Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

varmint · May 2002

The EPA has the zones listed as follows. Note this is based on where vehicles are available for sale.

http://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/sales-area-02.htm#7

critternut · May 2002

I have been a stick shift driver all my life and loved it. But, I have never had a Subie (only Hondas). Anyone know the quality of a Forester manual transmission? As good as or better than the quality of the auto? Or is the auto better designed? Comments welcome...

rsholland · May 2002

The question really is: Do you like to shift for yourself, or not?

Bob

mtngal · May 2002

I briefly considered buying a car out of state a couple of years ago. What I found out was that it is legal, as long as the car meets CA emissions. Some cars are only sold in that configuration (50 state sticker), others have different configurations. I was (at the time) looking either the Xterra or a Blazer and there were Nevada dealers that had CA legal ones on the lot.

There is more to it than just that - there is the issue of sales tax. At about the same time I was looking, Edmunds bought one of their long term cars out of state and wrote up how they did it. It sounded complicated enough that I didn't think it would be worth it.

sierratrip · May 2002

I bought a 2002 Subaru L and had the dealer install leather interior prior to my purchase.

I just passed the 7,500 mile mark and I'm noticing surface wear on the driver's seat and the color in the leather is not dyed all the way through as the dealer said it was. I think this is ridicules! Also the seats while looking nice are held in place by two plastic clips under the front of the seat. This seems to be somewhat cheap and not what I would get if I had bought the 'S' model and factory leather.

My question is how should I get recourse from the dealer? I don't want the same leather installed again. Also what is the factory leather like? Is it installed in kit form like mine was?

Any ideas or answers would be much appreciated!

-Donn

gened1 · May 2002

Hi,
I have a 02 platinum silver Forester and would like to get my windows tinted. Is there a site where I can go and see what tints are available. Possibly a site that would let me see via a computer generated Forester what the tint would look like before it was installed. (similar to tire rack and how various wheels would look on a specific car). Everyone seems to get dark tint on a silver car but I would like to see what a silver reflective tint would look like. (Or even if it is available)I also tried to post this question on the i-club site.
Thanks for you input.
Gene

burnsmr4 · May 2002

Hi, folks,

Driving a 2002 Forester S w/ AT, bought February 2002. Had it in the shop after 1 week to replace a fuel system valve that was causing a fuel filler neck problem. Since then, no problems putting in gas.

However, I'm not getting the gas mileage I expected with this vehicle. BEtween 20mpg and 23mpg with regular driving, and sometimes the same with all highway driving. The fuel light comes on during a long road trip from GA to NC, and I can only fill it back up with about 14 gallons of gas. Isn't it a 15.5 gallon tank?

If you fill your Forester up and do all highway driving, how many miles are you getting? I'm getting around 340 miles/tank. Around 240 miles/tank with regular city/highway driving.

Thanks,
burnsmr4

P.S. - My car turned 5000 a few hundred miles ago. Other than the darn dent I put in it on my honeymoon, it's been the perfect ride. :-)

tomsr · May 2002

With the internet buying cars and motorcycles
across state lines has become common.Before you do though check out the legality of it all.I read that any car under 7500 miles is considered new
in California and must be CA certified.If you move here from another state you have to have a
smog check and pay fees.Funny thing about all this is if you invented a gadget that causes pure
oxygen to be exhausted it would still be illegal.
Bureacy, you got to love it.

nypaul · May 2002

Even when I do all local, around town, driving I can get a little over 300 miles per tank full. The more highway miles that get added to the mix the better the mileage gets. When I had about 3000 miles on our '02 Forester, we got a little over 28 MPG on a long, all highway mileage, trip.

burnsmr4 · May 2002

...so something maybe still up with the fuel system?

jei · May 2002

It seems the automatics get lower mileage than the 5 speeds. I have a '99 automatic and have been getting 21-24 mpg all the way along, with fairly heavy-footed highway/expressway commuting. I've read posts here of up to 30 mpg - usually with manual transmissions. My question:

What's your average highway speed and mileage? Does the mpg really suffer above say 60 mph?

I wonder how much the automatic really adapts to driving style. I usually accelerate fairly briskly and cruise 70-80 mph on the highway when conditions permit. I'd consider myself in the "7/10 ths" range in daily driving; fairly quick and aggressive. The Forester seems to like it.

