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Comments
Stick a pin in the nozzles and make sure they're not clogged. Also, you can buy an additive for whatever fluid you use. http://www.prestone.com/products/25.htm
I only use half (or less) of the recommended amount because it's pretty strong.
-Dennis
Nice write-up. I agree with most of your +/- comments, including (of course) "it seems like I hardly ever get to even 3K RPM, let alone redline or even 5K." and, of course, "The Ugly: (1) MPG average: 18 - 19. That is very conservative driving, lots of highway miles at 60-63 mph."
You and I sound like the same sort of driver. Maybe it's an Oregon thing.
jb
I've put 15.2 and 15.3 in mine. And no, for the wiseacres, that was not at the same fill-up.
How about that. All these months, and finally one good reason for the XT's ridiculously low first gear. ( - ;
I suppose that in any job or profession we'll encounter things that strike us as wrong. Maybe we can change some of those things; there are probably more that we can't. On the ones we can't change, we can fight the fight anyway, or we can look for one that is winnable.
Those of you my age and up probably remember a poster from the 60s: One Last Act of Defiance. The poster shows a mouse, standing on a rock. An eagle, talons extended for the kill, is descending on the mouse. The mouse isn't preparing to flee; it's flipping the bird to the other bird.
My question for you Jack is this: there are aspects of the tax code you dislike, if not detest, yet you work with that tax code. Why is that better than working the legal side of things where you dislike the laws that lead to what you see as an unfair outcome? I'm not criticizng that choice, but I am curious.
And I'm sure you would have made a great lawyer.
-B
The law (whether criminal or civil) has the power to make or break people, often (in my view) in utterly indefensible, illogical ways. Tax rules may be in some cases onerous, but only rarely do they wreck companies or people's lives in the way that foolish judges and juries can and often do.
I sought in 1980 to join Reagan's Treasury team in a tax policy role - the perfect place for me. Unfortunately (depending on one's point of view), I wasn't invited.
Dozens before you have already made that suggestion. It is so counterintuitive to me that hard, aggressive, high-RPM, heavy-throttle driving (of the sort that most XT owners do) would produce lower fuel consumption than my style, that you'd almost have to repeal several laws of physics before I'd be persuaded.
Perhaps you can look into it, if you miss it that much.
-Frank P.
This applies to M/T only. From what I see people posting, the A/T get worse mileage than the M/T in real world driving (big surprise, didn't we know that all along?) regardless of the EPA ratings.
I remember a book from several years ago, the Tightwad Gazette. It was a compilation of a newsletter by the same name, with lots of interesting and entertaining money-saving tips. Not sure if Foresters were even around when it was published.
Jack, the legal discussion is interesting, and I enjoy it, but I suspect that Steve is probably almost ready to remind me how off topic it is.
If you'd like to take it private please send me an email to barrister@bristlecone.com.
FWIW, the tach reads about 2850 at 70 mph & 3050 or so at 75, IIRC.
overtime
I know! I'll fly out there and I'll go thru six tanks of gas for you.
Hope all the folks out your way get their power back soon.
-B
Correct. The automatic gearbox's top-gear ratio is 0.694 or thereabouts, which is a bit taller (better!!!!!) than the 5-speed's 0.738.
I've always felt (and maybe have said, once or twice) that the automatic XTs deliver completely acceptable MPG, considering the torque converter losses, having only 4 ratios, the convenience factor, etc. It's the 5-speeds, like mine, that IMO produce disappointingly low numbers.
Ahem. 'ballast' has Navy connotations, too, but I'm 'ballistic' (for the flight path to target of a Polaris nuclear warhead), not ballastic, for dead weight in the bottom of a ship...though I'm sure many think that's a better match. <sigh>
Several laws of physics or not, something is causing you to get less mileage...I know! I'll fly out there and I'll go thru six tanks of gas for you.
You buyin'? You'd be shocked at Oregon gas prices.
hope all the folks out your way get their power back soon.
30,000 homes (probably 70,000 people) without power in below-freezing temps at last report. Mine stayed on, fortunately, but we had a major furnace scare day before yesterday. Could have been extremely hazardous (fire, carbon monoxide, etc) if I hadn't figured out what was wrong.
I probably would get lower numbers if I had a stick from the standpoint of wanting to keep it in the power band more often in any desired gear...
Have you got those rings properly seated yet to maximize optimal cylinder compression?
Could? Should!
