Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

varmint

Chris - Not sure about your battery, but put a cup of dry rice on the back seat. It'll soak up and excess moisture in the car and help prevent mildew and that dank smell a sitting car can earn.

crossroads

The brochure for my new 2002 says that it comes with a trailer harness. The salesman says I have to wire into a connector??? Sounds like I have to make up a harness. Can anyone advise me what the "brochure" harness should consist of and what if anything I have to do to hook it up. I take delivery tomorrow (Saturday).

Mike

ateixeira

The hitch comes with the harness. The Forester comes with a standard wiring that the harness plugs into. It's in the spare tire well. The hitch also comes with a grommet (rubber plug) that goes in the bottom of that well to seal the pre-made hole.

If you're doing this yourself, I have photos to e-mail to you. Let me know, ateixeira@ifc.org.

-juice

bsvoller

The OEM harness is 4-pin. If you want to use trailer with brakes, you will need a standard 4-pin to 7-pin adapter. I used an aftermarket hitch (class II, cheaper), the OEM harness, and an aftermarket 7-pin adapter.

Hope this helps,

bv

crossroads

Thanks Juice and bv. I'll email you separately juice. So if I understand it correctly, the trailer wiring harness that the brochure says is standard equipment, is not truly the trailer wiring harness...it is simply a place to plug the trailer wiring harness (that I purchase separately)into and it is located in the spare tire well. The hitch the dealer wants to sell me is approx a $200 CDN (~ $125 US) hitch. I believe it is an aftermarket item. He wants another $40 for the harness. Is there a "Subaru" hitch that includes the harness?

Mike

goldencouple1

Our 2002 Forester L is Yuki Yama Hime.

jei

Goldencouple1

So tell us the story behind your car's name...

Intrigued in Upstate New York,

- John

ateixeira

The Forester is hitch-ready, as is the Outback. I'm not sure but I think the Impreza and Legacy are not, i.e. you have to splice wires. On the Forester you do not. It's plug and play, very simple.

The hitch comes with a harness that plugs into the hitch-ready Forester. There is no extra part number to buy, no separate harness.

I sent you a bunch of photos and they make it clear if I didn't.

-juice

kens

Well, in Japanese, Yuki Yama Hime translates to "Snow Mountain Princess".

Pretty name. Is your Forester L Aspen White?

As mentioned earlier, my Forester has been named the "The Shinrin Raven". It's a black 98 Forester S. :-)

Ken

armac13

Sorry about only giving half of the name. I must be getting old. Too many "senior moments".
:-)

Ross

mrluther

During the late 70's Subaru marketed a brat with the badge "Yama Yagi" on it. I believe this means mountain goat! My Forester does not have a specific name, but I always refer to her in the feminine, with due respect!! Mike

kens

Ross: No apologies necessary -- it's Raven for short. :-)

Mike: Didn't know that -- how funny! Yama Yagi does indeed translate to mountain goat.

Ken

nypaul

As I mentioned the other day, besides our new Forester, we also have a 1971 VW bus. In the bus community it's more usual than not to name your bus, ours is John Dear. The name usually comes over a period of time and experiences that have happened with the bus. So, since our Forester is so new (2 weeks old)it's too soon to realize its name.

Paul

rsholland

and for those who don't, our '01 Forester S Premium is called the "Toaster."

Our daughter's friends named it that. It's white, boxy, and has a large hole in the roof, so the name fits, and it has stuck...

Bob

kens

LOL, Bob. "Toaster" -- that's great! With the size of the moonroof, it should really be a bagel toaster.

Ken

armac13

I knew as soon as I started to list some of the "named" Foresters that I would be leaving some out. How could I omit the "Toaster". Mea culpa! I did leave out Pat's Titan on purpose since it's not a Forester.

jim1969

nypaul: I just bought a 2002 Forester S+ at Metric about 1 month ago. They've called a couple of times to make sure that we're satisfied with the car. No service yet but I looked into the tweeter package after I got the car home and realized those little grills made no noise.

dhdunn

Folks, do the Forester and the Outback Wagon have the same manual transmissions? If not what's the difference? I've been cogitating on which to buy over the past 3 months. I like the greater room of the Outback wagon (at least the numbers are bigger in the brochure!!). But I like the handling of the Forester better (seems to be more responsive and tighter turn radius, probably because of the Impreza's shorter wheel base??).

