and maint. mechanics in their own odd thing that looks like a tank with a tow hook on the back, and a huge engine crane on the top.
(road service = costly).
How about the handling? Does the M1 come with the beefed up sway bar or can it be added?? I have a 180˚ off ramp near my house....these kind of decisions make my head hurt.......a 100K ambassador coupon sure would be handy...can anyone help?
And the Outback could be in a military parade later this year, since it has already been decided the Abrams is too heavy and would damage DC’s streets.
Speaking from experience, you'll have to shut down the engine on the M1 to order at Starbucks. No matter how loud you scream "tall vente grande cinnamon kona kava hazelnut decaf java frappe crappe slappe carmel coated latte" they just can't hear you.
At 62 short tons, may limit local bridges you can cross. It’s 8 feet longer than a 1970’s Station Wagon so parking may be a problem on some streets. At 8 feet in height, most parking garages will be off limits. Of course, A1’s can usually create their own parking spaces no matter where they are....
If you're going to use it as a daily driver, you HAVE to consider the little things like plenty cupholders, extra USB ports, the ability to play MP3's and have them indexed on the head unit.
Sure I'd prefer a more robust paint job that could withstand grenades and door dings, but I think a deal breaker for me is the lack of LATCH system for car seats in the M1. That'd make it too inconvenient to pick up my daughter.
In an M1 I wouldn't worry about being rear-ended, or t-boned, or pretty much anything else. Peace of mind, baby, makes it easier to enjoy the scenery...as you drive over it.
The reviews are good for the M1, and I really thought it was the best by far in many circumstances. Sometimes a snow plow will put a big snow bank in front of the drive way and the M1 could handle that with no problem. Plus going camping, I thought if I ever went into a ditch, the M1 would have a better chance getting out. I think I saw a youtube video of this.
Where it will fall down and get old is that poor head unit. Sure you get some technologically advanced electronics but forget about Airplay or SXM. I couldn't even get FM working. Worse, is that since there aren't too many dealers around here I figured I would do my own maintenance. No luck on Amazon finding oil or air filters.
The final straw was the lack of back up camera or RAB combined with poor visibility. After crushing about 75 other cars while trying to park over the first month, I figured I better trade it in since my insurance was skyrocketing. Sure it's safe but not for the other guy.
That, and the online replacement parts sources are also kind of lacking - there is only one! Wait until you have some issue on a replacement part and you try to return it and demand a refund from the DOD; you'll be happy to go back to any Subaru online store, even the sketchy ones, trust me on that!
Take the governor off and the M1A1 can hit 60 mph. Advantage to speed is still the Outback.
But ... off road, especially with a steep approach angle? The Outback with 8.7 inches may high center. The M1 you simply rotate the turret so you don't dig the barrel into the ground and go over the edge. And if you get stuck in 2 feet of mud, you just ..
With the M1, you can stay in the left lane all day at any speed you want, and not have to worry about everyone trying to pass you on the right - just turn the turret to the right and lower the barrel. Makes a pretty effective deterrent....
In the OB? No such luck.
You also won't have to worry about tailgaters or people behind you blowing their horns and flashing their lights, telling you to get the h3ll out of the way. Just turn the turret to face backwards, and I guarantee that there will be a mad scramble of people removing themselves from the line of possible fire.
Eyesight stops the OB in its tracks when zombies appear in front, rear braking function prevents you from escaping in reverse if zombies have you boxed in. Result = zombie food.
M1 allows for long distance zombie plinking and no forward/reverse auto braking functions. Result = hours of entertainment.
Yeah, if you're a fan of zombie novels, I suggest John Ringo's Black Tide Rising series. Especially Book 4, Strands of Sorrow. No plinking necessary - just full speed ahead and SQUISH the zombies. The description of attempting to TURN the M1, especially after literally having greased the roads with zombies, is pretty funny.