2005 Subaru Outback 2.5XT 5-spd Manual Review

Fresh off the lot.

I am a self-admitted car nut, more specifically, a self-admitted Subaru addict. There are only a couple things I'm addicted to and SUBARU is one of them. Despite my persuasion, I will attempt to give a somewhat objective review on the rocket I've been driving for the last year.

Given that the end of August marked my one-year relationship with my car, I thought I'd celebrate with a review.

I purchased the Subaru Outback 2.5XT at Doug Smith Autoplex in American Fork, UT. The overall experience at the dealership was positive. However, there were a few hiccups as I waited, ever so patiently, for my $500 deposit to make interest for the dealership. . .err, I mean, for my car to arrive 2 months after promised.

The car finally arrived, and I was able to commence the gruelling 1,000 mile break-in period. (I actually tried my hardest to log 1,500 miles before really romping on the engine, as I figured it could only help)

Having come from my previous machine-beast of a car (a 1995 Subaru Legacy), I was fairly content to deal with the break-in period. Not to mention that even under no or light boost, the new XT thoroughly destroyed the Legacy in all aspects of performance. (Note in the pictures thorough scuffing on the drivers side body panels. Well, as an aside, I decided to try my mad-tyte skills at rally driving. In other words, I tried to further enhance my already well developed drifting skills. Despite my best attempts, I successfully rolled the car onto its side on a very moderate bend in the gravel road in a National Forest road. I ended up using a Suburban to pull the car back onto all fours, as my cousin and I were unable to roll it back over, despite our brute upper body muscular structure. Despite rolling it onto its side, the Legacy performed like a champ right after and gave an additional 30,000 no headache miles. The car was eventually traded in earlier this year with over 165,000 miles on it.)


In quick measure I broke in the new Outback and began to put it through its paces. When I used to have a job, I would commute through a mountain pass that allowed me to really put the Outback through its paces. Where the Legacy puttered out in 4th gear at 6,000 rpm, the Outback tore up, without even downshifting from 5th gear. This car was amazing!! It would pull on a 4-5% grade at 120 mph, no problem. The turbo really shines in the altitude with this car. The vehicle seems to have gobs of power throughout most of the power curve, and when driving within reason of the speed limit. The engine runs extremely smooth and quietly. At a stand still, the engine is so quiet that, if you listen carefully, you can hear the nicely tuned grumble of the dual-exhaust tips in the rear.

The overall fit and finish of the vehicle is very impressive. Subaru did an excellent job at stepping up the interior aesthetics of the dash design. The dash feels like one coherent whole, as opposed to the choppy feel of the previous generation. One drawback, however, is the integration of the audio system. This integration prevents simple aftermarket upgrades. In addition, the stereo system does not have mp3 capability, or digital input capability (such as plugging in an iPod). The stock stereo system has more-than-acceptable sound, and the 6 disc in dash feature is a plus for long road trips.

Earlier this year, I went down to Moab for a week of decompression. During this trip I slept in the rear part of the car. With the rear seats folded down, there was sufficient room for my 5' 10" frame to cuddle up with my sleeping bag. Given the miles of off-road trails and roads in Moab, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try out my 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The car handled nicely off-road, but the tires are definitely designed for the road.

I'm sure the automatic would be a little nicer for starting out on steep terrain. But, with my manual 5 speed combined with the gearing, I had to rev the engine to get the car moving uphill after a stop. This revving resulted in a pungent stench coming from the engine (this smell seems to be exclusively shared with all Subarus for at least the last decade). The gearing could probably be changed to help with offroad performance; but, then you'd have to say good-bye to the turbo performance that makes this car so fun to drive. However, the AWD (All Wheel Drive) works flawlessly and transparently. Perhaps the best AWD on the market, definitely the best AWD in this price range.

Many will say that this car wasn't made for offroading anyways. Well, you may be right, but why then did Subaru tempt me with 8.7 inches of ground clearance? I may never know, but I like the combination of the turbo and the ground clearance, so I'm not complaining. If I didn't I would have purchased the Legacy GT.

I love this car in crappy weather. The 4 stage heated seats are wonderful for the cold women in my life, and the heated windshield and wipers work perfectly. The rubber floormats do a great job keeping the carpet clean and keeping any fluids contained within the mat. They don't look the best, but they work wonders.

