Is the Legacy GT Returning?

Is anyone out there tired of SUVs and crossovers yet? If you are running an automobile company, you should surely hope not, as the SUV and CUV have been making up a large portion of your sales for quite a few years now, and it's easy to understand why. Look at Subaru of America. Their top three sellers are the Outback, the Forester, and the Crosstrek. They offer everything from spacious interiors, more-than-capable ground clearance, excellent gas mileage, and an All-Wheel Drive System that is arguably the standard at which all other manufacturers strive for theirs to meet.

But seriously, are there still drivers out there that long for the powerful, nimble, exhilarating mid-sized sedan that makes you make excuses just to drive it? Yes, we are incredibly fortunate to have the WRX and WRX STi. I, for one, hope they never go away. But I'm not talking about the hi performance sub-compacts that can easily serve as your weekend track car. I'm talking about the larger sedan used for daily chores, but separates itself by having the look of a Gran Turismo, with the power to back it up.

Enter the Legacy GT.

1994 Legacy GT Wagon(left)

Often known within the Subaru community as the WRX's "mature" older sibling. The absolute perfect choice for those loving performance sedans, but have moved on from the boy-racer image. The "GT" moniker actually appeared first on a Legacy model here in the US way back in 1994, and...it was only offered as a wagon. It came equipped with special ground effects, larger, mesh-style alloy wheels, and a "step" roof that offered more interior room.

For the next 10 years, the GT had a few different iterations, but in 2005, the 2.5 liter turbocharged Legacy GT sedan and wagon made its debut in the US, and its reputation as the "grown up" WRX was born. While it was offered in wagon form, and the wagons were awesome, the Legacy GT was a sport sedan. Great power, great suspension, great brakes, great interior...it had it all. It was a G-T sedan.

When the Legacy model changed in 2010, the GT was still offered, but now only in a 6 speed, which alienated a large portion of buyers. Sales declined for the next 3 years, and when the model year 2013 Legacys rolled around, the GT was left behind, never to return.

When the new 2015 Legacy was introduced, not only did Subaru of America not offer a turbo version, they eliminated the manual transmission option all together, all for the sake of improved fuel mileage...the CAFE number. The CAFE is the Corporate Average Fuel Economy that the government put on all auto manufacturers. It's basically the average fuel mileage of all the vehicles put out by a given manufacturer. To make a long story short, if a manufacturer doesn't meet it's numbers, it may have to pay a penalty, to the tune of $55 per car for every 1 mpg over the CAFE number. In 2006, Mercedes-Benz drew a $30.3 million penalty for violating fuel economy standards by 2.2 MPG. No joke.

The CAFE number was also behind the demise of the beloved Forester XT. The turbocharged Forester that was way quicker than it had a right to be, and the owners loved it. When the new 7/8 passenger Ascent was introduced, it came with the powerful FA24-DIT turbocharged engine, which is fantastic. However, the Ascent is a big vehicle, thus, fuel mileage will naturally be a bit less than , say, an Impreza. So, Subaru of America needed to get it's CAFE numbers back in check. Where could they pick up a few mpg's? The WRX and WRX STi both have powerful engines that may not get insanely conservative fuel mileage(although my wife's 2015 WRX's fuel mileage overly impressive, even 4 years later), however, messing with either of those cars may have resulted in a riot in Camden, NJ, so they were off the list. The Forester XT made up only a small portion of actual Forester sales, and by eliminating that model, they could pick up a few valuable mpgs back that the Ascent needed. Perfect!

Subaru Forester XT

The new heart of the new GT? 

 It's been fun, Forester XT!

What does this have to do with the Legacy GT? Well, currently SOA offers the 3.6 6 cylinder for it's top-of-the line Legacy and Outback, which gets 20/28mpg. Not horrible, but not stupendous. However, the 2.4 turbo in the new Ascent gets 21/27 mpg. But...and this is a big "but", the Ascent weighs almost 1000 pounds more than a Legacy and STILL gets that kind of mileage with the 2.4 engine AND makes more power to boot. You see where we are going with this? Now you are asking yourself, "Why doesn't Subaru just ditch the 6 cylinder and put the 2.4 turbo in the Legacy and Outback for it's top trim level, thus, achieve better fuel mileage across the board and keep its CAFE number happy, since the Legacy weighs 1000 pounds less? It's gas mileage should be outstanding!"

Bingo.

Thank you, CAFE!

