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Comments
If you're risk-averse, I'd go with the Subaru warranty. We have an SoA rep participating in our Subaru Crew topics and she's said that would get you the best and most complete service.
Having said that, I didn't feel it was necessary and did not get one. Mine's never been to the shop.
-juice
I've been checking out this message center while pondering our new vehicle purchase. Looked at RAV4, CR-V, Passat wagon, Tribute and Forester S. It came down to the Mazda Tribute and The Forester S. The Tribute seemed just plain cheap on the interior, although my wife liked the Tributes (exterior) looks better. In the end it came down to the quality, features, and gas mileage. The Forester S won hands down! We loaded the S up with a cargo carrier, trailer hitch bike rack, sport grille and a few other interior items and got the whole shebang for about what we would have paid for a basic Tibute LX v-6 with no options. Just stopped by at lunch and placed the order. Should be here in mid March. Can't wait even though my wife will be driving it daily! We just might be going camping a few extra times this summer!
Congratulations on the purchase! Waiting is the hardest part!
BTW, what color did you get?
Ken
-juice
The actual time spent with the salesman making the deal was approx. 10 min. Why so short? I did my homework. If you are interested, here are the steps I took to purchase my Forester.
1) Gathered invoice and MSRP prices from Edmund's and other sites. Then chose my options and figured out the total invoice including dest. charge, etc.
2) Went to the Subaru of America site and did a dealer search for my area.
3) e-mailed all Soob dealers within a 20 mile radius or so. I told them exactly what I was interested in, options and all, and asked them to contact me with their best price. 4 of 6 dealers returned my e-mail within two days. 2 offered invoice right off the bat. Another called me and, after a few minutes, said they could match the other dealers' prices. I felt invoice was a good offer, considering the 2001 model just came out and there were still 2000 models sitting on some lots.
4) Went to the chosen dealer, e-mails and invoice prices in hand, discussed the price for approx. 5 min., and did the paperwork. Cake! Mind you, It was the end of the day, at the end of the month, right before a holiday weekend. They were itchin' to get out of there and wanted the sale.
Bottom line....the internet is a great resource. Use it to it's fullest capacity. Now, armed with this info., you should get an even better deal than me. There weren't any special financing deals on the 2001 model when I purchased mine.
Good luck and let us know how it's going.
BTW: Congrats to Chaz.
Juice: You are just a Soob encyclopedia. How do you know all of this stuff???
Skip
I ordered my '01 S+ back at the end of November and it arrived at the dealer yesterday, which is when I picked it up. Silverthorne S premium, auto tranny, rear diff protector, cargo net, rear dust deflector, air filtration, feature group III, tweeter kit, fender flares and wheel locks for $300 over invoice, which is pretty good for the LA area (one of the few areas of the country where the Forester is not very popular). In case any LA/OC prospective buyers are interested, Dave Mendenhall, "e-commerce manager" at Simmons VW/Subaru was great to deal with; other dealers wanted at least $800 over invoice (no I'm not getting anything in return for this).
The car arrived with all the options except the fender flares installed (guess they forgot at the port) so the dealer installed them. It had 11 miles on it when I started it up. Initial impressions: rides and handles great, front cabin room is expansive, moonroof is HUGE, decent acceleration, quiet interior. Since I was expecting the infamous break-in undercoating smell, I was mildly surprised at how minimal it was. Stereo sound was good, though the head unit is a little cheesy (balance and fade only has three stops each, e.g.), but good enough for stock. Dave (sales guy) also took the time to go over all the basic functions before I drove off.
Question: is the air filter replacement a simple DIY?
Anyways, looking forward to many trouble-free years of service from my Forester.
Congratulations on your purchase! Yes, I've noticed that there are not too many Subarus, let alone Foresters, in the LA area. You should drive up here to the SF Bay Area -- they're everywhere!
As for the air filter, do you mean cabin air filter or engine air filter?
In either case, they're both very easy. The cabin air filter is located under the glove compartment. I haven't seen it on the 2001s, but for all other years, you just simply unscrew the cover and it pops right out.
Ken
I have the instructions and could fax/email you a copy.
Steps are as follows:
pop off door covers, remove the tweeter connecting wire,
insert plastic grommet in door, attach tweeter with two
screws, replace grill.
ENJOY
Russ
Thanks for the info. And I *was* referring to the cabin filter -- sorry for the confusion.
Yes, it's a mystery to me as to why Foresters are so rare in LA while the inferior CRVs and RAVs are everywhere!
