Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

originalbitman

Here are my tinting tips from a previous post:

Tinting definitely reduces interior temps and generally cuts UV by about 95% (not sure what the glass does by itself). You can get anything for 50% to 5% tint with the 5% being the darkest. There are basically 2 kinds of material.. dyed and metalized and some combinations of both. Metalized (not necessarily reflective) is most expensive and is usually warranted for life against fading where as dyed is less expensive and may fade or turn purple over time. All states vary in what they allow. Check out local shops and ask for referrals as the application is everything. Clean your windows and your car before your tint application as dust and dirt can and will get under the tint. When tint it applied it is usually cut and fit on the outside of the window before being applied to the inside of the glass so clean the outside of your windows too. Once applied you will not be able to lower the windows for 3-5 days as the tint cures. Prices vary a lot but a rule of thumb is somewhere between $25 and $50 a window with less per window the more windows you have done. The tint is hard to remove once cured so be sure you make the right choice. Visit a shop or two and look at some of the cars they are tinting or better yet if you see a tinted car you like ask the driver where they had it done and if they like the tint job.

Some useful sites

http://autowindowtintings.com/main.cfm?action=home

http://www.tintdude.com/

bit - 2001 GT Wagon

silver_subie

Juice, Ken, rochcom, and all

Thanks for all your input...

entropy5527

Here is some science related to gas and storage.

http://www.swri.edu/10light/fuelqual.htm

susubaru

my 01 forester, with the geo's, has 13,000 miles,& the tires are shot due to aggressive wear on only the outer portion of all 4 tires. the dealer said it was a soft, crappy tire and cornering caused the odd wear. a tire store said i had an alignment problem. i'm not sure what the problem is, but i thought someone else might have had the same problem?

brooks11

When I bought the Forester, I didn't get the rubber mats nor the cargo tray. With the rainy weather, I need the floor mats. The dealer called me today to see how I liked my new car. I asked what the price was on the mats. $69.99. I see on Subaru.com, added to a new car they are less. Also see that at 1stSubaruparts.com they are $39 for four. Should I just go to Kmart or elsewhere? Would like them to fit and stay in place. Any advice? No snow usually here, just rain and muck.

Brooks

ateixeira

Interesting link, looks like for our gas tanks the only practical solution is that "a fuel stabilizer or anti-oxidant may be added to the tank and the engine run long enough for the stabilized fuel to make its way through the entire fuel system".

Su-Sussudio... :-)

Sorry. Saw you were at the chat, but I came in late and sort of missed your question.

Sounds to me like the alignment is off. Factory specs to allow a certain range, and it may be at the fringes of that range, but I'd get it aligned to the middle of the range. 13k miles is a little ridiculous. I got 28k miles out of my Duelers, which aren't as long-lasting.

BTW, I had a little more wear on the outer edges too, though I attributed my small difference to aggressive cornering.

Brooks: mail order them. You also won't pay sales tax, though you do pay a small shipping fee. The footwell is oddly shaped, so generic mats (which I have) will not fit perfectly.

-juice

logtrail

A week or so ago I posted a message about the CEL on my 99S going on and eventually it went off.
Yesterday did the same thing. Brought to the dealer and they diagnosed and replaced the knock sensor to the tune of about $200. Covered by my extended warrantee except for the $100 deductible.
I sense that Forester has a problem with fuel/emissions systems since I had an earlier problem where my car was stalling until the mass air flow meter was replaced.
My wife loves this car, but it is nowhere near as reliable as my previous three (including two still owned) cars: Camry, Millennia S, and Mazda MX6.
Let's get with it Suburu. This is hardly a first generation engine.

ateixeira

Well, actually, the '99 was the first year for the Phase II SOHC engine. The MAF was fragile, lots of them broke, particularly with cars that were modified. If you had a S-AFC, the chance of blowing the MAF was probably 10 times higher.

That's the only year that had the MAF, though. The 1998 was the Phase I DOHC engine, and for 2000 it got a totally new intake system on the Phase II.

The knock sensor is an unusual failure, but you had the extended warranty, which was smart.

CR still touts the Forester (and all Subies for that matter) as a "CR Good Bet" for used cars.

We had a '95 626, and it broke down 5 times in the past 2 years, so we just traded up for a new Legacy. We did get the extended warranty for that - nowadays any little thing costs several hundred dollars, no matter how reliable the brand.

