Update: My car choice (at last!)
At the end of April I asked, "Northerners, what's your favorite SUV?" I got some flack for limiting my question to northerners (I didn't mean to limit it), but I also got lots of the input I was hoping for. What followed was months of research (some might call it obsessing). I read pro reviews and consumer reviews. I lurked on Reddit--a very useful spot to hang out if you have a question about a car model, as it's almost certain someone has asked it before. And in June my daughter and I visited a Subaru dealership and test drove a couple of Outbacks.
Both of the test drives were in pre-owned certified vehicles because that's what I was looking for. The first looked like my 2011 Outback, a problem I mentioned in my April post. The second was the Wilderness model, and it looked quite different. We liked the look, with the black cladding and black wheels, and it was fun to drive. It had the turbo I wanted, but not the heated steering wheel nor the high-end Harman Kardon sound system. It had only 900 or so miles on it, which is probably why it cost more than I wanted to pay.
The salesman was one of those blessedly patient, no-pressure guys. He kept in touch with me, but never pushed. At one point he said I might like the Outback Onyx Edition. It was rugged, but not over-the-top rugged like the Wilderness, which is designed for serious off-roading. I checked out some Onyx models online, but none had the three things I wanted--that is, until the 2024 model came out, sporting turbo, a heated steering wheel, and the Harman Kardon stereo. I had no intention of buying a brand new car, but hey, I had to look, right?
It drives like a dream. Sooo responsive! It has everything I wanted, and things I didn't know I wanted--including some I haven't figured out yet. I have much to learn! I installed protective floor mats today, glad to have that job done. Some Subaru fans call the black & white Onyx "the Stormtrooper," after the characters in "Star Wars." I love the look. It's starting to get dirty already, thanks to my dirt road, but I think I'll be inspired to get it washed often.
Anyway, my update was a long time coming, but here it is. Thanks for letting me share!
h
Comments (27)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoAlisande thanked morz8 - Washington CoastRelated Discussions
My neighbor hit my car. Suggestions?
Comments (13)Sorry I see things different than you but then I was only going by several post you wrote. I don't doubt you run in to racism, in fact I see racism happening too damn often. I just found it sad that you seem to blame any negitive (or what you perceive as negitive)action toward you on someone being racist. The Apt living forum is full of posts complaining about rude and nasty neighbors. When you live in Apts you have a good chance of sharing your living space with creeps,idiots or some form of low lifes.These type of people bother everyone around them. You seem to think you are picked out because of your race first and always. I am not saying it hasn't happened, I am sure it has. After reading so many of your posts screaming racism I started seeing a pattern. Then when you wrote in asking if you had made a big mistake bringing up that your husband traveled to Cuba often. You made it sound as if saying such a thing was a big NO NO, living here? As if the average person in the US would have a problem with that? I can tell you that the average American could care less where you or your family travels.You seem to be first to seperate yourself as being different with anyone you come in contact with and if things don't go smoothly your first reaction is to blame "race" Your race, their race. People have run in's with weirdo's everyday as they go through life and race has nothing to do with it. Believe me you don't have to be of another race to be treated wrong by others. I apologize if you felt I was being insenitve or doubting your negitive experiences with racism. I didn't mean to do that. I was trying to show you that you come off as a person who blames every situation that doesn't go your way on racism. To me you seem a bit racist yourself. Could that be true? Assumming your new landlord was going to treat you poorly because your husband travels to Cuba was a racist thing for you to think. You were the one being racist in this situation. Maybe not knowingly but you were. I am assume this woman was not the same race as you, right? Now would you have made such an accusation about her if she was the same race as you? I bet even if she was born and raised here in the US but your same race, you would have never worried about such a thing.Everybody has it in them to be racist and I believe everyone has been and everyone will be again sometime down the line. This why WE ALL need to work how we see the world and how we treat others. The only person we have control over is ourself.We all have the choice to reject or allow others hate to become instilled in our own hearts. I am sure it is much more easy for me to remember this than others because I am sure I don't have to deal with racism as much as many people. No matter how Easy or difficult one has , it is equally as important for all to remember. Peace...See MoreFree at last! (Update from My 18 year old SS is ruining my....)
