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Comments
Regards,
John
Any aftermarket fogs will be better than the OEMs IMO.
-mike
I personally haven't had that many problems but many hate them to the point of taking them off as fast as they can. But virtually all who get a new set of tires will comment upon the improvements after doing so.
Why? Well if you can get tire A for $5 less than a decent tire x 4 tires/vehicle x 100,000 vehicles/year. The same goes for those $2 (cost) floormats they put in most cars.
I also agree with what was said about the OEM foglights. They're little more than decoration.
I believe in Europe you can actually choose the tires when you order your car.
-mike
I, at first, preferred the bigger foglamps like I had on my 04 (they look better) but the new smaller ones on the 06's forward are actually more powerful...noticably so. It surprised me a little.
VulcanTires.com has them cheaper than Discount Tire Direct. Tire Rack does not carry Falkens.
-juice
-mike
The specs say there is 33 inches of legroom which is even smaller than a Honda Civic?! But I really like the Forester. Any thoughts?
Not to get preachy, but I'd put your kid facing rearward until she's too big to fit in a convertible seat (head over the top of the shell or heavier than the weight limit). It gives a child vastly superior head, neck, and spinal protection in a frontal or side-impact crash (which are approximately 96% of all crashes). My son sat facing rearward until he was almost three.
--former 2004 Forester owner
-mike
It does feel roomier because of the large greenhouse, and get the moonroof and it serves the kids as well. But you'll have to train them not to kick the seat.
Regards,
Kyle
The high-end audio system is great, esp. for MP3 playing, but if I raise the volume to REAL loud, the door speakers vibrate too damn much. We also have an '05 Volvo S40 T5, and that speaker problem doesn't happen in it. Does that indicate that Subs are "tinny" compared to Volvo's? I don't know.
As I discovered one tire to be low on air today, due to a nail, I've done some reading on tires. I'm not convinced that the OEM Yokohama 17" Geolandar G900's are a bad tire, particularly for someone like me, who does a lot of driving in a temperate climate. In an effort to improve mileage, I am increasing the air pressure in all 4 tires. Subaru had them at 35-37 psi. Today I moved them up to 40 psi, still below the stated max of 44 psi.
They were very easy to remove and replace. See if the speakers are loose in the doors.
-juice
Just read all you messages and found the answers to a couple of questions
But I still have a couple unanswered
Like a couple of people here I drive from Winchester to Chantilly for work 76 miles round trip
Also travel over 4 miles of dirt roads around 3:30 AM when the deer are on the move
I am torn between the Forester Sport 2.5X and the Premium 2.5.
I am worried about the moon roof leaking when there is a heavy rain or if the seal will let dust in the car
Anybody having any problem with the moon roof?
How about the ride between the two cars? I am tall about 6ft and "large boned"
Planned to visit the dealer on Saturday but the 6" of ice and snow might keep me home
I would appreciate any words of wisdom
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
With your size and the length of your drive, the electric seats on the Premium might be nice for getting your ride just right. And on those cold mornings, the heated seats are very nice as are the heated mirrors. These are things you don't "need", but once you use them, you really like them. Also, with the length of the ride, you might get some enjoyment out of the moonroof on nice sunny warm days. I already have. But, sit in one...the moonroof lowers the inner roof about an inch.
You occasionally hear about roof leaking problems, but they really seem to be very few and far between just noticable as they are posted and stand out. Most of the response posts are Gee, I never had that problem. Statistically not a real issue. And they have had about 10 years to work the bugs out of that.
Irrespective of which model, keep those fog lamps on when on the dirt road. They are very helpful in letting you see farther to the right and left and might cause one of the critters to freeze off the road instead of in front of you. And surprising to me, the little foglamps on the 06's and 07's are more powerful than the "bigger" ones on the 03's through 05's.
I definitely noticed an improvement in the brakes from my 04X although the 04 was just fine. The four wheel disc on the Premium has a much more flat solid feel with less front end dive. Some of that could be due to the automatic brake force distribution added after 05 though which more evenly distributes the braking action front to back.
The ride underneath is the same with the exception of the rear limited slip differential (LSD)on the Premium. I did notice the LSD shifting back and forth on ploughed roads this winter, but the X AWD is the main difference between Subaru and everyone else. The LSD is gravy.
