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Comments
I think not.
(about to sign a deal on an FXT - can have an 04 or 05 for the same price)
Obviously no car is perfect, but this one meets my needs pretty well for the time being - the biggest annoyance I have is the auto climate control having a mind of it's own at times. Not a big deal, I can live with it.
Thanks,
Ed
As for our purcahse, my dealer doesnt think there will be any significant change between 04 and 05 FXTs and will absorb any price difference
I am hoping they do not cut the price, content or performance. I dont know where my deal would stand in that case, if they have sold out of 04's.
I expect new color choices - hopefully delete the gold and give us gunmetal grey instead of silver plus maybe rally blue (the latter possible if they arent bringing in the Forester Sti).
I realistically hope for a climate change fix, factory tint and a longer warranty. We get the moonroof as standard, I would be shocked if this was not offered in the US in 05.
I unrealistically hope for higher mpg, 87 octane, a few inches more rear legroom, no charge leather, 4000lb tow rating, etc.
I pray this car will be reliable - this Sube #3 and it's way past my turn to get a good one. Going with an 05 (sort of) helps my peace of mind. Also going with an Sti motor that is clearly ambling along in a low state of tune is comforting.
Bottom line is I have spent about 8 hrs in this car to date - around town and in the mountains, and it's as close to perfection as I can imagine for a practical vehicle that I can actually afford to buy, rather than just read about or drool over at the dealers.
I would of course be keen to hear more info if anyone has anything.
James
#F54668. Always carry one in my trunk area as it
has saved me more than once while on a long trip.Bad gas, sludge etc. Looks real easy to change on my XT -- as it is right upfront on the left front wheel well. (About $15.00)
Deadeye
The Forester XT is at the top of my "next car" list but there are a few changes I'd like to see. Chief among them are Sportshift for the automatic (bad knees pretty much rule out a manual in my case) coupled with VTD. I've stumped for that with SoA but, even though the Legacy GT and Baja Turbo get both (and Outback VDC and WRX get the VTD) I doubt we'll see it in the Forester. The only other change I'd like is in available colors; like you I'd like to see a gunmetal gray or World Rally Blue option. I'd also like to see a black that doesn't look quite as brown as the current Java Black Pearl. The red and gold don't do it for me, which leaves silver and white in the current palette. I already own a silver car as a hobby so I'd end up with white by process of elimination.
Beyond that there's little the Forester XT lacks that I'd want, and the added power makes up for the one thing I've felt could benefit my current Forester.
Good luck with your purchase.
Ed
Just think, you could have waited for the Hyundai Tucson with its blistering 140hp 4 cylinder engine.
Or not. ;-)
Ed: a college buddy wants the gunmetal color also, I have him almost convinced, but he doesn't like the color palette.
He had only one other complaint - he thought the center arm rest was too hard. In fact he was wondering if anyone sold an accessory arm rest that mounted on top of it (Miata has these so don't laugh).
I told him maybe an upholstery shop could do a custom one, but anyone seen this done before?
-juice
By the way, the auto in the FXT was really really good, if you like that kind of thing, or drive a lot of stop-start.
But not for me as I like the lower cost, performance, control and involvement the 5-speed brings.
One other reason is the stick shift seems the right choice is that it feels more "authentic", more appropriate for the street legal rally car that the FXT kinda is. I want mine to be as close to what Petr Solberg drives as possible, as I go get groceries and stop off at Home Depot (notwithstanding the semi-autos now used in race cars).
I've wanted a turbo Subie for about 10 years ever since I gave up motorcycles. This includes time in the UK where they have been pretty common since the mid 90's. The idea of putting an autobox in an Impreza Turbo/WRX/Sti back home would have been thought of as twisted or cruel, and I just cant get my head around it.
But each to his/her own.
