Greetings all! I’ve decided to add a new page to the site titled “Tire Rack Deals”. The main purpose of this page is to provide links to the latest and greatest offers and promotions from Tire Rack. The products listed within this page will cover everything that Tire Rack sells, from tires to shocks to brake pads.

If you happen to come across any deals that I’m missing, please feel free to drop me a line and let me know. I would be happy to post up whatever missing promotions that you may have. You can find a link to the Tire Rack Deals page by clicking here, or by selecting “Tire Rack Deals” from the navigation menu at the top of this page.

So don’t delay, hurry up and order those RE-11’s or Star Specs today!

Just a quick post here – A friend of mine just notified me that Tire Rack has the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 on closeout! However, only a few select sizes are left. Hurry up and grab a set while you can!

Check out the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 at TireRack today!

There really isn’t much to say, except this video is a must watch. Even with preparation and the proper setup, I’m still surprised Travis Pastrana went through with the jump. Now it’s just a matter of time before Ken Block comes up with something new.

Here in Massachusetts it’s been snowing quite a bit for the last few days. In fact, we’re supposed to get another 8 inches tonight. I finally got to drive my car in some heavy snow this year while out running some errands this morning.

At one point, I found myself driving through part of an unplowed parking lot, which had about 6″ of fresh powder. My STi cut through the snow with ease, without a hint of trouble. Looking back, I realize this was primarily due to my choice of an excellent snow tire; the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25. I purchased a set of these tires from Tire Rack about 2 years ago for my STi and picked them up in a 225/45/17 size. Currently, I’m running them on the stock 17×8 BBS wheels.

This setup has proved to work very well over the last 2 years. Last winter, I went on several ski trips which involved lots of snow driving. Again, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25’s proved strong, and got me through the snow without issue.

I did plenty of research prior to purchasing my Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25’s. One helpful resource for me was reading user reviews from consumers who had already bought these tires, such as the one you’re reading now. The Tire Rack website is a great resource to find reviews such as these, which are written entirely by the consumers themselves. You can find a link to the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 review’s page here. (Scroll down a bit once the page loads)

One of the primary reasons that I went with the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25’s is that they feature better dry road handling than most other “snow tires”. Tire Rack refers to this as increased “European high-speed winter driving performance.” In addition, it’s pretty common for snow tires to be associated with the stereotype of being “soft”, and not allowing for spirited driving. Owners of STi’s typically drive their cars as they’re meant to be driven. Therefore, having a tire that’s capable during the winter months is necessary. Being able to pass RWD pickup trucks in the snow also makes for a good laugh.

I’ve always trusted Bridgestone in the past, which is why I decided to try out the LM-25’s. One of my more recent purchases from them was a set of Potenza RE-01R’s.

Overall, I feel that I made a good choice. I’ve had the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25’s for about 2 years now, and have driven them through 2 New England winters. Even with some mixed in spirited driving, they still show very little wear. With that said, I think it’s safe to say that these will last me more than a few years, especially since I run them seasonally.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Tire Rack and pick up a set of Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25’s today!

Wow, it’s been quite some time. I’ve been very busy over the last few months, and unfortunately, have had little time to update STi Blog.

One of the contributing factors to my busy schedule this year was autocrossing. I decided that I wanted to be more competitive at a local-level this year, and work on becoming a better drive. Things turned out pretty good for me in the end though, and I ended up taking the New England Region SCCA BSP class championship. Although in the end, I actually won BSP by literally 1 run. I plan on writing a blog post soon about my past season’s experience, and what I took from it.

Moving forward, I’m looking to continue in either BSP, or move down to STU. There are several pros and cons to each class, and I’m currently in the process of weighing them. What I can tell you is this – I plan on writing frequent blog entries, following my autocross season and progress, starting next year at the beginning of the season. I will be documenting everything including my setup and event results.

Overall, it’s been a great year, and I can assure you more content is on the way soon. In the meantime, Happy Holidays!

Klasse All-In-One (AIO) is truly some of the best polish for the money. Often times you’ll see people raving about high dollar polishes and waxes on forums such as Autopia and other car care boards. However, this is one product that truly makes a big statement, and it comes at an affordable price.

Klasse AIO is both a polish and a sealant, packaged together in a single formula. One of the nice features about the polish aspect of Klasse AIO, is that it’s a chemical based polish. Unlike most abrasive polishes, Klasse AIO features a smooth texture that is safe for most surfaces. What does this mean? Simply put, if you’re a beginner in car detailing, it’s a lot harder to mess up your paint when using a polish that’s not abrasive.

In addition, Klasse AIO is safe for almost any type of surface. In fact, I personally even use it on the interior of my car, to shine things up a bit. (To be more specific, on the plastic dashboard trim surrounding my stereo, and A/C controls)

Klasse AIO also features a protecting sealant as well. During application of the product, you are both polishing and protecting in one sweep. This can save many car enthusiasts a lot of time when detailing their car.

