North-East OHIO 2.5GTs ? Sighting, GTGs, etc.

[TSiWRX]

BTW, I've also started a thread over at RD.net (I believe you an openly "lurk" without the need for registration, if all you wanted to do was to read posts) for the eastern Metro-Cleveland suburbs, for speed-traps:

 

http://www.radardetector.net/viewtopic.php?t=24737

 

The third post down in that thread is the one of-interest.

 

Note that I will only mark-out what I perceive to be true speed-traps - i.e. ones that do not truly, in my view, affect public safety, but rather what I believe are strictly for revenue-generation for the local government.

 

I will not post traps set in true residential areas, school-zones, high-accident areas, etc., simply as I believe that one truly should slow-down in these particular areas of concern.

 

I know that this is a moral sliding-scale and that some of you may disagree, but it's just what I believe in, and I hope we can respectfully differ - if indeed we do - in this manner.

[bms231]

on june 24th you will have a new friend w/ an 08 GTL in the cleveland area. cant wait to meet up with some of you guys.

[jeguzik]

Welcome, I will keep an eye out for you. Congrats on the new vehicle, toss out some pics when you get a chance.

[TSiWRX]

+1 on the welcome for bms231 - and don't forget to come join us at LERSOC.com

[bms231]

^^^^^ yea, i tried. never got a reg email w/ my password. booo.

[TSiWRX]

UPDATE 5/3 -

 

Spotted - Spec.B, 5/3 ~ 4:40 PM, Harvard @ 271

 

I didn't get a good look - potentially a wingless Spec.B....I couldn't make out the MY as it really was only "at a glance."

 

You were in the left-turn lane to merge onto 271, from west-bound Harvard Rd. in Beachwood/Highland Heights. I was also west-bound on Harvard, and just after I passed, I stuck my arm out the window to give you a wave, hoping that you'd caught-sight of my car's rather enormous exhaust canisters.

 

Just wanted to see if it's anyone here! 8)

[TSiWRX]

bms231 -

 

PM me the screen-name to which you'd like to have, as well as the e-mail to which you'd like your account to be linked to.

 

Apparently, there's some problem with the LERSOC Forum software, and I had to get the same info. from jezugik and forward it to the Admin there to get it straightened-out.

 

Apologies for the trouble.

[bms231]

PM sent. thanks man.

[TSiWRX]

PMs replied to both bms231 and CwhillVT.

[TSiWRX]

UPDATE 5/4 -

 

Spotted - Black Outback XT wagon, ~ 7:45 AM, west-bound N.Park in Shaker Heights.

 

Exchanged nods and smiles - I was in the inside lane, you were on the outside lane.

 

Just wanted to see if it's anyone here!

[bms231]

now, what i really hope is there are some decent looking girls driving around LGTs. any? come on there has gotta be someone out there. i am a philly boy, i dislike living in willoughby b/c the girls are well umm..... drive out to willoughby and live a day in my shoes and u will understand.

[bms231]

wow so i hate being a n00b to cars again. i am an admin on newtiburon.com w/ over 12K posts and i could tell u things down to how many jets are on our injectors... but now i have to ask as stupid n00b question here.... although it says use 91+ octane..... has anyone on these boards had success w/ using a lower octane?

[TSiWRX]

^ Heck, we're all noobs at some point or another.

 

With lower-octane fuel, your ECU should pull enough timing (and may even eventually limit you to only wastegate boost) to keep everything safe, but IMveryHO, it's still just not worth it.

 

The ECU adjust things based on the amount of det. it sees - and since detonation kills, I'd just rather not run into it at all.

 

Besides, you've gotta ask yourself whether or not the car suddenly dropping down to wastegate-boost only is potentially a true safety concern. Imagine pressing down on the pedal at a moment of true need, only to discover that your car is nowhere near as fast/responsive as it should be. Not my idea of safe.....

[bms231]

yea i hear ya. ugh stupid gas prices. i wouldnt do it anyways w/ such high compression ratios. i was just wondering if anyone was running something like 89 for a while.