And I have a question for those of you who were deciding which one to buy... HOW DID YOU CHOOSE??!! Please let me know which one you bought, and why you chose that one.

And, please don't tell me to buy both!!

Thanks all!!

d

kens

d,

I had the same exact dilemma back in 1998. I was originally going to buy an OB Wagon, but then the Forester caught my attention. I ended up choosing the Forester over the OB primarily because of it's more nimble handling. The Forester shares more than the wheelbase with the Impreza. It shares parts of the chassis and suspension as well (the drivetrain is identical to the 2.5 RS). These characteristics combined with a lighter vehicle make it more tossable than the OB.

I do believe the Forester and OB have slightly different manual trannys, but I'm not exactly sure as to what. I think the clutch design is slightly different, if I recall correctly. Both share the same AWD mechanicals, however.

So, how do you choose between the two? Choose the Forester if:
- You don't need to carry many rear seat passengers often
- Like nimble handling

Choose the OB Wagon if:
- You frequently carry rear seat passengers
- Like a smoother, plusher ride

Keep in mind that back in '98 the OB was in it's previous generation model. The entire Legacy line got an all new chassis in '00. The newer model became a lot more refined, but gained significant weight in the process. The difference between the Forester and OB now is probably even greater today.

Lastly, you may want to wait a few months until the all-new 2003 Forester makes it to dealer floors. The new model is also based off the brand-new Impreza platform. Expect slightly improved handling and a significant improvement in look and feel.

Ken

jei

d -

I made this choice in 1999 and echo what Ken says. When we test drove, the Forester brought grins to my face. I hadn't expected that. I mostly drive alone, so enjoyment far outweighs rear seat room. (Our grown daughter grumbles about the back seat when she has to ride there, but really likes to drive the Forester.) We live in the northeast, so want the best all-weather mobility; lower weight is a key factor here. The Forester has very good "presence" on the road for a smaller car; I don't get ignored or pushed around by bigger vehicles.
I also chose the Forester for several other smaller, practical reasons:
- Real outside door handles. I can pull open the door after a night of freezing rain without risking damage to the handle.
- Roof rack/rail design. The loops at the ends of the roof rails make tying or bungee-cording things on much easier. I occasionally carry long building materials or a stepladder on top. The Forester roof rack is much more substantial than most others.
- Great headlights. For stock units, they're excellent.
- Fold-flat rear seats. I can sleep in the cargo area in a pinch because the rear seat cushion does not fold up and form a bulkhead at the front of the cargo area. This design is also more useful for storing small items in the rear footwells when the seats are down, an advantage.

At 93,000 miles I'm still very happy with my "S". No major problems. Some of the earliest Foresters had rear wheel bearing problems. Mine was built in November '98 and has been fine. One suggestion: Unless you're certain that your Subaru dealer cares about alignments and does a first-class job, budget in the $60 or so for a top-tier independent tire/suspension/alignment shop that does. Get it checked early on to avoid uneven tire wear & noise. Some Subarus have been coming out misaligned, something hard to establish with many of the dealers during the warranty period. Mine was, and I got it fixed after the OEM tires got noisy. I went to my local shop out-of-pocket after the dealer didn't respond. A few bucks to iron out a quirk, well worth the peace of mind and extended tire life. A number of us have posted this experience on these boards. That said, if I were in the market for a car this year, I'd go right out and buy another Forester. The friendly support on the Edmunds Subaru boards is also an unadvertised pleasure & benefit.

If you can wait a couple of months, the 2003 should bring even more refinement and a bit more back seat room and front seat travel. If not, there should be good deals on the 2002s. Good luck.

