08 OBS and 5-door Impreza differences?

Hiya!
I am new to the forum and just recently moved back to the States. I have owned 2 Justy's (Justies?) in the past but was never a car guy until our last car - a classic Mini.
Anyway, we have been looking at the 2008 Imprezas and I am wondering about the differences between the Outback Sport and the 2.5i 5-door.
I don't mean the simple differences Subaru posts on the website, i.e. 16x6.5 steel or alloy wheels vs. 17x7, heated seats, two-tone (I don't dig that, actually), fog lights, etc.; but things like suspension or brakes, cockpit guages/controls, etc.
The OBS wheel size is the same as the WRX; but is there a OBS suspension different from the 2.5i or the WRX? There are Navi options for the 2.5i and the WRX but there does not seem to be one for the OBS. I don't think I want the Navi, but am curious why it wouldn't be offered. And are the Bumper Underguards that are standard on the OBS merely cosmetic since it appears the rear differential protector is only an option?
MNSubaru seems to have a pretty diverse and knowledgeable membership and since dealerships don't seem to be getting very many of the OBS in, I thought this would a good place to ask these questions. Thanks for any insight, eh!

Christopher

 

I am not so sure about the newer OBS and 2.5is. However I think that on the GF (90s) styled OBS they had a slightly different suspension setup giving them slightly more groudn clearance. sorry i cant be of more help.

 

like martin said, historically, the differences are pretty minimal. the OBS get's a very slightly taller suspension. and other than that.....it's pretty much a trim package. they may have changed it for the new body style, but I doubt it.

 

On the older outback sports, most of the extra ground clearance actually came from slightly larger tires. I've read speculation that they have different strut/springs, but I've never been able to find any proof of that, and visually you can't tell them apart.

Chux is right, the outback sport is mostly a better trim package.

 

my work (mtk) has a couple obs's

 

Hey thanks for the responses. I thought I had read somewhere that there was a suspension difference between the OBS and Wagons on some past models. But I don't remember where so I can accept the trim difference explanation as good marketing.

Anyone want to weigh in on the Bumper Underguards as being functional vs. cosmetic?

We'll be in the Cities this weekend so maybe we'll try to stop into Minnetonka. The dealer search says one the OBS is a manual - that seems to be a bit of a rare bird nowadays.

 

I am not quite sure which bumper undergaurds you are reffering too. IMO replace all that plastic junk under the car with some good ole aluminum (primitive racing FTW)

 

Previous OBS's had:

Rear diff cover standard
UGLY 2 tone paint
Softer springs
Same struts as in a 2.5RS
Steelies

 

ugly? psh... beauty is in the eyes of the beholder

 

Indeed.

 

mmmmm, goldies. outdated pics now. lol

 

OBS ftw, sleeper (when swapped)

 

no kidding, makes me wish i would've trucked thru and done mine

 

the obs was the first impreza or subaru I ever rode in and made me love them. But it was a black one that wasn't two tone.

Also some year obs's had 17's that were kinda crappy looking.

this is the pure awfulness of the obs in pictoral form





god they're horrid.

and here is the answer to all of your questions:

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/impreza/impreza2008.html

 

Great link! Thanks for the help all.

Curiously there is a reference in the model comparisons that claims there is a OBS version not yet released that will have a moonroof... hmmm. Subiesport says maybe an option in the year 2008 as I recall. But this if OT. Thanks again!

 

Get a wrx and you will not regret it.

 

If you think the OBS (especially the red one) are ugly, then your calling your car ugly. It's an Impreza wagon, with two tone paint and some different wheels. The ground clearance difference is so minimal compared to a 2.5i wagon.

I'll give you the point that some of the paint schemes aren't the greatest choices, but the car is far from ugly.

 

also all OBS's were two tone.