http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=4

wow..hehe...that guy is a JOKE.

man...must really have something against subaru's. That article wasn't even nice to Subaru.

hehe..

~V

Points to the lack of research many "journalists" do. I get the impression that he wasn't aware that the WRX(although not in this body style) has been around for quite some time, just not in the U.S. He acts as if performance + Subaru is something completely new.

Neil

LOL! I love my car even more after reading that article. :D

. “Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel

and...

I think the most displacement you can get the better.

Ahuh.

and the best one of all:

You can spot “Subaru people” on the streets and highways because they are the ones driving the slowest.

This guy needs to put down the Lowenbrau, ease up on the fondue parties, and hang up the polyester clothes. What a relic. :D

So if a cop ever pulls you over for speeding, show him the article and said you weren't speeding, you bought ur suby for safety ;)

that guy was really :mad: at subaru

It's amazing what a Honda owner will do? :)

Seriously, this guy is from another planet. I was going to write to him with links to i-club and some of the rally sites but decided he wasn't worth it. As Charge said before, this guy clearly didn't do much research.

Bradus

Originally posted by Necromancer
This guy needs to put down the Lowenbrau, ease up on the fondue parties, and hang up the polyester clothes. What a relic. :D

ROFLMAO

:lol::lol::lol:

He obviously didn't do any actual research into this, and he ignored the fact that the RS has been out for 4 years before this over here, and I don't know about anybody else's, but my RS isn't exactly invisible on the way to pick up my new set of birkenstocks ;)

Korey

That was interesting to say the least. Definately saw some areas where more research would have answered some of his questions (problems with the car), such as the choice in engine size...

-Matt

That really pisses me off. I don't own a WRX but I don't own an ugly slow Subaru either. I e-mail the publisher and let them know how ignorant the reviewer was. I also sent a picture of my GT. You know to show them how ugly it is.

umm, did he even DRIVE the car??? i am utterly stupified by this article...i think i shall email him, and post the reply here...

"Once again, I believe the company is beginning to tread on areas where it has no appeal, and this new WRX Impreza sedan is a prime example"

What the [edited] is this guy smoking??? How many times has the WRX won the WRC??? How many people in europe, asia, and australia worship that car?

What a freak...

Everyone email these people and let them know how ignorant this guy is. He really should not be doing car reviews. He might influence some poor unsuspecting person into buying a Ford.:)

Who gave that clown the authority to write an auto review.

He just made me mad.

I am not a damn hippie, and I did not buy my car for safety!

He must be a communist!

I sent this to the Editor of the Magazine/Website. Rather longwinded...

Mr Schwab.
I am writing this email in regard to an article I saw no you webpage....

Why make a fast Subaru?
2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX SEDAN
By Jeff Rundles
Carreview@aol.com

I believe that this article could not be further from the truth.....
I direct you to an article in car and driver
http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/Caranddriver/comparisontests/2001/october/200110_comparisontest_unfairfight.xml
which uses actual facts instead of what seems to me to be opinions...
In your writers opinion the BMW is Superior power 'First, just on the feel of the car, it is definitely more powerful that your average Subaru, but it isn’t a BMW or anything. ', when actul test quite clearly show that the WRX is more powerful than it BMW equivilent...
I also got the impression that the writer believe this is the first performance car to be manufactured by Subaru, However if he were to do a little research one could plainly tell a WRX has been in existance since at least 1994... And Subaru have been sucessfully competing the WRX (in it's 2 litre form the 2.5 was for american Impreza's only) on the world rally stage for many years... He has also seemed to over look the Subaru Liberty (legacy) B4, which is also a very high performance car..
As a Subaru Driver I am deeply offened buy the insinuation that Subaru Drivers are hippies. "I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes" I am a 24 year old male IT professional, I have never or will I ever be a hippe. And as for the WRX lacking Style all he need to do is pick up a Australian car magazine like "Hot 4's" and see the style that these cars have....
I do believe people are entitled to their own opinions, however It should be clearly stated that it is there opinion, even though the facts say the contrary...

Thankyou

Brad

well, i live in santa cruz
i wear birkenstocks
i don't like gorp, whatever the hell that is.....
I somehow managed to "come into money" and afford an OB, which I want to make faster, cuz the speed limiter at 112 bugs me.........
yup, I sound like a typical owner.......right.
btw, my 82 year old grandma drives an OB, gets speeding tickets, and wants me to turbo it for her, so it's not an age thing :)

this guy = sofa king we todd did :)

That has got to be a joke. I can't even comprehend how unbelievably stupid that reviewer is.

I love how he is just fine with the standard impreza, but a more powerful wrx version is just "too much" as he calls it.

It's like writing a review of a Mustang Cobra and saying they should have just stuck with the V6 model. "it's just too much!"

I am now dumber after reading that review. :monkey:

WOW. Pull your head out of you a$$.

The WRX is quicker than any BMW that does not have an M in it's name.

I will say it again. WOW.:rolleyes:

That guy is just an ignorant a-hole!

"Once again, I believe the company is beginning to tread on areas where it has no appeal, and this new WRX Impreza sedan is a prime example"

Obviously, the idiot has been breathing in too many fumes from his overpriced Beamer to realize that the WRX was awaited with such anticipation from American buyers, that it was practically impossible to get when it was initially released, and that SOA even raised the number of vehicles they had allocated for sale because the popularity was even beyond their best expectations.

Typical BMW. The owner (prick) is inside! :monkey: :monkey: :monkey: :monkey:

Their website is in desperate need of hacking. I'm sure there are members here who are up to the task. After all, we're not all a bunch of ex-hippies or their offspring.

-Abel

Already on it V. I have a feeling they will be removing that review in the near future.:devil:

Here is a picture of the guy who gave the review. What a numb-nut.

"The sitting portion of the seats are covered with a black mesh that you can see through, down to a blue hue (which matches the electric blue paint job of the car). Frankly, it was ugly. Plus, the mesh seemed so loose that I’m sure after a few thousand miles of driving it will start to stretch out, come undone and basically look like hell."

I never seen a wrx with a mesh fabric funny it looks that way from far but if you sit in the car you can tell its a just a mesh look not real mesh obviously this is BS wright up guys.........

Sev
:lol:

Check out his other review about the Audi. I guess he pissed them off too.

Audi A8 (http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=6)

Funny thing, I never heard of that site before it was posted here. He must be really important.

Does this guy actually get paid to review cars?

He should be fired.

Then be forced to ride in the trunk of a WRX through several rally stages.

Another, give me a break. This car is a POS I drove one and it is junk. Elantra (http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=1)

Simple if you read about the entire site its composed of wanna be journalist. So, obviously they are going to have guys who think they know cars but have no real background in racing whatsoever. Hell the guy even states in his own words "I like sports as much as the next person, although I admit to a disdain for auto racing." how can a guy who has a disdain for racing write about cars for crying out loud. What a moron.

Here's a little research you can do which will not only prove my point, but give you insight into whether you are a Subaru person or not. As you are driving around -- on city streets, on the crowded highways, going up to the mountains, whatever -- keep track of the drivers that are always hanging things up, the drivers driving just below the speed limited in the middle lane on Sixth Avenue, or those who take that annoying extra few seconds to find just the right way to turn a corner slowly. Nine times out of 10 the car will be a Subaru -- not because Subarus are by nature slow or cautious, but because Subaru drivers are. Needlessly so, in my book.


:mad: WHO DOES THIS GUY THINK HE IS? Somebody needs to track this bastard down and set him straight. :mad:

JJ and Bratman and Tom Richardson and the rest of the CO crew, I think you guys have a new task. FIND JEFF RUNDLES, TAKE HIM WITH YOU INTO THE MOUNTAINS AND SCARE THE PISS OUT OF HIM WHILE YOU DRIFT THROUGH CORNERS AT 70 MPH!!!!!

I am not kidding. How many "Jeff Rundles" can there be in the Denver area?

HAHAHA I found two in CO..... one of them has to be the one! Hehe, they're the same address!! Sounds like a home office for a freelance journalist!

///////////////////////////////////////////////////
edited to protect the ignorant bastard
///////////////////////////////////////////////////


Somebody show up on his doorstep and drag him out on a CANYON RUN!

-PORTER :devil: :devil: :devil:

that guy takes it in the :o :D Idiot, I hate stupid people, seems he is their leader!
keith

Wow, he manages to mention BMW in each of those 3 reviews posted. Amazing :) he must really know about cars if he knows all of that about BMW!!! :rolleyes:

It's funny that he mentions "Audi fans coming out of the woodwork" in his A8 article...I imagine he hasn't seen anything yet.

I have to agree. That guy is just plain stupid. Let's ban that site. :mad:

Best I felt like doing at 1AM. Eudora gave it a 3 hot pepper rating, so it must be good.

I'm sure some of the more eloquent i-clubbers will chime in when they wake up tomorrow. I was tempted to send the guy his home address and type of car he drives, but decided that could be construed as a threat.
_________
This has to be the single worst review of a product I have ever read. Worst meaning biased, uneducated, un researched, untested, and having no merit whatsoever other than to show an incredible lack of intelligence on the part of the reviewer.

I seriously have my doubts whether the reviewer even test drove the vehicle in question, a 2002 Subaru WRX. I'm not exactly sure how anyone reviewing this car could fail to do some very simple research into the history of the car or manufacturer. The "Subaru" history mentioned in the article seems to be of a typical uneducated white trash nature. Subaru has been producing turbo charged rally cars much longer than they have been making the Legacy Outback product line in the United States. The author of this article is clearly an idiot, and very proud to display his idiocy to the entire world. World Rally Championship is the 2nd most popular motorsport in the world. The GC8 body style Impreza WRC did quite well in what is one of the toughest motorsports in existence. This new 2002 Impreza just won the Rally of Finland, driven by Richard Burns. I'm not exactly sure how Subaru does not equal Speed, when a homologated street legal car (modified from stock, of course) manages over 120mph on one lane gravel roads that most people would be afraid to ride a bicycle on. Or down the coast of Africa for that matter, in the Safari Rally. The article mentions Subaru's stupidity for using a 2.0 liter flat four instead of the 2.5 found in other North American model Imprezas. The simple reason for this is that the 2.0 liter boxer engine has been proven again and again to be much stronger and more capable of high horsepower numbers than the 2.5. Australians have been getting the WRX up to 400bhp and higher for years now. There are already such beasts roaming the tracks and rally stages here in the US, scant months after the introduction of the WRX to the US shores for the first time.

From your article:
"...but then even “Subaru people,” as I like to call the company’s market share, sometimes come into money and will spend a few extra bucks. “Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel. These are thrifty people, not looking for flash. They want safety and longevity in their automobile, not style. You can spot “Subaru people” on the streets and highways because they are the ones driving the slowest. I have a running joke with my daughters that when the traffic gets backed up because someone is not going along with the traffic speed, or turning the corner oh-so-slowly, or otherwise blithely impeding traffic, it’s usually a Subaru; nine times out of 10, it really is. "

Incredible. This is another amazing display of idiocy and bias. This is like saying everyone who drives a camaro is a wife beating redneck with a mullet. If you really wanted to wax negative regarding this car, you should have mentioned the fact that the WRX is the #1 most stolen car in Australia. Why is this you ask? The answer is very simple - Police cruisers cannot keep up with the stolen WRXs. Steal a WRX, rob a store. Get away because the cops can't chase you fast enough. Police in Sydney now have several WRX patrol cars to catch criminals using stolen WRXs. I wonder how long it is until car thieves here catch on. Hopefully the US police departments' use of helicopters will negate this problem.

The writer of this "review" should find a new profession as soon as possible to avoid being lynched by people actually capable of doing 5 minutes research. Perhaps the author should also consider broadening his very narrow view of the world to include places other than Colorado. If you had talked to any australian, japanese, or british automotive enthusiast in this manner regarding the WRX (or any Subaru performance lineup), you would be laughed out of whatever city you happened to be in at the moment. Even people who dislike subaru products or subaru owners will grudgingly admit that you sir, are an idiot.

