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Subaru Forester

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    They basically get in the back door as a multi-purpose vehicle.

    All trucks cheat, really, because the CAFE loophole was inteded for work/fleet trucks, not for trucks meant for private use. So even a F150 used as a personal car is cheating and getting around the original intent of the law.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Have you mounted those snow tires on your Forester yet?

    Bob
  • eps105eps105 Member Posts: 216
    kavoom -- It's long since been a misconception that Subaru jacked up the suspension to achieve the added ground clearance. The overall height of the Forester was unchanged in '06. The increase in ground clearance was due to clearance improvements made in the redesigned exhaust system in '06.

    In fact, due to other tweaks made in the suspension, the '06 and newer Foresters ride better and are even less "trucky" than previous years.

    I do not know if it was formally reclassified as a truck in '06 (it's always been informally referred to as a truck or tall wagon by many sources) but if so, it had nothing to do with the clearance change, IMHO.

    Elliot
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Not yet, but I'm ready to do so. It only got really cold yesterday.

    I actually saw some snow flakes around 3pm.

    If I hear a forecast for snow, they'll go on that evening.

    -juice
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    I mounted the Blizzaks on my wife's Outback today. At least it was cold outside; when I put the snows on my Forester a few weeks ago, it was 70 degrees.

    Len
  • diggerdoodiggerdoo Member Posts: 1
    EXACT PROCEDURE....

    1. Turn engine on (NOT in ACC, Dont have to start engine).

    2. Within 30 secs of ignition, clip/unclip seatbelt 20 times. (Seatbelt light will go on/off)

    3. Confirmed by Seatbelt light staying OFF

    That's it, no on/off cycles to do. This worked first time for my car - 06 LegGT. Setting will last until the microprocessor is reset or battery disconnected.

    For a temp disable of chime, do the clip/unclip cycle 3 times only, will reset once ignition is turned off again.
  • rochcomrochcom Member Posts: 247
    We have just had our first real snow following a blast of ice. My 1998 does well on its aftermarket Brigestone Turanza LST tires that now have 60,000 miles on them. They are designed to be a true 4 season tire and to retain traction as they wear. At this point, they have 6/32 of tread. My OEM Geolandars lasted 30K and an aftermarket Goodrich Touring T/A set lasted 42,000 before they became dangerous even with 4/32 of tread.

    But now that it snowed, my Forester is covered with salt, and I went over to the local DeltaSonic car wash. They insisted that because it is an SUV (although barely bigger than a Toyota Corolla) I have to pay the same surcharge as a Ford Expedition or a Hummer. That's a bummer, and I had them back up the whole line of waiting vehicles to let me out. It is too cold to use the garden hose right now, so I will go to a locally owned wash. I may be a cheapskate, but we Forester owners have our rights! We bought our smaller vehicles for a reason.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ok, looks like freezing rain and maybe snow are on the way, so I hope to put on the snow tires tonight.

    Brr.

    -juice
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Yeah that some car washes charge the same for a Forester as a super-sized SUV (Yukon XL, Ford Excursion, etc) is just plain wrong! :mad: I'd let the management know how you feel. FYI, there are some car washes that don't charge extra.

    -Frank
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Usually aren't charged more for my Armada which is pretty ginormous.

    -mike
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    Well, my 06 FX is still running strong and making me grin! I've got almost 14k on it now, with absolutely nothing going wrong. It has been the perfect car and I wanted to thank the folks on here that gave me information and advice. Without you folks, I probably would've ended up keeping my GTI or buying a Toyota.

    I do have 2 questions for the gurus on here. What ATF does the tranny use? Is DEXRON 3 safe or do I need to go get the stuff from the dealer? The fluid the manual calls for is impossible to find in NC. Does anybody have a component location diagram for the 06? I'm trying to find the shock sensor and haven't found it yet. I want to see if there is a sensitivity adjustment on it so thunder or cats jumping on it won't set the alarm off.

    Thanks!1 :)
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    What fluid does the manual call for?

    I used to run Redline High-temp Synthetic in my ATs on the race cars (SVX and Impreza L) Expensive but good stuff.

    -Mike
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    It says genuine Subaru ATF Type HP, IDEMITSU ATF HP, Castrol Transmax J or Pennzoil ATF J. I've never even heard of most of these so that's why I was asking. I did manage to find a listing for the Castrol on a New Zealand website but nothing stateside.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wow, which car is this in? and what year? ATF J is what my Armada takes and I'm planning on using the dealer to replace it because for me it states in the manual Nissan Type J.

    -mike
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    06 Forester X with AT. None of the local parts store carries anything close to Type J. One store told me to use DEX3/MERCON but I don't know about that. The tranny looks a little too expensive to ruin it with the wrong fluid.
    Erik
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    As much as I recommend aftermarket fuilds, I'd stick with the OEM Subaru stuff on this one. How many miles? I wouldn't have it flushed until 20k miles and I usually get the dealer to do mine.

