Subaru XT Turbo Forester

kdshapiro

Any advice for a Subaru newbie?

You'll get better gas mileage if the accelerator is not firmly planted to the floor 100% of the time. :shades:

ll1

Just noticed today that in front of both front wheels there are what appears to be black fin extension of either a small mud flap or fender? Does anyone know the functions of these black plastic fins? Are they an undercarriage aerodynamic thing? I don't think they're mud flaps because there are already mud flaps behind the wheels...and can't think why you would need mud flaps in front of the wheels.

crashton6

You are right those have nothing to do with mud. They are aerodynamic aids. You'll see them on other cars if you look closely. The first car I remember seeing them on was a Honda S2000.

Chuck

apackerfan

Any advice regarding the extended warranty? Should I consider it, or are these XT's so reliable that it would be money down the toilet? The car came with Yokohama Geolander tires which seem fair at best. I noticed someone else mentioned Yokohama's and Bridgestone G500's recently. Are these two the best for rain, snow, and gravel road driving? I have had Michelin's XPC before with great success but not sure if they make a 16.

Thanks for all your help to the newbie. I love this car!!! Honk Honk

Stacie

ateixeira

Most people will probably tell you it's not necessary, but you do benefit from a few extras:

* roadside assistance for the full duration of the warranty
* better resale value if sold with some warranty left over
* peice of mind
* red carpet treatment at the dealer

The last one is hard to quantify, I'll admit.

Turbos have a surcharge I think, so shop around, it might be a bit pricey.

-juice

p0926

You should at least consider one just so you can make an informed decision on whether you're better off with or without one. Statistically speaking, you're better off skipping the extended warranty and simply self-insuring yourself. However, if you prefer the peace of mind that a extended warranty provides and/or can't count on having sufficient cash on hand to cover a potential major repair, then you're probably better off getting one. If you do get one, only buy the manufacturer's backed plan (any other one isn't worth the paper it's written on). Also, remember you have until your 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty runs out to decide.

-Frank

corkfish

I passed on the extended warranty. Instead, I got a Subaru Bucks credit card and now have $500 that I can spend on parts/repairs etc. This might be an alternative to getting an extended warranty. Isn't the actual drivetrain warranty good for 60,000 miles?

ateixeira

)

$300 accumulated in Subaru Bucks and 4 full years left on our Gold warranty.

In fact I could buy our next Gold warranty with Subaru bucks! LOL

-juice

p0926

Yep the drivetrain is warranted until 5/60 but since the extended warranty covers more than that, you have until the end of the 3/36 to decide if you want it.

-Frank

apackerfan

Thanks all for the input re the extended warranty. Subaru Bucks too, hmmm!
Still trying to figure out the best tires to replace the stock, lot of past discussion but no overall winner I can see yet.

Did I mention I love this car, what fun, blew past a Turbo Jetta yesterday like it was standing still. I found the goofy grin!

Stacie

ateixeira

I'll recommend these, which are on my Miata now. They grip so much better than the previous tires I had on there that I experience some tram-lining at first, until they had worn in a little.

-juice

corkfish

Someone should post a list of good all season tire replacement candidates along with postives and negatives. Falken, Dunlops, Contis, Yokahama Avids. Anything else?

ateixeira

There is a whole tires thread for that.

Keep in mind that people will rate them differently. I want lateral grip and care more about that than noise or durability.

Someone else might have the same tires and whine all day about them only lasting 25k miles and call them junk.

-juice

subewannabe

I just put a set of Falken Ziex 512's on, and I'm happy with the dry and wet traction and low noise so far. The H-rated BF Goodrich Traction T/A's were my first choice after reading the reviews on Tirerack from other Subaru owners in moutainous states, but went with the Falken's, also rave reviews, on a hunch. Michelin Pilot AS Sports were a contender but probably overpriced ...would have cost another $160 for 4 tires.
I think it depends on your local and personal driving conditions.

Mark

apackerfan

After reading all the previous threads on tires, I am down to 3: Falken Ziex 512's, BF Goodrich Traction T/A, and Yokohama Avid's. If I am reading right all are highly rated here and at Tirerack, all seem to work well on dry, wet and snow and handle very well in the turns. I don't care if any only last 25k.

Anyone out there in the Pacific Northwest with experience with these 3?

thanks
Stacie

bluesubie

There is a whole tires thread for that....

I posted over there for Connor at the Tire Rack and received excellent advice. I was strongly consider a summer tire for better handling, but also wanted something that could handle driving on the beach. Connor recommended the Pilot Sport A/S's and they were an excellent recoommendation.

They're probably on par with some summer only tires, and the shoulders are great for driving on the sand when they're aired down.

Stacie - You listed about 2 or 3 different tire categories there. I would go with the Falken's because they're the most performance oriented of that bunch, but it depends on your wants and needs. The BFG's will probably be a little quieter and maybe better in the snow, and the Avid's are decent but a notch or two below the others in performance.