Regards,

-Marc Papouchado

PS- Please, for the sake of respectable journalists everywhere, refrain from calling yourself one in the future. You sir, are no journalist, or even a mildly accurate reviewer.

I think we can all agree that the person who wrote this article probably drives a 318i and was smoked by a WRX.

what a joker

Bombs away!

jrundles@cobizmag.com

:monkey:

He only gave his AOHELL account in the article, but in other (equally biased pieces of $hit), I found that real email address above.

Well, here's my e-mail to the editor:

Dear sir,
Mr. Rundle's review of the WRX is so far off base it is almost comical. I am certain that most every Subaru owner on the planet has already chastised him in his obvious lack of knowledge about this particular and significant automobile, so I won't repeat it here. What I will say is that it is obvious that he does not like what he does not understand and that makes him an extremely poor and ignorant automobile reviewer. His personal observations about particular owners of various makes is both unbecoming and unprofessional. I find his insights into the automotive world to be severely lacking in both style and substance. He all too readily shows his automotive bias in his reviews and that does your audience a great disservice. Please find someone that actually knows something about cars to review them for I fear his stupefying ranting will create a severe intelligence vacuum in the auto buyers of Colorado. I sincerely hope you can find someone of suitable literary talent to replace this individual in the not too distant future.

For the record, I live in Colorado, sold BMW's (among other makes) for a living, owned a BMW and I am currently a Subaru owner (not a WRX.) I also work on a Porsche racecar and have an extensive automotive library, so I believe I am fully qualified in making the above unfortunate statement.

Sincerely,

Jerome Kelty

I used have people like this guy come into the dealership all the time- people that think they know everything about cars when they don't know their own a$$ from a rowboat. And yes I am biased when it comes to cars, but I never let it interfere when someone asked my professional opinion about a particular make of automobile they were considering purchasing. What's best for me is not what's best for them. I know I'm a looooong way from knowing everything there is to know about cars, but I'm sure just about everyone here has a serious head start on this biased jerk.

Omg... this guy IS on crack,

a Suzuki Swift is the SAME as a Geo Metro... yet he says this (and yes, mentions BMW yet again in this article!)

(talking about Kia Rio) which puts it in the category with the Suzuki Swift and the Chevrolet Metro. It is a better car than either of those, especially the Metro -- which shouldn't, by rights, be called a car at all. The Swift is a car, but only so much as you would call a friend who did something stupid "swift."

He mentions bmw in almost every article he's written, what a dork.

http://www.cobizmag.com/wheels.cfm

The elantra is the best car you can buy for under 15,000... pfffft. I can buy a nice used car from 97+ for that much, and get much more :) (including financing).

But you know, this stuff is subjective. I have my opinion and a column, and I never question my critics’ heritage. Their attitudes speak for their aptitudes in volumes, and I’m sure there’s a Village Idiot Car Rally they can attend.

umm...didn't he break his little rule that when he said:

"Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel. These are thrifty people, not looking for flash. They want safety and longevity in their automobile, not style. You can spot “Subaru people” on the streets and highways because they are the ones driving the slowest. I have a running joke with my daughters that when the traffic gets backed up because someone is not going along with the traffic speed, or turning the corner oh-so-slowly, or otherwise blithely impeding traffic, it’s usually a Subaru; nine times out of 10, it really is. "

I really don't care about this guy or what he thinks, but he sure is an ignorant SOB.

I found his dream car, check this baby out! (http://www.nsxprime.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/000274.html)

This looks like the kind of car a complete idiot would drive. I bet he gives it a stellar review.

you guys certainly put it better than I did in my email... If we get our way this guy "will be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog S*** out of hong kong" (I am watching top gun at the moment sorry)

I was wondering if anyone has recieved a reply back after sending a e-mail to this "so- called" auto journalist.:mad:

http://members.i-club.com/UserPics/5753/Rundlemobile.jpg
http://members.i-club.com/UserPics/5753/Rundlesshelbyndaily.jpg

Originally posted by HIHO
Here is a picture of the guy who gave the review. What a numb-nut.

Are you serious?

If this is the guy, at least now we know why he's qualified to make comments about ex-hippies. He is one himself judging by this photo. :p

David

if that's the guy, you should send him those photoshopped pics of himself! LOL
theyre awesome!

What a pinhead.

Editors....

Robert Schwab, editor, (303) 662-5283, rschwab@cobizmag.com

Mike Taylor, managing editor, (303) 662-5223, mtaylor@cobizmag.com

This guy is an obvious boob.

BTW, where is the lumber in those picks? ;)

Denver folks should plan a very large Subie meet at the guy's house one day...

It's obvious what this guy's deal is:

DODGE DAKOTA QUAD CAB 4X4 SLT PLUS = FOUR WHEELS (OUT OF FOUR)
2000 GMC SIERRA 1500 AWD EXT CAB PICKUP = FOUR WHEELS (OUT OF FOUR)
1999 Porsche Carrera 4 Coupe = TWO-AND-ONE-HALF WHEELS (OUT OF FOUR)

He's a truck guy! He has no business driving cars, let alone reviewing them. It's like me driving a truck: I will if I have too, but I won't enjoy it. Sure, I can recognize some trucks are better than others, but if I was rating them, virtually every car would rate higher than the best truck. This guy is like the anti-me.

If you must write to him, please encourage him to review only trucks from now on. That way I won't be tempted to read anymore of his car reviews.

-J

Holy crud! No wonder this guy likes Hyundias more than Subarus. Check out this article:
http://cobizmag.com/issues/apr2001/pages/jeff_12_00.cfm

In particular this quote:

I like sports as much as the next person, although I admit to a disdain for auto racing.



:monkey:

It explains why he knows nothing of Subaru's rally history. The pic on the page is also icky. :( It also makes me wonder why someone with an admitted "disdain for auto racing" is reviewing cars?

I hope more bad press like this surface so I wont see WRX running around everywhere. :devil:

Thats just my .02c

He also doesn't seem to like:
Audi A8
Chrysler 300M
VW GTi
(all cars that have received great reviews in other more mainstream pubs)...
Sounds to me like he doesn't appreciate a performance car UNLESS its a BMW (oh and A4/A6). He seems to me like he is afraid of low displacemnet high revving engines that pump the HP. Would be interesting to hear his take on a high revving normally aspirated engine, he'd probably hate that too!

What a maroon.......
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I hadnt taken the time to read the whole thing thru until now... what a JOKER.
He's just SAD.
:rolleyes:

My e-mail to the reviewer:

"Dear Mr. Rundles,
I have just finished reading your article — I refuse to use the word "review" — about the Subaru WRX.

It occured to me that you do not know much about Subaru. First of all, let's take a look at Subaru's market. It is not completely composed of the ex-hippies that you claim have always been the buyers of Subarus. Subaru is a global car manufacturer and if you have traveled in any overseas markets, you would know that Subarus are very highly regarded in most countries. In some countries such as Subaru's home,Japan, and Australia Subarus are included in the ranks of BMWs. And all countries that have a real love of racing ( I mean real racing and not NASCAR.), know that Subarus are indeed performance cars. In these countries, Subarus have been sold that even though were not as "posh" as a BMW or Mercedes, would certainly outrun even the fastest cars from either stable such as the M3. These cars sold well!

If you have not noticed, the United States is actually becoming the true "melting pot" that we always claimed to be. Our culture is being influenced by Europe and Asia because our citizens — our consumers — come from everywhere. Hence, people in the U.S. do not necessarily have the old-fashioned, redneck views of Subarus that you are claiming.

Take me for example ... I am a 28-year-old marketing manager and I have loved and studied cars since I was old enough to read. I have a strong passion for performance automobiles and for superb engineering. I too once had your opinion of Subaru until I did some research, travelled internationally, and conversed with the people who purchase Subarus. Now, consider that I am a seasoned marketing person who knows when cars have been hyped by some marketing genius who has never driven the product. In this case, Subarus are all they are cracked up to be. My opinion was rapidly changed and I decided to drive each of Subaru's offerings. I, a certified "gearhead", was instantly impressed and I purchased a '98 Impreza Outback Sport which is certainly not the most powerful car in Subaru's lineup, but I'll meet you on a rally-style dirt road any day and show you what a Subaru can do.

The up-and-coming car buyers, generation Y, certainly know the performance heritage of today's Subaru models. Despite the World Rally Championship's lack of popularity in the U.S., they have grow up with cable and Speedvision and have found out about cars that rely on more than gobs of horsepower to be true performers. Talk to any Ford Racing executive and I'm sure he'll inform you that a lage number of cubic inches does not necessarily make a car a performance automobile. Subaru's 2.0 liter engines have been pumping out 280+ horsepower for years without failure.

My advice to you would be to travel, learn more about consumers, and race before you make unsubstantiated claims about a vehicle. Remember that an opinion is a great thing, but facts are the basis of a great opinion.

Sincerely,
Sean K. Hughes"

Someone also need to let him know why the WRX has a 2.0., not a 2.5.

take a look at this guy:

http://www.cobizmag.com/oct/imgjuly/jrundles.jpg

I urge everyone to write not only to him, but to his editors. Here's what I wrote, and I also Bcc his bosses. Let's see if this turd replies


_______________


Mr. Rundles,

Regarding your article on the WRX, I will give you two points:

Avoid generalizations, they open you up to criticism, and when used as fact, they
always end up wrong.

Secondly, do some research on your subject.

Go beyond the two ex-hippies that you know who have Subarus. Go beyond the
traditional US marketing efforts from Subaru. Learn that worldwide, Subaru has a huge
reputation for making performance cars. If you had done that, you would have realized
that some of your reporting was erroneous.

Take for example your example about the lowering of engine displacement. The World
Rally Championship limits displacement to 2.0 liters which is what the WRX is based on.
Additionally a naturally aspirated engine can use thinner cylinder walls for a larger bore
and greater displacement because it doesn't have to endure the greater pressure that
boost from a turbo creates. Or that the hood scoop is there to provide air to the
intercooler which lowers intake temperature and provides more power. The top
mounted intercooler allows the WRX to meet federal crash standards instead of being
exposed at the front of the vehicle. That intercooler is made possible by the
horizontally opposed flat-four engine which also keeps the center of gravity lower
allowing for better handling. The only other company that makes a horizontally opposed
engine for cars is Porsche.

I could pick your article apart paragrapgh by paragraph, but have neither the time nor
inclination. Perhaps your disdain for automobile racing should prohibit you from writing
stories about enthusiast cars
(http://cobizmag.com/issues/apr2001/pages/jeff_12_00.cfm) as you clearly don't get it.

The qualifications you have for writing an article on cars must be questionable. But as a
journalist, it is your job to learn about what you are writing, which you clearly did not.
Your article has me questioning the validity of anything I read in Colorado Biz Magazine.
I hope your editors think twice before letting you write another article for them.

Adam Peirce

Nicely put Adrian. Especially the last paragraph.

Hopefully you guys will post any replies from the editors and/or the reviewer.

David

Originally posted by Bradus
Nicely put Adrian. Especially the last paragraph.

Hopefully you guys will post any replies from the editors and/or the reviewer.

David

Sorry ADAM, let me try that again once I've consumed some caffiene. :)

David

Wow.

A complete moron. I had seen partial morons before, but this is my first COMPLETE moron.

I thought maybe he had a bias just against Subaru, but after reading some of the other articles, it is obvious that he is a moron. Apparently his 'research' is what his friends at work tell him.

His friends tell him, 'oh, those are crappy cars.'
He starts his article, 'So I knew these were crappy to begin with ...'

Apparently he also gets quite a bit of outrage from other readers, but brushes it of. I wonder if he has ever recieved a 'well done!' from a reader. wouldn't that tip you off?

