Need to rant, 'family' car

[subiemommy]

Ok, so when I met my husband, he had a stock (except an exhaust tip) Rally Blue, 2 door, RS, I drove a 4 door Accord. That and I had 2 kids already. So after our 1st date, at which time I feel head over heels in love with his car, I knew at some point I wanted my own Subie.

Now years later and an extra child, my wonderful husband bought for $500 a 4 door (because I need a 'family' car) '97 Impreza L. Ok, I was ok with the 4 door as it has a touch more room in the back seat, though it is easier to fight with kids and car seats in a 2 door, for me anyways.

So this car sat for 2 years, filled with gas, oil, and every other fluid. We cleared them, as good as we could in Nov and Dec when the shop heaters were not working! So not very well as everyone was freezing! In Jan I registered it and sold my Accord, that was the BEST day of my life, I hated that car from day 1! haha It runs good off and on. So we cracked open the hood and started fiddling with things again, we know the fuel pump, filter and gas tank is clear of sludge so now we think there is still build up in the fuel rail. Blah! So we're out there trying to find a way to get the fuel cleaner into the fuel rail without having to run it through a few tanks of gas and through the filter and all that. While doing that, with a friend of his, I started talking about the mods I woud like some day to put on or in it. And he LAUGHS at me! LAUGHS! I'm like, what? I can't have sway bars, better suspention, exhaust, new paint, ect. And his reply is "Why do you want all that on a 'family' car?" Uuuhhhhh..... My mouth dropped and I thought I was going to hurt him! Yeah, I'm a late bloomer at 29 and I have 3 kids, but why does that mean I can't have a kick ass car?! I don't want to strip it, add a roll cage and make it race worthy like he wants with his RS, which I am not in agreance with (for money reasons) but will stand behind him and support him. (I also can't wait to drive it and show him who is a better racer! He forgets I street raced for a few months with some friends I worked with! hehe Granted I was driving an Eclipse with minimal upgrades, but I still kicked ass, mostly because they didn't think I could drive!) Anyways, so I'm struggling with the idea of having a full on stock 'family' car (that is old as the hills as well), while he does a complete swap on his car. Why does the 'family' car have to be lame?! Rant over!

I do have a question, am I the only one with children? haha I am really hoping not as that will really make me feel old! haha

On to modifying my car on the DL with my 2 sisters and cousin! LoL He'll get the same shock I did back in Jan when my cousin and I popped his hood to see why it was over heating to see his new sway bar, air intake, a cover to make the gap between the radiator and the belts not look so huge and empty and a few other things I forget now. It's funny to look back on, as my eyes nearly popped out of my head and my very religous cousin says, "That's nice shit!" haha He just quit his job at a small town 'race' shop so he has some experience, enough to get me on the right road, I'm hoping! haha

Yet another reason I'm glad I found this site! I'm on RS25.com but so is he and I don't want to be asking mod questions there and tip hubs off. I'll stick to general 'get it running better' questions there and ask the fun ones here!
Thanks

[MoN]

Well sounds like you have very high hopes for your impreza and there's nuttin wrong with that! I think your hubby is giving you a hard time cuz he secretly doesnt want to have any competition against his GC ;). But if you want to put some upgraded mods to it why not? A family car can be hawt too!! And ur not alone when you talk about opening the hood and surprisingly finding new shiny car parts under there :lol:, Ed does it all the time to me so now its time to get even!!

A few members here have kids. I have a Yr and a half old son. We have an STi w/ ridiculous mods, so its about time we got a family car, so we just purchased a 99 outback limited. It is going to be the family wagon and all but you best believe it's going to get just a little hooked up! :lol: So i feel wheere you are coming from, we wanna be moms w/ cool cars....

[subiemommy]

A few members here have kids. I have a Yr and a half old son. We have an STi w/ ridiculous mods, so its about time we got a family car, so we just purchased a 99 outback limited. It is going to be the family wagon and all but you best believe it's going to get just a little hooked up! :lol: So i feel wheere you are coming from, we wanna be moms w/ cool cars....

