Official 08 Spec B thread

[frank112916]

I wish subaru would design a classier shifter and boot. I hate that STI look. If I'm gonna drop cash for a grown up WRX STi I want it to be all grown up. They should take cues from the audi and BMW shifters.

 

can anyone tell me some estimated 0-60 times for the 08 Spec.B and GT w/ paddle shifters, respectively? Hopefully the paddle shifters can improve response and 0-60 times near to that of the 6 speed. 5.4-5.5 optimistically for the GT ltd.

[DMTaylor]

Here's a good site for comparisons of the different trim levels of the '08 LGT

 

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/legacy/legacy2008.html

 

Dave

[psi365]

The spec B I ordered showed up today!!!!! Thing is I am about 99% sure I ordered it with the rear spoiler...........but it doesn't have one on it. Guess its time to bite the bullet and start the numbers game.

[psi365]

Check your order sheet?

 

Honestly its no big deal. I can live without one. Later down the road I'll just see what spoilers come out for it or if the 05-07 LGT Sti spoiler can be swapped on.

[paycer]

No spoiler on a new SB is encouraging. A local dealer alluded that all he could get was a be-spoilered SB. He mentioned something about me being able to get the spoiler removed and the holes filled by a body shop....yeah right, that's convenient.... Spoilers and wings are a personal preference issue as I well know since my car has a picnic table bolted to it's trunk! I personally like the wing on my car, but it's an obnoxious rally knock off and it suits its personality. I'd like the Legacy that we're trading the FXT on to be a more subtle beauty, perhaps sporting one of them there JDM lip spoilers that we can't get (easily) in the US. It'd be just fantastic if SOA would at least offer the low profile spoiler as an option here since they already make it for the JDM market anyway. What's it cost to throw some of the low profile spoilers in when they make/ship the USDM spoilers to the factory anyway:confused: Another example of SOA missing the boat. Sorry about the spoiler tirade, and CONGRATS on the new car! What color did you get? And of course, we'll be expecting some pics of your ride when you get a chance.

[DukeTrout]

Honestly its no big deal. I can live without one. Later down the road I'll just see what spoilers come out for it or if the 05-07 LGT Sti spoiler can be swapped on.

 

Considering it's a fairly expensive "option", I'd check your order sheet, ASAP. Your dealer may owe you $1000.

[dmiller5]

No spoiler on a new SB is encouraging. A local dealer alluded that all he could get was a be-spoilered SB. He mentioned something about me being able to get the spoiler removed and the holes filled by a body shop....yeah right, that's convenient.... Spoilers and wings are a personal preference issue as I well know since my car has a picnic table bolted to it's trunk! I personally like the wing on my car, but it's an obnoxious rally knock off and it suits its personality. I'd like the Legacy that we're trading the FXT on to be a more subtle beauty, perhaps sporting one of them there JDM lip spoilers that we can't get (easily) in the US. It'd be just fantastic if SOA would at least offer the low profile spoiler as an option here since they already make it for the JDM market anyway. What's it cost to throw some of the low profile spoilers in when they make/ship the USDM spoilers to the factory anyway:confused: Another example of SOA missing the boat. Sorry about the spoiler tirade, and CONGRATS on the new car! What color did you get? And of course, we'll be expecting some pics of your ride when you get a chance.

 

I got my Spec-B without a spoiler.. but I had to have it special ordered...

[psi365]

I haven't picked it up yet so no one owes me anything as of now. Its actually a $398 option for the spoiler in which I too had my car special ordered. I took a quick glance at it last night and thats how I know it doesn't have the spoiler. It isn't on the option list either so when they ordered it they probably missed it.

 

I went Quatrz Silver with a few options and am supposed to be getting it for invoice.

[Jon in CT]

I went Quatrz Silver with a few options and am supposed to be getting it for invoice.

That's a great deal. How'd you swing it?

[butrball12]

Here's a good site for comparisons of the different trim levels of the '08 LGT

 

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/legacy/legacy2008.html

 

Dave

 

this should be a sticky....

 

whoever wrote that did a wonderful job... he accounts for every last detail

[psi365]

;1196183']That's a great deal. How'd you swing it?

 

The major reason is because I know 3 of the 4 owners of the dealership. The actual hands on owner that does the day to day stuff used to be the general manager of the dealership I work at. That and they screwed up on the Sti Limited I was supposed to get (which I was also supposed to be paying invoice for) but that's whole different story. Oh and he owes me about 30 hours worth of labor that I did on one of his personal cars that I never got paid for.