Our guess is the new Legacy sedan, set to be unveiled at the Chicago Auto show on February 7th, will indeed be offered with a version of the Ascent 2.4 turbocharged engine and will usher in a new, exciting era for the Legacy in one fell swoop. Will they name it the "GT"? I don't know, but for the first time in almost a decade, Subaru of America has a chance to make the Legacy exciting again. For those who get excited by cars that make you make an excuse just to drive it. 

Carscoops rendition of the new 2020 Subaru Legacy.

A turbocharged Subaru Legacy Sedan back in the line-up? Yes, please.

Subaru OEM vs. the Aftermarket

Everyone tries to save money, or at least spend less money. If you do maintenance on your own car, you yourself are proof of this. Part of this I think has to do with the fact that a lot of Americans just love their cars and working on them ourselves, at times, can be very enjoyable and gratifying. Another part of this comes from the stereotype that the dealerships(or "Stealerships" as they have become affectionately known) charge way too much money and you can do it cheaper yourself by not having to pay labor and buying "aftermarket" parts.

I have no issue with an owner working on their own car. I do it as much as possible. But, the "aftermarket" parts, in my experience, is where issues begin to arise. I'd like to share my experience from this past weekend with oem(original equipment manufacturer) vs. aftermarket:

We've had my son's 2002 Impreza WRX for almost two years now, slowly working on it and replacing things that any 16 year old car would need replaced, so it would be ready for him when he turned 16(this past week). From the time we bought the car, the clutch never felt right. In fact, it felt horrible. Hard as a rock and there was no "spring" in it. We were lucky enough to get all the service records for the car when we bought it, and I knew the 5spd transmission's center differential was rebuilt by a "independent" service shop. According to the service records, the shop re-installed all the stock clutch components(clutch plate, pressure plate, throw-out and pilot bearings, flywheel, etc.) with 100,000 miles on them. For those who don't know, this stuff wears out and removing the transmission to get at this stuff is a big job. Why anyone would go through all the trouble to remove the transmission and NOT replace these items is beyond comprehension. Either the shop did not inform the previous customer about this, or they did not make it clear enough to the customer for he or she to go ahead and have these items replaced. Either way, the "independent" service shop failed the customer. All of this made me very skeptical of their work which made me not like how the clutch in my son's car felt even more.

OEM Subaru Pressure
Plate and throwout bearing after 170,000miles,
bent and without
lubrication thanks to
the "independent" service
shop

As it turns out, my suspicion was correct, unfortunately. This shop that "specializes" in Subarus had things bent, busted, and provided no new lubrication to any of the clutch components when they reassembled it. The fact that the clutch lasted as long as it did is a testament in itself to Subaru oem parts. I feel bad for the previous owner since he paid top dollar to have these repairs done "correctly" but what he got back was a transmission and clutch assembly in worse shape than when it gave it to them in the first place.

So I, along with a mechanic friend that has his own garage and lift, set out to replace all of the stock clutch parts in there and make sure it was reassembled the right way.

We installed a new Exedy clutch(Subaru's oem clutch supplier) and pressure plate(Ksb03), an ACT flywheel(600175). The ACT flywheel is indeed an "aftermarket" part, but it's a bit lighter than the oem flywheel to allow the car to "rev" a little quicker at the expense of being a bit less forgiving than the Subaru flywheel. But, my son is a car nut and performance aficionado so he wanted to try a lightweight flywheel. To be fair, Subaru actually offered a lightweight flywheel for their 5 speeds in the past but since the 6 speed is here, oem performance parts for the 5 speed have all but disappeared. 

Back to the story. I knew the aftermarket flywheel came with a new pilot bearing, but I was getting parts from the dealership anyway so I ordered a new oem Subaru pilot bearing as well. After inspecting the ACT flywheel when it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see they had a NACHI pilot bearing already pressed into place(NACHI is a highly credible oem bearing supplier to many Japanese auto manufacturers, including Subaru). Upon receiving the oem Subaru pilot bearing, I noticed the seal on it was blue and not orange like the one supplied by ACT, so I decided to compare.

OEM Subaru Pilot bearing installed

Bearing supplied by
flywheel manufacturer

Both bearings are made by NACHI of Japan. The ACT one having orange seals and the oem having blue seals. Both are identical 6201 series bearings as stamped on the seals. However, the following “seal” number was where things began to differ: The ACT bearing was a 6201 NSE and the oem Subaru bearing was a 6201 NKE. So, what’s the difference?

