mtsmiths

The 'shudder' as you describe it 'sounds' like torque bind. Make sure all tires are the same make, style, tread wear, diameter and close to the same pressure (BTW, I have found that both our Legacies drive better, and the tires last MUCH longer if I run them at 38 lbs). DId you at least do a tranny flush and new fluid? Can only maake it last longer. As for the $1,100.00 ... that would have been about three or four MONTHS payments on the Baja, NTM the i-n-s-u-r-a-n-c-e! ReeeeeeLaaaax, bruddah, you done good.

They're fine, all studs show rust after they sit. Size should be OK, check against ones on your car.

Maybe the administrators should set up a photo page where board members can paste their plates (only) and explanations if needed.

There should be a USMB honarary initiation to those new members that experience the parking light syndrome. Some sort of "Congratulations, and you are now an official Subaru owner" designation. Suggestions?

http://www.alpineauction.com/blank.html I think there will be too many folks there with big bucks, not hoping to turn a profit, to preclude any big bargains. Shoot, I even like the '46 Chevy Pickup and the Airstream motorhome. The comment are from MG McAnick from my home e-box (he sent me the link). Scroll down trhu the pics for the Subarus ... I SURE like that antique Stovebolt though.

... loading my 'new ' '95 Leagacy with rock from a local quarry vendor. I sure missed that extra 2" of ground clearance. And I just couldn't force myself to pile on as much weight as I know I would have laded onto the 'Jap Tractor'. I gotta figger out how to raise our Legacies!

Howthehell do the inforce that one? Most new cars (and not so new, our '00 Legacy included) have a factory applied tinted zone across the windshield.

How bad does a car have to get before you buy a new one? ... about $350.00 in repairs every month. As for the tint. I'll bet your state's inspection laws require a stated light blocking level to fail, probably as measured with a calibrated light meter. Next time they claim it's too dark, ask them to please test it to state standards. Bet they can't, so they can't fail you on that issue. Since you know by now to never ask a question during litigation, unless you already know the answer; look it up before you go back for inspection, yes? Good luck with your 'new' Subaru and your studies.

Seriously this time rottenhead (great monicker for a soon-to-be barrister BTW), I picked up my current 'Roo (no. five of a series starting in 1982) off this board. A nicely equipped '95 Legacy with 125K, and all current maint. that runs great. I gave the asking which was $3,200, took the train to Chicago and drove it back straight thru to Montana. I figger 3.5K total in a reliable good looking great to drive car. I favor the Legacies over the Outbacks, better road handling ... like on rails with good tires. No insurace issues, and NO payments. That said, I may get a BAJA myself when they age in the resale market a bit. I NEVER buy new cars, I just can't seem to lay down enough cash to buy another piece of real estate for a car ... too tight I guess. Airplanes, that's another matter.

You're going to school to be a lawyer, and you want a guaranteed student loan to buy a brand new car? As one of the taxpayers that act as guantor for that loan, I suggest you use three to five K of that money to buy a good used 2.2L Legacy, and put the rest to you education as it's meant to be used. I've no problem with your needing a car, public transportation sucks. But let's keep our priorities straight here, hmmmm? Affter you get your degree and are making the BIG BUCKS sueing the socks off folks like me, you can buy a brand spankin' new H-6 Outback with your OWN money. signed: Old Fart that has a nine year old Subaru.

You can thank the EPA for that. The push to remove lead and solvent based paints has led to new products that do not have either the coverage, nor the logevity of older paints.

Oh Rweddy, it's not that I *can't* manipulate a clutch in any and all conditions. I learned to drive with straight-cut gears and no synchros, all shifts were double clutch. I just perfer not to, and think that for the "average" driver an auto is best. Especially if they (as most do today) learned to drive in an auto. As you stated, it all boils down to personal preference ... and skill.

Subieluvr, you can force shift an auto just as easily as a manual ... actually easier. You don't need your foot! Seriously, I downshift to stay in a lower gear (3 is all I ever have to use, even loaded and croassing the CD), and also for compression when coming down to save the brakes. But it all comes back to Kind Karma's initial query "which is best in snow". My answer remains, for safe reliable snow and ice driving, no one can out drive an good AWD auto. If you want to throw snow around and make YIPPEE! on the ice, then go for a manual. For the real test, compare pulling a stuck vehicle out of a snobank with a manual, then do it again with the auto ... ditto the stuck vehicle.

When you DO get snow it's Sierra Cement, as opposed to the nose candy we have up here ... comin' soon. My poor Legacy is doing firewood duty now.

but in fresh powder 60 is an easy controllable speed (at least in the 'ROO). Note, I did say "on the straights", I slowed down to a saner velocity in the curves. I know the road like the back of my hand, and could anticipate the upcoming curves long before arriving in the chute with too much speed. There was NO other traffic, it was about 03:00. It had been snowing fresh powder for at least an hour since the last car had been down the road (and at that there was only one set of tracks, St Regis to Paridise). With the lights on low beam and the powder being deflected by the compressed air. the snow wave was about two feet in front of the car at speed, when I slowed down I was actually driving in it. In the rear view mirror the rooster tail went clear out of sight. Where I was going fast I cleared a swath that looked like a plow had been by, where I slowed down I left two 'normal' tire tracks. It was a hoot ... should'a been there. Sure wouldn't have driven at that speed in a company Dodge Ram or (God forbid) the Dakota or Ford Exploder.

