dudemonster

Had mine done Tuesday. Was supposed to have been done Monday but when I arrived that morning they (Beyer Subaru) had no parts. They came in and car was done Tuesday afternoon. Drove a Crosstrek loaner. Not awful at all, but not quick. Steering ratio was good for parking lots, though, and eyesight works. Really well.

I want all four corners. No scuffs or black slashes. Has the thing never been parked in the wild?

I bought mine not long after, but got crazy and opened the box and had them installed. And then....3 weeks ago Eibach sent me another set. They didn’t charge me for the second set, but after I told FedEx to send em back, Eibach refunded me anyway. So yeah, they’re literally giving them away.

Yes, details please!

^ In Subaruville?

IAD? Can’t make out the background but the concrete and signage looks like it.

Welcome, and thanks for all of the excellent butter I scarf down when i’m in Asia. It’s inevitably from NZ and always great.

Am in Bilbao on the north coast of Spain for two weeks of meetings. Had a day off on Sunday so decided to rent a car with some friends and drive around. Headed first to the Rioja region just south of the Basque Country. On the way we took improved highway/tollway. One interesting vignette: a police van merged onto the highway and was running at the speed limit (some arbitrarily low speed that made me grumpy) so I hung back in the middle of three lanes, while the police van kept to the right. After several klicks the van moved in front of me and turned on the rear-facing light bar with blue lights that pulsed from left to right. The van then moved back to the right lane. We discussed and reached a group conclusion that this was weird. Before I reacted the van did it again, at which point we both moved right. Then the van took off. There was zero other traffic so it was apparently a lesson I was taught on principle. So, keep right in Spain, everyone! We had a mid-morning tour scheduled at Marques de Riscal, a large-scale producer that has a Gehry-designed main building and decent wine (mostly temporanillo, but they have a grandfathered exception to the DOC production rules for some cab). Afterwards we headed to the town of Laguardia for lunch. Fantastic, well-preserved town on a hilltop with amazing views around the Rioja region. An absolutely delicious and inexpensive lunch was followed by a trip north, though this time we headed through the mountains on secondary roads. We encountered some sick switchbacks and amazing views. Would have been great to have the LGT with me, but I think my passengers would have lost their lunches. As we headed north we drove through some surprisingly industrial towns that explained why the region’s economy has been so strong and, arguably, has been carrying the rest of the country for a few decades. We ended up hitting some coastal and port towns around Bermeo and headed west along the coast before having pinxtos in Bakio and then turning back south to Bilbao. We stopped at what we thought would be a cool spot with a long hike to a hermitage on an almost-island connected by a thin spit, but it turns out it was a location for a scene from Game of Thrones and it was mobbed, so we bailed. Saw a black bear-sized wild boar crossing the road and climbing up a fairly steep hillside. Note: don’t walk around in the wild at night in Spain. It was a great day with one exception: the car. I rented from Sixt and ended up with a Renault Captur, a 4-door crossover with a 5-speed manual and, wait for it, an 0.9 liter turbo gasoline motor. Absolutely no power. So bad in the mountains that I had to essentially be winding it out all the time. Another note: never buy a rental car. Trans shifting was numb and the clutch pedal was so squishy that it hardly felt like it was connected to anything at all. Impossible to find the take-up spot on the travel other than by extra-sensory perception. I can understand why people might no longer want a manual if that’s what they think they all feel like. Disappointing, but I am going to STFU about complaints regarding our 6MT.

I had a 2003 Infiniti M45 with an early generation adaptive cc and it was great for all of the reasons above, when it worked. It was laggy in its speed adjustments and did slingshot to an almost unsafe degree - i was used to it but other drivers wouldn't always expect the the speed changes so in heavy traffic I got enough horns and fingers to decide to use it only in light conditions. It was also easily spoofed by direct sunlight (going up a hill at sunrise/sunset).

I decided to keep mine and begin the mods specifically because it was such an easy compromise between fun to drive and a good family car. Had my 2010 since our kid was born and the back seat is seriously well sized for baby seat and now booster. Easier to maneuver and park than a larger SUV that we also have. And when kiddo is not in the car, away I go. At speed.

Had a clog in wife’s Mazda CX-9 from ac condenser under dash through drain to wall of transmission tunnel above heat shield. Was pissing out onto floor when full. Went under the car and used a can of compressed air meant to clean keyboards/electronics. Had a thin straw-like tube that came with and I stuck it in the drain outlet, sealed with fingertips and blew. It worked well. Something like that could be a cheap first step.

Notwithstanding the subsequent qualification re comparative performance, this is some world-class enabling.

So tight, but on another topic: Where in the world are you that you’ve got that kind of road spray right now? I want to visit you with buckets and soap and wax...

I’m just, ummm, just gonna, like, leave that there...

Indeed. I had to go to the garage to find my needle nose so I could get that hook out...

Nope. RWD platform based on a Holden (GM brand from Australia) with a big (6.2L) V8, >400 hp. Could be had with a stick.

MM-I just did the KYB and Eibach install this week and like it a lot. I had a Perrin 22mm adjustable put in before that. Changed the handling dynamics from understeer to neutral and I am glad I did that before the struts/springs - allowed me to appreciate what each change brings to the table. Highly recommend the RSB. I’ll be interested in your brake adventure since I just put on new rims and am seeing a lot more of my OE brakes, which work fine but are not in any way visually pleasing. If going big brakes, make sure they will clear your wheels. If you have OE rims they might not, per many wise postings here.

Thanks! Will let it settle then align but ride is good. Great, actually. I now realize I should have done that years ago. Of course, I am really seeing my brakes...hmmmm....

After wheels, tires, and springs were installed today.

And it’s already got metal pedals, including the dead one, so there’s that.

Thanks man. Can’t take credit for the graphic - I appropriated it from a guy with it on a t-shirt at Comfest in Columbus OH. One of the best things ever.

Will do, thanks Scubaboo.

I just followed your lead. The Brayson R version of that part was listed for over a grand, which was absurd. Even moreso now that the same thing (-ish) can be had for over 90% less. Couldn’t figure why I would spend that kind of cheese when I will inevitably bash it into a parking bumper or fenderberg. Edit: I realize from reading other threads that the >$1k price for the Brayson lip was indicative of the part’s out-of-stock status. Seems an odd way to do business but, since I didn’t buy that one, it’s not my circus, not my monkeys.

Enkei TS-10s in 18x8.5 +45, storm grey, with P-Zero Nero GT in 245-40. Tire Rack ran out of my original tire choice (Falken Azenis) but honored the price since the Pirellis ran a bit higher. Mounted, balanced and shipped same day (from their CT distribution center). Hope to put them on next week.

Eibach Pro Kit. It seemed like everyone but Eibach was selling them for $276 or somewhere north of $200. Eibach had them for $106. Arrived on my doorstep today.