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2021 - May Outback of the Month Submission Thread

9K views 21 replies 15 participants last post by  SmokewagonXT 
#1 ·
Welcome to the Outback of the Month Competition!

Please follow all instructions posted below:

  1. You must add 3 Photos; no more, no less. No collages. Pictures must be of the current state of your vehicle. Avoid having any people in your images.
  2. List any/all modifications to your vehicle if you have done any.*
  3. You must currently own the vehicle being entered.
  4. Include a short description of your favorite aspect of your vehicle, or your favorite memory or ride taken with your vehicle.*
  5. Remember, please post your entries and pictures in this thread.
  6. If you have won in a previous month, you can no longer enter for the rest of the year. However, if you have a second car that meets the above criteria, you can enter that.
* These are optional but encouraged

Votes for the month’s winner will be tallied by the number of “Likes” your post has on the last day of the month. The winner at the end of the month will win a free 1 Year Premium Membership for the forum and a custom flair under their username. If the winner is already a premium member, their subscription will be extended an additional year.

Winners will be featured on the sites gallery, found here.

Congrats to our April Outback of the Month winner, @Numbchux!

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-Mike
 
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#3 ·
My 4th Subaru is a 2008 OBXT 5MT that after several months of looking nationwide for a manual Outback I finally found in California. This former soccer mom and recent empty nester is spending my 40th year on this earth building the dream one of a kind adventure vehicle that is both fast on the highways and on remote Forest Service roads.

Favorite Story
I'm so grateful that the Smokewagon got me and others home safely from the worst driving conditions I've ever seen.

In order to save on paying sales/use taxes twice, I shipped my wagon from California to Washington State in September of 2020. The shipping company gave me a delivery window, and I caught a ride across the state to have my friend's shop do a tune up and put on new tires before driving it back. After several days of waiting five hours away from home after the promised delivery date I ended up finally getting them to get it off the truck, but as it was a Sunday the shop was closed and I needed to get home as the fires and winds were picking up.

I had no idea as to the condition of the engine, and was nervous as the tires were the originals from 2008. A couple hours into the trip home the winds were picking up and I got a call that the lot I had picked up the wagon from that morning was engulfed in flames. Visibility intermittently dropped to 0% from the smoke and dirt from freshly plowed fields in the windstorm. I-90 shut down, and we were routed onto rural highways. The sky was brown, and I was white knuckled every time I couldn't even make out my hood in front of me. Then highway after highway was shut down, and cell service went out too.

The only way out was through and it was not safe to pull over anywhere, so I started navigating farm access roads heading East and SE using the compass in the rear view mirror. I started coming across people stranded and unable to map a way out as there was no cell service. I had them follow me with instructions to go very slowly through the areas without visibility or open fires, and soon almost twenty cars were following me through the smoke and dust like a momma duck and her babies.

By the time we reached Ritzville the worst of the wind had died down and that portion of the freeway was open. Not going to lie, the honks, waves and cheers from the vehicles that had been following me was a bit overwhelming. I had driven through blizzards and glare ice and nothing was even close to how dangerous it was to drive that day. I named the OBXT Smokewagon not just for making it through the smoke but also a quote from my favorite movie Tombstone:

"You skin that smoke wagon and we'll see what happens!... I'm gettin' tired of all your gas, now jerk that pistol and go to work!... I said throw down!..."

Current Mods
I've been slower to start the mods than planned because I had so much UV and dry climate and maintenance issues to catch up on even with only 76k miles as it was a New Mexico car. Started with Falken AT Trails on newly powder-coated wheels, blacked out headlights, Weathertech liners, swaped out lights for LEDs, many JDM and SpecB part including rotors and new brake pads, JDM parts like the tails, Visual Autorwerks vents, upgraded suspension and engine internals. I also have a no build camping set up where I have a full sized mattress in the back and a mini kitchen for camping and festival season.

Future Plans
In the next few weeks the Smokewagon will be freshly repainted, switching out the garnish on the trunk for the JDM version to match the Kouki tails, new ceramic tint, blacked out grille, installed the RallyArmor flaps, upgrade the fogs, and install a push bar and PIAAs.

Later in the summer will be doing a stage two build with Cobb intake and downpipe, and dyno tune and other engine longevity mods at the home shop of #getadomtune. Also have an exhaust, swaybars, trailer hitch and transmission cooler, and a double din stereo upgrade on my list. Eventually will do a 6sp swap as well once the 5MT dies.


