that fought each War was of particular interest.

And even though some of the Mom and Pop shops have closed, they've kept the same look and feel even as bigger chains move in.

EZ Pass could help the cops - they could at least spot the driver that stole your car, or someone who bought a "hot" EZ Pass. Both are criminals.

-juice

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