falz

So, I'm looking at a 2008 xB, its main competitor on my list is an '08 Impreza hatch/wagon, mainly due to AWD. Each have plusses and minuses, so I'm trying to break it down as much as I can to find all the details so there's no surprizes when/if I make my choice. The xB is leading right now.

I looked at the xB at the dealer a few times, and gave it a a test drive. All seems good. A few things I'm unsure of that I did not dig around on enough when I did my test drive:

* I was happy to read that it has an outside temp display and an estimated MPG display, but in the vehicle, it seems to be shared with the same digit readout that is the clock, and you had to manually cycle through. Is there an "auto cycle" that will rotate between all of them every few seconds, or do you have to reach up and press the button to switch? This may sound nitpicky, but it didn't seem convenient at all to reach up. I'll likely have an AVIC-D3 in it, which I'll assume has a clock, but I'd still like to see the exterior temperature AND MPG without pressing buttons.

* Has anyone noticed any higher than normal road/wind noises when driving on highway (Manual Trans). Reading reviews on Edmunds, some people say it's quiet, while some say it's loud. On my test drive, it seemed quieter than my '98 Maxima.

* I think I found the answer to this (no), but do the headlights auto-off when the car is shut off, or does it simply beep at you?

* How much space is under the front seats? (For an amp, Alpine PDX, so heat isn't a real issue)

* Are there any custom fit (not one of a kind/custom made) sub enclosures that do *not* take up the spare tire spot?

* In the rear seat, there's a plastic "lip" right under it. I see on a few sites it mentions that it's for storage. Does it pull out somehow like a drawer, or is it just the "lip" that I felt?

* This car has Traction control (TRAC) and Vehicle Stability (VSD). The dealer said that one (both?) can be bypassed. I didn't see a button for it. Is there a switch for this somewhere?

Thanks for any help!
--falz

lvbitwiz

Ok,

No, you cannot auto scroll time/temp/etc..you have to push the button.


Prior to adding sound deadening, new tires, blah blah blah, I noticed that it was a quiet ride, this is compairing it at the time to my xA and an Explorer.

No auto shut off on the lights, I'm sure it's a matter of time berfore an aftermarket unit comes out

Space under the front seats, yeah, you could fit an amp under it (within reason)

No mainstream sub enclosure I've seen yet, I did a custom so I could keep my spare. Again, it's just a matter of time.

Under the back seat there is a tray (sorta) it dosent pull out. You could get away with mounting small amps under there, I use it for a PS2 and video distro amps.

The button you are looking for would be above your left knee. The owners manual has the steps needed to shut it off ( although it turns back on the next time you start the car.)


Go shopping[/quote]

coryjames

oh the ride is quiet as long as your not on 20s
you do have to manually push the button for the display
they make custom sub boxes that sit to the side and retain your spare tire
there is a way to bypass the traction control you hold don't the button to the lower left of the steering wheel while at a complete stop for a few seconds till the light on the dash show up saying trac off and vac

xActly

I've had mine for about a month now, so I'll try to answer your questions the best I can with my own opinions on them.

You're right, it is shared. There is no auto-cycle mode that I know of, and for me, reaching up to switch displays is kind of a PITA. I keep my seat almost all the way back (6' tall), so reaching forward is just that - reaching. This summer I may take the dash apart & see if I can tap into the switch to run a wire & install a momentary switch closer to me (maybe where the iPod jack is now, since I'm moving that).
For now, I just leave it on the clock, because that's the info I want to see all the time.
Actually, the rear-view mirror is kind of a pain to adjust for the same reason - it's so far away from my comfortable seating position. Just the way the car's shaped.

Mine is auto, but road/wind noise shouldn't be dependent on trans type. Drivetrain noise would, and the auto makes none. The engine can be heard, and may seem loud when no music is on, but I like being able to hear it. I don't find it at all excessive. If anything, it's an overall comfortable feel inside the car, which it wouldn't be if the engine was too loud.
As for road/wind noise, it's quieter than the previous xB (which I owned for two years). Again, I find driving to be very comfortable with regard to noise (and FUN when I step on it).

No, there is no auto-off. And actually, the beep is a lot quieter than the previous xB (and my wife's xA). There have been a couple times that I almost didn't hear it (depending on background noise where I'm exiting the car) and almost left the lights on. Hasn't happened yet though.

Haven't really looked yet, but there's also a really cool cubby under the rear seats that you may want to check out for an amp. It's raised significantly above floor level, so you'd probably be better off putting it there so you wouldn't have to worry about water.

I haven't checked into this either, but I think someone could take advantage of that spot under the rear seats for that too - just have to see if any aftermarket companies jump on the xB2 bandwagon for that kind of stuff. Not even sure if there's enough space under there, but from what I have seen, it wouldn't be a sub that makes your neighbors want to key your car...just something to fill in the bottom end. IMO the huge bass boxes are just annoying - most people around here that run them don't pay any attention to the rest of the music...all they care about is showing off how much they can make their trunk rattle...so it sounds like crap. I think a good-quality low-profile 10 in a custom box might sound really nice under there (again, if it'd fit).

See above. It's stationary, but I'm sure it could be removed or modified to accept stereo-related paraphernalia.

Yeah, the 'trac off' button is right in front of your left knee as you're sitting in the driver's seat. I don't believe you can disable the VSC, as there is no switch for it (unless there is a VSC-specific relay under the hood, but I wouldn't want to turn that one off anyway).
Just had a really good snowstorm here, and the system works very well, but it's also fun to turn it off & do a little e-brake powersliding (you can, of course, use the e-brake to slide with it on, but it freaks out & cuts a ton of power with that much of a slide/direction change, so when you want to hit the gas at about 3/4 thru the slide, there's nothing there).