Given my active outdoor lifestyle, this car is a perfect blend of sport, off-road prowess, power, and pure driving enjoyment. The ride inside is quiet and solid. I've added Yakima Destination Hardware to the roof to transport all my toys. Nothing beats two or three bikes on top of a Subaru, and a bunch of camping gear in the cargo area. All you crunchies out there know exactly what I mean. OK, maybe a Volkswagen Westfalia beats it, but that's about it.

Overall, I absolutely love this car. It is a blast to drive and most people appreciate it, especially after they ride around in it and experience it. I'm pretty anti-SUV in most instances -- Who really needs to get 14 mpg to buy groceries, go to work, and take the kids to soccer? With the Outback, I get better ground clearance than many SUVs, better gas mileage than most, and performance that competes with the Porsche Cayenne.

I'm definitely not complaining. (OK, I am complaining about the premium gas and I would like a little better gas mileage)

A beautiful sight, 4 Subarus in a row. (Spotted at REI, duh!!)

Vehicle:

Subaru 2.5XT 5 spd AWD
2.5 Liter Turbocharged
250 HP, 250 ft-lbs Torque

Cloth interior, Auto-Dimming Mirror w/ compass & Homelink, rear cargo nets, rubber floor mats

Current Miles 18,356 miles and counting

Mileage
EPA 19/25 city/hwy
Actual 20/22.6 city/hwy

Warranty Issues:
-Driver's Side door pull rubber texturing flaked off (fixed under warranty)
-Slight engine hesitation under moving acceleration(hesitation appears to have disappeared, maybe I've just gotten used to it)

Gas Prices

Here is probably the closest thing we will get to being able to buy fuel online: Gas Buddy

But, the real kicker comes from the following telephone number: 732-829-1249

This guy is outta control. But, thanks to him, you will always know where the cheapest gas is located.

Thanks to The Jewish Blogmeister for the information.

Extend your Wi-Fi by building a better antenna

OK, so my computer is tied in to our Wi-Fi network that never fails to piss me off!! The router is very spotty, even though I'm less than 40 feet from it, my signal says it is low. Given this less-than-optimal situation, I was very pleased when I came across this article in Popular Science Magazine. Basically, with some tape, cardboard, and aluminum foil, you can boost your Wi-Fi network/router to perform, in my experience, significantly better. I mean, we're talking going from a Low signal strength to an Excellent signal strength. So, in a quick 20 minutes, a bunch of gidiness from the increase in performance, and a blog later, I'm now enjoying speeds closer to what I've been paying my service provider to give me.

I've attached pictures for your viewing, and idiot-proof pleasure.

The tools needed. You will need a piece of cardboard, scissors sufficient for cutting, Aluminum Foil, Tape, and the cut-out template. You can get the cut-out template HERE.

I first placed the template over the cardboard. With scissors, I perforated the cardboard on through each 'X' on the template.

Here is the perforated half-circle section.

Here is the culprit, a Belkin wireless router (I don't remember the model). It is critical, as the article states, to have the hole for the antenna, or the focal point, in the proper location. Otherwise, the signal won't be boosted as effectively. So, test fit the "focal hole" over the antenna to ensure it will fit properly.

Here is the taped foil over the cardboard (backside is pictured). Ensure that the foil is as flat against the cardboard as possible.

Here is the final product, mounted on the router. You will probably have to mess with the booster and aim it properly. But, once completed, you should notice significant improvement in performance.

French Fry Holder

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!!

French Fry Cup Holder

If this invention wasn't inspired by our Fast Food Nation, what is?!?

LOTOJA Classic Bike Race

Claiming to be the longest 1 day USCF sanctioned road race in the U.S., the LOTOJA Classic got off on a great start on Sept. 10, 2005. However, not long after the race began, the storm clouds rolled in and the rain and snow began to fall. Since I didn't get to race this year in LOTOJA, my brother and I went and volunteered with the race. For those unfamiliar, the LOTOJA Classic is a race that begins in Logan, UT, and ends in Jackson Hole, WY. In the process of the race course, the racers ride in three states: Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming.

For the last 4 or so races, the course actually ended in Swan Valley, ID, and never made it into Wyoming. This was due to road construction in the Snake River Canyon going up to Jackson. As such, the race was roughly 184 miles long on those years.