Norm
I ask because the directions Russ sent me are for the in-door tweeter kit, where the speaker grille already exists. But when I was originally looking at the Foresters, I sat in one with the tweeter kit upgrade, and it was in the corner of the window (like Subaru has on their site here - http://buildyourown.subaru.com/subaru/optiongfx/Forester/Forester_S/tweeter_kit.html).
So, which is it? Are there two different ones? Can you get both?
BTW, I had thought I had speakers behind those grills. Thanks to Russ for making me check and opening my eyes. :-)
on the test drive I noticed a creaking, sounded like it was a frame thing (?) and it came from the passenger side and the rear driver side, anyone find this on theirs?
also dealer said 2002 models roll in in April is that true? I thought all new models came in the fall. we weren't planning on buying now, more in the fall, but now we're not sure of availability and the financing rate and what 2002 has in store price-wise, financing-wise, option-wise and effect on 2001 prices. please help us
oh BTW thanks for those that pointed out the weak cup holders, I noted that when I looked last night. mike
Darlene's site has just a sample, but she carries everything. E-mail or even call her for quicker service.
Norm: the cabin air filter is easy to put on. I have it, and my web site has the (very easy) instructions if you end up ordering it.
Honda and Toyota have many, many more dealers and a huge customer base. Subaru is a tiny niche manufacturer in comparison. Forester actually outsold RAV4 last calendar year.
VTWoman: oil leaks are not common. Focus instead on your needs - if you haul lots of passengers, the Outback is roomier. The Forester is more fun if you pack lightly. Also, if you commute in heavy traffic, the auto is easier on your knees, but the 5 speed is more fun on open roads. Either is a good choice, IMO.
I think the 2002s will come out in the fall. 2001 was unique because they did a face-lift.
SE sounds like a Canadian model only. We have the L, S, and S Premium in the US.
-juice
I noticed on Subaru's web site, the accessory list available for the L model... except that they don't give any prices. My question is this... is there another site that gives prices for these things, or a site where you can get a catalog or shop for these accessories? Just curious...
OH - one more question - my 98 L has the keyless entry option - do any of you know where I can get replacement batteries for the remotes? Or is there a way to get new remotes for a "not so new" price? The ones we "inherited" are pretty beat up.... no biggie if we can't get them replaced, just wondered if it was possible. Unfortunately, the dealership we got our Forester from is not Subaru ... but they have a sister' dealer that is... should I check with them?
TIA.... sue
Anyway, which are the best Subaru aftermarket websites?
http://www.subaru-parts.com/
But Darlene always beats their prices:
http://www.qsubaru.homepage.com
All my Subaru stuff was ordered from Darlene. Once you factor in shipping costs from Tomasen, she wins every time, often by 10% or more. Plus no sales tax if you order on-line.
She'll have that battery, touch-up paint, oil filters (free drain plug gasket), roof racks (free clamps), etc.
For performance aftermarket parts, hop over to the Subaru Crew - Modifications topic. Dave Zartman created a nice directory for those.
-juice
Her web site is simplistic and only has a sample of the products she carries (I should know, I designed it). But she chose a free hosting site (homepage.com) to keep costs down and therefore can offer the best prices.
Call her, though. She had a voice that oozes southern hospitality, and that's the quickest way to get your order.
-juice
front:disc brake
back:drum
15" 6spoke alloy p205/70 r15 all-seasons
blue ridge pearl paint
titanium pearl bumpers & side cladding
titanium pearl brush guard
special blue ridge SE badging
keyless entry
heated front seats
blue ridge be floor mats
compass/auto dim rear view mirror
NO limited slip rear differential
this is what we're looking at right now. top of the list and $30800 Can.
is that rear differential feature important? what's it like?
when test driving what kind of maneuvers should I put it through? when I test drove an I I was looking for quiet road noise, sight lines, driving position, acceleration, instrument panel and the general whole feel of the car. anything else i should be looking for? thanks. mike
If you "floor" the Explorer, or at least give it a foot-full of gas) you can certainly feel the extra 1.5L of power that the 4.0L SOHC offers. If you're used to the big V6, or bigger still V8, the Forester will take a bit of getting used to. Remember, its a 2.5L H-4 vs. a 4.0L V-6 (or 5.0L V-8). As they say, there's no substitute for cubes.
Having said that, I've never felt "underpowered" with the Forester.
A bigger issue for me would be the extra space that the Explorer has over the Forester; as well as capability, such as towing. Also, the Forester is just flat out more fun to drive. The Explorer is a truck, whereas the Forester is a sporty car, disguised as an SUV.
Bob
"Peppy" depends on your frame of reference. The Forester is easily the peppiest of all vehicles in it's class (mini SUVs) with a 4-cylinder engine. In fact, the only models out there that have more power than the Forester is the V6 Escape/Tribute.
