mtsmiths

As an "older guy" (thank you Jamal) that I'm sure fits right smack in the middle of the demographic target market for this vehicle. I can offer a one word response ... Bleeeeeccccchhhhhh! Actually, on second thought, I'm probably in the secondary demographic profile ... somewhere behind the soccermom contingent. Why, oh why do they keep designing cars that look like running shoes?

Doc RX, was on a DEN > PHX flight and felt a total power-down about a half hour out. All the details are long and convoluted but the net cause was blue screen of death on both the primary and secondary flight computers (A300) sooo, with the aiplane braindead and no connection between the joystick and the feathers no one was flying the machine for over three minutes until they got it to re-boot. We made a precautionary landing at Farmington, NM Used EVERY inch of the runway, than sat in the dead airplane for four hours until they could come and get us in a B-737. The fire dept had to BUILD a scaffold to get us off the airplane. When the relief captain did his cabin call he said "Welcome aboard this fine, reliable American made BOEING". Thank God we were in level cruise at altitude and not in a noise abatement departure when the computers flatlined!

where did the "utility" in "sport utility vihicle" go???They replaced it with "Ugly".

Well, it did all right. That said, I've been flying pretty much since I was a kid, off and on, and had my license for 25+ years, and the scairdest I've ever been in an airplane was a United Airbus over New Mexico. Other than the cockpit crew, I think I was the onliest one on board to know what was going on ... sometimes it pays to be ignorant.

Kim's got MY vote, any Gal that will go through a dead-stick and not break off the engatgement is OK in my logbook! BTW, what were you flying ... and what turned it into a glider? Details please, we all hope to learn to improve our flying lore through other's successful experiences.

I hate to say it. But, if I had a 2004 and it was still under warranty I would have the stealship do it. I can just see SOA refusing any future warranty work should your engine have a problem.

It did on my '87, but I don't recall removing it on the '00. Onny replaced the bulbs once, and it was a couple of years ago ... I hereby declare a senior moment.

The bulb just unplugs and plugs in again. It'll cost between $9 and $15 if I recall.

Went with a friend yesterday and we test drove a Baja, Turbo A/T. I liked the car a lot, but see no point in the new hard hinged bed cover. Far as I can see it just transforms the Baja into an ugly four-door sedan. The friend asked for a quote on a M/T normally aspirated rig. ALso drove by my office and my boss took a drive, she loved it and is preparing to order one also. The salesman (who I've known for serveral years ... he commutes sixty miles each way daily in a '87 GL wagon, won't give up the D/R 5spd, up to 330,000) said that for the first two years they couldn't give Bajas away, but starting around mid-December there has been a rush and now they can't keep 'em on the lot! Go figger. Me, I'll wait until they start to hit the resale market and see how they price out.

http://www.4x4.is If you hit the URL posted in the upper right corner of the pic you end up in Iceland. Looks like there's some dedicated car modifiers there ... with no place much to drive EXCEPT off road! Just be careful and don't fall in a fumerole.

Well, I'll concede that it looks better in these pictures than it did in the pre-release spy pics. But, I STILL don't like it. I like the concept, but not the looks.

A friend of mine from Scotland says that many Subarus are cut and refashioned into pickups there. He was trying to find me a photo, but no luck yet. Have you seen any, and if so, do you have any pics? Thanks, Smitty

In my experience (two '87 GL wagons) just check out the condition and find out any history you can (probably none). These cars are pretty much issue-free, bulletproof and with care will run forever. I've gone to a newer Subaru for some creature comforts, but for basic getthroughitis, ground clearance in snow and willingness to perform anything asked of them, I really miss our 'Jap Tractors' (as my Hawaii-born wife named them). We bought one with 80,000 ($3K) and drove it to 145,000 ($2K), the other we bought with 130,000 ($2.5K) and sold it at 212,000 ($1K). Owned both cars four or five years and never had a breakdown. Repairs were limited to CV's timing belts and wheel bearings. Both are still running around the county.