 

I know supposedly on the 06's and 07's that if you change wheels on a spec B you have to go to the dealer to get the TPMS rest. Is that the same for the 08's? Do they finally give the driver the option to reset the system without hitting the dealer if you decide to change wheels? I know if you just to a rotation you don't need to readapt the sensors, but I have my eyes on a nicer looking set of wheels which means the TPMS system is going to come into play. I don't want to have to run to the dealer twice a year when I swap wheels from summers to winters or the other way around. Could you just disconnect the battery and that resets the system? Just wondering cause I don't know to much about Subie's system.

 

Thanks

Chris

[brhays]

I asked the service manager at my dealership about our 07 SB, and he said that after a rotation (or I assume similar event), the TPMS will reset itself after a few miles.

 

I'm not sure how that would work, but I was told not to bring it in every time we got the tires rotated.

[psi365]

I asked the service manager at my dealership about our 07 SB, and he said that after a rotation (or I assume similar event), the TPMS will reset itself after a few miles.

 

I'm not sure how that would work, but I was told not to bring it in every time we got the tires rotated.

 

I don't think you'd have a problem because it is more then likely a low line system that doesn't distiguish between which heel is where so just doing a rotation shouldn't cause a light. I was thinking about getting a set of aftermarket wheels for summer and making the stocks my winters. WHich means that both sets of wheels would need sensors. I am just wondering if there is a way to reset the system myself without hitting a dealer every time I do a seasonal tire change.

[SubieDriver]

I don't think you'd have a problem because it is more then likely a low line system that doesn't distiguish between which heel is where so just doing a rotation shouldn't cause a light. I was thinking about getting a set of aftermarket wheels for summer and making the stocks my winters. WHich means that both sets of wheels would need sensors. I am just wondering if there is a way to reset the system myself without hitting a dealer every time I do a seasonal tire change.

 

I don't know exactly how Subaru does their pressure monitoring system, but I know of other systems that just read the ABS sensors at each wheel. If rotational speed of one wheel is different from the others by 10 or 15%, it assumes low tire pressure and triggers the indicator.

 

If you switch between different sets of wheels with the same outside diameter, the system shouldn't care. Even if you have a different OD, if all four are the same, the system shouldn't care. (that is, if Subaru's system is the same as the ones with which I'm familiar...)

 

I do know of add-on systems that use a pressure-sensing valve-stem cap and send a radio-frequency signal to the computer, but I don't believe Subaru's is like that.

[08specB]

I'm pretty positive that is is the RF type, as I had a side wall pinch a couple of weeks back when the city was f'ing up the road to re-pave it. Pissed me off. But anyhow, I saw it on the rim and it was on the back side of the valve stem. It was a pretty big "box" looking thing and from what it looked like, it must have been RF. Just my 2 cents worth.

[SubieDriver]

I'm pretty positive that is is the RF type, as I had a side wall pinch a couple of weeks back when the city was f'ing up the road to re-pave it. Pissed me off. But anyhow, I saw it on the rim and it was on the back side of the valve stem. It was a pretty big "box" looking thing and from what it looked like, it must have been RF. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

I guess I was mistaken. Thanks for the info.

That means you would have to have a set for each set of wheels, if a person swaps summer/winter wheels.

 

I suppose each sending unit has a unique ID, but how would the system know when you rotate tires? Or maybe it doesn't keep track of which corner, but just indicates low pressure somewhere.

[dr_sharp]

I don't know exactly how Subaru does their pressure monitoring system, but I know of other systems that just read the ABS sensors at each wheel. If rotational speed of one wheel is different from the others by 10 or 15%, it assumes low tire pressure and triggers the indicator.

That makes absolutely no sense. If speed is different by 10-15% you're going to lose a diff. Pressure doesn't affect wheel rotation in any way, shape, or form.

[axis008]

With regards to some of the comments above, I don't think the TPMS tells you which tire is low. It just lets you know a tire is low.

 

I didn't read everything, but hopefully that wasn't already covered haha.

[dr_sharp]

With regards to some of the comments above, I don't think the TPMS tells you which tire is low. It just lets you know a tire is low.

 

I didn't read everything, but hopefully that wasn't already covered haha.

I had the light come on today and was just that, a single light. I haven't read the user's manual yet but I had previously assumed that one could determine which tire was low via the gps interface. I'm not sure that this is possible though.