-Dennis

ll1

Thanks,

It's interesting that small of a flap can aid aerodynamics, I'll have to see if they're inherited from the WRX-Sti design.

RE: TIRES.

Anyone put any Bridgestones on the Forester?
What is the quietest tire that people have heard about or used on the Forester. Is the stock Yoko's quiet or loud compared to the others people talk about here. I do think the performance is a bit under par (squeals with moderate turns)...but I'm guessing they're better winter tires and would guess the softer compound may lead to lower noise than some above mentioned after-markets.

deadeye5

Hi Have heard some discussion on here about the Geolanders(Come on New Subies) I have 18,000 now on my 04XT with the Geo's and see NO tread wear.
My driving is 85%Highway I feel at 30 + I may be looking but, so far I think they are great !!

Deadeye

corkfish

Mine has around 12,000 miles on it and I've considered buying new tires because everyone says it's a dramatic improvement. Has anyone who's replaced their Geolanders found that the improvement has really been THAT dramatic? I mean, do you really notice it that much?

apackerfan

Interesting at least 2 of you like the Geolanders, that is encouraging. I gave them a good test in a severe rain storm yesterday on the freeway and they handled a ton of surface water "ok" at best. I know I can do better. My experience has been that stock tires are never worthy of everything you want, and past discussions here had validated that opinion. Looks like the Falken's at the moment.

Stacie

bluesubie

Has anyone who's replaced their Geolanders found that the improvement has really been THAT dramatic? I mean, do you really notice it that much?

Yes, THAT dramatic. It all depends on your driving style and where you drive though. I removed my Geolanders at 12k and the edges were a little worn. I drive pretty hard in the twisties of PA and NJ (notice I said hard, but not necessarily fast).

For those that live in the land of flat, straight roads and don't push their cars hard, the Geo's might be fine.

It's kind of like using 5W30 because that's what's on the cap and what is "preferred" . If you read the manual, you'll see that thicker weights are required depending on tempuratures and driving conditions.

-Dennis

mactel

So, I think my wife and I are almost certain to go with this car. I wanted to ask for peoples opinions on the comfort this car provides on long road trips of 300+ miles. We typically take few of these trips a month with our 01 Civic and think the ride is very uncomfortable. The car that I have test driven was the X and it seemed ok for city driving. I am however trying o determine this cars comfort level on longer highway trips. I read some people had issues with the seat, but for my short test drive it felt firm but comfortable.

I guess any comments from owners of the 03 to the current year would be very helpful to me.

Thanks.

stever

Subaru Crew Chat is tonight from 6-7 PT/9-10 ET. [Open in 25 minutes, in other words). Link's at the top of the page.

Steve, Host

troop2shos

IMO, the sooner you replace the Geo's, the more you'll enjoy your XT - 27k (about 3 - 4 mm tread left) was all I could stand & almost all of my miles are business related. Almost any performance radial will provide a significant improvement in response, traction, turn-in, reduced straightline drift including ABS not kicking in early, etc., that you'll notice immediately.
FWIW, I went with B'stone G009's with no regrets.

troop2shos

The seats are firm but supportive & I experience less fatigue on long drives with the leather non power seats in my '04 PP XT than either of my former Gen II or Gen III SHO power lumbar equipped bolsted seats. If you have doubts, maybe finding & renting an XT for a trip will provide sufficient seat time to make a final decision.

204meca

The vast majority of review on the 03 Forester ranked the Forester seat comfort vary high (for example, see the Edmunds long term test of 03 Forester). The fabric seats on my 03 feel a little hard at 1st, but are comfortable for long trips (my wife also has a "fussy back").

Juice & Bob reported that the 06 X Forester that they drove had further improved the overall seat and ride comfort. That said, everyone is different & there is no substitue for a long test drive.

However, finding a rental Forester is likely to be challenging. I would tell the dealer that you are ready to buy (assuming you are) & the seats are final hurdle to the sale - if they feel good on an extended (say 1 hour + drive) you will buy (be sure you have agreed on the price at this point). If you are a credible, qualified buyer, most dealers will let you take a demo model or a used model for an extended test drive. Another option that has worked for me is to ask to have the car overnight. If the dealer you are working with won't do this look for another dealer - that is not an unreasonable request before plunking down over $25,000!

p0926

That's hard to say since seat comfort is so subjective (no two people are built exactly the same). I know a few people have complained that the Forester's seats don't offer enough thigh support. I've taken mine on several day-long driving trips and have no complaints. The seat heaters are useful even in the summer on long trips as they provide nice soothing warmth to relax backs stiffened from sitting all day

-Frank

ateixeira

The 06s seats have a little less side bolstering and softer fabrics. Try an 05 and an 06 back to back, seat comfort is a high priority so that alone could determine which model year to pick.

The 06 is geared taller so it should rev lower (less noise) and might get slightly better mileage on trips, trading off a bit of top gear acceleration.