We got up early Saturday and drove from Whitefish to Polebridge to watch the start of the Rootbeer Classic dog sled race. The North Fork Road hadn't been plowed and we ventured off (in the dark) into 18" of fresh powder. One or two trucks had been down the road coming into town and so we drove on the wrong side of the road in the tracks most of the way. But, when we cam to curves or hills we got on our own side of the road in the virgin powder. We were running about 40 mph most of the way and the snow was shooting over the whole car from the front valence plowing the powder. Ran in 3rd, except when we were in the deep stuff, than we downshifted into 2nd, for the 50/50 split (A/T). We were in the wife's '00 Legacy, so it's pretty low to start with. Got up to Polebridge and the guy at the mercantile asked if they had plowed already, when I said no, he just looked at me and the car parked out front with snow past the door sills and said, "And you came in THAT?" The irony is that on Wedensday they cancelled (we didn't check, duhOh) because there wasn't enough snow ... then it started and by Saturday they all these mountains of fluffy powder. And today ... taking as 'sick day' and heading up to Big Mountain (in my '95 Leg, but it's only a 15 min trip) for some fresh powder skiing, whoopee!

Awwwww gee SVXPERT, you don't wanna open a branch shop in NW Montana do ya? ... LOTS of Subarus here, and only the lStealership (and they are too) and a couple of "well, we know about Subarus, but it's gonna cost ya" shops.

Nomad you can get inserts that expand thru the roof from the outside. Any parts store will, have them. Just be sure to gob the bolt with silicon sealer (enough so it squeezes out), then clean it up before it sets. I've probably installed six or eight roof racks through the years, and never had one come off or leak yet.

GAWD! Am I ever glad I live in a state that doesn't screw around with this kind of krap. Man if I had to go thru that just to get a safety sticker (which doesn't exist here, thankgawd) I'd paper mache it and spray it with primer, just to prick the system.

2.2 auto = 2,800 rpm at 70 2.5 auto = (I dunno, the dash cluster hasn't been deBrightonized, so still no tach).

Go to a junkyard, measure your roof and find one that fits. Mark and drill the holes, install the inserts, goop the screws with silicon sealer, and bolt the thing on. It's really not difficult. If you look you may find a factory rack off an older Toyota Tercel wagon. The advantages are: Always cheap, the right size, it's a one piece unit, the frame and skid rails are all fit together so you just attach it at the corners and it's done. Ten minutes to remove it at the yard, 1/2 hour to install it on my wagon. Get some vinyl double face tape (sign tape) and cut new gussets and glue them to the rack, then after you drill your holes you can pull the tape off the other side and glue it to the roof before you run the bolts in. If you look in the albums you can see one on my winter camo '87 GL. On my wifes '00 I found that a Chrysler Caravan rack is a perfect fit, except a tad wide, so I just cut the crossbars down to fit. The neat thing about it is that its really low profile, the rails just lay on the roof and only the cross bars are above the roof. I bought a roll of stick on side trim and cut the skid rails for it, looks good and has stayed on for three years. Also a pic somewhere in the mtsmiths album.

Mazel Tov Moshe, stay safe, have fun with that Subaru.

As a heads up, you may need an impact wrench do get that damn plug out. Be careful you don't break anything.

Could be Israel, we've got a couple of Subaru nuts over there dodging Katushkas.

My '87 was no louder with the resonator removed and a straight pipe than our other '87 was with a full system. Just a different tone.

If you're afraid of installing a 'real' block heater you can use the glue-on kind. You really reeeeelly have to get the oil pan clean before installing them. I've got one on my '95 Legacy and it works as well as the in-block one I had on my '87 GL. After I installed it I stuck a couple of layers of that super-sticky aluminum tape over it as a reflector and rock protector. They're about $15.00 at NAPA, plug it in and leave it all night, only draws 40watts. I'd originally bought it to put on my airplane, but am working on the plane in the warm garage while the Subaru freezes outside (minus 9 yesterday am, had heat within a long block from my house).

Trexsel, you'll prolly never solve the leaky headlight. Those of us who have suffred from this problem (and there are many) have tried everything from silicon to bear grease, with little success. Use the search function to find attempts. Advertise on the board Marketplace for the exact light unit you need. Someone will have or find it, and make you a good deal ... we all feel your pain.