Heres my letter to Mr. Runles:Mr Rundles,

I realize that you are entitled to your own opinions about the Subaru WRX (and Subaru in general), but I believe you are horribly misinformed. As a fellow Coloradoan, I agree with you that the OLD subarus are slow, but the reason people have those cars (the GL's) is because they are so reliable in the snow and so reliable period. If you have ever driven a newer model Subaru, you should know that not only are they more luxurious than those models, they are also have much more power (I'm sure an Outback, 2.5 RS, and a WRX would have no trouble "keeping up with traffic"). As far as your review of the seats go, what are you talking about? The seats don't have any mesh on them (they only come with one style of seat) The seats have also been rated very high by car reviewers much more informed than yourself, and praised for being not only supportive, but comfortable. You will not find a car more fun to drive for the money. Have you ever heard of the "LL Bean" Subarus? Surely it isn't hippies buying those. The WRX has a high displacement motor because it is designed after a rally car. Ever watch a rally race? The class it races in is limited to 2.0's and smaller. It has more than sufficient power. Being from Colorado, you should really realize that this car (the WRX) is the PERFECT car for here. Not only is it super fun on our windy mountain passes in the summer, it's also going to be great in the snow this winter. I will be purchasing a WRX in mid January and would be happy to show you what this car can do. You seem pretty biased towards BMW (since you mention them in all your car reviews). Guess what, BMW's suck for the buck. I hope all the people writing in from the I-Club (mostly wrx owners)listing all the errors in your car review, don't get you fired. It takes technology to make a high revving car that will last. Hope you do more research on the cars you review in the future.

Sincerely,
Cliff McQuigg

I will see him soon!!!!!!!

:monkey: :monkey:

I too wrote a letter to the editor, he will probably read this web site now.....:lol:Dear Sir,
As one of your much maligned "Subaru People" I must voice my two cents worth here. I am not an ex hippy, I do wear Birkenstocks, I do NOT drive slow and I think the WRX is the best thing for Subaru of America to do. On the weekend I trade my birks for a pair of racing shoes & helmet and compete in open track days at such tracks as Watkins Glen, and Gingermann Raceway, the SCCA Solo 2 autocross series and local rally cross events. In my SUBARU mind you. The WRX/Impreza has been an immensely popular car world wide since its inception in the mid nineties. It has a HUGE and successful rally heritage, its is quite potent in the rally cross and auto cross competitions, it is a fantastic road car and can be tuned to be faster than Porsches and other such "super cars". I own a previous model 1999 Impreza 2.5 RS coupe. It has been built up and tuned to produce 260 hp, its AWD provides fabulous grip and cornering abilities in ALL seasons. Subaru has made many fast and popular models from its line up, the twin turbo Legacy B4 RSK, the Rally Homologation special 22B Impreza, and the in house tuner versions by STi (Subaru Technica International). In my opinion your reporter went into the review with a preconceived notion he would not like the car due to it being a Subaru. I only need to direct you to www.i-club.com to show you how popular, and loved this car has and will be. Give the car and its owners a fair chance.Thank you for your time.

Shawn Manny
St.Louis Missouri

I wasn't going to write until I read his review of the dodge stratus. he freakin loved the thing! What a load of garbage that car is. When I worked at milford I took home a different competitive vehicle every week and BY FAR the stratus was the biggest pile of them all. That was the last straw and I had to write his editors to tell them what a complete idiot he is. My favorite is when he speculates engineering fact like smaller turbo engines work harder and last shorter, than a big honkin Vx. Don't make me look up the warranty data for the chevy pushrod V6's :lol:

"Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel. These are thrifty people, not looking for flash. They want safety and longevity in their automobile, not style. You can spot “Subaru people” on the streets and highways because they are the ones driving the slowest. I have a running joke with my daughters that when the traffic gets backed up because someone is not going along with the traffic speed, or turning the corner oh-so-slowly, or otherwise blithely impeding traffic, it’s usually a Subaru; nine times out of 10, it really is."


-Umm I'm Only 20...my parents may have been hippies!?
-Ok, our cars arent a work of art....but thats what makes them interesting.
-Driving the slowest.......mmmmkay.
-I wish that I could see that many subaru's on a daily basis.

This guy has no idea what he is writing about.

"That is why I find the Impreza WRX so odd. You’ve seen the ads on television. They show a fairly sporty car, with a very sporty color, racing -- RACING! -- on a very curvy road, and the announcer talks about the marriage of safety (all-wheel-drive) with performance (turbo-charged engine)."

-ummm he obviously has no idea that Subaru has ben involved in the WRC for a VERY long time.....Imagine a WRX Racing...thats just comletely rediculous;) ....how ignorant.

Here's my email to this retard....enjoy :D

Dear Jeff,


I just finished reading your article about the Subaru WRX on the Colorado Biz web site and I have to say I strongly disagree with many of the points you made and the general tone of the article.

Please allow me to explain. First of all it would seem that your article is primarily comprised of your own opinions about what Subaru's target market is and what a Subaru should and should not be. It's full of stereotypes, as far as Subaru's main appeal being "safety" and their main audience being granola munching hippies who drive slow. Tell that to Richard Burns, Subaru's 3 time rally champion. It does not seem as if you have done any research before writing this piece. Subaru's sales figures for the WRX alone should provide ample evidence of your miscalculations and generalization of the characteristics of Subaru's customer base.

The bare minimum amount of background research would have revealed that performance cars are nothing new to Subaru's line up. They have been selling the WRX for years overseas and before that Subaru sold the SVX sports car and even as early as 1987 they were selling several models of their XT sports car here in the U.S. Subaru as been building award-winning rally racing cars for more than a decade in addition to their sports-minded cars sold to consumers.

As for your assessment of the WRX, it is hard to believe that you test drove the same vehicle that I did. If you consult nearly any other automotive journal of your choice you will see that the Impreza WRX is highly acclaimed for it's unique position in the U.S. market. There is simple no other car in it's price range that can equal it's performance. It can perform on par with cars costing nearly twice as much.

The fact that you actually criticized the WRX 227 horsepower turbocharged engine and compared it to an old Saab engine (they could not be more dissimilar) speaks volumes about your level of automotive knowledge.

This sentence alone takes the cake:

"Why take a smaller engine and then ask it to work that hard? My guess is that the WRX over time will prove to be prone to blowing turbo-chargers, just like the Saabs used to, and this engine will work so hard during its life that its life will be shortened as a result."

I really have no idea what you are basing that upon. A properly maintained turbocharged engine can last ever bit as long as a naturally aspirated motor. A engine like the one in the WRX is built to endure the extra performance that it provides. Based upon this article and the fact that in another article you actually said you "can not recommend the Hyundai Elantra enough" one really has to wonder about your viability as a competent automotive journalist.

I cannot argue with your right to your opinion, but as a journalist you should know that it would carry much more weight if you had some basic knowledge and understanding to back it up.

What's worse, your insipid writing inspired me to hammer out this reply and I DON'T EVEN DRIVE A SUBARU. I drive a Volkswagen. Imagine what Subaru fans must think.

One can't help but wonder if you are in the right field. I would strongly suggest that you either take a six month leave of absence to go an educate yourself about automobiles or choose another subject to write about. Perhaps gardening or travel writing would suit you better. You could tell everyone how Paris is too dirty and the Eiffel tower is taller than it needs to be.


Sincerely,

Ryan K. Egan

Awesome e-mail, I would have included something about the fact that the motor being used now is nothing new.....its the same one that has been used in WRX's for many years overseas....and its very reliable.

Excellent response.

Nothing worse then an I-clubber scornd.:lol:

People please forgive this guy, he is from Afganistan and the INS is in the process of revoking his VISA.
Now Wonder.

What a moron.

RLYWRX

I jumped on the band wagon as well.

-Nick

---

Mr. Rundles,
First off I doubt I’m the first to say I think your article on ColaradoBiz titled “Why make a fast Subaru?” is just a tad harsh and quite sheltered. First off did you even know that the Impreza is one of the best selling sports compact cars outside the US and has been for years? Did you also know that Subaru of Japan, and Europe, has been making the Impreza WRX turbocharged for quite some time now? Did you also know that the Impreza WRX was the World Rally Champ 3 years running from 95-98?
As far as Subarus being slow… agreed… for most Subarus made prior to 98. But since then Subaru of America has brought a few more sporty models of Impreza here, namely the 2.5RS. Now there has always been a very large cult following for the Impreza in the US, which just skyrocketed thanks to the marketing of SOA. If you’d like proof feel free to visit my Subaru enthusiasts site the i-Club (http://www.i-club.com/). In the past 4 months we have gained over 4000 members. Granola eating hippies… hardly. The new Subaru drivers are young 20-30 performance to cost minded people that are mostly in the tech industries. Perhaps we are the only ones out there that can truly understand why we buy a Subaru.
And sadly enough you think that in order to win a car race you need to have a fast car. I regret to inform you that most real racing isn’t done on an oval my friend. If you care to take the time you should research some info about the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America - http://www.scca.org/) the sponsor all types of amateur to professional level racing. I think the one you’ll find most interesting is Auto-Crossing. Imprezas hold the top positions in almost all of the 50 states where the SCCA operates. This isn’t to say there aren’t fast Subarus. Consider the WRC Rally car… it’s a 400 hp fire breathing AWD demon of a car. And my personal car, and aftermarket turbo charged 1999 2.5RS pushing 320 AWD hp and daily driven.
I’m sorry if this comes off as a rude e-mail. But I just think you have made a gross oversight to be so harsh in rating the WRX. It might not be your cup or tea… but to hundreds of thousands across the globe that understand the heritage and history of this car it is the next best thing to sliced bread.

Respectfully,
Nick Catalfamo
http://www.i-club.com

Sorry guys and gals,

I tried to hold off as long as I could, but gave in to the dark side and wrote to Jeff. Here is what I wrote:

"Dear Mr. Rundles,

As a WRX owner, a friend of mine drew my attention to your recent review, if I can call it that, of the Subaru Impreza WRX.

Although I now live in Massachusetts, I am originally from the UK and have been following Subaru's success on the rally circuit for many years. In addition, I have lusted after the Impreza Turbo since a decade ago when it was launched in the UK to critical acclaim by the motoring press.

I am 35-years old - not quite the ex-hippie you so believe makes up the bulk of Subaru owners - and considered both the BMW 3 Series (2.5 liter) and Audi A4 (1.8T and 2.8v6) in comparison with the WRX. I chose the WRX over the other cars, because, in my opinion:
- the WRX is more fun
- the WRX handled better; the BMW and Audi were both heavier and felt it on the road, particularly during cornering
- the WRX offers better value for money
- the WRX offered better performance than any of the other cars. Interestingly enough, Car & Driver, a respected auto magazine, recently tested the WRX against the BMW 330ix and Audi S4 simply because at the BMW 325 and Audi A4 level, the WRX won too easily as being the best car. The problem is, the faster BMW and Audi models cost approximately $40k - a lot higher than the $23.5k I paid for my WRX.
- the WRX seats are the most comfortable. I drive a lot of miles both on highways and town routes, and neither complain or receive complaints from anyone while driving it.

I have to ask: did you really drive the 2002 WRX? I don't want to second-guess Subaru's marketing and sales strategy, but my guess is their target audience is not someone like you. BTW, are you old enough to qualify as an ex-hippie? Judging by your article, you sound like you are.

In closing, I would urge you to consider reviewing lawn tractors in future because your current drivel is wasting space and bandwidth on the Internet.

Speed safely.

David Bradburn
A happy WRX Owner
North Andover, MA"

I cc'd this to the two editors as well.

Regards,
David

It is just me, or do the words “Subaru” and “speed” act oxymoronically upon each other?

Ding, ding, ding, ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! :D

Yes, it's just you, buddy. ;) I can't decide if I should e-mail this guy or not...

Josh

Hey guys i urge you all to write your comments to the editors.
This way we might get to see the reviewer in the future.
He'll be at the car wash washing my car.
RLYWRX

This guy is a fool. He called the BMW 325ix his perfect car.

http://cobizmag.com/issues/apr2001/pages/wheels/wheels02_19_01.cfm

The WRX beat the 330ix in C&D's review and that car is supposed to be better than the 325. This guy needs to get his head out of his arse.

Please post any responses you guy get from him, if he writes back at all.

"What's the difference between a BMW and a porcupine? With a porcupine the pricks are on the outside."

This guy is a F***ing Dumb A$$!!!!!!!!

It upsets the crap out of me to see critics that make themselves the authority on something they have no knowledge on.

