Getting used to Subes

[houndman]

There are some people that feel this forum is a Read Only place, but
that's Their problem. Wonder what they are like in person?

Maybe it's me, which I Know a big part is, or maybe the car, but
this07' Impreza is a challenge. I was telling a restaurant owing
friend who has had a Lot of new cars, like BMW's, Mercedes, and Jag's
and even an SVX about some of the things, like the lights turning off
and on with the emergency brake, and he was surprized. Maybe that
because of and for the daytime running lights. I used to feel I could
get used to a car in the first mile, but this 07' Impreza 5M is taking
some time. Granted I never drove an AWD, but manuals were my favs.
Once getting familiar with the shift pattern, which usualy was, where
is reverse, I was usually OK. OK, I have disabilities, and the heavier
steering is giving me a workout, with all limbs working, but I think
having to depress the clutch to the floor to start the car, and
feeling that is probably the engagement point, and I don't feel very
capable if I grind the gears, which has happened 2X in 1K mi, and I
stalled it once, and a lot was stop/start driving in a big city. With
a lot of ripples and repairs in the streets, and stiff suspension
bouncing me around, and figuring the optimum shift points, while
trying to keep the revs down till it has some miles on it, and in big
city traffic, with people maing U turns out of nowhere, like from
between cars parked in the center of the streets. It Has been a
Challenge..

Yesterday I played with the seat adjustments, and raising and
lowering it, and think I found a good position. Drove a snaking road
along a river, with stone outcropings, that come to the curb, and
tight tunnels, that I drove the Sube on before, at 3AM, so was more
familiar with it even with More traffic since it was midnigh. The
winding, very narrow construction cattle schute wasn't as stressing,
though Still uncomfortably tight.

My Latest problem is the headlights. I though my vision problems were
over or better, but I have a Hard time seeing people walking on, or
crossing high speed roads, untill I am uncomfortable close to them.
Usually something lets me see them moving, like a lighted area behind
them, or something reflects on them. Picking up which way the winding
or curvy road goes, even ones I know, is uncomfortable. I have heard
that some new cars don't have bright enough lights, and heard that the
new lights don't light like the old sealed beams,. The car was
inspected, being bought out of state, so the lights Should be aimed
right, but I have to do somthing, or I'll be driving the car well
below speed limits. Maybe my height or the height of the wagon is the
problem. Oncoming headlights don't help with seeing.

The dash mat works great keeping the sun from reflecting the dash
into the windsheild, maybe I won't need a 26' Chevy like one poster
suggested, just have to make the Sube Fit Me... Not me trying to
contort and get beat up by a new car.))

VF

 

[Dano58]

There are some people that feel this forum is a Read Only place, but
that's Their problem. Wonder what they are like in person?

Maybe it's me, which I Know a big part is, or maybe the car, but
this07' Impreza is a challenge.

Wow, VF, not even sure where to go with this....! But Subarus ARE
different than Hondas and Toyotas - if they were the same, they'd be
selling millions of 'em like those guys. They are a little more rugged
and less refined, therefore have a rougher ride. Then you add in low
profile 17" tires, and you have a good-handling, less-good-riding car.
As far as the lights are concerned, yeah, they may be mis-aimed but
the current lights are MUCH better than sealed-beams from a few years
ago. Does your car have driving lights? Maybe you need to invest in a
pair, I'm sure you can get them from Subaru so they won't look added-
on.

Dan D
'99 Impreza RS2.5 (son's)
Central NJ USA

 

[.._..]

There are some people that feel this forum is a Read Only place, but
that's Their problem. Wonder what they are like in person?

What? This is Usenet. What you are seeing (if it's a web page) is a
bastardize commercially corrupted version (yes, that includes Google
Groups). Get a real newsreader or use Outlook express to access them
directly.

Maybe it's me, which I Know a big part is, or maybe the car, but
this07' Impreza is a challenge. I was telling a restaurant owing
friend who has had a Lot of new cars, like BMW's, Mercedes, and Jag's
and even an SVX about some of the things, like the lights turning off
and on with the emergency brake, and he was surprized. Maybe that
because of and for the daytime running lights. I used to feel I could
get used to a car in the first mile, but this 07' Impreza 5M is taking
some time. Granted I never drove an AWD, but manuals were my favs.
Once getting familiar with the shift pattern, which usualy was, where
is reverse, I was usually OK. OK, I have disabilities, and the heavier
steering is giving me a workout, with all limbs working, but I think
having to depress the clutch to the floor to start the car, and
feeling that is probably the engagement point, and I don't feel very
capable if I grind the gears, which has happened 2X in 1K mi, and I
stalled it once, and a lot was stop/start driving in a big city.

