Bye, Bye 2000 Impreza RS

[George Mills]

Life is too short for idiots like this. Learn to killfile. Why is gmail sooo
like webTV in attracting odd people?

Driven a few million km with yes, a few accidents, but nothing in the last
20+ years. Extreme cold can do odd things, as traction decreases as the
tires get colder. I think TH lives in Alberta, and at recent temperatures
out west getting down past the -40 mark (F and C are the same at -40) even
winter tires get like hockey pucks. What was fine yesterday at -25 can be an
OMG! at -40. So, don't presume that Tony's son is an idiot.

BTW, a close friend learned the hard way that All Season (so-called!) tires
are NOT a safe alternative to winter tires (all other things like tread and
rating being more or less equal), the further the temp drops below freezing.
Basically, AST start losing grip a few degrees above freezing.

Jim B on PEI

 

[bigjimpack]

Depends where you're at. All seasons work just fine for the majority
of people at least in the US. I've never felt the need to get
dedicated winter tires. Snow is not very common and with AWD or 4WD I
get everywhere just fine. This was at any temp down below freezing.
The OP clearly has no clue as he test drives cars at 100MPH right
after his son crashes a car (one with AWD) under questionable
circumstances.

 

[JD]

Depends where you're at. All seasons work just fine for the majority
of people at least in the US. I've never felt the need to get
dedicated winter tires. Snow is not very common and with AWD or 4WD I
get everywhere just fine. This was at any temp down below freezing.
The OP clearly has no clue as he test drives cars at 100MPH right
after his son crashes a car (one with AWD) under questionable
circumstances.

All seasons are a cheap compromise for cheap people. There is no
circumstance under which they are better; winters are better in winter and
summers are better in summer. All seasons wear faster than summers in
summer, and don't grip nearly as well in winter as winters.

 

[bigjimpack]

I have no snow on the ground for more than a day or two a couple times
a year. Driving winter tires on the dry pavement 99% of the time is a
poor choice. Driving summer tires during the frequent summer rains
is not a wise choice either. While all seasons do nothing
exceptionally well, they do everything very well- snow, rain, dry etc
can be driven safely on the same set of tires in regions where there
are four seasons. I would rather have a quality set of all seasons
and drive in snow once or twice per winter than rely on winter tires
to handle well and provide short braking distance the rest of the
time. Summer tires lack the wet traction to handle downpours with
safety while all seasons do just fine. If you live in a place with
completely dry summers and arctic winters you are 100% right that two
sets of tires is the best choice. For most Americans who experience a
variety of weather conditions you are full of S**t.

 

[JD]

I have no snow on the ground for more than a day or two a couple times
a year. Driving winter tires on the dry pavement 99% of the time is a
poor choice. Driving summer tires during the frequent summer rains
is not a wise choice either. While all seasons do nothing
exceptionally well, they do everything very well- snow, rain, dry etc
can be driven safely on the same set of tires in regions where there
are four seasons. I would rather have a quality set of all seasons
and drive in snow once or twice per winter than rely on winter tires
to handle well and provide short braking distance the rest of the
time. Summer tires lack the wet traction to handle downpours with
safety while all seasons do just fine. If you live in a place with
completely dry summers and arctic winters you are 100% right that two
sets of tires is the best choice. For most Americans who experience a
variety of weather conditions you are full of S**t.

No. For some Americans who experience very little snow, an all-season may
be an OK choice. For someone living in the northeast or the mid-west,
you're the one full of sh*t. A good summer does just fine in wet. Some
performance summers don't. But a good touring tire or a rain tire (which
also does very well in the dry) will get you by just fine... and last twice
as long as the all-season.

All-seasons do some things OK and most things not very well.

 

[bigjimpack]

I'm in the NE and it has yet to snow more than a light coating. A
"touring" tire is just another name for allseason- it's just
marketing. As for longevity I just put Cooper CS4 "touring" tires on
my outback and they are rated for 70k miles not too bad IMO. They are
also fine in the rain, dry and the little snow we've had. I have too
many other things in my life to worry about switching tires based on
the weather forecast so for me a touring (all season) tire works just
fine and will get me safely anywhere I want to go. The OEM potenzas
were the best I;ve had on my outback but only lasted 35k miles.

 

[JD]

Touring tires are not all-seasons. All-season have an M+S rating. The CS4
may be all-season, but good luck with 70K miles if they are.