This year, the road construction was completed in time for the race course to end in Jackson, effectively increasing the total distance to 204 miles long. That's right, 204 miles in one day, on a bike. This year, the snow pelted the ill-prepared riders. So much so, that they ended up bussing approximately 4 buss loads of riders down Strawberry Canyon. Many riders began experiencing the early stages of hypothermia. Though 1,000 riders registered to race, approximately 700 actually showed up to race (presumably because of the weather forecasts). At nightfall, approximately only 360 riders had crossed the finish line.

This year, given the conditions and elements, the race tested the true ability of the riders. But, had the riders been more prepared, hypothermia wouldn't have been as much an issue. Even this Performance Gore Windstopper Shellwould have done wonders in keeping the riders warm.

New Blackberry 8700 "Electron"

Folks, it is coming, real soon. Due out sometime in Oct/Nov, based on what others are saying. The new Blackberry 8700, or "Electron". Based on the info I've gathered, it has:

• Speakerphone
• Bluetooth
• Full Keyboard
• Polyphonic Ringtones
• EDGE highspeed wireless access
• GPS capable
• IM built in
• Faster processor, including 64 MB of RAM

Possible Drawbacks, however, include:

• No Camera
• No WiFi
• Lacks VOIP capability

Check out The Unofficial Blackberry Blog for more info. This thing should be pretty awesome in functionality. The only problem/question I have, is that it will only continue to blur the workplace and with your personal life further. It is only a matter time before technology will require that employees always be available. That time will suck!!

Why people hate fat Americans

Here is a very interesting article regarding consumption, obesity, America, and some of the issues we face. I think it is important to note that we, as Americans, are all Fat and Obese in our own right. It may not be in the proverbial spare-tire waist that is so common throughout our country, but it may be in our consumption, attitudes, lifestyles, vehicles (read SUVs), clothing, enetertainment, etc. From the article, it states:

"According to the latest Pew Global Attitudes survey, a comprehensive opinion poll of public attitudes in America and 16 other countries, the USA is routinely seen as greedy by Western publics. For example, 67 per cent of the Dutch, 64 per cent of Britons and 62 per cent of Canadians see Americans as greedy. Perhaps most striking of all, 70 per cent of Americans see their fellow compatriots as greedy (10)."

This survey result is striking, yet understandable. I've travelled throughout Europe and Asia, and I've been in discussion with folks about our consumption. Our consumption is synonymous with greed in a lot of the world. And, I can't necessarily dispute that assertion. It is true, we, as a society, have become very greedy. We consume like there's no tomorrow. The amount of waste a given individual produces in a year in the U.S. is phenomenal. I don't know the exact numbers, but I recall articles I've read that cited the tonnage consumed per person, and it is high. However, I have to agree strongly with the article that consumption truly is the mark of a better standard of living, not worse. As such, as the article says, all should "aim to be fat Americans".

But, it is still critical that we ask ourselves if all our consumption is necessary. Can we curb it? Should we curb it? Is there an argument that an increase in consumption isn't necessarily bad; however, that increase needs to be in moderation. Excess consumption is not appropriate, regardless of our standard of living, and how Fat or Phat we try to live.

In reference to the issue of world hunger cited in the article (namely 815 million of the world populous received insufficient nutrition in 2002), I think the greater issue is not the ability to produce enough food to solve world hunger. World hunger will be solved, not by the developed world producing food and shipping it over (as there is an inherent flaw with this theory), but in growing the food in the respective countries, and teaching the local people proper farming techniques. The inherent flaw with shipping food over from the developed to the undeveloped world is the lack of infrastructure. The undeveloped third-world countries simply do not have the necessary infrastructure in place to distribute the food and get it to the people who need it most. And, until a better infrastructure is put in place, the problem will persist. When governments are corrupt, and guerillas intercept food supplies, and the roads simply suck, and there aren't sufficient vehicles to transport the food, and the heat spoils the food, and there is no orderly distribution network, how can we ever expect to solve the problem by growing more food in the developed world!? It doesn't make sense.

However, teaching proper farming techniques, and then empowering the farmers to implement the techniques, will have a lot more powerful effect on solving the problem of hunger. In addition, and I know this is a sore spot for many, GMOs promise a level of solution yet to be realized. Today, crops can be modified to be more resilient, stronger, more productive, in a shorter time through genetic modification and manipulation. But, the caveat with GMOs is the increased price of the seed. In these third world countries, farmers simply don't make the proper margins to be able to afford GMOs.

So, once again, the wheel continues to spin without moving forward or back.

