And thanks for the info on turning off the keyless entry beep. I'm not sure I want to do that yet, it's sort of reassuring to hear, although occasionally, it doesn't beep.
A light flasher might have been better, but I can live with this.
Besides, I just discovered how if you set the dome light right, it lights when I unlock and then slowly fades, nice!
Mine was off when I got the car, but I eventually turned it on. Kind of re-assuring in a way, and a warning to others that the car is "armed & dangerous". Call me paranoid, but when you pull into an unfamiliar place and that cluster of kids eye your car as you park, it is like giving a warning: mess with someone else... Of course it is just a bluff, as the Subaru security/alarm kit that I bought last fall is still sitting on my workbench, but hey, they don't know that!
Thanks for the mosaic info. Very cool effect. I have to re-read my Oly 3040 manual to see if I can do that. Is it a timed sequence, or do you control the shutter? I assume that each mini-image is a reduced size, the total frame being the same size as a regular image? Can you select and work with one of the mini-images?
Unfortunately the shutter just snaps away as quickly as it can fill the cache IIRC. And the pic is one single shot, you can't work with each individual one. I guess you could split em up in photoshop though. It also only works with the "full-screen" size (I think 1200x1024) format.
Had an intriguing day, travelling with a colleague in his MB ML320. Same age as my Subaru (34 months) with similar mileage (about 55,000 miles). But the difference!
My Outback remains tight with minimal rattles adn nothing fallen off. The ML320 had a howling wind noise from the passenger side mirror and jiggled badly over undulating roads, making press-on speeds hazardous. Probably about 20 mph off the Outback speed over same road. Passenger grab handle had lost a hinge pin and the drinks holder had lost its spring. Apparently these are so common in ML's that you cannot source spares. They have run out in Australia.
Overall, I came away deeply unimpressed. To add insult, the beast was showing a low oil warning that became more urgent. When we stopped to investigate, it took us twenty minutes t figure out what the warning meant, as the handbook is incomprehensibly laid out. Even then, it took ages to find the dip stick only to find the error message was wrong.
I think I will stick with the Subaru, even if the clutch is a pig.
There are some surprises if you study the CR "Reliabilty Forecast" in the current car issue. While Forester's reliability is tops in the SUV category (about 35% better than average), the Mercedes CLK was almost the worst car in the ratings, at 94% less reliable than average!
Remember all that talk at the time Mercedes and Chrysler got in bed with each other, all that talk about how they would ever find a way to "blend" those two corporate cultures? Looks like they've found a way!
22B was a special Impreza with more displacement (2.2l vs. 2.0l for most WRX models).
Blitzen is a Legacy twin turbo 2.0l special.
Both are sweet!
The Benz ML has had reliability issues from the beginning, probably because they opened a brand new plant in 'bama. That must have been a '98 or '99, and they've likely improved since then.
Still, nice to hear how much better a Subie holds up over time.
The Blitzen is and has been a regular production model. Juice forgot to mention that the 22B was produced with 424 examples in 1998. Apples and oranges!
The early MLs had quality problems and quite a bit of negative feedback on the cheap interior materials. I think the issue was that people were expecting Benz level quality. To put it into perspective, the ML is one of the more "affordable" MBs available. I've also read that quality has improved since.
One major factor that would keep me away from an ML despite it's capabilities is that it's become synonymous with "soccer mom" around here.
for a Mercedes. When I was selling my late uncles E300 4-matic, I looked at and spent time in a new E class 4matic wagon. It ran a solid $53k. By comparison, a similarly equipped ML320, IIRC, was a good $15k cheaper, making it a very viable alternative to someone considering a high end Ford Explorer, Jeep GC, or the like.
