Spotlight #23, Buying Poll Results, News Roundup

Hey there!

Welcome to the May edition of the newsletter! Coming up:

• Adventurer Spotlight #23

• And the Winner Is…(Buying Poll Results)

• Subie & YOU! Podcast Monthly Rewind

• How Did Subaru Come Up With Cool Gray Khaki?

A quick favor to ask. If you’re enjoying these newsletters, it would mean a lot if you would share them with a friend. I have a referral program, too, and if you get three people to sign up I’ll hook you up with sweet sticker. Look for the “Share Subie Adventures” section down below, and thank you!

🔥 ADVENTURER SPOTLIGHT #23 WITH @STARSCREAM1201

Welcome to the Adventurer Spotlight, an interview with a member of our newsletter community 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 again thank Asha / @asha_slaw 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 let’s get into it!

INTRODUCTION

My name is Brandon, I’m a Kia Master Technician, and you can find me on Instagram @starscream1201.

WHICH SUBARU DO YOU OWN? WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT IT?

I own Sherman, a 2010 Forester X Premium. The thing I love most about the Forester is the versatility of it.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A SUBARU? HOW MANY HAVE YOU OWNED?

I first chose a Subaru simply because I needed a car, and one was available to me. I chose a second Subaru because of the Community, and that is why I will continue to own Subarus. The community surrounding these cars is like no other!

HAVE YOU MADE ANY MODIFICATIONS?

Sherman has an Anderson Design and Fabrication 4” lift kit paired with a 2” subframe drop, sitting on some steelies wrapped in BFG KO2 tires.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO YOUR SETUP?

The last couple of things I would like to add to Sherman would be an engine skid plate, since there’s no longer a skid plate option with the subframe drop. And then a locker from Torq Masters.

FAVORITE ROAD TRIP? OR FAVORITE THING TO DO IN YOUR SUBARU?

My favorite road trip to take is from Portland, OR where I live, east into Bend, OR. I like taking the Mt. Hood route because it goes up and over Mt. Hood and then drops you into a canyon in Warm Springs. The transition from the mountainous forest into the high desert is amazing.

HAVE A FAVORITE PICTURE OF YOUR CAR?

Oh man…My favorite picture? That’s a tough one to pick. I think I would have to go with the one I have on my Instagram of Sherman parked up on a red dirt road.

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRAVEL TO NEXT WITH THE SUBIE?

My dream road trip would be down into the Southwest to check out Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY, OR CHANGE, ABOUT YOUR SUBIE?

There’s really only a couple of small things I would change. First off, the front bumper. I wish it had spots to mount real fog lights. The oval clearance lights look cool in pictures, but they do not provide any light output on the road.

And then everybody’s favorite thing about Sherman seems to be my least favorite: the wheels and the offset. Again, it looks cool, but I don’t suggest driving behind me as my tires throw just about everything. I even have mud on the top of my Ironman 4x4 rooftop tent from my last trail outing.

Also, the color as black cars are a love-hate relationship. Fortunately, I have access to a really nice indoor wash bay at my work, so it’s not too terrible to get Sherman cleaned up and looking fresh again.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read through this and for subscribing to the newsletter!

Thank you, Brandon! I appreciate you being in the Spotlight and sharing your Subaru story with us! 🙌 

Be sure to follow Brandon on Instagram at @starscream1201!

🥇AND THE WINNER IS… (BUYING POLL RESULTS)

I just ran the highly scientific (it’s really not) semi-annual buying poll in last month’s newsletter and over the weekend on Instagram. There were 17 newsletter voters (thank you!), and the Crosstrek grabbed the top spot, with 6 votes, followed by the Forester (5 votes), and the Ascent and Outback tied for third with 3 votes each.

The Instagram Story poll ran Friday and Saturday, and here’s the breakdown:

Like last time, it’s no surprise that the Outback, Crosstrek, and Forester received high numbers of votes. The WRX again pulled strong numbers, finishing in second place with 111 votes!

Something to consider with the Instagram poll is that there weren’t enough options to list all the models in one poll. To work around this, I split the poll into three different Story posts, which may have impacted how viewers voted.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

(Speaking of buying, Subaru’s latest sales numbers are down in the Roundup.)

🎧 SUBIE & YOU! PODCAST MONTHLY REWIND

Here's a recap of last month's guests on the show:

E171 - Absol XTrek
Payton joined the podcast to talk about his 2022 manual Crosstrek, getting out to trails in Colorado, spending time with other Subie enthusiasts, and telling some great stories!

E170 - Blk on Blk SJFXT
Alex was on the podcast to talk about his Subaru Forester XT and share his love of Subaru and his journey from tuner to off-roader.

E169 - Subamoo & Kawaiieevee_96
Jonathan and Evee hop on the mic, in person, to talk about their Subarus, their mods, living in Texas, and share their Subaru journey.

E168 - Pearl Hits 100K Miles
On this episode, Rafael shares some of the journey and experiences he has had with Pearl, and some of the people who have helped along the way!

E167 - The Spoonigan
Missy was on the podcast to talk about her BRZ and Sambar. Rafael and Missy talk about the mods on her BRZ, her love of Subaru and motorsports, and we talk about the Sambar she recently purchased.

You can subscribe to the show in your favorite podcast app, or listen online here. Thank you to Rafael for his ongoing support of the newsletter!

🧵 Reminder: Give me a follow over on the Threads app, and you can also find me on Facebook.

🤠 NEWS ROUNDUP

HOW DID SUBARU COME UP WITH COOL GRAY KHAKI?

Ever wonder how car companies decide which colors to use? The Economics of Everyday Things podcast examines this question and has Nikkie Riedel from Subaru as a guest. Riedel discusses where Subaru looks for inspiration and the approach they take when considering colors.

SUBARU APRIL SALES RESULTS

Sales rose 9.5% over April 2023, and the Forester was the most popular model. Year-to-date sales are up 7.4% over last year. The Outback and Crosstrek round out the Top 3.

END OF THE LINE FOR THE LEGACY

The Legacy debuted in 1989 and was the first Subaru manufactured in the US at the then-new plant in Indiana. Last month, Subaru announced that production of the Legacy will end next year.

DRIVING SPORTS TV 2025 SUBARU FORESTER REVIEW

I appreciate you being here!

Tom Anderson
Subie Adventures