If you have disabilities that make a standard hard to drive, you should be
usuing an automatic.

With

a lot of ripples and repairs in the streets, and stiff suspension
bouncing me around, and figuring the optimum shift points, while
trying to keep the revs down till it has some miles on it, and in big
city traffic, with people maing U turns out of nowhere, like from
between cars parked in the center of the streets. It Has been a
Challenge..

You sound like my grandma. How old are you? You are aware that changes
happen that need to be compensated for as we age right?

Yesterday I played with the seat adjustments, and raising and
lowering it, and think I found a good position. Drove a snaking road
along a river, with stone outcropings, that come to the curb, and
tight tunnels, that I drove the Sube on before, at 3AM, so was more
familiar with it even with More traffic since it was midnigh. The
winding, very narrow construction cattle schute wasn't as stressing,
though Still uncomfortably tight.

Scoobs are not big cars (except the SUV one). You are just a nervous
nellie.

My Latest problem is the headlights. I though my vision problems were
over or better, but I have a Hard time seeing people walking on, or
crossing high speed roads, untill I am uncomfortable close to them.
Usually something lets me see them moving, like a lighted area behind
them, or something reflects on them. Picking up which way the winding
or curvy road goes, even ones I know, is uncomfortable. I have heard
that some new cars don't have bright enough lights, and heard that the
new lights don't light like the old sealed beams,. The car was
inspected, being bought out of state, so the lights Should be aimed
right, but I have to do somthing, or I'll be driving the car well
below speed limits. Maybe my height or the height of the wagon is the
problem. Oncoming headlights don't help with seeing.

Again, this sounds like a windshield cleaning issue or a "getting old"
issue. Also, make sure you have the headlights on. The RUNNING lights on
subarus are bright, and can be confused with HEAD lights. So find the little
switch on the left and rotate it so your dash lights go dim. (If the dash
lights are bright, you don't have your lights on yet.) If your dash
lighting (speed, RPMs, etc) is really bright at night your headlights are
not on.

I drove around with just running lights three months once without realizing
it, so it's an easy thing to miss.

The dash mat works great keeping the sun from reflecting the dash
into the windsheild, maybe I won't need a 26' Chevy like one poster
suggested, just have to make the Sube Fit Me... Not me trying to
contort and get beat up by a new car.))

VF

Did you drive the fucking thing before you bought it? And read the manual,
there's other stuff in there that will be really important not to miss.

 

[Jim Stewart]

Wow, VF, not even sure where to go with this....! But Subarus ARE
different than Hondas and Toyotas - if they were the same, they'd be
selling millions of 'em like those guys. They are a little more rugged
and less refined, therefore have a rougher ride. Then you add in low
profile 17" tires, and you have a good-handling, less-good-riding car.
As far as the lights are concerned, yeah, they may be mis-aimed but
the current lights are MUCH better than sealed-beams from a few years
ago. Does your car have driving lights? Maybe you need to invest in a
pair, I'm sure you can get them from Subaru so they won't look added-
on.

I told Hound to buy a Honda....

 

[KLS]

news:(e-mail address removed)...

[lots and lots of detail about driving habits cut]

If you have disabilities that make a standard hard to drive, you should be
usuing an automatic.

I have to agree. But, being sympathetic to the need to shift the
transmission personally, I think he should buy one with the sport
shifter (Subaru sells lots of those). They're not bad; my mother has
one, and I was reasonably pleased with the experience (and my two cars
are stick shifts, but I also am not severely disabled or old enough to
have children gone from the house and a deceased spouse, as he does).
[other stuff cut that relates to an aging driver's difficulty
adjusting]

Did you drive the fucking thing before you bought it? And read the manual,
there's other stuff in there that will be really important not to miss.

He's clearly the kind of person who has to reinvent the wheel to his
satisfaction.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

There are some people that feel this forum is a Read Only place, but
that's Their problem. Wonder what they are like in person?

