7/23/06 Notes from the first week with our B9 Tribeca Ltd. 5P
Generally speaking:
Build quality. Build quality is something you count on when you buy, but you can only become assured about it after you have spent some time with a car. This is our first Subaru product and I am enthused: This car has every bit the build quality of BMW's and Benz's we have owned. And I think the paint finish is even better than some. Everything feels rock solid and substantial and yet the balance of, for example, the doors is such that they do not feel overly heavy or awkward.
Roominess. Reviewers have described the B9T as not having as much room as competitors. Even if these comments are true they beg the question about driving experience. I liken the experience of driving or riding in front as being comfortably ensconced. All the controls and things you need are right at hand. I am 6'0" and over 200 lbs and have plenty of headroom, legroom, shoulder room and am totally comfortable. if you like the experience of being perched in a truck cab this is not for you, But it is roomy enough and if you have ever fancied piloting an airplane, then drive this vehicle at night and you will get a delightful sense of being in a high tech ****pit (I think this word was censored automatically when first posted
).
Some specifics:
Under the hood. My neighbor came over for a look and you gotta lift the hood. Everything is neatly done under there although of course we no longer know what any of it does. It's just a new car ritual--a guy thing. As we chatted, I pulled the plastic turtle shell off which covers the engine to get a better look. The trouble came when I went to reinstall it. It is hard to line things up and get it back on securely. I fiddled with it for about 10 minutes. I will definitely be making a note to check this after taking it into the shop for any reason. Failing to re-secure this thing properly is a "natural" for a distracted or hurried mechanic.
Downshifting. A review in Consumer Reports said that this vehicle is sluggish and does not downshift readily. I find that it has plenty of power (another guy thing--we always wish for more) and that it downshifts more readily than I would prefer. I am going to wait for 1,000 miles to see if i adapt to it, if there may be a problem or if I just don't like it.
Rear storage. I like the rear storage. I also like the plastic cargo mat that protects the rear carpet. Unfortunately there are two lift up storage panels and the mat is one piece. This is a problem. I am giving some thought to cutting the mat in two or removing it entirely and making my own two piece mat out of commercial entry mat material.
Dead pedal. One way I like to think you can tell if a car was really built for drivers is by the location of the dead pedal. In this car it perfectly placed and angled.
Gary K.
Generally speaking:
Build quality. Build quality is something you count on when you buy, but you can only become assured about it after you have spent some time with a car. This is our first Subaru product and I am enthused: This car has every bit the build quality of BMW's and Benz's we have owned. And I think the paint finish is even better than some. Everything feels rock solid and substantial and yet the balance of, for example, the doors is such that they do not feel overly heavy or awkward.
Roominess. Reviewers have described the B9T as not having as much room as competitors. Even if these comments are true they beg the question about driving experience. I liken the experience of driving or riding in front as being comfortably ensconced. All the controls and things you need are right at hand. I am 6'0" and over 200 lbs and have plenty of headroom, legroom, shoulder room and am totally comfortable. if you like the experience of being perched in a truck cab this is not for you, But it is roomy enough and if you have ever fancied piloting an airplane, then drive this vehicle at night and you will get a delightful sense of being in a high tech ****pit (I think this word was censored automatically when first posted
).Some specifics:
Under the hood. My neighbor came over for a look and you gotta lift the hood. Everything is neatly done under there although of course we no longer know what any of it does. It's just a new car ritual--a guy thing. As we chatted, I pulled the plastic turtle shell off which covers the engine to get a better look. The trouble came when I went to reinstall it. It is hard to line things up and get it back on securely. I fiddled with it for about 10 minutes. I will definitely be making a note to check this after taking it into the shop for any reason. Failing to re-secure this thing properly is a "natural" for a distracted or hurried mechanic.
Downshifting. A review in Consumer Reports said that this vehicle is sluggish and does not downshift readily. I find that it has plenty of power (another guy thing--we always wish for more) and that it downshifts more readily than I would prefer. I am going to wait for 1,000 miles to see if i adapt to it, if there may be a problem or if I just don't like it.
Rear storage. I like the rear storage. I also like the plastic cargo mat that protects the rear carpet. Unfortunately there are two lift up storage panels and the mat is one piece. This is a problem. I am giving some thought to cutting the mat in two or removing it entirely and making my own two piece mat out of commercial entry mat material.
Dead pedal. One way I like to think you can tell if a car was really built for drivers is by the location of the dead pedal. In this car it perfectly placed and angled.
Gary K.
