Julian

OK, I know I'm going to get a bit of flack for this - so please don't hold back.

I just love cup holders! I wouldn't buy until I'd seen just how useful they really are. The salesman insisted that I see them especially the one hidden in the centre bin. Great I thought, somewhere to keep all those little knick-knacks (spelling?) that you need to have in the car with you and a cup holder too - oh joy! I placed the order entirely on the strength of the marvellous cup holders alone.

Now to the point. Who wants a stupid little cup holder, especially one that means that it's impossible to get your hand in the otherwise useful centre bin? Can any one help me with how to get the stupid little cup holder out of the centre bin without causing any permanent damage? (to the car that is!)

Julian Rowland

Hi Julian

I completely agree. My dealer has told me that it can be removed but you have to take the centre console out to do so. I think that they remove the whole inner sleeve with the cupholder included. They are going to do this at the first service. Let me know if you find an easy means of removal.

Julian also.

abetts

I love cupholders too.

My STi had twin cupholders which slid out of the dashboard (one of a distinctly limited number of things I liked about the car).

Before discovering cup holder enlightenment at the hands of Subaru, I used to lodge cans of Coke between my legs. Fine, if a bit cold , until something unexpected happens. Then you have an embarassing wet patch on your trousers!

bruceh

Alan,

Been there. Done that as well. HIGHLY embarrassing if you're on your way to a business meeting (or just about anywhere else except home).

But you say "one of a distinctly limited number of things I liked about the car". I'm gutted! What DIDN'T you like about it? And what were the "limited number of things" you did like?

I drove several Sti V's when I was looking (knowing full well I couldn't really afford one - but what the heck!). I was just left numb with how quick they were. I didn't really pay a lot of attention to the basic things. It'd be interesting to hear from a long-term owner about what he didn't like about them.




[This message has been edited by bruceh (edited 22-05-99).]

abetts

I am sure that this will not be well received but I sold my Sti v.3 because there were too many things that let the car down; principally:

1. Poor brakes in relation to the performance.

It had the four pots calipers and the brakes had been checked carefully to ensure they were working as intended. Nonetheless I managed to induce brake fade and warp a set of brake discs in only some 1500 miles road use. I can well understand why the subject of brake upgrades is so popular on this BBS.

2. A poor gearchange.

Again, a frequent subject on the BBS. Felt like stirring a box of spanners.

3. Horrific fuel consumption.

15-18mpg on superunleaded is no joke if you pay for the petrol yourself. I know it's a performance car but should you really have to pay such a high price at the pumps? I don't think so. Fuel range could be as little as 160 miles.

4. Lifeless steering:

Often mentioned in magazine roadtests.

5. Turbo lag.

Couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding when off boost. Maybe the later models are better.

6. An uninvolving chassis.

Very competent but didn't float my boat for some strange reason.

7. Build quality

See the crap "cardboard" bootlining, thin paint under the bonnet, strange clunk coming from the rear end somewhere (seem to recall this coming up on the BBS also).


These were not shortcomings peculiar to my car. It was in excellent condition and running as intended. Of course, it went like a rocket, had great seats, would run rings round most things such as 911s on the twisties (even with the turbo lag, poor gearchange and dodgy brakes) and had cup holders so fine that grown men would contemplate them and cry. But that wasn't enough to keep me happy.

I might add that, having imported the car myself, I sold it for £16K and made enough profit to sit on a tropical beach for a couple of months sipping cocktails (which is precisely what I'm going to do this winter). I was very lucky on exchange rates and bought at 226Y to the pound. Anyone contemplating paying a grey dealer £20K or so for a similar car should be aware that they are making a big, big profit and they have loads of scope for haggling.