Subaru XT Turbo Forester

lite1

Thanks, you have all been helpful. Other ideas from those who go off-road but not rock hopping would be appreciated.

Edward from Philly wrote: "I replaced my OEM Yokohama Geolandars (not the same, but similar, to what come on the XT) with Dunlop SP Sport 5000s. They aren't a dedicated off-road tire - more of a high performance all-season - but they work well in the conditions you describe." What about road noise on freeway at 70mph?

Any other off-road worthy tire suggestions? I take my current Toyota Avalon in lots of places that reading here I guess I shouldn't. It has horrible road clearance and front entry angel - I scrape front when entering a friends steep driveway! Got a flat that destroyed the side wall on some moderately stoney dirt road with some loose rock a couple of weeks ago when I was in 18 miles getting to a trail head. Fortunately spare was pretty well inflated.

Edward (S. Oregon)

lark6

Edward from S. Oregon: They're as quiet as, if not quieter than, the OEM Yokohamas.

Ed from (about 35 miles outside of) Philly

corkfish

How are the Dunlop Sport SP's in the snow? Dunlops are great and am considering these as a replacement for the Geolanders. Was there a noticeable difference after the swap?

kens

I'm in an very similar situation as Ed (lark6) in that I own a 98 Forester S and am considering the XT as my next vehicle. I currently drive a 5-speed, however.

1) AT or MT
Given that you do only light off-roading and you're not stuck in traffic, it really comes down to your preference. Heavy traffic and lots of off-roading where you need to slip the clutch would mandate an AT.

The two transmissions offer quite a different driving experience in my opinion. The AT delivers smooth and solid power. The MT is just simply explosive. If you are a driving enthusiast and don't need to drive AT due to bad kness, I'd say go with the MT. In any event, try driving both before buying. The MT is geared considerably shorter.

In regards to the 1->2 gap, that was really nothing new to me as a current 5-speed Forester owner. The XT 1->2 gear ratios are the same with the exception of the final drive which is shorter. I had no problem with the XT transmission on my test drive.

2) Tires
My advice -- wait and see. The Geolandars are just all-season passenger car tires. They'll probably be fine while the tread is nice and fresh. There are lots of tire choices out there. Get to know your vehicle and then choose. FYI, I also run my Forester on Dunlop SP5000s. They offer better dry and wet handling and are quieter as well. I haven't had a chance to drive them in snow or gravel, however.

3) Security upgrade option
If you don't need heavy duty systems like a LoJack, then I'd set get it. I also live in a low-crime area and the upgrade offers enough for my needs. It's an upgrade -- all the option does is add a shock sensor and a siren to the existing keyless remote system. The horns and lights all flash when it goes off.

4) Color
If dirt is your concern, go with silver. It'll show the least amount of dirt. My Forester is black and my wife's car is silver. I know from experience!

Getting a window tint is highly recommended for the Forester since it has so much glass. If you don't like the "tinted" look, you can opt for a nearly-clear 70-75% tint that's designed just to block UV. I put these on my front side windows (to comply with CA law) and they make a HUGE difference in the heat I feel from the sun. It's also helped cure driver's tan (left arm gets suntanned) in the summer.

Ken

ballistic

In regards to the 1->2 gap, that was really nothing new to me as a current 5-speed Forester owner. The XT 1->2 gear ratios are the same with the exception of the final drive which is shorter.

I wish that were true, but unfortunately it isn't. 1st gear on both naturally-aspirated and XT Foresters is indeed the same: 3.454. Second gear on non-turbo Foresters is 2.062, which is a reasonable 67% taller than 1st. The XT uses WRX gearbox ratios, which are not the same as the standard Forester's. On the XT (and WRX), 2nd gear is 1.947, which is 77% taller than first.

Obviously, many XT owners don't mind this considerably larger gap between 1st and 2nd. Some of us find it awkward.

lark6

Not bad, better than Geos but not as good as dedicated snow tires. Max depth I've driven them in is about 6".

BTW, it is snowing and sleeting here now!!!