I suspect I'm paying at the pump for my hasty, sporting driving habits.

How about you gentler drivers out there?

John

mckeown · May 2002

With 17K already on the Odemeter (since Sept 4th), I have Observed the following on my 2002 L 5 speed. At highway/Interstate speeds in excess of 65 mph, I get 25-26 mpg. If I am on Non-interstate, but limited access roads ( and there are a lot of them in Mass, Vt, Ny, Ct, Nj, De, Md and Pa) I get up to 31 mpg. Seems, from my observations, that above 60 the milage decreases. Lowest tank to date (local North Jersey traffic, Short trips) 21.

hayduke01 · May 2002

My last tank I clocked 368.8 miles and needed 13.33 gallons to fill the tank. The low fuel light hadn't lit yet, though usually I wait for the light before filling. Had roughly 300 highway miles on that tank; MPG was 27.66. Cumulative MPG now (under 2000 miles) is 25.02. Slighly less than half the miles are highway miles.
The Forester has probably mellowed my driving style a bit as compared to driving my Civic. (I almost never got the EPA-rated mileage in the Civic). I think it's a combination of the improved visibility so I can better see what's out there, and the better torque so I don't need to keep the RPMs as high.

g_husky · May 2002

Trying to figure out what to pull the trigger on between the '03 Forester XS Prem with accessories $26.3K MSRP (discount yet unknown), '02 RAV4 L w/big options list $25.4 MSRP (I can get about $1700 discount plus $1000 college rebate), and '02 CRV-EX $22.7K MSRP (discount n/a plus would have 6 weeks). The Subaru dealer has 15 or so '03s and probably 45 '02s. From my initial look/see Subaru has priced Forester at a point that that will force dealers to take substantial discounts and even then they may not be able to hit the mark. I can't really understand this approach, as Subaru obviously has far greater production capacity then current demand with few or no incentives available, compared to the Honda dealers with zero inventory and Toyota lots with usually no more than 5 RAVs available at a time. I really like the Forester packaging and options but a premium price going in and likely lower resale than the others on the exit is concerning me.

jim_loves_cars · May 2002

Buy what you like!

The RAV4 does nothing for me. The CRV-EX is neat, but the styling is, um, let's say lacking. I'm a major Honda fan and have been waiting for the CRV to grow on me and it simply hasn't.

I haven't seen the '03 Forester in person yet, but I find the '02 attractive. I am considering puchasing a Forester in the near future, be it an '02 or '03.

I think you can nab an '03 at a few hundred over invoice as long as you're willing to walk away if the salesperson won't deal. With all the inventory on hand that you mentioned, I'm sure they're ready to negotiate.

Here's a link to a volume dealer in North Jersey:

http://www.newsubaru.com/LIBERTY/Forester_XS_Px.html

The price listed is for an XS Premium with a 5-speed. Pretty close to invoice, i think. Not really charging a premium.

In the end, you're going to be driving your new SUV for a few years before having to worry about resale, so pick the one you like best! I think the Forester offers the best blend of features and styling for the price and comes equipped with a superior AWD system. Besides, if you trade the vehicle in, they're going to try to give you $500 for it whether it's a Honda a Toyota or a Subie. Gotta love the sharks!

-jim

recumbentdan · May 2002

Bought an '03 Forester yesterday. All the '03s were hidden on the back lot. Only '02s were on display in the showroom. I dealt with Skip Bower at Mid Town Toyota, the sales manager. We agreed on $600 over dealer invoice. This is only a smidge above the prediction someone made above that prices would settle down to 2% over invoice in four to six months. We got the XS plus a few port installed options, but I think he would have given us the same price on a lower vehicle.

They did not have in stock the color my wife wanted, with options we both wanted, so we special-ordered the car. Ordering works like this. They unload the huge boats at the port on the west coast and before they start filling the regular dealers orders, they cull out the cars to fill special orders. So we get priority over dealers orders for dealers inventory. Then they add the "port installed accessories" such as auto dimming mirror, cargo nets, trailer hitch, electric refrigerator, "custom" tailpipe, and other things which can upgrade your vehicle. Then it is shipped to your dealer. The process takes 6 - 8 weeks. Having been burned by a domestic manfacturer (orderd car on Halloween, finally arrived on St. Patricks day) I put the deadline of 6 - 8 weeks into the contract.

