Cheryl and Ethan Enroll in Subaru Auto-anonymous.

( Dimly lit smoke filled room)
"Hello,  I'm Ethan.  And this is Cheryl.   And we own a Subaru....It's been 4 months since our last Subaru Repair."

( Unseen monotone crowd voices)   "Hello Ethan and Cheryl!"

We got the Silver Bullet back today....and the cause of all that mess was a cracked fuel pump.  The remedy?   Lots and lots of money!




But isn't that how it always goes with any car?   I was happy that the fix would be so simple....But when they took it apart, the fuel pump assembly was also cracked and probably was the cause of the issue to begin with.   So take the first quote and double it.  What was I doing to do?   I knew I couldn't fix it.

   The fuel pump of all things.   For several previous cars, I have had similar issues with low power and shuddering.   I always thought it was a fuel pump issue and it never was.   But Finally!   I now know exactly what a faulty fuel pump feels like.  ( Exactly like all those other issues....Spark plugs, rotors, distributors...etc.)  Bottom line...Subie is back up and running and we can now give back that awful Volkswagen.  I should not be so hard on the car...it can't help how it was designed.   It certainly had pep and was "fun" to drive....but I'm VERY happy to have my Subaru back.

Which brings me up to the topic of an AA meeting....for Subaru owners.   As much as I gush over this brand of car....I imagine I look quite silly with it breaking all the time.   Cheryl was doing research and found that there are forums filled with similar stories and "Deal Breakers" or "Fatal Catastrophes" that force Subie owners to give up the ham.  Only to buy another Subaru.  Like a battered wife that continues to go back.... Why?   How can I deal with the embarrassment?

Upon doing a little math,   we discovered that we put a serious number of miles on our car here in Iowa.  Probably three times more than we did in Michigan.  When you link up the repairs with the mileage...you see that Subaru is actually quite reliable.  And they closely match other Subaru Owners' experiences.    And after driving loaner vehicles that are either uncomfortable, ugly, or just plain strange....I now know that my love for the Subaru is more than "just a car that gets me there."   There is comfort, familiarity, and a simply enjoyable driving experience to  take into consideration.

As cars become more tech based and less mechanical,  I see a day when I will no longer have the skills  or tools to do the work myself.   I read that the 2016 Subarus are even more computerized.  with "smart driver assists".   Maybe there will come a day when  we won't even be able to change tires by ourselves!    But I know that the when ever that day comes...I will most likely be driving a Subaru.  Yes!  I own a Subaru...and I may never break the addiction.  I just have to keep telling myself ,"One day at a time.  One day at a time..."  Thank you.

(Weak quiet  applause)