mountainwalker

The Costco where I was going to meet the seller of our Outback may not have the BF Goodrich Touring T/A in the Outback size in time for when we meet, but might. Right now I'm trying to decide between: -BFG Touring T/A (at Costco at $96 now with $60 discount on set of 4) -BFG Traction T/A (at Costco at $106 now with $60 discount on set of 4) -Michellin Primacy MX4 (at Costco now $149 with $60 discount on set of 4) -Michellin Exalto A/S (haven't heard anything about them from anyone I know; rated very highly on Tirerack, but suspicious of their ratings/research). Can anyone comment on the noise level of the Traction T/A versus the Touring and the Michellins, and on how long lasting they all are? Anyone try the Michellin Exalto? Couldn't find them on Tirerack in the Outback size for some reason. I'd like a tire that isn't too soft and handles well, very good traction in dry and wet, asphalt and concrete, good general winter performance (I don't expect snow tire performance) and not too noisy. Some noise is OK. If you can't tell, I'm crazy particular about tires every since an incident I had in college just after I purchased a used Volvo 240. The tires appeared to have plenty of life - yet in a first rainstorm, going around a curve on the side of a mountain at only about 25mph with one lane in each direction, not making any sudden movements on the wheel, the car fishtailed 180 degrees - I was very lucky I was able to keep the car on the inside of the road against the mountain, and suffered not a scratch, though got a massive adrenalin infusion). I suspect it was oil that leaks down the side of the mountain from the town above that made that stretch extra slick. However, lesson learned. I went out and got one of the best Michellin traction tires and never had a similar problem again. The entire handling of the car changed with those tires.

I didn't think I needed chains, but a bunch of posters in my tire thread said I should be using Les Schwab chains when necessary in winter with all-seasons, and only for short stretches. I've never driven to ski resorts out west, only New England winter driving for me up to now. See my tire thread.

OE? Do you mean OEM? When I checked online car dealers without taking chains into consideration, they showed I needed 225/60R16. From what I've heard of the Outback, esp with the VDC anti-slip, you may be right except for all but the iciest and worst snow conditions, though I thought chains might be useful for a last 10-20 minute ascent to a ski area. Since I've never driven an Outback, I have no idea what to expect in terms of handling. M + S? From what I've read it doesn't sound worth it for us to put snow tires on the Outback for a 3 hour drive to Tahoe in fair weather, with a last 1 hour or so of winter weather. If we lived in Tahoe full time, or any other snow area, we'd definitely put snows on for the winter.

Anyone know max tire size I can get for a 2003 Outback VDC to allow chains in winter? Asked the question in this thread and was warned by one poster that I might not be able to use chains. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=742798#post742798

I'm not doubting you, but a bunch of other members here in my tire post all recommended Les Schwab chains, they just advised being careful to check max tire size you can get with them. At least some of them are Outback drivers, including four-fleet-four. I'll try to ask them as well.

Picking up our Outback from seller next week and need to pick up tires right away and don't have the car manual - does anyone know the max tire size I should get that will allow me to chain up in winter? Will also check with dealer.

I'd have to agree - I'm skeptical too. I wanted to ask you - do you know if there's any noticeable difference between the BF Goodrich - Traction T/A and BF Goodrich - Touring T/A Pro Series H/V? Which do you recommend?

NV Zeno I'd love to know which tires those are. You're my perfect test case. Nice weather most of the year, Tahoe ice and snow during winter. The ones I listed sound very promising as well, but as StructEngineer said, I'm not sure how much I trust Tirerack research.

After rereading the posts and what I had, I've narrowed to: BF Goodrich - Traction T/A BF Goodrich - Touring T/A Pro Series H/V Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S (#1 rated on Tirerack.com, though haven't heard anything about them except from one poster here who was thinking about them - just impressed by the tirerack rating) Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread Only question about BF Goodrich - is there a big difference between the Traction T/A and Touring T/A? I'm just really psyched to pick up our subie at this point. And wiped our from our move. Thank you again to all who helped us pick the right car and set it up.

