Ok, it is Ugly

[Nicad]

Decided that looks aren't everything for my daily driver. This has been one hell of a winter and I spend every weekend up in snow country. I have encountered big drifting snow and am in desolate areas at night in a lowslung RWD BMW wagon. This wagon has served me very well and piles the miles on, but I think I need a MAd MAX grade snow machine. ...So I have put a deposit down on a 2006 Forester XT with a manual gearbox. The car I am buying if it checks out is at least half way to where I want it.
It looks like such a grocery getter, but really it is quite a unique vehicle. About 3,400 pounds with a low center of gravity due to the boxer engine.






The secret to this car starts with this though



Pretty nicely built with a bigger turbo, intercooler, software. It is all STI stuff basically with a tweak.



303 HP, 330 ft pounds of torque.

I have talked to a local expert about putting in the STI seats, six speed and adjustable rear diff. All the STI parts bolt on the Forester.

I hope to end up with something like this


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uyPkavo66Y

The dog ought to like it.

Not sure what to do with my much enjoyed E46 Wagon. My Son might be old enough for a car in three years, and this would be a good one. Might sell it to a friend to drive it till then and keep piling the miles on it.

 

[Nicad]

Spoke too soon, the deal might be collapsing as the owner is playing me off with another guy offering more. Reminds me of buying the E9 from out of town, fortunately the guy in that instance had great integrity. Much rather have the E9.

 

[Nicad]

Well the deal is off, I have my money back. It seems the guy wanted me to outbid some other faceless person who also wanted it (this after we came to a price agreement). My banker friend advised me to pull out saying where there is one ****roach there is usually many. To console myself I wandered into a BMW dealer and had a test drive in an equally ugly vehicle. The X1. Drove a 3.0 Turbo with M Package. Quite reasonably priced for a fast BMW if you hold off on the options. .

Will now test drive a bunch of other AWD cars. If I get through the winter without a purchase I suppose I can use my Wagon till the snow flies again. I thought I heard we weren't going to have any more winters?

 

[decoupe]

You're being punished for Rob Ford's sins.

 

[Nicad]

Surprised it took so long. When I put the Rob Ford Lawn sign up come election time I will really be punished!

 

[decoupe]

I had the opportunity to take a friend's Cosworth'd STi to a track. What a hoot. Same car can be driven in stop and go traffic without any issues. It's amazing what EFI and a few million dollars of ECU development will let you do.