Quote:
"Once again, I believe the company is beginning to tread on areas where it has no appeal, and this new WRX Impreza sedan is a prime example."

As people have mentioned earlier, the WRX has been around the world since 1993 and has successfully won the World Rally Championship. Subaru is NOT threading in areas with no appeal.

Quote:
I thought coming back out with a sedan (the Legacy) after several years of offering compact station wagons and hatchbacks was a stretch for Subaru, but offering speed, not to mention flash, is probably going too far.

Oh yeah! I wonder what this MORON will say if the B4 gets released in the US.

Quote:
But for me making a Subaru fast and flashy defeats the purpose. That is the spoiler. I can recommend the regular Impreza, with the larger engine, at a pretty good price of under $20k, but this one is too much.

I wonder if this guy can explain the increasing sales of the WRX vs the other lines of Subaru.

I can go on all day about this guy's review, but won't take up anymore space here. I will conclude that this IDIOT Jeff Rundles
has no right reviewing cars and publishing them.

He's probably one of those people that do 55 in the left lane.

Hey Jeff Rundles! - SUCK MY WRX's TAILPIPES!!! YES BOTH OF THEM!!!!:monkey:

I think the funniest thing is his review of the Elantra:

"I have been a car reviewer for over 16 years and once in a while -- maybe something like every five years or so -- I come across a gem.
The Hyundai Elantra sedan is a gem. It is a gem of major proportions. Not only do I recommend buying this car, I am seriously thinking of getting one myself and I don't need a car. I like this car that much. "

Richard Burns, Subaru's 3 time rally champion

not to be a beeoch, but you guys should check out your facts also before sending him email, Burns has never won a rally championship for Subaru... :D

Here is a quote from this turkey in one of his reviews, specifically the 740 iL
"When you get down to the more normal range of the BMWs, like the 3 Series cars, you’d think there would be a drop-off in this “Ultimate” stuff. There isn’t. The 3 Series cars perform so well it’s scary, especially when you consider the competition in the price range. The 3 Series BMW simply blows the doors off the competition for the price. "

Duh, what about a car that costs 15 grand less? what a maroon, as Bugs would say....

Originally posted by sybir

i don't like gorp, whatever the hell that is.....


Good Ole Raisins 'n' Peanuts G.O.R.P.

Tastes like ass.

The review states:

“Subaru people,” as I like to call the company’s market share, sometimes come into money and will spend a few extra bucks.

What an idiot.

I wrote to the editors, here is a transcript...


Dear Sir(s),
I take offense to being called a hippie. I also take offense to Mr. Rundles comments in respect to Subaru drivers being the cause of most traffic back-ups. Mr. Rundles is of course entitled to his opinion, however when his opinion is a slam on a particular lifestyle, such as hippies, and refers to a particular car owner in a derogatory way, I feel he should limit his comments to the objective and subjective points about a particular car, not the people that drive them this is unacceptable.
It is my opinion that Mr. Rundles is NOT an asset to your otherwise fine net-publication.I will be also sending e-mails to all of bizcoms advertisers with my opinion.

Thank you,
Michael Ledoux
IS Department
mjledoux@hannaandersson.com
503.242.0920 ex 3540

how are you people so civil in your emails?!? I'm gonna go off on all those foolz!

Hey all,

Other than remarking on the obvious fact that Mr. Rundles is somewhat "challenged" when it comes to writing accurate, unbiased work, I have one comment to make about this club:

I-Club rocks!

I have read folks' responses that they have sent to the reviewer, his editor, etc, and I have to say that everyone is handling themselves very admirably. I have seen plenty of "flamebait" letters in my time Microsoft-bashing, Linux proselytizing, video game arguing, and on and on, and never have seen such a large group of adamantly pissed off people get their ducks in a row and write out well-thought, anti-inflammatory response to a dweeb who clearly deserves to have every drop of vitriol and venom cast upon him.

Well done, gang...proud to be a part of this cadre of folk.

sutekh

We should all e-mail him or the editor and let them now what an idiot this guy is...

Oh boy what did I start :lol:

Originally posted by HongKongBeef
how are you people so civil in your emails?!? I'm gonna go off on all those foolz!
Because with rants and ravings you loose credibility.

Purposefull rejections and arguments have much more weight.

you guys are too serious/nice in your emails.. here's a few choice quotes from my email to Rundle to make everyone laugh:

hahahaha.. I just read your "review" of the Subaru Impreza WRX and you have me in tears laughing.. Laughing because you consider yourself a "journalist!"

Your best quote was "It is just me, or do the words “Subaru” and “speed” act oxymoronically upon each other?".. You OBVIOUSLY lead a sheltered and lonely life. I suggest you travel the world more, not to buy souvineers, but in the hopes that you will stop being an ignorant jack@ss!

Your other quote, "“Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel. " is also hilarious. I am a 24 year old engineer. I am not a hippie. My parents are from Hong Kong.. They are not hippies! No one in Hong Kong is a hippie, yet many WRX's are sold there! Did you ever graduate from elementary school? I know 10 year old kids with more worldly knowledge than you! You say subaru people are stuck in the 70's.. Well your mental development is stuck at age 9 max!

Your fetish with BMW's is affecting your writing and probably your sex life.

I can't recommend the Elantra highly enough
2001 Hyundai Elantra Sedan
By Jeff Rundles

review (http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=1)

What a moron.

He gives the Hyundai 4 out of 4 and the Saab 9-5 1 out of 4.

[EDIT : fixed link]

the transcript of my letter to the author:


Hey genius do you have any idea why Subaru chose the 2liter engine (EJ20) over the 2.5liter (EJ25) found in the RS to turbocharge in the WRX?

Did you know that Subaru has been successfully turbocharging 2 and 2.2liter engines (including many past WRXs) for a lot longer than 10 years?

Perhaps you also didn't know that AWD was pioneered by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche long before you were born.

Can you think of any other idea why a smaller engine would be a better choice for the WRX than a larger engine?

Did you know that Subaru has been a very successful Marque in competitive arenas around the world for many years?

Next time you criticize something in a review, perhaps you would do just a little bit of self-education before you make your judgements.... You might at least want to back up your opinions with some factual evidence or reasoning. You haven't fooled anybody.

-Nicholas H. Luhr.

p.s. I don't like Good Ole' Raisins 'n' Peanuts.


Maybe from now on he will consider Subaru Owners the snobby people that know a lot more about cars than he ever will.

well, i sent my letter last night, and it's pretty much addressed all the points that the other intelligent responses have, so i won't bother copying/pasting it and reformatting it...

i did point out however, that any 12 year old that's played Gran Turismo probably has far more knowledge on the topic of subaru performance than mr. rundle...

also, how is a car that runs 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and the quarter in 14.4 a SLOW car? :confused: i'm still scratching my head on that one. 10 years ago you would have had to buy a $100,000+ ferarri to get the same performance you now get in a $23,000 sedan...and that's leaving reliability out of the equation of course... :D

i still stand by my argument that mr. rundle never DROVE the car.

anyways, i'll have to agree with everything in sutekh137's post, and congratulate for everyone taking the high road and not letting this degenerate into a bunch of mudslinging...

+adam+

The article is still there.

The URL is http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=4.

Enjoy!

David

This is from their page on freelance submissions to Bizcom....


Although ColoradoBiz is a consumer magazine, our content is business-oriented. We want strong business angles, as well as clarity and accuracy.

Our features must start with a good lede and a clear (two- or three-line) nut graf summing up the story.

We like numbers. The more strong, solid, attributed numbers you include to support your story and facts, the better.

Active writing fits more into your word count and lessens your chances of heavy editing.

Do not use jargon

Do use several sources. Because this is a statewide magazine, include sources away from the Front Range.

Clearly attribute each quote. Include names, complete titles, company names, cities and for companies outside of Colorado, states.

Is it a public company? Include its stock exchange information: Wallace Computer Services (NYSE:WCS).


Verify data with the original source, especially with surveys and numbers. Do not use information published in other media, without verifying it for yourself. Get survey names, etc.

Check and double-check names and titles. Fact-check your work. We might, too.

This guys inbox has gotta be loaded with angry Subaru owners. Here is what I had to say to him. I also cc'd the editors.

"Dear Mr. Rundles,

I recently read your review of the Subaru Impreza WRX and have to say that I couldn't DISagree with you more. Every point you made in your article has no valid research to back it up. In every car review I have ever read, the reviewer actually seemed to have some automotive knowledge. You're review of the WRX (and actually all of your reviews I have read) is the exception. Why would a magazine have someone of your limited automotive knowledge reviewing automobiles? It is very clear that you know nothing of Subaru's rally success since you made the remark about the commercial showing the car racing. That is exactly what that car was made to do and has been made to for many years over seas. They won 3 consecutive WRCs in the late 90's and guess what car they were driving? Yep, you guessed it, the WRX. This car has had great success over seas since the mid 90's and it's arrival in the US was long awaited by several car enthusiats, not only Subaru entusiasts. Subaru is not treading on the wrong ground with the release of this car in the US, it is simply offering an old product in a new market.

I recently purchased a WRX in late July, and before I bought it, I did a lot of research. I was always a fan of BMW's as you obviously are also (since you compare every single car you review with BMW's). I test drove a BMW 330ix when I was searching for a new car. This was a great car and was very fun to drive. It was a BMW so of course it was much more luxurious than a Subaru. Then I drove my friends Audi A4 1.8T. Again a great car with a lot of bells and whistles that you can't get in a Subaru. Finally, after reading about the WRX for several years and seeing the wonderful ad campaign made by Subaru of America for the WRX, I got a chance to drive one. I immediately fell in love with the car. It was much more fun to drive than either the BMW or the Audi. Plus, with the WRX, I would save $10,000. The fact that you try to compare this car with BMW's totally goes against your argument that the car is overpriced. There is no other car in the US market that can compare to the WRX in this price range. I would have to call the WRX a bargain, not over priced.

Now, the thing that bothered me the most about your article was your views on "Subaru People". This actually offended me. Any respective publication would not publish anything that offends a certain group of people. I doubt you would print racial stereotypes that a writer uses in an article (unless the article was about racism). I am not a hippy. I am a 24 year old IT professional with a BS from a very respectable university. My parents, who have been driving Subarus since the early 80's are also not hippies and never were. They too are professionals with degrees. Several friends of mine own Subarus and none of them are hippies. You probably saw a Grateful Dead sticker on the back of an old Subaru Brat once and now, since you obviously are not intelligent, every Subaru owner must be a hippy. You should really think before you write, because you have offended several Subaru owners who will now and forever have absolutely no respect for anything you write. Oh yeah, one more thing. Subaru owners drive slow?? I think your opinion on that will change next time you see one of my fellow Subaru WRX owners fly by you in your BMW 318ti and take the turn ahead slowly at 70 mph. To the editors: I hope you rethink your decisions on printing any further articles Mr. Rundles may submit. I would only read them if I needed a good laugh.

Sincerely,

Steve Leonori"


I didn't think I could write so much to him, but once I started, I didn't know how to stop. I could have gone on for so much longer, but I didn't feel like typing any more.

Originally posted by nepawrx
I didn't think I could write so much to him, but once I started, I didn't know how to stop. I could have gone on for so much longer, but I didn't feel like typing any more.

Very well written. Much less offensive than mine... :)

Maybe he'll get the point....

I dislike the fact that he uses no FACTS at all to support his OPINIONS
for example this from his latest review...

"But let's be honest, this is a BMW and what one wants is the driving performance. The 323i Sport Wagon more than delivers. Powered by an in-line six, the car is a marvel. They say it's 170 hp, but all BMWs, it feels more than that, maybe something in the 250 range. It accelerates smoothly, yet powerfully in any gear and feels perfectly in control at any speed. The handling is outstanding, with so sway at all; no car on the market corners like a BMW."

Feels like 250 hp? NO car handles like a BMW? None? not a corvette, not a RUF, not a Lotus ,not a Ferrari? Of course no slalom or skidpad numbers to back up his "feelings"
I am really starting to hate this guy and his writing style. Not to mention lack of a spellchecking program....

