chickensoop

iTrader: (1)

haha

topdown-z

No wonder why the Forester is fast.........you have to be able to get away from the people that want to commit you to a mental institution for buying that God awful Volvo looking station wagon.

Roo

Oh, you should have been there. I was given the privilege of driving a Forester with an STI takeoff suspension. We were doing 75 or more through 30mph corners, and not slowing down. Of course, I was only going this fast because one of the non-Forester cars was rolled over.

I thought about you guys a few times during the touring group event. I was at Yorkville Cellars, and just as we were ready to leave, in comes a really sweet looking 350z with Texas license plates. There were also a few at one of the other winery stops.

Fletch69z

iTrader: (50)

I don't understand why we all attack the guy who's being totally respectful and even after being attacked still speaks highly of our cars? What happened to being mature and acting like adults. Everyone likes different things. People mod trucks to sit higher and be better at going offroad while we mod ours to sit lower and hug the road. To each his own, but the common thread is the tastefulness and the desire to mod or even just drive your car like it was meant to be driven. Respect the guy and his love of cars and driving. He's just like us, he just drives a different type of car...

Roo

Those are acutally Rota SDR rims on the car, shod with Kumho Ecsta ASX all season tires. It was the only tire we could find in our size in Lancaster on a Sunday after working Rim of the World Rally...and finding the inside edge of our Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires had nylon thread showing. The Rota SDR's are one of only two wheels that will fit with the 48 offset...AND the Brembo STi brakes that we have on the front to help slow things down.

I'd love to have you out here to show you a good time on some of our backroads. We had a pretty good drive event until a "friend of a friend" (not directly invited) ran out of talent on a left hand curve, went sideways over the edge, and slow rolled onto the roof.

I spent two hours of my birthday party time (by which several of my invitees had left) bringing the car upright, attaching a tow strap, and using the Forester in a way that most sports car owners would hesitate...

...we used the Forester to TOW this car up the embankment and onto the road. We filled this little car with oil, started it right up, and let it smoke for a while. Once the smoke had cleared (oil draining into the intake), the driver once again took control, and we led him down the 40+ miles to the BBQ.

FUN TIMES!!!!



We're working on some pics. None of the car who ran out of talent, at least from the scene...privacy, you know.

Roo

^^The Forester with the STi takeoff suspension. This is the one that helped move me across Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Rd. to get to the crash site in a real hurry. It was also the one which towed the car up the embankment. Teamwork!!



^^The car we turned back onto its wheels, and dragged UP the embankment. This is the good side. The nice thing is that he got to drive it back home to Sacramento...which is about 150 miles away...



^^now, the other side. Yes, it really was upside down...pretty sturdy and safe car, I'd say.

Roo

BTW, we'll be posting a short video of the roads that we were on pretty soon. Please stay tuned...

...unless you're stock, in which case, GET TUNED!!

Z_Driver

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the invite. That sounds like fun. I have driven a lot of good cars domestic and imported over the years. A good car is a good car. There are different uses for different types as well. Point is: Fast isn't everything. I bought the Pathfinder for a off road vehicle. It needed to climb with clearance. I bought my Z for commute and weekend drives. The Subie is a good compromise for both but, imo not a great car at either. For the commute you have rev the heck out of it. Just like the Honda S2000 it's buzzy and vibrates a lot. Off road, it work well on lumber roads but get into boulders and its scrape city. You can't tow much with the Subie either. While it is a good all around car it doesn't meet my needs.

Yes, Nissan motors are pretty reliable. I took my 300zxt to over 200K. I bought the 350Z to replace it. Here's a picture of it last year prior to sale:




I plan on keeping my Pathfinder and 350Z beyond those numbers so it will be a few years before they need motors. The body will still be good. I don't think I could say that for a 20 year old Subie. jmho. Now, on the other side of the fence, most cars are built to be disposable so..... what do you expect. I just didn't like the squeaking plastic on the two I test drove. I just don't think a Subie will outlast a Z car. You don't see too many 20 year old Subie's on the road.

BTW - There are a lot of us loyal Nissan fans here.

Not knocking the Subie I just don't see it as a sports car or even a sports sedan. It's a economy sedan with a great motor in it to me. It could be a Altima with 4WD and 3.5 motor and it still would be a economy car to me.
Does this make sense? If I could have gotten over that last statement .... I might have bought a STi. However, I figured everyone would just see the car as a wantobe racer. Or, someone that took the family car and pumped it up a bit. Once again, not that it doesn't perform.

I just couldn't see taking my wife to a nice dinner and the theater in it. I have done this many times in the 350Z and received the royal treatment each time. It's kinda nice being pampered sometimes.

wrxblubayou

*slow clap* if there was a bowing emoticon, you sir, would get it.....

wrxblubayou

nice subies!!!

Z_Driver

iTrader: (3)

On Hwy 84, just before you get into town. Many nice wineries out here in the Livermore Valley.

Derratte

Hey! Another fellow Pathfinder-350Z owner! I have a white 98' Pathfinder SE and an 05' 35th Anniversary Z. I coulden't agree with you more about the style of the Pathfinder and the Z, I love them both.

Whats funny though is that the VG33E (170hp) from my Pathfinder *seems* to rev smoother than the VQ in the Z, and drops revs faster than the VQ when you lift off the throttle... For some reason the VG series motor just feels smoother at high revs than the VQ, which is odd, considering the VG is not in a sports car, and is an older design. Im willing to bet that it has something to do with the fact that the VG is a cast iron block which damps out vibrations better, and has much less aggressive cam profiles.

BlueDevilFXT

looks like it was a blast, roo. wish i didn't live on the east coast, lol. maybe after the sti suspension swap i'll get down to tail of the dragon...........

sanf

STI yes... a Forester... NO

WheelDude.com

iTrader: (58)

can't we all just get along? haha instead lets make fun of VW's



-Dan

05subXT

H'm, twenty years and this look is still in style, good work volvo.

DeeZ

its just a dumb add, real or fake who cares

Kyromoto

well the STI is WAY faster 0-60 then this car, so silverstone it doesnt even hold anything on the STI. The STI would SMOKE that forrester. I think the 06 STI has a 0-60 some where in the high 4's because my friends 05 (with some upgrades) is like 4.5

Fletch69z

iTrader: (50)

Well, I mean really, it's just common sense, .

FrankieZZ

I'm also a Subaru owner , a 2006 Impreza Sportwagon ( way better looking btw than the Volvoish Forrester ) . My Z and my Scubbie are really two different animals but I will say that the Subaru is fast and handles rather aggressively having a pretty good suspension along with its all wheel drive ,abs, electronic brake force distribution and its electronic throttle . Oh yeh , I only paid $ 17,800 ( new and loaded ) for it and I'll admit it was the best $ for $ car I have ever bought ( sorry to say even better than the Z and don't get me wrong , I love my preorder Z for its qualities ) . What the Z has though , as you should know if you have one , is not something that you really measure in a cost effective way $$$$ but rather it is a way more emotional and passionate purchase ( styling , looks , performance etc. ) .The Scubbie I measure by how it handles up here in the snow and how much sporting equipment I can haul along with 5 people ) . The Z I measure by the smile on my face after driving it hard ! Yes , the Subaru is not a Z by any stretch but it is a damn good little car which I'm sorry I didn't buy a long time ago . Just trying to keep things in perspective .