    -mike
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    Yeah I think you're right. I've got 14k in highway miles on it and had planned to do a fluid and filter change at 30k.

    I imagine that tranny costs in excess of $3k so I definitely want to keep it going as long as possible. I'm going to check with a local oil supply and see if they have the Castrol stuff at a price lower than the dealer, otherwise I'm just going to stick to the dealer.

    I still need to find that shock sensor so I can see if it is adjustable. Thanks for the info Mike.

    Erik
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I would do a drain/fill rather than a full fluid exchange. It can be difficult to get it done and re-filled properly. My Nissan dealer charged me $90 to do a drain and fill on the Armada which I thought was pretty fair.

    -mike

    PS: Shock sensor should be up under the glove box on the Forester.
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    Is a drain/fill what I think it is? Remove plug and drain out 3-4 quarts and put the plug back and then refill with new fluid? And replace filter? Thank goodness Subaru had enough sense to make it a screw on filter!

    Up under the glove box? That sounds hard to get to. What's under the carpet on the passenger side front? There's a little black box under the carpet with wires coming out. Is that the ECU?

    Erik
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    It's not that hard to get to actually. You unscrew the glove box and it will be behind there. There are a ton of screws holding the glove box in but it's straight forward.

    Under the carpet is the ECU.

    For the drain-fill yeah you get 3-4 quarts out, which is about 45% of the fluid, but it's better than nada.

    -mike
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    Listen to me being scared! I used to work on cars several years ago, doing engine installs, clutches, diagnostics on Bosch electronics, about anything that needed to be done to a car. Now I'm afraid to even change the ATF on a Subaru or go poking around looking for a part! Gee, I must be getting old and soft in my old age........ :P

    Maybe it's because I know German cars better than I know Japanese and I don't really understand how the Japanese think. German cars were easy b/c I understood how they were made.

    Thanks for the info Mike! As soon as the weather gets out of the deep freeze I'm grabbing the work light, getting the tools out and going hunting. If I can't adjust that shock sensor, I'm going to unplug the dang thing. It's way too sensitive for my taste and I think the neighbors would like to be able to sleep all night. Durn cats.........
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    There should be an adjustment on it.

    -mike
  • kavoomkavoom Member Posts: 181
    >>In fact, due to other tweaks made in the suspension, the '06 and newer Foresters ride better and are even less "trucky" than previous years.<<

    I hated the "improvement" in the ride from my 04. I put STi "Pinks" on my 07 to take it back. Those lowered everything about an inch and made the ride "truckier" and lowered the center of gravity back to how Subaru originally designed the whole package before tweaking. I felt like I was driving on a pogo stick and going to tip over with the "new" ride of the 07. I bet soccer moms would love it, but not me. And and thanks SOA for removing all the road feel by boosting the power steering vs the 04 and taking the steering lock to lock from 3.0 to 3.1 turns.

    And, I measured and the pinks brought the back wheel well top back to the old measurement of my 04 in terms of height. I tow so I was paying attention to the rear end. I can now once again accelerate through turns (like my 04) and am hoping the rear end won't drop over two inches in back due to the "improvements" when I put my pop up camper on like someone else complained about (on these boards) on the 07 vs 04/05s.

    Sheesh, I wish I lived in Australia so I had about twice as many choices in my Forester when I bought it. HOw about a high low range tranny SOA? How about so many other things you don't seem to feel Americans can handle... But keep those soccer moms happy...they are your up and coming demographic...

    There, now I feel better. And for all my seeming negatives, I still love my Forester. I just wanted to complain... I shoulda kept the 04 if I have so many issues... but didn't know.
  • caliberchiccaliberchic Member Posts: 402
    Clock question moved Here :)
  • johnvjohnv Member Posts: 40
    Did the 2004s have a 12v outlet inside the driver's armrest/console thing?
  • smittynycsmittynyc Member Posts: 289
    Yup -- one there and one in the rear cargo area. And of course the vestigal cigarette lighter socket.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    OK Subaru folks help me out. I'm considering trading my 05 Ford Freestyle for an 07 Forester. I have concerns about the end of the CVT and potential parts availability and buyer/dealer perception issues when I try to sell or trade-in in 4 or 5 years. Tell me what's good and not so good about the Forester. I'm also considering a Rav 4 and Saturn Vue. I sure like the Forester, sell me!
  • dirtbagdirtbag Member Posts: 57
    The main things I like about my '06 are as follows: It's small and has a tight turning radius so it drives and parks like a small car. My gas mileage exceeds the EPA rating; I drive 95% highway and I get 31/summer, 28/winter. Build quality is good; no rattles or squeaks yet.
  • erikwierikwi Member Posts: 71
    I traded an 04 VW GTI 1.8 turbo for an 06 Forester with the Premium package and have not regretted it. The Forester handles almost as good as a GTI and gets about the same mileage too. And I don't have to feed it premium unleaded! I looked at the same ones you're looking at and chose the Forester because it was rated better by Intellichoice and Consumer Reports. The fuel economy is better for the Forester than the RAV4 and the Vue. I drive about 80 miles a day and I'm consistently seeing 25-26 mpg, even after running most of my drive at freeway speeds (65-70mph). I've got 15k on mine now in less than a year with no trips to the dealer to fix something that broke.