Went back and read recent posts - seems like the BFGoodrich - Touring T/A® Pro Series H/V (Costco) would be pretty good. Found a Costco tire center in Sacramento. Is the BFGoodrich - Traction T/A® any better? Any advice appreciated - going to decide whether to ship from Tirerack just in time to local garage or go to Sacramento Costco tire center. BTW, how much does a Costco card cost? We've never had one, urban dwellers that we've been.

OK, finally picking up our 2003 Outback next week. It definitely needs new all-year tires. It will be driven in the Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area most of the time in fair weather, and driven into the mountains for hiking and skiing. I’d like a tire that has excellent traction in dry and wet weather, handles well (not too soft) and won’t produce too much road noise, though a little noise is OK to get the traction. Just would like to avoid very load tire noise. One forum poster earlier recommended these priorities: Temp A tires, Traction A tires, and Speed. four-fleet-feet recommended A/A/A tires. I'd love to take advantage of the Costco tires, but I may have to order tires from Tirerack and have them shipped out to the seller of our car to put on before meeting the seller - we each have a 2 hour drive and are meeting in Sacramento. There are very worn down snows on the car now, so I'm concerned about driving it back 2 hours from Sacramento. Maybe there's a Costco in Sacramento that could give me a specific tire appointment time right after we do the change of ownership. I’m not just posting this information to get advice, but also to share what I’ve gathered and hope it helps other members. Which of the tires below would you recommend/caution against based on the above uses and parameters? I’ve gathered info from this forum and others, and questioned a fairly knowledgeable and helpful rep at Tirerack.com about these 4 tires: -Bridgestone Turanza Serenity -Yokohama Avid TRZ -Yokohama Avid V4 -Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread Then a forum member also recommended checking out Costco tires and this is what they had for the 2003 Outback. I saw these recommended by people as well: -BFGoodrich - Touring T/A® Pro Series H/V -BFGoodrich - Traction T/A® -Michelin - Primacy™ MXV4®(Costco $148.99, Tirerack.com $128 per tire) -Michelin - Pilot® MXM4®(Costco Price per tire: $165.99) Here’s what the Tirerack rep said about the first 4 tires: “The Avid V4S will be the most responsive of the tires we have discussed. The Goodyear will be slightly louder than the TRZ, it will be subtle. The Goodyear is kind of a unique tire, the only thing it sacrifices to the TRZ and the Serenity is a little ride quality and a little noise. If ride comfort and noise is your number 1 goal, choose the Bridgestone, If bad weather performance is most important, choose the Goodyear if sporty feel, then choose the V4S If long tread life, the Goodyear or the TRZ” Here’s more detail of the Tirerack.com rep comparison of the first four: “Bridgestone Turanza Serenity 225/60R16 $126 H speed rated - The Serenity is a superior tire to the LS it replaced in every way, this tire is currently ranked 2nd in our survey results. Overall our customers really seem to like this tire. I have seen a few negative reviews as well, but please keep in mind that we have had almost 300,000 miles of customer feedback on this wheel, it is hard to base your opinion off of a few reviews. Yokohama Avid TRZ 225/60R16 $94 - T speed rated - The TRZ has a longer tread life, is almost as quiet, but will not perform as well on wet roads as the Bridgestone. This tire is a standard touring tire instead of a Grand Touring all season tire. The Yokohama Avid V4 S is a performance all season tire, this will feel more responsive, have a shorter tread life and a firmer ride. You will also notice a higher level of dry grip when pushed to the limit. The Goodyear Fortera Triple Tread is the best tire of this group in the snow, ice, and for hydroplane resistance. The only downside to this tire is that it would not be as quite as the Bridgestone or TRZ. BFGoodrich - Touring T/A® Pro Series H/V (Costco) • P225/60R16 97H • Item #: 926168 • Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty • Limited 60,000 mile Manufacturer's Warranty: • Helps achieve excellent mileage for 60,000-mile Manufacturer's Limited Treadlife Warranty* • Helps maintain excellent traction in almost any weather, including snow • Helps resist hydroplaning for confident handling in wetconditions, even at highway speeds** Click here for more details Price per tire: $96.99 (Costco) Costco Price includes: Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty. BFGoodrich - Traction T/A®(Costco) • P225/60R16 97H • Item #: 776345 • Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty • Limited 60,000 mile Manufacturer's Warranty: • Premium tread compound for excellent traction in dry, wet and snowy conditions** • g-Wedge sidewall stabilizers reinforce sidewalls to helpdeliver spirited cornering and sharp reflexes in high-speed lane-change maneuvers • Enhanced tread design provides long, even wear Click here for more details Price per tire: $105.99 (Costco) Costco Price includes: Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty. Michelin - Primacy™ MXV4®(Costco $148.99, Tirerack.com $128 per tire) • 225/60R16 98H • Item #: 195490 • Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty • Limited 60,000 mile Manufacturer's Warranty: • 60,000-Mile Warranty* • Quiet, Comfortable Ride • Confident Wet-Weather Handling Click here for more details Costco tires http://tires.costco.com/TSSapp/TireResults.xhtml?cid=14749 Costco Price includes: Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty. Michelin - Pilot® MXM4®(Costco Price per tire: $165.99) • 225/60R16 98H • Item #: 971529 • Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty • Feel Every Curve • Confident Wet-Weather Handling • Quiet, Comfortable Ride Click here for more details Costco Price includes: Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty.

