Subaru XT Turbo Forester

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Comments

  • atlgaxtatlgaxt Member Posts: 501
    Well, its been one year on the dot since we took delivery of our '04 XT with PP and AT (Puke Green).

    Mileage - 17k and change.

    MPG - high teens in town and low 20's on the highway.

    Mechanical problems - Zero.

    Personal satisfaction - High.

    A while back (OK - I'm a procrastinator) I finally got around to sticking a big hunk of industrial strength velcro on the back of my license plate. That got rid of a minor rattle we have had since day one. Beyond a somewhat high level of road noise, the rest of the vehicle is pretty solid with only occasional minor buzzes from here or there.

    Hope the next year goes as smoothly.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sounds good. Hope you have plenty more years like that one.

    -juice
  • beanboybeanboy Member Posts: 442
    Hey, at least it is a Soobie! I have to thank the FXT crew for keeping hopes alive after my disappointing WRX test drive way back when. Hope I don't meet any of you at a light. ;)

    http://www.stinkyteapot.com/images/soobie.jpg
    http://www.stinkyteapot.com/images/soobie2.jpg
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Is that a GT Ltd wagon? Schweet!

    Congrats.

    -juice
  • jmbird01jmbird01 Member Posts: 22
    When they go for the best 0-60 times do they push 1st gear to the red or do they go to 2nd gear quicker?

    Thanks,

    Jim
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I imagine they go all the way to redline, for the gearing advantage high rpms provide.

    And so that when they shift the rpms are still in the boost.

    -juice
  • fedexguyfedexguy Member Posts: 6
    Hopefully I can get an opinion on this out there. I have a 2004 FXT and I want to buy a second set of wheels to mount hardcore dedicated snow tires on. I live in California and regularly head over Donner summit to Tahoe and beyond. I found a set of 16" WRX wheels for sale for 300$ yet I am worried about the difference in offset. I know the FXT offset is 48 mm and the 16" WRX wheels have an offset of 55 mm. Will I have any issues in fit or rubbing. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to this? My other option is to use my stock wheels for the snows and save my money for 17" wheels for the rest of the year. What would you do?? Thanks a lot!!
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    I would only stick with a +48 offset, but that's just me. I suppose you can stick to an OEM size tire and you might be safe.

    I figure running a +48 offset is a little better in my dealer's eyes, especially since my 17's are +48 offset OEM Subaru (from Europe).

    I don't think it's very difficult to find 16" XS or XT wheels for sale.

    -Dennis
  • pon1pon1 Member Posts: 196
    Trying to save a few $$$$ and now considering a leftover 04 FXT (likely the last 04 MT in Western Canada).

    Other than it's not an 05 so lacks a bit of content, two problems:

    - it's white (that's why it's leftover, nobody buys white)
    - it's done 400 km

    How concerned would you be with this much test drive mileage and - I know it is subjective - but can anyone say anything good about white cars.

    Working on a lowball offer for "the fridge".

    JP
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I like them myself but my wife doesn't. I think it's a pretty good colour for hiding dirt too, at least compared to a dark colour (or black).

    The mileage wouldn't bother me either. Saving a few bucks definitely wouldn't bother me, lol.

    Steve, Host
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    I have a 2001 Forester S in white. Before this car, I had never before owned, or even considered, a white vehicle. I really love it. It stays cooler in the summer, and, believe it or not, it really does hide dirt quite well. The only disadvantage I've ever found is that it is hard to see where you have applied your wax when waxing it! Other than that, I have nothing bad to say about the color. (I tried to convince my wife to get her Outback in white, which is my favorite color for that model, but she fell in love with the wintergreen.)

    Len
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    White cars are probably the most popular car in Las Vegas. They are certainly cooler than black - in fact, now that I've owned both a black and a white car, I'll say that I have bought my LAST black car.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I have a white Miata, can't say I like the color much. It does make you more visible, but it goes yellow during pollen season, and brown in the fall (wet leaves make "tea" stains).

    400km probably on hard test drives.

    Just make sure it's a GREAT deal, it is under warranty after all.

    -juice
  • pon1pon1 Member Posts: 196
    50 of those kms are mine so I know what you're saying.

    I bet they try and include the PDI and delivery in their counter offer.

    JP
  • pon1pon1 Member Posts: 196
    Got it. Hopefully a great deal ($7K off list, inc. free tint, 3M clear bra and scotchguard)

    Feels good to be off the fence finally.