I started feeling "angry" when he compared Subie's to Saabs...grrrr...Here's what I had to say to this a$$....


Dear Mr. Rundles,

I haven't gotten a good laugh in quite some time, but after reading your review of the Subaru WRX, I had tears pouring from my eyes. I'm always in the mood for a good farce. I mean seriously, you actually made me believe that you had no clue about Subaru's extensive racing history! Anyone who knows anything about racing won't deny that heritage. I'm guessing that's why you didn't mention the previous WRX models available in the UK, Japan, and Australia, where Subaru's reputation is tremendous when it comes to all around sports car performance. I caught a wonderful article from a recent Australian Newspaper that contemplated banning the WRX from importation because it is too fast. You're the expert here, so it is also a good thing you didn't mention how many other $25,000 vehicles can jump from 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds! You would've been racking your brain all day to come up with one! (Don't worry, Car and Driver couldn't either) I mean, even the BMW 330Ci Coupe lags nearly an entire one second, the E36 M3 trails by half a second and the E46 M3 only bests it by 0.4 seconds. I definitely would not consider that too bad for a vehicle that can be driven all year round (unlike the previous vehicles I mentioned), and in at least two of those cases is half the price.
Here's a nice little quote for you next time you decide to review a highly tuned turbo charged engine: "the only replacement for displacement, is technology." Think long and hard about that statement. Nowadays, in this fancy schmancy 21st century, we have these things called "computers." These are quite amazing devices! They actually regulate engine timing and retard, air flow, fuel, valve timing, and can actually learn the driving techniques of particular drivers. Isn't that amazing? It's a good thing you didn't mention any of that in your farce, or you might have accidentally thrown a valid point in among the nonsense.
I especially love where you talk about the bland styling. I really got a kick out of that. I have found that every time I stop my car for gas, at the supermarket, or just anywhere; I always have a few people gawking at my Platinum Silver WRX when I return. Of course then all of the usual questions from bewildered onlookers commence, but I don't mind. It is so nice to know how beautiful everyone else thinks my car is! Oh yes, and the "hot looking air scoop," I'm glad you didn't mention anything about it's functionality. Air to Air intercooling does require some sort of intake system (Porsche knows, they'll tell you all about it, right?) Ooops, there I go comparing apples to apples again. Silly me, I forgot, you're the expert! The boxer style engine layout and air to air intercooled turbo is more like a Saab than a Porsche, right?
Once again, congratulations on that wonderful piece of satire. However, there's one last thing. This is one "Subaru Person" that you will never have to worry about being stuck behind.

Groovy, peace and love, don't be a square, save the whales, and catcha later daddy-o.


Paul Kaufmann

Mr. Rundles,

Your article on the Subaru WRX shows that you are an ignorant and biased sad, sad man. The article was laughable: HAHAHAHAHA. I know you have probably received many emails from WRX owners berating you on your lack of a brain. I will not discuss the WRX since I'm sure you have received more of those emails than you could want in a lifetime. I will, however, discuss why you should be fired immediately and that a retraction and apology be printed at your soonest convenience.

You should not be reviewing cars because you are not a "car enthusiast" in the first place. Even YOU have said that you "like sports as much as the next person, although [you] admit to a disdain for auto racing" (http://cobizmag.com/issues/apr2001/pages/jeff_12_00.cfm). Does that mean you have no appreciation for Nascar, WRC, GT racing, etc? Over 80% of car drivers in the world have an interest in one of the aformentioned "auto racing" sports. Your reviews are the equivalent of Martha Stewart reviewing computers. I could imagine Martha writing: "Hmm. The new Intel Pentium IV chip is FAST! But do we really need it? Intel's market share is already being taken over by AMD so Intel should cease production of these chips immediately because the normal person has no use for such a fast chip." IGNORANCE. This analogy illustrates how just because YOU do not appreciate it, you think that OTHERS won't or don't need it. In both cases, the quote "The need for speed" applies. And again, I ask, how can somebody that does not like auto racing be reviewing cars? Everybody wants to go faster and because you don't, you should be left in the dust.

You are obviously biased toward BMW's and your reviews reflect that. It is OK to be biased but because you write a professional column, you should be as dispassionate as possible. You have mentioned BMW's in almost every review you have written. Are you being bribed by BMW? Do you have a son that works for BMW? Or are you having sexual relations w/BMW's CEO? Let me quote you: "When you get down to the more normal range of the BMWs, like the 3 Series cars, you’d think there would be a drop-off in this “Ultimate” stuff. There isn’t. The 3 Series cars perform so well it’s scary, especially when you consider the competition in the price range. The 3 Series BMW simply blows the doors off the competition for the price." When you say the 3 Series "performs" well, I hope you are talking about reliability and not speed and handling because you obviously care nothing about these things. Let me give you some facts: J.D. Power and Associates ranked LEXUS as the brand with the least amount of problems per vehicle. BMW was 4th. Here are a few more awards that LEXUS has won: #1 Nameplate in Customer Satisfaction With Dealer Service, Best Entry Luxury Car in Initial Quality, Best Luxury Sport Utility in Initial Quality, Best Premium Luxury Car in Initial Quality. Not surprisingly, BMW was not on any of those lists. Reliability-wise, most mechanics will tell you that a LEXUS is far more reliable than a BMW. Cost wise, LEXUS, not BMW, blows the doors off the competitors for the price. Are you aware that the 3-series does not even come with leather? It is an option. So much for VALUE. Did you know that there are documented instances where the driveshaft disconnects from the rear differential and the valves wearing down the camshafts on the new BMW M3 (If you do not know what a driveshaft or camshaft is, please do a search on www.yahoo.com)? So much for the "Ultimate" stuff, don't you think?

I would suggest you do some background research next time before you blindly trash a car that has a heritage so far back that even YOU would remember, old man.You should NOT be reviewing cars because you give car reviewers a bad name. Again, I ask that a retraction and apology be printed immediately. Hopefully, your superiors will fire you and you will get a new job at a mechanics shop, where you might actually LEARN something about cars--Start with the driveshaft.



Ted Wei

I'm not sure if I should think about this too much, but anyone
have any idea how this guy got these impressions about Imprezas in general?

"And then, it is, in spite of the glitz and added horsepower, an Impreza. You put a nerd in some nice togs, and what you have is a nerd who is over-dressed. "

"Okay, so this car is a Subaru. There is a lot to like in a Subaru, and even in the Impreza."

I mean, every other review I've read of any Impreza says quite the opposite. I forget which magazine it was that called the Impreza the "most underrated car in all of automobile-dom".

Could it be that because the Impreza doesn't look like other sports cars? Maybe he drove an L model and not an RS before?

Weird.

I just posted this review, our thread, and his email address on my website... :) let's advertise this guy out a bit :lol:!!!

Jorge (RiftsWRX)
www.ProjectWRX.com

Dear Jeff Rundles,

Typically I do not write letters to article writer. I usually read an article, agree to it or disagree to it, and move on. But after reading your "Why make a fast Subaru?" at http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=4, I just couldn't resist the urge. The urge to ask you how much you know about Subaru and speed?

Did you know that Subaru have been participating in the World Rally Championship (WRC) over the past ten years? Did you know that in the WRC, vehicles travel over 100 MPH over uncertain terrains? Did you know that Subaru has won several of these championships using the Impreza line? Did you know that models in the Impreza line comes in 280 HP and more over-seas and are considered as speed demons here and abroad? Did you know the turbo-charged 2.0L engine has been race-proven to be extremely reliable? Did you know that it is far more reliable than a turbo-chared 2.5L engine?

And no, I do not own a WRX, so don't think I am writing this e-mail because I feel insecure about my car. Although I respect everyone's rights to their own opinion, perhaps doing a little bit more research before writingyour next article would be beneficial to yourself and the rest of us.

Sincerely,

Chieh Cheng.

--
Chieh's Web - http://Chieh.CameraHacker.com/

Has anyone gotten a response yet?

Responses, anyone? I really like a lot of his "criticisms" but when you say that the WRX isnt a good deal (he said itd be better with a bigger engine and for under $20k) you have got to be smoking crack. Not a good deal compared to what? Oh, I forgot, a 3-series BMW.

In this guys world a Z06 must be worth $33k with options. (actually the Z06 doesnt come with a lot of options, doh)

Based upon the number of letters this guy has received from disgruntled people from i-club, the chances are he's laying low. The last thing I'd do in his position is actually answer any of us.

:D

David

Well I totally agreed that he's a complete moron, who is so sterotype/prejudice/discriminated even in an inanimate object (meaning a car or non-living object). But he's still a good guesser for a *complete* moron - at least he said Subaru is reliable.

BTW, I don't have a dual pipe for my baby, so he can suck my Radiator hose then; I will flush it down good :D (it's time to change coolant anyway).

-Alan (Another MY98 Owner)

yeah, i'm a 19 future lawyer (pray for me) and i'm an exhippee :rolleyes:

that guy is one of those that just gets a stereotype and sticks with it. Yes, subarus are very safe, but every car has more than one aspect. And slowest driving? please tell that to the cop that pulled me over in my Legacy GT, or when i was drag racing in the same car. Idiot :rolleyes:

-nick

:alien: peace man, you guys should all just chill, I am going to trade my Impreza in for a kombi van and go and smoke some cones :alien:

NOT...... I have yet to get a response from either him or the editor... Very bad form

Brad

haha! u guys crack me up, look at all the hours of enjoyment i get from fellow sube owners! that alone is worth the purchase!

i was thinkin of writing in too, but something simple, maybe something to the tone of this:

"Mr. Rundles:

The entire automotive world is laughing at you. That sucks!
I would be so embarassed.

I am just so relieved that I am not you.

Peace, duuuude....
M.K."

haha tell me what u think, should i send it?

How many of you think this moron/freak is getting off on all the letters we have sent him? I think he is enjoying every bit of the action from us because he has successfully gotten us all pissed. That might just be his objective, or else why else would anyone write such an offensive review. Offensive to the manufacturer as well as the car owners.

At least now, from word of mouth, good or bad, this bozo is bringing traffic to the website.... according to the editor/owner/or whoever owns the site.

You have got to be kidding me. Right next to the authors name there is an email link for that review site. I just BLASTED them. That was the WORST car review I have ever heard. AWFUL. He didn't even mention performance....only seat springs. What an ass. I encourage you to click the email link on that page and FLAME that guy.:devil: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I just emailed blasting him too. lol :lol:

That would be natural thing for anyone to do - when we see/hear something we don't like, we react to it. In this case, by blashing back at the author of the article.

See, this little crappy car review site stands on chance going against any of the existing review sites. Not only they don't have the capital, they don't have the expertise nor any of the necessary resource. The only way they can gain or receive traffic to the site is by writing something controversial and invite traffic to the website, which is the ultimate goal for any website owner.

Now, many of us will be peroidically going back to this sorry-a$$ site, monitor them if they are making same type of stupid-a$$ comment on other cars, trying to find another chance to slam these bozo's. Now, aren't we buying into their game - giving them extra traffic?

Now, the editor might be sending back an apologetic shortly, but leaving the door wide open as to there might be future potential incidents of the same type, inviting us back often to monitor their improvement....

Just my $0.02

Henry

I just solved that problem. I added the site to my block list on my virus scan program.

Has anybody forwarded the article to Subaru of America/Canada? I'm sure they'd get a kick out of this article too!

Kelvin

How about all the guys from this thread, show up and introduce themselves as typical Subaru owners. Then we'll see if the next review is any better:

http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97615

this guy.... uh.... I'm speechless.... I thought the article was a joke or something when I first read it.

I would love to see this person rolling around the city to see what he drives and have a talk about what he thinks a good car is :lol: At times it seems like every other car here is a Subaru, mostly the older wagons or an Outback driven by older people, who indeed do drive slow, but that is because they are old. I guess the Subie here is the Cadillac wherever there isn't alot of snow. I think he just gives reviews directed towards whomever reads that newspaper or whatever it is, mostly older people I suspect.

Nick C.

P.S. His review is poor and I seriously doubt he even drove a WRX. Pathetic.

Nick, I have to concur. After looking at who the magazine was geared towards -- there was something about X% of their readers are the CEO's of their companies or something...