John

goose15

The new forester will be more refined but likely have new car problems-it also will not by heavily discounted-i bout an old style 2002 as it is a total known quntity withno surprises and strong trrackrecord. also deal was very good.

kens

True, you may be able to get a good deal on a 2002 once the 2003s hit the showrooms. However, many Subaru dealers already sell at a few hundred over invoice so the savings would not be as drastic as with other makes.

Good point about the 1st year issues. The 2003 is based on a completely new chassis so there can be the possiblity of some quirks as with any brand new model. However, the engine, drivetrain and most of the suspension are all carried over from the last generation so I wouldn't expect any major problems.

Ken

p0926

Sorry goose15 but Subaru isn't Ford. None of the current models experienced any significant new-car problems when they first debuted (take the WRX for example, totally new with virtually zero defects). If you look at the just released annual CR auto issue, the 98 Foresters (initial model introduction) have an excellent repair record and are a recommended used car buy.

So while you'd have to pay me to take a first year Detroit product, I wouldn't hesitate to plunk down my hard earned cash on a new Subaru product (or Toyota or Honda for that matter).

Regarding bargains on the 2002s... as Ken stated, you can already get a good deal on a 2002 and I predict that by late fall, the 2003s will be selling well below MSRP.

So... if you need to buy today, the 2002s are still good a deal. If you can possibly wait 6 months, the 2003s should be an even better deal. And if you're in no rush and want more HP, wait another year 1/2 until the 2004 turbos debut. In any case you'll end up with a winner. :-)

-Frank P.

declansdad

For the 2004 turbo forester:

Name: XST 2.0
Bhp: 247 @ 6250 rpm
Torque: 226 lb. ft. @ 4000
Price: (starting at) $25000

Michael

rsholland

In Japan the turbo is called simply the "XT." Also, I seriously doubt we'll see 247 HP. That's 20 HP more than the WRX. I think 217 HP is what the home-market 2.0 XT gets.

Frankly, I still think we may get a 2.5 turbo.

Bob

p0926

Michael- It's already been reported by a couple of sources that the Forester's turbo will be rated at 217hp with more torque at lower rpm's than that the WRX's turbo. 247hp would be sweet but would probably be overkill for this class.

-Frank P.

Edit. Dang Bob, you beat me! Don't you ever log off?

rangerron7

We actually own both, a 2000 OB Ltd and a 2002 Forester S. When I was shopping to urgently replace a 94 Blazer (another story, another time), I was actually looking at the Saturn L, Camry and OB. (I realize that all 3 are very different vehicles, but I was interested in them for varying reasons.) I test drove both the OB AND the Forester, and at the time was so impressed by the quiet, refined feel and ride of the OB. It wasn't that I disliked the Forester but that I just found the OB to be so smooth. This may be hard to believe but it reminded me of the Camry in how smooth and quiet it was but more fun to drive.
Roll forward to Sept. of last year and we now find ourselves needing to replace my wife's ride. After driving the OB a few times on snowy roads, my wife is sold on AWD. I suggest we take a look at some other optiosn just to satisfy curiousity and she won't have anything to do with it. The Forester was the perfect size for her. We rarely haul people in the back seat, so the space issue was not a concern.
I really enjoy driving her Forester because it is a ball to "throw around" and is a bit peppier than the OB. On the other hand, the OB is more of a "cruiser".
Sorry for the long post.
Ron

dhdunn

Folks, I don't know if Subaru realizes how many cars they probably sell because of the intelligent, coherent, and useful information y'all post here. Thanks VERY MUCH for this information!! I'm at this point favoring the Forester because of personal preferences as to handling, although I do like the Outback's ride. Believe it or not, I'll be replacing a Lincoln LS, a COMPLETELY different kind of vehicle, because of my place in the world of post-9/11 recession labor statistics. By the way, I LOVE the LS, and for Rocky Mt excursions we use our Explorer which has been 100% trouble free at 46,000 miles. Subarus have always been impressive to me, so the choice between the two is a nice dilemma to have. My wife hasn't set foot in a Subaru dealership yet, and we'll likely go do a test drive this week. Then we stuff the almost-12-year-old all-leg child in the back and see if she can fit.

