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Spotlight #18, Last Newsletter of the Year, Redesigned Subaru Coming
Subie Adventures Newsletter - November 7, 2023
Subie Adventures
November 07, 2023
Hey there!
Here’s what is just ahead in this edition of the newsletter:
Adventurer Spotlight #18
Final Newsletter for 2023 - Holiday Break
Subaru Sales Are Up, and a New Model is Coming Next Week
Subie & YOU! Podcast Monthly Rewind
Quick Hit Items in the Wrap-Up
Welcome to the Adventurer Spotlight, an interview series with Adventurers from our newsletter about their life with their Subaru. Here, we learn more about the person behind the wheel and get inspired to embark on new adventures.
Before we get to this month’s feature, I’d like to thank Roxanne / @crosstrekbabe again for being in our previous Spotlight! Remember that all Spotlights are available on subieadventures.com, so if you’ve just joined recently, you can read the previous features there. Now, here’s our newest!
Introduction
My name is Jason and I go by @socialsubaru. I live in Southern California with my family and I’ve worked at the Port for the past 17 years. I am a union president and the founder of Social Rigs.
Which Subaru do you own? What do you like most about it?
I own a 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. I love that it's small in size but big on character and utility.
I also love working with the companies that have sponsored my vehicle over the years. I'm super thankful for companies like Rigid Armor, Diode Dynamics, Centennial Tires, Midland USA, and Pedal Commander.
These companies have taken my Subie to the next level and I'm truly grateful to be associated with them. Especially Rigid Armor! The tire swing, roof rack, and front bumper are all cut and welded by the owner, Daniel over at RA in Sante Fe Springs, CA and he's become a good friend over the years.
Why did you choose a Subaru? How many have you owned?
Since I stood roadside in the early 2000s and watched competitive rally racing, I've been a huge fan of Subaru. I bought my first Crosstrek in 2014, then in 2015 a blue STi, a silver STi in 2018, and then finally my 2019 Crosstrek bought in 2021.
I started my Instagram account in 2017 to share my STi and then started sharing ALL Subarus shortly after. People supported the page and started tagging me and asking for features and I embraced it. 10K followers came quickly and it grew fast but it was hard work (Tom note: It is a lot of work!) I was posting three times a day and shouting out anyone that tagged me. After a few years I got burnt out and took it easy.
I made it up to 90K followers when I decided to slow down. The page has suffered a little bit but it's not a big deal. I still post often but not liked I used to.
Have you made any modifications?
I think I've done most modifications available but I'm sure I've missed a couple. Name it and I probably have it. (Shout out to @advntr.ram for all the install help.)
The tire swing and the front bumper are easily my favorites.
A lot of people don't know this but this Crosstrek was actually initiated by Crawford Performance. It used to be blue and yellow and then I re-wrapped it Nardo grey with some friends (thanks @nokinphotos) and turned up the volume on the mods. I think it's very unique and not easy to miss. Way better than all those Jeeps you see on the road that all look exactly the same, just in different colors, Lol.
What would you like to add to your setup?
The only thing lacking in my Subie is speed. I wish I could add a turbo for more pep but I know it'll never happen. Unless there are any vendors out there looking to team up of course!
The Pedal Commander gave me some much needed pep off the line so that keeps me happy… for now. Oh, I actually need an 8-gang switch for all my lights!
Favorite road trip? Or favorite thing to do in your Subaru?
My favorite thing to do in my Subie is show it off in vendor booths. It's great having people ooh, ahh, and take pictures of it. It's great when kids are into it, too. It's lots of fun passing out free stickers at events. I also like to dress it up for holidays. It’s currently covered in skulls and pumpkins for Halloween!
Have a favorite picture of your car?
My favorite photo has to be the beach one where I'm standing behind the car. It's a great location where you can actually park closer to the water. It was taken by my friend Xavier (@xavier40bjj). It's actually a Rigid Armor photo shoot and it turned out amazing. I have more ideas and locations that I want to do soon.
Where would you like to travel to next with the Subie?
Work has been really crazy over the past year and going out with Social Rigs (@socialrigs) and my Subie friends is way overdue. I'm definitely looking forward to some off-road time with the gang. Maybe this winter!
If you're on the West Coast and looking for an off-road group that includes all makes and models, please join us. We do giveaways on the trail and meet up for social events in town from time to time.
What, if anything, would you do differently, or change, about your Subie?
The only thing I can think of that I might upgrade is the lift. I think I need more height but I know the car isn't quite built for much more than 2 inches of lift. At the same time, YOLO, you know? Might just do it.
Thank you, Jason, for being in the Spotlight and supporting my Instagram page over the years! The wildest post I’ve ever had was the AI Crosstrek we collaborated on earlier this year!
Check out the photos below and be sure to follow Jason (@socialsubaru) on Instagram for more adventures!
🖼️ Image Gallery
This is the final newsletter for 2023! Work, and life in general, has been busy, and I’m looking for some downtime. So, I’m pressing pause on these until after the holidays. I’ll still be posting on IG and Threads, and I’ll pick this up again with more Spotlight features in January.
Speaking of, if you indicated you’d be interested in a feature when you signed up, look for an email from me as soon as I open up scheduling for next year. Thank you for all your support this year!
📈 Subaru Sales Are Up, and a New Model is Coming Next Week
Subaru recently reported its October sales numbers, and things are up overall, with the company selling 53,772 vehicles for the month, up 10.7% over October 2022. The Forester, Crosstrek, and Outback made up the top three, and it’s the fourth straight month the Forester has been the top-selling model.
Rounding out the bottom of the list are the WRX, Solterra (but trending up), and BRZ, which saw only 291 vehicles sold in October.
Image credit: Subaru
Image credit: Subaru
Speaking of the Forester, Subaru sent out a teaser recently for the reveal of a new, fully redesigned vehicle, which is expected to be an updated Forester. The reveal will take place at the LA Auto Show on November 16th.
🎧 Subie & YOU! Podcast Monthly Rewind
Here's a recap of last month's guests on the show:
Bill was on the podcast to talk about his Subaru journey, his many Subarus, and his passion for building and fabrication work he performs on cars with stars!!
Joe joined the podcast to share his Subaru journey and talk about his Crosstrek, the mods, and his explorations with friends up in the New England area. Joe is also the founder of Hops and Cars, a place for all makes and models to come together and talk about their builds and have a good time.
On this episode of the podcast, Rafael had several of his Patrons on to talk about the show, when and how they found it, what it means to them, and some random conversation.
Deniz joins us on the podcast today to talk about his unique Impreza build and some of the unique mods, the Subaru friends he enjoys spending time with, and he shares some information about himself.
Rafael had Anthony, AKA Crosstrek WRX, on the podcast to talk about his WRX, why he calls it a Crosstrek WRX, and the experiences he has had owning it. They also talk about his experiences working for Blipshift.
Cody joined the podcast to talk about his retro Subie, his 1986 Subaru XT, AKA the Wedge! He shares what he loves about it and all the funky features. He also shares his experience winning a trophy at Big Northwest and chatting with Bucky Lasek over the years.
Remember, you can subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast app, or listen online here. My thanks to Rafael for his ongoing support of the newsletter!
🎁 The Wrap-Up
🎄 Subie Adventures shirts make a great holiday gift! T-shirts, long sleeves, and hoodies are available if you'd like to grab one to support the page and newsletter. Thanks!
🧵 Reminder: Give me a follow over on the Threads app, where I'm posting more random shots of my Crosstrek and having some good discussions. You can also find me on Facebook.
Have a fantastic holiday season and I’ll talk to you in January!
Tom Anderson
Subie Adventures
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