Ed

ballistic

1. Transmission. As you can see, many 5-speed XT owners have no objection to the ratios. I'm one who doesn't like them at all. If I were buying an XT again, I would definitely get the automatic; its ratios are perfectly matched to the engine. But all that matters is what suits you, and the only way to determine that is for you to drive both versions and decide for yourself.

2. Tires. You mentioned noise. I think the Geolanders are responsible for quite a bit of the road noise that's present in the XT's cabin. If I disengage the clutch at (say) 40mph to let the engine idle, I hardly notice any reduction in the din. I'm a cheapskate, so I'll live with the noisy Geos until they wear out. But at that point I'll definitely be looking for quieter tires.

3. Security upgrade. I skipped it. Even in Portland, the rate of auto theft (especially for stodgy cars like Foresters) is comparatively low, and elsewhere in Oregon it will be even lower. My insurer (State Farm) offered no additional discount for the alarm.

4. Color. It evidently bothers others that there are zillions of other silver cars on the road. So what? I couldn't care less - it's not only great looking, it's also highly practical. Silver reflects heat extremely well, it shows dirt and dust less than nearly any other color, and the XT-only silver roof rails look much better with silver paint than any of the other choices.

I think you should easily be able to beat $500 over invoice. Mine was only $100 over, and that was for the first XT 5-speed in Oregon, back in June. From what I've read, dealers are more flexible now.

Also, if you catch an unsold inbound XT in time (before it arrives at the Vancouver Port of Entry), your dealer can have it configured at the port with exactly the options you want and with none you don't want. That's how I was able to delete the pointless, expensive rear spoiler from mine. I spent the same money on the entertaining column-mount boost gauge instead.

jb

lark6

jb: My other car is silver, so I don't see a need to have two. Not trying to start anything here, just want something a little different for myself.

Ed

ateixeira

All logical reasons point to the automatic. Resale, ease of use, trips, commuting, robustness, easier towing, easier off road, etc.

Then I drove them, and I'd choose a 5 speed, no matter what anyone told me. It's is *wicked* fast. The Auto is merely very fast.

)

-juice

kens

Ah, I think I confused the statement I had read in the C&D review of the XT:

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_- id=6854&page_number=2

Most of the smileage was brought on by the 2.5XT's unceasing willingness to make usable torque and to scream across intersections in first gear, which is an extra-deep 3.45:1 (the same as in base Foresters).

In any event, I didn't find the 1->2 shift unreasonable on the XT.

Ken

ballistic

Different people have different priorities. "Wicked" fast was nowhere on my list. Balanced overall performance with decent operating costs, quiet and relaxed freeway cruising, strong 2-lane passing power, long engine life, and so forth were at the top of my list.

ballistic

jb: My other car is silver, so I don't see a need to have two. Not trying to start anything here, just want something a little different for myself.

What I meant was that I select colors to suit me, and (for me) it's completely immaterial whether every other car (or no other car) on the road is the same color.

lark6

Sometimes I lose my car in the parking lot (not that there are that many black Foresters, mind you) and I think that'd be worse for me if my car was the same color as most of the others of its kind. If my car had an external antenna, I'd probably have one of those ping pong ball toppers on it like they sell at Jack in the Box in California.

Ed

lite1

JB - Thanks for all of the comments. Which dealer did you buy yours from for $100 over invoice?

Since I need to be in Portland sometimes on biz buying from up there rather than southern Oregon is definitely an option. And yes I totally agree on avoiding the spoiler - a high profit dealer choice that makes no sense to me.

Edward (S. Oregon)

ateixeira

JB: but you just described the X and XS models! ;-)

-juice

envyabull

As previously mentioned the correct oil filter for the Forester XT is part number:

15208AA080

It is a puny little black thing (Is that an oxymoron?) I am told it is the same size but better quality as the the Justy.

I bought one yesterday from my local dealer for a whopping $7 and change! They would sell me a case of 12 filters for $6 each. I resisted with the hope that prices will come down or other manufacturers will step in to take advantage of this screwing. The plug gasket was another $1.02.

The Purolator website claims to have equivalent filters. Part numbers:

PL14612 or L14612

I have not seen these and would want to look at it before buying. My local Autozone does not carry purolator.

ballistic

If my car had an external antenna, I'd probably have one of those ping pong ball toppers on it like they sell at Jack in the Box in California.