"bad knees pretty much rule out a manual in my case"
Yes, I do the majority of my driving in moderate to heavy traffic with a lot of stop and start. Still there are times and places around here where I would enjoy the ability to row my own. Something like the sequential manual in the BMW M3 would be great, but again there are those times that I am better off just putting the gearshift in "D" and leaving it at that.
I feel that choosing an automatic over a manual should neither lessen my driving pleasure nor make me any less of an enthusiast driver.
As for VTD, the short answer is: it's all about the torque distribution. Manual transmission equipped Subarus have a 50:50 front:rear torque distribution. Most automatic equipped Subarus have a 90:10 distribution under normal conditions, except in reverse or first gear in which case it's 50:50. Torque can shift to the rear when the rear loses traction but that condition is not a full-time state. Subarus equipped with automatics plus VTD have a 45:55 distribution under normal conditions.
With VTD, an automatic Subaru goes in essence from being a front-drive biased car to a rear-drive biased car. The handling becomes a lot more neutral and there is less tendency to understeer. I like neutral. Having driven an automatic-equipped WRX wagon (with VTD) and Forester XT (without VTD) back-to-back the difference is obvious.
I'm sure someone can explain this better and with greater technical precision than I, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :-)
Ed
-Brian
You could make it REAL easy yourself. Use 1/4 or 3/8 plywood. Measure the armrest top and take 1/4 " or so off the measurements. Get a piece of foam scrap from a furniture place (thicker = softer) and a scrap of leather. Just fold the leather over the foam and board (like redoing a chair seat), stapling the bottom edges (heavy duty stapler). Glue another piece of something on the bottom, if you want, to hide the folds and staples -- no one is going to see the bottom so it's unneccessary. Then use some Velcro strips (4) on the bottom edges to hold it down firmly. Voila! That's really all it was when I bought it. I could have easily made one for myself (lazy).
Bob
Bob: I like the idea. My friend wants an OE solution, though.
-juice
Thanks for your words of encouragement. Actually the car I test drove didn't have turbo. It was just a plain ol' XS. I decided to splurge on the Turbo (since I couldn't afford the '04 4-Runner I was hoping for). I haven't been disappointed yet.
I am resigned to the fact that now that I am supposed to be a responsible adult and that racing around in a hot-rod (XT) is not cool. But oooooh it goes fast, quick.
I like the feel of the seats and the arm rest is o'kay. The car heats up quick (much faster than the '81 240D Mercedes I had) and I haven't experienced what others have described about the funkyness of the auto-climate controls. I have been conditioned to turn the heat down when I am too hot. I can't imagine a car doing it for me. If the Subie is supposed to do this, then I suppose one might be frustrated that it doesn't.
I just appreciate the luxury I have.
Shanna
I've had auto climate controlled vehicles since the early 90's and find them all to be a pain. Give me 3 simple dials and let me choose what I want.
That said, of all the auto climate control systems I've had (BMW, VW, Land Rover) I like the auto climate system in my STi the best of any I've had.
IMHO, CC works fine anyway, no matter what they say. It takes some time to get accustomed to this )).
-juice
The one in the XS and XT is different. The STi's is called semi-auto and is in the center of the HVAC controls (go to interior pics):
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/subaru/imprezawrxsti/100281018/ph- - otogallery.html?pg_type=Sedan&imgsrc=&tid=edmunds.n.resea- - rchlanding.keyvdps..1.Subaru*#
The one in the Forester is called automatic and the temp. sensor is to the right of the steering wheel, by the driver's knee.
You can't see it here (interior pics):
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/subaru/forester/100293451/photoga- - llery.html?pg_type=Wagon&imgsrc=&tid=edmunds.n.researchla- - nding.keyvdps..1.Subaru*#
Someone on another board said the Forester's auto-climate control doesn't work nearly as well as the one on his VDC OB. One of the main complaints is that during heat mode, the temp. never regulates and the fan stays in 2 or 3 (roasting the occupants). Hmm, wonder if I could swap out my climate control for an STi's? :-)
-Dennis
I'll try the climate control. I just crank the nobs up or down if I am cold or hot or open the sun roof for cool, crisp Oregon air.
