Zephyr

I like the manual shift setting of my automitic transmission in my 05, however I am interested to know how it is going to perform when going over large hills and mountains. (I live in the flat praries of Kansas and have yet to get it out of state) Usual inclination when going up or down hill would be to throw the transmission into 3rd. However with the manual shift, I don't know how long it will hold that gear until the automatic takes over again and shifts into 4th. Is it going to be the same problem going downhill as well? When flipping through the manual, I was expecting to see directions on driving in third gear when going up hill. Instead, it tells me to careful adjust accelerator position so the transmission doesn't constantly switch between 3rd and 4th :-\ - not the elegant solution I was looking for. Downhill I haven't found any information in the manual yet. What experiences have you all had? (I was excited to get rid of the "2" and "3" positions of a traditional automatic for the sport/manual shift of this automatic, but now this scenario has me wondering.)

And you could rip out the seats too! Improves acceleration, braking, and cornering! Just strap your passengers with the tie downs.

That sunroof on the 05s are sweet aren't they? I didn't go for the limited option because I didn't like the idea of being forced into buying leather seats. A month later I'm wishing I had just bit the bullet. I think it is the coolest sunroof on the market today. Sorry I can't answer your question. But maybe I can talk you into giving it a second thought. Besides, you will spend way more time riding inside of it than looking at the color from outside of it.

Thats rediculous. They didn't even look under the car or they would have noticed the new parts and would have quoted that job. If I was the customer, it would have been everything I could do to not slap the guy behind the counter.

The manual states to not go over 4k rpm during the first 1k miles. Leaving the transmission in sport shift will allow revs higher than the suggested limit. And then manual shifting, well, that will really spin up the engine. Now that I'm over 1k miles, I will throw it into sport for passing situations or on ramps. The manual shift is a little strange to work with as the transmission is usually ahead of my inputs.

Well, since it doesn't look like I will be replacing the head unit any time soon, I guess I should make the best of it for the moment. Anyone have experience with the current sub woofer available from Subaru? http://www.subaruparts.com/catalog/?section=534 Is it a good unit or can I do better somewhere else. I'm hoping to stay at or under this $188 price. Thanks!

Another tricky spot that I have found myself in is when you call the insurance company after the wreck. Immediately they are asking "Do you feel any pain"? And they will ask that same question a few times in a different manner. I never say I am ok and describe any sort of discomfort at all because I don't want them telling me three months later that I said I was ok at the time of the accident. Insurance companies have plenty of loop holes they can snake out of if they can.

Moon Buggy! Moon Buggy! I like it! Especially if you plan on using the added clearance!

If your miles will be spent on long trips, you may want to consider the OB. The Forester has just a bit more of an SUV/truck kind of ride. You may not notice it as much on a test drive; however you will feel the affects of road fatigue during distance driving.

Quite possibly now that you are experiencing injury. If you don't have medical insurance, get a lawyer. If you have medical insurance, make sure you understand it very well. Ask any chiropractor... chronic soreness can easily develop from rear end collisions, and insurance companies have legal loop holes that can allow them to stop paying for services such as a chiropractor. I don't want to scare you, however it happens quite a bit. You may want to get advice from a chiropractor now and once you listen to their stories, you will understand how bad the worse case scenarios can get. Good luck to you!

It has already been said, but I want to reiterate GO TO THE DOCTOR. I would also call your insurance and the other parties insurance and tell them you are in pain. My wife is a chiropractor. Patients who have been in an accident can have long lasting effects that can get quite severe. Problem is that the injuries may not apppear for months later, and by then the insurance companies will not accept financial responsibilities because it cannot be proved it was from the wreck that happened a month ago. See a doctor immediately. Let it be well documented of your visits and of your pains. Best to be over cautious. Sorry to hear about your bad day.

I think it is more about the new body style than anything related to Subaru's competance slipping. Have you ever owned a car that was a first year redesign? I owned a 92 civic, first year redesign. I would see the same model all over town with the exact same exterior issues: same rust patterns, same trim breaking, plastic "shield" installed in the tire well to stop water from being forced into the electronics, etc. Just be aware that this sort of thing is going to happen, and next time you may want to think about a car that has not been redesigned in a couple of years. I bet if you check out an 07 in a year, that door handle will be manufactured differently.

I'll take it off your hands

I have a friend that had an oil warning light come on a few days after being serviced at JL. He opens the hood to find oil covering EVERYTHING! Looks down at the block and sees that the cap was not replaced. When making "ammends" (another long story) with JL, he was told that they fired the employee that worked on his auto because he was stealing oil filler caps. Uhhhh, riiiight.