Did you get the Subaru Gold? It includes roadside assistance and towing to your dealer. Cancelling AAA will save me $497 over the 7 years of that warranty.

-juice

lspiva

Before I bought my 03 Forester, I checked almost all websites for the best deal on accesories, but after all endup buyng from the dealer. I got about $600 worth of accessories (front guard brush, rear side moldings, rear slip-differential protection, rubber matts, wheel lock, arm-rest extention) for nothing. That's right, I got them for free, the dealer was anxious to sell the car, so at 9:00pm on Friday night I got one of the first 03 Forester in town for $1.5K then even Edmunds was advertising. As to the rubber matts, they are very comfortable and fits just perfect. Previously I had a Costco brand rubber matts on my 97 Altima and they didn't fit all the good. So I would recommend don't go cheap and buy a third party staff, pay $69 and get Subaru original. You will love it.

ken_from_nj

last nite i ordered the rubber floor mats from 1stsubaruparts.com for my 03 forester. total bill - about 43 usd (the shipping is 5 bucks on top of that 38.95 price or something like that) same genuine subaru mat that the dealer would sell you for about usd 25 less - shipped to your door. not too bad. - ken

rochcom

I posted this way back, but many Forester owners with both the 16" and 15" wheels had trouble with outer edge wear. The Geolandars were particularly bad, however, 13k miles is very early. Mine lasted about 30K. I replaced them with BF Goodrich Touring T/As.

The latter now have 40k on them and are about 90% worn. They are only now starting to show a bit more wear on the outer edges. I have been driving more aggressively lately, so that may be the reason.

I did NOT have an alignment between sets of tires, so I do not think alignment was the problem with the Geolandars. I very carefully watched the tread wear on the Goodrich tires using a gauge and when there was no sign of excess outer edge wear, I decided against an alignment. But, your situation may be different.

joseph50

After the rather common post, "I only got X miles from my Geos," perhaps it is time to request postings for the highest (satisfactory) milage from these tires. I have 23K on my '01 Forester S automatic, and the tires still look surprisingly fresh. (I guess I'm fishing for input as to how optimistic I can be with these skins.)

spudman

I am a self-proclaimed tightwad. As I posted previously, I bought a pair of rubber mats for the front from BJ's for $11. They were a little too big so I cut them to fit. I'm very pleased with the mats and even more pleased thinking about the money saved.

spuds

logtrail

Well, your point is taken, Ateixeira, about the 99 being a relatively new engine. But what about all of the CEL posts for more recent models?
Yes, I have the Gold Plan, since I tend to keep my cars a long time; in some ways a waste of money, but I like the comfort factor, so it all depends how one wastes money. That Ahi tuna I wasted money for dinner tonight was terrific. And I realize that your bad luck with Mazdas and my good luck and vice versa with the Suburus means that we have to look at the overall reliability figures.

bsvoller

Not to make light of your recent misfortune, but virtually all of the CEL's I've seen mentioned on the newer (2000 +) engines are due to a loose gas cap or minor leak in the canister system.

They did have a recall to reprogram the CEL to make it less sensitive because they were getting a lot of false positives. I took my '01 in earlier this year for just that. Runs like a Swiss watch, and if you've seen my posts, you know that I'm one who puts his Forester to work regularly.

Best regards,

-brianV

kens

I got 40k solid miles on my Geolandars with 80% highway miles. The outer edge did show a tad more wear. On my second set, the alignment shop tweaked the settings just a hair to allow for more even wear. Coming up on another 40K and lo' and behold, the wear has been even.

Ken

jbeckr

our 2003 XS, automatic transmission, has 2000 miles on it. Just checked gas mileage, and was surprised to only get 18 mpg. I checked the tires for proper air pressure - no problems there. What have others been getting It is a great car - but I was hoping for better mileage.

rsay777

I have an X MT with 5.5k and had been getting fantastic mileage until our region went to Oxygenated fuel for the winter months. I was getting 30 mpg hwy and 25 mpg mixed. I now get 19 mpg mixed. I posted sometime ago about this issue and thought by now the ECU would have helped compensate the mixture and at least recovered some of the lost mpg. This is my 3rd tank and so far the mpg is still low.

At 2000 miles you had not checked the mpg before that point? Does your region require Oxygenated fuel?