It turns out, the NSE(ACT) bearing is a “contact seal” bearing where the seal actually contacts the bearing inner ring. The NKE(Subaru) bearing is a labyrinth or “non-contact” seal where there is no contact between the seal and the ring but uses air pressure and centrifugal force to keep particles away from the bearing. Labyrinth seal(non-contact) bearings are also more expensive to produce.

There is tons of info on different kinds of bearings, but in short, the non-contact bearing(Subaru) is superior with keeping micro particles out of the bearing, high rotational speeds, internal grease retention, less friction loss, and higher operating temperatures. All things associated with the environment inside the bell housing, pressed into our flywheel. The contact seal bearing(ACT) is better at being water resistant and operating a low rotational speeds, neither of which is applicable to what a pilot bearing is asked to do.

NACHI comparison chart of
different bearings and their
respective applications

So, is the NACHI bearing supplied by ACT junk compared to the NACHI bearing supplied by Subaru? Absolutely not! But, the oem NACHI bearing Subaru supplies is much better suited in the application of a pilot bearing and what it is expected to do.

This is a case where the “quality” of the part is not in question, but the best suited part for a given application is in question. Now, there is a very good chance the NACHI bearing supplied by ACT would last a very long time, but the NACHI bearing supplied by Subaru is a superior choice for this given application. Splitting hairs maybe, but it shows, in this instance, there is a good choice and a better choice.

The engineers at Subaru I'm sure had their choice of any bearing they wanted to put in there. The fact is they chose the one they did for a specific reason. They spend millions of dollars and countless days, weeks, or even years researching and developing parts that work correctly in their automobiles. Everything from engine components to wiper blades to oil and filters, and even right down to tiny little pilot bearings. Subaru knows best what parts go on or into your Subaru, and they make virtually every part on your Subaru available from your Subaru dealership.

All cleaned up, lubricated,
reinstalled correctly, and ready
for another 170,000 miles!

Subaru also provides the much needed specialty tools and  training to their technicians so they know how to remove and replace the critical parts on your Subaru...CORRECTLY!  This is why, at times, your Subaru dealership many be slightly more expensive than one of those "independent" shops down the street. It is very difficult for anyone to match the level of expertise and the level of quality of parts that your local Subaru dealer can provide. 

If you do choose to work on your Subaru yourself, please use Genuine Subaru replacement parts whenever possible. Your Subaru is responsible for getting you and your loved ones to your destination safely each and every time. There is no reason to risk anything by using cheap aftermarket parts. Trust the parts that Subaru and it's engineers trust to offer you. Your Subaru(and your family) deserve it.

For more local Subaru news, visit our facebook page at Subaru Fans of Central PA 

Wipe Away your Winter Blues

It is a new year here in central PA. Time to have a clear vision of what lies ahead. Where to start, you ask? Yoga classes? Join a running club? Meditation? That's a negative, ghostrider. We're taking about your wiper blades

Shortly after this photo, Subaru's rallycross driver and his $300,000 race car
 had his race ended due to a failed wiper blade and zero visibility. Yikes.

Your wiper blades are like the unsung hero on your Subaru. Doing their job each and every time they are called upon. But the only time you care to notice them is when they just cannot perform the way they did in their younger days. We all know when our wipers are ready for retirement; streaks, squeaks, and maybe even the rubber filament actually tearing away from the blade. And some or all of these wiper problems will happen when you absolutely need them the most, like at night, in the middle of January, when it is freezing rain and you are stuck behind a coal truck that is more than capable of covering your windshield with a muddy mist every two seconds for the next 10 miles. Your frustration is off the charts all because you didn't respect the job your wiper blades do for you and your Subaru. Boooo!!!!

Ok, ok, don't beat yourself up over it too much. Remember those three weeks of meditating classes you took last New Year? Take a deep breath, count to 10, and lets get some new wiper blades so dreadful vision out of your Subaru is a thing of the past. So, you head to your local super store where you see dozens of different kinds, different styles, from different manufacturers. You try to look through that gigantic catalog that is completely falling apart and probably has the page you need ripped out anyway to see what size and style goes on your car.

Stop.