Thanks again all very much!!

d

kens

d,

You're more than welcome. Keep those questions coming. I think Subaru has caught on to our little group here. We have the privilege of having Patti Mickel from Subaru as a member of our group. I'm sure you'll see her posts sooner or later.

Going from a Lincoln LS to a Forester or even an OB doesn't seem too crazy to me. You're combining features of your LS and Explorer into one -- a nimbly handling AWD vehicle!

The nice thing about the Forester sharing platforms with the Impreza is that you have quite a few performance upgrades available to you. Some of us Forester owners here have upgraded the suspension parts for an even sportier ride.

Let us know how your test drives go. Subarus typically sell for a few percent over dealer invoice so make sure you shop around if possible.

Good luck!

Ken

dhdunn

Well, I don't expect the Subaru purchase to approach the handling of the LS. But, on the other hand, I don't think (ready to laugh your tushie off???) I'll end up getting stuck in my own driveway in the snow in the Outback or Forester!! The LS is RWD, but does have excellent traction control.

Subarus are great vehicles, and here in Boulder, CO the dealership is the #1 Outback dealership in the US, and it's only a town of about 100,000 people. They price the cars at invoice + $100 which is really excellent (except on the VDC Outbacks and other 3.0L models). There's even a dealership nearby which sells for invoice plus nothing. But the Boulder dealership has been really good, low pressure, extremely (ridiculously, actually) knowledgeable salespeople. So, I"m going to bet on the rest of the service being really good, as people have told me it is, and spend the extra $100 and consider it a good investment.

Thanks again!!

d

kens

Okay, so I oversimplified a little back there, but ya know what I mean. ;-)

Other options you might want to consider are:
Legacy L wagon -- value priced, same room as the OB
Legacy GT wagon -- sportier handling than the OB, same room
WRX Wagon -- might be a little small cargo-wise but amazing bang for the buck performance

Ken

nypaul

Are you saying that you ordered the tweeter speakers but didn't get them? I've heard so many good things about Metrics service department, from so many different people, that I have to assume theywill fix this problem. Like you, I don't yet have any first hand experience with them.
The day I picked my car up I tried and tested every function. I even brought a music CD and a cassette tape to test out the radio package. I think I spent about 2 hours looking the car over. I didn't even assume the engine had any oil in it. I checked the "under hood" fluid levels, including the battery, myself. I even checked the spare tire to make sure it had air. Maybe I went a little overboard, but I was determined to go home with everything working right.

Paul

jim1969

I didn't order the tweeters yet. I was just going into my dealings with them so far. The service and parts department answered my questions and were pleasant and eager to help. I'll be getting the tweeter package at my first oil change. I'm also going to buy their oil change package. It saves about $5 per oil change. You can buy 24 or 36 months worth (3750 miles per oil change).

subaru_team

FYI - Checked the glove box on Friday. It does have a liner in the bottom (felt like - maybe you started something??)

Patti

bigmeeni

I am new to posting on this board, although many of the threads helped me to buy my first Forester, 2002 Forester L Sliverthorn.

I have two questions: First, since getting this car in November, when I turn on the fan or the air conditioner, the vent in the center (closest to the driver's side) seems to blow considerably less air than the rest. I have tried turning the fan up all the way, but it doesn't seem to correct it on any level.
Is this a normal Subaru problem? Or does this warrant a service check?

My other question: The owner's manual states to change the oil at longer and longer intervals at first, can someone give me the true reason behind this? My husband can't answer it either and I would like to show him up.

Thanks!
Meredith

rsholland

mouse fur...



Bob

doogald

This is my first post.

I just bought a new Forester a month ago, and I love it. For me, the choice between Forester and Outback was simply a matter of cost. The Forester itself was actually a bit more than I wanted to pay for a car, and the Outback was more expensive still. I was actually choosing between the Legacy Sedan and the Forester, as the cost is about the same. I preferred the Forester to the Legacy (obviously, since that is what I bought), because I felt it was a better car for what I need. My wife and I just felt more comfortable in the Forester. If price were no object, however, I probably would have chosen the Outback.