I don't see the environmental savings as far as hydrocarbon emissions when I now use 20 to 30% more fuel per mile. Bob L.

ann365

my xs has >2000klm and showing[to the touch]
"feathering" on the outer edges of each tyre
front & back.an alignment specialist tells me there is too much "toe-in".ann 365

joseph50

last year mpg fell off a bit during the winter, but this November the situation seems particularly "scrunching" (I can't think of any other term right now). I just got off the PA turnpike where I usually go 200 miles on a half tank ('01 S). Today, just 156.

kens

At 2000 miles, your Forester engine and trasmission is barely broken in. Give it some more time -- you should see it slowly improve. I saw my gas milage increase over the first 30K miles.

The other culprit, as Bob L. mentioned is oxygenated fuel. Also, are you using the proper octane gas? Since our Foresters are designed to run on regular, using high-octane fuel can lower your milage as well.

Ken

burnsmr4

...those darn suicidal squirrels in my neighborhood who INSIST on challenging me each morning when I go to work. I'll be darned if they're not just a nuisance, but of course, I will NOT fold to some bushy tailed rodent. Alas, I just lose sight of their insignificance when they get out in the middle of my street and just sit upright, glaring at me with those evil little eyes that say, "Come on, jerk! You can't hit me with that wimpy Forester S. Only REAL Subarus like the WRX can take me on!"

So, I end screwing up my gas mileage by revving up the engine on my Forester S and "dropping the hammer" (or whatever you do with an AT model) -- intent on running the little moron down. Gosh darn if the squirrel of the day doesn't jump out of the way to freedom and another few hours of life, leaving me with an over-revved, gas guzzling Subaru and him with the satisfaction at having tricked me into playing his game again.

My only comfort is the time that I won. Heh. No more games for THAT particular squirrel.

Hope this is helpful in figuring out your new Subaru's MPG issues. ;-p

burnsmr4

varmint

You should see how we play with the Bimmers!

- Varmint

p0926

Just over 40k on the Geoloanders on my 2001. They still have a fair amount of usable tread left and are wearing evenly. Most of my miles have been highway and I also keep the tires inflated to halfway between Subaru's recommended PSI and the tire's max PSI to increase the evenness of tread wear.

-Frank P.

d0ug

My 2002 forester S has 10,000 miles now and I have not had a sign of any kind of problem. Its a great car and I hate the thought of tearing the trans. out for this pin problem. I tend to trust the factory more than the ability of local mechanics to get everything back together as it was. I read that there is a .05% chance that it is even bad. I would appreciate the opinion of the many experienced Subaru people that post here.
Ltlround

ateixeira

The frequency of CEL complaints is down considerably. There was a recall a few months ago, and it seems like since then it's far less common.

Subaru Gold was worth it to me. 7 years of AAA would have cost $497. Then consider the added resale value at 90k miles (there is still 10k left bumper-to-bumper). Add to that free repaires, free towing to the nearest Subaru dealer, and a free loaner. Red carpet treatment from the dealer all around.

2000 miles is still very green. Let her break in. Mine improved by about +2mpg after 15k miles or so.

I got 28k miles out of my Duelers (not Yokos), and also had wear on the outer edges. I wonder if that's from taking highway on- and off-ramps until the tires squeel. :-)

So far 20k miles on my Nitto NT460 tires, and they look like they'll last another 40k miles.

-juice

jdub3

Question regarding the functioning of the winshield wiper/wash stick off the column. 2003 Forester. When you pull back on the stick for the wiper control you get one swipe across windshield to clear mist as the manual sez. However, the graphics on the stick indicate that there is also a wash/spray that should occur. Manual does not indicate a spray will happen however. Confusing? Insight? Anyone else notice? Thanks

ateixeira

I'd do it. For one, when you sell the car the buyer might look it up and wonder why you didn't do it.

If they drop the tranny you'll get all brand-new fluids for free, look at it that way. You can wait an extra 10k miles before you service the ATF.