We're going to make this incredibly easy on you. Stop in at your parts department at your local Subaru dealer, tell them what kind of Subaru you have, have them installed as you wait(all of about two minutes), pay the man, and go back to not worrying about your wipers for another year. It really is that simple. So much frustration and unsafe driving eliminated in one fell swoop. Seriously, don't be "that guy" who spends a day researching all the different wiper blade manufacturers, what percentage of silicone the blade is made of, which style is more areadynamic, blah, blah, blah. Subaru now offers their "beam" blade that has an internal spring that bends the wiper to the contour of the windshield and it works fantastic and will last fine until you replace them next year at the same time. Once a year people, your wipers, regardless of how they are performing 365 days after you installed them, get replaced once a year. Do it at your state inspection, do it at labor day, heck, do it when we turn the clocks back. Just pick some time you are going to remember every year and do it. The'y'll set you back about $30 which may be one of the biggest "bangs for your buck" in terms of the safety they'll provide you vs old, worn out wipers.

Boom! Now your Subie has fresh new wipers. Well done! But, there are a few things you can do to ensure they perform at their optimum level for the next year. I know, I'm pushing it. I should be happy you replaced your wipers before their rubber was tearing off and flapping in the wind. But really, these are simple steps to keeping your wipers performing like new the entire time they are on your car:

1. Use your windshield wash! Not just two seconds after a bug splatters against your windshield, either! After your drive home for the day(if it's more than a mile or two), or numerous times throughout a long trip, consider spraying the windshield wash a few times to clean your window off. Whether you see it or not, your windshield is constantly getting junk on it, like dirt, oil, bugs, etc. By cleaning the windshield often, you are ridding the icky stuff little by little when it is still within the capabilities of your wipers. Going days or even weeks without using your wipers will make their job more difficult ten fold when you do need them due to having to also wipe across weeks worth of road debris. That being said, top your windshield wash off with every fill-up.
2. Clean your windshield and wipers! The fact is, regardless of #1, your wipers and windshield will eventually become filthier than windshield wash will be able to take care of. It's then that you need to grab your favorite glass cleaner and paper towels and physically clean your windshield maybe twice a month or as needed. Then, lift your wipers up and clean the rubber blades numerous times, each time using a different spot of the towel. Remember, the cleaner the surface of your windshield and wiper blades are, the more efficient  they will be at removing water and dirt from your windshield.
3. Snow coming? Get your wipers up! If snow is in the forecast, lift your wipers up while your car is parked. That way when you do come out to clean your windshield off, there is no chance of your wipers freezing to the window and no chance of you nicking the rubber blade with your ice scraper.

So there you have it. As you can see, there is nothing earth-shattering about putting on new wipers and caring for them for one year. Your efforts will reward you immensely the first time you actually have to depend on your wipers to get you and your Subaru home on that cold, miserable night. Go on, give your windshield wipers some love. They are counting on you, so you can count on them!

For more Subaru news of central PA, visit our facebook page HERE !

A SUBARU "BARN FIND"

Barn Finds. Anyone into cars has heard of them. You know the story; An elderly lady lists a '65 chevy for sale that's been sitting in the barn out back for the last 30 years...$1000. Car guy goes to check it out and the "Chevy" turns out to be a Chevrolet Corvette worth $60,000. Or the one where your neighbor's brother-in-law's boss raced with the ex-husband of the lady two state's over that used to date back in high school the brother of an Ex-Pro dragracer that ran 1969 Ford Boss 429 and she knows where the car is sitting in some corn field.

We all love them. Some are 100% true, some turn out to be just rumors and hearsay, but most all involve classic and muscle cars from back in the 50s and 60s worth a fortune today. However, times are changing. Many of the early Japanese super cars that were sold in the US during the 90's, the Supra Turbos, RX-7s, NSXs, even the Integra Type Rs have all seen their values climb over the years and stock variants of these cars are even harder to come by. So, little by little when word surfaces of a "mint"(fill in your favorite  car here), people will investigate because those who may have been too young to afford one of these cars back then may be in a position to grab one now.

Enter the 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. The first WRX to be sold in the US to a new generation of car guys that spent the 90's playing Gran Turismo and reading about the turbocharged and intercooled AWD rallying variant of the docile Impreza that was holding it's own on tracks against cars costing three times as much. To make things even more interesting, the 2002 Impreza WRX was the first of the new generation Impreza and it's appearance, with it's big "bugeye" headlights, was met with more than a few raised eyebrows. But like most things that are first taken as "odd" usually develop a cult-like following and the 2002-2003 WRX "Bugeye" is no exception. There are countless social media pages and groups devoted to the Bugeye, as it has truly become sought after.