Hey no problem!

rockthebeef

An Alpine PDX amp should fit nicely under either of the front seats. I know at one point I was looking at a PDX and it was going to fit - I just don't remember the exact dimensions.

I think the ride is pretty quiet. Wind noise is normally not an issue. I did experience it at highway speeds driving up through California (very windy day).

When you compare the 08 Impreza 2.5i wagon to the 08 xB, they are very comparable in terms of features. The Impreza has a larger cargo floor in the back, but tall items could be a problem. The xB is like a small SUV in the back - flat, tall and boxy. I prefer it this way. My neighbor just got the Impreza. It's a nice car. I'm sure it handles better than the xB.

chadfo

Everyone has pretty much answered everything. I just wanted to throw in that I and a few others have added a button or buttons to control the display(s).

Here's a pic of where I put the button to control the clock/computer display. I can change the display with leaning forward at all. You can also see the swith to turn off the traction control and VSC.

tautologies

hmm, thi8s is a little funny. I can see you guys know a lot about cars than me...I had 2 things that were definites..I needed to have side impact airbags (safety) and I needed to ba able to fit a roof rack on it for my stand up paddle boards...I also wated it to fit my longboard inside...and a lot of kitebaording gear...anything else was just a bonus...

So the car has all this stuff too? Thats great :-)

A.

falz

OK, as long as there's some sort of gap in there, thats probably the most useful. I, as you, just want the low end filled out nicely, but conversely don't want jackasses breaking into my car if they shine a light in and see a sub box. I don't "boom" around town, or even anywhere near my house, so just concealing things is the main thing, along with leaving the trunk wide open for stuff.

Glad to hear it works well in snow. I honestly didn't know the difference between the two, or which one the salesman said was disable-able, but it makes sense as you describe it. We've been getting pounded with snow all winter, and actually set a record (Madison, WI) so all of this crap has been important. Also, if the TRAC & VSD work well, that's bonus points to get it somewhere between a standard FWD and the Subaru's AWD.

This is what I was hoping to hear. It's of course subjective to the user and the amount of music/passenger noise, but my ride seemed decent enough.

Indeed, the new Impreza is really a hatch and no longer a wagon, so it seems to lose a lot of space vertically. I didn't compare the Sq. feet, but the xB certainly appears to have more space, and both have WAY more than my current Maxima. In my opinion, a squared off storage area is easier to pack stuff in Tetris-style, if you're moving for example.

Awesome, thanks. I guess I didn't dig down that low, and it looks like there's a nice little 12V Cigarette-ligter style power source there too. Odd spot for it, but good nonetheless.

Thanks everyone for the detailed replies, it helps a lot. I think the xB is leading even more after this, especially since everyone on the Impreza side of things imply that a $1200 feature package is essentially being considered mandatory by everyone who's reviewing Impreza's. That money could easily buy my Pioneer AVIC-D3, Backup Cam, *and* PAC SWI-PS Steering wheel adaptor.

--falz

coryjames

lol you can turn the vsc all the way off like i said earlier hold down the button while at a complete stop for about 5-10 seconds it turns it all the way off till you recycle the ignition

falz

Cool thanks. Somehow I missed it when you mentioned that above. You also mention that there may be something for the '08 xB as far as a sub goes. I can only seem to find the Scosche SCXB04. Any links or model #'s on the one you may know of? Having someone build a custom box is always an option, but it costs 4x as much.

--falz

lvbitwiz

4x as much if you bring the wrong beer

emtfingers

This car is not rocket science..,,,, it is class, convenience and economics versus price tag. Will turn heads on the road. Is not a magnet to gas stations. the 2008 ride is much more comfy than 2006. There was a post here from a guy in Texas who had his 2008 get submerged in water and said the interior was dry... and you are wondering about wind noise? Sounds like you are trying to put your bed and closet in the car. For 17K this car is absolutely a no-brainer. This car has done great in snow, ice, rain & sun. The option of manual shifting is a plus on bad roads. Stupid drivers=do not know how to drive. It covers all ages.... from great toy for young driver to convenience for hip replacements. Hubby is 6'5" and fits comfortably in the back seat. I have paid more for cars with less conveniences than the xB has. Can't wait for the 2010 xB; had 2006 for 1 year and almostl 1 year on my 2008 with 17K miles. Last summer averaged 41 MPG at 75 MPH on cruise. Hubby's 4x4 sat in garage all winter and he drove the xB.

falz

Yay me. I just bought the xB, will be picking it up in a few hours. On the way home, stopped at an electronic store, they have the AVIC-D3 for $699 and on top of that, a $200 mail in rebate through pioneer! So, $500 new once rebate returns!

ibnboxin

congratz and happy birthday as well

CIONIDE

iTrader: (1)

Nice birthday present to yourself.

Welcome to the club, and Happy B-day!

Philthy

Congrats! Be sure to drive it tomorrow night for the feast so I can check it out.

falz

Here's a picture when pulling it home. I should've had the camera set to "winter" mode, hard to see the colors! Tomorrow I get the 16" alloy rims put on, and the overhead console.



C'mon spring!

coryjames

hey what color is that hard to tell

falz

It's the "Blackberry Crush Metallic". However, since that's hard to remember, I've decided to Call the color (and car?) Smurfberry Crunch :)

coryjames

bcm for the win good color choice