Our Subarus and Snow Tires.

Yes, you own a Subaru, or you are thinking about owning a Subaru, right? You have fantastic taste in automobiles! Winter is right around the corner and we live in central PA, so one can argue that you have, arguably, the best vehicle for the next four months you could possibly have.

But....while the Subaru engineers perform wizardry with their AWD system, it ultimately starts with traction, and that is literally where the rubber meets the road...as in tires.

Virtually all car manufacturers choose an all-season tire to equip their vehicles. These tires are adequate to use all year around in rain, light snow, hot summer heat and everything in between. However if there is one figure of speech that could best describe all-season tires, its, "Jack of All Trades-Master of None". Tire performance is based off of many different criteria and it is just impossible to compose an all-season tire to handle as well in the summer as a true summer tire or deal with ice, slush, snow, and arctic-like temperatures in the winter as a true winter tire. Impossible. With a true summer tire, while offering superior traction and handling characteristics over an all-season tire, its benefits are not so apparent to most of the driving masses and are usually reserved for performance cars. But a true winter tire's benefits can be seen by anyone who has driven a car through a central PA winter. The problem? Most drivers have never done so. All-season tires have gotten them by...until they don't.

When many think of winter tires, they think of big, hunky, tires on the rear wheels of most cars from the 50's and 60's when there was snow on the ground from November until April. But, as virtually everything has changed in the last 60 years, so have snow tires. Front-wheel drive's popularity rise in the 70's and 80's and the convenience of only having to use one set of tires all year long had hid snow tires in our memory in the category of  "things our grandparents used" next to wash boards and black and white TVs. The truth is winter tires have made huge advances in technology over the last few decades. They are quieter, handle, and perform better than ever before. Thankfully, more and more drivers are becoming educated on the importance of winter tires, whether they are going on a front, rear, or all wheel drive vehicle.

A General Altimax Artic(Left) next to the OEM Dunlop
summer tire(Right) from a 2015 WRX

A winter tire's magic lies in it's compound. There are plenty of sites that go into great scientific detail about what makes a winter tire a winter tire, but we are going to make a very long story short(er). As the temperatures fall in the 40's and below, the rubber compound in your tire begins to harden. The colder the temps drop the harder the tire gets. As your tire hardens, it's ability to "stick" and conform to the road decreases greatly and you ultimately begin to lose traction. Now, throw in some snow and your loss of traction becomes amplified until your Subaru, no matter how fantastic it is, is unable to accelerate, turn, or slow down and stop. In fact, it's isn't just snow that is a danger. A cold November rain with temperatures hovering around freezing can be equally as troublesome as your all-season tires continue to harden into hockey pucks. As previously mentioned, winter tires will stay softer longer in sub-freezing temperatures and continue to maintain traction when you need it most. The tread patterns are also designed for snow/slush and channeling water away, which is extremely important because with all of the plows and salt agents that PennDot uses in our area, we actually spend much more time driving on wet, slushy roads in the winter than we do on completely snow covered roads. The tire companies know this and design their tires accordingly. Simply stated, a proper winter tire will enhance every single drivetrain safety feature of your Subaru, from the anti-lock brakes, to the all wheel drive system, to the precise handling, all to keep you and your family safer.

A Subaru Forester on a dedicated winter wheel/tire combo(photo courtesy of subaruforester.org)

All that being said, there are a few drawbacks to winter tires. You cannot drive them all year long. I mean, you could, but due to their softer compounds, they would wear very very quickly in the summer months. They would not handle as well or be quite as quiet as your normal all-season tires. So, with that, you have two options: 1. Have your winter tires mounted every November and unmounted come spring time, or 2. Purchase your winter tires already mounted and balanced on dedicated "winter" wheels(as shown above), then just swap the wheels out come fall and spring. Both are added expenses, but since you will be using winter tires for 5 months out of the year, your normal summer or all-season tires will last twice as long! If you currently own a 2011 or newer WRX or any WRX STi, they came equipped with summer-only tires which, to put it bluntly, are absolutely dangerous to drive in winter conditions and would be a mistake if dedicated winter tires are not used in their place.