The problem though, as it seems, is that for the last 5 years or so, the early WRXs have come down in value enough for the next generation of car enthusiasts (i.e. late teens, early 20s) to pick one up and have their way with it. For as many Bugeyes that have been brought to greatness over the years by their owners, there are easily that many running the streets held together with zip ties, loaded with ebay parts, rolling on stock wheels with their flat black paint flaking off with enough dents around the car to make a golf ball jealous.  I was in the market for a Bugeye this summer for my son and I have witnessed some of the latter cars. It got to the point where I was unsure if there were any good examples of Bugeyes left, at least in or around Pennsylvania.

To back up just a little, I worked for our local Subaru dealer back in the 90's and early 2000's, and then stayed on after switching careers working with their customers' performance needs part time  after the WRX was released, as there was no one at the dealership that bothered much with that stuff. We had a customer by the name of Jake that wanted all of the goodies at the time, so he said what he wanted and we got the parts in and installed them for him, the same way most of our customer cars worked. Being the huge rally fan that I am and have been for decades, I've  always had a soft spot for Jake's car.

It was a 2002 WR Blue 5spd WRX sedan. We then installed a brand new set of 18" gold Prodrive P1 wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber. We also installed 2004 STi side skirts along with the OEM front and rear lips as well. JDM projector headlights finished the front end and we put a WRC replica roof scoop up top and a WRC-type rear spoiler out back. The icing on the cake, however, was a genuine STi WRC decal kit. That's right, not made in some guy's basement, the decals were the real deal. Not such a big deal today, but back then it was pretty special. The guys at RalliSpec got them in from Japan for us at near $1000! Crazy? Maybe, but they did look and fit perfectly on his car.

The inside remained fairly stock save for a few guages. Most everything else was factory perfect.

Under the hood was just your basic bolt-ons. Catless up-pipe, BPM turbo-back exhaust(there's a name you haven't heard in a while!), an intake and turbo-inlet, an HKS BOV, and a TurboXS Uni-Chip to tie everything in together. Keep in mind, this was early 2000's! As "archaic as they may sound now, it was quite a hot set-up back then and Jake's car in particular ran very strong. It got attention everywhere it went and became quite well known in the Sunbury area of PA.

But, like many young enthusiasts, life has a tendency to get in the way and Jake's career at his family's construction business and the need for more practical vehicles became evident. The area saw less and less of the blue and gold Subaru and it eventually became a "remember that blue WRX" conversion among area car enthusiasts.

Fast forward 12 years or so later and my son and I are in search of a clean, early WRX. While talking to an old friend at the local Subaru dealership, the topic of Jake's old WRX popped up:

"Ya know, Jake still has his WRX."

"You're kidding!? What kind of shape is it in?"

"Exactly the same...it still has the stickers on it! And it has some absurd amount of low miles. He just parked it in their warehouse years ago. I think he may be willing to sell it if you want to get a hold of him"

Now, at this point I am torn. It would be an absolutely perfect car for my son with so little miles(if it did indeed have low miles), but Jake knows exactly what he has so I know it's almost definitely out of my budget. Still, it was worth a shot just to go see the car again. So I contact Jake and we decide to meet at his warehouse where the WRX has been for years.

I pull in to the warehouse parking lot one afternoon and I almost have knots in my stomach. This may possibly be the lowest mileage 2002 WRX in the entire country and although I all but convinced myself it was out of my price range before even knowing if he would indeed sell it, there was a sliver of hope. Prior to the visit, I checked with my credit union and with the miles it was said to have, they would allow just under $10,000 for the car. So I had that number in my head. After a quick hello session with Jake, he take's me back to his WRX. I was speechless. It was exactly as I remembered it. It instantly brought back so many memories of working on it and applying the stickers and watching it run. While it was covered in dust, it was obvious the body on the car was flawless. No rust, no dents, no paint chipping away or fading like you see on virtually every original '02 WRX on the road. It was exactly as described.

"You mind if I sit in it?" I ask.


"Sure" Jake says.

