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Comments
maybe I'll set it up just like this in the street tonight, since we live on a hill, and give it a trial run (I'll probably get some funny looks when my neighbors see me crawling out in the morning). Though I may have to start carrying a spirit level around to get just the right angle. One of the guys on our St Helens trip (a builder) used one to set up his truck for the perfect night's sleep.
I hope this method works -- to be able to crash and dash without having to take apart a tent would be a real plus.
-Kim
-mike
I do agree with Pat's comment. I went the MRI route before alternate medicine.
Steve
Closing on my new house today, so I don't have time to deal with it right now... but if it doesn't get better I intend to do something. Probably just start with chiropractor and if after 1 visit things aren't better, see a medical doctor.
-Colin
And that was pre-electronic controls. I cannot imagine what it would take today with all of the engine management stuff to consider.
Steve
Definitely pull off the mods. You can sell them in the classifieds on i Club, if nothing else.
Chip the 1.8T, for sure, and when Subaru brings over the Blitzen maybe you'll join us again, eh?
Hint for sleeping in your car: an inflatable bed really helps! Of course the Forester is much taller so I'm not sure if that would work in a Legacy.
Colin: a new house? Congrats, that's a big deal! The key: how many spots in the garage? :-)
-juice
PS Today is D-day. Wife says a moonroof is a must-have!
I'll take some pics of the house & my Impreza within the week.
-Colin
Actually, we only have a car port, but the driveway is big enough to have off-street parking for about 5 cars. So I guess I gotta buy 3 more now!
A GT for the wife, an SVX for me, and something I could restore as a project?
Bob: when are we gonna do the "$100k dream garage" thing again?
-juice
I kind of thought that to be our annual Christmas Wish List, unless you want to do it sooner?
Bob
-juice
> FIRST BOOK will donate books to disadvantaged children based upon the number of FREE scoops Baskin Robbins gives out on FREE SCOOP NIGHT, May 1, 2002. Last year a number of books were donated to Family Central. This year we hope to get MORE!! So here> '> s what we need for you to do:
> * Go to your local Baskin Robbins on Wed., May 1st between 6 & 10PM. Bring friends & family!
> * Get yourself a free scoop of ice cream and FEEL GOOD ABOUT EATING THE WHOLE THING! (this is an important part of your volunteer task)
> * Find the Baskin Robbins store manager, or assistant, walk up to her/him and say: > "> THANK YOU for doing this, I work/ volunteer for Family Central and the books that are donated because of FREE SCOOP NIGHT make a real difference to our children> "> . (FCI staff- hand manager your card)
>
> Baskin Robbins FREE SCOOP NIGHT
> Wednesday, MAY 1, 2002 from 6PM to 10PM
> at PARTICIPATING Baskin Robbins stores nationwide
http://www.baskinrobbins.com/promo/index.shtml
-Colin
-juice
VOTE EARLY AND VOTE OFTEN
(substitute vote with EAT)
Colin - I'm going to a chiropractor right now for my lower back. Never really believed in them, but he came highly recommended. Seems to be helping. Why? My back was bothering me and my wife convinced me that playing hockey that night might help loosen it up. Bad move. Now since then I have cut down trees, remulched the yard (4 cu yds), cut down trees again, played hockey, etc, etc. Taking a while to heal - wonder why!
Juice - some advice. Just let your wife pick out the car and buy it. It is going to wind up that way anyway. Good luck.
Greg
That's pretty big. My Forester's is 15"x30", but it's a pop-up model.
They do leather too, but heated leather is $1400, and I go that far I'd splurge for an LL Bean anyway.
-juice
I would have done it sooner, but Brooke came last year, this year we've got to do the roof and furnace. and dw (to quote javadoc) wants a minivan. I probably will break down and get it this year anyway.
-Brian
The incentive went up, from $500 to $750 for the Legacy and Outback. Today, May 1. D-day.
You gotta wonder if Patti had a hand in this. Patti? PATTI?
Oh, man, she's in the dungeon again. She took one for the team, I respect that. :-)
-juice
Greg
The last remaining question is - will she find it's big enough. And will she choose a wagon. And then what model.
OK, so there's more than one question!
-juice
Greg
-juice
An EJ20G engine:
http://www.gijyutu.com/ooki/bunkai/bc5/ej20g/ej20g.htm
...an EJ15 engine:
http://www.gijyutu.com/ooki/bunkai/EJ15/EJ15.htm
...and a 5-speed transmission:
http://www.gijyutu.com/ooki/bunkai/bc5/transmission/transmission.htm
Lots of pictures documenting the step-by-step teardown. The text is in Japanese, so if there's something you're dying to know, drop me a line.
Ken
So I'm thinking that this is my day. I go out shopping with the wife and we stop by to look at some cars...
And well, I don't officially have anything yet but let's say things are warming up. So Juice, if you haven't pulled the trigger yet I predict it'll happen no later than this weekend.
-Colin
paisan - That SVX would be smokin'!
seamus - Glad you're ok. Good luck with the Dub.
Colin - Hope things go smooth with the house.
juice - Are you in the IMBA to take advantage of the VIP program?
-Dennis
Good call, Colin. We weren't able to finish all the test drives in one evening, and haven't driven the Subies because of course we left the best for last.
Several surprises, though. We only had time to drive Hondas and Toyotas yesterday. Honda first.
-juice
Then we sat in the CR-V. Great room for passengers. Cargo area is tall, but you'd have to stack things up because the floor area is tiny. Interior materials felt cheap, I didn't like the plastics or the vinyl on the seats. Front passenger seat offered little leg room. No dead pedal for the driver.