    JP
  • bobsherebobshere Member Posts: 7
    My Miata is WHITE and my FXT is WHITE too! Great color. Cool. Easy to see (at least where it doesn't snow ;) ). Doesn't show dirt compared with dark colors. Easy to touch up paint years later, where other colors fade to a hard to match something or other.

              Cheers,

                  Bob
  • troop2shostroop2shos Member Posts: 235
    Personally, I was tired of white, having various cars with this color sitting in the driveway over a long period of time. However, white has many advantages as mentioned in previous posts (including more reflection / visibility to be seen in low light) & I ended up trading my appliance white Gen III SHO for a Fridge WT PP XT. Since white is still the most popular color (especially for fleet / company car use), it's less noticeable on the road in traffic maintaining its stealth mode. Silver would be another good choice for similar reasons.
    I've also owned vehicles with dark colors (black, drk blue, reds) & while they look great, there is additional care & upkeep to keeping them looking that way - especially if they're not garaged. For my business travel use, white has its advantages for me.
  • pon1pon1 Member Posts: 196
    Now that I've actually bought the car and waiting to bring it home, I am trying desparately to stop re-reading all the old posts and road tests etc....it's tough.

    One useful piece of research today was a second set of tires/wheels for winter driving in Calgary and for trips to the mountains. I think I have settled on Blizzak WS-50 in a little narrower size than stock (205/65R16) on plain black painted steel aftermarket rims. The narower tire saves me a few $$ and I believe is a better bet in winter than the stock size of 215. Thoughts?

    The XT with winter tires must be some machine...

    JP
  • troop2shostroop2shos Member Posts: 235
    With the narrower tire, there will be less rolling resistance with a reduced tendency to push the snow in front of the tire & there will be more lb/s / sq. inch tire contact patch loading which will increase the snow performance.
    Your XT should exhibit outstanding control in the white stuff...your only worry will be with those who can't... :)
  • subewannabesubewannabe Member Posts: 403
    JP, Congrats on your new FXT! Many months ago Jack ( Ballistic), our very first Crew FXT owner, annnounced that he had acquired standard issue steel 16 rims" for last generation Outback and they fit perfectly for snow tires on his FXT.

    FWIW, I have put almost 13K miles on my Sierra Gold FXT PP in less than 5 months...and every mile has been perfect! We are thinking of getting another....his and hers! 23.5 to 24.5 mpg on the road.

    Mark
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    I have Blizzak WS-50s on steel rims for my 2001 Forester and my wife's 2003 Outback. These tires, combined with Subaru's AWD, are an incredible combination. Our cars are like snowmobiles with these tires. MUCH better in snow than the 4x4 Mitsubishi Montero with All-Terrain tires I used to own. Go for the Blizzaks!

    Len
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I think you could go as far as +50mm in an aftermarket rim, but I agree with the others that +55mm is too tight.
  • rthompson10rthompson10 Member Posts: 75
    Q,

    Does the back seat in the forester fold completely flat or is it like the OB where it tilts slightly up.

    I don't think there is a way to remove half of the bench seat if you want to fold the other half completely flat???

    Robert
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    The Forester seat folds flat. That was one of the reasons I purchased the Forester over the Outback. It's much more comfortable to sleep in the Forester too because of the flat cargo area! :-) -Elissa
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    .
  • beanboybeanboy Member Posts: 442
    Didn't realize the Forester was being sold under the Chevy badge in other markets!

    http://www.chevrolet.co.in/content_data/AP/IN/en/GBPIN/001/BRANDS- - ITE/index_forester.html

    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/906775.cms

    I would really like to See Subaru and Holden work together. Talk about creating a REAL Outback model! Have 10 inches of ground clearance, snorkel kit and an LS2 stuffed under the hood, ehehe.

    -B
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...on the Chev Forester spec sheet....

    We must (seeing the brand Holden) be talking down under. Attending "Battle of the Coral Sea" celeb in Sidney years ago.......great folks; outstanding visit........best, ez
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    No V8s, only H8s! It's gotta be a boxer or it ain't a real Subie. ;-)

    -juice
  • a2jimwa2jimw Member Posts: 7
    The XT is listed as requiring PREMIUM fuel in the specs but the XS is listed as regular. Given the cost of gas these days this could be a deciding factor. Reality? Comments??
  • a2jimwa2jimw Member Posts: 7
    Forgot to add...will tow whatever all wheels on the ground behind a motorhome. Currently towing a 2001 Saturn SL1.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The turbo force feeds air to the engine and the effective compression ratio is much higher than the stated one. Premium is a good idea.