When I purchased my wagon last month, the dealer handed me a small brochure type of booklet titled "Warranty Service Plan and Maintenance Schedule", or something very close to that. The maintnenance matrix is only a page or two and sandwiched in between hours of legal spaghetti concerning the warranty.

I don't believe the roofs of the 05's are built in the same manner as the 00-04 models so they can accomodate the huge sunroof (The 00-04 models have those roof "bumpers" so you can easilyslide stuff around, 05s you will be sliding your boards around on your finish). For 05s you will need to carry the load suspended above the roof, rather than on the roof. This makes the rails necessary to tie stuff down. As far as your other questions, I can't answer... yet! An additional question... what is the difference between the round and square bar set(other than shape you smart a... )? I'm imagining an issue where to carry different cages or carriers on top will require different bars. That would not be good to require your customers to purchase both styles of bars...

Wow, That place is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

I recieved a fold out from my Subaru dealership for accessories to my 05 LW. It contains things like the cargo matt, the dog fence thing, sub woofer, and so on. I would like to browse these things on the internet, however I can't find any site for that. All I can seem to find is a "performance site" that will sell me a sticker and a shift knob (is a sticker really a performance part?). I don't feel like contacting the dealer for prices and such. When googling, all I get are generic accessories that are made to fit many different manufacture's models. thanks!

It has a nice readout and it is in the right place. However it doesn't actually indicate which gear you are in when shifting from D to SS. The indicator will begin "indicating" only after you shift into SS and you manually change gear. Unfortunately at this point the red line indicator will also let you know what gear it is in. Maybe a software upgrade in the future?

Yup! Impressive handling demonstration. Unimpressive amount of care demonstrated for someone else's future automobile.

Thanks again all! I'm really glad I found this site! You all have been very helpful. Yeah, no doubt! I sat there with a moment's hesitation the first time I threw it into sport... just a blank indicator. In my brief second of confusion, both the car and myself were trying to figure out what I was doing, and before I knew it we were in second while on the interstate! DOH! About the road trip: I rented a mini van. I needed just a bit more space than the wagon has, and I want to drive the length of the trip without worrying about the break in period. Bummer too, the entire reason we bought this car is just for trips like this... this one being an overnight canoe trip! Oh well, I have plenty of more adventures in store for me and the sube.

Thanks everyone! Great advice, and I am also fortunate that I understand what this is all about now too. On an even sadder note, I'm trying to learn the ins and outs of the sports shifter... poor shifting slammed my engine into 5.5k rpm... manual also says not to go above 4k unless emergencies. Now I'm bummed that happened. Even worse thought to me is what could have happened to this car before I got ahold of it. The dealership this car comes from does this strange thing to help sell their Subees. They will get you on a gravel rode, tell you to floor it through pot holes and loose gravel, then once the speed hits 40 miles per, slam on the brakes and take your hands off of the wheel!!! Quite impressive indeed, however I don't believe that is really the proper thing to do to a $32k car with only 7.5 miles on it!!!!

I haven't had to service my only Subaru yet... but I did have a good buying experience to share. Jack Miller Subaru, Kansas City, KS. Both times I have bought a car at this location, the dealers have been bar far the less pushy and relaxed salesman I have ever dealt with. They virtually let the cars sell themselves. The offer a number of oter car lines and used cars as well. I would recommend them to anyone looking to buy a car. I will relay any positive information I get from servicing there. (the title of this thread should read something with keywords in it that a later researcher would find like "good mechanic dealership recommend")

Dang, that will really make a long trip longer. I guess I can make time to burn. I'm not quite sure I understand exactly what the break in period is doing. I have been told the engine needs to settle in at all speeds, not just the one if you are cruising on the highway. With that in mind, I feel like I also need to vary my speed while on the road, stopping and resting doesn't seem like it would quite do it for me. What a bummer... I want to simply get in my new subee and zoom on down to the river.

Hi all. Proud owner of an 05' regal blue pearl Legacy wagon. First Subaru, first new car, couldn't be happier. Glad I found this place and I hope to contribute. My first question: The manual says that during the first 1k mile break in period, "Do not drive at one constant engine or vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or slow." Exactly what is a "long time"? I am at 400 miles now. I am leaving on a road trip in 3 days that will be about 5 hours each direction. How often and by how much should I be varying my speed while on the freeway? Will normal traffic congestion be enough to varry my speed? Thanks all!