Do the britax fit next to each other (one center, one side) or only one on each side? Did you start with one facing b/w or both facing same? Are you using LATCH with those? I'm going to need two seats in july and am not sure I want a bucket for the infant or If I should go straight to the roundabout. thanks. Steve-v
Read fast food nation - fast food is more dangerous than airbags (either being deployed scares the hell outta me) That $300 from subaru you get to spend on diapers at 'toys 4 us' can by cool cloth ones with change and no land fill. I think we have spent $200 on diapers total for two years - washing them yourself is easy and makes great points from the wife!!! :~P stevev
OK, I bought the '85 Camry liftback because it had 5 doors and now I've graduated up to my Subaru wagon. I've never thought of such beasties as "cool" cars, I've just liked them because of the versatility to HAUL STUFF. (A big cargo area is my friend...)
However, since bringing the Outback home, I got big cool factor points from all my roommates. Now, even my boss (who owns a BMW 7 series) is jealous. He thinks my wagon is gorgeous. (Well, so do I, but I've always been weird that way.)
Anyone else suddenly become "in crowd" when they bought their Subaru?
You might want to check out this new Edmunds feature. This is their attempt to cut through the complexities of purchase prices, maintenance costs, different warranties, etc. It is the equivalent of their "True Market Value" calculator, although I'd assume it will take months or years of refinement to make it as accurate as it should be.
There is a link to a discussion of this new feature on the home page.
Cynthia - You raise an interesting car culture topic.
I think that wagons are slowly overcoming the 30-odd year old perception by baby boomers that equates them with the huge wood-decalled family buses of the '50s '60s & '70s - or the cramped Pintos, K-cars & Escorts of the '80s & late '70s. Not many of them on the road today. Minivans have been taking the place of perceived Stodgy Familymobiles. I'll bet that the young kids of today will ultimately feel the same way about many of the current "Soccer Mom" SUVs of the last 10 years. Especially if we have gas line crises again. The next wave are the current crop of "crossover" vehicles, where Subaru is an established player.
Wagons like the Subaru Outback, Audi A6 & Allroad, VW Passat & Jetta, various turbocharged Volvos and the future Chrysler Pacifica are perceived as interesting, practical, upmarket and even fun.
To me, it's all about marketing - in the mainstream automotive sales world. We on these Subaru boards tend to be sort of cultural Early Adopters, or don't really care that much about stylishness to begin with. That would include me; my previous car was an '85 4WD Toyota Tercel wagon, downright funky for its time - and unusual for a (then) single man of 30 to buy. But guess whose car my friends and I would take for comfort on trips or to go cross-country skiing?
Patti - I work for the British so give me a ring when you need someone with extensive RHD experience. ;-) One of my co-workers, a former Audi S3 owner, will very likely get an STi when he returns to the UK (or maybe in the U.S. if he stays longer and if we get it).
Jim - Check out 22B.com
There was one (or two?) in the U.S. making rounds with the press a few years ago. There are also pics on the i-club's gallery page from a meet in MD when they filmed it for Motorweek. IMO, the current WRX sedan would look a little better if it's flares emulated the 22B instead of the Forester. :-)
No I have 2 Subarus. One in each behind the passanger seat. They do not fit in the center, nor do any seat. Britax does not make the LATCH system yet. It is not required to be in all child seats until September 2003. It is the only infant/toddler (8-40 pounds)seat with a rear facing tether anchor. Facing rear for the first year of life the child seat is strapped down tight behind the passanger seat so in a crash it will not move forward and smash against the seat back, as ALL other rear facing baby seats do killing the babies at very small collisions! Never but a infant only baby seat for that reason! I did massive research before deciding on the Britax Roundabout seats. My Sara is 20-months-old now and still fits in it facing forward. We were just in a head-on crash and the seat belt did not even loosen! No LATCH but it is snug and secure with the Subaru belts- only behind the passanger seat though and not the center position- that's why I won the suit- but I'd still pay $200 for each seat to sucure my child. Our next seats are going to be the Britax Super Elite which is the only child seat with a 5-point-harness up to 80 pounds! All other seats, after 40 pounds require just the seat belt to hold the child in them- no harness whatsoever. My squirmer would NEVER stay in her seat like that! Best of luck to you! Heather
steve: we have lots of cloth diapers and have found all kinds of uses for them. The rebate was actually 1% of the $3000 charged, or $30.