I would look at the difference between a manual and an automatic. They are different systems. I like a manual personally as it keeps the AWD at a 50 50 front back ratio. It's cheaper (about 600 bucks) and more capable in deep snow applications... The other difference is price with the Premium Package being around 2500+ bucks more than an X. You can get an X manual right now for 18,000 bucks with rebates etc. where I live. That is a fantastic price for a fantastic car. A manual premium will run you at the very best deal around 22,500, maybe 22,000. I got mine for i.e. 22K with a 500 buck loyalty discount on top of rebates.
Check out cars101.com to see a complete comparison including pricing bottom line. That guy has it all and stays up to date on everything.
I bought the XS Luxury (06) which comes with moon-roof, leather, 7 speaker system etc. but no electric or heated seats.
I've had the car for just over a year and can attest to its' reliability.
It's not a big car, and at 5 foot 11, I find the driving position adequate, but would benefit further from a reach adjustable steering wheel.
No probs with the moon-roof whatsoever. Get it, it's awesome!
My car is extremely comfortable (I noticed quite a difference from stock model due to the self-leveling rear suspension on the luxury model) and heaps of power from the 2.5. I would definitely recommend the manual over the auto as it seems to have more snap. More get-up-and-go.
My recommendation to you is to go the full luxo pack if your budget allows. You won't regret it.
Good or bad difference? Could you describe it?
Having said that, nothing really beats reach adjustable steering. I really do find it inexcusable in today's auto market. Jeez, how much extra could it cost?
In OZ, the Tribeca has been slammed for lack of power. And the rear seats seem to be made for carny folk. Much better off in the Forester IMHO. It's a formula that has been tried and tested.
Rear leg room in the Tribeca is often under-reported because people don't realize you have to hit a release knob for it to go back another 4".
It's the difference between tight and spacious. I'm 6' and had room to spare with the seat truly all the way back (it travels 8" fore and aft in total).
Typically, AWD will drink a little more fuel due to the nature of the set up (i.e. powering all wheels), but reliability wise, not an issue. We've had the Jeep for over 10 years and it hasn't needed anything special or different to a 2-wheel drive by way of maintenance costs.
Tyre wear will suffer a little more however rotating every 10,000km will help keep wear even.
The Subaru AWD system has been touted as superior to the likes of the RAV and CRV (the later is actually mostly two-wheel drive) as it is symmetrical (power more evenly dispersed) which provides better road traction and general all-round smoothness.
The Forester is the best handling car I've ever owned. ESPECIALLY in the wet. And it's lower centre of gravity due to the car height and boxer engine makes it better than the competition IMHO.
You remove two screws. Drain the fluid. Replace the lower screw. Add 1 quart of gear oil. Replace the other screw.
That's it. 93k miles and she's running so well I'm having 2nd thoughts about selling it.
I spent about a total of 1200 bucks on my 99 Outback Sport (Impreza) on extra stuff (one engine repair/400 bucks) including timing belt at about 80K.
I got 80K out of the first set of tires and the second set (BF Goodrich TA's) was on at trade at 147K. I needed a new clutch at 147K and that was part of the trade in reason. I didn't replace the front brakes until about 119K and never the back brakes.
All in all, no real problems in six years. My 04X Forester had no problems (except me) and I towed with it for about 12K.
I believe consumer reports has consistently had them up there very high (red bullseye) for most reliability issues for years.
I averaged 29 mpg with my 04 X manual Forester on the highway and hit 31 once with a tailwind for a couple of tanks. I consistently avgd 21 mpg towing on 2 to 3K trips almost all highway. That's all pretty good. I averaged overall around 24/25 with in city mix stuff.
I am going to have it checked out this week and will post the reason (me or the cd changer).
I just called the dealer and told him the problem. He admittedly had never come across this one before. He suggested trying cushions, if this does not work then an after market seat and if that does not work they would take it back as a trade in. I'm tempted to just take it back right now and say the deal is off but there is no 48 hour thingy. Gads, what a costly mistake.
Good luck.
Len
No, mine does not have this feature and I doubt it would help if it did, I believe it is because of the contouring. In all fairness to Subaru they make an excellent vehicle and the dealer was a dream to work with. I just hope he will be willing to consider this a 24 hour test drive, take the car back and refund my money.