I'm in the NE and it has yet to snow more than a light coating. A
"touring" tire is just another name for allseason- it's just
marketing. As for longevity I just put Cooper CS4 "touring" tires on
my outback and they are rated for 70k miles not too bad IMO. They are
also fine in the rain, dry and the little snow we've had. I have too
many other things in my life to worry about switching tires based on
the weather forecast so for me a touring (all season) tire works just
fine and will get me safely anywhere I want to go. The OEM potenzas
were the best I;ve had on my outback but only lasted 35k miles.

 

[bigjimpack]

If they dont last I'll get some $$ back prorated. If they last a
solid 50k with good traction I'll be happy. Plus the car has 86k
miles on it and I'll buy something else hopefully in a couple years.
Most touring tires are M+S rated- goodyear, michelin, Contietc.

 

[isquat]

I have had the car less than a month, and I'm driving on the Goodyear
Eagle RSA tires it came with, which are less than ideal for our
winters (to say the least!). I intend to buy four dedicated snow
tires and rims for the car in August. So, back off on your insulting
assumptions and just ask direct questions.

May I ask insulting direct questions?
Why do you have to wait for August to get dedicated snow tires
and why did you skimp on an LSD knowing full well that you live
in a snowbelt?
Eagle RSA is a very decent 3 season tire but it's probably even
worse than Bridgestone 92 in winter.

 

[bigjimpack]

The potenza was great in the winter when new after 20-25k it sucked
i n snow. Cant speak of RS-a but the eagleGA was okay.

 

[KLS]

May I ask insulting direct questions?
Why do you have to wait for August to get dedicated snow tires
and why did you skimp on an LSD knowing full well that you live
in a snowbelt?

a. money is tight right now and we have a Subaru for the bad days, and
b. I was in a hurry to buy a car and got a good deal on this one (as I
said, money is tight).

Eagle RSA is a very decent 3 season tire but it's probably even
worse than Bridgestone 92 in winter.

True.

 

[suburboturbo]

a. money is tight right now and we have a Subaru for the bad days, and
b. I was in a hurry to buy a car and got a good deal on this one (as I
said, money is tight).


True.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Getting tired of the debate on whether all-season tires are a cop-
out. It's pretty simple. If you live along the gulf coast or in
southern california or at lower elevations elsewhere in the south, you
can get away with summer tires year-round. If you're up north, or at
higher elevations, dedicated winter tires are preferable if you can't
avoid driving when it snows (and some people can. Otherwise a good
all-season tire works well for most drivers, and most drivers don't
explore the adhesion limits of their cars. Like any other product,
some all-season tires are better than others. The Potenza RE92 is
crap. That said, I often don't follow my own advice, and ended up
using Continental Extreme Contacts, a performance rated all-season,
for 9-10 months a year, and switch over to Cooper Vikings from mid-
december through february, when we can ususally expect a couple of
storms with at least a foot of snow. Besides my joyriding in the
white stuff, my job gets busier and it's critical that I get in when
it snows. Both are great in the rain, which we get a lot of in the
Hudson Valley, and the Contis, with dual rubber compounds, perform
about as well in the summer as any all season can be expected to. My
wife's outback 3.0 still has the original Bridgestones, but will
switch over to Contis soon and probably keep them on all year. I am
thinking of moving to a wider tire with a lower aspect ratio to
maintain the same diameter. Would likely hurt snow performace but
improve dry cornering.

 

[isquat]

Getting tired of the debate on whether all-season tires are a cop-
out. It's pretty simple. If you live along the gulf coast or in
southern california or at lower elevations elsewhere in the south, you
can get away with summer tires year-round. If you're up north, or at
higher elevations, dedicated winter tires are preferable if you can't
avoid driving when it snows (and some people can. Otherwise a good
all-season tire works well for most drivers, and most drivers don't
explore the adhesion limits of their cars. Like any other product,
some all-season tires are better than others. The Potenza RE92 is
crap. That said, I often don't follow my own advice, and ended up

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don't follow. What's inconsistent about getting CEC and your advice?

using Continental Extreme Contacts, a performance rated all-season

I've heard nothing but praise for these. I'd try them but I have
no snow here.

for 9-10 months a year, and switch over to Cooper Vikings from mid-
december through february, when we can ususally expect a couple of

Are these snow tires or ice tires?
Never heard of these. How do they compare to anything else snow/ice
bound?

storms with at least a foot of snow. Besides my joyriding in the
white stuff, my job gets busier and it's critical that I get in when
it snows. Both are great in the rain, which we get a lot of in the
Hudson Valley, and the Contis, with dual rubber compounds, perform
about as well in the summer as any all season can be expected to. My
wife's outback 3.0 still has the original Bridgestones, but will
switch over to Contis soon and probably keep them on all year. I am
thinking of moving to a wider tire with a lower aspect ratio to
maintain the same diameter. Would likely hurt snow performace but
improve dry cornering.