Cynthia: when the crossover boom begins, and believe me it will, people will look to the Outback as the original. At least the modern original.
Look at it this way - it'll be easy to sell yours when you're ready for another, because it'll likely be more trendy than it is now!
Heather: you gotta get those kids in line! :-)
At least all 3 rear seat belts having locking retractors. Get it snug and it's hard for them to squirm out. Our 626 didn't and once in a while I'd find my daughter tapping me on the shoulder - she'd gotten completely out! Yikes!
because they were one of the few affordable wagons left. Toyota ran out on me also.... It is indeed good to see wagons returning to the marketplace, and actually being a 'vehicle of choice', not just 'one of necessity'.
Yeah, the small ones are coming back (Matrix, P5) but the big ones are for the most part MIA. Focus, Taurus, and Passat wagons have been around but none match the reliabitliy of our Subies.
The Mazda 6 will arrive soon, and then the whole slew of Pacifica/GST crossovers.
A wagon that I lament the passage of is the Honda Accord. My wife and I had a '91. (I now have a WRX wagon, the pinnacle of sports in a wagon.) The '91 Accord had great handling and performance with only a 140 hp 16 v four. It is interesting where Honda positioned this car. It was their most upmarket vehicle in '91. The list was practically $20 K. In addition to stereo, all power, sunroof and alloy wheels that all Accord EX's had it also had keyless entry and a subwoofer on the stereo which were features unavailable on any other Hondas at the time. Were they after the Mercedes market? Was this an anti "family cruiser" wagon? (Maybe, we don't have children). Fantastic car. It was just big enough that 2 people could take really long vacations in excellent comfort in it. (Did four 5000+ mile western vacations in the life of it.)
So the ultimate anti "family" wagon the WRX is my ideal car now! TWRX
The only points I'm gaining from my Outback are from my nephew who now concedes that we can go anywhere his friends are likely to go with their bigger/badder SUVs. He was disappointed at first that I didn't get a Pathfinder or similar, but now after a number of camping trips where we have explored the off-road abilities, general utility and fun factor of the Outback he is now a convert and is pressing his dad for the same!
True enough, when shopping for the Outback what I was really looking for was a small fun wagon to replace my aging Tercel. The Outback more than met the standard of fun utility, and adds the obvious qualities of power, smoothness, AWD, more room, and luxury appointments. The Tercel was my wife's first car, so she was extra critical of the replacement wanna-be. But within a month of ownership gave the Outback her greatest compliment by saying it was "just as easy to drive as the Tercel".
Well, I'm glad we didn't splurge for the Bean because my department just imploded, and I'm job hunting, internally anyway.
Found out on Monday, right after buying the new car. Wife 7 months pregnant. Nice.
No sense pouting so I've been scrambling around. They're creating 2 new depts and so I applied for the same position in those, interviewed for one, and it appears I'm one of the top choices. I interview for the other on Tuesday, so fingers crossed folks.
I should be OK, but you still hate to go through so much uncertainty. I applied for 6 other jobs in various areas in the World Bank Group, so I'm sure I'll get something (MS+BS+12 years experience helps there).
At least we paid cash for the car and have some savings, plus I'd get 16 months severance/package if they let me go entirely (doubtful).
Still, bummer. I may lose my window office with southern exposure. :-(
Sorry to hear of your experience. But from your participation on these forums, the way you express yourself and help others find their way through their problems, I'm not surprised that you are a top contender for the other positions.
Hang in there. You obviously have many good qualities.