    The Subaru has, so far, been more reliable than any previous car I've had. I'll buy another one when this one hits 500k!
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    Have fun trying to sell the Freestyle. Another flop by Ford. I wouldn't worry too much about the CVT. I don't think the change to a regular auto will effect your resale down the road much. It really isn't a bad vehicle. Have you had problems?

    Rav4 is good. Bigger than the Forester and a lot more pep, but real world mileage will not be as good. Does have about 100 hp more though. Not a big fan of the Vue. Forester is a lot of fun. Much more agile and I think it has adequate power. Try them all and see what you like.
  • kate5000kate5000 Member Posts: 1,271
    I have 2 Foresters right now. First one, we got in 2000 (2001 FY model) - we keep it now to give to our daughter, and the 2nd one - in August 2006 (it's 2006 model).

    I absolutely love Foresters and Subarus in general. We've (hubby and I) switched to Hondas in 1997, but it was not as fun to drive as Subaru, plus it was trouble-prone (something you wouldn't expect from Honda but still), so we came back to Subaru.

    I love everything in my new Forester (2006 2.5X) except too short cushion on the driver's seat (passenger's too) -- note that 2001 model had the same issue.

    However, you can get used to it by adjusting the seat and getting your knees at just the right angle. I'm short, but I know many pretty tall guys who are very happy with Foresters - so I guess, one can always find a good position behind the wheel.

    What I absolutely adore in Foresters is the utility. I've helped so many people move using my Forester as a "truck". You can fold the back seats and fill it to the gills, and yet be able to add a bunch of stuff on the roof rack.

    My friends gave me a sticker for my Forester - An Official Mattress Transporting Vehicle - after I've helped them to move 2 mattresses at a time on the roof of my Forester.
  • 10years10years Member Posts: 48
    I have an 03 Forester with 62K miles and 0 problems to date.
    My driving is 70/30 highway/city with a long term 26.5 MPG.
    This car is highly manuverable, utilizes tight parking space, is a very good snow/rain car, and handles light off-road obstacle hoping pretty well too. For a small wagon the cargo area and roof rack can hold a surprising amount of stuff. Oh yeah the rear lift opens upward easily, no barn door swing syndrome that others have.

    If I had to do it today I'd go for the Premium package.

    Rav 4 with 100 more horsepower is the V-6 option at considerable more cost than a Forester. Their standard I-4 is comparable to the Forester in performance.

    Take your time and test drive all the competing models.

    Have Fun.
    Ted
  • kdshapirokdshapiro Member Posts: 5,751
    Have an '05 XT auto with all goodies except the tach package. One warranty repair on the rear seat fold down pull lever.

    In no particular order.

    Pluses - Great sunroof. Roomy. Handles like a car with lots of interior room for passengers and cargo. Fast, very fast, dusts the competition in this segment. Heated seats on high can cook eggs. Radio for what it is, is okay. 6 CD changer is great. Homelink, dimming mirror features not found on more expensive models.

    Minuses - Needs premium. Tranny could use 5th gear. No steering wheel controls. High potential for accumulating points on driving record. Gas mileage could be better at times, but highway average mid-20s.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    Thanks to all who responded and those who do so in the future. I'm looking forward to the test drives and finding the best deal. I got one response from my internet inquiry for $19985. I'm in Minneapolis and with 8" of snow today could have used the AWD.
  • tim156tim156 Member Posts: 308
    The only problem I've had is the instrument cluster module which was known problem with a TSB, replaced under warranty. I really like my Freestyle and one of the many reasons for buying one was the CVT. I'm not very happy with Ford for abandoning it after only 3 years. I'm worried about resale value because if the public didn't accept it between 05 and 07, what will be the perception or understanding of it be 4 or 5 years from now and what dealer will want one on their used lot. Of course Ford did nothing to promote the Freestyle or CVT. Nissan and others aren't scraping their CVT's.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If you're sure the Forester offers you enough space (since it is smaller then the vehicle you're coming out of), I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed my '98.