I think it goes without saying that we're quite happy with our vehicles. It has good power, versatile cargo room, great handling and is pretty much unstoppable in all types of weather.
Ken
The rear viscous limited slip differential shifts power on the rear axle from side to side. If one wheel slips, it heats up the viscous fluid in the diffy, which quickly thickens and locks the other half shaft. Both wheels turn at the same rate and the power goes to the other side.
In practice, it makes a good AWD system even better. But mine doesn't have it and it performs wonderfully in the white stuff.
Your test drive already sounds thorough. Just be sure to put it through the conditions you're likely to encounter when you own it. Take the family with you, and ask to drive it on roads you are likely to drive every day.
Susan: few, if any, owners complain about a lack of power. Try the 5 speed if you drive stick, but even the auto is more than adequate. Warren Brown from the Washington Post drove an automatic and wrote "I thought I had a six".
-juice
Also some earlier posts were talking about when the 2002 model is coming out. Is there a styling change scheduled for 2002 model?
Ross
I've been lurking on these boards for a few months, first while deciding which car I was going to buy, and (partially as a result of that) for a couple of months as an owner of a new black Forester S+ auto.
I've been wondering, though, about others' experience with the Forester AT. Mine seems to shift from 1st to 2nd quite early, and then shifts from 2nd to 3rd only relatively late (~2500 rpms). To begin with, it was quite a noticeable transition--almost a jerk at times. That seems to have smoothed out with time, although there's still a distinct audible click--only during that particular gear change, it seems. (The shift is smoother once the tranny is warmed up, although it still clicks).
I don't know if this is anything to worry about, if it's something that will continue to improve with time, or if I'm just being overly paranoid about my new baby, but I'd appreciate any comments anyway. Thanks!
Have the Forester seats been improved & how do you other "tall" folks feel about the seating issue??
Anyone else experience this?
Skip
One quick question to ask the Subaru crew, is it really worth the effort to change oil right after the break-in period (i. e., 1000 miles)? Since I heard some owners say it will benefit a lot. Or maybe just still change it according to the regular schedule (3750 miles). Thanks.
I look forward to constantly getting valuable advice from the experts in this forum.
Ross
Ross & Raymond: hello to fellow Canadians from mike in Montreal after having visiting Vancouver last October for the 6th time I can totally see how the Forester fits perfectly into the west coast life style. i like how the Forester can deal with Montreal's notoriously pothole-ridden streets and our mountain in the center of town, for when we got up north to the chalet or trips to Toronto. BTW is the Blue Ridge SE available there too? and how much is it and the S going for out there?
mike
New Subaru Fan: It's your call. The only valid reason to leave engine oil in for as long as the MFG recommends is if they use a special break-in oil. I don't think that Subaru uses any special oil. FWIW, I didn't do my first change until 3k. 2 of my previous new cars got their first change at <1000mi, yet both consumed a little (1/2-3/4 quart) of oil between changes for their entire life. Go figure.
-Tony
Alec: the oil change subject has been one of much debate, at least on the "other" forum that I frequent, VWVortex. Do what makes you comfortable. I've done it both ways, waiting for the first interval (my current Passat) as well as changing as early as 1000 miles. No noticeable difference between the two with regard to oil usage by the engine. In offering this opinion, I'm assuming that Subaru doesn't use a special "break-in" oil, as many think VW does. If I'm wrong, someone correct me.
Ross
like most people have only praise for their Foresters so perhaps I'm one of the few exceptions.
My new '01 Forester S has been to the dealer twice now for the check engine light. I'm taking it to the dealer tomorrow for the 3rd time! I have less than 1400 miles on the car, nearly all normal city driving. The first couple times were to replace bad fuel air sensors. Fuel efficiency has been between 14 & 19 mpg.
Not to mention that the interior suffers awful rattling sounds at highway speeds. Other than this I still like my Forester for the most part. I am starting to regret buying a Subaru.
Don't think I should have to deal with these kinds of problems on a brand new car.
Anyway, my new 2001 Forester has almost 200 miles now. Still going strong!
I really enjoy the smooth quiet ride compared to the RAV4 and CRV. As well as that power (165hp).
After much studying and delaying, I bought last Friday. Thanks for all the post in this subject.
Have you checked the tire pressure all around? Someone mentioned that the trip from Japan can cause settling in the tires that works itself out after 1,000 or so miles. Perhaps a longish highway drive would help. Any good day trips in your area?
I know my S+ has been flawless so far (10k and counting, bought in November, have a 130-mile round-trip commute), so I hope your problems are minor and after they get worked out, you experience the same excellent Forester driving the rest of us do.
Keep us informed as to how it goes.