Maybe it's me, which I Know a big part is, or maybe the car, but
this07' Impreza is a challenge. I was telling a restaurant owing
friend who has had a Lot of new cars, like BMW's, Mercedes, and Jag's
and even an SVX about some of the things, like the lights turning off
and on with the emergency brake, and he was surprized. Maybe that
because of and for the daytime running lights. I used to feel I could
get used to a car in the first mile, but this 07' Impreza 5M is taking
some time. Granted I never drove an AWD, but manuals were my favs.
Once getting familiar with the shift pattern, which usualy was, where
is reverse, I was usually OK. OK, I have disabilities, and the heavier
steering is giving me a workout, with all limbs working, but I think
having to depress the clutch to the floor to start the car, and
feeling that is probably the engagement point, and I don't feel very
capable if I grind the gears, which has happened 2X in 1K mi, and I
stalled it once, and a lot was stop/start driving in a big city. With
a lot of ripples and repairs in the streets, and stiff suspension
bouncing me around, and figuring the optimum shift points, while
trying to keep the revs down till it has some miles on it, and in big
city traffic, with people maing U turns out of nowhere, like from
between cars parked in the center of the streets. It Has been a
Challenge..

Yesterday I played with the seat adjustments, and raising and
lowering it, and think I found a good position. Drove a snaking road
along a river, with stone outcropings, that come to the curb, and
tight tunnels, that I drove the Sube on before, at 3AM, so was more
familiar with it even with More traffic since it was midnigh. The
winding, very narrow construction cattle schute wasn't as stressing,
though Still uncomfortably tight.

My Latest problem is the headlights. I though my vision problems were
over or better, but I have a Hard time seeing people walking on, or
crossing high speed roads, untill I am uncomfortable close to them.
Usually something lets me see them moving, like a lighted area behind
them, or something reflects on them. Picking up which way the winding
or curvy road goes, even ones I know, is uncomfortable. I have heard
that some new cars don't have bright enough lights, and heard that the
new lights don't light like the old sealed beams,. The car was
inspected, being bought out of state, so the lights Should be aimed
right, but I have to do somthing, or I'll be driving the car well
below speed limits. Maybe my height or the height of the wagon is the
problem. Oncoming headlights don't help with seeing.

The dash mat works great keeping the sun from reflecting the dash
into the windsheild, maybe I won't need a 26' Chevy like one poster
suggested, just have to make the Sube Fit Me... Not me trying to
contort and get beat up by a new car.))

VF

You 2-3 options for better lighting. Sylvania Xtravison or Silverstars
(IIRC) are both a little brighter - though you WILL be changing them
more often.
http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/HighPerformance/Xtravision/
Or you could investigate Kaixen or other (there are a LOT) HID lights.
Slightly tricky to install but WELL within your comfort zone of DIY
based on other posts. Personally, the 6K Kelvin would be fine for me, I
don't need the ricer purple look! hah!

http://www.kaixenkits.com/


Carl

 

[Jakey]

Having to depress the clutch to start is a safety feature that comes on most
stick shift cars.
I had an '02 Imprezza WRX and agree the headlights were bad, especially in
snow. But many modern headlights are lousy as they squeeze the reflector
height down to achieve aerodynamics and modern styling. We have a Subaru
Forester and the headlights are great, but the height of the reflector is
large and the vehicle sits higher off the ground. We also have a current
body Chev Malibu and the headlights are lousy. I find the squat headlights
leave a dark area dead center ahead on high beam and scatter a lot of light
to the side where it glares annoyingly off of luminous road signs.
We also have an older pickup truck with sealed beams and much prefer that on
our dark country roads. The light intensity is less, but it is broadly
distributed and softer at the edges.
You can put premium bulbs in your car but that might not cure the problems
caused by poor reflector patterns.
If you are going to keep the car, you might consider having auxiliary
driving lights installed.
No offense intended, but maybe you should consider limiting your night
driving if you are getting up in years. Unfortunately it's the reality of
aging.