Cheers
Pat
John
Cheers
Pat
You've probably seen my suggestions on how to set the Forester's seat to maximize space. In a word, UP. Think about the seating in a really low car. The seat is very low, so your legs are nearly straight out in front. This requires the seatback to be far back from the pedals to get XX" of legroom. Now think tall vehicle, with chair-high seats. The seatback can be much closer to the pedals to yield the same exact leg-length room. The Forester driver's seat has a vertical adjustment. If that is cranked all the way up, any given driver can obtain the requisite legroom with the seat somewhat farther forward than would be the case if the seat was lowered all the way. For me, that means I can leave more space in the backseat for adults. In your case, it might be necessary to raise the seat all the way and still push it all the way back, but the point is that is how you'll obtain the maximum legroom. Now, the question becomes headroom. The PP sunroof reduces interior height by probably two inches. If that still leaves you with sufficient headroom, great. Otherwise, you might need to consider foregoing the sunroof. Also, this high setting of the seat leaves a bit less space between seat bottom and top of door opening for entry/exit. My back and neck aren't very flexible anymore, so for me this also becomes a trade-off.
Another issue is the relatively short seat cushion front-to-back. I've more-or-less acclimatized to the shortage of under-knee support, but you're way bigger than I, so pay attention to this, too. This could be improved somewhat by unbolting the seat and installing shims at the front to tip the whole structure rearward more, but I haven't attempted that yet.
You may also find that the armrests (both on the door and the center, even with the hokey armrest extension) are too low to actually be of much use. I wind up using the ledge at the bottom of the door glass for my left elbow; it's at a much better height.
Find a dealer who'll let you drive a Forester as long as possible. Any current Forester will do; they all use the same seats. Before any XTs began to arrive, I checked out an XS for an entire day to get as much seat time as possible. If necessary, go rent one for a day. Fiddle with the adjustments and spend at least a few few hours driving it. With your size (did you ever consider amputating a few inches?) it becomes imperative to be sure everything fits before making the investment. How the thing fits me (or anyone else smaller than the Jolly Green Giant) won't guarantee you anything.
The other choices you listed all have their pluses and minuses, but I personally would not buy a Murano for at least another year or two until a lot more is known about how the CVT holds up longer-term behind that much power. I'm highly skeptical that that combo is going to provide 80-100,000 mile durability, and I'm not willing to be a transmission test pilot on my $35,000. If I absolutely had to have a Nissan SUV, I'd probably tilt to the equivalent Infiniti in order to get a more conventional transmission. For little econoboxes with 100HP, CVTs are somewhat more of a known quantity. With a potent 3.5-liter V-6, who knows?
Some people rave about the sound system, others rip it out and start over. Interior noise levels in mine are high enough that it's not a great music-listening environment anyway.
Forester gauges are extremely hard to read in bright daylight, especially if you're (logically) wearing sunglasses. Check that out, if possible. Do fiddle with the HVAC controls; you've seen streams of messages debating how well/badly they work, especially on automatic.
I think the XT's driving dynamics are nearly ideal, but some have said the ride is too harsh, while those at the other extreme think it's too soft and leans too much when cornering with brio. The power steering assist is easily the most overboosted I've ever experienced, but either it firms up over time or else I've grown more used to it. The brake pedal is unarguably mushy and spongy, but again it's becoming less noticeable as I tack on additional 000s of miles.
I e-mailed you my phone numbers in case there's anything important that I missed.
Tell you what. One of you guys get a friend with a hose and a tank and drive behind them while they spray water at your hood intake -- good simulation of driving in OR -- and see if your MPG goes down.....:)
Ballistic, you live in rich part of state. Here in land of no timber, no jobs, no education, no tax base, 10%+ unemployment, people at gas stations are working their butts off b/c they have one of best (only) jobs in town. Credit NAFTA and WTO and loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs and short-sighted timber management at least as much as the initiative, or lack thereof, on the part of average 18 year-old kid. Twenty years ago that kid could work hard and become a logger or a mill-worker, which weren't great jobs but they paid enough to raise a family and it was honest, dignified work. Now, there is just nothing but minimum wage service jobs for these kids to compete for. No gas monkeys = more kids strung out on meth.
OK, off soapbox now...