Klasse All-In-One Polish can be applied both by hand and by machine. I have personally applied the polish using my Ultimate Detailing Machine (UDM) random orbital buffer. During application, I used a regular polishing pad, and the end results came out great. Klasse AIO is best used to remove very light surface scratches, and other paint contaminants. For anything deeper, it’s highly recommended to use a more abrasive polish, otherwise you’ll just be wasting your time.

For those of you who autocross or race your car, I’ve found that Klasse All-In-One polish is an excellent remedy to remove track marbles and cone marks – often referred to as “cone bite”. A small dab of polish onto a microfiber towel is all that it takes to remove that annoying rubber mark.

Overall, Klasse truly makes a great one-step product. I believe that being able to clean and polish your paint at the same time is a great feature. Therefore, Klasse AIO is the perfect answer for those car enthusiasts who are looking to shine up their ride quickly and without hassle.

So what are you waiting for? Pick up some Klasse All-In-One Polish at Autogeek today!

It looks like Subaru has teamed up with Guinness World Records to try and set the record for the “largest parade of Subaru cars”.

The recent announcement comes in the form of a press release from Subaru of America. The event is planned to take place on July 11th at 9 am in Itasca, Illinois.

However if you ask me, I don’t think they’ll have much on Wicked Big Meet. Sure, it may be an official Subaru meet, sponsored by SOA themselves, but who drives a Subaru in Illinois? (I honestly don’t know) Why not come to the New England area, where the most Subaru’s are sold? (I believe Vermont is the current leading state)

In addition, I predict they won’t be able to beat the famous Colin McRae ceremony either, which was held with an estimated of 1,100 Subarus. Although McRae’s ceremony and Wicked Big Meet weren’t official, they’re still considered awesome bragging rights.

Subaru of America, Inc.’s Great Lakes Region, in Partnership with the Village of Itasca, Attempts to Set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(TM) Record
- Plans ‘Largest Parade of Subaru Cars’ in the World –
ITASCA, Ill., June 19 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America, Inc.’s Great Lakes Region, in partnership with the Village of Itasca, announced today that it will attempt to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(TM) record for the “Largest Parade of Subaru Cars.” The attempt will take place on July 11, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. The parade will start at 500 Park Boulevard in Itasca, Illinois.

Starting June 22 through July 8, interested participants can register their Subaru in the parade by visiting www.subaru.com/parade.

In celebration of this exciting event, Subaru’s Great Lakes Region will make a donation of $15 per participating Subaru vehicle up to a total donation amount of $7,000. This donation will be shared equally between PAWS Chicago and Salute, Inc. For more information on these organizations please visit their respective websites at www.pawschicago.org/ and www.saluteinc.org/.

An official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS(TM) adjudicator will be on site to observe and confirm this record attempt.

In addition to going for the record and helping raise funds for two great organizations, parade participants:

– Will receive a special gift bag (one per car).

– Are invited to attend Itasca Fest following the GUINNESS WORLD
RECORDS(TM) attempt. This fest is great for the entire family and
features: live entertainment, carnival rides, food, bingo, kids’
entertainment, a three-on-three basketball tournament, and NASA’s
“Journey to Tomorrow” exhibit. For more information visit
www.itasca.com.

– Are eligible for a special event room rate of $89 per night* at The
Westin Chicago Northwest hotel. For your convenience, this four-star,
four-diamond hotel is located within walking distance from the start
of the parade. To make a reservation, simply visit
http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarG…9812&key=A9AB8.
The event rate is good for parade participants only and based on
availability.
* Rate does not include tax.

Subaru of America came out with a press release this morning regarding the 2010 Subaru Legacy. Not only is the new 2010 Legacy bigger, wider, and more powerful, but it also features increased fuel economy as well.

SOA has announced that the new 2010 Legacy will achieve 23 mpg around town, and a staggering 31 mpg on the highway. That’s very impressive for a mid-sized sedan, and it clearly shows that Subaru set increased fuel economy as a priority while engineering the new 2010 model. However, it should also be noted that these EPA figures were obtained using the base-model 2.5i sedan, coupled with the CVT transmission.

For those of you looking for a bit more power, it’s suggested to bump up to the next trim level, which is the 2.5GT. When coupled with Subaru’s new 6 speed transmission, the EPA ranks the 2010 Legacy at 18 mpg city, and 25 mpg highway. Even so, that’s still very good for getting plenty of power and AWD at the same time.

The 2010 Subaru Legacy is set to start at $19,995, which is a very competitive price point for the mid-size market. Let me know if you find a better option that has room for five, AWD, and starting price tag of under $20,000.

Subaru of America, Inc. Announces EPA figures for 2010 Legacy

PRNewswire
CHERRY HILL, N.J.

