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!
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Comments (27)
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoAlisande thanked morz8 - Washington CoastRelated Discussions
Daughter's car got T-boned today, grrrrrrr update
Comments (8)Too bad a person can re-edit ones post to fix such things, or spelling and grammar errors one didn't notice before posting. Police called me last night and told me he gave the lady a $400 ticket. Someone will also have to pay the towing and an impound fee of $100 per day to get the car back. Seems the lady a record 4 pages long of driving offenses. She of coarse has no license or insurance, and the car isn't registered to her. Seems it belongs to an uncle. Sounds like she's some kind of druggie who has a habit of getting doped up then drives. None of that helps me of coarse. Just puts that lady in a deeper hole to dig out of some day if she ever chooses to try. Don't understand why we all have to put up with such people. She should have been in jail years ago imo. So, she got a ticket? She probably got dozens of them she never appeared for already, and I'm sure she'll be driving as soon as she can get her hands on another car....See MoreI guess this is Good Bye...my last update.
Comments (33)Ima! You gotta get busy, girl! Introspection is not an occupation for sad times; it'll get you bogged down every time, & that's when we make disastrous mistakes. *Obligate* yourself to do something; it's too easy to dwell on sad feelings & become immobilized if you don't "have to" do...whatever it is. When I went through a break-up many years ago, I decided to take Jazzercise. It worked great! as long as I wasn't moping when it was time for me to drive to the rec center. The only way I could make myself participate when I felt mopey (which is when we *most* need physical activity & other people) was to sign up to lead a Jazzercise class at church. I knew all those women were depending on me, & I went to every class. Please don't focus too much on your grandson's seeming lack of interest; he's very very young, & the young can move on much faster than we can. They have to, just to keep up with themselves, because they themselves are changing every day. Remember when you were a little girl & "back-to-school" shopping every September meant new dresses & shoes & a winter coat because the old ones were too little? I remember feeling sorry for my aunts & my mother because they stayed the same & never got a new dress or a new coat. Children shoot through time at warp speed, changing & adapting & getting "new clothes" as a matter of course, & we...keep climbing into the same clothes for a much longer time. & be careful that you don't talk to him because *you* need to talk. Talk to anybody else. Talk to everybody else. Talk here. Talk to the moon: a woman told me that she was broken-hearted when her adolescent son went to live with his father; she said she climbed onto the backyard trampoline the night her son left & "squalled & bawled & snotted & hollered", & nobody but the moon saw or heard her. *but* this is my free advice (& worth every penny, but I've had a bit of experience & I've been through some experiences with friends): Stay away from that man. Stay away from thoughts that you "need" that man, that he would be any answer to any problem at all, that he would be helpful in any way. Write yourself 3 lists: a list of instances in which he's responded callously to your needs, instances of how he's been a stinker, played mind games, put anybody/everybody ahead of you, treated you high-handedly, etc, & look at those pages any time you want to pick up the phone. a list of how many times & to what extent you went all-out to make his life easier or happier, & look at those pages any time you want to pick up the phone. a list of how many times & to what extent he went all-out to make your life easier or happier, & look at that blank piece of paper any time you want to pick up the phone. I once had to get the oil changed in my car on a cold evening when I was exhausted & not feeling good, & I found myself thinking, "I wish I had a husband to do this for me". & then I remembered: I had had a husband, & he *never* had the oil changed for me!...See MoreIs Rain X or Car Wax the better choice for stainless steel sinks?
Comments (25)MOST of the stainless sinks I see people getting, on these forums, are the newer "brushed" finishes, and those sinks really don't even have a shine. You'd really have to work at it to get Comet or Ajax to dull those finishes, but I suppose it could be done. I have had a smooth-finish stainless sink for many many years, and occasionally did resort to Comet for a good cleaning. I never had any dulling or scratching, ever. I switched to BKF liquid a few years ago just because it's more convenient. I just replaced my old sink with a new SS one, again, a smooth polished finish - not the brushed. I will be using the same cleaner as I have in the past. As far as water spots - jeeez. I can't believe anyone would be concerned with water spots in a sink. Oy!!...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 More
3 years ago- 3 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