But he definitely sounds as if he missed the mark with research. Makes him look very very ignorant, even though in one section he mentioned that he had been doing car reviews for 16 years or something... You would have thought he would have learned a thing or two about automotive journalism...

Kelvin

Hey guys, here's what I wrote to this guy

Your article was posted on the Subaru Impreza Owners club website www.i-club.com. In case you were wondering, I have (to the best of my non-professional abilites) some comments on your article.

"“Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel." - There are a significant number of Subaru owners like this, I don't deny it. But if you read the posts on the i-club website, you'll see that for more than 10 years, there are Subaru owners who are young, hip teens looking to knock the pants of hotted-up civics and integras. Before rice-rockets were the rage, the impreza's could, with some modification, keep up with mustangs and other pony cars on the race track due to their AWD capability. The Subaru is gaining much more widespread appeal after its 3 years winning the European Rally Car Championships earlier in the 90's. As rally driving gained popularity in the US, so did the Subaru's.

"First, just on the feel of the car, it is definitely more powerful that your average Subaru, but it isn’t a BMW or anything. While the TV ads make it look like some kind of race car, I believe it would only win an actual road race if its chief competitor was a hare" - Are you familiar with the automotive magazine "Car and Driver?" In the October issue of Car and Driver, the Subaru Impreza WRX ($24,520) was pitted against the BMW 330xi ($39,123), and the Audi S4 Quattro ($40,782). In Car and Drivers tests, they rated the WRX a superior buy to the BMW. In fact, the Subaru Impreza had a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds, faster than either the BMW or the Audi. Sorry Jeff, you're just plain wrong, the Subaru scoots to 60mph in 5.4 seconds, wheras the Audi does it in 5.5, and the BMW in 5.7.

"I am an advocate for larger engines. I think the most displacement you can get the better. Why take a smaller engine and then ask it to work that hard?" Please Jeff, do you know anything about current automotive trends? The Audi automobile company has recently gained quite a reputation for top-notch automobiles in the last few years correct? Well the Audi A4 comes with engines as large as a 3L. But when they go for turbo, what comes along? The 1.8T, a turbo, with a small displacement. This just makes good sense, a large engine w/ a turbo will be a terrible gas-guzzler, and will have be over-powered for the application. Subaru has been making WRX's in Japan for years, and I think that they have significant experience in the field, and would not produce an automobile w/ a short shelf-life.

For you, the Impreza WRX may not be the right car, but everyone else in the automotive industry seems to be raving about it . . .

Brydon Raethel
Owner, 2000 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS

http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=4
Sorry if it has been posted before, but I just wanted to show everyone how much of an idiot this guy is. I found this link on the Si-club.

Scroll down, its here already :p

IBTL

I emailed them about it.....


I am a well paid aerospace engineer who believes the only good hippie is the one on the ground choking with teargas. I want a beer and a burgar not toe-foo or gorp. I am a conservative Republican of the G. Gordon Liddy flavor.

And there is a good chance that the only type of highway encounter Mr. Rundles will have with me is when I blast past his sorry ass doing 30 over the speed limit.

"But when they go to build the turbo-charged model, Subaru here has chosen a smaller engine -- a 2.0-liter"

Idiot, the 2.0 is a turbo engine from the ground up, the reason it is 2.0l is due to the insane taxes on cars over 2.0l in Japan. Many companies have developed high output 2.0l engines.

"My guess is that the WRX over time will prove to be prone to blowing turbo-chargers"

Idiot, the WRX has been out since the early 90's overseas and the EJ20 has been proven highly reliable at 280HP and even 350HP off the showroom floor. The 227HP rendition is actually de-tuned.

"Disappointment is my strongest reaction.... "

Much like Mrs. Rundles reaction to her husbands sexual performance

Ahahaha...reading that review just made me laugh. This guy obviously has no automotive "upbringing". Well, I reckon he does. He's been weened on the old school domestic theory of "bigger is better" and "no replacement for displacement". Granted those are very sound theories, but then he doesn't know of the reasoning behind the 2 liter motors.

:rolleyes:

Rundles: I just got done reading your "review" on the Subaru WRX, and I have a few comments of my own to make.

"Once again, I believe the company is beginning to tread on areas where it has no appeal, and this new WRX Impreza sedan is a prime example."

Beginning to tread on areas where it has no appeal? What the hell are you talking about? The WRX is based off of the 3-time World Rally Championship vehicle. Subaru has been participating in the rally scene for over 10 years now, and have grown an enormous fan base. And if the car has no appeal, then why are they selling so damn fast? Some dealerships are actually charging thousands over MSRP - And getting it! You obviously did not do your research before making that statement.

"These are not styling cars, indeed they are rather stodgy,..."

Keep your stupid opinions to yourself, a "stylish" car is a personal opinion - and no one cares what your opinion is.

"... “Subaru people,” as I like to call the company’s market share, sometimes come into money and will spend a few extra bucks. “Subaru people,” I believe, are mostly ex-hippies, and their offspring, who favor gorp as a snack, like to wear Birkenstock shoes, and are not exactly fashion plates when it comes to apparel. These are thrifty people, not looking for flash. They want safety and longevity in their automobile, not style. You can spot “Subaru people” on the streets and highways because they are the ones driving the slowest. "

"Subaru people"? You are a complete moron. What the **** is a "subaru person"? Huh jackass? I'm sorry, but no one I know that owns a Subaru fits your description. And if these "subaru people" are so damn thrifty, then why the **** would they buy Birkenstock shoes that cost $100+ just for sandles?

"That is why I find the Impreza WRX so odd. You’ve seen the ads on television. They show a fairly sporty car, with a very sporty color, racing -- RACING! -- on a very curvy road, and the announcer talks about the marriage of safety (all-wheel-drive) with performance (turbo-charged engine). They talk a bit about what “Subaru people” want in a car, but what they are selling -- and television is a visual medium, after all -- is speed. It is just me, or do the words “Subaru” and “speed” act oxymoronically upon each other? "

Racing? What car was it racing? I didn't see any other cars on that road..."Racing" is when you engage in a competition with another car. They're not selling speed, they're selling the cars ability to handle that kind of a road. "Subaru" and "speed" act oxymoronically with each other? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? Once again: 3-time World Rally Championship. (thats when they have they're car go 100mph around a 90-degree, snow-covered turn)

"And I had heard from a few car people that the WRX was pretty hot. "

They were right.

"First, just on the feel of the car, it is definitely more powerful that your average Subaru, but it isn’t a BMW or anything."

A BMW? Now your comparing a rally-styled car to a luxury car? You should really do your homework before writing anything else in the future. These are two COMPLETELY different cars in two COMPLETELY different classes.

"While the TV ads make it look like some kind of race car, I believe it would only win an actual road race if its chief competitor was a hare. "

OK. The WRX runs 0-60 in 5.4 seconds, which means in can compete with the Honda S2000 and can beat just about anything you will run into on a normal day.

"And then, it is, in spite of the glitz and added horsepower, an Impreza. "

Whats wrong with an Impreza? Are you stupid? The Subaru WRC (world rally championship) car is an Impreza also...But that didn't stop it from winning the World Rally Championship 3 times!

"Second, I think Subaru has made the Saab mistake here. Like Saab, the standard Impreza with a normally aspirated engine, features a 2.5-liter four-banger with 165 hp. This is a pretty nice engine and it does a more than adequate job for a car of this size, even in the mountains. But when they go to build the turbo-charged model, Subaru here has chosen a smaller engine -- a 2.0-liter -- and jammed it with a whopping 227 hp. I am an advocate for larger engines. I think the most displacement you can get the better. Why take a smaller engine and then ask it to work that hard? My guess is that the WRX over time will prove to be prone to blowing turbo-chargers, just like the Saabs used to, and this engine will work so hard during its life that its life will be shortened as a result. "

Hey! You're no ****ing engineer. Until I see your masters in engineering, don't talk / make comments about things that you have no knowledge of. Why don't you go ask the Subaru engineers why they did that...I'm sure they'll give you a wonderful answer, along with the middle finger and a kick in the ass for you - some simple, no brained civilian - for questioning their far superior engineering skills and knowledge.

"The other thing I noticed right off in the Impreza WRX was how danged uncomfortable it is. My seat, the driver’s seat, felt like one of those rental cars, like a Buick, that had been rented by some guy weighing in at over 500 pounds, who blew the springs. I couldn’t do a thing to get the seat positioned for comfort. I would hate to take this thing on a long drive because I wouldn’t be able to get my back into shape again without a visit to the chiropractor. That’s all I need in a car. "

The WRX has race-designed, highly bolstered seats, which would be very uncomfortable for a fat-ass because the bolsters would not hold you, but rather cut into all of your fat. So if your fat, go buy a truck with some big bench seats in it. And if you don't know how to operate a car seat, you have some serious issues.

"The literature said that the interior of the 2002 Impreza, and especially the WRX model, was all-new, but all I could sense was that they have tried to snazz up the upholstery a bit. The sitting portion of the seats are covered with a black mesh that you can see through, down to a blue hue (which matches the electric blue paint job of the car). Frankly, it was ugly. Plus, the mesh seemed so loose that I’m sure after a few thousand miles of driving it will start to stretch out, come undone and basically look like hell. I didn’t find anything else in the interior much different than the last Impreza I drove, so I assume the literature referred to the upholstery and being redesigned. "

They did upgrade / redesign the interior, which is exactly what "all-new" means - IT'S ALL NEW! As for the seat material, NO ONE'S has fallen apart, or even shown signs or wear - so you were wrong once again, what a suprise.

"Outside, the car is a Subaru with a bright paint job and, oddly, a hot-looking air scoop on the hood. "

It's odd that there is a hood scoop (which there has been on Imprezas since atleast 1999)? It's odd to you that the hood is designed to bring air to the intercooler? How in Gods name is that odd? You really don't know what your talking about and you really proved it with that comment.

"Okay, so this car is a Subaru. There is a lot to like in a Subaru, and even in the Impreza. The all-wheel-drive, for instance. It shifts nicely, handles well, and for a small sedan it has plenty of room. But it’s nothing special. The Impreza itself starts at a MSRP of $17,495 and you can get a real nice RS model for $18,995. "

"But it's nothing special" Once again, your no-brained opinion, so keep it to yourself, because no one cares. You go find me another All Wheel Drive coupe / sedan for $18,000.

"The WRX, however, which comes in this sedan and in a hatch-back wagon, goes for $23,995. Now that does include just about everything -- power mirrors, air, cruise, antilock brakes, keyless entry, power locks, power windows, AM/FM/cassette/CD -- most all of the goodies. The only options are automatic transmission, an antitheft system and a spoiler, so you actually get a ton for a bottom line, with $525 in destination prep charges, of $24,520."

6-disc in-dash cd changer

But for me making a Subaru fast and flashy defeats the purpose. That is the spoiler. I can recommend the regular Impreza, with the larger engine, at a pretty good price of under $20k, but this one is too much.

No dude, you're too much.

When e-mailing this guy, be sure to cc his editors so that they know what an idiot he is. Also state that you hope his inaccuracies don't reflect the rest of their site as it compromises their credibility.

PUBLISHER
Betsy Mixson Kominsky bmixson@cobizmag.com
303-662-5209

EDITOR
Robert Schwab, rschwab@cobizmag.com
303-662-5283

MANAGING EDITOR
Mike Taylor, mtaylor@cobizmag.com
303-662-5223

Just remember this is the same guy who said
I have lived for a long time under the philosophy that there are three kinds of car people in the world: Mercedes people, BMW people, and people who cannot afford to drive either Mercedes or BMW.

Talk about an elitist.

HAHA...I just did...Thanks for the addresses.

Originally posted by apeirce
When e-mailing this guy, be sure to cc his editors so that they know what an idiot he is. Also state that you hope his inaccuracies don't reflect the rest of their site as it compromises their credibility.

PUBLISHER
Betsy Mixson Kominsky bmixson@cobizmag.com
303-662-5209

EDITOR
Robert Schwab, rschwab@cobizmag.com
303-662-5283

MANAGING EDITOR
Mike Taylor, mtaylor@cobizmag.com
303-662-5223 :alien:

I also sent my complaint letter to those 3 people. Thanks!