 

 

ok this is another crazy stupid noob though i would smack down someone on my boards for asking but... hey it is worth it. if octane boost is like 2 bux. why not put in 89 and throw in some octane boost. technically, same octane, less $$$.

[TSiWRX]

^ Again, not a stupid question at all!

 

Actually, I'd have to say that this exceeds my own ( rather shallow, I'm afraid to admit ) technical knowledge-pool.

 

I'd like to put up a potential answer, though.

 

The various "over-the-counter" octane boosters - those that are "street legal," typically "boost octane" rather weakly. I'm not sure ( and this is where the limits of my shallow knowledge-pool makes itself known doh! ), thus, whether or not that this would be cost-effective.

 

As for the more expensive, "non-street legal" formulations, yes, they do work. When my car was having some knock issues (under low to moderate-load conditions, at less than 3K RPM, I would see falling IAM, with no "true" knock reported/heard/seen) due to a too-aggressive part-throttle map by my previous tuner, several other tuners recommended that I give some of this type of octane boosters a try - effectively kicking-up 93-octane to around 96. [ NOS-brand "Race Formula" is kinda hard to find around Metro-Cleveland, but both "Outlaw" and Lucas "non-street legal" formulations are quite common. ] But these items typically will cause the earlier demise of your emissions components (cat, O2 sensors, etc.), and are thus not recommended for everyday use.

 

Also, I'm rather hesitant to repeatedly use these since "the mix" is never consistent. To me, it seems that our ECU is rather aggressive, it'll try to push the envelope to get good performance, even if it means running into just a little detonation - at which point, luckily, it will quickly, and rather strictly, pull the reins. I say this because I once just happened to datalog the transition from Sunoco-94 to Shell-93, and I saw a startling "knock event," with the car actually pulling down IAM. I've done this fuel-switch before, and never noticed the car behaving differently. More than likely, it was because I wasn't datalogging, and thus never noticed the IAM drop, and later/eventual IAM increase. I'm hesitant to go the route of routinely adding octane-boosters to pump gas pretty much because of this experience - I'd rather not have the car running itself so close to the edge of det.

 

However, I would think that if you could *consistently* measure-out your octane-boosted mix (i.e. put fuel into a measured/calibrated external jug, and THEN poured-in a measured ratio of octane booster), that this would be viable. Then, your only worry, from my point of view, would be your emissions-control equipment - finding some kind of booster that would not adversely affect this side of your vehicle.

 

For me, it's just easier to go down to the local Shell, and fill-up on V-Power 93 (since my car is mapped for this octane-grade). I tend to *only* use this station, when I'm local, as I know that it's fuel is typically quite good. I've only gotten skunked gas there once or twice over the last three years (and that's honestly the only time when I'll add the octane-booster)....not a bad statistic.

[bms231]

^^ sweet. that was an excellent reply. around willoughby, not only are the women bad, but so is the gas. some of the tanks in the ground are sooooooo old i dont even want to think about the crap that is in the mix. odly enough, i go out to getGo and use that b/c i get a discount from giant eagle like others who shop there. in my tiburon, i find it has less of a sulfur smell and is fresher b/c of the massive amount of people flocking to it for discounts. i will more than likely wind up using their high octane blend. i used to run shell 93 in my tib.... but.... that was so ultimately useless and left my exhaust with tons of carbon around the tips.

[TSiWRX]

UPDATE - NEW SIGHTING !

 

CWRU main campus, Veale parking garage (Lot 53) front turn-around (by One-To-One Fitness).

 

Thursday, May 10 - Appx. 3:30 PM.

 

OBP LGT, young (mid to late 20s?) female, dark hair.

 

We traded smiles and a near-simultaneous greeting of "nice car!"

 

Sorry I could not have stopped for further conversation, but I was running on a tight schedule to pick up the baby from our nanny, out in Solon.

 

Hope to catch you around some other time! Looks like you take excellent care of your ride!

[snadsnad]

Saw this post and it may help my purchasing decision.

