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I think among females, it's any name with a "K" in it. As in Kate, Karin, BecKy, etc.
-juice
-juice
Now, here's what happened. The pollen here in NE this past week has been terrible. It's gotten all over the outside of the car and looks and feels awful on the new paint job. So, what to do? I'd love some advice on car washing/waxing. I'm not one to wash by hand, at least never have before, but I'd seriously consider all suggestions. I'd like to hear what you all do to take good care of that beautiful new car finish. ---Susan
The best thing for your paint job is frequent washing and regular waxing. Wash by hand, if possible. If you're strapped for time, go to only brushless or touchless car washes. The traditional brushes on car washes are too harsh and will create lots of fine scratches in your finish.
I've never run my Forester through a car wash and I've kept a regular routine of washing and waxing.
Some tips on washing:
-Buy a wash mit. It's easier to keep on your hand.
-Buy another wash mit -- you'll want something separate for those dirty wheels.
-Use car shampoo (car wash solution). Don't use dish detergent, it'll strip your wax.
-Use car wash concentrates sparingly -- just enough to get some foam. Too much will strip excess wax and make rinsing difficult.
-Begin by hosing down your vehicle from top to bottom. This will remove any loose dirt and debris and make your job easier.
-Wash and wax in shade, never in direct sunlight. Sunlight will dry the soap or wax onto your paint and make it hard to remove.
-Wash from top to bottom. You want to hit the dirty parts last or you'll be washing your vehicle with road tar and dirt.
-If it's warm, wash and rinse section by section. You'll avoid getting water spots from the soap.
-Use clean terry cloths to wipe off the water. Buy a car squeege (ie. California Water Blade) to speed up the process.
Tips on waxing:
-Cleaner/Wax combos are good if you don't want to put in a lot of time. I've found brands like 3M, Meguiars and Zymol to work well.
-Wax using only vertical or horizontal motions -- it'll reduce the amount of visible scratches.
-Wax at least 3x a year.
-Synthetic waxes (Klasse, NuFinish, Meguiars Polymer Sealant) last longer than regular waxes so you may get by with only 2x applications a year.
Tips on regular maintenance:
-Promptly remove bird droppings. They are highly alkaline and will eat through your paint. Use a spray cleaner like Meguiar's Quik Detail. I keep a bottle in my Forester all the time.
-California Car Dusters is a quick way to remove loose pollen without having to wash your vehicle.
Hope that helps.
Ken
If you went by root meaning, since "David" means "beloved" (apparently the full meaning around here is "beloved of Subies"), you could also branch out into "Amy," "Amie," "Amada" and "Amala."
--Posted by another of those darn dog-owning, Mac-using, Forester-driving Daves
Also, the factory sound is kinda week. Any suggestions..will front speakers improve sound?
Also, I have 2 months of factory warranty left. Figure i go to the dealer for warranty check-up for the last time. Anything I should focus on and ask the dealer to check out? Thanks for any feedback
Thanks Dave. (watch, 10 people will say you're welcome...) For looking up the female names, that is.
lexoman: is it buffeting fron the windows? The dealer can adjust the pressure against the seals if they are not tight.
That's a great price. No way I'd sell mine for that little, and I have 37k miles.
The standard speakers are probably the weakest link in the sound system, so they'd be your best pick to upgrade first.
For folks that have asked about towing, I finally had the chance to put it to the test last weekend. I borrowed a buddy's 5'x8' trailer and hauled 6 yards of wood chips home (2 trips, 3 cubic yards in each).
Well, the trailer was 700 lbs, and the chips are anyone's guess (does anyone know?). They are lighter than mulch because wood chips are dry, but it was still a pretty big load.
So, how'd it do? Just fine, actually. It needed about 2500 revs or more plus a steady clutch, but never bogged down. Braking was rather deliberate, of course, given I was stopping 50% extra weight or so (no trailer brakes, though I'd recommend them if you tow often).
Check it out:
-juice
Bob
The back seat can be tight if you have a 6 footer sitting behind another 6 footer, but for kids it's fine. We had an Evenflo infant carrier in there, and now we use a regular toddler seat. Our daughter can kick the back of the front seats, but that's probably true in just about any compact. I do suggest you actually take your seat (and baby) to the dealer and try it out.
Nice bonuses are the LATCH/ISOFIX anchors that are now standard. Make sure you get a new safety seat with it. Also, there are 3 tether anchors, standard since 2000, in the hatch area. Your seat will be anchored nice and solid.
For safety, check this out:
http://www.crashtest.com/subaru/index.htm
Now, you can debate the validity of one test or another, but the bottom line is the Forester did well in EVERY single test, even the ones in Europe, Japan, and Australia.