As to space in the back seat - that is occupied by 2 small dogs, who's only real requirement in life is that they be fed regularly, and not have to go to the vet, boarding or the groomer! (I don't like going to the groomer, either!) As you may have seen in previous posts, I drove an OB across country, this past summer, and never did get comfortable. I would really like to have a Volvo, for the seats, but the nearest service is 1.5 hours away - won't work. My other real "lust after" vehicle is a Range Rover; but that puts a whole new meaning on unreliability! (Remember the Prince of Darkness- John Lucas?) Back to the subject at hand: My dealer here will probably let me drive an XT for quite a spell, depending on how much snow we get tonite and tomorrow. I share your concerns about the Murano's CVT, although the technology has been around for a long time, but not at these torque levels. I've seen a few problem posts on the various Nissan boards. The Pilot has appeal only in that it fits, and has the Honda reputation for reliability. In my short conversations with my local dealer, I've been lied to once, and been given bad info once, by a sales type who was totally ignorant about the product. He started talking about the "center diff." in the Pilot, which of course, that system doesn't have. I asked the "F&I" guy about extended warranties, and he said the Honda one had to be bought at the time of purchase - LIE! You can buy it on line until the factory warranty runs out (as you can Subaru).(rant off)
We're supposed to get 3-6" of snow to nite; getting tired of winter already!
Cheers
Pat
The radio in Subies is one of my favorites, only because of the weather band. As for noise levels in the ML - it's a truck - what more need I say? My only concern about Subaru brakes, has to do with the wild ride I took last spring in a previous generation OB, in which the ABS locked out all retardation, going down our mountain (2000' in 4 miles) This is apparently an ongoing issue, but I haven't had any more feedback from Patti.
I've never been in a Legacy or OB, so I have no idea how the seats compare. At least on those you can get multi-adjustable power seats; on the Forester you get back/forward, backrest angle, and the odd vertical adjuster that tilts the seat forward as you raise it.
concerns about the Murano's CVT, although the technology has been around for a long time, but not at these torque levels.
That, of course, is the unanswered question, and I don't think there'll be a solid answer until some of these have covered at least 80K miles in purchaser's hands. FYI, a Nissan SUV (not Murano) turned in front of me and accelerated away a day or two ago - what a sweet exhaust note. I've always thought the best-sounding engines were 12-cyl, then inline 6s, then V-6s, trailed distantly by the better V-8s, with everything else bringing up the rear.
I had completely forgotten how incredibly rough the surface of deep hardpack snow gets after zillions of cars & trucks work it over with chains. Washboard City would be a gross understatement.
Drove home from work today and nearly lost the crowns on my teeth. My poor XT had the hammers of Hell beating on it every foot of the way. I tried to steer one side off onto the less-traveled shoulders, but that didn't help. Slowing down didn't help. Nothing helped.
It sounded as if every single weld was trying to pop loose. I just know that after this stuff is finally gone, I'll be left with a dozen new rattles. If I'm lucky.
The brake pedal is on the soft side but they will haul the XT down very quickly from speed - had to experience that yesterday on the road.
The interior noise level is on the high side but it's not objectionable, to me anyway, & could stand a little more refinement - but the trade-off is more weight.
The only problem I find with raising the driver's seat is that the rear view mirror causes some forward visual obstruction - at least with the larger self-dimming mirror. Being able to dial-in more thigh support / tilt would be appreciated but I find the seats to be quite comfortable, otherwise.
On steering & the suspension, I think the steering has good feedback & it's precise despite being on the light side. IMO, the long travel suspension does its job nicely neither being too soft or hard for its intended purpose - can handle the urban jungle, light off-road, outstanding limited traction performance, & still make a turn or two with control - feels very nimble.
I didn't find much out there in a vehicle that has this degree of well balanced performance for the price. As with buying any vehicle, it has to be a good fit for your intended purpose.
All of my carping and quibbles notwithstanding, there simply isn't anything else in the same league with an XT. There are vehicles that offer more room, or sharper handling, or more quietness and refinement, or more zoom (though not many!), or better style, or whatever. Few can match the inclement-weather traction, and absolutely nothing else anywhere close to the price pulls it all together as well as the XT.
tidester, host
Also on the highway most of your fuel is probably burnt overcoming air resistance so you would think the thick humid air of Portland would hurt Jack's highway gas milage some.
Ken
Now for the bad news. It appears both front doors' window guard plates are too tight, as both windows "whine" when they are raised. Also have a distinct "rubbing" sound too. All was well, until winter.
I've long wondered about trade-offs with Subaru's missing "window frames". Older hands say it helps save weight and improves outbound visibility, but I'm not sure it's a quid pro quo, if it increases tracking problems for the windows.