-juice

samiam_68

The front seats get uncomfortable after 4-5 hours of driving. The bottom cushion is not well designed.

samiam_68

I have 23K miles on original Geolanders (04 FXT) and have no complaints other than noise. They show barely any wear, and will probably last till 40K. I plan on replacing them with Yoko Avids.

bluesubie

Wow, less side bolstering would be a factor for me. My 04's seats are too wide and too hard and I get an achy back after a few hours of driving. I make 2-3 trips from NJ to SC every year. I arrive in SC more tired and achy than I did with my '03 WRX wagon (considered the best N. American WRX seats). My wife could also sleep better in the WRX and says the XT's seats are too hard.

The improvements in the exhaust (no cat in the up-pipe) and purportedly h.p. improvement might overrule the comfort though. You could swaps seats easier than modding the engine and not risk your powertrain warranty. Some JDM Forester STi seats would fix the seat issue.

-Dennis

Donluce

I like th Falkens, but the ride is not too good.

Don Luce

Donluce

In May, my wife and I drove our new 05 XT 5,100 miles from the East Coast to California. The ride was good except when on the concrete highways back east, with raised seams every 50ft. I had changed to Falken 225/60r/16 tires before starting the trip, and they are great tires, but the ride can be harch at times.

Don Luce

eps105

When I got my Falkens on my '03 XS Premium, I found the ride to be firmer than expected (considering Consumer Reports gave them excellent marks for ride comfort). I found that they were inflated to about 35 psi, which is typical for shops to inflate to.

When I took them down to 29 or 30 psi, I noticed a marked improvement. Note that this is still over the recommended pressure on the door sill, so I figure 30 psi to be a good compromise between mileage, wear, and ride.

I've put about 7,000 miles on my Falkens so far and still love them. Too bad I don't have an XT to really push their limits.

Elliot

corkfish

The only nice thing about the stock Geolanders is the weight. These tires only weigh 20 pounds. The closest all season performance tire I can find is 23 pounds. Anyone know how much the Falken Ziex weighs? I'd prefer to not add additional weight.

204meca

After driving my 03 Forester for a few weeks I am amazed how much the Geolanders squeal when making slow turns on blacktop. The parking lot at work has a tight 108 degree turn. Coming in at 2-3 mph the tires protest -- sounds like I am racing into the parking lot. I tried upping the pressure from 30 to 35 PSI, made no difference. I will replace them this fall -- maybe I can sell them to someone in Hollywood who needs good sound effects for chase scenes! :P

ll1

2005 XT - Cloth:
Just returned from a week-long trip in the Colorado mountains and put a little over 1000K in total driving (highway, off-road...yes, I was a bit cavalier with the new Subie). To be honest, initially we were concerned w/ the firm seats and shallow seat bench (mostly the rear). But after this trip, my wife and I are pleasantly pleased with the comfort. Now, I think I prefer the firm cloth seats over the softer leather in our Toyota. The rear seat bench may be less comfortable, but the front seats carrying two passengers (unless very tall people) allows ample foot space, and the seat cushion/support is firm but very comfortable over the long haul.

I would say overall the driving comfort is really limited by the road/wind noise. I think at speeds above 65mph the engine noise is easily drowned out by the others, and this is where it rates as average relative to its main competitors (Escape/Tribute/CRV). By the way, the Turbo is THAT MUCH MORE FUN when climbing those high mountains!

That being said, I still need to inspect the undercarriage for minor damages as I pushed the FXT a bit on the 4x4 trails in the high mountains....I forgot the FXT is not really a high-clearance vehicle, but it did very well on the muddy/rocky trails and the Geolanders did surprisingly well despite going over some nasty-looking rocks and holes.

kdshapiro

" would say overall the driving comfort is really limited by the road/wind noise."

When I first go my Forester it was to say the least very noisy. But 3000 miiles later I have to say while it isn't bank-vault quiet, it has quieted down noticeably. Moving the rook racks behind the sunroof helped as well.

Speaking of the sunroof, the Forester is *the* only car I've have *ever* had, where I can have a conversation at 65+ (mph not age), with the sunroof wide open.

njswamplands

only a mild 17k on my '04

samiam_68

24K on my '04 FXT.

njswamplands

p0926

A little over 30k on my 18 month old '04

But... nary a single problem!

crashton6

10,000 on my 05 XT since 12-4-04. I'm catching up with you guys.

Chuck

ateixeira

You starting to think about another trade? LOL

-juice

ll1

Just finished washing/vacuuming the car when I noticed the "outside temp" thermometer appears to be malfunctioning. It is now stuck on 68 degrees Farenheit when it is about 80-90 F outside.

Does anyone know where the sensor is? I'm guessing I either got it wet or bumped while vacuuming under the hood (had to get the bug corpses off the intercooler grill).

lark6

11 months with the '05 XT and just ticked over 13,000 miles this week.

Ed

ateixeira

That's about the temp I like, maybe your Forester is trying to tell you something. ;-)

-juice

corkfish

Bought my XT on 6/30/03 and it's at 12,600. I have a second car.

p0926

John - I hate you :P

-Frank

once_for_all

it got wet, it will take a couple hours to dry. Of course you probably know this already.

John