More pros: low lift over to trunk, low seat height great for lifting infant seats into, and big cargo area fits double strollers. The low roof means for trips you can make use of that sturdy roof rack (150 lbs, beat that!) for all the baby paraphernalia. 25.1mpg average for me means you'll drive by lots of gas stations. It's very user-friendly, much more so than traditional SUVs.
Cons? Other people might call it a wagon, and your wife will take it all the time.
Good luck.
-juice
Juice- You noted that people call it a wagon. Is that the general reaction, or just from a few? What is the best value/performance combination for Foresters? Is the Limited package worth it? Have you seen any comparisons to the Saturn VUE?
Bob- I don't think I need the size of a 4Runner of Highlander now. Besides, I have the feeling that a minivan is in our future.
Bob
Note that the Forester also won a comparo with C&D a while back. In concept they are very similar.
Some like the styling, others don't. Most people do think it's an SUV. Mine has the fender flares and bigger wheels/tires, so that helps, but a gas attendant even called it a "Jeep".
Best value? Depends on your needs. The L is arguably the best value. You can get one for $19,005 right now at fitzautomall.com, and for that you get AWD, ABS, A/C, stereo cassette, power everything, and 165hp. It's got all the basics.
If you like a bit of luxury, the S has the CD changer (and still has the cassette), rear disc brakes and a rear LSD for even more prowess in the snow, 16" alloys, and lots of other little luxuries. They start at $21,352.
If you feel like splurging, you can get the S Premium model, which adds what seems like the world's biggest moonroof and side air bags. Leather is now an option, so you can equip it like a little Lexus for $22,829 (more if you want the leather).
Now compare to the Highlander, which the same dealer sells (convenient, no?). They start at $25,550, but that's not AWD. AWD models start at $27,159 and top off at $32,304.
So you have to decide if the extra space and the V6 are worth about $8000-9500.
-juice
Nice photo -- love the dog!
Ken
When I go away for the day, he sits by the window wimpering until I get back. We won't even eat. I admire his loyalty.
-juice
I just replaced the factory speakers in my '01 S and I can say that it made a great improvement. I plan on changing my head unit for an aftermarket CD receiver, but that's only because I want more power and a greater range of fine tuning. However, the factory unit sounds very nice since changing the speakers. You can now hear the highs, and the lows are much cleaner and more defined. The factory speakers lacked highs and the sound was generally "muddy". The speakers are definitely where you should start from to improve your factory audio. Hope this helps.
Len
I've always considered doing this, but given we listen to "Best of Elmo", I'm not sure it's worth it. Someone suggested ear plugs would be the best upgrade!
-juice
You've gotta upgrade the front speakers. Huge difference in sound quality. You'll be able to hear Elmo like you've never heard him before.
I got the Sony Xplod V1621 from Crutchfield. It's a three way so the highs are even crisper.
Ken
A quick glance and comparison at Edmunds New car Prices turned up this interesting info:
The Forester has a 99.4" wheelbase, and the Highlander has a 106.9" wheelbase. That's roughly a 107% increase over the Forester.
The base AWD 2.4L automatic Highlander's MSRP is $25,395.00.
The Forester L automatic's MSRP is $21,620.00.
The Forester S automatic's MSRP is $24,220.00.
The Highlander is roughly 117% more expensive than the Forester L, and is roughly 105% more expensive than the Forester S.
My gut feeling is, from a content standpoint, the base Highlander AWD falls somewhere in between the Forester L and S, and probably closer to the S model, but that's just a guess.
Bob
I don't know about you folks, but I've been seeing a lot of Highlanders lately. It looks like Toyota has another winner.
Bob
I've seen quite a few Highlanders too. They're not readily identifiable because the styling is, shall we say, not as distinct as the Forester? The front headlights are what I look for -- otherwise, the back and sides are pretty plain.
Toyota could do no wrong with the Highlander. They took the successful RX300 platform and made it a little bigger and a lot more affordable. I wonder how RX300 sales are doing these days.
Ken
If you visit the Japanese Toyota web site, it's referred to as the "Kluger V" and has a grille that screams Grand Cherokee.
Bob
I agree that the Highlander will be a winner. Remember, the RX300 is Lexus' best-seller and leads the class, and the Highlander is bigger and actually cheaper, too. They'll sell very well, because Toyota has gotten people accustomed to paying a bit more for their Camrys.
Plus, it offers a V6 and 3500# towing, which is adequate for just about anyone. Price and the lack of a 3rd row seat are its only weaknesses as far as I can tell.
-juice
http://auto.ascii24.com/auto24/e/2001/0509/e04nsc_tm0509_02.html?sm
Yikes, I'll keep the US version, thanks.