Jakey

 

[houndman]

Wow, VF, not even sure where to go with this....! But Subarus ARE
different than Hondas and Toyotas - if they were the same, they'd be
selling millions of 'em like those guys. They are a little more rugged
and less refined, therefore have a rougher ride. Then you add in low
profile 17" tires, and you have a good-handling, less-good-riding car.
As far as the lights are concerned, yeah, they may be mis-aimed but
the current lights are MUCH better than sealed-beams from a few years
ago. Does your car have driving lights? Maybe you need to invest in a
pair, I'm sure you can get them from Subaru so they won't look added-
on.

Dan D
'99 Impreza RS2.5 (son's)
Central NJ USA

Dan,

I know my condition probably doesn't help, but I compare the Sube to
my 86' Celebrity, for comfort and convience. Not that That is ideal,
but if I can see more, better with it, something isn't right, and I
want it to be, and it Should be, so either something isn't right with
the Sube's lights (adjustments), or maybe a pair of Sealed Beams
mounted as Driving Lights will work.))) The driving lights Aren't my
favs, with SO many people driving around with theirs on in an Oh So
Bright City. I usually call them morons when I pass, or figure they
are Legally Blind. I wonder what they do or need to on a dark road.
I'll try adjusting the lights, and hope that helps.

I'm looking for a bar/line magnifier to put on the LCD readout on the
radio, so I can See what station is on. The Subes is Too faint for me,
while I can see my Chevy's fine. I need reading glases, but not to see
other things, and don't think it is safe or convient to have to put
them on to see the radio readout. I'm not that bothered by having to
change things to Fit Me, I do it with anything that isn't right for
me, since that makes things work For Me, which is what I want.

I have a 2.5i wagon so 16" wheels/tires. I prefer the look, and
couldn't take the ride of the 17"ers, and stiffer suspension. I would
have liked the bigger brakes, since I always went for the biggest I
could get, but 10" rotors should be good enough.

Better go see if any clowns replied.))

VF

 

[David]

No offense intended, but maybe you should consider limiting your night
driving if you are getting up in years. Unfortunately it's the reality of
aging.

Jakey

Eat more carrots.

I'm 58 and my lumbar is having issues. The Forester is perfect for
me. The seat is a few inches higher off the ground, the seat is
heated and the visibility is unmatched for a compact. Those are the
running lights that come on when you release the parking break, not
the headlights. Are you manually turning on the headlights at night,
or are you trying to drive on the running lights?

 

[houndman]

You 2-3 options for better lighting. Sylvania Xtravison or Silverstars
(IIRC) are both a little brighter - though you WILL be changing them
more often.http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProducts/AutomotiveLighting/HighPerfo...
Or you could investigate Kaixen or other (there are a LOT) HID lights.
Slightly tricky to install but WELL within your comfort zone of DIY
based on other posts. Personally, the 6K Kelvin would be fine for me, I
don't need the ricer purple look! hah!

http://www.kaixenkits.com/

Carl

Guess it is hard to accept that the type of lights that bother my
eyes, and used to almost blind me, and make my eyes ache, when I was
first injured, aren't bright enough and can be outdriven at normal/
legal speeds, but I'll look into others.

The velore dash mat is working great eliminating dash to windsheild
reflections. It's a bit crude in that it sticks up or out where it
shouldn't, and the cutouts for vent holes are off a bit and not round,
but at least it gets rid of the eye fatiguing and distracting
reflections.

VF

 

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

Having to depress the clutch to start is a safety feature that comes on most
stick shift cars.

I'm pretty sure it's required by one of the various US governmental
safety agencies.

 

[Frank]

Eat more carrots.

I'm 58 and my lumbar is having issues. The Forester is perfect for
me. The seat is a few inches higher off the ground, the seat is
heated and the visibility is unmatched for a compact. Those are the
running lights that come on when you release the parking break, not
the headlights. Are you manually turning on the headlights at night,
or are you trying to drive on the running lights?

That's what I thought too. If he's having eye trouble, night is worse
time to be on road.

 

[houndman]

Eat more carrots.

I'm 58 and my lumbar is having issues. The Forester is perfect for
me. The seat is a few inches higher off the ground, the seat is
heated and the visibility is unmatched for a compact. Those are the
running lights that come on when you release the parking break, not
the headlights. Are you manually turning on the headlights at night,
or are you trying to drive on the running lights?

