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DIYSteve
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DIYSteve
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PostThu Feb 16, 2017 1:27 pm 
RandyHiker wrote:
No, Silas's Tercel is "rusty" brown/gold -- it is his Subaru that is blue.
Silas's blue Subie is dead. Anyway, it's easy to spot the Silas dirtbag Tercel condo on wheels: Fogged up windows is the tell.

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Randito
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PostThu Feb 16, 2017 1:40 pm 
DIYSteve wrote:
Silas's blue Subie is dead.
I miss out on a lot here in Gotham, so sad to hear that "Chez Subaru" has gone to the crusher -- Lori must be thrilled!

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Malachai Constant
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PostThu Feb 16, 2017 2:22 pm 
Nah, wasn't mine too few miles, they must not have changed the oil often enough. Not my stickers either, I had a NRA sticker and a TLC sticker for Clark Elementary school.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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AlpineRose
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PostThu Feb 16, 2017 4:10 pm 
This thread has reminded me of what was surely one of the most classic crossovers of all time. It was a 4WD Honda Civic Wagon (Wagovan?) from the mid-80s. On-demand 4WD and tough as nails, go-anywhere car. Why Honda discontinued that model, I'll never understand. An acquaintance had one. It was blue. Athough this blue Wagovan was still going strong, it had a lot of miles and wear and tear on it. So he thought it might be time to look for its replacement. He ended up buying another....Wagovan. This one was brown. Stored this new, old car in his garage. For safekeeping and as a backup, I guess. Kept on driving the old, old blue one. Far as I know, he's still driving the blue one.

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Randito
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PostThu Feb 16, 2017 5:17 pm 
AlpineRose wrote:
Why Honda discontinued that model, I'll never understand.
In Japan just about all models are available with AWD -- including smaller hatchbacks like the Fit -- However Honda (Toyota, Mazda, etc) only import selected AWD versions into the USA. There are also whole categories of vehicles made and sold in Japan that Honda has never tried to sell in the USA -- e.g. the "N-BOX" which also has an AWD option

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spamfoote
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PostFri Feb 17, 2017 12:03 am 
Frankly I find this ground clearance discussion laughable. As someone who took a diesel rabbit(effectively 5inches of ground clearance if that), predecessor to the VW Golf, to every trail head imaginable for 20 years driving at over 35mph, ground clearance as an issue is a joke. Now, if the FS finally backs off its perfectly graded roads and reverts to how rough the roads were in the 60's, then we have something to discuss. Until then, clearance as an issue getting to any trailhead in at least the coastal region of the west, WA, OR, CA is a very sad bad joke. At worst you have to drive slowly in a very rare short instances Now, if we are talking clearance in regards to Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado? Then yes, clearance is a major problem.

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Gregory
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PostFri Feb 17, 2017 6:43 am 
I own a 93 AWD Subaru wagon and a 08 f150 4x4.My vehicle of choice in the mountains is the legacy wagon.The Subaru is much better forest service road vehicle than the truck.Its because of the suspension.The softer car/crossover suspension does not drive the tires into the potholes as does a true SUV/truck.The only time I miss the truck is heavy water crossings.The Hot boxer motor does not like being dunked under water.Dirt roads have never worn out my suspensions but they do loosen up the plastic interiors and make them squeaky.

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Bronco
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PostFri Feb 17, 2017 9:38 am 
Prefer the Subaru for overgrown roads, they wreak havoc on the full size truck's paint. The Subie just slides through unscathed. Also a lot easier to turn around for those trailheads where it's just a wide spot at the end of the road. Trucks are nice for the wet/muddy dog.

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DIYSteve
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DIYSteve
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PostFri Feb 17, 2017 9:44 am 
It'd be entertaining to watch a FWD car with 5" ground clearance attempt go up and down the Mill Creek road to the PCT crossing. In August we were scraping in our truck with 10" GC.

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spamfoote
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PostFri Feb 17, 2017 6:40 pm 
Truck vrs car... Long wheel base is not your friend. Why most subaru's suck. Give 1" more clearance but longer wheel base so effectively it is shorter clearance. Especially on rutted surfaces. No free lunch in either case. When it comes to people driving on dirt roads, most don't know how as they never have done so. Most think they actually need 4WD just to drive on dirt... dizzy.gif The stupidification of america born in cities of all things rural.

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christensent
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PostSat Feb 18, 2017 9:13 am 
InFlight wrote:
The Rubicon comes stock with DANA 44 front and rear electronic lockers and a 4:1 low transfer case. With real wide ratio differentials it is definitely not a daily driver, least not at high-way speeds. But a seriously nasty off road brute.
Disagree, nobody should be turned away from a Wrangler in fear it can't drive on the highway. My Rubicon is my only vehicle and I put 20k miles on it a year, it goes 80MPH without any fear, and I go on long road trips with it. When I'm not on the highway, I'm driving through 8 feet of snow and crawling over boulders taller than a Suburu. Don't get me wrong, on an icy highway, a Suburu wins hands down by an order of magnitude without a debate.

Learning mountaineering: 10% technical knowledge, 90% learning how to eat
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Gregory
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PostSun Feb 19, 2017 8:30 am 
"Prefer the Subaru for overgrown roads, they wreak havoc on the full size truck's paint. The Subie just slides through unscathed. Also a lot easier to turn around for those trailheads where it's just a wide spot at the end of the road". "Sniggling" Is the word I use for taking advantage of the slipperiness of the little wagons.I drive an old scratched and dented one for a reason, though.I had a new one get destroyed at a trail head years back.The ugly old legacy does not get a second look. I do cheat as I lifted mine 2". = inches

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Gregory
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PostSun Feb 19, 2017 8:40 am 
"It'd be entertaining to watch a FWD car with 5" ground clearance attempt go up and down the Mill Creek road to the PCT crossing. In August we were scraping in our truck with 10" GC". It would be funny to have you follow me down some of the spur roads{those are the hundred roads, not the thousand}, even funnier watching you back out.I bet you would be surprised what you can do with the narrower wheelbase of the Subies and such.You can straddle so much that you have to dive into in the truck.There are a lot of places I can get to in my wagon that I can't in the truck and vice versa.A plus with the trucks is the amount of gear, weight I can haul without losing ground clearance.There is a reason I have one of each.

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drm
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PostSun Feb 19, 2017 10:27 am 
Bronco wrote:
The Subie just slides through unscathed. Also a lot easier to turn around for those trailheads where it's just a wide spot at the end of the road.
The very tight turning radius is another advantage I forgot to mention. It's not just wheelbase length.

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DIYSteve
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DIYSteve
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PostSun Feb 19, 2017 11:01 am 
Gregory wrote:
I bet you would be surprised what you can do with the narrower wheelbase of the Subies and such.
Name the wager. I will win. I've driven Subies and such on rough roads for years (including up the Mill Creek road to the PCT TH). Anyway, what's your point? My post was about a FWD (front wheel drive) car with 5" ground clearance on a specific road.
Gregory wrote:
There is a reason I have one of each.
So do I. Try reading my posts before you pick a fight, bro.

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