The Article

New iPod Nano

Apple has done it once again. They've introduced their new iPod Nano. Much cooler than the shuffle. Frankly, I think the shuffle is kind of a joke in many ways. It leverages the iPod brand name, but that's about all
it does. It really is no different than any other flash player out there.

Now the iPod Nano, on the other hand, is saweet!!

Available in 2GB and 4GB models. They will retail for $250 & $200 respectively. It incorporates the wonderful click wheel on the larger iPods. In addition, it has a color screen allowing for viewing of photos, or the current music album you are listening to.

Apple owns the mp3 player market with 53% of the market, and with the new Nano, they'll probably hold on to that lead.



Pics courtesy of: Apple and Cnet

Age Expectancy

I'm supposed to live to the age of 87.9 years old. WooHoo!!!

Check out this site by Aging Research

They have a quiz you can take that will then calculate your life expectancy based on current habits, trends, gender, ancestry, etc.

Hopefully this quiz will motivate many to take better care of themselves.

Katrina Blog, from Downtown New Orleans

Here's a blog by the CEO of DirectNIC.com who's offices are located in downtown New Orleans. They have a myriad of photos and an ongoing blog about the progress, developments, etc. in the massive cleanup after Katrina.

Here are the photos
Here's a link to the Blog

Future Retail Business Opportunities

I was visiting with a friend the other night, and we were discussing the developments in the retail space and the ramifications of ecommerce on more traditional brick-and-mortar. Now, we all know that the internet craze of the late 90s was a little left-of-center when everyone was forecasting the doom of brick-and-mortar. However, I think there will continue to be some level of doom for the traditional brick-and-mortar as we know it today.

Think about it, I'm in my mid-20s, and I make over 50% of all my consumer purchases online. Why? Because it is faster, more convenient, 95% of the time cheaper, and I don't have to pay for gas (see my rants below on gas prices). But, even more important with my purchases, I many times still physically experience the product before making a purchase. In other words, many times I'll visit traditional brick-and-mortar retail locations to learn more about the product, handle it, and look it over. Then, I go home, on the net, and find the lowest price and make a purchase.

Come on, this behavior is nothing new. Almost everyone I know does similar things with their purchases. Many brick-and-mortar mom-and-pop shops complain of this kind of behavior. But, in my mind, this behavior presents a business opportunity. Consumers will always want to physically interact on some level with the product before making a purchase. So, if many brick-and-mortars are going to struggle because of increasing purchases online. Then, where and what is the way to allow consumers an opportunity to touch, feel, taste, smell etc. the product before making the purchase.

How can you blend the benefits of the brick-and-mortar, with the convenience and price of ecommerce. Perhaps offering a line of credit to customers, allowing them to "demo" a product for a period of time before choosing to buy it or return it? I can see it now, an ecommerce retail site offering their customers the opportunity to order, receive, and experience the product in person before having to decide whether or not if they want to purchase it. If, after a set time, say 15 days, the customer doesn't return the product, the ecommerce site automatically bills their line of credit. Otherwise, the customer returns the product. Or, even better, the customer then ships the product to another customer, who has requested the same product and wants to "experience" it before making a purchasing decision. Thus, creating a community where customers "share" with eachother.

Customizable, community-driven, customer experiences. Just think!!

Customer Made is huge!!

GM still not seeing the light & Gas Prices

GM still doesn't seem to quite get it. They have now successfully introduced a vehicle, the HHR a successfully whopping 4 years after its competition was introduced, the PT Cruiser by the in-its-own-right infamous DaimlerChrysler. In fact, I've read that the development & design of the HHR was actually headed up by the same guy that headed up the PT Cruiser. At any rate, welcome to the table, GM, 2.5+ years after the hot demand for the PT Cruiser has tapered off.

To add further hurt to the whole situation, GM is now readying the launch/introduction/further downward spiral/self-suicide of their redesigned, next-gen gas-hogs, their SUVs. And, Katrina definitely doesn't help the situation given the incredible jump in fuel prices. GMs own research suggests that "gasoline prices must rise to $2.50 to $3 a gallon for a sustained period to change vehicle-buying decisions" (source). Well, GM, welcome to Katrina, a dip in oil supply, and an ever-increasingly-consumption-driven US consumer who demands more and more, at lower and lower prices. I'm sorry, but SUV sales simply won't be where they were before given the economic conditions we are in. Seriously, average gas prices have been well over $2.50 for over half a year now. GM's nonluxury SUV sales are off 27.2%. That's over 1/4 of their total sales!! Let's do the math, full-size truck sales has grown 16.7% over the last 6 years. Naturally, GM's revenues and profits from that segment have increased in-line with the growth. However, in less than one year, their sales in the same segment is now off 27.2%.