Speaking of antenna gizmos, yesterday I was behind (but, in an XT, not for long!) somebody who had something atop their antenna that made it lash sideways back and forth through about a 30-degree arc. One of the most distracting things I've ever seen.

For locating your car in lots - maybe keep a small mylar helium baloon with a 4-foot string inside, to loop around one of the mirrors?

lark6

Not a bad idea, but with my luck someone would untie it and it'd float away! If all goes according to schedule I'll have one labeled "It's a Boy" tied to our mailbox in about two months. Myabe I'll use that one.

That big gizmo may have been one of those teardrop-shaped things sold in some catalogs that's advertised to improve radio reception. Sort of like the things you see on military Humvees, though I've seen a couple on H2s around here (wannabes?).

Ed

ballistic

I received no "promotional" extras at that price. All I got was the one customary no-charge oil change at the 3,000 mile mark. If your $500-over dealers are offering free scheduled maintenance for x number of months or some other "freebie" that's of value to you, that has to be factored in to put things on equal footing.

Otherwise, I buy where the price is lowest.

ballistic

JB: but you just described the X and XS models! ;-)

Well, yes - except for the strong 2-lane passing power. That was the only thing missing from the base models. Too bad so many MPG had to be sacrificed to provide it, on top of premium gas <sigh>.

ballistic

I bought one yesterday from my local dealer for a whopping $7 and change! They would sell me a case of 12 filters for $6 each. I resisted with the hope that prices will come down or other manufacturers will step in to take advantage of this screwing. The plug gasket was another $1.02.

$7 is about what mine charged me, but at least he threw in the crush washer at no extra charge.

ballistic

I'll have one labeled "It's a Boy" tied to our mailbox in about two months. Myabe I'll use that one.

Fortunately, your Forester isn't pink...you'd confuse the poor thing's self-image forever.

That big gizmo may have been one of those teardrop-shaped things

Whatever it was, it was tiny, barely visible. Drove me nuts, though. Wanted to come alongside and rip it off. Thought better of it. Made use of said strong 2-lane passing power instead. There go the damn MPGs for this tankful..

ateixeira

Yeah, Ed, but if you get an XT you'll be going too fast for anyone to have time to read it! )

I tend to look for end spots (fewer door dings) and I park at the far ends of parking lots. Drives my wife nuts! LOL

JP: I think we just coined an insider's phrase.

-juice

tidester

...for reasons that totally escape me we're prohibited here from naming salespeople

There's nothing complicated about it. We don't want the Town Hall to be one big hawkfest for car dealers.

And, next time, drop the salesperson's initials and your phone number! :-)

tidester, host

lite1

JB - Thanks for further info. I found a dealer over phone who without any "push" is happy to order XT with whatever options I want and sell it at invoice or $100 over. Knowledgeable and easy going, what a pleasure. And this pricing has nothing to do with the Subarau partners VIP program where you can buy at Invoice. He also let me know his upcoming order cycle request (which comee every about 45 days) and enough about the pipeline of cars on boats and at dock and how they get distributed. Kind of person who makes it a pleasure to shop. Edward

erics6

Edward,

Carr is usually the lowest price in the Portland area, but some of the other dealers may be able to beat their price. Wentworth in SE Portland seems pretty aggressive in pricing and Royal Moore in Hillsboro might be able to beat them too.
I've been able to get my two Subarus at substantially under invoice, thanks to all of the competition in the Portland area.

Eric

ballistic

Last May I sent letters inviting all six dealers in the area to bid (specified simply as $XXX over invoice, since no actual pricing data had yet been released then) for an XT with stipulated equipment. Responses ranged from straight MSRP (!) down to $4-500 over invoice. At that time, on a pre-arrival XT quotation, only Carr (through their nameless Internet Sales Mgr) was perfectly OK with $100 over. That, plus a straight-talking, well-informed rep, is why I bought there.