Glad I'm not the only parent! haha
We talked over the summer about getting a Forester as my family car and putting better suspention and nice wheels on it, but that was as far as the mods were to go on the family ride. But he found the L for $500 and it only had 97,000miles. So he figured the work it would need to get it running after a 2 year sabatical would be far less than a new car (which we really couldn't afford anyway). It was a suprise as well, which was nice. He pulled up with his friend following him in a truck with my "new" car on a trailer. I was stoked! Then got bummed after he said all he was going to do was get it running. Fine, he can get it running and I'll add the mods! He also doesn't like that I'm wanting some girly color to it, not a completely pink paint job/interior or anything, but something that says, "yes, I'm a girl and I have a nice car, get over it!" haha

[StripesRX]

I had(my dad has in now) a 96 Impreza L. The motor finally quit after only 270,000 miles. y'know, only :lol: Bought a new motor for 350 and now my dad uses it as a DD. That car was amazing amounts of fun. Much love for the car.

Modify the heck out of your car girl! A Subaru is a fine family car, not matter if it can handle going around corners at Mach 1. Some people do have STis that they use as family cars. They are after all, a 4 door saloon with five star crash test ratings. Who says you have to have a meek little van to have an enjoyable family car? Mod! Mod like you never have before! :D

[xxthat girlxx]

Don't be afraid to ask questions here, we want to make sure we send you in the right direction while you're learning.

[jessickascarling]

+1 to everyone elses thoughts on this. you don't have to put a ridiculously loud exhaust on it and lower the hell out of it to make it a bumpy ride... a few nice tasteful mods like an spt cbe or a front lip would be excellent choices. and maybe some subiegirls.com bling ;)

[xxthat girlxx]

maybe some subiegirls.com bling ;)

That's why I heart you, Jess. :love:

[jessickascarling]

That's why I heart you, Jess. :love:

i know :p

[WhtRexGrl]

I have to laugh at you saying your husband doesnt want any girly mods..only because when my hubby takes my whip to work & I take his - he has to rock the pink badges & subiegirls stickers! Look at it this way, he knows he has a nice ride too and if anyone gives him crap about the pink car he should just say its his wifes car & it will kick your cars ass pink & all!
btw: I have a 12 year old and my cars list of mods are growing fast - everything I have done to my ride improves the ride & I fully enjoy it when he isnt in the car with me, but I know he is very safe when he is.

[subiemommy]

I have to laugh at you saying your husband doesnt want any girly mods..only because when my hubby takes my whip to work & I take his - he has to rock the pink badges & subiegirls stickers! Look at it this way, he knows he has a nice ride too and if anyone gives him crap about the pink car he should just say its his wifes car & it will kick your cars ass pink & all!
btw: I have a 12 year old and my cars list of mods are growing fast - everything I have done to my ride improves the ride & I fully enjoy it when he isnt in the car with me, but I know he is very safe when he is.

What makes it funnier is he ONLY drives me car when we are taking all the boys out. It it's just him or 2 or less kids we take his car! I think the whole almost 6 years we've been together he has driven or rode in my car maybe 20 times. And I am ALWAYS with him! haha He's a goodber!

And I have fun in Eric's car when I don't have the kids, I'm lovin the sway bar, now we need to finish the suspention work and all that and it'll really kick ass! Taking a 90degree corner at almost 60 is sick!

[BoostinChick]

Hrm, maybe he laughed because he doesn't feel that the car is "worth" modding?

He forgets I street raced for a few months with some friends I worked with! hehe Granted I was driving an Eclipse with minimal upgrades, but I still kicked ass, mostly because they didn't think I could drive!)...more about this Eclipse

[subiemommy]

Hrm, maybe he laughed because he doesn't feel that the car is "worth" modding?

...more about this Eclipse

I think part of the reason he laughed was he didn't think I would be into that. I don't know, he's a guy, I do not understand guy! haha

And my Ecplise was a '95 GS, I know it had new intake and a few other minimal engine mods, nothing to brag about really. It was bought at an auction so we couldn't really look to much into it or we would have passed as the previous owner had cut the springs to drop it! ::eek:: Which ended up shredding the extra wide tires, thankfully not while racing or on the freeway, the threads finally gave out in our drive way, about 6 months after we bought it.
The only reason I was able to "win" (they went easy on me to start with) was because I'm fast off the line and will take chances in turns that I probably shouldn't! hehe When freeway racing (which I will not do now) I took risks in weaving that others wouldn't. It was the name of the game and I was good at it. (I could beat a WRX down the freeway in my Accord weaving, that is until they hit a clear stretch and I never saw them again! LoL) Eric is not as confidnet in the turns if there are other cars around, but he loves trying to drift when there's no one around. So I think I would give him a run for his money in his car once it's finished! We'll see, in a few years! haha

[BoostinChick]

Only reason I asked...

