Been sort of looking to change the BMW. There's a Subaru dealer in the next town. Sort of idilly eyeing up their stock. They have a very nice Forester there, 17 plate less than a thousand miles, petrol engine (so it's a bit of a go-er)
You don't see many around these days. Whatever happened to them in the UK ?
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I think there was a point a while back when the GBP.JPY was low and they weren't interested in selling cars here for little profit and at the same time they were really caught out by not having diesels. They have always been a minority pastime here anyway.
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Watch out it may be a 2017 Reg but it is a 2016MY
2017 model in US etc has changes in fine detail of trim, more sound deadening & EYESIGHT!
2016MY does not have eyesight - only on 2016 Outback & 2017MY Levorg.
Also with a 17 Reg it can be either
1) Reg in March 17 & £520 RFL
2) Reg after 1st April £141 RFL BUT £2000 Upfront
You might want to wait for 2017 model but it will be dearer than a pre-reg car.
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>>Also with a 17 Reg it can be either
1) Reg in March 17 & £520 RFL
2) Reg after 1st April £141 RFL BUT £2000 Upfront
Nah the current XT (2013-) does around 197g/km CO2 so it s a bit less.
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I had the Forester 11 2007 model which I luved. Changed it for a 2010 2.0 petrol auto CRV earlier this year.
Still miss the Subaru TBH. CRV is nice, 'specially being an EX model, but it's no Subaru, knowlmean.
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I'm on their database and get regular emails though not seen one in years that I would give a secind glance yet alone visit a dealer.
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Subarus aren't for looking at, they are or driving. No one would give my old 2007 Forester a second look in a car park.
The beauty was in the driving of the thing, with its Boxer engine and Impreza all-wheel drive train.
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>> The beauty was in the driving of the thing, with its Boxer engine and Impreza
>> all-wheel drive train.
>>
I know they have some redeeming features though as an overall package have never appealed, they are also not ver efficient.
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Agricultural, they should all be painted John Deere green
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I agree Dog. I need to keep a low profile - only some people will "know"
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>> only some people will "know"
Knowing glances at each other's rings and some kind of a funny handshake just be sure sort of thing is it?
:-))
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They admire each other's boxers, of course.
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Well it wasn't a boxer in the end. Did a deal on a very nice motor. 305bhp 4x4 (in an estate body) 0-60 in under 5 secs. I'll let you guess...
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>> Well it wasn't a boxer in the end. Did a deal on a very nice
>> motor. 305bhp 4x4 (in an estate body) 0-60 in under 5 secs. I'll let you
>> guess...
BMW 335d xDrive M Sport Touring
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Spot on. Sept 2016 car - with all the extras it pushed 47k. Got it with 1200miles on the
clock for 32.
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That sounds like an incredibly good deal - 14-15k off a nearly-new 535d. Congratulations! I wonder if that's through brilliant haggling or not so much demand for high-end BMWs in north Wales. I know extras don't hold their value, but even without them a new 535d Touring is well over £40k.
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Don't think it's a 5 Avant. It's a 3.
Y'know, the girl's one...
Still a jolly good deal though, if you're at peace with that...
;-)
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Sorry - my mistake. Senility creeping on - or perhaps remembering that in his Pugugly days RP did have a 535d. I meant 335d all along.
But the new £43k price is for a 335d M Sport (535d not listed any more in Whay Car) - so as you say still a terrific deal.
Last edited by: Avant on Sun 18 Jun 17 at 00:25
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>> Spot on. Sept 2016 car - with all the extras it pushed 47k. Got it
>> with 1200miles on the
>> clock for 32.
Sounds good! I was looking at 330i/335i/330d/335ds before buying the M135i, if diesel I probably would have gone for a 330d for the rear drive balance (the 335d is X-Drive only) though the 335d is brilliant.
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>> Sounds good! I was looking at 330i/335i/330d/335ds before buying the M135i, if diesel I probably
>> would have gone for a 330d for the rear drive balance (the 335d is X-Drive
>> only) though the 335d is brilliant.
