Re: [Paddlewise] Transportation Input Needed

From: Shawn Baker <shawnkayak_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 09:13:09 -0800 (PST)
Melissa Reese <melissa_at_bonnyweeboaty.net> wrote:
>I drive an old (1987) Subaru GL wagon (four door), and it works very
well for me. 

My wife drives a 94 Legacy Sedan, non-AWD, non-Turbo, and it's a great
car.

>For a car, it does have very good road clearance, 

And great skid plates and gravel guards, even on the non-AWD models.

>I'm not sure about "ease of repair", as I usually take it to my
trusted local mechanic for the greasy stuff, but the basic maintenance
things like checking fluids, changing tires, etc., is easy enough.

Subaru engineers are brilliant.  The oil drain plug and oil filter are
right up front, and I don't even use a jack/jackstand for changing
oil..heck, you don't even have to lay on your back and stick your head
under the car...I can do it on my knees from in front of the front
bumper.

> My car is in good shape, and it's very reliable, 

Subarus are very well-built vehicles.  Given regular oil changes and
decent maintenance, they'll run well forever.  Given no maintenance,
they'll run like cr*p forever.

I do have a serious gripe with Subaru, though.  Their ergonomics
engineers should all be shot.  Every one of them.  Controls for radios,
wipers, cruise control, rear defrost, heaters, A/C controls, power
locks, power mirrors, and power windows have asinine ergonomics. 
Nothing is where it should be, and nothing works the way you would
expect it to.  And it seems to change from year to year, for those who
upgrade cars biannually, but stay with the same make/model.  They got
too damn creative, and for no reason.  Why is the cup holder in front
of the radio?!  Some will say, "you get used to it", but when it's my
wife's car, and not _my_ daily driver, and we're on a long trip, and
driving through Portland on 4 lanes, and it's raining about a gazillion
inches per minute, and I can't find the controls for the defrost or
rear defog, nor the radio knob to turn it off to concentrate
(thankfully the wipers operate like most Japanese rigs), it's a
legitimate gripe.

Shawn

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Received on Mon Jan 13 2003 - 09:13:23 PST

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