There is nothing liking sitting in a bugeye WRX. Compared to today's performance cars, the '02 WRX was so basic and simple, yet it was all you needed. The seats hug you tightly and everything is right where it needs to be. It has such a "raw" feel to it. Then, I glance at the odometer and almost get chills:

18,110

The rumors were true. Again, I am at a loss for words. I am not claiming this to be the absolute lowest mileage 2002 Impreza WRX not only in the country, but possibly in the world, but there can't be too many with lower miles and as good of shape as the one I am sitting in at that very moment. I compose myself and continue to look around the car and talk to Jake about doing things to the car some 14 years earlier. I had no need to hear it run or drive it as much of the company's heavy equipment would've had to be moved to do so. At this point, Jake was still unsure if he wanted to sell it, as it was his first car and it is in pristine condition and at this point is not costing him a cent to hold on to it. He does ask what I would offer him if he decided to sell, I tell him, and we wrap things up for the afternoon knowing it would not be enough to get this car.

A few weeks later I talk to Jake again and while still not being totally committed to selling it, he did admit that my offer would not get it done, as I expected. While I was able to offer him a bit more, just for the fact that I've always loved the car, I made a decision to look for something more typical in mileage(and price) for our project bugeye for my son. It is very easy to become impulsive around a car like this. But quite honestly, Jake's WRX was almost in too good of condtion to be someone's first car. This car belongs in a true Subaru bugeye enthusiast's garage that will see little battle on the streets and more battle at the car shows. Someone who will truly appreciate it for what it is.

That being said, one has to wonder, just how valuable is this car? Sure, you can say it's only as valuable as what someone is willing to pay for it, which is true. But, when looking at it comparatively, the early WRX STis in this country(starting in 2004), are fetching in the neighborhood of $13,000-$15,000 with well over 100k miles on them. Granted, the STi has the Brembo brakes, the STi 6 speed transmission, and the 305hp 2.5 litre engine, so naturally they are bringing in some nice money. But, you still go back to the odometer on Jake's car; 18,110. If you want a 2004 STi, you will find one. It's just that simple. But, if you want a 2002 WRX with under 20,000 miles, chances are you will not find one, and again, it is just that simple. Sure, even with that low of miles, fluids, rubber bits, seals, etc. will all likely need attention simply because of the car's age. But as I said earlier, the buyer of this car will not be in a hurry to put major miles on this car anyway so it might not be on the top of their list of things to do. I would have to assume, given the same price range, most people looking for a WRX would choose a thoroughly used STi over Jake's bugeye. But, for the hardcore bugeye enthusiast(and they are out there), you will not find another car like Jake's anytime soon, and maybe ever.

In the end, the blue and gold WRX that I helped put together when it was new, was not going to be ours. As of this writing, Jake still has his WRX, tucked away safe and sound in a corner of his warehouse where it will remain until the right buyer comes along. Until then, it will remain still, out of the elements, out of the harsh sun, out of the hands of some kid who wants to slam it to the ground and plasti-dip the wheels among other things, like so many early WRXs have succumbed to. I suspect this WRX "barn find" will continue to enjoy the good life right where it is at, or eventually, possibly, at a new home where the second owner will appreciate it just as much, if not more, than it's original owner does.

For more central PA Subaru news, like us on Facebook at Subaru Fans of Central PA

BOXERFEST 2016

As we passed signs for Owings Mills, MD off of interstate 695, I recalled the last time I was in this general area for a Subaru meet. It was some 17 years prior for the infamous "22B Motorweek" meet, when Subaru of America graciously allowed the automobile review show, Motorweek(located in Owings Mills), to do a review on their own Impreza WRX STi 22B. But, not only did they allow the show to test what many consider to be the Holy Grail of Subarus, they invited a bunch of us Subaru enthusiasts to come see the car in person. There were probably 30 of us there, quite a large meet for that era,  most driving the still fairly new Impreza RS, me in my 1991 Legacy Sport Sedan. We were just a few young guys passionate about our Subarus.

I never left the Subaru scene, but scouring the internet for all the newest and coolest parts and swapping turbochargers and suspension pieces had been placed way on the back burner for raising kids, building a house, and commuting back and forth to school and sporting events throughout the years. But somewhere along the line, my now 14 year old son became a car nut. Credit Gran Turismo, credit the endless car shows on tv nowadays, credit youtube, credit whoever, but he loves his performance cars, particularly Subarus. While we have been to a few local car shows, he hasn't seen many of the jaw dropping "internet" cars up close and personal. This year, Boxerfest, one of the country's largest all-Subaru gatherings, was moved to Sunday, May 1st, which was perfect since I work most Saturdays. A quick check on Google Maps showed less than a three hour trip from central PA so we were set! My wife and I packed up our 10 and 14 year old boys, grabbed some snacks and off we went to Boxerfest 2016!

