New CDN Member

[Roundtable]

Hello everyone,

I've just signed up but have lurked around for a little while. I've owned a 2000 Subar Legacy for a while now. Thus far, I've owned compacts (Neon and Protege 5) but since we had 2 kids, our family's needs have grown.

I thiugh of getting a minivan but voted against it since fuel consumption reliability (my price-range) were not quite at par with what I wanted.

I got an all-wheel drive for two reasons. I take the kids camping and our winters, although not horrible by most people's standards, can be quite hard on cars. Especially those of the 1-wheel-drive variety. ( I got stuck in icy and slushy conditions more times than I can remember, even with winterspec tires)

I got a large wagon because they can take alot of stuff in them and are still more aerodynamic than the MV's I could afford. (Also, my wfe wants luxury everthing).

BTW, my wife drives a gas guzzling Pathfinder LE - She is absolutely in love with her car and will not give it up for anything that drives lower, worse or is not as finely appointed as her 'finder. So, when we end up getting a MV, it'll be because we've traded her truck for one of the newer, more fuel-efficient MV's.

In the meantime, I drive my Leggy as fuel eficiently as possible.


I check the tire pressure on a weekly basis (especially with the weather we've been having here in Vancouver - one day warm, one day extremely cold...)

I use Synthetic oils and lubes

I have remove the roof rack when not in use and when I do use it, I use it with an aerodnamic roof-top carrier (not everything fits in the wagon when camping with two kids and wife who absolutely has to take her pillow and quilt everywhere) to minimize drag.
I
have gotten the OEM Fogs and am in the process of plugging as many holes in the front of the vehicle in order to smooth airflow without sacrificing engine cooling.

I have lost my OEM undertray and am waiting to have time to measure mock and finally build a smooth, aluminium under-tray which will, hopefully smooth airflow beneath the car adn simultaneously, provide some added protection for the engine and tranny.

I own a ScangaugeII and have used it, mainly to check and corect ECM codes but also to monitor fuel consumption.

I don't have any 'hard' numbers but my best achievement was driving at the speed-limit for as long as possible, from Vancouver to Princeton to Merritt to Hope to Vancouver on 1 full tank of fuel.

That is approximately 820KM out of one tank of fuel (62L) and a 2.5L boxer engine in a 3500 lb car (including driver). Varied terrain...flat hwy run, high mountain passes, windy hwy with varied grades, hw run with mountain passes.

According to my calculations I achieved approximately 31.1MPG or 13.22 KM/L. This is going from fill-up to fill-up. (62L is the amount I put into the tank after the run)

Since I purchased the SGII, I have not been able to do any proper 'measured' runs but the AVG MPG has shown as much as 42 MPG on flat 100kph runs of 50KM or more.

I have replaced regular filament bulbs with LED's when they blow and am in the process of rigging up a set of LED lights to use as DRL, instead of my regular filament High-beam.

Here are a couple of photos of my beast:

The winter I bought it


Summer (pre aero changes)



I am looking for a set of summer wheels tat are a bit more aero. These wheels are not that aerodynamic but they are light, which also helps.