[psi365]

That makes absolutely no sense. If speed is different by 10-15% you're going to lose a diff. Pressure doesn't affect wheel rotation in any way, shape, or form.

 

Pressure does affect the wheel speed though. It isn't probably as much as 10-15%, but it does make a difference. GM has been using this system for years. Think about what happens when you get a flat, the car pulls to the side the flat is on. The wheel speed of the flat tire is different which causes the pull. They use the ABS sensors at each wheel and calculate certain perimeters. If one wheel is out, it triggers the light.

 

From what it sounds like it is like Audi/VW's lower line tpms system. Basically you have 2-3 antenna's that pick up the signal of the sensors. The system doesn't care which tire is low, just that a tire is low. So it shows a light saying to check the tire pressures. The sensors are activated by rotational force. So you may have to drive the car for 5+miles at 45mph+ to get the system to reset itself. From what info I have found out, if you do a wheel change(different wheel with different sensor, not rotation) you have to bring it to the dealer to have them reset the system with the scan tool. Each tire has its own unquie frequency so when you change wheels, the new sensors wil have different frequencies that the car doesn't recognize. Again I am not sure if there is a screen in the nav unit that allows you to reset the system without hitting the dealer.

 

The high line setup uses 4-5 antenna's (one for spare) and can tell where each sensor is and tell you each tire pressure and tire temp. I like both of the systems cause it allows the driver to reset the system through a display. Even if you change wheels it gives you an option of changing the wheels. In theory the customer shouldn't need to come into the dealer to reset their system.

[Neurodancer]

I am by no means an expert on the subject, but if its an RF system it is similar to my wife's Town&Country. I had our summer shoes put back on the van last month and the sensor refused to reset. I took the vehicle back to the shop that I use to store & rotate our tires and they had a faulty hose sensor and only filled the tires to 31psi all around. No differential, just pressure sensing in the TPMS...

[dr_sharp]

Pressure does affect the wheel speed though. It isn't probably as much as 10-15%, but it does make a difference. GM has been using this system for years. Think about what happens when you get a flat, the car pulls to the side the flat is on. The wheel speed of the flat tire is different which causes the pull. They use the ABS sensors at each wheel and calculate certain perimeters. If one wheel is out, it triggers the light.

If that were the case, the TPMS would go off every time we made a turn

[SubieDriver]

That makes absolutely no sense. If speed is different by 10-15% you're going to lose a diff. Pressure doesn't affect wheel rotation in any way, shape, or form.

 

It absolutely does make sense. That is indeed the way some pressure monitoring systems work. I indicated that I didn't know how Subaru's worked, but I have seen systems that use the ABS sensors.

 

If you think carefully about the physics of tires, pressure does indeed affect wheel rotation via way, shape, and form.

 

Think about it: When your tire pressure is low, the sidewalls are deformed as the weight of the car presses down on the tire. Measure the distance from ground to the center of the wheel on a fully inflated tire, and on a partially deflated wheel. The partially deflated wheel will have the axle centerline closer to the road, making the rolling diameter shorter, thereby making rolling circumference shorter, meaning that wheel will be turning faster than the other wheels.

Remember high school geometry?

 

The ABS system will measure the difference in rotational speed and trigger a low pressure indication.

 

I was careful to say that I didn't know how Subaru's system worked, only that I had seen systems that work in the fashion I described.

 

You may be correct in stating that some diffs will have issues with this, especially limited-slip diffs, but most will handle some difference in rotational speed with the only byproduct being heat. Long-term, this would be an issue with any diff, but in the short-term, most will handle it fine.

 

Take a look around you on the road as you drive. You'll probably see ten out of every 100 vehicles with a low tire. You don't see diffs blowing up all around you. They can handle it for a while.

[SubieDriver]

If that were the case, the TPMS would go off every time we made a turn

 

It probably measures over time - rotation has be consistently different, not momentarily different as in a turn.

[dr_sharp]

Think about it: When your tire pressure is low, the sidewalls are deformed as the weight of the car presses down on the tire. Measure the distance from ground to the center of the wheel on a fully inflated tire, and on a partially deflated wheel. The partially deflated wheel will have the axle centerline closer to the road, making the rolling diameter shorter, thereby making rolling circumference shorter, meaning that wheel will be turning faster than the other wheels.

Remember high school geometry?

So the system only works if one tire is low? If this were the case I could drive around w/ 4 flat tires and the system would not register any flat tires because all 4 would then be rotating at the same speed.