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New 2008 Subaru Impreza Today

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2008-06-28          154922


We finally pulled the trigger and traded our '94 Taurus SHO in on a new Subaru Impreza Outback Sport. This is a neat little car, not at all cheap and tinny like the Toyota Corolla I rented a couple of weeks ago. It is pretty well equipped, power everything (except seats), heated everything, great sound system, and very comfortable seats. The only down side is that it's automatic transmission only has 4-speeds, which is sort of behind the times, and the engine has a timing belt instead of a chain. Built in Japan and very solid.

We wanted to trade the Highlander in but the dealer was about 4k low on trade-in, using high gas prices as the excuse. Maybe he's right but I'm sure we can do a lot better selling it as a private party sale. I was happy to get rid of the Taurus, something new was breaking on it every week it seemed.

I'd post a pic but one trip up the gravel road and it's filthy already :( It doesn't do as well on the gravel road as the Highlander but we haven't found any other vehicle that does.




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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2008-06-28          154924


Just read Consumer Reports latest issue. They think quite highly of the Impreza. ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2008-08-26          156319


There is something rather odd about the Subaru's built-in alarm system. If the door is unlocked with the key and then opened the alarm goes off. That doesn't happen when the door is unlocked with the remote. So if you use the factory key to unlock the door the horn will honk until the ignition is turned on. The dealer says the only way to fix it is to disable the alarm entirely.

That seems sort of poor to me. Other than that the car has been great. Getting 25-27mpg with mixed city/hwy driving. ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2008-08-26          156329


That sounds like an engineering bug. On my CRV if you unlock the doors with the remote but don't open a door in a fixed number of seconds the doors re lock even if windows are open.

If you reach in and open the car door the alarm will sound, which is OK. ....


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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2008-08-26          156336


Subaru is working on a diesel 4 cylinder I am waiting to see. Supposed to have some good power and torque as well as fuel economy. ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2008-08-26          156339


Yeah, our Toyotas don't have the alarm problem. It does sound like an engineering bug. No biggie though.

Randy, I'm anxiously waiting for the Subaru diesel. If it comes out and lives up to expectations I'll buy one, sell my Tacoma and buy an old beater pickup for hauling stuff. ....


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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2008-08-27          156363


This stuff drives me nuts.

We got a '08 Highlander a few months ago. There is only one key hole on the outside of the car..... in the drivers door.

You cannot walk up to the rear hatch or any of the passenger doors with a key and an armload of groceries and get in the car. STUPID.

And the damn key is so thick.... roughly the width of 3-4 normal keys..... that it cannot be carried in a jeans pocket with any other keys.

I got a regular key made and soon learned that the car will not start without the "fat" key because it has a computer chip embedded in it.

If i can't carry the stupid key in my pocket without cutting off my circulation, I certainly cannot carry around the "remote control".

I think they are trying to tell us something......... ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2008-08-27          156364


I hear ya. Personally, I hate remotes. If they're optional that's one thing but when they become mandatory they're a real PIA. Especially the stupid panic button that always gets activated accidentally. I glued a piece over the button on my truck remote for that reason.

Our 05 Highlander has door locks everywhere.

The 08 Impreza has one in the drivers door and hatch but not in the passenger door. That's not a huge deal but indicative of scraping the bottom of the cost cutting barrel. But the rest of the car seems to be very good quality, certainly better than our two Toyotas. ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2011-09-06          180212


Hi Ken,

Looking at the redesigned 2012 Impreza. How are you doing with yours now after three years? Any problems?

I am looking at the hatch which you have, I was concered that the trunk might be kinda small. Did you find this workable?

Thanks!

Dennis ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2011-09-06          180215


Hi Dennis,

Our Impreza has about 45k trouble free miles on it. It has been very reliable. The only problem has been that the front rotors warped twice and were fixed under warranty. I don't know if that's a design or installation problem.

Trunk space has been surprisingly roomy, there is space and then there is usable space. This is very rectangular and flat and usable and the seats fold down for more space. But the trunk isn't exactly the size of a Lincoln Town Car LOL

Biggest complaint is the driver seating position. It seems like the right seat bolster pushes your leg to the left, away from the accelerator pedal, so there is fatigue on long trips when not using the cruise control.

Mileage isn't quite as good as other small cars due to AWD. For us it's a worthwhile tradeoff and the newer ones have made significant gains in mileage. We get around 24 city up to 29 highway. With studded snow tires the car is a billy goat in snow and about as good as it gets on ice.

We like the car and would buy again. ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2011-09-06          180217


Quote:
Originally Posted by kwschumm | view 180215
.... The only problem has been that the front rotors warped twice and were fixed under warranty. ....


The warranty is 36000 or 3 years, at what mileage did the rotors warp each time? Did they grind or replace? New pads? Ceramic? How long have you had the current set?

On my cars I can make the OEM brakes last up to 75,000 most times. Though on my 89 Honda Prelude SI they warped under warranty with a grinding fix that lasted a long time after the grinding.

You have lots of hills, dirt and rain though where you are, right ? ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2011-09-06          180218


Dennis, I know the first time they turned them but am not sure what they did the second time. The first time was around 24k miles, the second time maybe 30k and they have been fine after the second visit. Also don't know pad material, whatever is OEM.

Now that it's out of warranty I'll do the brakes myself next time and know what goes into them.

Yes, lots of downhill driving, dirt and gravel here. I descend the hill and put the tranny into lower gears but my wife just rides the brakes all the way down. That doesn't help matters at all.
....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2011-09-06          180219


Forgot to say that the brakes will probably need doing on all four corners by 55-60k miles. The Subie definitely drives in what you'd call severe service. ....


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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2011-09-06          180223


Wait till you get a price quote on a smart-key.

As for diesels, most major firms have them ready to put on the line or are selling them elsewhere. American regulators are up on electric power, down on diesels, and car buyers are luke-warm to electrics, colder to diesels. Go figure. ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2011-09-06          180225


Quote:
Originally Posted by kwschumm | view 180218
..... I descend the hill and put the tranny into lower gears but my wife just rides the brakes all the way down. That doesn't help matters at all.


I do the same thing as everythng is up and down here. I coach the wife on putting the car in second gear instead of using the brakes, she gets wrinkled when I remind her as she amost never does it :( ....


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