RS Revival: Livery Progress

Getting this car ready for the next Rallycross has been tricky.  In order to get things squared away with the look of this car, we had to get everything nailed down with the body.  No more rust.  If we didn't get every inch of it, the vinyl would just be in vain and need to be removed.  That's not an option, so I've been trying to be as careful as possible getting rid of it all.

I spent much of Throwback Thursday working on my 15-year-old project car.  RalliTek endlinks on the front, repaired the rocker panel metal, camber adjustments in the rear for the rally tires, it was a busy day.  The progress is really coming along nicely, but the clock is ticking down quickly.  The event is two days away, and we only have the front passenger side done!

As with the Plasti-Dip Livery I had done before, the dark gray vinyl is strategically hiding the portions of the body that we had repaired.  In fact, the Plasti-Dip was intended to serve as a temporary way to see how the look I envisioned on this car would work out, so it's good to finally have a more permanent design going on the car.  It will take a small miracle to get this car's look done before the event like I had originally planned but, regardless, it'll get done and look great!

New Addition to the Family!

For newlyweds, when someone hears that there's a "New Addition to the Family", they think of a baby.  While my wife and I don't have kids yet... we are more than ready for them now that our "New Addition to the Family" as arrived in our driveway.  It's bigger, it's better, and best of all... it's TURBOCHARGED!  May I introduce our new bundle of joy: a 2015 Subaru Forester XT Premium!!

This car kind of caught us off guard.  Up until now, my wife has been driving a nice 2004 Outback Sedan that she got two years ago.  However, it's not the roomiest car in the world and it is getting a little old.  We've done some work on it and updated the stereo and such, but when this Forester XT showed up on my lot at work, I couldn't help but consider the possibility of replacing our Outback with it.  It's better in a lot of areas.  Fuel Economy, Space, Safety, and flat-out FUN to drive!  It provides the kind of space we need to start a family but it still has that punch with a Direct-Injected Twin-Scroll Turbocharged Boxer Engine delivering a heart-pumping 250hp through the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. 
After considering some options, my wife and I thought we should at least explore replacing her car with the newer one.  We got a little more help from a 2011 Forester that was in her family as an additional trade-in and a great deal from my dealership. 

After everything had come together, we drove off with an awesome car at a great price that we couldn't be happier about.  Ironically, about the only thing I can think of that would top this would be having a kid!  We've got a great adventuremobile to help us spearhead whatever comes next for us in life.  And, like with the H6 Outback, my wife has a faster car than me... again.  Maybe she'll share it once in awhile?

WRX Midwest Drought

It happens to every new car.  One model year is wrapping up and the next one is coming.  With most manufacturers, this "out with the old, in with the new" cycle means that the previous year models are discounted when the next year models show up.  This isn't really the case with Subaru, at least in the Heartland of America.  Nearly every time a new model year is on the way, the previous models are sold out before they get a chance to touch down.  If there is any overlap between a 2015 and 2016 model (or whatever year it is), it doesn't last for long!

That's why, for the next month or so, WRX and WRX STI models may be tougher to come by than usual.  Aside from the fact that they're already a sought after car, the new MY2016 WRX and WRX STI won't be arriving at local dealerships until July, which is much later than the MY2015 release.  By this time last year, there were already new 4th Generation WRXs on the ground at local dealerships in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri.

It's no secret.  I work at a Subaru dealership.  With the tools at my fingertips, I was curious about when the new MY2016 models would be arriving.  As of this post, I learned that the new rocketships would be arriving around Independence Day.  This got me to wondering just how many MY2015 models would be in the area between now and then and the numbers are low.  Below I have details on what my search found for available WRX and WRX STI units in a 5-State area between now (May 22nd 2015) and the end of June 2015.

Search performed on available units in NE, IA, KS, MO, SD

WRX Base Model:

5 In Stock, 0 In Transit

WRX Premium:

10 In Stock, 1 In Transit

WRX Premium CVT:
1 In Stock, 0 In Transit

WRX Limited:
6 In Stock, 1 In Transit

WRX STI:

2 In Stock, 1 In Transit

WRX STI Limited:

2 In Stock, 1 In Transit

25 In Stock, 4 In Transit
29 TOTAL



In those states I searched, there are 30 Subaru Dealerships.  So, between now and when the fireworks fly, the chances of a dealership in this area having the right rocketship for you in-stock... or even having ANY in stock, is quite low. 


Many of those who are looking to own a WRX or WRX STI are already aware of the shortage in this area (and others across the country) so they either search carefully to find the right one or they simply order the car from their local dealer exactly the way they want it.  However, there's still the majority of those hopeful owners who prance gleefully into their dealership expecting to find their car sitting on the showroom waiting for them to take it home.  They quickly realize this is generally not the case.  This issue will only become more commonplace in the weeks to come, at least in my neck-of-the-woods.