I fully recommend Kendall Subaru in Eugene Oregon. The management puts organizational interest ahead of personal gain. They really care about product image, the customer and their own reputation. Not only were they more than decent giving me my money back, they were a dream to negotiate with as I initially prepared to purchase the vehicle. No guilty or strong arm tactics, more like a friendly competition with a win-win outcome. I have friends who purchased a Honda from Kendall Honda and they too speak highly of them.
Kendall also has Hyundais, Toyotas, Lexus, Dodge, Chevrolet. . thirteen makes in all. So, if your anywhere near Eugene, Oregon and looking for a car give them a shot. You will be glad you did. :shades:
-mike
Some places will let you take a car overnight. Saturn offered that when I tested an Outlook.
Also, consider renting a car for a day to sample it out.
I have a BIGGER problem...a terrible smell coming from the engine whenever the car gets hot. The dealer tech smelled it right away when I stood with him in front of the car, acknowledged it was bad, and he later told me he thought it was undercoating accidentally sprayed on the engine during the manufacturing process, and it could NOT be fixed.
Sadly on a prior checkup they claimed to smell nothing (you only smell it with the windows open) and the Subaru regional field tech also claimed (after the local tech had explained the cause of the problem) that no smell existed. This created a stink of a different kind. And nothing in writing except they checked for a smell they couldn't find.
Subaru has offered to trade the car in, and pick up some but not all of the cost of the trade...but I'm wondering if I should take a chance and pay even more money for a brand new car when the brand new car I just purchased and was otherwise very happy with turned out to have a toxic smell from the engine.
On the other hand, what are the odds I could have the car declared a lemon in NY when the car still drives, albeit with a bad smell? I feel stuck...
I also wish there was a way to turn off the "three unlocks to open" requirement for the hatch and passenger doors. I know it's there to protect old ladies in parking lots, but in the rain when I want to open the hatch or simply let a trusted passenger in the car with me, it's a real pain.
Wish I could have just written a rave, because aside from the issues I'm having with this car I still love it, Geosquealers notwithstanding. Traded in a 2001 Acura CL Sports-Type for my 2004, a move comedian Tom Papa made fun of, and I was happier with the Forester since it handled better!
What was worse was getting poor customer service from Subaru of America, from a shrill customer service SUPERVISOR who yelled when I said something she disagreed with...she told me the smell could have been caused by something "after-market" like the remote start or the alarm even though she know I'd had it installed at purchase by my dealer. Of course, when you buy an accessory from the dealer to install in your new car before you pick it up, you assume you are purchasing it from Subaru and Subaru won't suddenly disavow any responsibility for it.
And when I asked Subaru for another supervisor after she'd literally yelled at me,
they gave the email to the shrill woman so she could call me and tell me she didn't mean to be rude, she's just a loud person. Last Friday she told me she'd call me Monday. No question. Didn't hear from her until an email late Wednesday.
They promised I'd be contacted this week by another supervisor "early this week" It's now end-of-business Thursday. I've sent quite a few emails through their website indicating my dissapointment with the car smell, the lack of detection, and the poor treatment by customer service.
I think it's time for a regular letter to the president of Subaru of America. Too bad Asa Aarons just left NBC...my hope now is that Subaru realizes they have an evangelist about to jump ship and make a fair offer on the trade-in.
Anyone else have a smell like antifreeze-meets-orange-juice overwhelming them in the 2007 Forester when the engine gets hot?
!:@(
-mike
That Subie gave me 9 perfect years of service.
i've got a 2007 subaru forester sports as well (bought it in may). and have the same sort of smell that you're talking about--kind of a warm plastic smell coming from under the hood, can't smell it unless the windows are open or you're outside the car with it running, it's more evident after driving for quite a while, etc.
my problem is that it's not always smelling, and often doesn't smell when i've taken it in.
i've had the oil changed 3 times (all at dealerships), and asked about it once when i took it in, and was told it was likely just coating or something like that which had been sprayed on something accidentally and would burn off eventually. but it's been 5 months and 4000 miles and still smells...
i had my brother in law mechanic take a look at it and couldn't come up with anything aside from that or perhaps that some fluid got spilled on the engine when it got serviced. but the latter doesn't seem likely to me now since it's happened more than once and not always right after i get it serviced.
i dive mostly short distances when i do drive, and so hadn't smelled it in a while and thought it was gone, but i recently took a longer trip and it came back...
argh. let me know what you find out!
other than this the car's been great, but i'd really like it to stop smelling!!!!
-mike