mtsmiths

This is weird. Took the Outback into Simpson Subaru for an oil/filter change. Asked my favorite service writer, Justin, to check as to why the headrests won't latch in place. He knows me, the previous owner and has a full service recordin the car, never serviced anywhere else. The headrests won't latch because the notches are on the wrong side of the posts. They are 2005 headrests! Same fabric, same stitching, different padding and mechanicals. He ordered replacements on warranty ... still, it's wierd.

My service friend at Simpson says he hasn't heard anything. If they do, you can finally put me in line for a NEW Subaru.

Search find here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4857&highlight=gusset I DIDN'T remove the interior gusset trim. I just grabbed the whole thing in both hands, s-q-u-e-e-z-e-d it with all my strength (I knew I couldn't really hurt anything :-\ ) and bent it all in toward the car a little. VOILA! no mo' wind pilikea, I now Maui Subaru big kahuna brah! Big Island next, then back to Oahu for big time alumni party from The Pretty One's high school class reunion (45 years ... AUWE!, we all stay old futs now).

I'm visiting family on Maui and my brother in law and wife bought a Forester a couple years ago on my say so. They were saying they really like the car except for the damn front window wind noise. So after search, next time we rode together (last evening) I say "Roll down the windows" and I open the doors and grab the triangle channels and squeeze them and bend them in a bit. Then crossing my fingers I say, OK, all fixed. My BIL gives me this 'riiiigght' look. They were both thunderstruck when at 60 mph no noise at all. Mahalo, gang.

Others HAVE been bothered, our 'new' 2006 Outback proves it. The previous owner was so bothered that he somehow persuaded the local dealer to swap out a set of '05 headrests on the car. I'm sure SOA would freak out if they knew. The headrest no longer touch our heads, however they are also no longer adjustable, since the notches are on the opposite sides of the posts. I'd rather have the originals.

Diamond is a national corporation. I don't know if the shop is corporate or franchise (prolly the latter) but I'm sure the local manager doesn't want complaint letters and photos going upstream to the higher levels. If he balks, just ask for his regional supervisor's contact information since he can't make it right. I think he'll allovasudden decide maybe he should have a go at it again.

'Corse it's not a problem for HIM, it's your car. If he refuses to make it right, have it repaired at a competent shop and take him to small claims for the costs. Who cares what he thinks, you are the customer.

In Montana (and other westeren states) windshield replacement is an almost annual maintenance item. We lost the windshield on our '00 driving it home from the sealer, and on our '06 the third day. :Flame:That repair is unacceptable, take it back and make them do it right. No shop in Montana (or even he do it at the curb gypsies) would ever produce work like that. It will leak and rust.

AHA! This is EXACTLY why I do run my tires a little high. How many tires have you ever seen (especially on front-wheel drive cars ... and face it, in normal dry weather driving a Subaru AWD is esentially a FWD car) a tire wear out in the middle? Not many hmmm, maybe none? They wear out on the shoulders, even when perfectly aligned. So a couple/few psi helps even up the tire wear. Yes, your are absolutely correct that cornering and braking limits are marginally comprimised by high tire pressure, but only noticable at driving extremes ... I don't drive like that (any more) so it is a reasonable trade-off ... a slight performance degradation, that is of no consequence with my driving style, vs a noticable improvement in tire mileage.

We just run 36 all around, always have.

I've installed a half-dozen or so in cars varying from a Ford Courier pick-up to a Mustang hatchback, and never had a problem with any of them. I never used a shear, just a saber saw with the foot covered with duct tape to protect the roof paint. Just be sure to have someone inside the car when you start out to let you know what's happening with the headliner.

I agree, if I ever go looking for an Imp it will be a frogeye.

As far as I'm concerned, they have lost itacross the board, as had benn mentioned: The Tribeca (dumb name, why name an AWD car after a trendy NYC hip neighborhood) now looks like a Chrysler mini van. The Impresa looks like a Mazda (or Focus). The Outback/Legacy line ... have a look at the GMC version of the Tahoe ... whatever they call it. Dead ringer. Dead ducks, all three, I say.