I've loved being in this community so far and love the opportunity to learn from you all on these forums! -Jessa


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#4 · (Edited)
2014 2.5i Limited/SAP (Special Appearance package/OG Touring) better known as Basalt. I named it Basalt due to its color plus I am a geologist at heart as well as having an Earth Science degree.

OEM accessories: remote start, wheel arch moldings, body molds, rainguards, and hood deflector.

Aftermarket: Rally armor mudflaps, Rallitek engine and transmission skidplates, 1.5” lift from Rallitek, 0.4” rear Overload springs from Rallitek, KYB struts in the front, Rallitek rocksliders, custom rear defogs. All-weather tech mats, tow hooks, Rally Innovations light bar, iCW Racing wheels with Geolandars G015 A/Ts, snow tires (Continental Wintercontact SIs) on the OEM wheels, paddle shifter extensions, 4 Diode Dynamics light pods, ham radio, yellow Lamin-x film on my fog lights, Thule basket XL, Blackvue 2-channel dash cams, Yakima Slimshady awning, Overland bound membership badges, custom overlays, custom Livery, and custom side decals. Also, a little Eyesight mini Outback stays in the Outback. Camping gear-Lumo Air Mattress 2.0, a fan, and shades that go over my back doors. The cargo is filled with various of survival and recovery gear so this car is always ready for an adventure.

This car has the first generation of Eyesight system in North America. It is definitely not as advanced as the current generation of Eyesight but it definitely gets the job done. When the car was new, the system was ahead of its time. My Outback is my Swiss army vehicle as they have become known to be. I go overlanding and go exploring with it but at the same time, it has a nice interior and amazingly comfortable to drive. This car has never let me down whether it is commuting on pavement or overlanding on dirt, rock, and in sand.

I have several good stories of this car saving my life. The first one is when I was driving home from my volunteer job at the local science museum several years ago. I was driving on the interstate and minding my own business when all the sudden several Toyotas thought about making my life interesting. Two of them nearly sideswiped me and cut in front of me; the third one nearly took out my rear fender. The Eyesight system immediately clicked in and slammed the brakes to prevent a 4-car pileup on the interstate. I immediately kissed the steering wheel as a means of thanking my car for saving my life. Another one of these stories is when I was overlanding and accidentally hit a stump. I thought that I cleared it, but I fell right into it. This incident caused my driver’s front tire to bulge which meant that there was a good amount of impact has been done. I looked underneath the car to see what other problems the car has. Since I did not have any cell service at the location I was at, I opted to limp my Outback back to civilization. In order to accelerate and de-accelerate the car, I had to use the paddle shifters. The car did not even steer right so I had to be careful about my steering. When I made it back to town, I called a tow truck so that they can take it the rest of the way to one of the local dealerships in hope to get my wounded car fixed. It turned out that the strut, lower control arm, and a tie rod were all broken or bent plus my alignment was a complete mess since the wheel and tire were pushed into the car’s body. To this day, I am still amazed that my Outback made it back in this condition and kept on pushing on. Unfortunately, I do not have any images of the damages, but you can definitely imagine what it looked like.

My memories and adventures with my Outback were also fun and enjoyable. When I go on adventures in the mountains and forests or even volunteering for rallies in the region, I am always happy to take my beloved, rugged companion along with me and I know that I will get there safe and sound. Currently, the car is 93k miles and I hope that it will make to 200k miles. I absolutely love this Outback. I love my newer Legacy XT Touring but there is something about this Outback that won't let go.








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#7 ·
This is my adventure fun machine. Love how easy it is to load the kayaks. Handles rough roads so well. Modifications have just been accessory items so far. Receiver hitch, decals, mats etc. Best trip is to the Outer Banks of NC where we paddled with dolphins and a heard of the wild horses came right by us as we paddles in the tidal marshes.
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#10 ·
I've taken many wonderful adventures in my 2010 Outback.

My last big adventure, was the drive from NYC to the 2019 Dachshund Club of America Nationals, held at Purina Farms in Missouri.
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2 weeks of field trials, earthdog trials, obedience & agility competition & of course conformation (beauty contest).

My Outback carried: 2 humans, 5 dogs & enough stuff for 10 days for both humans & dogs.

On our way there, we visited the World's Largest Candle & The Worlds Largest Wind Chime.