Sorry Juice! Stuff happens... good luck in your job hunting. 16 months severance? wow! in my place, folks are lucky to get 6-8 weeks (more likely 3-4 weeks of severance)
While Honda'91-93 wagons were OK, I should say that our experience with the Accord'97 wagon was very disappointing. That VTEC 4-cyl engine is too weak for heavy wagon, handling is rather poor, and turning radius is simply awful: I often prefer to go around the block then attempt U-turn in our Honda. The Forester feels so nimble in comparison.
Change always sucks, especially when it's forced upon you. But when you get through to the other side and look back, you usually don't want to go back -- even if you had the choice.
I second Steve's comment about your thoughtfulness and the way you are all over this Subaru community helping us. You will be snapped up in no time I know.
Also, don't feel guilty about the new car -- just think of all the money you SAVED on it ;-)
Yeah, I'm gonna be interested to see what happens on the wagon/5-door liftback fronts. I think they will make a comeback, especially when gas prices go up. Right now, I am looking at Toyota's defection as a good thing, since it brought me to my Subaru! I could end up later in a snowy place, my boyfriend is a meteorologist and job-hunting. Who knows where the heck he'll end up! Latest interview was for North Dakota.
I didn't buy my wagon for cool factor... I'd probably have bought a Legacy L, but for the fact that the Outback ride seemed so much smoother. However, I continue to notice the occasional head turn when I drive by and I LIKE it!
Of course, although there are Subarus in my area, there just aren't that many, so that might explain it some too. In fact, today, while driving, I saw a sleek silver wagon and was wondering what it was... turned out to be an older model Legacy. (I have a weakness for silver, it's the one thing I could wish for on my Outback... with maybe dark cladding or silver cladding.)
Didn't buy the Camry liftback for cool either, got it for utility. I still kind of miss the smaller size vehicle, but I looked at the Outback Sport and it didn't have the kind of rear cargo space I was used to with the Camry. However, I like the solid feel of my Subaru and it feels like it has a LOT more power under the hood. (Which we have not tested yet due to break in.)
Juice: I don't know what, exactly, you do at the bank, but you obviously will want to find a real job in that area either with the World Bank or somewhere similar. But if you end up having some time on your hands between jobs, you could probably make some money writing a book or several books using what you know about cars, car buying, car maintenance, etc.
Nobody knows better than I that writing books is a poor way to get rich, but you are in a special position to write terrific car books: you're bright, funny, extremely well informed and you express yourself well with no apparent effort. That's more than I could say about all the stiffs who have actually written about cars.
Just a thought. Better to get something in your own field, as that surely pays better, but I don't know anyone who could do a better book (or books) about cars. Might be a fun project someday. Again, good luck. We're all pulling for you.
I sometimes wonder, Mike, if you guys appreciate how much more you know than the average person. Or, for that matter, how much more than most "experts."
except we might not all agree that the Trooper was designed by God himself..... ;-)
Hang in there Juice. Many of us have been thru this, and are usually much better off when the dust settles. We bought a house 6 weeks before Harris Semiconductor pulled the plug on the plant I worked in. Talk about financially devastating. But that is how I ended up finding my way to IBM. And I celebrate my 20th anniversary tomorrow (May 10th).
Anyone out there in this area? I'm looking at an XT6 on e-bay out there and was curious if someone could go over to this place and verify the condition of the car etc. E-mail me mike@iace.com if you are in the area and could do me the favor.
Comments
Jim
It's a limited production exotic car IIRC.
2.2l GC8 body, with all kinds of good stuff (variable center diffy, TT, 2.2l)
-mike
And thanks for the info on turning off the keyless entry beep. I'm not sure I want to do that yet, it's sort of reassuring to hear, although occasionally, it doesn't beep.
A light flasher might have been better, but I can live with this.
Besides, I just discovered how if you set the dome light right, it lights when I unlock and then slowly fades, nice!
Cynthia
Steve
Steve
-mike
PS: More pics and videos up today.
Had an intriguing day, travelling with a colleague in his MB ML320. Same age as my Subaru (34 months) with similar mileage (about 55,000 miles). But the difference!