Hmm, I wonder if the initiative for that move
comes from you or your wife ;-D

 

[JD]

What!? The RE-92 sucked in any weather; snow in particular.

The potenza was great in the winter when new after 20-25k it sucked
i n snow. Cant speak of RS-a but the eagleGA was okay.

 

[suburboturbo]

          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I don't follow. What's inconsistent about getting CEC and your advice?


I've heard nothing but praise for these. I'd try them but I have
no snow here.


Are these snow tires or ice tires?
Never heard of these. How do they compare to anything else snow/ice
bound?


Hmm, I wonder if the initiative for that move
comes from you or your wife ;-D- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I hadn't heard of the Vikings either until Consumer Reports (not my
favorite mag as automotive content goes, I prefer C & D and
Automobile) rated them among the best winter tires they tested. In
addition to their performance in the snow, they performed well in dry
cornering and wet braking, and since most of my winter winter driving
is on snow-free pavement, I was looking for something that wouldn't
give away too much handling. Wifey don't know about the tire upgrade,
and won't care much. I'm planning to take over the Outback (and sell
my 2004 WRX - ouch) so she can get an Infiniti G35x. Had one before
and has been missing it since the lease ran out. The things we do for
love. I figure eventually I'll pick up a used Miata for my sunday
morning joyrides, but the Infiniti should do for a while. But I do
need a wagon for all the stuff I drag around.

 

[osamahornifukus]

I hadn't heard of the Vikings either until Consumer Reports (not my
favorite mag as automotive content goes, I prefer C & D and
Automobile) rated them among the best winter tires they tested. In
addition to their performance in the snow, they performed well in dry
cornering and wet braking, and since most of my winter winter driving
is on snow-free pavement, I was looking for something that wouldn't
give away too much handling. Wifey don't know about the tire upgrade,
and won't care much. I'm planning to take over the Outback (and sell

I remember asking my ex what tires she bought and she
replied with: "the black ones"

my 2004 WRX - ouch) so she can get an Infiniti G35x. Had one before

Any reason you are selling the rex instead of the outback?

and has been missing it since the lease ran out. The things we do for
love. I figure eventually I'll pick up a used Miata for my sunday
morning joyrides, but the Infiniti should do for a while. But I do
need a wagon for all the stuff I drag around.

if you get an RX-8 you'd have some marginal space behind the front
seats to
haul some stuff and the trunk reportedly is larger than on bmw 3xx.
I think you can currently get RX-8 for about $24500 barebones,
but spring comes you can forget about discount pricing.
Anyhow, good luck with all your rides.

 

[suburboturbo]

I remember asking my ex what tires she bought and she
replied with: "the black ones"


Any reason you are selling the rex instead of the outback?

Not a done deal yet, but there are a few reasons. As much as I love
the WRX, I do like the Outback with the 6. It's pretty well loaded
and the leather, sunroof and extra room and ground clearance have
their appeal. One thing about the WRX that drives me crazy is the
upholstery. I've got a dog that sheds profusely and his hair gets
trapped in the waffle-weave fabric and it's a bitch to get out. Plus
he matches the tan OB interior (I know, sounds like a lame reason if
ever there was one). Also, stand to lose less on the resale value.
I guess I'm looking for a challenge; improve the handling on the
Outback, maybe add a few suspension upgrades. Was thinking of selling
both and getting a new WRX, and that's always an option down the
road. I have considered the RX-8, and would love to have one, but
need cargo capacity, roof rack and planning to add a hitch for a bike
rack and towing a rowboat trailer. The Outback with the 3.0 is a much
better choice than the WRX or RX-8 for "SUV" type work. Also, by
taking the OB can justify getting a toy, as a I said, for my sunday
morning joyrides.

if you get an RX-8 you'd have some marginal space behind the front
seats to
haul some stuff and the trunk reportedly is larger than on bmw 3xx.
I think you can currently get RX-8 for about $24500 barebones,
but spring comes you can forget about discount pricing.
Anyhow, good luck with all your rides.- Hide quoted text -

Thanks. I won't be crying if she gets another G35. Terrific car for
the open road. Weird though, that our last one reminded me more of my
1971 Pontiac Grand Prix than any other car I've ever owned. Loads of
torque, pretty luxurious for its time, and handled well for a big
car.