- Subaru Legacy Sedan achieves 31mpg Hwy -

- Best MPG figures for mid-size AWD in U.S. Market -

- Better economy than many front-wheel drive competitors -

CHERRY HILL, N.J., June 18 /PRNewswire/ — Subaru of America today announced the EPA fuel economy results for 2010MY Legacy. The 2010 All-Wheel Drive Legacy achieves up to 26 mpg combined and 31 mpg highway, despite having grown in size in almost every dimension.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO )

Specifically, the Legacy 2.5i CVT now exhibits better fuel economy (EPA combined) than such Front-Wheel competitors such as Honda Accord, Mazda6i, VW Passat and Hyundai Sonata. Furthermore, the new Legacy is now the highest rated midsize AWD sedan (EPA combined) in the U.S. market for 2010MY.

Tim Mahoney, senior vice president and CMO of Subaru of America said, “We are thrilled that the all-new 2010 Legacy not only offers more space and a more rewarding drive than the competition, but it also delivers better fuel economy at a very competitive price.”

The Subaru Legacy comes with Subaru’s legendary Boxer engine, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, quick-ratio steering and a new double-wishbone suspension system. The 2010 Legacy has an entry-level price of $19,995 (excl. delivery) and will provide an alternative for customers looking for more from the mid-sized sedan segment.

2010MY EPA Fuel Economy Ratings
Legacy 2.5i 6MT 19 mpg city / 22 mpg combined / 27 mpg hwy
Legacy 2.5i CVT 23 mpg city / 26 mpg combined / 31 mpg hwy
Legacy 2.5GT 6MT 18 mpg city / 21 mpg combined / 25 mpg hwy
Legacy 3.6R 5AT 18 mpg city / 21 mpg combined / 25 mpg hwy

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru boasts the most fuel-efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.

An insider at the Toyota R&D center has finally revealed that the upcoming Subaru-Toyota compact sports car (codenamed 086A) will feature a body similar to that of the Lexus LF-A prototype, which was recently seen at the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race.

Apparently there will be one body style of the car, with only slightly variations between the Toyota and Subaru versions. Some of these possible variations include the head/tail light treatment, different badging, and a different front grille. It’s also been revealed that the front-engine real wheel drive 086A coupe will feature a 2+2 seating style. (4 person capacity)

Reports also indicate that Toyota is strongly trying to keep the car under the 2 million yen price barrier, which equates to just over $20,000 USD. With that being said, if this car is truly brought to North America, it will be a huge success.

No mention of TRD has been announced yet (Toyota Racing Development), however the insider reports that Subaru is definitely going to produce an STi version of the 086A! They also went on to say that we can expect an STi version of the sports car regardless if Toyota decides to make a TRD version or not. Therefore, Subaru appears to have made it a priority to introduce a true RWD sports car into their lineup.

As one can imagine, this is excellent news for the Subaru community, something in which fans can look forward to. However, whatever happened to Subaru’s AWD-only stance?

The following specifications list of the 086A has also surfaced:

Toyota/Subaru Compact FR 086A Specifications

Engine: EJ20 Direct Injection Gasoline 4 Cylinder
Capacity: 1994cc
Power: 200PS
Torque: 20.0kg/m
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Wheelbase: 2470mm
Total Length: 4200mm
Total Width: 1750mm
Total Height: 1300mm
Weight: 1200kg
Cost: 2,000,000 JPY

In addition, it appears that the first incarnation of the 086A was spotted in 2005 at the Nürburgring. At the time, sources claimed it was an IS500 prototype. However, it’s now been disclosed that it was one of the first 086A prototypes to hit the road, featuring a V6 motor, as Toyota was playing with the idea of introducing an entry level FR sports car.

[ Source: 7Tune ]

Wow, I’ve heard of birthday parties and presents, but an entire museum?

Yup, that’s right. Subaru Tecnica International – most well known as “STi”, is celebrating their 20th birthday this year. And what better way to celebrate than creating an STi museum? Fuji Heavy Industries has created this museum, dubbed the “STi Gallery”, which is open every day from 9:30am to 7pm. (except for select holidays)

Visitors of the museum can stop by and view STi in all of it’s glory. The STi Gallery features 3 different zones, each containing different pieces of STi heritage.

1. Car Exhibition Zone – This area of the museum features Subaru’s that have been used both past and present in different racing events. It also features past and present production model STi’s.
2. STi Concept Zone – This area features a showcase of STi racing parts and other various concept ideas.
3. STi History Zone – The 3rd and final area of the museum features a timeline of STi’s involvement in motorsports and various production cars.

The museum is currently celebrating the release of the new 2010 Subaru Legacy. To aid in this, they’ve put Colin McRae’s Legacy RS on display; a car in which he drove to win the WRC New Zealand Rally in 1993.