Nascar is limited to V8's and why don't they just kick it up a notch or two and stuff a few more cylinders in there! WHY? Because it's IN THE RULES!

Just like why the WRC is limited to a max displacement of 2.0 litres -- it's in the rules -- and why does the WRX *only* come in a 2.0l TC'd configuration - to follow homologation rules!

I find it utterly disgusting that this "journalist" (to describe him politely) basically writes completely based on opinion! Why the majority of the article is about his dislike of "hippies!" What do Subaru's have to do with hippies? What does a car review have to do with hippies?!?!? NADA - ZERO - ZIP!

If he reviewed the vehicle objectively, he probably still couldn't find the finely balanced vehicle that the WRX (or any Impreza) is!

As for Subaru owners driving in the "slow" lane, I'll admit, I drive in the "slow" lane for as long as possible until it's time to pass someone - just like on the autobahn! :D

5Zigen, -S-, Garbage Can, Avenger - any of you Vancouver boys wanna back me up on knocking down this "Subaru drivers are slow" garbage?!?!?!? :lol:

LaterZ!
Darren!!

The guy never drove the car. He may have went to the dealer and looked at one. But there is no possible way he drove it. If he drove it he would have never said the stuff he said. Think about it who is going to drive the WRX and come out of it saying that Subaru should stay away from fast cars. I don't own a WRX but have test driven it. I promise you the word hippie never entered my mine.

As fun as most of this thread is, is it really worth getting worked up over one guy from some irrelevant web-zine who happens to be very ignorant about cars?

I mean, the world is full of people who are ignorant about things that are much more important (to my mind) than what kind of cars Subaru makes.

And if you look at his review of Audi 8, he seems to love getting this kind of negative criticism. It somehow proves just how "unique" he is.

Originally posted by Kostamojen
http://members.i-club.com/UserPics/5753/Rundlemobile.jpg
http://members.i-club.com/UserPics/5753/Rundlesshelbyndaily.jpg

that is SOOO funny :lol: :lol: :lol: ,
I have to eat up bandwith just to see these again.
Reminds me of the "Tourist Guy" WTC pictures
(email me if you don't know what I'm talking about).

Andy

Here is what the editor, Robert Schwab had to say about my comments:

I have forwarded your message to Jeff, but why, after four months since the review was posted, are Subaru drivers suddenly up in arms about this review. It was posted May 28. Jeff writes reviews for our web site (they do not appear in the magazine) every week. Is this some sort of organized campaign to flood our e-mail system with complaints? I have received at least 20 e-mails this morning (none four months ago), and yet Jeff's opinion, after all, is mere opinion. Has some Subaru salesman organized something for other salesman to do while sales are slow? What's up with all this belated hissing?

Robert makes a good point.

Nick C.

You should say:

1. We just noticed because your website is so insignifcant we didn't see it until now.

2. Jeff's "opinions" lead people to believe he didn't drive the car.

3. Jeff's facts are just plain wrong.

4. Jeff makes offensive generalizations about people.

5. We're not Subaru salesman, and Impreza sales are way up over last year. It looks like Jeff and yourself BOTH need to check the facts.

They call it the I-Club Effect (i.e. Slashdot effect).

When some _insignificant_ site like Cobizmag.com suddenly
gets noticed, and is provoking an adamant group of drivers
(Scoobies), of course the response is going to seem ill-timed.

Just let them know they'll be getting more traffic and email
bombs if they keep posting crap like this. At least from I-Club, anyway =)

Andy

Dear Mr. Rundles,

While a car review, for the most part, is a subjective essay based on impressions, feelings, and emotions it does behoove a columnists to perform a minimum of research.

The WRX enjoys a long history of performing in the sport-orientated driving arena. To its credit, the WRX has garnered three World Rally Championships. In addition, the British Car Journal, 'Car' voted the WRX as the 'Car of the Decade' for the nineties. Your prediction of "blown turbos" is without foundation and sorely mistaken. The motor is a proven quantity.

The ignorance you have shown in regards to Subaru choosing 2.0 liters as the displacement for the WRX is disheartening. A simple Yahoo search would yield pages of information concerning the drive train, its heritage, and its robustness. Again, you have failed in the most basic of journalistic duties - research.

The target audience for which this car is aimed is really not the one which you disparagingly harangue in your article. If you had taken the time to visit Subaru's website, the demographics for whom the car is directed is explained in great detail. Once again, the word ‘research' comes to mind.

In addition, unless the 3 series BMW is wearing a M badge, the Subaru will out accelerate it. There are scads of automotive comparisons with reams of testing data if one where so inclined to - you guessed - research the topic for which they are writing.

Your opinions concerning the fit, finish, and comfort of the car are your opinions and I cannot say they are wrong. However, I will gladly point out that your opinions are very singular.

With respect to your advanced age, and your proclivity against driving I humbly suggest you consider public transportation instead of driving.

Regards,

Tim Kadar

here's my reply

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V

i am writing this letter concerning to the article about the auto review on the 2002 WRX.

Mr. Rundles

quote:
---------------------------
That is why I find the Impreza WRX so odd. You’ve seen the ads on television. They show a fairly sporty car, with a very sporty color, racing -- RACING! -- on a very curvy road, and the announcer talks about the marriage of safety (all-wheel-drive) with performance (turbo-charged engine).
---------------------------

um yes i believe that is a sports car. The colors there are the SAME colors and as on the Impreza World Rally Car.... and that sporty car i believe is the Impreza 22B(l've done much observing to prove that it is a impreza 22B, a very limited production car in 1998).


MY BACK UP

a quote from the Subaru Official website
-------------------------
Richard Burns piloted the Impreza WRC2001 to a spectacular victory in the Rally New Zealand, round 10 of the 2001 World Rally Championship (WRC), held from September 21 to 23, 2001.

At the ceremonial start held on September 20, participants and spectators observed two minutes of silence out of respect for those involved in the previous week's terrorist attacks in the United States. In addition, all drivers of the Subaru World Rally Team competed wearing black armbands in memory of the victims of this tragedy.
---------------------------------
yes, Subaru does have something to prove, they're competing in the toughest motorsports



quote:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Second, I think Subaru has made the Saab mistake here. Like Saab, the standard Impreza with a normally aspirated engine, features a 2.5-liter four-banger with 165 hp. This is a pretty nice engine and it does a more than adequate job for a car of this size, even in the mountains. But when they go to build the turbo-charged model, Subaru here has chosen a smaller engine -- a 2.0-liter -- and jammed it with a whopping 227 hp. I am an advocate for larger engines. I think the most displacement you can get the better. Why take a smaller engine and then ask it to work that hard? My guess is that the WRX over time will prove to be prone to blowing turbo-chargers, just like the Saabs used to, and this engine will work so hard during its life that its life will be shortened as a result.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Subaru has had a WRX overseas since 1994. They've all been turbocharged 2.0 liters ranging in 216-276bhp!!! Due to LEV testings, the WRX doesn't qualifly to be sold in the U.S. until the 2002 WRX. I'm sure you will be amazed that Subaru won the WRC(World Rally Chapionships) manufacture's title three times in a row, 1995, 1996, and 1997. I'm sure you will also be amazed that Subaru is in the top 6 for manufacture's title this year and still fighting for the title. Lastly, yes it does shorten the life of an engine.



quote:
---------------------------
Once again, I believe the company is beginning to tread on areas where it has no appeal, and this new WRX Impreza sedan is a prime example
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umm..........if the WRX STi was sold on U.S. shores since the day it came out, in my opinion, i bet there would be more WRX's instead of Mustangs and Vetts.



quote:
---------------------------
You can spot “Subaru people” on the streets and highways because they are the ones driving the slowest.
---------------------------
If it was winter, and a car up ahead was stuck in the snow, which as a result slowed down traffic, would that be a Suby 9/10?

I'm 15 and about to be 16 this November and we have a '93 AWD Legacy wag. The low-end torque that our Legacy puts out and the grunt with it also is awesome!!
I'm sure our Legacy isn't slow. Due to the fact that a Saturn we had for a few days in exchange of our 1992 Lexus LS 400 for repairs, barely has any low-end power in to pull off the line. My mom was freaked out when it didn't pull when she was turning to another road while another car was approaching. She was glad to be back riding her Legacy a few days after.

Yes your opinions are yours but i'm not happy that you wrote what you wrote and did not have enough info on the the Manufacture.

Thank you!!
FuJi K
(young i-club member)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You cannot fade it....;)

FuJi K

As far as I can tell the article is no longer posted, or it is old enough that they removed it (at least when I was trying to use the original link). There is still comething there, but the body of the article appears to be gone...

groo08 - are you going to respond to Robert Schwab (editor) and tell him that while our responses may be delayed, they are still important and are only delayed because we weren't aware of the article until now? No matter how old the article that doesn't excuse its overt generalizations and patent falseness.

Even if something is written as an opinion piece it gives no excuse for incorrect statements...the Internet makes it far to easy for such falsehoods to go unchecked and be taken as truth by Joe Average Internet User. You can quote me on that. :lol:

sutekh

Hey guys,

I think it's more than gone; the entire Colbiz site is down. I tried going to the Subaru review article and got the following message:

"Error Occurred While Processing Request
Error Diagnostic Information
Server busy or unable to fulfill request. The server is unable to fulfill your request due to extremely high traffic or an unexpected internal error. Please attempt your request again (if you are repeatedly unsuccessful you should notify the site administrator). (Location Code: 25)
Please inform the site administrator that this error has occurred (be sure to include the contents of this page in your message to the administrator)."

I then tried the home page, www.colbiz.com, and got another error:

"Error Occurred While Processing Request
Error Diagnostic Information
An error occurred while attempting to establish a connection to the service.
The most likely cause of this problem is that the service is not currently running. You can use the 'Services' Control Panel to verify that the service is running and to restart it if necessary.
Windows NT error number 2 occurred.
Please inform the site administrator that this error has occurred (be sure to include the contents of this page in your message to the administrator)."

Ooops! :eek: :monkey: :devil: :alien:

David

The site is up but the WRX review is gone. Yes!

(Enter)- Lee Greenwood, "And I'm proud to be an American!".

ROTFLMAO!! :lol:

Is this some sort of organized campaign to flood our e-mail system with complaints?

a proud day for i-clubbers everywhere...i wonder if this has anything to do with their site being down? we've now shown what happens to those who oppose the i-club, MUHAHAHAHAHAHA... :devil:

-adam-

NoSaabs, That e-mail was great...especially the last part:)

Wow, for a bunch of hippies, we're doing a good job of shutting this guy down.

Keep up the good work!!

Originally posted by HIHO
The site is up but the WRX review is gone. Yes!

Perhaps its just my ISP, but I have not managed to get to the Colbiz homepage all morning.

David

Maybe we should let some Saab board know about his Saab review?

I wrote them a letter aswell..

-----------------------------

Hi,

The writer of this article , http://www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm?wheel_ID=4 , is an out and out idiot.

Please make sure he at least researches about a car before writing about it. I could write you a whole book about the WRX. and show you countless magazine articles, and more importantly comparisons with other MUCH more expensive cars that make this mans article look like its written by a complete uneducated moron.

The WRX has been around in the rest of the world since 1994, winning countless awards, road races, rally races and respect amongst much more expensive cars.

I am one of those 'Subaru People' and I did not find this article in any way unbiased, informative or even very well written, and neither did any of these people. http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97464

I suggest the author of this article uses such things as www.google.com and types in WRX before he writes such obvious unresearched drivel in the future.

Thank you .

Zate Berg
"Subaru Person"
2002 WRX Owner.

---------------------------------------

Seems we might have made them rethink what they wrote.

Okay, here's my take on this guy...

I was reading some of his other reviews, and they're not all that bad. He just has a major flaw in reviewing cars.. and that's the fact that he puts his personal opinion into every review he writes, rather than facts.

He even states a few times that the new 2002 Infinity Q45 is better than BMW, Lexus, and mercedes' flagship models.

