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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)
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Comments
Good luck with your decision.
If you have any specific concerns or questions, please advise.
Where did you find the online manuals?
I purchased a CD-Rom with the 2003/2004 manuals on it. A little more clumsy than the paper manuals I am used to. But I paid about $30 vs the $375 for the 2002 Forester manuals.
I got my CD-Rom from a supplier in Mass. I found him with an online search. Also got my wife's 04 Highlander there also.
kcram
Host - Wagons
Does anyone know the rental agencies that use Subrau Foresters in Orlando and Melbourne?
Thanks,
Don Luce
Craig
In Australia, though, you may have more luck. Subaru is big there, they have a ton more market share than they do here in the US.
If Graham frequents these boards maybe he can answer, he lives Down Under.
-juice
PS. Did this year Forester have a factory moonroof option, this one does not have one? What kind of MPG should we expect from this Forester?
Ed
edit: Oh, NH? Lots of distributor "special editions" and different options I believe.
Bad wheel bearings would be my guess, and I think that's the same year as lark6's old Forester that had the wheel bearings worked on about three times. Ed?
-Dennis
-Frank
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Vitaly
I freaked out when I started reading the manual. There are about half a dozen things I'm supposed to be checking monthly, some when the car is cold, some when the engine is warmed up. Tire pressure, oil, rear differential something-or-other, steering fluid, brake fluid, etc..
Do Subaru owners really check these things every month? How do you keep it all straight? I feel like I shold make a chart or something and stick it in the glovebox.
Also, I am concerned that, due to the side air bags, I'm not supposed to cover the seats. I wanted to use seatcovers to protect the fabric. Has anyone had experience using Scotchguard?
Keep in mind that I haven't owned a car for a while! This is all new stuff for me.
About the seats. I do not know too much about Scotchguarding them but I will tell you that stains seem to come out easily. I have the beige interior. Unfortunately one of my passengers got sick and threw up in the car when it was only 1 week old. It happened during a trip and I just wiped it up until I could clean it thoroughly. There were dark stains but later that day I washed it with water and a mild detergent (as they recommend in the manual) and it came out perfect. No stain or even hint of one.
Unlikley anyone rents XTs, but it sure would help Subaru's sales....
JP
John
Craig
John
As for seat covers, if you get custom seat covers that are made to open with side impact air bags, you'll be fine. I would recommend GT Covers also known as Great Covers. I don't think they have covers for the 2005 models yet but it's worth a call. They have a couple web sites and provide custom seat covers for many dealers across the country. I have purchased three sets from them so far and have been happy. They retail from dealers for $160 but you can buy direct for $120 or so for two seats.
Elissa
The drone from the rear probably is the wheel bearings. Especially if it changes pitch with speed.
If they replace those with Legacy bearings you should be all set. Gaskets would have failed by 116k miles so that's good to go.
-juice
Only the gear oil is a long reach. The rest you can check at a glance. Just do it at each oil change. Odds are you'll never have to add fluids. At least I never have.
-juice
Owen
Craig
Elissa, I sent an email to GT asking about covers for the 2005 Forester, since nothing more recent than 2002 is listed on their web site. They look good, though! Certainly better than what was available at my local Target.
Is there any harm to Scotchguarding the seats, especially the back ones, which I probably won't bother to cover?
Len
HTH,
Owen
Thanks in advance for your responses.
X is a great value. Even though it is a "base" model, you get AWD, ABS, power windows/locks/mirrors, cruise, CD player, A/C, temp guage, tach, rear wiper, fog lights, roof rack with cross bars, and a full size spare. Even side airbags that protect your head are standard.
Shop competitors and their base models are missing about 3-5 of those items at least. Seriously.
I happen to prefer the unpainted cladding, but you'll have to be the one to decide whether you do or not.
Basically the X has everything you need.
The XS adds things you might want, like heated seats, mirrors, wiper de-icers, 6CD changer, and painted cladding. Do you want those things?
The Premium package adds that huge moonroof. Boy is it sweet, though.
Legacy wagon will cost you more, street price. Forester X runs in the 18s with a manual, 19s with an automatic. A Legacy wagon would run 20-21 for manual, 21-22 for automatic. So it's a couple grand higher.
Plus the Legacy loses the full size spare, the fog lights, the cross bars for the roof rack. It gains side-airbag curtains but still scores lower in IIHS tests, so that advantage is dubious at best. You get rear disc brakes, too.
Legacy is longer, but not nearly as tall. So it'll carry more groceries, but not as big a box in the cargo area.
I own one of each, older models, but I prefer the Forester. It's just more spunky, more nimble, I dunno. It's hard to explain. On paper that Legacy should be better, but it's not.
Value is about getting all the basics you need for the best price possible, so the answer is Forester X.
That doesn't mean that you shouldn't get a higher-end model if you want those things, though. You only live once and I'm sure you'll enjoy the extras. How much? $2000-3000 worth? You'll get some back at resale time. What's it worth to you?
-juice
Back in 2000 when I was shopping for my first Subaru, I was looking at the Forester quite a bit, and was almost ready to buy a base model. Then I test drove a base Outback and decided it was a better car for me. Back then, there was a lot of overlap in pricing, and a base Outback was equipped similar to a higher end Forester for about the same price.
In Aug 2002, my wife bought an 03 Forester XS, and it reminded me how much fun the Forester is to drive.
I would reccommend at least driving the base Outback and Legacy models, to see what the differences are. The 05 models are extremely refined, noticeably more so than the Forester. If that appeals to you, they may be a better choice. Hard to say -- it really depends on which car feels "right" to you.
BTW, you can get all the cars for near the invoice price, so keep that in mind as you shop around.
Craig
My kids are just gonna have food fights all over those upscale materials. ;-)
-juice
Craig
I didn't use anything special. I was told it would be really hard to remove, but actually it was a piece of cake. I did have a long shaft 1/2" ratchet drive, just in case.
You can run a tube from above and pour gear oil in, or buy a hand-held oil pump and use that. I prefer the latter because if you spill it doesn't end up on the vehicle.
Forester's seating position is slightly raised, but not that much. It's very easy to get in and out of.
-juice
Rear Torque 49Nm / 36.2ft-lbs
On the rear threads use Three Bond 1105 (Subaru pn 004403010)
I didn't use anything, hope that rear diffy plus comes out next time. :-)
-juice
Elissa
BTW, the beam-type wrenches are indeed hard to read, and get out of calibration real easy. Not worth using in my experience.
Craig
Len
A click-type torque wrench for Christmas it is then! My husband is tired of getting me such unromantic gifts though LOL. Our first holiday together I asked for jack stands. Maybe this year I'll ask for a teddy (ya think JC Whitney sells those?) with the torque wrench so at least he can have some fun too while I'm working on the car. :P
Elissa
I also tried Bosch in my wife's Caravan and my 90 Legacy (Platniums). I was unhappy with their performance and replaced them within 6 months of installing them.
I have since used ONLY NGK's in all the vehicles I own and service. If it calls for platniums, I use them. If not I use the standard copper core plugs. They give good performance and last as long if not longer than advertised.
Spring-Fall a consistent 180 miles per half tank in my 2001S. Current tank, barely 160 miles.
Len