We drove it and she liked it, though. Engine is very peppy. Suspension feels numb, detached, tippy, but she liked it and found it fun. Felt like FWD - tires would chirp in 2nd gear during hard acceleration, and torque steer was present for sure. I felt RT4WD kick in and it wasn't smooth.
So it's actually still a contender. She's going to try them all first, then choose. Negatives include a high price for the content, about $22k with MSRP pricing and a short warranty.
-juice
My wife is pulling out of the lot and she already ruled it out. It felt big and heavy. V6 was smooth, though, and quiet, luxurious next to the noisy CR-V. I liked it, she didn't. Should be a good trip car, but not fun in the city, not sporty at all. In that case I'd rather have a minivan.
So we then tried a Camry SE 5 speed. I hate that Toyota does not make ABS standard - we could not find one 5 speed on the lot with ABS. Still, we drove it.
She like it much better than the HL. 4 banger is peppy with the 5 speed, quiet, smooth. Rides much better than CR-V, and much more quiet. Wife said shifter was notchy, that was the only thing she didn't like about it. Torque steer wasn't bad, may not be enough torque for that. More comfy overall than HL, better back seat, big trunk. Hated the fake aluminum on the SE, so she'd take an LE instead.
As fine a car as it is, neither of us were excited about it. I think she actually liked the CR-V more. Or maybe she was tired by then, and the Toyota salesman was absolutely annoying her.
Other points: good gas mileage, costs less (if we can find one with ABS), longer warranty.
By now it's 9pm, and Subaru has closed. I called to postpone my appointment. We'll go on Friday, but my wife was so curious that we went to look at them (could not drive them though).
-juice
:-D
-Colin
Right away a big plus - the Legacy is not too small for her. Amen. That was my biggest fear.
She didn't like the wood on the GT and Outback, actually preferred the L's trim. Fabrics on all models were OK, and that's important to her. She felt comfy and liked the shifter action.
We sat in the back seat and it was fine, roomy and comfy. Lots of headroom. Easier entry than my Forester, more room, so it passed that test.
To the cargo area. Wow, she loved it. Big plus. It could fit a folded stroller between the wheel wells and still leave room for an emergency diaper change, with rain cover to boot. That's where the CR-V fell flat - not enough space and no shelter.
We could not drive it because by now it's almost 10pm. The cars were open and the dealer staff were polite enough to let us poke around, even though our salesman was not there.
I sat her in an LL Bean - and here's the surprise - she's not into luxury at all. Huh? My, how things change when you have kids and become practical. All the wood and leather did nothing for her, she liked the L better. OK, fine, we'll save $8 grand. I guess it was the same with the Highlander - the upscale feel did nothing for her.
She sat in a WRX, for kicks, and liked the wonderful seats, but immediately said it was too small. The trick is to get her to drive one, though.
So I'm taking the day off Friday, and we'll go drive them. Maybe even visit a Nissan dealer first, though she admitted to me that the appeal of sedans was fading. Another Amen.
Isn't that funny? The large cargo floor area appealed to her the most. Gotta thank that multi-link rear suspension. The strut towers don't intrude nearly as much as they do in the Forester.
Pardon the long posts. Given the 3 year drama to pick a car, I thought I should share the experience with my Crew buddies.
-juice
Glad to hear the Legacy wagon is in contention for you. Wonder how she'd like the '03.
-Brian
By the way, no 2003 Foresters on their lot, I checked.
-juice
I enjoyed reading your car shopping write up. I let out a sigh of relief when I learned that she wasn't crazy about the non-Subaru alternatives.
Did you get to drive the other vehicles too? Did you remain completely neutral and let her decide against the other models? ;-)
As for the GT and OB trim -- I think you could easily swap that out with the standard L trim if you wanted to. I could imagine the dealer wouldn't mind since he probably could get extra $$ for an "L" model with wood trim.
Getting to take off tomorrow for test drives? You lucky dawg, you! Will this be the first time you get to drive a WRX? I'd love to hear that your wife decided that's what she wanted.
Ken
Good luck with it. I think your wife will like the way the L handles, and she will really appreciate the wagon. They are a lot more fun than people think, something that surprised me at first.
Mark
-Brian
Any chance of getting her to at least test-drive a WRX? That could be the clincher... Just say, since we're look'n, and just for the heck of it, why don't we...
If you can get her to test-drive one, you may be surprised at her response.
Bob
-mike
Bob
-mike
Bob
I've driven Hutch's WRX, broken in. Wow. Absolutely sweet. I'd be happiest if she chose a WRX wagon. We'll try one. :-)
Plus Ones would be a consideration (maybe WRX take-offs like Colin suggested), but I'm not sure she really wants the "sports" suspension. She likes a light feel to the cars, not stiff. Very different than me, and that may rule out the wheels, even. Remember, she liked the CR-V better than the Camry SE with Toyota's sports suspension.
I won't likely be "modding" her car much. Doesn't sound like she'd even appreciate them. She drives a 6/10ths all the time, never pushes it. She just wants a smooth shifter.
The GT has a shorter final drive, but it's heavier. The rear LSD, too. But we'll drive both and see what flavor she likes.
The GT is cloth on the wagon, not even heated. Until 2003 anyway. But she said she does not want leather, oddly, after seeing the nice fabrics.
-juice
OK, do we get to take a poll on Juice's new car??
I guess Mrs. Juice goes for the GT in white.
Greg
I gave it a thumbs up because it seems it would hide dirt well.
-juice
Bob