Hey everybody. '08 Subaru Outback owner here from Southern California, where I have no real need for AWD except snowboarding.
I indirectly discovered hypermiling when I attempted to see if I could get as many miles as my buddy that has a Scion xB(the older ones). The OB is rated at 21/26. So far I've managed to get it up to 22.3/30 just by driving technique and a K&N air filter. I never really knew what hypermiling was till I saw a post in the outback forum I'm involved in about basjoos' aerocivic. By that time I've already got all the techniques down and I decided that once gas hits $5 a gallon in my area(I think it's at $4.50 or something of the sort), I'm going to add on some modifications of my own. A guy on the outback forums blocked off his front grill and added something on the bottom, but it seems like the car would overheat and he's reporting his engine choking a little bit.
So I figure I need to come to a place where people know what they're talking about. I went to the outback forums before I bought my outback(story below), and I'm going to this place before I begin my destiny to have the oddest, best car in the San Fernando Valley.
Anyways, the story about my scooby.
When I had my permit, my dad told me he would get me a car as soon as I got my license, because that's what he did for my big brother, and I guess I'm fairing better off than he is, so he said he'd buy me whatever. I'm not a big fan of luxury cars or whatever you call those mobile, fragile diamonds. I decided on the Chevy Silverado 1500 crew cab. The inside was big enough to fit my interior space needs, and the bed would be big enough for a couple of snowboards and some clothes or a dirtbike. Many excuses and missing birthday presents later, we arrive 5 months before my birthday. I've already begun requesting quotes from Chevy dealers about the truck, and my dad brings me an offer I couldn't refuse(literally). He'd buy the truck if I paid for half of it and gas, however, he'd buy a car for me and he'd pay the whole thing AND gas. The problem being...I hate cars. I can't stand the size of a car at all. Be it my friend's BMW, my ma's Mercedez Benz, or my girlfriend's Toyota Camry. I hate it. So after about a month of searching for a vehicle that isn't a car, SUV, or truck; I decided to take a brake and watch some random videos on youtube. I saw a video of some Subaru STi(I think) rallying in the snow at the DC freestyle snow park with some of the DC snow team. The idea of the Outback just hit me like a professional MMA fighter kicking me in the nuts.
So thanks for reading my story and....sorry if I bug you with a lot of dumb questions about cars. Nice to meet y'all