I also agree that he needs spell check.. if you're gonna publish something like that, at least use good grammar (which i dont have.. thats why i type on message boards instead).

Anyways.. I dont agree w/ how he rights but he does have a few OK reviews if you look passed the biased opinions..

flame on!

EDIT: okay.. so this guy's a moron..
"it seemed to me then that the GTI (what used to be called the Golf) was a car that could only cannibalize sales from the other models in the line"

The GTI was NEVER called a golf, it's a variation of the golf (although some VW fanatics would say it's a completely different car..). He also says the GTI has "so many variations of models".. there are TWO variations.. GLS and GLX.. oh well.. i dont retract what i said earlier..

Good job guys, looks like the article was taken offline! At least I don't see it listed under auto reviews and the link doesn't work...

This guy gets an award for the ONLY negative WRX review I have heard of!

Maybe we could alert owners/forums for other cars that have been unfairly treated as well? I love my Subaru, but I love cars in general and can appreciate other fine cars for what they are (even if they may not be the car for me...).

I think I know what this guys problem may be... Imagine if you owned a BMW as several of us have or do. And suddenly some other company comes out that takes a little luster from your car. For example, Audi has done a great job in recent years, as has Lexus with the IS300 and Lincoln to a lesser degree with the LS. Each has been a little cheaper than the respecitve BMW's, but not by much. That makes it a little easier to justify the cost of the BMW.

Then the WRX comes out and it is ONLY compared to BMW and the like because of its performance and because nothing else is in its catagory in the US. (It really shouldn't be compared because it is not a Luxury Sport Sedan.) So BMW owners take offense to it. How DARE this $25 car tread on our territory?!

This is all because there is nothing to compete with the WRX right now. Next you have the VW, DSM and Focus crowd that hate the WRX because "It's too damn expensive." We can't win guys.

Soon, another car will come and take Subaru's crown. Until then, everybody hates you when you're on top.

This guy will seem REAL dumb when the WRX gets the Import Car of the Year at the North American Auto Show - voted on by a collective of major automotive journelists.

Error Occurred While Processing Request
Error Diagnostic Information
Server busy or unable to fulfill request. The server is unable to fulfill your request due to extremely high traffic or an unexpected internal error. Please attempt your request again (if you are repeatedly unsuccessful you should notify the site administrator). (Location Code: 25)

Wow, I wonder why they removed the article? :lol:
Now all we need is an apology in its place.
Once again I will say that I respect his right to an opinion, but the hippie stuff is over the line. It is obvious he did little or no research on the excellent history of the WRX in the world market.

Either:

a) he never drove the car
b) has no experience driving a turbo (can almost be anticlimatic if you don't know how to drive one)

or
c) drove the auto. (this isn't a slam on auto guys, but depending on how you drive it, you'll never notice its power)

Never notice its power? I drive an auto, and if me and my passengers can't notice the kidney pressure once she reaches 3000 RPM (in any gear), then we would have to be quadriplegic...

Yeah, it bogs a bit more than the manual (unless you do some work on the torqu converter, etc., but it still kicks out the jams once its revved up...

sutekh

OK since he basically has the same attitude here:

http://cobizmag.com/issues/apr2001/pages/wheels/wheels02_26_01.cfm

Not to mention the same script almost verbatim in parts. We should start on this one next. He acutally uses the word "cooties" too. Hummm.

I love the irony of it all. "All subaru owners are hippies or ex-hippies"?? ha ha. Hippies first started out as rebelious people against the war, trying to make a difference. Ha ha ha here we are now in 2001 raging, DAMN THE MAN!!!! And what happens?? We get the review kicked off the site, and the site isn't up right now. All hippies around the world would be proud of us. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Since I'm bored and never get tired of sticking it to this guy.. Here is an exploration of his fascination, nay, obsession with BMW's. Maybe someday he will be able to afford one.

Jeff Rundle on BMW’s (From his reviews):

Hyundai Elantra:
“The Elantra is quite simply the most quiet car I have been in all year, BMW and Mercedes included, which shocked me.”

“I swear, I am not making this up, but the Elantra was better with the potholes than the BMW 325.”

Passat:

“The Jetta was an upscale Yuppie car, desirable by the set that would buy a BMW if they could afford one.”

“We're not talking here about a speed-demon like the BMW; the Passat falls into a more sedate category.”

Audi A6 Allroad:

“What sets it apart from the standard A6 is the addition of the 2.7-liter turbo, which puts out an amazing 250 hp, which is so much power that you'd swear you were in a BMW.”

Pontiac Grand Am GT

“If a BMW has 170 hp, it feels like 230; if a GM has 170, it feels like 110 hp.”

Kia Rio

“It is weird, however, after a couple of weeks with a BMW and other higher-priced vehicles, to get behind the wheel of the bottom of the barrel.”

Subaru Legacy

“Anyway, I probably shouldn't have had the Subaru Outback Legacy Sedan the week after I had driven the new BMW 325xi, because it is a poor comparison. The BMW is sexy, luxurious, can perform like nothing else in the realm of reality, and is an overall great car. The BMW is also, with the AWD, safe. It just isn't sedate.”

BMW 325xi

“I have lived for a long time under the philosophy that there are three kinds of car people in the world: Mercedes people, BMW people, and people who cannot afford to drive either Mercedes or BMW.”

“There may not be a car anywhere in the world that is made with better quality, at any price.”

“The engine is most impressive. They haven't changed it much over the years, but this year they have boosted the horsepower from 170 to 184, and, like most BMWs, it felt like twice that much.”

(Note: if he drove and M3 with 333HP, his head might explode..)

Volvo S60

“The BMW 3 four-door is sporty. This S60 is sluggish.”

Infiniti Q45

“From a performance point of view, there is no comparison with the BMW, which is a rocket ship…”

BMW X5

(Perhaps the most telling quote of them all):

“What surprised me most about this vehicle was the engine. I drove it for days before I checked out the specifics, and I assumed that this X5 was like the last; with a 282 hp, 4.4 liter 8-cylinder with enough power and guts to haul a whole city and enough oomph to challenge most race cars for supremacy. I was wrong, to my delight and shock. The new model had the 3.0-liter six, with but 225 hp -- but you would never know that. It feels as strong as anything I have ever driven. It flat-out flies - so it is still the race car of sport utes I wrote about the 2000 model - but it also retains all the muscle.”

(This despite the 3.0I badge which was invariable pasted on the side of the vehicle!)


:rolleyes:

- Greg

Quote:

And this sensation is contagious. When you drive a Subaru for a few days you begin to enter that mindset, and you get a lot of dirty looks. I would give me dirty looks for driving that way too, but I sometimes -- not all the time, mind you -- succumbed to being a Subaru driver in my weeklong test drive. I held up traffic. I made agonizingly slow turns, and left a car length between me and the next guy at a traffic light so someone nine cars back couldn't make a turn or didn't make the light.
For the week I had the Subaru, I made at least 10 people late for dinner because I was a bonehead. There really isn't anything mechanical about the car that would call for this. The car is capable of being driven very hard. It's just vibes. Or maybe cooties. I don't know.


I like this guy. At least he admitted that he held up the traffic.:alien:

This was in his review for the GTI:

"It’s not really a sedan or coupe, even though it has the two-door configuration of the coupe. It’s more like a hybrid between a hatchback, like the Subaru Impreza, and a wagon, like the Audi A4 sport wagon."

Huh? The GTI is not a hatchback but the Impreza is?

I feel sorry for his kids imagine having this turd-cutter for a dad.:eek:

Originally posted by Cindy H
This was in his review for the GTI:

"It’s not really a sedan or coupe, even though it has the two-door configuration of the coupe. It’s more like a hybrid between a hatchback, like the Subaru Impreza, and a wagon, like the Audi A4 sport wagon."

Huh? The GTI is not a hatchback but the Impreza is?

What a tard. Since when are sedans and wagons called hatchbacks? Just one tard quote after another. This guy is the Zenith of anti-car enthusiasts. I hope he hasnt bred.

I think the site has been offically, "slashdotted"... well, let's call it i-clubbed... Because with the amount of members we have here constantly hitting the site, I can't get through to read it!

And after I read the third page of this thread... a new page popped up every time i went to the next page. Amazing. :)

Those pics of him are great. haha, get some more going!

Maybe someone should stalk him and show him what psychos we all are, too! :devil: :lol:

Dear Mr. Rundles: You are a pimple on the ass of my birth state!

As much of a jackas$ as this guy is, we have to keep from threats of stalking and posting his home address. We are teetering on harrassment, which would be even lower than this guy. Writing to him and CC'ing his bosses is the best way to really get at the root of this.

However, I think him waking up to 20 Subies of all models is a mental image that wil bring me a smile for the rest of my life!

(my comment a few pages back wasn't meant to flame autos. I said it in the thread and I just want to be really clear on that. I just meant that if you are not used to a turbo, and you drive the auto, you might never get up to 3000rpm or have the patience to. Remember, this guy says he often holds up traffic, so I am assuming the only thing he ever notices is low end torque in cars - which is only 1/2 of what power is.)

Hey all,
Well the WRX review is gone indeed, but the site is back up though.

Unless I am reading it wrong, Subaru is still being criticized there for the OUTBACK SEDAN, if not the WRX. Maybe they should remove that too. I emailed them for that, but still hasn't removed like the WRX article. Yea I don't have an OUTBACK, but I do own a SUBARU :)

Here is the link to the article:

http://cobizmag.com/issues/apr2001/pages/wheels/wheels02_26_01.cfm

-Alan (Another MY98 Owner)

I really think we should alert other car forums too.... does he rip on Audi or VW? I bet the HUGE viewership at vwvortex.com would jump in...

Though I have to agree with him that Subarus are generally too expensive, he is a biggoted a-hole. I can't believe they let him generalize and stereotype people in their web-zine. Does he think he's being funny like Car&Driver editors?

His reviews are offensive garbage.

I really think we should alert other car forums too.... does he rip on Audi or VW? I bet the HUGE viewership at vwvortex.com would jump in...

Just post his statement of
..and some people like Fords and Buick, which shows there is no accounting of good taste.

to one of the mustang forums.
:rolleyes:

I've seen this style of automotive journalism before, where there are those "experts" that believe no car should ever be faster than it absolutely has to be, and that if there's anything going on with the car (hood scoop, AWD, turbo) that is away from the norm, it's weird and unusual, and should be qualitatively rated, since the tecnical rationale is beyond the average consumer's grasp. If it's new and different, they won't like it. Of course, that doesn't explain why he loves BMW so much, but he likely believes that the consensus among the average consumer is that BMW is the pinnacle of automotive excellence, and as such he's catering to his audience in his reviews. We've all established he has no clue, and we've more than brought it to the attention of his editors. I'm sure he'll have a harder time being taken seriously as a journalist next time he submits a review.

He's just another uninformed jackass, let it go.

Not to rain on anyones parade..but I think that this guy has had enough. I think we made our point. End it. Not everyone likes our cars...and thats just fine with me.

I'm getting a little sick of know-little/nothing "journalists" that have the audacity to slam any vehicle in their review wihtout doing any background research or even a proper road test. Ugh... the WRX seems to get the brunt of it, from what I've read. When was the last time you actually read a bad review of a Chevy Venture?:mad: *unzipping flame-retardent suit*

Anyone consider a slander lawsuit?

I mean, he called us all a bunch of hippies...

Nevermind :p

Anyone still have a copy of his "expert" opinion? Never got a chance to see it before that caved. :lol:

Here is the cached article on Google:

http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:J3wCdWYB5Bc:www.cobizmag.com/wheel.cfm%3Fwheel_ID%3D4+%22jeff+rundles%22+wrx+re view&hl=en

Hope the link works...it wraps here, but all in a row in your browser it should work fine...

They can pull the article, but we can still find it and ridicule it... :lol:

sutekh

Kostamojen, maybe we can have Alfriedesq represent us in the suit. :lol:

Originally posted by Verist
Kostamojen, maybe we can have Alfriedesq represent us in the suit. :lol:

Does he work for non-profit organizations? :D :lol: