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Comments
Steve: consumers could still be rating styling, and I still don't see how that measures Quality. Think about it, how does gas mileage or cup holder design measure quality?
Quality is when something doesn't break. The Hummer uses gas, it's not broken, it's just thirsty. That's not poor quality.
Kyle: score! Good to hear.
gherman: if it ain't broke...
debbie: get the cheapest stereo that you can. Then go to E-bay and buy a take-off from a WRX. They have 6CD plus cassette. They typically sell for around $150, maybe even less. You then have a 6CD changer and your cassette. The harness fits, it's just plug and play.
-juice
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Quality can be defined as a distinguishing characteristic or grade of excellence so lousy cupholders could arguably be a quality issue. I sent off a Contact Us form hoping for more.
I've forgotten what got us going on this thread, but pardon my nit-picking :-)
Steve, Host
I see what you mean about measuring the quality of how something functions, but that still doesn't address styling. ;-)
-juice
You still have another 14,000 miles to go on the Powertrain Warranty.
-Dennis
I sold my WRX radio for about $130 which is a fair price based on the current market. You shouldn't spend more than $150. If possible, look for a newer radio (they have the manufacture date on a sticker on the case).
Craig
I went for the goo. Was notified of the need for the injector cleaning package, a rental car for day If I didn't want to wait the 6 hours, a warranty "leaking oil pump" job to be done, and the car Pa. inspected. One day and $287 dollars worth of investment.
Did I need the injectors cleaned? Don't know, but the car seems to be running smoother with a bit better gas mileage.
Needed the inspection done anyway.
My personal mechanic didn't catch the leaking oil pump.
I understand my warranty for coolant leaks was extended to 80K miles.
End of story.
Greg
All I can say? Sweet! I'm walking over tonight to be very neighborly and see if they will let me take it for a spin.
If you think the XS is fun, have you tried the turbo XT yet? You won't get the gas mileage, but smiles-per-mile are worth something, too!
Anyone swap out their stereo yet, and know for sure?
rsheldon1: they put in a free can of goo and extend the gasket warranty to 8 years 100k miles. Take the offer and run.
2 Forester family? Hmm, I've always liked the idea of having diverse vehicles to meet diverse needs. How about the other one a turbo?
Warning: do not drive a Forester XT if you don't plan to buy it, because every other SUV will seem pathetically slow. Like the Porsche Cayenne S, for example.
-juice
"Thanks for your feedback. Your comments will be forwarded to our editors."
Moving right along, lol - next issue :-)
Steve, Host
What?!?! Has an alien taken over Jack's body or Mike stolen his user ID and password? Both real possibilities considering the above statement's implication that Jack has actually ventured into positive boost territory on occasion! ;-)
-Frank P
Now as far as a two-subaru-household goes... my husband, a Dodge truck owner, has always really enjoyed my '01 Forester (and now my '04 Forester). He hates the gas mileage on the truck (15mpg?) but insists that we need a pickup as doggie and house owners. I envision a Baja (Turbo?) in the garage within two years! But he posed the same question on how "cool" or "uncool" it would be to have two Subarus... All I can say is it would be fun and practical. -elissa
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Mary- No more than 5 minutes? That's seems a bit of an exaggeration. I think the Forester is quite capable of transporting adults for carpooling purposes. Especially if the front seat passengers don't have their seats all the way back.
-Frank P
I say go for it. But maybe wait and test drive an 05 Legacy (or Outback) first (they are arriving on dealer lots as we speak). Who knows, you might like that better! Then you'd have more variety in the garage.
Craig
This is pure rubbish. I'm nearly 6' tall. At 235 pounds, I'm anything but slim. After I adjust the XT's driver's seat to provide plenty of legroom (barely able to fully depress the clutch with tip-toe), I then can climb into the left rear seat and sit in reasonable comfort with at least 2" of space between my knees and the driver's seatback. As for the 5-minute comment, that's ludicrous. I've taken all-day trips with four adults aboard, and never had a complaint from anyone. How much more space does anyone really need? Name another car with a 99" wheelbase that provides more combined front-rear passenger space than a Forester?
Anyone who foolishly asserts that a Forester is incapable of carrying four adults has no idea what he's talking about - or hasn't bothered to actually use the seat adjustments to optimize the space that's there.
So, you need to give your height, weight, inseam, waist band, upper body length, chest size, arm length, glove size and shoe size to make these discussions meaningful.
DaveM
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Ask yourself honestly, has that ever happened?
I rode in the back seat of Bob's Forester to Philly, about 2 hours, no problem, and I'm 6'. Our Legacy is roomier. The Baja is tight, though.
-juice
-Frank P
Granted. My inseam is 33", fairly typical for for 5'11".
Based on the space that I've found in my '04 Forester, if two average-sized adult couples cannot ride in reasonable comfort in a Forester on all-day trips, then they're incurably spoiled. I've carried three other men my size in mine.
Sure, there are roomier cars. Every one is bigger outside, heavier, slower, or less fun-to-drive - or, in many cases, all of the above. If one merely takes the trouble to adjust its seats optimally, the Forester provides the best combination of adequate interior space with minimal exterior bulk and weight that I've ever found. When I see people repeat this absurd, exaggerated old-wives-tale that four adults cannot ride in a Forester for "five minutes", well, I go Ballistic.
-juice
Owen
* the door opening is narrow at the bottom, making getting in and out tougher for those with long legs
* the front seat travel is ridiculously long, and many customers just move it all the way back to test rear leg room
But I can't fully depress the clutch if my seat is all the way back, and I'm 6' tall! So very few people will have it all the way back like that.
-juice
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Yeah but with a 30" inseam, that's equivalent to 5' 8" tall.
Seriously, being 6' 2.5" with a 34" inseam, I can't comfortably push the clutch all the way in in a Forester or Impreza. Unfortunately I'm cramped in my '03 OBW with the seat all the way back! Would have bought a Forester or WRX but wanted the cargo room of the OBW. Hopefully the '05 Legacy / Outbacks have more front seat legroom.
DaveM
If I had to pick I'd pick the Forester over the Legacy, every time. Ok, if I had 5 adults and more than 2 of them were tall then I'd take the Legacy.
But Forester is more fun. No doubt.
I think the wheelbase limits how far back the seats can go. If you look at vehicles that have seats that slide (RAV4, CR-V, Equinox), they tend to be taller.
For space hogs Subaru will soon make the 7 seater. Even that will probably be MDX sized, not Expedition huge.
-juice
IRT the rear doors being narrower at the bottom, well yes and no, it's a matter of perspective. For example, I rode to lunch recently in the back seat of a co-worker's Jeep Cherokee and almost broke a leg trying to extricate myself from its back seat.
-Frank P
The cargo area is long. One Edmunds poster, mtngal IIRC, measured the area from the back of the seat to the hatch glass, and the Forester had 7" more length there than the CR-V (her measures, not mine).
She's really cool, in fact she's still shopping and now considering the Element.
Highlander might be a better size all around, but go price one. Plus, it's not nearly as fun to drive, not even close.
-juice
We're talking about a 99" wheelbase here! Subaru has already made use of every inch. The rear seat is clear back against the rear wheelwells already..there is no possibility of moving it any farther rearward (to gain more rear legroom) without adding length to the wheelbase and probably to the whole vehicle. Many of us who find the interior space perfectly adequate for 4 adults would object to increasing the Forester's size and weight.
I can readily demonstrate that four people averaging near 6' in height actually can fit inside in a reasonable degree of comfort given the size of the car! If someone frequently needs to carry bigger people than that (NBA players?), then of course they need a physically larger vehicle. But there goes the nimble handling, the commendably-small turning circle, the light weight, and so forth.
Every car ever made was a compromise. The Forester has just about the best compromise between inside space and outside size available.
They put more rear leg room and sacrificed cargo room to do it. I didn't like it as much.
The rear doors were also much wider, that was the one advantage it had.
It didn't ride or handle as well, and the engine sounded like a swarm of bees, but produced slightly less power. And boy was it loud.
-juice
One of my co-workers has a Grand Cherokee. Even though there's somewhat more rear legroom, there is something weird about how the front seats mount to the floor, leaving almost no toe-room under the seats, and making it nearly impossible to get your feet moved from inside to outside. And that's on a bigger vehicle that weighs about a half-TON more than a right-sized Forester!
I'm inclined to think that most of the misperceptions about the Forester's allegedly cramped back seat come from people who haven't tried the 2nd-generation Foresters ('03-onward). They improved the back-seat kneeroom by at least an inch.
Bob
Our big car is the Outback.
-Dennis
- When AUTO is selected, and HEAT is blowing, blows out at feet
- When AUTO is selected, and AC is blowing, blows out at face
- When in MANUAL mode, I get AC out in the face, or heat out at the feet by default (same as if in AUTO) - is there a way to program this to blow feet and face rather than only one or the other?
- I actually was able to get the car blowing heat out at my feet at the same time as AC out of the vents to my face. I don't think that should happen and I don't remember what I did so haven't been able to reproduce it.
- When I set the direction of the blowers to DEFROST, AC automatically comes on, regardless of cabin or outside temp, regardless of mode. (I think I should be allowed to have heat for defrost personally!)
- When in Auto mode, I have to turn the temp selection to 83 degrees in order to have heat come out. This is the part I'm sure is broken. If it's 40 degrees outside and in the cabin, why does the AC come on when I ask the car to heat up to 75 degrees? I think there must be thermostat problem.
Thanks! Elissa
5'10/31
Oddball poll today :-)
Steve, Host
Elissa, meet HAL. HAL, meet Elissa.
Good news is the 2005 model gets improvements to the system.
-juice