    -juice
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    The driver's side window on my '05 Forester XT jumps in its track when I roll it up, but only in cold weather (i.e., temps below 40 degrees F). I've had the dealer service department check it several times and they almost never can replicate the condition - I imagine that's because service department bays are warmer than that. However, when I took the car in for inspection in December, they were able to replicate it; their solution was to lube the window channel, which did not work.

    Fast forward to yesterday and my 30K service. I asked them to address the problem again, and again they could not replicate the condition. I note on the write-up the comment "Aftermarket tint on window, may be cause of."

    Personally I think that's a crock and a cop-out on the service department's part. First, they acknowledged the condition at my last appointment. Second, if the tint were the cause of the problem, would it not occur at all temperatures and not just in the cold?

    My seat-of-the-pants guess is that some parts (the window channel rubber, maybe?) are contracting with the cold and causing the window to rub against some part of the power window mechanism. The fix might be to remove the door panels and adjust the mechanism - something the dealer service techs seem loath to do. This is the only mechanical problem that I've had with the car to date. It's a minor one to be sure, and one I can live with (and have), but still one I'd like to have properly addressed before the warranty expires.

    Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

    TIA,
    Ed
  • dirtbagdirtbag Member Posts: 57
    Yes, if it were me, I'd remove the after market tint from the window, go back to the dealer and have them test the window out in the cold, then insist they fix it. If I continued to get the runaround, I'd write a letter or make a phone call to Subaru corporate headquarters.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Tough call.

    On one hand, you could remove the tint and ask them to fix it.

    But...that would require removing the door panel, and that's the type of action that creats squeeks and rattles. It may make the window operation smoother, but replace it with a rattle that'll annoy you even more (and might happen all the time, instead of intermittently).

    Not sure what I'd do, I guess it depends on how bad the window problem is.

    Check out this link for a similar problem that is common with Miatas (very slow power window operation):

    http://www.miata.net/garage/garageinterior.html

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'm sure that Lee would re-tint it for you w/o a problem.

    -mike
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Mike: Thanks, that's good to know, but I'm not sure how soon I'd be able to head up to the shop. If Lee still does mobile work outside his/your shop I might be able to meet him halfway, as well as refer him some additional work. I'll have to talk with you offline.

    juice: Interesting bag of worms. It will soon be warm enough to make the problem go away, and by the time the weather gets colder again I'll be out of warranty (unless of course I decide to go the extended route). :confuse:

    Ed
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, tough one.

    I got hit in the rear bumper and got a dime-sized dent on the 1/4 panel. I actually decided *not* to fix it, as they would have to bang it out and repaint the entire driver's side of the car, all the way to the A-pillar.

    So I just dealt with it and left it unrepaired, since it's barely noticeable.

    -juice
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    I agree that trying to blame the tint film (which is thinner than a sheet of paper) is incredibly lame. I've had window tint on my Foresters for the last 7 years without a problem and I'm sure there are thousands of others who have tinted their windows without a problem.

    What happens when it jumps its track? Does it fall down into the door or get stuck?

    Juice makes a good point though that pulling the door panel off opens the possibility of leaving you with a constant annoying buzz or rattle.

    -Frank
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Just buy new clips, because some of them break when you yank them out.

    -juice
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Frank,

    What happens when it jumps its track? Does it fall down into the door or get stuck?

    It doesn't do either; it stays on track, keeps going up, but it catches and leaps ahead a bit as though it's trying to make up for lost time. That doesn't make sense upon rereading it but it's the best way I can think of describing it now.

    Ed
  • gmginsfogmginsfo Member Posts: 116
    My '03 Forester XS is just about to turn 50K and I surfed onto an aftermarket site that had a couple of exhaust modification kits. Their selling point was "enhancing your midrange torque," which is something I would appreciate when merging onto freeways, especially on uphill ramps. Has anyone had any experience with any of these?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    On an NA motor, you aren't going to gain anything other than some noise and possibly a placebo effect, at best a slightly better throttle response for your hard earned cash.

    -mike
  • tazerelitazereli Member Posts: 241
    Does anyone know of an aftermarket fog light setup that fits the OEM openings?

    Tx,

    Kyle
  • garywigarywi Member Posts: 54
    I am going to look at one Saturday. I noticed incentives on the 2007s. Why is the Outback the highest at $1000-2000? Are they redesigning soon?

    Also, which trim package can I get a power drivers seat?

    What is the best model, not the Limited? Best engine? I would get an automatic.

    Thanks

    Gary
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Outback costs more, so incentives are also higher.

    The base X model has the bigger rebate, but get the Limited package for the heated seats, huge moonroof, alloys, and 6CD changer. All that stuff will make the ownership experience better.

    The base engine is fine, but if you want plenty of passing power and would use it, consider the turbo. At higher elevations it'll really show it's worth.

    If you drive conservatively, though, the base engine should be fine and more efficient, plus it uses cheap ol' regular fuel.

    -juice
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