Sure-Footed as a Duck!

I picked up my LGT Wagon last Wednesday and packed the family in for a weekend roadtrip south to CT. It poured rain for most of our return on 91N to NH late yesterday afternoon - I had the wipers on high. This is my first AWD vehicle and I couldn't have been more impressed. Through all the rain and standing puddles, the Subie didn't slip or hydroplane once! It was as sure-footed as a duck! Needless to say I'm really happy with the new ride.

Congrats on your new purchase!

 

Just remember not to go above speed in slippery conditions as AWD does nothing for stopping in the wet. Also AWD does nothing for preventing hydroplaning it really a function of tires ability to disapate water from the tires.

 

However that AWD surefootedness is nice.

I'm assuming you're still on stock rubber, right? Once you upgrade, it gets much better even!

Yeah, I definitely adjusted my speed to allow for braking distances;) .

 

Yeah, I'm still on stock rubber:( .

 

It was still a huge improvement over FWD, though.

Yeah, I definitely adjusted my speed to allow for braking distances;) .

 

Yeah, I'm still on stock rubber:( .

 

It was still a huge improvement over FWD, though.

 

Amen brother. That torque steer in the wet was always "fun".

Unless you're doing serious amounts of "spirited" driving, you can stay on the RE92s as long as you feel safe with them. As soon as they're done though, look for a good replacement.

 

Note: Other people may flame me for this and call the RE92s a safety hazard, etc etc, but as long as you know the limits of the tires, I think you'll be fine. There is definitely a lack of laterally traction though if you go into a slide, so keep it straight!

Unless you're doing serious amounts of "spirited" driving, you can stay on the RE92s as long as you feel safe with them. As soon as they're done though, look for a good replacement.

 

Note: Other people may flame me for this and call the RE92s a safety hazard, etc etc, but as long as you know the limits of the tires, I think you'll be fine. There is definitely a lack of laterally traction though if you go into a slide, so keep it straight!

 

I agree. Know their limits, and the RE92's will treat you well.

The RE92's are fine for SoCal driving. I will wait till their ready to be replaced.

Plus, in the winter you don't need to shovel the lane way.

Just go back & forth until the snow in your lane way is flattened.

Congrats on you new car.

Unless you're doing serious amounts of "spirited" driving, you can stay on the RE92s as long as you feel safe with them. As soon as they're done though, look for a good replacement.

 

Note: Other people may flame me for this and call the RE92s a safety hazard, etc etc, but as long as you know the limits of the tires, I think you'll be fine. There is definitely a lack of laterally traction though if you go into a slide, so keep it straight!

 

+1.

 

I'm on the same wavelength.

 

------

 

Also, please remember, if this is your first car with ABS, that ABS may not always help in icy/snowy conditions. As with the rain, give yourself good stopping distances, and be extra cautious of other drivers, too.

 

 

Happy foul-weather going in your new Scooby.

I don't want to start a massive flame war, however just about everyone here says that RE92s are the worst tire ever made. Now a few posts here say they are fine but they're just not track worthy.

 

Are the people slamming the re92s just tire nazis and nasioc fan boys?

 

Personally I never had a problem with them.

 

They are slippery in comparision to tires in the same class costing less. Limits are low, they get slippery in heat, and they don't feel right in the corners to me... squirmy would be a good word. You can get a tire that grips better in dry, wet and snow that lasts as long and is equal or quieter...for less money.

 

-B

They're not the worst tires ever made. The all-season Continentals that came stock on my '98 A4 were waaaayyyy worse. However, the RE92's aren't exactly a performance tire either, and I've been particularly disappointed with them in the wet. Maybe that's because I've had S-02's and S-03's on my A4 for the last six years, and those are probably the best wet-performance tires on the market.

 

RE92's are competent, but not really worthy of a performance car like the LGT, IMO. However, I think Subaru wanted to provide a tire that is competent in all climates and seasons, since many people don't understand that high-performance summer tires are unsafe in the snow. All-season tires are a compromise -- you can get by with them in just about all situations, but they're not the greatest in any situation.

Since when have ducks been sure-footed?

 

The RE-92's leave a bit to be desired when driving "aggressively" or in bad weather, but they are far from the worst I've experienced. I just felt as though the LGT could have come with better OEM tires.

Since when have ducks been sure-footed?

 

 

In the water, of course:dm: ! My original comment was really motivated by "the beauty of all-wheel drive" not the quality of the RE92s. That being said, I agree w/the majority of the posts in this thread. The RE92 isn't undrivable. However, it's not great either.

Glad you're enjoying your new Legacy. The Subaru AWD is one of the best on the market and does its job so transparently that you don't even realize what a force multiplier it is until you get in a situation where you need it and it's right there - on demand. I love driving in foul weather in all of the Subarus (ATs and MTs).

 

We, as a membership, go back and forth on the RE92 (now RE92A) regarding how well the tire does day-to-day and under stress loads. The general consensus is that the tires are marginally okay as long as you don't push it and stay well below thresholds.

 

For me, they are fine and I routinely carve canyons and twisty turnies with ease. I just make sure that I keep the tires aired up, and run ~2 lbs additional pressure in each tire (37F/35R) to stiffen up the sidewalls and keep the contact patch planted. At 13000 miles they are just starting to show some signs of wear but are still quiet and capable of "extended" California freeway speeds.

 

Anyway, welcome to the site, glad you had a wonderful trip and look forward to seeing pics of your new car in the color-specific forum, if you haven't already posted them up.

 

SBT

They are slippery in comparision to tires in the same class costing less. Limits are low, they get slippery in heat, and they don't feel right in the corners to me... squirmy would be a good word. You can get a tire that grips better in dry, wet and snow that lasts as long and is equal or quieter...for less money.

 

-B

 

+1

 

-An excellent description of the stock tires IMO.

 

I am also guilty of using the word 'greasy' when describing their characteristics.

 

Somehow they just seem to slide around street corners instead of carve around them... I dunno, it was a real eye opener the first couple of weeks of ownership.

Unless you're doing serious amounts of "spirited" driving, you can stay on the RE92s as long as you feel safe with them. As soon as they're done though, look for a good replacement.

 

Note: Other people may flame me for this and call the RE92s a safety hazard, etc etc, but as long as you know the limits of the tires, I think you'll be fine. There is definitely a lack of laterally traction though if you go into a slide, so keep it straight!

 

The original "Suckstones" OEM all season tires are done at mile one. The absolute worst tire I have ever experienced. And I've owned over 65 new and used vehicles in my lifetime. The use , even the manufacture of this tire borders on criminal. Sorry....I feel that strongly about this abyssmal tire.

I guess I don't drive nearly as aggressively as the rest the board then.