Comments (1)Stepup: The normal human tendency is to blame someone else for our misfortune. If it is not about the rain, then it is about the sun. I am sure I have been there before, perhaps you have too. Enlightment and the path to happiness are when we realize that we can only control what we have control and let go of what we don't. Your SS is trying to set you up in triangulation between his father, you and him. The best is to avoid that situation. Just let your H deal with his own son in terms of discipline and such. But destruction of your property should not be tolerated and dealt w by the police. I hope your SS will only be invited back for a thanksgiving meal or christmad but that is about it. He should not be welcomed back to live....See MoreJuly 14 Car Accident Update...and Fun Facts
Comments (25)Sorry, I failed to see that this kind of black box is different from something insurance companies once touted to record your safe driving and 'help you save on premiums'. (Hahahaha!) We'll skip the stress of small claims court, and Travelers has no motive for budging. They might have if we'd had Collision coverage and State Farm arguing for us. The nicest thing I can believe about the other driver is that he just didn't feel or hear the collision when he backed up. It's unlikely, but 'possible'. We can afford to pay for this, but my belief in people 'doing the right thing' has taken a hit. This little fender bender pales to nothing in the news of a horrible accident last week where a young woman driving 'wrong way' crashed head-on into another vehicle, killing herself and five of six family members -- wife/mother and four children -- leaving the husband/father in critical condition. The family was enroute to a vacation in Minnesota. Thank you all for your helpful comments...and commiseration....See MoreCar wreck update/vent
Comments (27)Feeling some pressure over your problems, amylou. I was in a collision, turning left over nearby lanes, that caused irreparable damage to my car, none to me, and major, probably irreparable, to a van newer than mine with minimal personal hurt to the - two years ago next week. Haven't replaced my car, as I expect to lose my driver's licence. Had you chosen to go into the lane populated by various oncoming vehicles ... ... there'd be replacement of your vehicle, rather than merely some repairs. There'd likely be hospital and medical costs related to you ... and probably compensation related to ongoing, possibly lifelong impairment for you. Or, if you might not have survived, compensaation to your loved ones. Plus dealing with suits by people who'd hit you, and quite likely others who had hit them as a result. How'd they like that possible scenario? I hope you can achieve a reasonably appropriate settlement, fairly soon and without a lot of complications. ole joyful...See More
2 years ago- 2 years ago
Thanks so much, everyone! I'm definitely having fun with it.
Fun2BHere, I'll be happy to report back. Maybe you could remind me? Not that I ever forget anything (!), but if we both try, it'll improve our odds of success. lol
Patriciae, the heated steering wheel warms my hands. That's the short answer. The longer version is that I have Raynaud's Syndrome, which affects the circulation in my hands and feet. Driving in winter has been a challenge. I mostly use electronic hand warmers and a lap throw, switching hands often until the car warms up, but that's hardly ideal. I can't very well ignore the cold, because I could end up with sores on my fingers similar to frostbite, or worse. Even in a relatively mild winter several nails on my right hand will grow in deformed from damage to the area around the first knuckle.
So you can see why a heated steering wheel was on my "must have" list. But it's enjoyed by many people without a medical condition--including several who posted on this thread. And my doctor mentioned to me this week that he turned his heated steering wheel on twice already.
Rob333, I'm hearing conflicting predictions about the coming winter. The Farmer's Almanac is calling for severe cold, while the National Weather Service says it'll be quite mild. My theory is that no one knows. lol
Bpath, you're wise to look into all your options. I'll be interested to hear what you choose.
Lily, my new car has heated seats galore (rear as well as front), but it's the first one I've owned that doesn't have leather (except for my 1992 Caprice, which is in a class by itself lol). I don't know how to describe the upholstery material, but I'll post a photo below. It's not fabric, and it doesn't look like fake leather. Because the Onyx model is designed to handle rough roads, the upholstery is said to be rugged and easy to clean. We shall see. For now, I can say it's comfortable, and I like the way it looks. Subaru offers leather on many other models,
Whistle_b, Subaru sometimes mentions in its ads that it supports animal shelters and rescues, and I'm glad to know they practice this in real life.
Ally De, I'm so glad you survived that wreck. It must have been an awful experience. Before I bought my previous Outback I had Jeeps and a top-of-the-line Toyota 4Runner. I felt safer in the Subaru than in any of the others. No wrecks in the 4x4s, than heavens, but plenty of unpleasant slips and slides, nearly missing a tree in a couple of cases. The 4Runner had an alarm system to let me know I was skidding (gee, thanks), but that only made things worse.
Maire_Cate, I park it in a carport that's attached to the ice house. It has the stone ice house wall on one side, and a shorter stone wall on the other. The car interior is two shades of grey. I tried to describe the material in this post, but I didn't do very well. I just took this pic of the driver's seat. The angle of my phone distorts the image a bit, but I wanted to show you the stitching. A friend who saw the car recently said she didn't like the lime green. Good thing it's not her car. lol It's all a matter of individual taste. I'm not fond of mint green, but I like the lime.
dedtired