Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Autumn 2007 | Page 38

SUBARU OWNERS

this is true love
One man’s addiction to Subaru

W

hen you were a kid, did you enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles?
Perhaps you still do! James McIntosh Jr. is the ultimate jigsaw
puzzle master. Except, when James’ puzzle is all put together, he
can drive away in it. James drives a 1998 Impreza, but this car is
unlike any other Impreza on the road. It is the culmination of a great
deal of work – and of Subaru parts from all over the world!
James has been loyal to Subaru since he bought his first car, a
1999 Impreza TS. At the time, he purchased the car because, after
finishing college, it was the best buy on the market. He wanted
a vehicle that was reliable, safe and affordable. What he did not
expect, though, is that he would fall in love with both Subaru and
the Subaru culture.
Today, James is the Club Principal and Webmaster of the 3,000member Toronto Subaru Club and he is now on his third Subaru!
Shortly after he joined this independent Subaru Club, James traded
his TS for a 2000 Impreza 2.5RS. “I did a lot of work to that car and
it oozed personality,” says James. “It looked cool and was a blast
to drive on tracks like Shannonville Motorsport Park.” Not everyone
gets a chance to try their ‘ride’ on a major racetrack, but this is just
one of the perks of being involved with the Toronto Subaru Club.
James remembers his first spin around the track at Shannonville
was, quite literally, a spin. “Driving on a racetrack that, on any given
day, is home to automobile and motorcycle races is exhilarating,”
raves James. “Of course we keep things safe, but with these
Subaru cars and their fantastic handling ability, it is fun to push the
car, and ourselves, and watch the dust fly as we hit the corners.”

Third time’s a charm
James learned, though, that his hobby could get quite expensive,
so he went about Subaru #3 in a much different manner. Rather
than purchase a car and then spend a lot to personalize it, he took
things from the opposite direction. “I spent over a year saving up
and collecting rare classic-generation Impreza goodies before I even

Subaru Clubbing...
If you like the idea of belonging to an independent club where
you can hang out, trade tips and generally talk shop with other
Subaru owners, here are a number o