Shanna
http://www.litimports.co.uk/emailer/06.02.04/
Or unlucky, since they don't get a Subaru UK warranty on gray market imports.
-Dennis
But I'd take the 6 speed MT for the XT.
JP (an ex Brit felling lucky to live in Canada, can you imagine how much you have to be earning to put UK gas in that thing.)
Sweet.
Unfortunately, it was in another state and in unfamiliar urban conditions, so I have no hands-on feel for the FXT's compatability with my customary driving conditions (rural, hilly, and twisting).
I did a lot of start and stop on the test, and I found the acceleration superb, but annoying--in that the power seems to outstrip the gearing. I'm not sure what the technical reasons for this would be (I'm not good with that kind of stuff, even though I've gotten great info here over the past few months). What I mean is that I had to shift from 1st to 2nd to 3rd quite rapidly while accelerating--kind of racing through the low gears.
I never really tested it in 5th.
But the car surely moved. Nevertheless, I'm also looking into the '05 OB.
Zman
-Dennis
One of my neighbors thought I was OCD'd for doing that until the snow and ice froze to the inside of **his** rims.
Larry
I was my rims to keep slush/ice from acculumating, and yes this has happenes on every car I've ever owned.
Silicone spray works, just don't use anything petroleum-based.
-juice
Just did back to back test drives of the two XT variants. Am beginning to prefer the auto. This has never happened before. The 5 speed is a bit frantic around town, whereas the auto just scoots along riding the torque curve. I think I even preferred my old 5 speed Forester L, though maybe it is just a case of getting used to the characteristics of the XT gear ratios and power delivery (and watching the speedo at the same time).
On the open road I still prefer the 5 speed.
Will prob still go with the 5 speed, but it's closer than it should be.
Also beginning to notice little things, like the blue flecks in the seat fabric. Looks odd in a a red car, beginning to lust after the leather option.
Either way, still love the XT. Good on Subaru for exceeding expectations, and keeping it real.
James
I also was the first person, way back in mid-June, to point out that a single cloth upholstery offering that contains blue flecks is going to look really odd on red or gold XTs. And so it does.
The blue-flecked XT cloth not only clashes with the red and gold but also with Java Black Pearl. If the XT came in the same blue-black (Midnight Black Pearl IIRC) as the '02-03 WRX it would be a different story.
Dennis' posted link to the UK gray market Forester STis has me drooling. Patti: if you;re reading this please please please please baby baby please bring us WR Blue and Cristal Grey Metallic as XT color options! :-)
You can see in the snippet of STi interior shot that there's no blue flecks in the upholstery; it appears to be all black with some alcantara/ecsaine inserts. I suspect the '05 XT cloth will no longer be bluish. In any event I'm really thinking that when it comes XT time I'll spring for aftermarket upholstery, but with alcantara rather than leather.
Ed
PS: JP - I had the opportunity to sit in an Impreza P1 in London 3+ years ago, but had neither the comfort level with RHD nor with London traffic to try to take it on the road.
http://response.jp/issue/2004/0203/article57542_1.images/61774.jp- g
I would love to have these!
-Dennis
-Dave
-Dave
Is the rattling plastic or metalic in sound?
Try laying a thick blanket over the floor to hear if there's a change in sound. I won't know what it may be, but it will confirm whether the sound is emitting from the floor area.
As for rattling license plate, I place washers behind the plate to raise it away from the tailgate. If the lower 2 screws on the plate don't align with the tailgate, put in 2 screws to the lower 2 holes on the tailgate. That will stop the unfastened plate section from banging against the tailgate.
-Dave
-juice
-B
Which is probably why SoA put wider seats in the WRX in '04. :-( At least give us adjustable side bolsters.
-Dennis
-juice
Ken