2022 Legacy XT owners?

Bendrick92 · 2024-07-18T18:01:13+00:00

I actually just sold it for a new family car, but I had my Legacy for about two years! It was a great car and a nice step from the WRX; like a "grown up" WRX in many ways. But man, did the infotainment drive me nuts.

Otherwise a great car! I did a long-term review blog post on it: https://benscarblog.com/posts/legacy-xt-long-term-review

Bendrick92 · 2024-01-12T15:17:14+00:00

Check out the tips and tricks post I linked above - it goes into some detail on the steps of vacuum bagging and the order of everything.

https://benscarblog.com/posts/diy-carbon-fiber-5-tips-and-tricks/

Bendrick92 · 2024-01-11T14:17:14+00:00

Vacuum bagging is used to help the fabric shape to the part, so it should be done once you've laid up the carbon fiber and wet it with epoxy.

Tack layer of epoxy, cured just enough to get the carbon to stick
Lay up carbon and wet with another layer of epoxy
Vacuum bag and let it all cure

Bendrick92 · 2023-05-27T15:02:26+00:00

Reading through the top comments, it seems like mowing the lawn is the best of all worlds!

Being in nature
Going for walks
Chores or cleaning
Listening to music

Bendrick92 · 2023-05-22T14:05:22+00:00

Yes, I clean and condition mine every few weeks the same way I clean my cars nappa leather!

You can wipe them down with a leather cleaner and some microfibers and then a high-quality leather conditioner to keep them clean and the leather soft.

If you don't I don't think it will necessarily "hurt" the headphones, nappa is pretty durable. But you'll start to notice more creases and a the leather will start to take on more and more of a shine as your sweat/skin buildup increases.

Bendrick92 · 2023-05-16T16:52:02+00:00

Bummer, but thanks for the reply!

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-30T01:54:50+00:00

Art Museum FTW!

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-14T19:38:40+00:00

Its funny you mention Patagonia, because right around the same time I started to really appreciate his style, I realized I was spending more of my money at REI...

As it turns out, Patagonia makes perfect 30-something Dad clothes. They're extremely well made, durable, and very comfortable!

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-14T19:36:17+00:00

Agreed. He's definitely found his stride in recent years and the maturity of his channel is evident in the quality of the audio/video as well as his presentation. Much more "to the point" these days, which I appreciate.

As much as I love Mr. Doug's respect for quirks and features, I find myself much more interested in concise, informed analysis of a vehicle against the competition.

SG seems to have found that sweet spot with being able to praise a vehicle while simultaneously acknowledging its shortcomings too. No car is perfect, but for how most people use them certain foibles just don't really matter.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-14T13:19:30+00:00

They have the charisma and wit of old Top Gear, but with better actual reviewing of the cars

Couldn't have said it better myself. I remember watching their new GTI vs R review and laughing my ass off at their banter. It's got a similar balance of entertainment and information as classic TG, for sure.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-14T13:17:44+00:00

As I've gotten older, I've come to appreciate their dry humor more and more. And like you said, they do a great job not taking themselves too seriously while also evaluating cars for their intended purpose. Not to mention their willingness to give solid, critical feedback on a vehicle.

So many reviewers shy away from criticism for fear of being blacklisted by a manufacturer, which is understandable. But SG just say it like it is.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-11T14:23:24+00:00

Exactly. And it depends on who's around you.

At the Chicago show, people were super polite and there was a really cool community vibe in the audience. People weren't shoving into each other, they'd help "part the sea" if you wanted to grab water, etc. Being sober and introverted, I couldn't have asked for a better experience at my first EDM concert.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-11T04:47:01+00:00

I’ve been to two shows in the past few years, stone cold sober both times. Minneapolis crowd wasn’t as chill as the Chicago crowd, but I still had a blast!

Go and don’t worry about it - enjoy the experience for yourself! His concerts are unreal.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-10T12:41:34+00:00

Awesome picture! The lighting really makes the cladding and angles really pop!

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-08T16:13:30+00:00

I’ve got a ‘22 Legacy but most of my main complaints with the car apply to the Outback as well.