-juice

kajko

Hi folks,

well, after much deliberation (1.9APR), my time has arrived and saturday my wife and i picked up a new 2003 X MT. she chose the color (Pacifica Blue), we both wanted the grey interior. we had a chance to test it out on ice and snow on sunday, and i have to say that i smiled all the 104 miles we drove up and down the mountain. the dealer wasn't particularly thrilled when we requested to drive it off the showroom floor for a test drive, but there was only 1 blue X MT. after 2 hours, we finally agreed on $300 over invoice plus the $275 in advertising fee (i wish there was more competition) and today i picked up the diffy protector which was part of the deal.

i hope i can update and contribute regularly, as well as ask for advice, from time to time. pics to come soon.

kajko

leo2633

Since the squirrels like to run off the road at the last second, you can swerve to the right (or left) and intercept them on the way back. 50/50 chance of choosing the correct side! Half the time they'll run right into your rubber. Maybe we can do a study of how they look after meeting a Yoko Geo with 28K as opposed to one with 40K. It might also be interesting to see what effect, if any, tire pressures have on the end result. HA!

Len

crashton6

I would say if you are worried about having your trans removed & fixed you should wait a while before you take it in. By the time you take it in they should know how to do the job & yours won't be the trans they learn on. I do think you should have this done though. I would think if you sold your car without this being done & it causes a accident for the next owner you could be held liable. Just my .02 here.

jbeckr

Well, we drove up to Big Sur this weekend for some hiking, and went 200 miles on just 1/2 tank. That seems a lot better than the 18 mpg previously. I know the type of driving makes a difference, but this difference seems huge. Anyway, it was a beautiful day on the Central CA coast.

paisan

I'm not sure they need to drop the tranny for the pin, but I could be wrong.

As for the wiper question, to my knowledge on of the subies spray on that single swipe, its for mist. If you push the end of the stick it should spray the windshield and swip 1/2 dozen times or so.

-mike

p0926

Ahh, Big Sur. Now there's a truly scenic drive. Not too mention a excellent place to hike. I'm jealous!

-Frank P.

speterson1

What is that exactly? What are you paying for? Just curious, didn't have to pay that for my Subie...

lspiva

I have noticed the same thing about wipers. I believe it is just a misunderstanding of how Subaru design its wipers. For me, it took about a months to adjust to a new style. Originally was driving Toyota, Honda, Volvo, and Nissan on all of the when you pull the stick you get spray and a swing of the wipers. So I would say try to get use to it. After all it is not a very big deal.
Leo

d0ug

Thanks for the response on the trans. pin recall. I guess when you are dealing with a potential safety problem you really don't have a choice. Waiting awhile makes alot of sense and new fluid another plus. I have never owned a Subaru or any foreign car before but have gained a wealth of knowledge from this board. After many years of Fords and Chevys this Forester seems to be a far superior machine. I guess alot of you people have known this for a long time. Thanks again and I will participate more in the future as I enjoy this Forester.
ltlround

jdub3

Thanks for the response. The board has helped once again!! Just wanted to make sure my wiper control was not malfunctioning, I realize it is not now. However, Subaru is wrong with putting the wiper spray graphic on the stick...same rain dot graphic as on the washer button function for the windshield and the dial function for the back. Great rig so far, rattle/buzz in dash thats going to be hard to pinpoint is only complaint.

On board members advice, bought tweeter kit..love it, bought rubber floor mats, perfect fit and stout enough, bought and installed cargo net (rear seat back only) like it.

MPG city 18-19, hwy 22-25, mileage 3,000. Mobil 1 goes in today.

p0926

Some (if not all) areas of the country have an advertising fee that is passed on to the dealer to cover the cost of regional Subaru advertising. Some dealers will list this separately on the sticker while others just consider it part of doing business and deduct it from their gross profit. Since all dealers have advertising costs, I think that the incentive to list it separately is an attempt to show the buyer some of the dealer's fixed overhead costs. A document prep fee is another one that is frequently listed separately on the sticker. Should you pay for these items? It depends. If you're paying full MSRP then normally the answer is no since the dealer's profit will easily cover these expenses. However, the closer you get to paying invoice, the more likely the dealer is to expect you to pay for these items separately in order for him to protect his profit margin. Hope this helps.

-Frank P.

ateixeira

Congrats, kajko! Snow already? Perfect timing.

I once ran over a squirrel with a Honda Elite 125 scooter! Poor thing did a suicide dive under the tire. Felt like a speed bump. Poor thing. :-(

Another vote for Big Sur. Beautiful drive!

