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My setup includes: Subaru factory cross-bars, Yakima "mighty mounts" that attach to the factory cross-bars, 2 integrated Yakima "Raptor" bike rack rails that take the bikes with both tires on. See pictures of the Raptor on http://www.yakima.com. There is also (as part of the co-branding) some extra rail that keeps both Raptor racks attached to one another - that's the part that I hate - the co-branded Raptor rails make it difficult to add other components on the roof. Having bought from a Yakima dealer would have given me standard accessories that I could more easily mix and match. I can't even remove one of the Raptors without removing the other! It's stupid.
The one good thing going on with the bikes on the roof is that I am a 5'9" woman and can load and unload bikes easy enough on my Forester roof - no need for runner boards. That's the part I like.
I am a new member but a big time loyal Sub fan. I had a '93 Legacy L AWD wagon and it was as faithful as the daily sunset and sunrise. I currently own a '03 Forester with aprx. 10,500 miles and I am itching on adding a turbo to this baby! Any thoughts or advice on doing this? I will probably wait until the warranty has expired so I have plenty of time to get in some good research. Thanks to any and all who respond and keep lovin' those subes!
It happened like a lightswitch - with no indication of failing. One day it worked, the next it didn't.
It's most likely the transport motor gone bad or a wiring problem. My inclination is the pull the deck and take it to an independent radio guy because the car is just out of warranty, and I believe the dealer would either replace the whole thing or farm it out -- either way the charge would be an arm and a leg!
It started last fall. They replaced a timing belt pulley that they said was leaking, but it did nothing for the noise.
Nowe the Subaru dealer tells me there is a Service Bulletin on the problem, and it reports that the aluminum internals heat up and expand at differing rates on some cars... and it takes a 5 or 10 minute warm-up for all the parts to reach their designed dimensions.
But it doesn't happen on all the cars; and this is getting worse over time.
The dealer said bring it in as it approaches warranty (now at 45,000 - warranty is 60,000) and they'll get Subaru involved and see if the car needs a new engine...
Anybody else going through this???
Thank you
-Frank
To turbo an '03 would cost a lot more than trading up to a slightly used '04.
People have done it, but I've seen a few $4000 turbo jobs that look plain sloppy. You need to spend $7000 to do it right. It's cheaper to trade in.
Martin: make sure to call 800-SUBARU3 to register your issue, if something creeps up at 60,001 miles they're likely cover you.
Stereo - check e-bay and you'll find a 6CD+tape out of a WRX for usually around $140 or so now. Go ahead and just upgrade.
I have TWO!
-juice
I don't plan on taking her's in to the dealer until she's out of town on business, so its a couple of weeks off yet.
Tapedeck - what's already been said about e-bay. I've seen some new Legacy units (tape + 6cd) going for about $100. I'm looking for a unit from an 03 Forester XS to replace the one in my XT - the green display on mine is invisible in bright light.
TIA
Larry
Or for my brother or sister. Birthday is coming up for my lil' bro, actually. If you see another that cheap, lemme know?
-juice
On the commute home I put in tape 4 of a 6-tape Civil War book on tape (eager to see how it ends) - and it played fine.
Soooooo, if it dies again, I'll check out E-Bay.
= = = =
Regarding the click-click-click engine clatter for the first ten minutes or so, I will take the car back to the dealer in the next week or so and ask for a copy of the Service Bulletin. The service manager said it addressed the expansion of internal aluminum engine parts -- and that after it gets good and warm, the pieces fit fine and the noise goes away.
My biggest concern on the engine noise is that I'm close to 45,000 - and the noise is slowly getting worse.
After several stops in (when they couldn't hear anything wrong), I parked the car at the dealership overnight, met the service manager there at 7:00AM and started the car. Oh yeah, he heard it all right!
I'll update with findings.
Thank you.
My Miata has valve clatter but fortunately the belt squeeling drowns it out. LOL
Time for some service...
This guy on Nabisco put in a turbo, he broke into the 13s in the 1/4 mile, about the same as the XT, but spent $4000 IIRC. With no warranty, and after going through all that trouble.
Yours is probably worth 80% of what it was new. Probably $19-20k right now. Get a left over 2004 XT and you'll pay about $23k. $4k difference, tops. New car, new car warranty.
Just makes more sense financially.
-juice
While going through Raven, I started remembering all the travel and tribulations I had been with this vehicle. He's been a great vehicle and I will miss it quite a bit.
The Forester was my first introduction into Subarus as well as the beauty of AWD. I'll never forget the first time I got to take my Forester into the snow. It happened during a freak overnight snowstorm at Yosemite in May just weeks after I had taken delivery. The feeling to be able to just move right through a parking lot filled with 2WD cars spinning their tires was amazing.
juice: Remember project Forester 2.5RS? Those were the good old days!
Anyway, it looks like I'll just turn the odo over 100K before I switch cars. It's reading 99950 today so by Monday evening I'll be in the 100K club.
Ken
Any how, I'll have to save up for a GT so we can continute our East Coast/West Coast friendly rivalry. :-)
Funny thing is with each mod, neither of us wanted to go first, we wanted the other person to be the guinea pig. It all worked out nicely in the end, though.
-juice
I live in a very hilly area where shifting my automatic Forester XT from Drive to 3rd gear often helps with engine breaking on the down hills and acceleration on the ups. Dealer told me as long as when I shift from Drive to 3rd, I'm not pushing it over read line (72 MPH I believe) that that practice was perfectly acceptable. However, I read in the owners manual that one should be at a complete stop before shifting into Reverse (duh), First (ok) and Drive (huh)? So If I'm in 1st, 2nd or 3rd and "up shift" to Drive I want to pull over and stop first? Why would "up shifting" to Drive ever be a problem? Any one have any thoughts?
Elissa
Cars used to have an O/D off button that did the same thing, for towing for instance, so basically you're using the same feature.
-juice
Yeah, I know. Hope you're enjoying them. I was considering swapping them out with another Forester friend of mine, but he lives too far away for it to be practical.
BTW, would you want a Kartboy shiftknob? Since I won't be driving MT for a while, it's yours if you want it. The thread fits any Subaru MT shift lever. That way, a little bit of Raven will always be alive (sniff).
Ken
Besides, I'll admit I was a little jealous when you said Colin was your shift-lever-grease Blood Brother. ;-)
-juice
It'll be on it's way shortly. I could put a dab of the shift lever grease on it too if you want. ;-)
Actually, I think I still have the original Kartboy shift lever. I'll send that along too. It's a bit short for the Forester (plus you already have the STi lever) but it could work with your Legacy.
Ken
Actually, to be honest, it was a pain to take her dash apart, so I probably wouldn't do it. But I will do mine.
-juice
One month ago I started seeing my oil light flickering on and off on my way to work. I parked the car immediately and checked the dipstick. It registered nothing. I walked to the nearest store and then drove over to a store to buy 2 quarts of oil. I drove it to the nearest place to get the oil changed and they filled it to the top. No idea where the oil went. I have regular changes, and it's not on the floor of my garage or on the engine.
One month later. I've checked my oil after every fillup since. It's read full each time. Today after not driving the car all day yesterday I try to start the car (brand new battery, 1 mo old) and it's slow to start and once it does start it also has a knocking noise. I shut the engine down immediately and then try to start it again. No knock, however as I drive down the street it sounds like it's knocking for the first 50 yards or so. I drive it straight to the Subaru dealer where I bought the car.
They wanted to do an engine flush and replace the oil. They said the oil was low again. Can someone tell me HOW an engine flush is going to determine WHERE all that oil went? Seriously. I have a small crank seal oil leak and they found some drips around the oil filter. Not quarts of oil worth. Subaru also says that the car is not burning oil. I don't want to turn over the key and then have the engine freeze because I haven't checked the oil everytime I drive. They can't tell me where the problem is, but the oil has to be going SOMEWHERE???
Any ideas? I'm about at my wits end. They are keeping the car over night and will try starting it tomorrow to see if it knocks.
Thanks
Thanks!
There are some big differences in features between the X and XS with the premium package. You can always add leather aftermarket. You will be negating the side impact airbags though - they will be blocked.
elissa
However, I read in the owners manual that one should be at a complete stop before shifting into Reverse (duh), First (ok) and Drive (huh)?
This only refers to shifting into Drive from Park. It implies that there is a brake interlock on the transmission that will not allow shift into a motion gear without the brake fully depressed. Shifting amongst the forward gears is not affected by this.
Hope that helps!
kcram
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Not true at all. Most (if not all) aftermarket leather kits are designed with the airbags in mind.
-Frank
It was strange to see 99999 suddenly go to 100000. Seeing that extra digit really made me feel like I've had driven a lot with my Forester.
The funny thing was that I had anticipated some kind of "high score" or "bonus life" melody play from the Forester when it rolled 100K. I guess I played one too many video games when I was a kid!
Ken
-Frank
mpgman: I average 25mpg, best ever broke 30 mpg with a feather on the throttle. Mine is rated at 21/27 by the EPA, and the 2005 models are 23/30, so you could do even better.
And Yes, I've seen Katskins leather on a Forester with side air bags, they even have the SRS logo on the side!
Ken: you get an extra life. ;-)
-juice
Can't say enough good things about our Forester. Great vehicle from a great company. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
Still very busy at work. I stop in every now and again, but no time to post anymore.
Take care, everybody.
The '05 Outback GT makes me drooool... (but we'll have to wait til they're on the used market - too steep for us right now).
-brianV
I just ordered a Nikon D70. We'll both have to go out shooting next time you're back in the Bay Area.
Ken
Getting back into photography (again), too. It would be great to do some shooting together. I'm still shooting film, and just acquired a 20-35mm zoom for my system. We spent Father's Day hiking in the mountains and doing some creative photography. My son has picked it up as well, so it's really fun. We just upgraded his point and shoot to an Olympus Stylus 120. He actually has a pretty good eye, and he's only turning 9 this fall.
I'm holding off going to digital until I can get an affordable full-frame sensor body for my lens system (Canon EOS). I have a pretty big investment in my lens system and want them to work the way I intended (field of view, selective focus power changes with smaller sensors, as you no doubt know). Prolly a few years away, but I can wait.
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-brianV
For Juice: appreciate the canoe/mountain bike steer for VIP status.........happy 4th..ez
John
-Frank
Larry
-Frank
Len
Has anyone purchased this warranty with Subaru Bucks?
Thanks,
Steve Z
-Frank
-Frank
I have an aftermarket ASC moonroof and my installer actually requires a servicing every 2 years to keep the lifetime warranty valid. He told me they lube the rails and clean the drain holes. Perhaps that would solve your problem?
We haven't done it yet, though, the car is still new.
-juice