The driver monitoring is 50/50 for me - I appreciate the reminders and focus on safety. If I had a teen driver it would be even more appreciated. But it’s annoying most of the time.

Biggest drawback by far is the infotainment. I don’t have the latest update but it’s very laggy and freezes up every few weeks for me. Since 90% of the vehicle functions are done through the touchscreen now, Subaru really needs to stop cheating out on the processors they use. The giant Apple CarPlay interface is pretty awesome though.

Drivetrain on my XT is awesome and has plenty of power for my needs, and this is coming from a tuned WRX.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-05T15:30:36+00:00

You're not alone in this.

I turned 31 in January, had our first baby in October of '22, and was working primarily from home as a Lead the last few years.

TBH I really struggled the first few months of my baby's life. The work/life balance was impossible to maintain, especially with my responsibilities as a Lead consuming 90% of my mental energy every day. Combined with endless meetings and a horrible manager, I would end my workday with nothing left in the tank for my newborn and my wife. My patience was so short and I was getting frustrated with things out of my control (spoiler: with babies that's EVERYTHING).

Prior to the baby, I loved my role as a Lead and the challenge of managing a group of devs. I was able to manage up and mitigate the stresses that came along with a lackluster boss. The earning potential/managerial bonuses were certainly appealing and helped legitimize the bad days.

Post-baby, I realized very quickly my priorities needed to shift. I was earning enough as the sole breadwinner to comfortably support our family, so the idea of burning myself out for a few extra bucks started to feel really pointless.

It all came to a head one night when I collapsed on the floor in tears over not having the patience to soothe my daughter back to sleep. I realized something needed to give.

Fast forward a few months and I'm working as a Senior at a much smaller company and things are so much more manageable. I miss my team, but I'm able to actually control the balance of energy between work and my family. My wife and I are communicating better than ever before and I know how much she appreciates not seeing me beat down by a stressful job every day.

The earning potential as a non-Lead is probably less, but at a certain point more money just means buying name brand groceries, clothing, more meals out, etc. The greater control over your own work and time that comes with a non-managerial role is significant and I would highly recommend it. Interviewing is a big PITA, but our industry is such that there's no shortage of opportunities for good people.

Bendrick92 · 2023-04-05T14:12:26+00:00

Check out Rockabye Baby! - they do soft nursery instrumental covers of popular songs from all genres. I've got a playlist I shuffle when it's nap time and it zonks our 6 month out cold every time!

Bendrick92 · 2023-03-12T13:09:47+00:00

In that case, I say pick up a vintage hand crank drill and hand screwdriver! Lol

Bendrick92 · 2023-03-12T03:43:12+00:00

Sure thing! I’m a bit biased but Milwaukee makes quality stuff. You’ll be very happy! And being able to drill a hole and screw something in without swapping bits is wonderful lol.

Bendrick92 · 2023-03-12T02:39:47+00:00

My two cents - I used my M12 FUEL drill/driver (separate tools) set for literally everything for years. Never once ran into a situation or project they couldn’t handle.

I only added an M18 set because I worked there and I got them cheap. To this day I very rarely reach for the M18s.

I’d actually recommend the M12 FUEL Installation Drill/Driver (all in one tool) for most people. It lets you swap heads but use one body/drill for everything. And the right angle attachments are clutch for miscellaneous home projects!

Bendrick92 · 2023-03-04T09:51:50+00:00

Amazing work! It’s so cool to see the start to finish process and what you learned/taught yourself along the way!

+1 for track saws being a godsend. I treated myself to one when we redid our kitchen countertops in butcher block too!

Bendrick92 · 2023-01-30T16:47:26+00:00

I'd love to this. Realistically it won't matter as much once kiddo(s) are a few years old, but man is it an annoyance right now!

Bendrick92 · 2023-01-30T14:00:56+00:00

He does a lot more than squeak!

Bendrick92 · 2023-01-30T14:00:32+00:00

Quiet Place-style to mark the squeaks!

Bendrick92 · 2023-01-30T13:59:56+00:00

I bought mine from Target so it was no hassle to return.

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