So it's perfectly OK to use 89 for an Outback H6? No long term ill effects, other than loss of a little power when using 89 or 87? And btw, would you still recommend using a bottle of fuel system cleaner every so often?

1) Do you have to use premium gas with the H6 Outback? Does using 89 cause any long term damage? 2) If you use less than 91, would you recommend using a fuel cleaning fluid once every few months? 2) Would you recommend using 91 or 89?

I read either in this forum or another like Edmunds or Car Talk that the H6 Outback gets only 1 mpg less than the 4 cylinder for highway.

I've been told you are supposed to use premium gas, but someone mentioned here or in another forum that you could use regular. Anyone know? I'm picking up our 2003 Outback H6 VDC in about a week and a half.

A review on the Wink says no distortion, but also no glare protection and a significant loss of windshield view, which makes me think that the best balance is probably a no-distortion no-glare mirror like the Hammacher that isn't as long as the Wink (though it would be nice to find one cheaper than the Hammacher). Are there any that would fit this criteria? http://www.axsystech.com/BBB/Mirrors_Eval.htm WINK 5 panel field of vision: 160-170 degrees mounting: remove exist mirror & visors, L-brackets bolt to old sun visor holes w/ finagling adjustability: none by design dimensions: 35.5"x2-5/8" weight: mirror=18.0 oz brackets=6.2 oz features: built-in sun visor cost: $24.95 +$7.50 S&H sources: http://www.truechoice.com/store/bresults.asp?whl=1 http://www.talbotco.com/cat_body.htm http://www.howeracing.com/cockpit/cockpit11/index11.htm Observations: The Wink gives the most accurate overall image of what is behind or to either side of you. It also has the least visual distortion of mirrors evaluated. There is no depth distortion but field of view is fractured by separate glass panels. Being such a large mirror, it takes a great amount of eye movement to verify images from one side to the other. Although Wink offers 3 and 4 panel designs (which I have not tested) I suspect that with fewer panes, the field of view would be reduced and/or the rearward image would not be as continuous as the 5 panel. The Wink takes up a lot of windshield space. This is its biggest drawback. Not being able to see stop lights when at an intersection without cranning your neck, or any part of the top 15% of the windscreen is a definite problem. The Wink offers no night anti-glare protection. There is no factory provision for sun-visor, though mirror acts as visor at higher sun angles. It is also the heaviest of mirrors. Note: Wink Mirror Modification from BMW-CCA tech tips http://www.bmwcca.org/tips/tipbody1.shtml Offers a suggestion to reduce headlight glare by installing a tinted plastic Sun Shield, available from Pilot Industries, 14314 Shadywood, Plymouth, Ml 48170 for $3. The 17" shield has clamps to be mounted on standard sun visors but adapts very well to the Wink. Sun Shields are also available in 15, 22, 25 and 28-inch models.