In the end, it comes down to how much driving you do during our winter months and how confident you are in your current tires abilities to give you the best and safest option of getting you where you need to go this winter. But, I can say from personal experience, it only takes one time of all-season tires not being able to perform as they should to realize just how fantastic a true winter tire works on your Subaru to make any drawbacks seem incredibly irrelevant.

Contact your local Subaru parts department for more information on purchasing and installing winter tires. Many of the Subaru dealerships also work with bigger tire suppliers such as Tire Rack( www.tirerack.com ) so if you should find a tire you like, chances are your Subaru dealer can get it for you. Expect to pay around $130-$150 a tire plus installation costs. But when you spread the cost over the life of the tires, it is a very small price to pay for the added safety and security your Subaru and your winter tires will now give you and your family this season!

Stay connected with other Subaru owners and dealerships in central PA at Subaru Fans of Central PA on Facebook!

Check Your Battery Lately?

That time is upon us, central PA Subarites; Winter time!  Uggghhh. Even though I've been driving a Subaru forever, I hate the snow and cold, absolutely hate it. Sure the first part of "winter" is exciting; We get Halloween, then a few weeks later Thanksgiving rolls around, and then in another month? Christmas!!! And a week later, New Years Eve which is always a fun time or at the very least, a day off on New Year's Day. Then.....three months of blah! Cold, snow, ice, sleet, go to work in the dark, come home in the dark, layers upon layers upon layers of clothing, spending 30 minutes to dress your kids to play outside or go sleigh riding, only for them to come back in five minutes later because it's too cold, no t-shirts out in the sun to warm our skin. Yes, central PA is not known for being forgiving during winter.

But, one thing that will make all of those things even worse? Hearing the dreaded "click-click-click-click" when you go to start your Subaru. And depending on the weather and situation, could be down right dangerous!

If your battery is five years or older, consider purchasing a new one. While cold temps put a very big drain on your battery and is most likely where a wearing battery will start to show it's age, a battery is slowly being used up all year round. Hot temperatures as well as long periods of time between use will also take it's toll. So, take no chances and keep your Subaru fully charged with a healthy battery!

Now that we know a new battery is in order, which one should we buy? Should we just go to the local garage or "Super Center" grocery store that has an automotive department and trust they know what's best? Surely they are "cheaper" than buying a genuine Subaru battery from a dealership, right? Right?

Not so fast my friend! First off, there are literally hundreds of batteries to choose from, but what is worse, in many cases, an incorrect battery could actually be fitted and hooked up...incorrectly...without you ever knowing it, until more problems arise that is! Cranking amps, dimensions, location of the positive and negative posts are just some of the things to consider when buying the correct battery. And, chances are one or both of your battery terminals could also be ready for a change. The terminals are genuine Subaru parts. Most garages and service centers will use a "one size fits all" generic terminal to replace the original Subaru ones your car came with. Again, it's possible these will work, but anything from dangerously stretched battery cables to loose/sloppy fitting terminals have been seen with aftermarket terminals. Changing a battery could be a real drag.

But you know who can make fast, safe, affordable work of changing your battery? Your local Subaru dealer!!! One quick trip to the Subaru dealer will not only get you the EXACT, perfect fitting, correct specification Genuine Subaru battery, but should they see any other problems while in there such as the previously mentioned battery terminals, they will have the genuine Subaru terminals on hand to make sure you get the most out of your new battery AND it is installed safely and correctly!!! In most cases, a battery installation could be done in under 30 minutes.

But the dealership is soooo much more expensive!!! Really? Have you been there lately? Subaru OEM(Original Equipment Manufacturer) Subaru parts are VERY comparable to even the big chain automotive stores. Plus, there are zero questions if you got the right parts or not. Absolutely no aftermarket parts, even the best ones, can match the factory fit and finish of Genuine Subaru parts for your Subaru. None.

