Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)
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Comments
Jim J.
I just went to the Buffalo Auto Show and let me tell you, I still like the Forester best. I didn't realize exactly HOW Big the S premium sun roof really is!! Damn that's big. Anyway, I noticed that the Liberty's rear seats don't fold flat and alot of the small utes interiors just aren't as comfortable as the Foresters...maybe I am just biased. The Saturn VUE is something interesting...car based, offered in 2wd or 4wd. Car like handling and mileage. Pretty impressive. Pontiac Vibe is also something interesting, pretty much the same thing as a Aztec, but smaller, very interesting. Wasn't impressed by either RAV4 or CRV. Although my girlfriend did fall in LOVE with the WRX and the GMC YUKON Denali...Damn, that's gonna be expensive to finance.
Oh Well. just some thoughts.
Mike
I asked about the differences between a Forester S and an Outback Sport over 220 messages ago! Looks like I'll be hurting to keep up with this discussion. By the way...
I'M A NEW FORESTER OWNER!!!
I got a nearly loaded 2002 Forester S for about $500 under Edmunds.com TMV in Atlanta, GA. Burgundy/graystone paint scheme. Automatic transmission. After a test drive in a loaded 2002 Outback Sport (a sweet little ride in its own right), I just couldn't stand not having the cargo room and extra space.
My new Forester replaced a '99 Mercury Cougar V-6 -- a car that was plagued with little fit and finish issues. Although it was a sweet looking little coupe, I had to find something more reliable, more practical, and driveable by a fiancée WITHOUT manual transmission driving skills.
Anyway...WOOHOO! I finally got my Subaru!
Later,
burnsmr4
THANKS,WINWASH
-Frank P.
I waited quite a while before having it replaced, but two weeks ago when I brought the car in to have the performance gauge pack installed, I also had the dealer replace the bug shield. Big mistake.
Friday my wife is driving home through one of our Colorado wind storms and it comes loose. She pulled over and called me - I had her remove it but the damage was done... Across the hood and in both fender corners the paint is trashed.
Good news part: called Flatiron Subaru in Boulder, CO Saturday morning and told the service rep my story. They stepped right up to the plate, no questions asked. They're paying for a complete repaint of the hood and both fenders, and giving me a loaner while they have my car. I told them to keep the bug shield, and remove the mounting clips - it's worse than useless.
I can say that the whole experience with Flatirons has been about as good as you can hope for under the circumstances. Just wanted to pass it on.
Patti - It happens that my family has been in the plastics forming business for almost 60 years. Is there someone in technical I could speak to on this ? This design needs to be revisited.
You need to change the mounting scheme, and either increase the wall thickness or go to a different material. You could do this without impacting your cost of production too greatly, depending on the size of your production runs.
hood deflector 3 times under warranty (each time was because the side
clips popped off from the hood while driving down the highway with the ends of the hood deflector vibrating rapidly against the ends of the hood).
They eventually decided to reimburse me for the deflector.
Since then I have searched the web and found a deflector to replace it.
I purchased one from Perfect Fit at http://www.carbras.com (for a
2001 forester)
I took it out for a test drive on the highway during a very windy day
and it worked fine.
It appears to be stiffer (slightly thicker also) than my previous
deflector.
It does require bumpons (little black silicon bumpers) to be placed on
the hood to keep it separated from the hood (as opposed the bumpons
being on the deflector and you having to put pads down like on my old
deflector) and it attaches underneath the hood via plugs with screws in
the two holes where the weather stripping is connected. It also
attaches at the ends of the hood with two clips but these clips are
definitely larger than the ones on my old hood deflector. I think the
combination of the stiffness of the deflector and larger clips will keep
the deflector from popping off like my old one. The deflector can
easily be removed (a little more effort than removing the old one) for washing and waxing the car.
The only problem I can possibly see with my new one is the spacing
between the hood and deflector (not much space) right at the two ridges
that run the length of the hood but I think this can be remedied by
adjusting the placement of the bumpons.
Anyway, I know what your going through and thought I'd offer up my
experience on this so far.
Greg
NOTE: I had to break up the URL (added a character space after underscored type) because Web-X can't handle long URLs. Arrrrugh!
Bob
http://www.caranddriver.com/xp/ Caranddriver/autoshows/2002_chicago/2002_chicago_gallery.xml
Thanx, Bob
--'rocco
ah yes, try http://www.makeashorterlink.com.
And thanks for giving us the margins back :-)
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I was just experimenting around trying to figure out how to get around that 115 character restriction. Is there any way around that?
--'rocco
{edit mode re sarcasm - gotta watch for the smileys!}
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
...or maybe you weren't ...I didn't find anything at that URL.
k, sorry again!
--'rocco
Thanks for the link. I really like the silver one -- the back looks MUCH better on that particular model. The monotone silver combined with the triangular taillights give it a Benz-like look.