My Outback remains tight with minimal rattles adn nothing fallen off. The ML320 had a howling wind noise from the passenger side mirror and jiggled badly over undulating roads, making press-on speeds hazardous. Probably about 20 mph off the Outback speed over same road. Passenger grab handle had lost a hinge pin and the drinks holder had lost its spring. Apparently these are so common in ML's that you cannot source spares. They have run out in Australia.
Overall, I came away deeply unimpressed. To add insult, the beast was showing a low oil warning that became more urgent. When we stopped to investigate, it took us twenty minutes t figure out what the warning meant, as the handbook is incomprehensibly laid out. Even then, it took ages to find the dip stick only to find the error message was wrong.
I think I will stick with the Subaru, even if the clutch is a pig.
Cheers
Graham
-mike
Remember all that talk at the time Mercedes and Chrysler got in bed with each other, all that talk about how they would ever find a way to "blend" those two corporate cultures? Looks like they've found a way!
Steve
Blitzen is a Legacy twin turbo 2.0l special.
Both are sweet!
The Benz ML has had reliability issues from the beginning, probably because they opened a brand new plant in 'bama. That must have been a '98 or '99, and they've likely improved since then.
Still, nice to hear how much better a Subie holds up over time.
-juice
-Colin
One major factor that would keep me away from an ML despite it's capabilities is that it's become synonymous with "soccer mom" around here.
Ken
-mike
-juice
Steve
Did you start with one facing b/w or both facing same?
Are you using LATCH with those?
I'm going to need two seats in july and am not sure I want a bucket for the infant or If I should go straight to the roundabout.
thanks.
Steve-v
That $300 from subaru you get to spend on diapers at 'toys 4 us' can by cool cloth ones with change and no land fill. I think we have spent $200 on diapers total for two years - washing them yourself is easy and makes great points from the wife!!! :~P
stevev
However, since bringing the Outback home, I got big cool factor points from all my roommates. Now, even my boss (who owns a BMW 7 series) is jealous. He thinks my wagon is gorgeous. (Well, so do I, but I've always been weird that way.)
Anyone else suddenly become "in crowd" when they bought their Subaru?
There is a link to a discussion of this new feature on the home page.
Steve
I think that wagons are slowly overcoming the 30-odd year old perception by baby boomers that equates them with the huge wood-decalled family buses of the '50s '60s & '70s - or the cramped Pintos, K-cars & Escorts of the '80s & late '70s. Not many of them on the road today. Minivans have been taking the place of perceived Stodgy Familymobiles. I'll bet that the young kids of today will ultimately feel the same way about many of the current "Soccer Mom" SUVs of the last 10 years. Especially if we have gas line crises again. The next wave are the current crop of "crossover" vehicles, where Subaru is an established player.
Wagons like the Subaru Outback, Audi A6 & Allroad, VW Passat & Jetta, various turbocharged Volvos and the future Chrysler Pacifica are perceived as interesting, practical, upmarket and even fun.
To me, it's all about marketing - in the mainstream automotive sales world. We on these Subaru boards tend to be sort of cultural Early Adopters, or don't really care that much about stylishness to begin with. That would include me; my previous car was an '85 4WD Toyota Tercel wagon, downright funky for its time - and unusual for a (then) single man of 30 to buy. But guess whose car my friends and I would take for comfort on trips or to go cross-country skiing?
John
'99 Forester
Jim - Check out 22B.com
There was one (or two?) in the U.S. making rounds with the press a few years ago. There are also pics on the i-club's gallery page from a meet in MD when they filmed it for Motorweek. IMO, the current WRX sedan would look a little better if it's flares emulated the 22B instead of the Forester. :-)
-Dennis
Heather
Cynthia: when the crossover boom begins, and believe me it will, people will look to the Outback as the original. At least the modern original.