In 'Recent Photos' http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/index.php

At the price quoted, prolly a new column cluster switch. I sgree, slap the bast@rd.

"why was the tech at my dealer ready to sell me a $420 part?!" That's why so many of us refer to Subaru outlets as STEALERSHIPS! The company really, really needs to monitor their franchises better.

"Victa"? Interesting name for a machine manufactured by a company supporting a country that most resounding lost a war they started, and fought (in the air) primarily with their aircraft..

Ahhh, but will there always be Subarus? :-\

Here's my most recent results, our '06 did VERY well on interstate cruise. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74435

Me neither: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=15515&cat=500 Luckily the guy I bought the car from didn't either, so he decided to chance a ticket, and just didn't mount a front plate. I don't want a ticket, even an equipment violation, so I wanted to install the front plate. Cad angle brackets and an off-the-rack plate mount. There are two holes in the lower fascia that are just the right distance apart, so I just ran bolts thru with fender washers and bolted the angle to the fascia, then the plate to the mount ... VOILA! An unmarred bumper, total outlay about seven bucks. Oh, and for the curious 'KAPUNA' is the Hawaiian word for 'wise one' or 'elder' ... wife's car, I'm not too wise :-\.

Another 'Subaru virgin' bites the dust.

The 'ASAP' is so the stealership has limited weasel room. Make them replace them now.

And no-ooooow, the re-sssst of the story. Drove, sans trailer down to Medford from Pt. Ludlow. 31.5 mpg trip average. Basically, a non-event trip. Not so the return home Medford to Whitefish. I got forced off the road between Medford and Salem by some guy in a big rush weaving and tailgating his way through traffic that was going too slow for him (we were all running about 70 in a 65). He changed lanes into me and just kept comin after I laid on the horn, and he saw me, I ended up clear over the breakdown lane and into the gravel to avoid contact. If I had been in my other car I would have wrecked. About ten minutes later what to wy wondering eyes does appear but Mr. "I'm in a big hurry" pulled over by an Oregon State Trooper (in a blue Chevy Pick-up, no less, very, very stealthy). So, I stop and go back and tell my tale to the officer. He thanks me, and say's "Well, there goes any thought I may have had about writing a lesser violation" . So Speed Racer gets a double fine 70 in a 35 construction zone, couldn't have happened to a more deserving individual. Had trouble starting a couple times after gassing up (stupid OR no-pump law) acted like it wasn't getting gas, just cranked, then stuttered and sputtered until it caught, then ran fine. 28.9 trip avg over three passes and running 75 almost all the way, except one empty stretch in MT where I ran it up to 100 to see how it felt ... just like 80. I guess we'll keep it.

Hauled a Honda Black Shadow out from Kalispell, MT to Tacoma, WA. Perfect fit in a 7.5 ft U-Haul trailer. also had the alloys and tires off Honu, The Pretty One's '00 that got totalled. Dropped them off for 'Sister 7" (Thank's Anna). We had been perfectly willing to keep the Legaback for another 100,000 miles, & I'm not exactly overjoyed to have car payments, but I'm in love with the new car. What an effortless car to drive, good climate controls, excellent (for factory) sound system, perfect balance, even dragging the two-wheel trailer (OEM hitch). I hardly knew it was back there, except when I hit the brakes and was blinded by the third stoplight reflecting off the trailer. Another fine feature is the power driver's seat, that reclines virtually flat, excellent for that occassional reststop kip. Trip mileage was a respectable 21.5. Next legs are a run down to Medford, OR (from Pt. Ludlow, WA) leaving at OH-dark-thirty in the morning, then from Medford back to Whitefish on Monday. I'm realy looking forward to highway with out dragging the U-Haul anchor!

$150.00, even is OZ bucks that's pretty steep ... flares with flair, no doubt.