24.7mpg on my last tank, with oxygenated fuel. :-)

-juice

kajko

Yes, in fact the dealer pulled the invoice sheet he had from Subaru after 1/2 hour of going back and forth to show me that he had to pay the $275 fee. i guess in a region where there is not too many dealers (3 in the whole state), they have to recoup the costs. on the flip side, in the finance department i whipped up $1300 worth of "Subaru bucks" from the credit card program. that is how i'll justify to my wife all the extras i want to put in. ;-P the hitch already arrived from etrailer.com and it's going in this weekend. i want to put in the diffy protector at the same time, since IIRC you need to take off the muffler. Any tips? hopefully i'll take some pics.

Juice: yes, snow already, albeit very little and only above 8,000 ft, but in shaded spots, it's pure ice. Taos Ski Valley opening this weekend!

kens

Driving down Highway 1 in Big Sur is something that everyone should do once in a lifetime. It's one of the most gorgeous views in the world, especially if you can time it to the sunset. I don't get down there enough even though I live a couple hours away in the Bay Area.

Speed bump! That's awful!

Ken

ateixeira

$1300 in Subaru bucks makes that a great deal. I should talk my wife into converting our Chase card to that plan.

Note that you have to unhook some exhaust hangers, and lower the whole thing to access the diffy, but you don't actually remove the muffler. Use a jack and some tie wraps to hold the muffler in place while you are working.

Taos was fun. Went there years ago. They have one ski trail that is longer than anythig I've seen in here in the Mid Atlantic.

-juice

megamaniac

Kajko, Check the paint on the back of your lift gate. At the point where the large gray trim piece meets the body (left and right side). Any missing? I had paint missing as did another PB 03X. The dealer used touch up paint to "repair" If you looked real hard you may see it, but I am satisfied. An SOA rep was there to look at it as well. He didn't seem surprised.

abeal

Hi, all! My brand-new-baby 2003 Forester XS Premium is not quite two weeks old and I've learned so much reading posts here. Now I have a question about what's the best pressure to keep in my OE Geolanders. The car was delivered with 40 psi (!!!)but the manual...and the sticker in the door frame...suggest well under that. Most of my driving is with one passenger, occasionally two plus a very happy black lab in the back. How much pressure do you recommend for the tires? Right now I've got 30 in each tire and the ride feels smoother than it did with 40. Thanks!

gened1

I too, was just notified via e-mail from mysubaru.com that my 02 Subaru "has been determined that a defect that relates to motor vehicle safety may exist..." They won't be doing the repairs until the parts arrive at the dealers in January 2003. Subaru is supposed to "send a second email and also a notification via first class US mail when repair parts become available"
The new transmission parking rod is the technical term. until then we should use the parking brake when placing the car in park. I guess it only involves automatic transmissions.
Does anyone know how long this repair will take?
Gene

armac13

Most cars are shipped with very high tire pressure (sometimes well over 40). The dealer is supposed to air the tires down during dealer prep, but often it is missed. Most of us seem to like somewhere between 30-33psi for normal driving. I usually had 32 in my 2001 Forester S, unless I was going on forestry "roads". 30 sounds good.

Ross

ironsides1

The estimate from Subaru is 1.5 hrs. to replace the rod.

Jon

abeal

That's kind of what I thought (high pressure for shipping) but just wanted to make sure, after finding out how important it is to keep an eye on tire wear with AWD. This is my first AWD vehicle and as a nurse who has to get to work regardless of weather...I love it! But...as they say...there's a price for everything and I'll plan on keeping a closer eye on my tires than I'm used to doing.

Anne

lowellk

I noticed that the ride of my new XS was more harsh than that of my wife's 2001 S, so I checked the tire pressure on the XS. All four were at 36 p.s.i and the spare was at 45 p.s.i. The maximum pressure listed on the sidewall is 40 p.s.i. :-0

I lowered the pressure to the recommended setting of 29/28, which made the ride much more comfortable. It no longer feels like it's going to skip off of the road when going over bumps. Lowered the spare pressure to 35.

I've usually used manufacturer-recommended tire pressure. Of the seven cars I owned B.F. (Before Foresters), the 1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE was the only exception. Following advice from some RX-7 Club of America members and a pro driver, I used slightly higher air pressure fore and aft (32/30) in the stock Pirelli P6 tires. That nearly eliminated understeer, making handling nearly neutral. The tires lasted for 47,000 miles. They were *fun* miles, too.

--- Lowell