I wasn't turning on the headlights at night, because it looked like
they were on, and I hadn't figured out the controls, but the
headlights are just a little brighter than the daytime runners. My old
Chevy with sealed beams lights the road better. I guess that is why
many people drive around with their fog/driving lights on. They
probably can't see, but in a Brightly lit City??

VF

 

[houndman]

That's what I thought too. If he's having eye trouble, night is worse
time to be on road.

I can see better at night than in the daytime, even with my injury,
and prefer driving at night. I could always see in dim light. The
brightness of the new lights at least looking At them makes it hard,
or irritates, so would think using them would be able to see more of
the road. I have read that on some new cars, the lights weren't bright
enough. I wanted Fog lights for fog, but found a combo fog/driving
lights I'm going to get. I can have driving lights to have on All the
time like others do.((

VF

 

[Frank]

I wasn't turning on the headlights at night, because it looked like
they were on, and I hadn't figured out the controls, but the
headlights are just a little brighter than the daytime runners. My old
Chevy with sealed beams lights the road better. I guess that is why
many people drive around with their fog/driving lights on. They
probably can't see, but in a Brightly lit City??

VF

Driving in the city can fake you out. My wife was following our son to
drop off his car last night and she messed up turning off turn signal on
her Nissan and turned off lights. Area was well lit and wife did not
know lights were off until son told her. She's tending towards
cataracts and has trouble with glare. I've driven out of woods on
hunting trail at night were running lights on my Forester light up whole
area but hitting a country road, wondered why lights were so low until I
realized I had not turned them on.

I leave all lights, including fog on at night for best visibility.

Frank

 

[houndman]

Driving in the city can fake you out. My wife was following our son to
drop off his car last night and she messed up turning off turn signal on
her Nissan and turned off lights. Area was well lit and wife did not
know lights were off until son told her. She's tending towards
cataracts and has trouble with glare. I've driven out of woods on
hunting trail at night were running lights on my Forester light up whole
area but hitting a country road, wondered why lights were so low until I
realized I had not turned them on.

I leave all lights, including fog on at night for best visibility.

Frank

In the city, you have to remember to turn on your lights. Not seeing
the dash lights is the clue. The ones in my old Chevy are really
getting dim, so have to check the switch. With my Chevy, I rarely used
the sealed beam high beams. I think the Subes are aimed too low, or
the type of lights just don't light the same. Searching fog/driving
lights, I'm learning about lights.

I'm torn over doing something that may bother other drivers, even
though their lights bother me. I don't like seeing daytime lights on,
since they bother my eyes, and I have a car with them.((

VF

 

[Frank]

In the city, you have to remember to turn on your lights. Not seeing
the dash lights is the clue. The ones in my old Chevy are really
getting dim, so have to check the switch. With my Chevy, I rarely used
the sealed beam high beams. I think the Subes are aimed too low, or
the type of lights just don't light the same. Searching fog/driving
lights, I'm learning about lights.

I'm torn over doing something that may bother other drivers, even
though their lights bother me. I don't like seeing daytime lights on,
since they bother my eyes, and I have a car with them.((

VF

I never wanted a car with running lights and my '98 Forester did not
have them but that got wrecked and my '03 does. Since they are much
dimmer than headlights they are not a bother. The idiot manufacturers
that leave cars on full headlights are the bothersome ones.

Frank

 

[blz]

One thing I learned with my Subie is to dim the dash
lighting...especially turn 'em as low as possible when driving dark
unlit country roads. Amazing how much brighter the headlights are when
you don't have that glare right in your face.

YMMV, Brent.

 

[Bugalugs]

One thing I learned with my Subie is to dim the dash
lighting...especially turn 'em as low as possible when driving dark
unlit country roads. Amazing how much brighter the headlights are when
you don't have that glare right in your face.

YMMV, Brent.

Not too sure about the output of your running lights (don't have them)
but the normal low beam are usually HID (high intensity discharge?. This
type of light produces a very white light and doesn't take too kindly to
the thermal shock of frequent switching on and off. The main beam is
something like 55 W quartz halogen and are aimed further down the road.
However when seen together with the bright HID lights they appear
yellow, insipid and ineffective.

Could it be that this is your problem?

 

[Ben Carr]

I never wanted a car with running lights and my '98 Forester did not

have them but that got wrecked and my '03 does.

It's rather easy to disable the DRLs: Follow this quick howto on ScoobyMods:
http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2876