It's been a good few years since I've needed to own a car, and when we pick up our 2003 Subaru Outback H6 VDC in two weeks I'd like to make sure I properly equip an emergency kit. 1) Is there a commercially available road emergency kit anyone suggests? Someone recommended the Sears kit, but I'm sure every automotive store sells a good kit that you can add to. 2) Here are some of the things mentioned in another forum when I posted the question. I like to be prepared, but likely would not carry all of these (note a few questions next to some of the items): -flares -caution triangle -flash light or headlamp -cell phone -credit card -cigarette-lighter-powered air pump (you'd hate to have a blowout or get a flat and pull out your spare, only to find that it too is flat) -can of fix-a-flat -good set of work gloves -chains for winter snow driving -first aid kit -decent little tool kit (what should it contain?) -portable battery pack (for jump starting) – what size batter should it be? -spare belts -spare diesel fuel filters (What for? To enable you to use diesel fuel if you had to, even though your car is not rated for this? I believe the Outback is supposed to use premium gas) -GPS and a map book -spare parts (which would you carry?) -spare oil (which would you carry?) -spare jug of coolant (which would you carry?) -jug of water -enough quarters to feed unexpected parking meters -enough cash to fill your gas tank and get home if you lose everything else -a small box of wire, wire ends -duct/electrical tape -clamps (which sizes would you carry? Though most are adjustable over quite a wide range)

Someone also suggested these on Car Talk: http://www.jcwhitney.com/Interior-Clip-On-Panel-Mirrors/600015497.jcw

Do you know the dimensions in inches? Not listed anywhere on the site. I emailed them as well. Just want to make sure it's the same size as the Hammacher one.

Not sure yet. I'll have to get all-year tires, which I'll either get from the garage or tirerack, and then may need other things - won't buy until I pick up the car in two weeks. I just haven't had to buy auto parts and accessories for ages, and I prefer either good online sites or a very helpful local merchant whose information and help are worth a few extra bucks.

Good point, but having a better mirror AND checking lanes is the best of all worlds. I always check lanes before changing lanes.

Would like to know your favorites. Need to get a few things for our 2003 Outback H6 VDC, and I haven't had to buy car parts and accessories for years.

I thought it was a great idea. Remember that it's wider than a standard mirror so I don't think the distortion would be too bad and I think you'd get used to it quickly. Seems like a great mirror for driving on any wide roads with many lanes.

I'll have a Thule roof box on our subie outback for the first time - I think it's about 16 liter size, big enough to handle 4 skis, boots, poles and equipment. It's aerodynamic. About how much will it reduce fuel efficiency? I've heard that light haulers that attach to your trailer hitch are the most fuel efficient because they don't increase the aerodynamic profile of your car. However, they're quite expensive and seem less convenient.

Saw this in Hammacher catalog but sure it can be bought for half the price from a good online automotive parts store. I'd prefer one that could entirely replace my standard mirror rather than strap on. Anyone know where I can find one? http://www.hammacher.com/publish/74978.asp# The No Blind Spot Rear View Mirror. This is the rear view mirror used by police officers and professional racecar drivers to eliminate blind spots. The patented, seamless mirror has a 180° field of view (standard mirrors offer only 52°) that provides a distortion-free reflection of rear traffic across an entire five-lane highway, and it allows continuous monitoring of adjacent vehicles from the moment they begin to pass until they are visible in your peripheral vision. The mirror automatically reduces the headlight glare of trailing vehicles by 50%, clamps to your existing rear view mirror without requiring the use of tools or adhesives, and is entirely shatterproof. 15 3/4" W x 2 3/4" H x 3/4" D. (10 oz.) Duty Free to Canada- Click for details Item 74978 ................... $59.95 Available for Immediate Shipment.