Rear drive balance? you wouldn't recognise the difference if it tipped you out of bed.
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I thought we weren't allowed to buy diesels anymore on this forum??
Are they not disease causing bad things that Teresa is going to wipe out?
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Who?
Oh her!
Don't worry, she won't be around for nearly long enough to affect the re-sale of RP's new car...he normally keeps them a couple of years...
;-)
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They definitely do feel different to drive, but whether one is better than the other is probably harder to say. Though, IIRC, the turning circle on the x-drive is slightly worse...
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My 320 is an Xdrive. The turning circle isn't much of an issue, fine handling car with oodles of grip and stability. Getting it tomorrow now.
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>> Getting it tomorrow now.
>>
Sounds good!
Is the 320 also a diesel?
What spec is the 335d, adaptive suspension etc?
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>> They definitely do feel different to drive, but whether one is better than the other
>> is probably harder to say. Though, IIRC, the turning circle on the x-drive is slightly
>> worse...
I was quite surprised how different, TBH. The X-Drive car has a sensation of wanting to push just a little wide when powering out of tighter corners. I had a 335d for an hour last year from the local dealer, and I noticed it on the second roundabout I encountered. I put a bit of power on accelerating out, and where the RWD car would have just tightened the line (I'm not talking tail out heroics), the X-Drive wanted to run slightly wide.
The turning circle is also considerably larger. It required a 3 point turn at the end of my close, where my RWD 320d would make it with a car parked on one side. Although I owned a Volvo S60 a few years back, and it isn't THAT bad ;-)
Fantastic car though, the 335d, and it makes sense that it's X-Drive only. I would imagine all that torque at such low revs through the rear wheels only would make it two handfuls in anything other than bone dry conditions. I only didn't buy one at the time because I couldn't make the maths work.
Last edited by: DP on Wed 28 Jun 17 at 09:56
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Had it week now. Popped out today in it (been using the bike for work)this last week) to Conwy and back (approx 56 miles) - It turns around easily enough in the yard of our house, helped by 4 way parking sensors and the reversing camera (with steering prediction if you want it) - no issue with the larger turning circle. As compared to the now departed 320, the engine is silky smooth and could be easily mistaken for a petrol engine on the move. The gear-box is far smoother and feels more seamless than the 320's (which was in my opinion pretty good). Performance on standard single carriageway is as smooth as a smooth thing link that to motor-cycle like overtaking capability (you think an overtake and it's done in a blink of an eye) and it's very impressive. Quiet in towns and excellent ride quality I have to say its near perfect. I like this kind of car, drives like a family hatch when you want it to, drives like a monster when you need it. One of the overtakes was in comfort setting and involved a smallest of throttle openings no kickdown (might not have one for all I know) - immense grip with no limits in normal driving. Happily sacrifice turning circle for that..
Last edited by: R.P. on Wed 28 Jun 17 at 19:56
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>>
>> Rear drive balance? you wouldn't recognise the difference if it tipped you out of bed.
>>
>>
I am sure I answered that to say that you can.
Has someone been deleting posts?
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Picked it up yesterday morning, will cost me an extra £34.00 on the insurance on top of the 320's premium. Brilliant sounding engine, earth moving torque, but in town is a total pussy cat. Working all afternoon so went for a late evening spin, the LED lights light up the road to almost daylight quality - but shine a little low for my taste.
1500 rpm sees 70 on the clock.
The panoramic sun-roof is a real retro joy - may get it de-badged ! :-)...
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Sounds great Rob. I, equally trivially, love my panoramic sunroof. Especially with the weather this week, it doesn't exactly turn the M6 into the Pacific coast highway, but it's so nice to see the sky and feel the air on a nice day.
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Great coincidence but I've just received photos from my CA friend who is currently driving down Highway1 to a relatives wedding at Irvine, just inland from Laguna Beach ( S of LA)
She's taken the Outback. Large pano roof, blue sea & skies, one of the rescue dogs is along for the ride and wishing I was there...
And it's raining outside!!
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>> The panoramic sun-roof is a real retro joy - may get it de-badged ! :-)...
>>
A sunroof is one thing I would like, to let the light in as much as anything.
I wouldn't de-badge a 335d personally.
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The Germans have long had design cues to enable 'those in the know' (ie. men with manhood issues) to know what is under another Teutonic bonnet by the number/position of tailpipes and the type of front grille.
Debadging is just the cherry on top of the tiny penis cake.
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It is an at least mildly interesting phenomenon. Where people will attempt to send overt or even subliminal messages to the outside world through adding or deleting car badges, personal number plates or items of trim like spoilers etc.
The irony, well, I think so anyway, is that no one actually cares what the anyone else is driving do they? To me, other traffic is just traffic, I don't care what colour it is, I'm oblivious to engine sizes, trim levels and wheel size. I do have preferences about my own vehicles, some on a practical level and indeed some more nebulous, but I can't say I'm consciously bothered what anyone else thinks about my choices.
Not that I am above admiring other vehicles if they interest or attract me, nor indeed does it prevent me from disliking some other models. But if the intention of the owner was to make me or others like/admire them more as a person, then on that level I'd contend that the plan fails miserably.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 21 Jun 17 at 19:46
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Ditto. I would never both debadging a car, either new or used. Add spoilers, pay extra for large wheels or any superfluous external adornments
OTOH I have a prat plate on retention, obtained FOC when a previous bought a rusting hulk without realising the plate was worth more than the car
And I once paid for a Bilstein suspension kit I fitted to a Mk1 GTi.
So slightly guilty I suppose
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Truth be told I feel rather guilty driving a beast. Methodist upbringing and all that. Another lengthy drive tonight reveals a few minor flaws. Memory seats not included....well you know once you've had them etc. BMW have upgraded the once excellent iDrive - added some buttons and deleted the useful "Radio" button which took you straight to the er...radio. Really useful, especially that over 30000 miles It had become second nature and intuitive. The actual interface is now far more complex with silly graphics replacing the once simple ones...:-(...
The engine sound and performance is intoxicating though.
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I assume it's still possible to program one of the eight short-cut keys to 'radio' isn't it? Not ideal, but at least a solution of sorts. What's taken the place of 'radio' on the iDrive?
Edited to add, I do find the proliferation of '///M' badges on the outside and inside of mine, which is, at the end of the day, not an M car slightly, how can I put it, tacky. Choosing the debate olyion only removes the exterior badges though; still leaves 1 on each wheel, one on each brake calliper, one on the steering wheel, one on each of the kick plates and the incredibly tacky one in the main dash cluster. Though it might be possible to code that one out? If not, debadging leaves just 12 bashes ;)
Last edited by: PeterS on Wed 21 Jun 17 at 23:48
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A "COM" button (phone) and "Map" (goes straight to a moving map as opposed to the NAV button that now goes straight to a destination input screen)
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>> Edited to add, I do find the proliferation of '///M' badges on the outside and
>> inside of mine, which is, at the end of the day, not an M car
>> slightly, how can I put it, tacky. Choosing the debate olyion only removes the exterior
>> badges though; still leaves 1 on each wheel, one on each brake calliper, one on
>> the steering wheel, one on each of the kick plates and the incredibly tacky one
>> in the main dash cluster. Though it might be possible to code that one out?
>> If not, debadging leaves just 12 bashes ;)
>>
Well you have M-Sport variants which can be a 116d M-Sport or a 335d M-Sport etc.
And you have the M prefix variants, M135i, M235i, M550i etc.
And you have the M cars, M2, M3 etc.
The 135/235 earns it's M badges IMO. Though I would be happy without the M// on the boot, just 135i would suffice.
EDIT: In fact I would be happy without the boot badging though I don't think I would consider de-badging myself.
Last edited by: Hard Cheese on Thu 22 Jun 17 at 10:15
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>> and the incredibly tacky one
>> in the main dash cluster. Though it might be possible to code that one out?
>> If not, debadging leaves just 12 bashes ;)
>>
Mine is a facelift "LCI" version though one of the last not to have the M135i (M235i) graphic in the instrument cluster as it doesn't have the "full black panel", I seriously prefer it as it is partly due to the unnecessary graphics and largely due to the far superior location of the gear position indicator.
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Memory seats are a marvellous invention. Before I had them it used to take me a week to get the seat back exactly how I like it after anyone else had driven my cars. I'm really desperately pernickety about my driving position.
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>> Memory seats are a marvellous invention.
>>
Elec adjust seats are great though have their drawbacks, they are usually a lot slower to adjust, particularly if from a short asre to a giraffe.
And often the range of movement is reduced. I.e. on the 1-Series 3dr and 5dr hatch and 2-Series 2dr coupé and convertible the elect seats don't go quite as low as the manual seats; furthermore on the 1-Series 3dr and the both 2-Series the seat fold mechanism that allows rear access also restricts the seat height adjustment, so strangely if you are tall and/or have long legs you can sit lower in a 1-Series 5dr with manual seats than any of them.
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That's a pity that. No such problems with Mercs though.
S'pose you get what you pay for sort of thing eh?
;-)
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Hahahahaha...I thought that was restricted to 316s as well. (at Lygonos)
Last edited by: R.P. on Wed 21 Jun 17 at 23:21
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Different folks different strokes eh?
What I want from a car in no particular order, is reliability, comfort, adequate to better performance and handling, reasonable fuel economy, lots of load space, nav, Bluetooth, sunroof and an auto box.
After that I'm open to anything really.
While she says she agrees with all of that, I know what she really wants me to have though, is a red, black or silver one with a BMW, Audi, or Mercedes badge.
But she is from Cheshire, so I suppose it's in the genes.
;-)
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>> While she says she agrees with all of that, I know what she really wants
>> me to have though, is a red, black or silver one with a BMW, Audi,
>> or Mercedes badge.
>>
>> But she is from Cheshire, so I suppose it's in the genes.
>>
Ha! Going back a bit a mate of mine chose a SAAB 9-5 estate as his company car, when everyone else had 5 Series or E Class. His wife went bonkers. Some time later I asked if she'd got used to the SAAB and she said "we don't talk about it". :)
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>> While she says she agrees with all of that, I know what she really wants
>> me to have though, is a red, black or silver one with a BMW, Audi,
>> or Mercedes badge.
>>
My wife does not like the colour of mine, it's her fault, she didn't want another blue one after a succession of blue cars.
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>> 1500 rpm sees 70 on the clock.
>>
Was thinking about this yesterday while cruising at about 1900rpm @ 70mph in the 135.
Re the 335d, even more impressive is 140mph @ only 3000rpm, which it could do all day, and only 3300rpm at the 155mph limiter.
Also that means the 335d is geared for 233mph @ 5000rpm in top, similarly the 135 is geared for 257mph at 7000 rpm.
That's what you call overdrive ...
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My old Civic 1.8 VTi was geared to 58mph @ 3000rpm in top (5th), which meant 140mph was about 7250rpm (peak power @7600, peak torque 6300rpm iirc)
Still did around 35mpg on a run but was a tad noisier at/past the legal limit.
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>> My old Civic 1.8 VTi was geared to 58mph @ 3000rpm in top (5th), which
>> meant 140mph was about 7250rpm (peak power @7600, peak torque 6300rpm iirc)
>>
>> Still did around 35mpg on a run but was a tad noisier at/past the legal
>> limit.
>>
That's about 19mph/1000rpm, about the same as my '83 Metro Turbo that I owned from about '85 to '89 so an 85mph cruise on the autobahns was about 4500rpm and it spent many hours quite happily cruising at that sort of speed despite being basically an early '50s A-Series with a gearbox in it's sump. It had a small tank though so needed a fill up every two to three hours and sometimes was a little reluctant to start on a hot day after filling up due to fuel vap problems.
