mtsmiths

Tango Uniform, "t!ts up' military jargon for DEAD.

Trip report, solo (thank GOD for audiobooks!) Whitefish > Pt. Ludlow > Whitefish over the weekend. Overall trip average 30.6mpg in the '06 Outback. Pretty much 75 with A/C on for the I-90 portion. BTW, whatthehell wa going on on Snoqualimie Pass yesterday afternoon? From the summit east to Ellensburg the west-bound lane was one continual 30 mile long PARKING LOT. Not stop-&-go, just all lanes not moving at all. No lights, sirens, helicopters or emergency vehicles noted, nothin' in the news today.

Well, look at it this way, since you like the car: $350.00 recent expenditure, $500.00 fix A/C, $250.00 new tires. That totals $1,100.00. Can you get an anywhere comparable car for $1,100 ... probably not. If you get a comparable car, how many months payments would equal $1,100 ... and for how long after that amount is paid out will the payments continue. Also, if you buy a NEW car, what about insurance cost increase. Click & Clack always claim it's cheaper to and drive than to replace. If you think about new (or decent used) car payments you're looking at a minimum expense of $3,000 and up ... maybe WAY up. That's a LOT of repairs. If you like it keep it IMNSHO.

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.