So please do yourself and your Subie a favor and stop down at your local dealership for a new Genuine Subaru battery before it's too late. Aftermarket batteries are NOT the same, nor is anyone as qualified to work on your Subaru like the factory trained Subaru technicians and your dealership. There are plenty of other things to worry about this winter, your Subaru starting each and every time you need it to should not be one of them!

A Black Widow in Central PA

Part I

     Nestled in the rolling greens hills of Northumberland county lies a sleeping monster. We need not worry however, as this monster preys on unsuspecting Corvettes and Mustang Cobras that are unlucky enough to cross it's path at one of the stoplights on route 61 here in central PA. This monster is a brand new, custom built 500+ horsepower WRX STi...and nap time is almost over.

It started well over a decade ago when the owner of this black STi was first introduced to Subarus. She wanted a WRX but had no intentions on keeping it stock. In fact, she had no intentions of even driving a stock one, ever. That meant buying a WRX and having it modified immediately. She needed a "mod-friendly" dealer as enthusiasts refer to them as, with knowledge of what parts to buy, where to get them, and have them installed correctly. Keep in mind, this was not exactly an easy request in 2002. Enter W&L Subaru of Northumberland, PA.

W&L was no stranger to Subaru performance. Even before the WRX was introduced in the US, they were sponsoring rally cars at the STPR rally in nearby Wellsboro, PA as well as helping the local enthusiasts source parts and install them on their Imprezas years prior to the WRX. When the WRX did hit our shores, W&L was right there waiting for the Subaru performance market to catch fire. They have worked closely with SOA along with independent shops such as Rallispec and IAG and hosted the now defunct East Coast Subaru Shootout, an all-Subaru drag race event that had some of the quickest Subarus in the country go head to head. W&L was there from the beginning. In those years, Andy Long(owner of W&L) had forged a relationship with Ali Ashfar, owner of ESX Motorsports of California,which over the years had produced some of the quickest most powerful Subarus in the world and had forged a very good relationship with Subaru of America in their own right.

Fast forward to 2015. As many previous Subaru enthusiasts can attest to, Subarus are fun cars, and although W&L's customer sold her first WRX years ago, the Subaru community has a knack for pulling you back in, and pulled at her it did. A phone call was made to Mr. Long and the timing could not have been better as ESX had just released their limited edition individually numbered ESX WRX STi "Red Dragons". Only 25 would be made and all of them would be sporting ESX's traditional red with white stripe paint scheme. W&L was one of only 15 dealers nationwide authorized to sell the "Red Dragons", most of which would end up on the west coast. To make things even better, Andy committed to not one but two of the special edition STi's. His customer would be able to choose which one she preferred. The answer...neither. She didn't like red. So Mr. Long made a phone call to his old friend Ali at ESX and after a long conversation, an agreement was made that ESX would produce one more "Red Dragon" for the 2015 run of special editions, only this one would be all black.No stripes, just black.

The way it would work was like this; W&L ordered a black 2015 WRX STi Limited with Subaru of America. Upon arriving from Japan, SOA would send the car directly to ESX in California where it would perform all of the modifications necessary to transform it into it's Red Dragon. While there, ESX would also carry out additional modifications at the customer's request such as even more horsepower, DVDs in the headrests, 18" OZ wheels, a black suede headliner and trunk liner and a host of other additions to make this one out of 26 even more exclusive. This car would receive a "1 of 1" badge from ESX as the sole "Black Widow" in the country. The car would then be shipped to W&L Subaru and sold as a brand new WRX STi. Subaru still honors the Subaru parts not affected by ESX under warranty, and ESX honors their work with their own warranty.