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This one is in Alpina White. Not Mrs RP's favourite - I don't worry too much about colours. As regards the badging, this has Msport badges on the wheels (small, discrete and tasteful) one on its hatch, and on either wing. Then that's it. Nothing other than a blue strip on the dash and doors (not keen) - the display is non-specific. What is rather "obvious" are the huge disks and the blue Callipers, bit too flash for me. Goes well though ! (have I mentioned that ?) - huge amount of grunt, a very, very capable chassis - I can't help but compare it to the T5, the autobox is light years ahead and the chassis amateur in comparison to this. It has been given a "drive" on a quiet road the other night. If any car deserved the mSport moniker this has to be in the queue.
The anthracite interior is on the button - apart from the blue pinstriping - the roof lightens it up in a very pleasing way.
Last edited by: R.P. on Thu 22 Jun 17 at 21:48
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Stick a roof rack on it and you'll frighten the life out of the others !
;-)
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Hahahahaha ! My wife bought me an astronomical telescope on my birthday, let's say it was slightly bigger than expected. She's had the idea of setting up a mobile observatory
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Does it have the lame looking blue verticals on the left side of the grille?
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Back to Subaru...my brother is very serious about buying a Levorg. I'd never heard of that model.
With his limited annual mileage, he wants a petrol, auto ( the Levorg is CVT) and four wheel drive.
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>>he wants a petrol, auto ( the Levorg is CVT) and four wheel drive
Good job he wants a petrol auto 4WD.
Only 1 model of car, petrol, auto & 4WD - the choice is which colour!
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>> Good God no.
>>
Agreed, isn't it a 1.6 boxer engine?
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Will you tell him?
Methinks that a nice wafting C43 estate fulfils all those criteria. Costs considerably more, but he's not as reckless with his newly acquired legacy ( geddit) as me.
It was my second choice and even now I'm wondering if I'm making the right decision... pretty sure I am though!
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>> This one is in Alpina White. Not Mrs RP's favourite - I don't worry too
>> much about colours. As regards the badging, this has Msport badges on the wheels (small,
>> discrete and tasteful)
Do you mean discrete, or discreet?
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Discrete like where Helicopter is on Hols man?
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>>
>> >> 1500 rpm sees 70 on the clock.
>> >>
>>
>>
>> Was thinking about this yesterday while cruising at about 1900rpm @ 70mph in the 135.
>>
The manual is much lower (higher?) geared. At 60 it's doing just under 2,100rpm, so the manual 235i geared for 200 mph in top. Having access to a suitable, legal, location to test it I can confirm it's still pulling strongly at 145, and it'll also do that with the roof down without any noticeable effect on the time taken to get there. The brakes are pretty good too, though it sticking the hazards on under hard braking is annoying.
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Very subtle (or discreet even) badging. Disc Brakes are a bit of a giveaway.
robgee.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-xRwSwSP/A
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Very nice :)
The blue callipers are what irritate me most about mine. Every time I see them I'm reminded I really wanted a grey one with red seats, but I couldn't face the clash of red/blue and grey/blue ;)
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>> The blue callipers are what irritate me most about mine. Every time I see them
>> I'm reminded I really wanted a grey one with red seats, but I couldn't face
>> the clash of red/blue and grey/blue ;)
>>
I wouldn't mind if mine had normal calipers though they are quite purposeful as well as effective, and very well finished.
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>> Very nice :)
>>
>> The blue callipers are what irritate me most about mine. Every time I see them
>> I'm reminded I really wanted a grey one with red seats, but I couldn't face
>> the clash of red/blue and grey/blue ;)
>>
The painted calipers are just another thing to keep clean. I'd have been perfectly happy with unpainted ones.
I went grey with red seats which I thought was the nicest combo. The calipers are small enough that the colour clash doesn't offend :-)
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>>
>> The manual is much lower (higher?) geared.>>
Lower geared.
>>though it sticking the hazards on
>> under hard braking is annoying.
>>
Strange, Ithink that's a good idea.
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I've never triggered it on the road, but the fact it doesn't turn them off automatically was a little irritating on he airfield!
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I haven't yet. I think I may have managed once on the T5. (it was screaming at me to stop in a very Volvo sort of way) when it auto-braked..
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Subaru Forester III (from 2008) - What happened to Subarus ? - Manatee