In sharp contrast, the people at Wentworth were absolutely ridiculous. Totally uninformed, dismally uninterested, utterly non-responsive unless I dragged crumbs of info out of them. I now know how a leper might feel in a Beverly Hills Bentley showroom. While I may consider having my XT serviced by Wentworth (much closer than Carr to where I work on Swan Island), under no circumstances would I ever buy any vehicle from them.

dcdouglas

Thanks, juice!
I'll take credit for the original concept (reference my "new family member announcment" from earlier this week).

dcdouglas Oct 22, 2003 1:26pm
--dcdouglas

erics6

Hmmm...I guess we all have different experiences. I found both Wentworth and Carr internet sales to be very professional and straightforward. Very close in pricing. However, the walk-on experience at Carr was much more high pressure than Wentworth. I'll give both of them the opportunity to earn my business when I buy my 05 Legacy.

lite1

Maybe buying XT very soon and am considering Subaru's Gold Plus extended warranty (not the Classic warranty). Dealer pricing on this is all over the map as to be expected - it can be a big profit item for them. To give an idea:
7 year 100,000 miles pricing:
$100 deductible $1,475 $1,825 $1,843 $2,195
$50 decutible $1,575 $1,980 $2,275
Obviously I will negotiate, but would love to hear the pricing that others got or were offered. However the only way to make it meaningful is to also indicate how close to dealer invoice you paid on the car. I say this because if they made alot of money on the car then they might be easier going on the extended warranty or vice versa. At this point it looks like I can buy the car for $100 under invoice, but the pricing on the extended warranty is one of the higher ones, but I haven't tried to push on that warranty price yet as I'm not sure I will buy a warranty at all. Never had one before and not sure I will do it now, however since I hope to be offroad 10% of the time a warranty might be helpful.
Thanks, Edward (S. Oregon)

jason_els

This is weird. I went to setup the MySubaru.com website for my vehicle and when I entered my VIN number it showed my XT as a, "Forester Base". Is this normal for XTs? I emailed the webmaster there and he replied saying that the VIN was, indeed, showing as a base model. I checked the VIN number on my registration, on the window plate, and the Monroney sticker and they all exactly match what I gave Subaru.

When I look for the manual online I get a message stating that manuals are not available for cars prior to 1998!

Is everyone else experiencing this because the model is so new?

If it's not the case then I'm deeply concerned and will call Subaru first thing Monday because I could see no end to the headaches this problem could create.

Many thanks!

lfdal

re: XT extended warranty - I paid $1650 for a 7/100 $0 deductible. Keep in mind most dealers surcharge 200-250 for the turbo. Did not get it at the selling dealer as he was over $2400. Took a lot of shopping at that to get the 1650. Extended warranties are very subjective - some people never need them, on the other hand people like me buy them every time and have yet to lose money on them. I went the 7/100/0 because for the next 7 years I don't want to have to even think about it. It's all a matter of preference - go with whatever's in your comfort zone, after all, its your money.

re: mysubaru.com. I've got the same problem. I e-mailed them regarding this over a month ago and received no response. Disappointing in that the technical help over the site has been outstanding. Interesting to note that they do have the correct selling dealer and my warranty information. I think the more people that mention this to them the better the chance of getting it fixed. Actually glad to see your post as I was contemplating e-mailing them again. I wonder if they're re-prooofing the manual given the oil capacity boo-boo?

Larry

miamixt

There is a fake Subaru-Warranty Website that claims to save you 40%. The Dealer mark up on Classic or Gold Subaru Added Protection plans is 40%. Despite what you might read, these Policies are fair traded regulated Insurance Products, and can not be discounted. Here are the exact prices listed on your Dealers Website. If you paid less, it might not be an authentic Subaru policy?
Dealer Suggested Retail Pricing Schedule

Plan Terms Classic Gold Plus
$100 DEDUCTIBLE
3 years / 45,000 miles $240 $350
4 years / 60,000 miles $320 $530
5 years / 60,000 miles $430 $700
6 years / 60,000 miles $550 $850
6 years / 80,000 miles $820 $1200
5 years / 100,000 miles $1200 $1500
6 years / 100,000 miles $1250 $1700
7 years / 100,000 miles $1450 $1950
$50 DEDUCTIBLE
3 years / 45,000 miles $300 $450
4 years / 60,000 miles $400 $650
5 years / 60,000 miles $500 $800
6 years / 60,000 miles $700 $920
6 years / 80,000 miles $1000 $1370
5 years / 100,000 miles $1400 $1750
6 years / 100,000 miles $1500 $1900
7 years / 100,000 miles $1700 $2150
$0 DEDUCTIBLE
3 years / 45,000 miles $450 $600
4 years / 60,000 miles $550 $800
5 years / 60,000 miles $650 $900
6 years / 60,000 miles $800 $1100
6 years / 80,000 miles $1200 $1580
5 years / 100,000 miles $1600 $1990
6 years / 100,000 miles $1800 $2170
7 years / 100,000 miles $2000 $2460