-juice
I would think the RX300 is due shortly for a refreshening. I bet it gets a bigger engine (3.5 perhaps, like the MDX?) and a 5-speed automatic (again, like the MDX). I also wouldn't be surprised to see a third folding seat (more MDX). I doubt it will get a low range, although I hope it does.
Bob
-juice
Juice -- did you have the upgraded speakers on your Forester?
Ken
Originally the Toyota Tundra was to be called the T-150, until Ford lawyers got involved, and threatened to sue Toyota because it was too "similar" to their F-150.
Bob
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
I'm sure you're aware that Jeep is trying to sue GM, because the upcoming Hummer H2's grille is too Jeep-like. Which is really kind of funny, since the original Hummer also has a Jeep-like grille. I guess Jeep feels the H2 is more of a potential competitor than the original H1. It's possible that the H2 and some Jeep may be cross-shopped. Whereas it's unlikely someone shopping an H1, would also shop a Jeep.
Bob
Ed
So I dropped it off at the dealer a week later for an alignment. They did that but could not get the wheel straight and it had a slight drift to the left.
After a trip over the weekend I decide it was still off center and drifted left too much for me. I took it back and the mechanic nailed the alignment within the specs but he notes the wheel is slightly off center and advised having frame alignment check. I didn't even drive it and just ask them to send it off to check the frame alignment. They say the steering wheel being a bit off center is within spec but I think something got torqued in shipping/delivery.
Is this a known issue? Also it seems to pull more above 70. Has anyone been down this road before? I like to get the dealer pointed in the right direction and back into my car.
Steve
Before getting too excited, check the tyre pressures very carefully. I have found the Subaru to be the most sensitive of any car i have ever driven with even a 1lb difference from side to side being enough to cause a problem.
Cheers
Graham
I was going to mention the LS but Drew beat me to it! ;-)
Notice how much the new Liberty looks like the Korando? Jeep must have known this and sued PDQ. Both Korando and Kluger V look kind of silly, which Jeep manages to pull it off.
But tincup brings up a good point. Who owns that look, then? Hummer or Jeep?
Also, can BMW sue Dodge for copying their headlights with the new Ram, and Acura with their new RSX? Almost everything is derivative, so it's a tough line to draw.
-juice
Having said that, there have been cases where Chrysler imitated Mercedes grilles back in the '80s, and we've all seen accessory Rolls Royce grilles stuck on VW Beetles, etc.
As I said, it's a very tough call. It seems to come into play when there are serious issues of "brand confusion," that could hurt the original product's sales.
Bob
Jim
juice -- You want my old "premium" speakers? I'll mail them to you if you want. No charge.
Ken
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Bob
Skip
Look at how the press (Dateline) apologized to GM after the "Waiting to Explode?" episode. Then compare that to the way Audi got treated with the unintended acceleration hype. Total double standard.
Toyota agrees, it appears. They style the Highlander differently for the US, but in Japan, on their home turf, it's copy-cat city!
The next Forester ought to arrive for MY2003, but those were just rumors. In fact, it seems unlikely, given that it would overlap with the planned bigger SUW on the Legacy platform for 2005. Wouldn't that be the same thing? I think someone got the Forester confused with that SUW.
I'd like to see a wheelbase stretch and the rear suspension from Legacy, but still on the lighter Impreza platform. A hybrid of the two, perhaps.
Ken: you think it's worth the hassle? Were they at least two-ways? Mine are cheap dual-cones.
-juice
In researching this a bit further I have noted messages on other boards about folks with 98-00 models wearing out OEM tires in <30k. They have usually stated alignment being the issue.
I'll post an update when the matter is resolved and thanks again for your input.
Steve
Where is that chat happening tonight? I am having some problems with my ICQ at home...
Bob, thanks for the update. Too bad it's only a rumor, I was hopping it would come soon!
blucy2@inreach.com
I'm posting tonight's Subaru chat promo below. I hope to see you there!
Blucy: I've had a 1998 Forester L for almost 3 years and 37k miles, and it's been fabulous to me. 25.1mpg average, very reliable, fun to drive, and great utility, particularly for its small size.
I actually like small, light vehicles because they are more nimble and agile, so I consider this an advantage. It's very user-friendly, too, with easy step-in height and a low lift over for cargo. Even the roof rack isn't so high that you need a ladder.
When you consider that I've driven on the beach, on orchard farms, and towed some pretty decent loads, I still don't see a reason for me to buy a bigger truck, especially with the threat of higher gas prices.
We have one toddler (almost 2), so the solid safety scores were just a bonus. Subaru of America also has a rep on these boards to help resolve whatever issues come up, and generally I've found Subaru owners to be quite interesting and friendly.
No regrets here.
-juice