Zephyr

Search the forum for seatbelt alarm and you will learn how to turn it off. It works for both the passenger and driver.

Yeah, you can get those pillows just about anywhere, just go to your favorite automotive shop/section.

2.5 does not have heated seats. My driver seat does come with adjustable lumbar support. Also, I have some winter boots that have a taller sole than any of my other shoes. These seem to cause the pain to go away as well because it changes the angle of my ankle, knee, leg, etc.

If you don't mind me asking, how tall are you? Also, I KNOW it is the 05' Subaru giving me the problem. I do not have back pain in any other chair/seat I work/drive in. I wonder if the sedan has extra leg room for the driver?

A few threads on this board have mentioned that the dealer's lens buffing is the same procedure as applying brake fluid and elbow grease.

Like Juan mentioned above, for some of us it is not the seat itself as I have no problem on the passenger side (other than another inch or two of leg room would be great). But the problem is coming from the pedals and their akward arrangement.

Yeah, add me to the list of sore back sufferers. 05' LW- cloth seats, AT. 6' male. Exactly my problem. I use a back pillow or spare sweatshirt or whatever and stuff it between the seat and my right thigh while driving. It gives my leg more support so the muscles can relax and not have to hover. Sucks- my first new car and this is dissapointing. Wife (5'9") doesn't have a problem in it though, I'm thinking about giving it to her and trading in her car for a used WRX- pending comfort of course.

software update?

My buddy rented a Cherokee Sport for a road trip. Came by my house early in the morning to pick me up... I HATED that thing before we even reached the end of the street I live on. The rest of the trip was not much better, I was so glad to return that thing. However, we were able to drive that thing faster than any other UV or mini van we have rented for our roadies, however much that is worth.

I would call it understeer, but the front and back broke loose at the exact same moment so I was skidding. Mine was more like Lift Off Skidding. I am very acustomed to driving FWD in the snow. Whatever happened, it sure wasn't anything I had experienced in the past.

this caught me by surprise as well (coming from a long history of FWD cars only). Fresh 8 inches of snow on the ground and I am turning into my parking space at my apartment complex. I let off the gas mid turn and instantly my car stops turning and heads sideways right into the car parked next to my space. Fortunately, I was going slow enough that my momentum died before I smacked into the car next to mine.

Looks nice.. but the first thing I thought about is what is that thing going to do if you are in a wreck? I hope it is bolted down somehow.

Thanks for your experiences everyone. I'll post a pic after I get hitched.

Doh! Our rack was given to us and I haven't had the chance to use it yet, actually never really looked at it. But just took a look and saw mine is designed the same way. Very cool! The swing out model I saw in an official Subaru accessories handout. If I remember correctly- the hitch was made of a couple hinged pieces of square tubing that could swing away to the side. Kind of an ominous feeling isn't it? I only get under the cars a few times a year to do some warm weather oil changes and etc. Even though I'm trying to concentrate on the task, I still only think of one thing, those ramps holding up. Are you near KC? I'm wondering if you have any shop recommendations? I frequent St Louis as well and could probably schedule service just as easily.

exactly. we have a need to pull trailers, and I already have the hitch mounted bike rack... so priority one is the hitch. Fortunately, we don't have expensive bikes... yet

I am in the market for a hitch on my 05’ LW and I need some advice. I am going to use it for a bike rack (¼ inch) for in town and out of town excursions.. hiking, camping, etc… It will also be used to pull a jet ski (and other small trailers) from the lake house to, you guessed it, the lake. I would like the profile to be unobtrusive since I am really digging the looks of the dual exhaust and such. Another possibility would be the swing away hitch system since we will be taking our bikes adventuring with us. This is my first hatchback/wagon door type of vehicle and I am loving the ease of which I can move around my gear, groceries, etc. If the bike rack is in the way, that is going to cramp a bit of my adventuring. However, the swing out model looks like it may have that obtrusive look to it that I don’t really want. Anyone with experience with one of these? I would also like to install it myself, not mandatory, but it would be a bonus. Thanks for any and all suggestions! Anyone have a pic of their 05/06 LW hitch setup?

I use the all weather matts in my 05 LW, and I love them. I initially thought they were ugly and just "too much". But after going through my first winter with them, I will use them every winter! The only thing I don't like about them is that they do not hide one bit of dirt so they look dirty very quick. I rinse and scrub them with a brush to keep them looking clean. In the dryer, warmer months, I am going to switch back to the carpet matts except for when we go adventuring.

If tire inflation was that big of a deal, wouldn't Subaru explicitly mention the adverse affects it may have on the transmission because of it? In this world of idiot signs and cautions, I would imagine Subaru would have informed us better about this possible problem. At the very least, if they made explicit warnings about it, that would legally be an "out" for them. "Well, the damage you did to your diff is due to unequal tire pressures."

This is kind of scary. If a few PSI is able to balance the circumfrance of two tires with different tread heights, then surely the same PSI difference could cause two tires with equal tread life to be out of balance. If it is of any significance, the diff gets wrecked. I know that the entire Subaru owning population as a whole cannot be as diligent as a few on this board in respect to tire pressure, so I would imagine that differentials would be falling apart all over the place. What is the difference in 2WD cars? They have a front or rear differential that must be just as susceptible to damage as Subaru's AWD systems.

"A good Georgia title means that it wasn't in the hurricanes"? I don't know how this statement is qualified. Why is he getting rid of it? And why is he so adimant about stating they bought it on a Credit Card? The reason he purchased it on a card may be because a bank wouldn't loan him the money for it... for whatever reason. Maybe he saw an opportunity with a flooded car and put it on the credit card thinking he would pay it off quickly and make a dime in the process. If this were a junker that you wanted to do some random utility work and off roading in, you could get lucky and everything would be cool. If it has further problems, you can leave it in the garage and work on it as necessary. If you are looking for a reliable commuter car that you depend on to get back and forth to work and such, I would gamble on something with a little better odds. (and why doesn't the seller use any periods? It is maddening to read his statement. Never trust a guy that doesn't use periods. )

Yeah, I had originally thought that the plug was house current and I was excited to put one in myself. I will find out more about converters. However, for around 35$ and easy install, the cigarette lighter outlet is a pretty good idea! Maybe I could even put the converter back back there as well.

I bought the 05 LW 2.5i. I didn't think I would be missing out when I didn't get the power outlet, now I'm missing it and wondering what would be involved to wire one up like the factory set up? Would I be better off just buying a converter for the cigarette lighter?

I have an 05 LW. Love the car (stereo upgrades is an issue, if you are a stereophyle/mp3 user, you may want to search the boards). This winter is my first experience with AWD in the snow... What a blast! I don't know if you have test driven the cars yet, but the 2.5i might be plenty powerful enough for you, especially when considering the savings in initial cost and fuel. I know at least the 05' turbos use premium gasoline here in the US.

No way!?!?! Nice work! Questions, I thought the environmental unit and the radio itself were one unit, they shared circuitry. Obviously this is not true? How can I get my hands on this install kit. Please see if you can get parts numbers... anything! I'm desperate to install a different head unit!!!! I have the LW 2.5i- I'm assuming it is the same as the outback... ? Thanks!