 

[osamahornifukus]

Not a done deal yet, but there are a few reasons. As much as I love
the WRX, I do like the Outback with the 6. It's pretty well loaded

6:
Low end grunt or better ergos due to lower noise of the engine
struggling
to push the carriage off the dead stop?

and the leather, sunroof and extra room and ground clearance have

leather: no static discharge from fabric seats of WRX or you haven't
been ever zapped? I'm still struggling to understand the leather
appeal
considering that in hot weather it seems far less comfortable than
cloth.
Any pointers would help. And yes, I rode in the cars so equipped
on few occasions. I still don't get it.

their appeal. One thing about the WRX that drives me crazy is the
upholstery. I've got a dog that sheds profusely and his hair gets
trapped in the waffle-weave fabric and it's a bitch to get out. Plus

Argh. Now I'm beginning to understand a little.
San the dog the fabric would've been okay?

he matches the tan OB interior (I know, sounds like a lame reason if

Why, it makes sense. Tan looks good too.

ever there was one). Also, stand to lose less on the resale value.

Of the WRX? You're in luck indeed. Considering the replacement
from FHI I'd imagine yours should sell rather quickly. Good timing.

I guess I'm looking for a challenge; improve the handling on the
Outback, maybe add a few suspension upgrades. Was thinking of selling
both and getting a new WRX, and that's always an option down the

Did you test drive a new one and would like to comment?

road. I have considered the RX-8, and would love to have one, but
need cargo capacity, roof rack and planning to add a hitch for a bike
rack and towing a rowboat trailer. The Outback with the 3.0 is a much
better choice than the WRX or RX-8 for "SUV" type work. Also, by
taking the OB can justify getting a toy, as a I said, for my sunday
morning joyrides.

I'd think RX-8 is a much better toy overall, but miata is lighter and
i could see an appear of a frisky little car even though
just sitting in one makes me claustrophobic.
You like the chopped roof and an imitation of a trunk too?

Thanks. I won't be crying if she gets another G35. Terrific car for
the open road. Weird though, that our last one reminded me more of my
1971 Pontiac Grand Prix than any other car I've ever owned. Loads of
torque, pretty luxurious for its time, and handled well for a big
car.

And you don't even want to even consider a slightly
better handling bmw 325/330 why ?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Not a done deal yet, but there are a few reasons. As much as I love
the WRX, I do like the Outback with the 6. It's pretty well loaded
and the leather, sunroof and extra room and ground clearance have
their appeal. One thing about the WRX that drives me crazy is the
upholstery. I've got a dog that sheds profusely and his hair gets
trapped in the waffle-weave fabric and it's a bitch to get out. Plus
he matches the tan OB interior (I know, sounds like a lame reason if
ever there was one). Also, stand to lose less on the resale value.
I guess I'm looking for a challenge; improve the handling on the
Outback, maybe add a few suspension upgrades. Was thinking of selling
both and getting a new WRX, and that's always an option down the
road. I have considered the RX-8, and would love to have one, but
need cargo capacity, roof rack and planning to add a hitch for a bike
rack and towing a rowboat trailer. The Outback with the 3.0 is a much
better choice than the WRX or RX-8 for "SUV" type work. Also, by
taking the OB can justify getting a toy, as a I said, for my sunday
morning joyrides.




Thanks. I won't be crying if she gets another G35. Terrific car for
the open road. Weird though, that our last one reminded me more of my
1971 Pontiac Grand Prix than any other car I've ever owned. Loads of
torque, pretty luxurious for its time, and handled well for a big
car.

For some performance bits for Legacy-based models, check out
www.boxer4racing.com . I bought my Stromung exhaust (for my WRX wagon)
from them. Dale Teague is a great guy. And they probably have some parts
for your Outback.

fyi

Carl