Bitshin' me out for innaccuracy, and causing him problems. Like, too many phone calls or what? Anyhow, here are some corrections. The TR-6 isn't green. it's BLUE (OK, now I *don't* want it ... like I ever did). There are only FOUR SVXs (too bad, that one), I guess they lost four, or other cop shops grabbed 'em for Chief's cars or summit). The perp isn't doing time in Deer Lodge, he's in a federal hoosegow somewhere ... who cares, this is a car board, not a legal practice forum. Hey, all I did was copy straight out of the Daily Interlake, our local fishwrap ... see, it's the "Power of the Press at work". Sorry Alpine, hope that fixes everything for ya. Good luck, and see ya at the auction, I'm repping at least two buyers from around the country. Bidding with someone else's money, wheeeeee!

"As for your two inch comment--we have a little lake here called Superior that puts down 250 plus inches a year...basically in two months Jan and Feb. I happen to know for a fact that's more than Whitefish gets. Hell it rains until till you're half way up to Big Mountain." I've read my post a couple of times and can't seem to find the 2" reference you quote. My point is that with an auto you have less chance of getting into the slide to begin with. Most folks that get stuck do so because they are in too low a grear, and giving the car too much gas. The Subie AWD auto reduces the chance of initial spin-out. For the average driver it's a lot easier for them to get moving in snow or ice with an auto, and less chance they will lose it on a curve. I've driven our Legacy from St. Regis to Hwy 93 at Elmo in over a foot of unplowed snow, with as you put it the air dam blowing the snow over the roof. The car drove like it was on rails at sixty in the straights, and handled the curves at a reasonable spped as well. As for Big Mountain, you must have been there in a late spring snow. The valley/montaine snow line is on the Whitefish grade about six miles south of town. Our house is at the base of the mountain, and an average overnight fall is a foot or more. The 5-speeds could make it if we did a burn-out from the garage (the stud grooves are still in the concrete floor). With the AWD we just put it in low or 2nd and drive on out. I've owned WELL over a hundred cars in my life, and most of them have been sticks, but for getting around in snow, give me an auto every time.

Oct. 16, time to be announced. 1976 TR-6 Convertible green, fully restored (why?). 1972 Chevy truck, low mileage 1979 Chevy Truck, low mileage 1980 Chevy truck, low mileage 1946 Chevy truck, restored 1972 Dodge truck "top condition" Eight Subaru SVXs, conditions vary from good to "as new" (one is being kept for the WPD) 2002 Ski boat (may be kept for Whitefish Lake Patrol) 2002 Harley Davidson MC East Whitefish home, SOLD. All confiscated from Ron Ridenauer, currently residing in state prison, Deer Lodge, MT. Auction by: Alpine Auctions & Appraisals of Kalispell, MT To be held at: Whitefish City Shop, Whitefish, MT

and bid on one of the three SVXs the ex Whitefish resident (now residing in the Deer Lodge prison) bought with his 'profits' from a Fernie run.

I'm pretty sure they are. BUT check with someone who really knows. If the are, this is how to remove them. Go to a music store and get a high E guitar string. Wrap the string around a couple of dowels and tie it so you can use it like a wire saw. Start at one side and saw the badge off, pulling away from the car so you don't scrratch the paint. Use your wife's hair dryer on high to soften the glue, wipe up with carb cleaner and then wax. Voila! Badge free.

The car (along with eight othrs) was confiscated from a convicted drug runner. Along with a million dollar house, ski boat, jet skis, Harley Daidsons, etc., etc., etc. He had NINE SVSs. A couple of them had been shipped straight from the dealer and placed in storage with only the transport miles on them. Drool (Moose Drool, since it's in Montana). Three of them are going up for auction shortly ... wish I had the money ... hmmmm, maybe I can sell my Legacy to my next door neighbor.

If you play hookey in Whitefish, don't try and outrun the trruant officer! AW cr@p, just go look at recent photos, you'll see it. I'm d@amned if I can make a link work on this board.

Calebz, I din't say 'fast', I said 'quick' ... as in short wheelbase, responsive to the wheel ... maybe 'twitchy' is a better word?

They won't reinvent the Brat because of liability issues. Too small, too quick, too much fun! And those passenger seats in the back ... oh, the horror. They won't make new parts for the same reason, "cant support a possible lawsuit".

I've lived in snow country for far too many years, And have driven Subarus for most of them. I'm firmly in the automatic camp when it comes to snow driving. I've had five speeds, and the AT-AWD system beats a manual if your intent is to have a safe reliable get thru anything car. If you want to spin donuts and throw roostertails in the powder, I agree go with the manual it's loads of fun. If you want to get up the icy hills and stay out of the borrow ditches with a minumum of fuss get an automatic. It takes a skillfull foot on the clutch to equal a torque converter in avoiding wheel slip. Shift into first or second and you're locked into a 50-50 power distribution. If I stopped in our driveway in either of our 5-spds in deep snow and or ice I would have to back down and start from the bottom. With the AT-AWD you just drive right on out from wherever you stop. I've also found much less tendancy to slide out. With the auto, I'm quite comfortable at 65 mph on a snow road, plowed or fresh fall. We sold both our 5-speeds and bought autos, solely based on winter driving, and in NW Montana we have WINTER driving, not goofing in a two inch funfall.