 

I'm looking at an '05 Black on Tan leather LGT at Halpert in Painesville. What is everyone's opinion on this dealership and do you recommend any mechanics in the area for a pre-purchase vehicle inspection? It's got 25k on it and they have it listed at $19.9. Do you think I could get them down to $19k or maybe lower?

 

I'm located in Columbus Ohio so I was hoping either this weekend or next I could pick it up. Would love to meet any people from the area as well while I'm up there or feel free to tag along with me during my purchase since I A) Know absolutely shit about buying cars, but I've done lots of reading AND B) I've never driven a stick.

 

So if you feel like letting someone in on the LGT brotherhood ahead of time and helping him out I would be forever greatful. Unfortunately mortgages don't get paid and kids don't get fed on gratefulness so I'm sure I could buy some beer/food or whatever floats your boat, within reason, while I'm there.

[bms231]

Halpert is a POS and i would NEVER do business with them. I was so frustrated with their inability to sell cars I walked out. Their service departmant looks like billy bob's back yard mechanics joint and their actual car lot looks like a used car lot. They have a few new subarus out back, but 95% of their lot is used cars. I would stay away from them.

 

If you want me to go check out the car though, I can do that. I on the other hand, am right by mentor and drove to columbus to buy my scooby so we are in opposite worlds. Byers Auto down there is friggin SWEET! Bob Miller is the man.

 

 

 

To go into detail about my experience, i had to fight for them to sell me a car. I was asking about an 07LGT. It was a saturday morning. They said they couldn't look one up on a saturday. I looked at him and go "what, did the computers take a holiday?" he didnt like that. this was after i waited 30 minutes for their attention. i then asked about an 08. he said to come back in two months. i asked about the price. he said he couldnt get it. so... i went down the road to Ganley East and they found an 07 for me and gave me the price of an 08, just not the best price. The best price and service came from Byers Auto. If you can get Ganley East to get the car from Halpert.... i 100% recommend that situation. Halpert is just a big POS. And this is not a one time experience either. I was there a year ago looking at an STI. They told me to go drive a non-turbo legacy w/ 50K miles on it to compare it. Ugh.

[TSiWRX]

snadsnad -

 

Sorry for the late reply. Been busy!

 

There's a lot of NE-Ohio locals on LERSOC.com - try registering there and asking for some opinions, I think that will help a lot.

 

Overall, though, just from recall of various threads there (from the past 2 years or so), I honestly think that there's going to be "horror stories" with purchases from any of the NE-Ohio dealers - which is much the same if you ask of *any* car brand and *any* dealer, IMveryHO.

 

There is LERSOC Forum presence/representation by members of the Ganley Subaru of Bedford dealership. However, while these members seem to have earned the respect of fellow Forumites, the Ganley family of dealerships seems to have not done so. Still, it may be an "angle" for you to play.

 

I believe that there is at least one dealer in the Central-Ohio area who is associated/has representation on one of the Central-Ohio Subaru enthusiast Forums. That may be another avenue for you to pursue.

 

Best of luck, and I am sorry I can't be of more help!

[bms231]

my biggest complaint about lersoc is the forum software. in all honesty, i love the idea of the board but i dont visit it b/c it too often b/c the forum software is clunky imo. If they ever want help to upgrade to vbulletin, it doesnt cost too much. I am an admin/techlead/new feature implimetor/server baby sitter etc... for our server and forum over on newtiburon.com. i can help lersoc upgrade if they want. a vbulletin yearly license is cheap.

[TSiWRX]

^ Ask the Admin there - it couldn't hurt.

 

Yeah, it's a little clunky, but for a local-community Forum, it's not bad at all, at least by my "old man" standards.

[bms231]

i could have a vbulletin board up in about 10 mins i will ask when i get some time. this week is gonna be super busy.

[TSiWRX]

UPDATE -

 

Saturday, 6/2

Embers fireplace/grilling supplies in Solon; out-back by the propane fill station.

 

---

 

Just wanted to put up a post and say "hi" to Karl, with his very nice 5MT '05 ABP 2.5i wagon.

[KOTJMF]

Was passed by a Spec B today on Gemini Place in the Polaris area of Columbus. He gave me a wave and a smile.