To those who are reading this well after the WRX Drought of 2015 has passed, note that this is likely how things will always be with the WRX and WRX STI in the Midwest.  So, whenever it's possible, plan ahead and order your car exactly the way you want it and the wait will be worth it.

Launch Control Season 3!

I didn't need a reason to follow Subaru Rally Team USA on Instagram... but they just gave me another one.  After some gratuitous gravel footage of David Higgins and Craig Drew making mince meat of the roads in Oregon, a little blurb came up with a familiar logo.  One that makes me look forward to Wednesdays.  Well... I mean, besides looking forward to our weekly local meets.  That's right!  Launch Control is back for Season 3!!

"What's Launch Control?"

This is a series that follows the rally teams in the US for Subaru.  Both the Global Rallycross Team and Rally Team USA get coverage in this in-depth behind-the-scenes look at rallying.  It's not just the cars and the races, it's the people behind the wheel, under the cars, and in the grandstands.  Launch Control has done an excellent job capturing the essence of the sport and making it more accessible and help publicize it on a global scale.

Still don't know what's up?  Lucky for you I've got links to all of Season 1 and Season 2 on this page.

2015 NSOC Spring Fling Details

On May 3rd the Nebraska Subaru Owners Club will meet up to take our third trip around the "Iowaska" route.  This 70 mile drive starts off in Historic Florence, winds along the western bank of the Missouri and into Fort Calhoun.  Then it follows flowing hills and sharp turns into Blair to cross over the river to Missouri Valley, IA.  From there we follow a challenging road that zips through the Loess Hills Scenic Byway into Crescent, IA.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&authuser=0&mid=zU5vdoIujAdU.kVZ2JzLJoqx0

After we've completed route, we'll meet up at NP Dodge Park in Nebraska to grill up some food together.  There's also some giveaways and prizes to win like Rally Team T Shirts, Lanyards, and other neat gear.  We're expecting big turnout so this event should be a LOT of fun!

Check out the Nebraska Subaru Owners Club on Facebook for more event details!

WRX Seat Swap

The transformation continues piece by piece!  This 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Hatchback started life as a mere base model with a CVT.  While it's still getting me on-average 32 mpg (over the 43k miles I've driven it so far), it certainly doesn't look or feel like the econobox it started out as.  The suspension is firmer, the wheels are wider, and the interior and exterior have been subjected to many Subaru Legos.  Today another piece was swapped in from a 2015 WRX.
I have never really cared for the stock seats in the 4th Generation Impreza.  The seats are sort of gutless in that they don't have much support.  I've had to bring the car to Subaru 3 times for seat issues, too.  The first was the air bag sensor in the passenger seat getting thrown off by electronics.  The other two were replacing bad lumbar cushions in the driver seat.  So, when I got a chance to nab some sporty looking WRX seats, I jumped at the opportunity.

Thanks to the new 4th Generation WRX still being built on a 4th Generation Impreza unibody, the upgrade was simple.  Take out the bolts in the seats, disconnect the plugs underneath, do some well-needed cleaning, and put the new seats in.  The new seats are very comfortable, provide better support, and have good side bolstering to hold me in place when I'm taking tight turns.  They still provide the same safety features the Impreza seats did with Whiplash protection head rests and side-bolster airbags.  I'd be lying if I didn't also admit they make a major improvement to the interiors' looks!

These seats are hard to find and, in most cases, very expensive when you do find them.  Thanks to exuberant WRX owners reckless driving, a salvage yard might have a pair from a kid who thought it would be a good idea to test out the car on icy gravel with the stock Dunlop tires on.  You also might find a serious track day guy who is putting racing bucket seats in and no longer needs his stock seats.  Either way, if you can find a set and you have a 4th Gen Impreza you'd like to upgrade, it's a great fit.  Literally!

RS Revival: Butt Beautiful

It seems like repairing the rust on this car has been a constant battle, but today I'm confident that the work done will last... and help the car last, too.  This 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Coupe has been quite the cancer patient since I got it in September of 2013.  A year-and-a-half later nearly all of the hungry rust has been stopped in it's tracks or removed altogether.  In short: the RS has shed the junk from it's trunk.

After things were sealed and rustproofed, I touched up some of the bodywork done last fall and then coated it with primer for some paint.  While the paint we used isn't an exact match, it's main purpose is to act as something for the vinyl graphics to hang on to that will be added later.

To spruce things up a bit, I decided to treat the RS to some JDM Tail Lights.  I've always disliked all the orange indicators on this car and have preferred the cleaner look the clear lights give.