    You're getting 235 lb-ft of torque from an engine the same size as the XS, which gives you 166 lb-ft. That's a lot of benefit for the extra fuel.

    -juice
  • volkovvolkov Member Posts: 1,306
    Unless you are a serious milage pounder it's negligable. The extra yearly cost of premium will be in the neighbourhood of $150 for 10k miles/year. There is also the issue of slghtly poorer gas mileage in the turbo vs N/A engine, but the dollar cost is even less, probably $100.
    $250 per year didn't even dent my enthusiasm for the WRX over the Outback sport. (Different models, same issues)

    Nicholas
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    Just my opinion, but I looked at it this way - the XT gives you a whole bunch more power than the XS. So if you want to compare apples to apples, you should compare the XT's fuel cost with a V6 (or I6), not compare it against a 4 cylinder - which would be comparing apples and oranges. Looking at it that way, there is little difference - the extra cost of premium gas is off-set by the fact the XT (for the most part) gets better mpg than a 6 cylinder.

    If the extra power of the XT isn't a requirement/high priority for you, then the XS would be a more cost-effective route, especially if you are a high-mileage person like I am.
  • atlgaxtatlgaxt Member Posts: 501
    Based upon a $0.20 per gallon difference (typical for my part of the world) and 20 mpg (a conservative overall average for the XT), premium will cost you the following:

    10,000 miles per year driven - $100 per year, $8.33 per month.

    15,000 miles per year driven, - $150 per year, $12.50 per month.

    20,000 miles per year driven, - $200 per year, $16.67 per month.

    When people see the numbers, it typically becomes a non issue.

    More importantly however, and the Subaru fanatics can please correct me if I am wrong, but it is my understanding that flat towing is a definite no no for any Subarus, so they are not suitable for pulling behind motorhomes. If you want to tow a Subaru, you have to have all four wheels off the ground.
  • lumbarlumbar Member Posts: 421
    I like your numbers, since mpg is a -big- issue in our household, but don't you need to factor the difference in mileage between XT and XS into the equation?

    Example: 10,000 miles @ 20 mpg @ 2.20/gal for XT=$1100

    10,000 miles @ 25 mpg @ 2.00 gal for XS=$800

    Unless I'm missing something, which is entirely possible, it appears that conservatively the difference in fuel costs probably would be no less than $250 (rounded down) for every 10,000 miles.
  • volkovvolkov Member Posts: 1,306
    All I knew for sure was that 2 wheel towing was a definite no-no. Why would 4 wheel passive towing be any worse for Subies than any other car?

    Nicholas
  • kev_xt_ownerkev_xt_owner Member Posts: 41
    The Subaru has AWD and the transmission is designed to distribute the driving power from the engine [or in the case of being towed, the motive force from the road to the tires] to all the wheels. Automatics and manuals use different methods to transfer the power between the front wheels and rear wheels.

    For the automatics, Subarus use an electronically controlled clutch. With the Subaru being towed, the electronics are not energized and the clutch doesn't distribute the power with 2 or 4 wheels on the ground. This imbalance can damage the clutch (I think primarily due to heat).

    For the manual transmissions, Subarus use a viscous coupler to transfer power. As such, it requires no electrical power. However, the coupler will still receive motion/power from the wheels on the ground and will either send power to the wheels off the ground or absorb this energy as heat. The manual transmission Subarus can be towed with all 4 wheels on the ground as the coupler should be transferring little, if any, power in that circumstance.
  • lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    I wouldn't want to put the wear on the AWD drive train from towing. I can't believe it can be good for the car on a regular basis.
  • atlgaxtatlgaxt Member Posts: 501
    Yes - I left the difference in fuel economy out of my equation. If you are comparing the XS to the XT, you would need to consider that also.

    My main point is that I have seen on a lot of discussion groups where people get worked up when they see a car requires mid grade or premium fuel, but they do not do the math to see that the difference is not all that great.

    On the other hand, I believe using mid-grade or premium in a vehicle that does not need it is foolish, and my understanding is that it can actually cause problems.
  • lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    Too much octane gives Ford's EEC-IV (ecu)fits. I had to put high octane in my 99 Sable (or push it to the next gas station) and it ran awful. Dealer told me to wait until tank was low, refill with 87 octane and reset the ecu. Ran fine thereafter. EEC-IV was also sensitive to installing platinum plugs - I put in a set and the car idled rough until they were changed out. Interestingly it did run better at the high end and get slightly better mileage.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You can tow an MT5 Viscous Coupling with all 4 wheels down. The center diffy won't really be doing any work, as the 4 wheels are just being dragged forward (i.e. no slip).