OK, come again. It took 6 years for the segment to grow less than 17%, yet, in less than a year, GM's sales are now off by 27.2%. What it took 6 years to grow, in less than a year GM has dropped by 150% off the respective growth.

GM (and Ford) wake up!! The SUV craze appears to be finally dwindling. Consumers are now regaining their brains, and buying vehicles that actually make sense.

Don't get me wrong, I like many aspects of SUVs. But, it's only a matter of time before American consumers realize they don't need to experience 13mpg to go pick up their obesity-rich McDonalds Value Meal (supersized, nonetheless).

I found this AD in a magazine rather funny. Hope you like.  

C'est Moi 

BzzAgent Research

I don't know if you are familiar with BzzAgent, but it's a slick WOMM (Word Of Mouth Marketing) firm that has legions of evangelists who go around proselyting for various products in a "marketing campaign". The firm leverages the power of word of mouth through their evangelists, and, as such, are able to help companies introduce or push products in a more unique, personal way. After all, you are more likely to receive product advice from a friend to influence your purchasing behavior than you are a magazine or TV ad. Well, for you technical folk out there, here is a link to a white page, research done by Dr. Walter Carl of Northeastern University.

Link to the White Paper THE VALUE OF MANAGED WORD-OF-MOUTH PROGRAMS

Katrina

There is some intense damage happening from Katrina. Check out this pic from TextAmerica.

Dad's Birthday

Today is my dad's birthday. I just wanted the world to know that he's the coolest dad in the world. He is an incredible example to me and I really look up to him in so many ways.

Climbing Kings Peak in Utah

So, I just returned from a weekend trip climbing Kings Peak in Utah. Kings Peak is the tallest peak in Utah, sitting at a phenomenal 13,528 feet. Yeah, I know, I'm hardcore. Actually, the climb is pretty straightforward, and not overly difficult. Other than being in decent physical shape, there really aren't any other requirements to climb this mountain. The round trip is anywhere from the low 20s to about 29 miles, depending on which route is chosen.

While hiking out to Dollar Lake, my brother spranged his ankle. So, the following day, when we hiked out to ascend Kings Peak, we decided to climb up the shortest route, or Anderson Chute. Anderson Chute takes you up to the saddle that then leads up to the Peak. It took us approximately one hour to ascend the Chute. The chute is the most technical of the three options for getting to the saddle. However, after having done botht he trail and the chute, let me tell you, always do the chute. The trail simply takes too long. We finally summitted the peak, only to find storm clouds overhead and quite a bit static. We were shocking eachother, the rocks, and our hair was buzzing. Needless to say, we got off the summit ASAP. The weather was very sporadic. It was quickly alternating between sun, rain, and snow. But, sure enough, once we got off the peak, and started hiking the trail back, and the sun came out to bake us all the way back to camp. Once we arrived at camp, however, it started to pour rain. The trail back, which loops around the backside of the mountain simply takes phenomenally too long. I strongly recommend both ascending and descending through Anderson's chute. Considering my brother had a spranged ankle, he commented that he would have been able to descend the chute.

The image is taken from Summitpost.org. This image is taken of in the valley where dollar lake is. The trailhead is north of this area and you hike south into the valley. In the image, you can see Andersons Chute on the left, right below the peak furthest left. The peak furthest left is Kings Peak.

It's a sweet climb, and I highly recommend it.

The World

Check this out. A land development company in UAE is master planning/developing a set of 300 islands in the shape of "The World ". These islands will consist of various resorts, hotels, fauna, villages, homes, etc. Hurry up, and you too can be an investor in this unique development. I've never been to UAE, but, from a friend, the sand there is incredible. I wouldn't mind my own unique island retreat on The World.

What money can buy. . .

Postsecret Blog

Well, I've been away from my blog for a little while. Sorry? That is, if anyone even reads it at this point. (all indicators point to "no") At any rate, I found this incredible website of mortal people experiencing mortal life realizing mortal issues, and yet being so human in their expression. Essentially, it is a blog where people mail in secrets they have never told a soul. For many, it is a release from the secret as soon as they share it. While for others, it appears to be an ever darkening fall into their depression, addiction, disorder, etc.

Check it out: Postsecret Blog