My 2004 has 5500 miles and this is the only "flaw" winter has (so far) revealed. Interestingly, I had a slight rattle over the summer but it left with a plunge in outside temperatures.
Jake
PS: For all you tall guys out there, I'm 6'3" with a "short" torso and I'm here to tell you best seat in the house is the driver's. Front passenger, for a long trip, is "workable" but not easy.
tidester, host
No, but you're onto something. It's the thick, humid air that I exhale inside the car, weighing it down, that's to blame.
But that is balanced by the buoyancy of the hot air ... SORRY! Just kidding!!! I couldn't resist the line!
tidester, host
J/K of course Jack. FWIW (not much obviously) I know a Jack Brown in Eugene and when you first started posting here I thought you might be him.
Snow still on the ground in Portland? I guess I've always thought our weather was very similar (I'm in Seattle) but I guess not. All the rain melted our snow yesterday.
-Ian
This is one of the reasons I didn't even haggle on the price. I got a bad deal because I bought when they first hit the dealers. I kept comparing it to other vehicles and I thought for $24,500, nothing even comes close to this. There was nothing else in this category. All wheel drive, 0 to 60 in 5.5 seconds, conservative styling, and you can carry a big screen TV in it.
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Still quite a bit of snow, especially off the main roads in neighborhoods like mine. And you'll be rolling along the mostly-bare freeway at 45 or 50 and suddenly encounter a hundred feet of packed, tire-chain-groomed washboard hardpack. Very disconcerting.
Jack Brown in the People's Republic of Eugene is probably my liberal evil twin.
There no doubt are downsides. I'm not certain frameless windows actually save weight, because the tracks in the doors probably have to be more substantial to offset the lack of channel support above. Also, when you close a door with the window down an inch or two (as when parking in hot weather), the windows do rattle a bit. I also suspect that it's harder to seal out wind noise.
However, on balance, I always prefer frameless windows. Besides looking better, they are much quicker and easier to clean.
This is rather ironic: some accessories for my XT which I ordered from SubieGal were on their way from Washington State and supposed to arrive here (near San Francisco) 2 days ago.
The cargo truck couldn't make it thru the snow. UPS should be using Subaru's
Cheers
Pat
Balistic, I found your tip on adjusting the HH feature ...do you know if it can be adjusted so loose that it won't hold at all? The reason is that the rotors on my 02 Maxima and 03 wrx have both warped several times. I don't like the idea of a hot rotor being held by the pads in one spot while they cool. I have hundreds of thousands of miles under my belt but have never come across warped rotor issues as I have with late model cars. This is why I use engine braking...plus it's quite satisfying to do multiple downshifts with perfectly matched revs.
MPG's...I too thought driving in the manner you do would produce the best mpgs but according to my trip computer in my Maxima, it is sometimes more efficient to drive in a lower gear with more throttle. I try to milk the best mpgs and there is one hill that can be taken in either 5th at 2000rpm or 4th at around 2400rpms ( the motor has enough power to accelerate smoothly in either gear), 4th will give a reading of 26mpg while 5th reads 24.
On the other hand, my wrx will not vary from the 24.5 to 26.5mpg no matter what I do. Puzzling.
Hanging throttle...My wrx did that when new but has since adapted to my driving and the rpms drop as I lift my foot. My Maxima has the dbw and the throttle still hangs with 32K miles on it...It is very dangerous in snow since instinctual lifting of the throttle when the front wheels slip keeps the wheels slipping for a second before they slow. I have come to the habit of depressing the clutch but that is the reverse of what I want to do when in the wrx.
Any XT owners have problems with the steering wheel being offset towards the direction of the last U or sharp turn?
Juice, do you know if the sway bars for the wrx are bolt ons to the XT? If so sedan or wagon fronts?
Sorry for so many questions/comments.
Don
Don
Such a noncaring, cavalier attitude toward helpless animals. They need space, too! I'm reporting you to the SPCA.
My only complaint was that I felt the seat bottom was a little short;
Did it never occur to you that maybe your bottom's a little too long?
Road noise was less than my ML430! Overall, I was quite pleased with the XT
If you actually do this deal, you will be the first and maybe only person on the planet to trade a Mercedes-Benz ML-430 for a $25K Subaru Forester. You really ought to contact Subaru, they'd probably pay you for a video'd testimonial for the next ad campaign.
"Who says we need to move up-market - listen to this former Mercedes owner..."