    Both differentials are mechanical and dip the gears in gear oil. No pump is used.

    Plus, it's not like you're going to be doing sharp U-turns or figure 8s in a motor home. Wide turning circles mean the diffys will get little to no work.

    I'm talking Manual. The auto forget it. The oil pump is not operating so it won't lube the drivetrain properly.

    Forester is probably the lightest vehicle in its class, and can be towed with all 4 wheels on the ground, so in fact it might be the best in class for your needs.

    -juice
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    Larry, did you take your XT back to the dealer since we last spoke? Any update on loss of coolant? -elissa
  • pon1pon1 Member Posts: 196
    Pick up the "new" XT next Sat. Given it already has 450 test drive kms, maybe I dont have to break it in :)

    Seriously, I'm going to assume my fellow testers were kind to the car and will follow the recommended break in for the remaining kms (1000?), change oil and filter at 5000km and change again to synthetic at 10K. Any thoughts?

    JP
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    I'm planning on changing to synthetic for my XT shortly also (have 8500 miles on it now). I heard from someone who put 5W30 in his XT and found the synthetic blend to be too thin for the XT so he moved up to the higher viscosity. I'm still investigating which viscosity might be best.
    Elissa
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    I've been using 5W-30 Quaker State full synthetic since 7500 miles. No problems. I change oil every 7500 miles now and haven't had to add an ounce yet.
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    My dealership had a little recent buyers introduction last night that I attended. I got to ask a bunch of questions directly to the techs. One of the questions was if I switch my XT to synthetic, should I change the weight. The answer was a recommendation to use 10W30 if using synthetic, except in perhaps extreme tundra-type conditions where you might want to stay with the 5W30. I'm going to move to Amsoil or Mobil1 10W30 on the next oil change. Hope that helps.
    Elissa
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    I've asked this question before of the forum and no one seemed to know. At my dealership last night, I had a tech point out the location of the plugs for the turbo models (very similar look and location for H6 models as well), and I just can't believe it! They are not even recognizable as spark plugs from the outside because they are not covered by a boot and wire set. They are covered by a coil and buried deep down in the engine compartment. I was able only to photograph one for display purposes, the others were too difficult to see through a camera lens. I uploaded the photos where you can check them out. Now the next remaining question is - how the heck do you change these things?!?!?!? Any techs out there that have any advice? There are instructions for changing them on the H6 on another forum which should probably help, but I'm wondering if anyone here has done this and can say wether it's worth the $200 to have the dealer do it if it's worth the joy of doing it myself.
    http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?showSlide=true&Uc=9tz0m- - xvj.65z60uxn&Uy=90s5al&Ux=0



    image
    Elissa
  • lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    Elissa - I've been running Quaker State 10-30 Hi Horsepower Syn Blend. I know some people think the blends are a waste of money, but I had help selecting this oil based upon my oil reports I get from Blackstone. I still change it every 3000 miles or so as I qualify for the severe duty schedule. According to SOA, syn, syn blend, or dino, the severe schedule is the severe schedule so it stays on the 3/3000. Whether or not they'd gripe about it if I extended the changes, especially with Blackstone saying I could run it longer, I'll never know. I've learned to never give a mfg any warranty wiggle room you don't have to.

    Also re: coolant loss - yup, still there, slow and steady. Definitely loses more if I do 300-400 miles in a couple of days vs the around town stuff.

    So in summary, at 18,000 miles, I've added more oil and coolant to this one car than the previous 200,000 miles on junky old American cars combined.

    Also, last tank achieved a new low - 14.6 mpg in all city driving. Wifey does the same city driving and gets around 22 or so in her OBW. Well, at least I can go faster to the next gas station. :<) or should it be :<( ?

    Larry
  • lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    Elissa - nice shots of the plug area. Those look like an absolute delight. Think I'll plan on an afternoon for the first time at least. I do have the shop manual I downloaded from Subaru - I'll try to take a look in it and see if it gives any "insight".

    Larry
  • deadeye5deadeye5 Member Posts: 93
    Larry

    How about a tip as to How to D/Load manual for my XT ??
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