Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Subaru Forester (up to 2005)
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
But the Forester X is still near the top of the list. They're main concern is that towing a trailer around the Intermountain West will, as my dad says, "tow the guts out of the car." We were hoping someone had experience towing in the West with a Subaru. I've suggested that a transmission cooler, oil cooler and full synthetic oil would make any vehicle pretty much bombproof no matter what you did to it. But piece of mind is priceless and a 6 cylinder or XT might be the best answer in the end.
Thanks again, Tim
-juice
also are the speakers pre-wired? could i add a tweeter myself if i wanted to later on?
and last question, the option of corner bumper things, i think it's a good idea to have them - how well do they stick? i suppose it would be best if i bought it at some other time and installed it myself. but since this protects the car, i wonder how well it sticks in the long run.
thanks
---Mike Savad
check for the neutral switch , by moving the shifter from park to neutral position a couple of
time to activate the neutral switch , this is for and automatic . The same switch is on the
clutch pedal and does the same thing. Hope those informations helps you Kiangster .
It's noticeably hazy to the point that my rearview vision is blurred. Happen to you? Could it have been caused by driving 15 hours per day?
The compass still works.
That's easy - just have her (or Dad) prop the bow on the rear cross bar of the rack and then lift the stern and slide the canoe forward. You may need a pad to protect the paint before the gunnels reach the cross bar.
Taking it off is just the reverse. Otherwise you're horsing a big long boat around with extended arms and it's easy to drop in on the side mirror (voice of experience!).
Steve, Host
There isn't any space under the back seat.
The front doors are pre-wired for tweeter add-on.
-Dave
We also had the replace the auto-dimming mirror on my wife's 03 OBW because it responded way too slow to changing light conditions.
BTW - In 04 at least on some models, Subaru switched to a different OEM auto-dimming mirror - seems to hold up and perform much better. I know the one on my FXT works very well.
HTH
Larry
Shipping alone will kill any thoughts of getting a good deal on-line on a single oil filter.
-juice
Has anybody else listend to the 2005 speakers and thought they sounded really muddy? Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Moe
As it is now, it sounds like your high cut/low pass is set at minimum and the upper frequencies are still transmitted to the subwoofer.
It is not so much of what max wattage the speaker can take but how much wattage is needed to power the speaker and how much continuous power it can take before distorting.
The OEM HU is rated about 160 watts max., and I'm guessing it RMS would be in the 15 watt RMS ballpark. So, if the Alpine does not take much to be driven, they should be fine.
I recently swapped out the OEM HU and replaced it with the Kenwood KDC-MP828 featuring 22 watts RMS and 50 watts peak x4, amongst other bells and whistles, and those OEM upgraded speaker system are even more lively - you can hear the variations of the accompliments in the background crisp and clear.
-Dave
p/s: You may want to check with the dealer if the speakers in your door now are the standard issue or the optional upgraded speakers.
-Frank
-Dennis
The tweeters and sub actually sound fine, but the midrange coming out of the "upgrade" speakers in the doors sounds very muddy. I though the upgrade speakers were standard on the XS premium, but I don't see them noted on the sticker, so I'm waiting to hear back from the dealer regarding what I've really got. If I've just got the standard speakers, that's easy to solve.
The alpines I was looking at say 50rms, so I'm thinking the OEM HU can't drive them? Sound right?
I'll report what I find out!
Thanks,
Moe
Look at RMS as how much continuous beating it can take. In this case, 50 watts of continuous power without distortion or tearing apart. The max. 250 watt is up to how much it can take at short burst without distortion or tearing apart i.e. Cannon blast from '1812".
Take a peek over at Crutchfield and look up your Alpine model. They have in their specs the recommended minimum Headunit RMS range for the speaker, and Alpine speakers can be driven at 2 watt RMS.
I was eyeing the Kenwood KFC-X168 and X138 to replace my OEM speakers.
Very good frequency response range 28 Hz -> 40 kHz, basically better than the others that are out there for the price. But alas the new HU have breathed new life into my OEM speakers, hence I won't be looking to replace them.
Oh, you'll need spacers to install the Alpine.
-Dave
.
Cheers Slayer
Also, I second the above advise on canoe loading. I walk mine up to the rear cross bar and load it myself.
If I get the urge later (more $) I'll try a HU like yours. And thanks for explaining all the RMS details and driving power needs. Really appreciate it!
Moe
Try parts@libertysubaru.com or visit the site 1stsubaruparts.com.
The rack itself works well, you don't have to lifts the bikes much and it tilts so you can still open the hatch.
-juice
---Mike Savad
The harness will be supplied with the unit when ordered.
The 05s, I have not idea.
-Dave
Moe
...0 problems (except for a minor squeak and the abovementioned mirror).
Make sure you call Subaru and check for recalls, warranty repairs and to get yourself registered as the new owner (assuming, as I must, that you will buy this car).
Make sure that the coolant additive has been installed to protect the gaskets. It's still under warranty until 100K.
My Forester survived three road trips last month totalling about 5500 miles (all three included mountain driving). It's so much fun to drive that when my wife returned my car after the last trip, I almost kissed the car first.
David
Inspect the condition, though, and make sure it had regular service. Call 800-SUBARU3 and see if they can tell if you all the recalls were performed, at least.
-juice
Installed it on Wednesday, first oil change I'd done since I got it. It basically replace the oil drain plug and crush gasket with its own gasket and the unit screws right in. Fit like a charm, and doesn't seem to protrude below the oil pan so clearance is unaffected.