Our adventure would not be complete, without having to hoof it to the basement of the hotel because of a tornado.

An experience burned into my memory.
 

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#13 ·
New member here with 2016 2.5L limited in White, took deliver in Dec ‘15. Still stock standard and no mods. Let speak to the pics,

1. The day we took the car delivery. Our Son on it & he had just turned 1. With the young family, we were looking for car that will take us though harsh Chicago winter, with enough space, but not a big truck. Honda Pilot was a close second! Btw two boys now.

2. Snow and slush covered in Toronto. We hardly any off-roading, but do great deal of road trips. This was one such trip to Toronto around X’mas ‘17. The drive back was the scariest driving through a snowstorm. I’d always thought all-seasons is good enough for snow. After that trip I religiously change to snow tires every fall, we all learn!

3. First engine bay clean around a month ago. For most of the 5 years, I’d just done regular servicing & a few washes, mostly automatic car washes. Around earlier in the year, it hit me like a brick that I should look after the car better. From there on I’ve been on a mission,
  • I’ve developed an excel spreadsheet with detailed service history including cost of each maintenance & repair.
  • Repair and clean and scuffs and scratches collected over the years, buff & polish.
  • I’ve done a thorough inside out clean, we are talking 5 sessions of cleaning including a full engine bay clean and first time waxing.

Hopefully you all get an idea of how our Outback has grown with our family with these three pics. I’m committed to long overdue pampering lately :)

My other car is a Porsche Macan Turbo where I get my need-for-speed fulfilled. However Outback is a special car where we all jump in and hit the road. To me it’s very similar to going to your parents home. However flash new house you have, it’s truly homecoming when you go to the home that you grew up, that sums up getting in my Outback.
 

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#14 · (Edited)
I have a 2011 3.6R Premium. This is my second Subi (first one was a 2011 Forester). I bought it used back in October 2020 with 78K miles and now has almost 86K miles after several camping trips with friends and being used as a daily driver. I have modded it quite a bit since I bought it, but I also plan on modding it more over time (skid plates are next on the list). My favorite memory of my Outback so far has been when I took it out to the desert to go shooting with some friends. My car was completely stock back then and I didn't know much about off-roading (i.e. I didn't even know I should deflate my tires). Despite my lack of experience and my OB's lack of mods, I was pleasantly suprised at how well my OB handled everything. There were a few moments where not all wheels were on the ground and/or I didn't have enough traction, yet somehow my OB would find a way out. I still can't believe some people say these cars aren't capable off-road because they absolutely are if you know what you are doing. I have countless more memories with this car but that one takes the cake. I'll go ahead and list the mods below for those who are interested.
Aftermarket:
  • LP Adventure 2" lift kit
  • Bilstein B6 struts
  • Standard height King springs
  • Falken Wildpeak AT3 225/65/R17 tires
  • 17" Black Rhino Arches wheels in bronze and black
  • Leader Accessories Roof Basket
  • Bell Right Up 350 3-bike platform rack
  • Weathertech floor mats
  • Injen Technology throttle controller (allows me to control the speed at which my throttle opens)
  • Wet Okole neoprene seat covers
  • Custom mud splats on side skirts ;)

OEM on 2011 OB Premium 3.6R-
  • Paddle shifters
  • Rear Backup camera on rear-view mirror-
  • Bluetooth for hands-free use of phone (not with music)
  • Tan/ black interior with tan seats
  • 6CD changer
  • Can't think of anything else...

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#17 ·
Hey all! With the Memorial Day weekend coming up and me having a nice, long weekend for a change, I'm likely going to close this thread tomorrow, end of business, so that I can tally up all the votes Friday morning. We can also discuss if this LIKE format for voting is working or not. If folks wanna go back to the poll format, we can. So keep those submissions coming!

-Mike
 
#18 ·
This my 2018 OB limited, just got it stock from a PP this winter. I’m still searching for a name! It is my second OB and 3rd Subaru Wagon. I strayed off the course of Subaru, drove Volvo BMW, VW. First day back in the south back and it was just like going home. I’ll never drive another brand or car again!

I put in a Primitive lift 1.5
Black Rhino Wheels
Falken AT Trail 235/65/R17
Rokblokz Mud flaps
quick Fist Shovel Grip
Thule Canyon XT Basket
(looking for ideas on mounting spare better then a strap on top?)

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