The weather report looked pretty lousy all week for FedEx Field in Landover, MD, site of the event. But, no matter. We all had rain gear and umbrellas and it was on a paved parking lot so no worries of walking through mud all day. The entire way down, it rained, but our boys had fun watching for "modded" Subarus coming up behind us and watching and listening to them drive by, as there were plenty enthusiasts taking the same path to Boxerfest from PA as we were:

 "Wow, did you see that one?!" 

 "Here comes another one! Put your window down so we could hear it!",

 "Go faster, Dad, so we can follow him!"

Ummm no, we're good.

Upon arriving at FedEx Field, we saw a group of 30 or 40 Subarus sitting to the right of the entrance road. My kids were amazed at all of the Subarus in one place, but I thought, "Surely, there is more to Boxerfest than this". We turned around and canvased the area and that is when we saw the "main" parking and show area. Speechless is the only word that comes to mind. As we drove into the parking lot, our heads couldn't turn fast enough and our eyes couldn't focus quick enough on the hundreds and hundreds of Subarus lined from one side of the lot to the next. Everywhere you looked, one more modified than the last. Bugeyes, Hawkeyes, Legacies, Bajas, Crosstreks, GCs, GRs, narrow bodies, Hyper Blues, Launch Editions, you name it. If you were a Subaru enthusiast and you were within driving distance, you NEEDED to be at Boxerfest.

While my wife and kids were excited to get to the show and vendor areas, honestly, I could have walked up and down the lanes of the parking lot for hours just seeing all of the different variations of Subarus that were in attendance. Boxerfest put together a great "goody bag" with tons of stickers, calendars, coupons, pens, keychains, and all sorts of trinkets. Subaru of America was there with the STi Concept BRZ and plenty of freebies they were handing out as well, including a super cool Boxerfest Badge of Ownership icon for attendees as well. They also had a Subaru Rally Team walk-through trailer with lots of pictures and free posters and such and a "Super Production" class STi rally car that my boys got to sit in which was a highlight for both! 

The big names in the Subaru aftermarket were on display as well with companies such as Cobb Tuning, IAG, Grimmspeed, and KillerB Motorsports to name a few and the car show and autocross gave the audience hours of viewing pleasure. There were some fully built cars there that were jaw-dropping. The amount of detail in every aspect of the car and the time and money that the owners put into them would have been absolutely unthinkable 17 years ago when a 20mm rear sway bar was THE upgrade to have. The Subaru scene has grown exponentially over that time, in ways most of us who were involved in the 1990s would have never dreamed of.

But, despite it's growth, the core of the Subaru enthusiast remains the same. As neat as it is to see the fully built "Gran Turismo" cars, the vast majority of the hundreds of Subarus there were simply the daily drivers of the owners who remain passionate about his or her Subaru, where upgrading a rear sway bar or installing a new set of springs over the weekend with some buddies still makes for some of the best times a car guy can have. It's what makes us Subaru enthusiasts. The desire to make the car we love a little better in our own unique ways. Yet I'm sure the question still gets asked from time to time, "Why would you do that to a Subaru?" Simply put, it's a "Subie thing", and if you have to ask, as the saying goes,  you really wouldn't understand.

There is one other constant that has been with the Subaru enthusiasts throughout almost two decades and that is Subaru of America themselves. I have been an enthusiast since before it's infancy here in the US and I watched Subaru of America's view of us grow and accept us as a legitimate customer base of their company. They have reached out and have been a part of virtually every aspect of the Subaru performance market in this country from rallying to road racing to drag racing to autocross, to meets with thousands of Subaru fans at giant venues, they have treated us the same way they did when it was only 30 of us in a parking lot 17 years ago, and for that I thank them.

As for my gang, our road trip to Boxerfest was a success! We talked about and scanned through pictures the whole way home, each "building" our dream Subie out loud with what wheels we would have, what color it would be, what year and what style we would want...it was a fun ride back to central PA. My 14 year old already plans on saving up for a 2002-2003 "Bugeye" WRX, maybe some JDM projector headlights, a nice set of wheels, a decent exhaust to let out the rumble a little. I mean...

it's for the kid...

really....

it is.

It's not my fault he has good taste in cars.






 

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