It's the kind without the "lip" so it'll pour the used oil directly into a recycling container, no mess, I hope. Of course the oil pan was empty when I installed it so I can only actually use it with the next oil change.
One issue was the concern that the oil pan would not be completely empty after drainage, so what I plan to do it pour about half a quart of new oil in to rinse it out, sort of. I use 4.5 quarts or so usually, so I have that spare 1/2 quart anyway.
I'll take pics when I actually use it. For now you can check out pics at their website:
http://www.fumotovalve.com/
-juice
I installed one on my wife's 2003 Outback. I cut the threaded section down to about 1/2 its length first, so that the last bit of oil would be able to flow out without any obstruction. She has the one with the short extension on it, so you can use a piece of hose to direct the flow exactly where you want it. Very convenient.
Len
My 2002 forester, with 23000 miles on it, is making a high pitch sound as it accelerates. It is most noticeable around 55-60 m/h. I believe it comes from either the transmission or the front axle. As I decrease speed, the sound decreases too. It is similar to the sound of a sewing machine.
Has anyone had a similar issue? Last year, the transmission was changed due to internal component failure.
Thanks for your input.
-mike
Craig
-mike
Mine is tucked well out of the way, even if I bottomed out there nothing would open it. Might depend on how it's installed, but mine worked out quite well.
mpgman: unpainted cladding is gone.
fbkord: if the pitch is speed-dependent, my best guess is the wheel bearings.
-juice
I definitely can see how under certain off road situations with branches that may get kicked up that the lever can be pushed up and turned to allow the drain to open. Like Frank Castanza solemnly said, "It was one in a million Doc.... one in a million". Halfway obscure Seinfeld reference :P
Alan
98 OBW Ltd
It had a small spring clamp that (the type you squeeze with a pair of pliers to release) that set into the groove that the lever for the valve used, effectively locking it in place.
I cut mine with a sawzall using a fine tooth metal cutting blade. You could cut it with a jig saw with a metal cutting blade as well, or even a hacksaw. It's brass, so it cuts easily. Just be careful to make a square cut across the threads. I also used a small triangular file to clean up the threads when I finished cutting.
Fumoto's literature shows how you can use a spring-type hose clamp around the outside of the valve body to secure the lever in the closed position. I don't use one on my wife's Outback, though.
After I change the oil in her car, I use a couple q-tips stuck up inside to clean the oil residue off the ball portion of the valve, including the last wipe with the q-tip soaked with brake cleaner, to ensure it is dry in there. I always check the ball valve before opening it on a subsequent oil change, and I haven't found any evidence of oil seepage or weeping yet, after about a year and a half and about 20K miles (roughly 6 or 7 oil changes). I'm pretty OCD about this, so I'll keep checking it every time.
The only reason I installed the Fumoto on her car is because I always got oil on the plastic shroud during oil changes on this vehicle, no matter what I did to avoid it. I don't use one on my 2001 Forester, because the plastic shroud comes off and I don't have any mess. I would NOT consider using one on any vehicle I planned to take off-roading or one with limited ground clearance, due to the greater chance of damaging the valve.
Len
-juice
As for the extra threads, if you're really OCD you can cut notches in the threads to allow the oil to drain completely. Someone measured how much oil is left in the pan due to the extra length in the oilpan, it's a really tiny amount, not enough to be concerned about. Also, I added a couple of washers under mine so when I screw it down the lever is on top, also decreasing the risk of accidental opening.
Thanks, Scott
Although I've never installed the above accessories, both appear to be straght foward bolt-ons.
-Dennis
I've installed both of those myself on my '98, but the '04 might be a little different.
Things to know - for the diffy protector, you might have to move the exhaust out of the way slightly. Spray lithium grease on the exhaust hooks to slide them off, then use a jack, jack stands, or tie wraps to hold the exhaust in place while you install the bolts on that side of the protector. It's not as hard as it sounds.
The jack takes 7 bolts, at least mine did. You remove both tow hooks, 2 bolts each, reuse the same bolts IIRC. You also remove a vaccum canister for the fuel system and reinstall it under the hitch mount. Make sure you reconnect all the hoses.
The harness is nice, plug and play. Mine had the wiring in the spare tire well. I ran it down through the hole in the bottom of the spare tire well and used the rubber grommet supplied with the kit to seal it up nicely. 7 years later it has never leaked and works every time.
If you get both and end up doing this, e-mail me and I'll send you some useful photos I have.
Keep in mind yours might be slightly different, but you'll get the general idea.
-juice
I have a Yakima bike rack and Yakima's instructions don't mention the deflector at all. They do say the the bike rack is compatible with the 1998-2002 Forester's optional spoiler.
I bought at Saris 3 bike rack (standard, not a bones) a few years ago. The rear spoiler prevented me from opening the rack one more click like I wanted to. I figured it was ok and made a trip to Cape Cod with three bikes. An hour into the trip I realized that the bikes were pulling the rack down and the top of the rack wasn't resting against the rear glass. I found some old rags to try to relieve pressure of the top clamps. It helped a little, but I still got two little indentations on the top where the clamps go.
I didn't want to risk any more damage and bought a hitch and Thule rack for the trip back. In your case I think if the straps hit the underside of the deflector it would be ok, since the weight will be on the car and/or glass.
Good luck,
Dennis
Thanks for your help!
1) maybe an air bubble in the system somewhere.
2) maybe the rear drums out of adjustment.
It might be worth it to go sit in an '05 X at the dealers, start it up and compare. If they are different, then this would be a warranty fix.
John