Ken
Thanx!
--'rocco
http://makeashorterlink.com/?X1526366
But I wonder how long makeashorterlink will hold that transfer? ...they say "for as long as possible." ...hmmmmm.
--'rocco
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
--'rocco
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
--'rocco
Thanks for that cool link! I also wonder how long until we'll start getting pop-up ads.
Ken
I took my federal credit union's pricing for a Forester S through the auto finder service to Conley Subaru-Isuzu in Decatur, GA. Subaru had better financing rates than the federal credit union. The dealership was also willing to meet/beat the federal credit union's $200 over invoice pricing.
I had been looking at a Forester S at Conley since October 2001. The salesman I worked with is one of the best in the Southeast, and I understand why. No pressure. Very communicative. Great feedback.
Everyone else that I worked with at the aealership was pleasant as well. The finance manager was great with advice on how to manage the paperwork associated with a private sale in Georgia. The sales manager, during the deal-making process, was called in to talk with me, but, again, no pressure or hostility.
When I got to the finance manager's desk, I was given a very clear bill of sale with no hidden fees. The dealer ad fee was within Edmunds.com guidelines and came from a regional dealership association and not the dealership itself. The documentation was a little high -- $249 -- and I couldn't get them to budge on it. If I'd bought the car a week earlier, I would have saved $50 on the documentation fee.
I'm a picky buyer, and even after I spent two hours haggling with them and checking different prices/car configurations, they happily agreed to remove the pinstripe from the car I eventually decided upon. The fella removing the pinstripe took almost an hour carefully peeling it off and buffing out the adhesive residue. The car was also meticulously washed and prepped before I received it.
Overall, I'd give Conley a 10 out of 10. I would buy there again. I will update my experience when I go in for my first scheduled maintenance. That's where things can take a turn for the worst. Hopefully not with these fine folks.
Regards,
burnsmr4
P.S. - Just in case anyone was wondering, I don't work for Conley. ;-P
"small price increase vs. the '02, despite more features";
"a beefier look, but it still most resembles a wagon";
"reconfigured rear seats for more room";
(surprise here)- "lower center of gravity for snappier handling."
-mike
The juiceman on vacation? kinda insecure around here without him.
I'm really hoping that the 2003 Forester can come close to the solid feel of the Matrix. And it's a shame that Toyota comes up short in one, big area with their new vehicle.
:-)
Ross
Nevermind :-)
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Ross
And I agree.
Jim J.
Solar Flare when they roll out the Forester Turbo, B4, GT-B, Blitzen... Stateside
-Dave
tidester
Host
SUVs
I haven't posted here in a while, because I got rid of my 2001 Forester S (blue, 5 spd.) back in September for a 2002 WRX wagon (blue, 5 spd., do you see a theme emerging?).
I have to say that I am pretty disappointed in BOTH the baja and the latest 03 forester. Yawn. Same engine; it's not a bad engine, but there is simply too much competition out there to be resting on Subie laurels. I know many of your will rally (yes, pun intended) to the defense of your current foresters. To be sure, the looks on the 03 are much sharper, looking a bit more "tribute-like" than the former version. I do appreciate more leg room as well.
I won't be buying another Subaru until the Legacy Blitzen models are available in this country with a MANUAL transmission. I looked at the two larger outbacks with the 6 cylinders before getting the WRX, but with no manual: no fun.
cheers all, perhaps i shall return to the forester flock again, until then..
perrito
;~)
Ross
I apologize for mashing your name!
BTW - I can relate completely to the hazards of grading papers and exams!
tidester
Host
SUVs
I have a 2001 Forester that just turned 30,000 miles and just recently I noticed a engine noise when I start the car. This noise is quite loud and it only acts up when the car is cold and at times it takes ten minutes for it to quiet. Once the car has been warmed, subsequent starts are quiet. It sounds like a clattering noise so I am sure it is in the valve train somewhere and at higher RPM's it is not so pronounced. What a disappointment as I have been absolutely faithful with the maintenance of this vehicle and I change the oil EVERY 3000 miles using a semi-synthetic oil. The car goes into the dealer Monday and I am not looking forward to these upcoming battles with the service people.
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Did some research and discovered that Subaru had some problems with their motors but from what I can decipher it was primarily in 98 and 99. The knocking noise was cause by what was termed "SHORT PISTON SKIRTS" with the action plan to either replace the pistons or replace the short block. My engine had a definite KNOCK and not a tick and I took it the the dealers yesterday, letting it sit outside all night. Believe me, that Subaru performed wonderfully this morning when the Subaru folks listened to me start the Forester up. Knocking was an understatement! The Subaru mechanic stated that the piston skirt issue had been resolved and he thought that my noise is the timing belt tensioner. They just called me to say they ordered the timing belt tensioner parts and I will take it back in next week. If this does not fix it they will have to keep trying.
mike k