Eligibility: New plans - up to 3/36,000 from in-service date
Turbo Surcharge: add $250 to 80K and 100K plans only

lite1

Ifdal (Larry) - You indicate you had to shop around alot to get 7/100,000 $0 deductible for $1,650. Is this truly a policy issued by Subaru itselt? Seems like an excellent ("unbelievable") price; was it purchased from dealership where you also purchased the XT? According to Miami XT your policy should have cost $2,460 + $250 (turbo surcharge) = $2,710 for the Gold warranty, OR $2,000 + $250 = $2,250 for the Classic. What did you pay for your XT in relationship to Dealer Invoice? Perhaps they made a bunch of money there and cut you a deal on the warranty but it does not sound like that fits your description.

Miamixt - Where did you get what you indicate are MSRP for the Subaru warranties? You indicate that is posted on my dealers website, but I have not been able to see it there. Can you show a link to a dealer website where they list the prices. I have always been referred to their own Subaru finance minister to get pricing (and of course the sales pitch, low key or otherwise) If this is truly accurate pricing then it is extremely helpful.

It is clear to me from my shopping for XT as well as asking about Gold Plus extended warranty and talking with the finance minister at each dealership that the following is true:
1) Initial asking price on the policy (Gold Plus) is all over the map.
2) I am truly comparing apples to apples, namely a Subaru policy not some third party policy that the dealership is selling. I believe that this is true because at least two of the dealerships also sold a third party policy and gave me pricing on that.
3) When I made it clear that my interest if was going to purchase at all would be only in the Subaru policy but not at that price, there was a second asking price considerable lower.
4) With my local dealer in relatively small town of 40,000 who has lost out on 3 prior Subaru purchases that I have assisted with said he really wanted my business, he was willing to sell the XT at $200 over invoice and the match the price on the policy I had gotten quoted elsewhere. So he dropped policy price from the original asking price of from $1,825 to $1,475.
With the dealer that I am now in contract with where I am paying under invoice on the XT he dropped the policy price if I choose to buy it from the original price of $2,195 to $1,475. Based on Miamixt pricing chart these dealers are discounting the policy by 33% off the MSRP. My guess is at that price of $1,475 they are still making a little bit of money.

Any other experiences from people is greatly appreciated.
Edward (S. Oregon)

lite1

Have read numerous posts on this topic. The three clear finance ministers out of the five that I talked with all gave the same account of how things work and I believe that they actually have an accurate picture.

Before sharing that picture let me indicate that one of these finance ministers also sells a thrid party policy from API that does have a full refund minus $110 if never used and if you still own the car and submit your refund request within 60 days of the expiration of the policy based on time (even if the mileage expiration happened earlier).

What the three indicated on the Subaru issued policy is that:
1) It is transferable once at a cost of about $75 currently.
2) There is never a full refund, only a prorated refund, even if one never has had a claim.
3) The prorated refund gives the customer the lower of: the fractional amount of time left on the policy; or the lower of the fractional amount of miles left on the policy. There is no deduction of this pro-rated calculation for any claims that have been paid by Subaru for using the policy.
4) If getting a pro-rated refund there is a $25 to $45 surrender/processing fee.

Sure is annoying to have so much confusion and so little "official" information on the Subaru issued extended warranty. Perhaps I have just been looking in the wrong places, but based on the posts here it is clear that some people are buying this insurance and have been told different things (perhaps about the same policy). But what really counts is what the policy says in writing and whether posters are making there interpretations on the identical policy. Will be nice to get back to living a life including driving a car. As always thanks to all of you for your information and intelligent opinions. I am gratefu for all of the assistance.
Edward (S. Oregon)

raybear

You can get Added Security Gold for 40% off if you choose the 7/100 plan, there's enough profit in it.