I really need a car that gets me to and from work. That's what I use it for 75% of the time. The other 25% is used for driving my kids around town, etc. If the ratios were reversed I'd may have chosen the Outback (or the Legacy wagon). However, our other car is a Caravan, and that gives plenty of room for either hauling lots of kids or lots of stuff if we need that.

There are only two very minor things that I dislike about the Forester. The first is the restricted room in the back seats (though it's fine for my kids now, at 10 and 8 years old, I can see that this may become more of an issue in a few years). The second are the cheap cupholders (and the front ones are poorly located). But really, we'll live with the former, and, as I hardly carry drinks, the latter is really not much of an issue.

kens

Meredith,

The two center vents right above the climate controls both come from the same duct so it's kind of strange that one blows less than the other. Just mention it to the dealer and have them take a look. You should still be well within the 12 month period where they should be willing to check out any little item.

What exactly does the owner's manual say about oil change intervals? My 98 manual just has it listed at 7.5K mile intervals under normal driving conditions throughout the life of the vehicle.

Ken

ateixeira

OK, Patti, Subaru owes me some $$$ for the idea. I'll gladly accept a 2003 Forester as payment! ;-)

Meredith: congrats on the new car. Hope yours does as well for you as mine has for me. Why does one vent get more air? More direct routing, perhaps? Make sure to clean the cowl area, where the air is sourced from (when you have the button on fresh).

Congrats to Doug, too. And it seems like Subaru is indeed psychic, because they put more room in the back seat and moved the cup holders to the center console, addressing both your gripes for 2003. :-)

Hint: tell the kids to put their feet under the front seats. There is plenty of toe space to wiggle around, and this lets you stretch out the legs.

-juice

paisan

I wonder if that is the fur from the mice that have been eating the wires under the hoods of subies lately? (I've heard of 1/2 dozen rexs that had their wires eaten by mice and I believe Hutch's Forester too.)

-mike

ateixeira

Well Subaru must use tasty wires or something. I had rats in my shed, but not on my Subie!

-juice

doogald

Thanks. It's not the kids who are compaining (yet) about room in the back; in fact, my kids love the car, and bicker over who gets to sit in the middle seat (? I'm still confused about why they prefer that seat - better vision out of the front maybe? or the different seatbelt?). It was me who had trouble in the back, and it was more "knee room" than "feet room" that was the issue.

I'll just direct the bigger people to sit behind my wife's seat (she's 5 feet tall)...

rsholland

has a Mazda 929. A few years ago he had problems with mice eating his wiring under the hood. When the Mazda mechanic told him that, he swore they were handing him a line, and refused to believe it. Now I've got some ammunition to back up those claims, and will pass it on to him.

Bob

odd1

I didn't know you would sell out so easily. Don't you mean a '04 turbo and you will drop the suit on your intellectual property?

bigmeeni

Kens,
The maintenance manual stated the following intervals for oil changes:
3k, 7.5k, 15k, 22.5k, 30k, 37.5k, 45k...and so on.
Any ideas?
Meredith

lark6

juice: I thought we went through this exercise already. The glove box, center console/armrest extension, and dashtop compartment are all felt lined on my '00 S. Mouse fur, maybe, but all the felt linings are black and, as such, are pre-color-coordinated with my car.

Ed

paisan

Meredith,
Those aren't intervals, they are what odo readings you should change the oil at. Those are 7.5K intervals.

-mike

joseph50

A few weeks ago the NY Times had a story of the guy who put 2 million miles on his Volvo engine.
He changes oil religiously every 3K. (Still going.) Of course this doesn't "prove" anything, but for those who contest that this is not necessary, go talk to him.

ateixeira

They WANT to sit in the middle? I have two brothers and we would always fight to see who got windows.

BTW, I think the S models are lined, the L models aren't.

At 2 million miles, he spent so much to fix the A/C, electrical problems, reupholstery, etc, that the cost of the oil changes isn't even an issue! ;-)

-juice

PS Volvos are scoring very, very poorly in reliability lately.

mrluther

Does anyone have any comments after installing platinum plugs in their forester? My mechanic says subies dont like them and can suffer hesitation and bucking...Thanks Mike