Look at it this way - it'll be easy to sell yours when you're ready for another, because it'll likely be more trendy than it is now!
Heather: you gotta get those kids in line! :-)
At least all 3 rear seat belts having locking retractors. Get it snug and it's hard for them to squirm out. Our 626 didn't and once in a while I'd find my daughter tapping me on the shoulder - she'd gotten completely out! Yikes!
-juice
Ken
Steve
The Mazda 6 will arrive soon, and then the whole slew of Pacifica/GST crossovers.
-juice
So the ultimate anti "family" wagon the WRX is my ideal car now!
TWRX
-juice
True enough, when shopping for the Outback what I was really looking for was a small fun wagon to replace my aging Tercel. The Outback more than met the standard of fun utility, and adds the obvious qualities of power, smoothness, AWD, more room, and luxury appointments. The Tercel was my wife's first car, so she was extra critical of the replacement wanna-be. But within a month of ownership gave the Outback her greatest compliment by saying it was "just as easy to drive as the Tercel".
ffsteve
Found out on Monday, right after buying the new car. Wife 7 months pregnant. Nice.
No sense pouting so I've been scrambling around. They're creating 2 new depts and so I applied for the same position in those, interviewed for one, and it appears I'm one of the top choices. I interview for the other on Tuesday, so fingers crossed folks.
I should be OK, but you still hate to go through so much uncertainty. I applied for 6 other jobs in various areas in the World Bank Group, so I'm sure I'll get something (MS+BS+12 years experience helps there).
At least we paid cash for the car and have some savings, plus I'd get 16 months severance/package if they let me go entirely (doubtful).
Still, bummer. I may lose my window office with southern exposure. :-(
-juice
Steve
Hang in there. You obviously have many good qualities.
Good luck,
Steve
Hang in there, buddy, I'm sure you'll do fine. Keep thinking positive -- change is good. I have confidence that you'll be OK.
Ken
Look for the silver lining in the dark cloud
and -----mmq---pmm---- in there!!!
-Dave
Good Luck!
Ron
I second Steve's comment about your thoughtfulness and the way you are all over this Subaru community helping us. You will be snapped up in no time I know.
Also, don't feel guilty about the new car -- just think of all the money you SAVED on it ;-)
Kim
Rule Britannia...
Kim
Cynthia
I didn't buy my wagon for cool factor... I'd probably have bought a Legacy L, but for the fact that the Outback ride seemed so much smoother. However, I continue to notice the occasional head turn when I drive by and I LIKE it!
Of course, although there are Subarus in my area, there just aren't that many, so that might explain it some too. In fact, today, while driving, I saw a sleek silver wagon and was wondering what it was... turned out to be an older model Legacy. (I have a weakness for silver, it's the one thing I could wish for on my Outback... with maybe dark cladding or silver cladding.)
Didn't buy the Camry liftback for cool either, got it for utility. I still kind of miss the smaller size vehicle, but I looked at the Outback Sport and it didn't have the kind of rear cargo space I was used to with the Camry. However, I like the solid feel of my Subaru and it feels like it has a LOT more power under the hood. (Which we have not tested yet due to break in.)
Cynthia
Nobody knows better than I that writing books is a poor way to get rich, but you are in a special position to write terrific car books: you're bright, funny, extremely well informed and you express yourself well with no apparent effort. That's more than I could say about all the stiffs who have actually written about cars.
Just a thought. Better to get something in your own field, as that surely pays better, but I don't know anyone who could do a better book (or books) about cars. Might be a fun project someday. Again, good luck. We're all pulling for you.
Steve
-mike
One too many Steves
Hang in there Juice. Many of us have been thru this, and are usually much better off when the dust settles. We bought a house 6 weeks before Harris Semiconductor pulled the plug on the plant I worked in. Talk about financially devastating. But that is how I ended up finding my way to IBM. And I celebrate my 20th anniversary tomorrow (May 10th).
Steve
One of the Steve's
-mike
-mike