You also don't have to buy from your selling dealer.

lfdal

I went through a Subaru dealer, received paper work to sign that had Subaru all over it, Subaru is merrily tapping my credit card every month for the next 10 (still a great deal IMO, as long as I pay the card every month, 0 % interest), and mySubaru.com shows me as having the gold plus. So I'm assuming its authentic.

Also - IF you take the 10 pay plan, and cancel within 90 days of paying off the warranty, you WILL get back every dime. I did. Really.

Since for the first 3/36 everything's covered, the chances of needing it for anything not covered are probably pretty remote.

So you can buy it now at today's prices (which are higher than last years) and take 13 months to figure out if you want to keep it. Not a bad deal.

Larry

raybear

You can cancel and get a full refund because the warranty isn't active until you pay in full, after 10 months.

lfdal

That's what I mean - the chances of needing it during that time (3/36) are really remote - so why not get it over time?

Larry

raybear

You still have the additions like trip interruption coverage. Your card at 0% is only a deal if you pay monthly, after all.

iluvsubaru2

Ed (lark6),
I was just catching up on reading the posts and I was wondering what your sourcing is for the 90/10 to 80/20 torque-split range on the AT Forester. I have not yet located a "spec sheet" from SOA that tells me what the default torque split is ("heard on the "street" it is 90/10 for 2nd gen and 80/20 on the 1st gen AT).

And more important, I've not been able to find any official information on dynamic range, or how fast (ie seamlessly) torque is moved between axles.

If one is driving on a snowy road (vs dead in snow or mud) response time to reallocate torque seems to make a difference in performance, and handling.

Best source of Subaru info that I have found for my 2004 Forester is Subaru Australia. I do not recall that the tech specs pdf (2nd gen Forester) offer a dynamic range or response times wrt to torque split on the AT. Are there are other Subaru sites with that information? I don't know.

From my own driving experience I found the 2000 S response time less than seamless (ie slow enough for me to feel my front wheels slip before enough torque was sent to the rear axle to get me moving smoothly again). That was especially noticeable w/ the LSD.

The effect on snowy or icy roads was a tendency for a jarring effect as torque is tossed back and forth between slipping front and rear axles. MT, with a 50/50 default split, was more "seamless" on a icy roads.

If you (or anyone else reading this post) have any Subaru references or links wrt to these questions I'd appreciate your comment.

Thanks,
Jake

cruzan1234

Just closed the deal on a platinum silver metallic automatic XT, with security system, carbon trim, rear bumper cover and auto dimming mirror and compass for $300 over invoice! I am so happy. What a car. I pick it up on Friday.

Natalie

miamixt

It seems that all Subaru Dealer web sites are the same, and to obtain the true Retail pricing for your Contract, click on Vehicles, then click on Added Security. It's almost like they don't want you to have a clue on the pricing, you can send for a brochure, with no Pricing! This is what I was told, and by the Owner of my Dealership, so take it for what it is worth, "Added Security is a regulated Insurance product and can not be discounted unlike many other Options you can purchase". I am sure if they play the Smoke and Mirrors game with you, it could seem like you paid a lower price for your Contract, yet the selling price and terms must be clearly be listed on the Application. I only found two ways to save Money on this plan,order from some out of State Dealer who's web price for the Contract was $100 lower, however you had to meet with him in Indiana, and also at subaru-warranty.com with the 40% Savings where you CAN get a 7 YR, 100K Contract for $1329 plus a $200 for the Turbo ($1529?), however it is fake web site! The Added Security Contract starts from your Date of Purchase, even if you get the Contract after the Sale, and is a supplement to the "Limited" 3/36, and 5/60 Power train coverage. Two immediate benefits, road hazard protection, and Rental Car Coverage. My XT had a tire problem from day one, and everyone said it's not their responsibility, including Yokohama, even though the Tire Rack.com (Yokohama told me to "try" them") wanted to mail me a new Geolander for $100. I bought my XT from a New Dealer that keeps no Parts on hand, and their Mechanics are hopefully learning how to Work on Subaru's as we speak (it is/was a Daewoo Dealer!) Because of that reason alone, and the lack of Dealers in this Area, I needed Added Security, and for $1170 ($1100 plus tax) for the next 6 Years or 60K I will Drive with the Gold! Why did the Turbo have to come from Mitsubishi, I blew up my 86 Turbo Dodge Colt a few times!