I was invited to see the car this past week, and needless to say, I did not hesitate on accepting the offer. The car has not yet been delivered to the customer, as the technicians at W&L are waiting on a few more custom bits to finish it, including a new rear spoiler since, similar to the red paint, the customer is no fan of the iconic high STi spoiler(She is not alone. SOA is now offering the discrete, barely detectable WRX trunk lip spoiler as an option for 2016 WRX STi owners). I met with Mr. Long Thursday afternoon and from there we went to the undisclosed location where the STi is being stored. The security system of the facility was disabled and we entered through a side door. It was dark but I could easily recognize the silhouette of the 2015 WRX sitting completely by itself at the far end of the building. All of the lights were turned on but it seemed as if they were only shining over the STi like a rare artifact piece in a museum. "There she is", Andy said. Regardless of the fact that STi's have been in this country for 11 years, around these parts, it's still uncommon to see them often on the streets, and the newly redesigned 2015's are even more rare. That is changing though. From Williamsport to Pottsville, from Wilkes-Barre to Harrisburg, central PA is quickly becoming a hot bed for modified Subarus. This particular black STi, however, will stand out among them all. Walking up to it, the appearance with it's black paint, black OZ wheels, and dark tinted windows and it's slightly lowered stance is menacing. 

I went to the front of the car where it's huge silver front mounted intercooler is easily visible through the mesh of the grille and front fascia. I could not help but think that this will be the last view of the front end that the occasional local gearhead looking for an easy win will see in their rear view mirror when it pulls up slowly behind them at a redlight. Andy walked around to the driver's door and released the latch for the hood, but before the engine is revealed, I inspect the interior. Custom ESX leather seats front and back with the headrest DVD screens jump out immediately. The headliner done in black suede looked incredibly factory and not as over-the-top as one might think it would be. And other than the signature ESX shift knob, the rest of the interior is pretty standard STi fare, which is in no way a bad thing.

Raising the hood instantly reveals the massive intake tube and intercooler piping as well as the huge rotated turbocharger and external wastegate. It is shocking. You immediately  want to drive the car, or at least be driven in it. You want to hear the sounds that make turbocharged cars part of their mystique. The inhaling of the intake, the high pitched note of the turbo as it's boost builds rapidly to full boil in the blink of an eye, the scream of the external wastegate as it tries with maximum effort to keep the turbocharger in compliance, and the exhale of the bypass valve between shifts as it rids built up boost in the system only after your brain regains control over your muscles that adrenaline has taken hostage for the last three seconds and tells your right foot to lighten up a bit. You want to feel that force that only

a high horsepower turbo car can give you, the sucking back in your seat as the legendary STi 6 speed transmission is burdened with the task of taking 500+ horsepower and distributing it to all four wheels as the clutch holds on to the flywheel with every last bit of effort the pressure plate can provide. And even then as power makes it to the wheels, all four 18" tires struggle to keep the car planted while not melting themselves on to the road in four patches of burnt, smoldering rubber. These are the feelings that just looking at the Subaru's engine invokes. This is the epitome of a sport compact car. Few cars that we see on a day to day basis in these parts of PA trigger these kind of emotions, this car can almost satisfy your emotions having never even pushed the ignition button.

Mr. Long and I close everything back up, reactivate the security system of the facility and finish up with some general Subaru talk on the way back to our original meeting spot.

One thing that is evident is that Andy Long of W&L eats, sleeps, and breathes Subaru. He has spent most of his life in, around, and working at his dealership that has been in his family for two generations before him. Many of Subaru's near 600 dealerships would shy away from a customer's request of this type but Long seems proud of his dealership that it is one of few that could make it happen. As well he should be.

  

As for the "Black Widow", I look forward to getting a detailed interview with the owner when she finally takes delivery of it. Until then, all the muscle car owners can rest easy, knowing it is not prowling the streets just yet. But they can consider themselves put on notice, as there is a nasty WRX STi getting ready to be seen and heard and make it's mark in and around Northumberland county. This Subaru means business.

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