<--- drag/project car is a 95' Eclipse GSX pretty worked. I have a member's journal on this forum.

[subiemommy]

Only reason I asked...

<--- drag/project car is a 95' Eclipse GSX pretty worked. I have a member's journal on this forum.

Yeah I saw you have an Eclipse in your siggy! I loved mine, I like how low and wide the body was. If it had three seat belts in back I would have still wanted one! haha

[subybia81]

I am 29 and I have a 10 yr old, a 15 month old and one due 6/26/10. My hubby and I have 07 STI and 02 Jetta wagon. I try to keep the kids out of the sti but it doesn't always work that way. hubby drives the wagon and the sti stays with me (go figure)... I got him to understand that the mods need to now go on the family car because there is so much precious cargo in the vehicle, it has to be the safest and of course being we carry his last name, we represent him. needless to say his want list is being updated and changed daily.

[TI07STI]

Im a mommy to a 4 month old boy and I have an O7 STI with a mods (bought it 1 1/2 months ago) and Hubby has a 94 probe with mods (including no back seat useless other than for shows). We went to our local car auction and bought an 01 Passat for our family car.

[xmmm.cupcakes]

honey there is no reason why you cant have a nice car. as far as im concerned, the family car is the one you pack the family into. that does not mean it has to be quiet, or rusting, or be completely stock. my family car for like five years was a '69 GTO! modifying the car will technically make it more family friendly... :/ tell him that... then ask the kids if they want to be in a car like your old one or one more like your husbands and get them bugging him about it!!! lol.

and youre not the only one who uses this site to get away from your man... mine asked me for my password this morning to see what you guys were saying about my car and to "..make sure that i didnt say anything incorrectly.." HA!!! if you didnt notice he thinks im car illiterate. so they have their websites and you have yours. just wait til your car starts with the mods and he puts it up on a website claiming its his!! mine did that.. on the NewEnglandSuubarus.com he has my car listed under his cars!! lol

[RagDoll]

^I'm a moderator for NES. I'm "Diztracted"...

I'm kinda curious what your man's screenname is on there. LOL :lol:

[jessickascarling]

^I'm a moderator for NES. I'm "Diztracted"...

I'm kinda curious what your man's screenname is on there. LOL :lol:

i'm on NES too and I'm curious too!

[subiemommy]

We've come to an agreement about the cars. Mine will be getting the mods I want that have to do with preformance, handling, ect, though not too soon, as those will make it safer. And his will be the "kids will never sit in this car ever" car. I'm not so happy about the kids NEVER being in his car, but I'll deal. That just means I get to drive his car if I plan on leaving him with the kids! hehe
On top of that next summer I will be getting a newer car, something with 3 shoulder belts in the back. I'm hoping a WRX, but the ladies are working on getting me to get a Forester. We'll see! At that time I will be giving him my L with all the "safety" mods. :-)

[xmmm.cupcakes]

^I'm a moderator for NES. I'm "Diztracted"...

I'm kinda curious what your man's screenname is on there. LOL :lol:

MY NAME... lol

[jessickascarling]

MY NAME... lol

:lol::lol: i've seen him post!

[MsLovely]

My boyfriend is all for modding my car. He wants me to have a cool car. My last car was a rusted out legacy. I think he was embarrassed to be seen in it (I know sometimes I was!). But I've straight up told him what things will happen and what things will not happen to my car. Its my car! You need to be in charge of your car. Its a subaru, the kids are going to be safe in it. Not to mention have you seen some of the "soccer mom" vehicles these days? They come will all kinds of cool stuff stock. Your car just needs a "soccer mom" upgrade.

[subiemommy]

"Not Your Typical Soccer Mom" is a decal I need made for my window! haha

There was actually another thread posted after this with what we were thinking would be our actual plan of action and then one more saying we can't do anything because we're buying a house which is taking ALL our mod money! haha

Hopefully the long term plan is to finish turboing his car. Then in a few year (before I need a third shoulder belt in the back) I will get a NEW car, either a WRX or Forester. Then he will take my L as his DD and track the RS. One day, one day! haha Till then simple mods (though not for a few months at least), still waiting on my skid plates for my L. LoL