deadeye5

Congrats. Know you will be anxious for next Fridays pickup. I have an XT /PP (Gold) on order.
You mentioned $300 over Invoice. In my dealings with sales folks I never did see Invoice $$$ other than what I had from Edmunds. I ended up with about $26,800 with Bumpercover,Security upgrade,Air Filtration,Mirror,Cargo Tray & Splash Guards. All was in N. FL. I, like you, am hyper till I pick it up... Good Luck with it..

58skyliner

Started looking for A Forester XT PP last Sunday. I went to Edmunds.com to get pricing, and quotes. I also went to the Subaru website to look at dealer inventories and quotes for their exact car in inventory. I received 6 very prompt replies (email) and quotes from Vancouver, WA to Eugene, OR. My local dealer (Albany, OR) took two days to answer and said "he has them in stock and come in and look".
The quotes ranged from $228. below invoice (per Edmunds) to $813.00 over. After a day or two the 6 dealers checked back to see what they had to do to make the sale, and were willing to lower their price. I ended up taking the Salem, OR dealers offer of $100. over invoice because they are only 25 miles away, They were originally the highest quote. The lowest were from the Portland area about 70 miles away, and heavy traffic. It was worth the extra $300.+ to us to buy closer to home, and we travel to Salem on a regular basis. The deal was completed on Wednesday and we picked up the silver XT PP on Thursday!
Fantasic vehicle! we are driving it to Olympia, WA tomorrow and to Napa, CA next week. This will be a good chance to check the mileage. Too bad this car has to use premium gas.
Oh Yeh, I went to the parts dept. to get a oil filter ($7.00 ea. or 3 for $6.00, washers 3 at $1.00 ea.) They gave me the white ones and I had to let them know they should be black. They had to check and found the right ones. Thanks to the info I saw on this message board!
I plan to use Amsoil when its time to change.

jason_els

OK, with a mere 800 miles on my beautiful XT I've got a rattle in the passgenger door that manifests itself on anything but perfect roads and a buzzy rattle that just started somewhere between the windshield and the dash compartment and is heard on any road at all.

This is really disappointing and I'm wondering what to do. If I take it to the dealer will they do anything other than tell me, "Sorry, we can't hear it?" What is the procedure for getting this sort of thing fixed?

Thanks all!

miamixt

I had the exact problem and it was a nightmare. You will notice other noises, and my Door does have a rattle, however the Dash rattle was horrible, I posted a message here on this, but the Head Tech, the only Tech was very old and couldn't hear well. It took 10 tries and the Owner of the Dealership to locate the dash Rattle, a wiring harness around the Fuse box. My mind was going numb over this one!

jason_els

Was it a buzz rattle between the windshield and the dash compartment? This one sounds like it's inside, a little closer to the windshield than the compartment. It's very buzzy.

The door rattle sounds like a metal bar banging against another piece of metal. I think it likely a latch actuator of some sort. That one should be easy to fix but the one in the dash... I can't imagine.

Thank you for the help! I'm sure it'll be very helpful when I take it in.

lumbar

We're about 6-8 mos. from new car time, and the XT was at the top of my list (wife has some crazy idea about an MPV--we'll "work it out"). But I am a "buzz and rattle" nut--they absolutely drive me up the wall. I've gotten very concerned about the number of posts from reliable people here on this issue, and they're leading me to think this might not be the vehicle for me. Do we think this is systemic or confined to some isolated purchases?

miamixt

"With power to spare, your confidence Surges", and what a great new magazine ad with Lance Armstrong and my Java Black Pearl Beauty! If you hate Buzzing and Rattles, and who doesn't, you will be disappointed with the XT. However for a mini SUV the XT drives better than any other Car I have owned, and the fun is just starting. May I add the Sound System takes away 90% of any annoying noises, and creates a few of it's own!