We got:
- Forester XS with Premium Package. (we wanted moonroof)
- Cargo nets. All of 'em . Right Left Front and back.
- Wheel Locks (we live in the city)
- Trailer Hitch (for special racl for recumbent bike)
- Bumper Covers (city parallel parking involves a "moderate contact" technique)
- Splash guards (we don't want to muddy my wife's long flowing evening gowns)
- Armrest extension

We skipped:
- Auto dimming mirror (not adjustable. I want more sensitive dimming, my wife wants less)
- Deflectors (hood, moonroof, rear-dust)
- Kayak carrier (no Kayak)
- rubber floormats (standard floormat will be fine)
- cargo trays (with all those nets who needs trays?)
- differential protector (anything we hit "down there" will be big. Probably scrape the whole engine out.)
- air filter (we'll drive w/windows open half the time)
- engine heater (My brother lives in Minnesota; I'm in warm sunny Chicago)
- brush guard
- sound system upgrades

We got the XS because of safety. I like the idea of the extra safety from the limited slip differential, front windshield wiper de-icer, heated exterior mirrors, and rear wiper de-icer, plus the electronic brake force disribution and rear disk brakes. The moonroof was not necessary but is certainly a nice touch. The other stuff that comes with the XS (monochrome color, CD changer instead of regular CD, different fabric, etc.) was of no interest.

- recumbentdan

recumbentdan · May 2002

Here's my wife and my reasons for selecting a Forester over the competition. Your priorities may vary.

RAV 4 and CR-V come with tip over warnings because, like other SUVs, they tip. Forester has a low center of gravity and does not involve enhanced tipping danger. Like a car.

RAV4 and CR-V have some safety features. Forester has lots.

CR-V in 2002 finally has adequate engine. RAV4 is still underpowered. Forester is better than both, even the improved 2002 CR-V.

CR-V & RAV4 rear door opens sideways - unacceptable in tight city parallel parking situation where you might have only 6 - 9 inches between vehicles.

CR-V back door opens the wrong way (hinge on the right - toward the curb).

CR-V and RAV-4 have thief-inviting exposed spare tires.

Subaru = all wheel drive, all the time.

- Recumbentdan

varmint · May 2002

Recumbentdan - Last thing I want to do is start another CR-V vs Forester discussion, but you might want to double check those safety and rollover assumptions. And even though the new CR-V doesn't make anymore power than the Forester, it's 0-60 times are a tiny bit faster.

rsholland · May 2002

The Forester ratings are not for the '03 model, which now has side airbags standard on all models.

Bob

qmarker · May 2002

Dan,
You gave us all the details of what you wanted/ordered and neglected to say what color your wife wanted

What colors did your dealer have? I may just end up going to Chicago to get one.

Donna

clayj1 · May 2002

I have a 00 Forester with 35k miles. When I shift into drive from reverse or neutral the trans does not engage until I give some gas and then it slams into gear. It did not do this when I first got it it started about 32k miles. Anyone have this problem?

kjc

stever · May 2002

Congrats on the new ride, and I'm glad to see that Chicago really does have Subarus for sale!

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

rangerron7 · May 2002

Glad to hear you decided on the Forester.

95gl · May 2002

I just purchased an '02 Forester L with standard stereo/cassette player. Anybody know where I might be able to get an in-dash cd player? I've checked all of the major players in my area (Central Jersey), and it seems that they are only made for Hondas.

Thanks for the help.

qbrozen · May 2002

I prefer Crutchfield.com. But, really, you could install any in-dash CD player in the Forester. Its just a standard din. Any installer shouldn't have a problem.

hey, out of curiosity, what is below or above your cassette player? Is it just a blank plate or is it a bin of some kind. Never saw a Forester without a double-din stereo setup.

mckeown · May 2002

95gl, I also live in the Garden State, and within a month of purchasing my 02 L, I replaced the radio with a single din AM/FM/Cassette/Single play CD. Sanyo model FXCD-500. $269 from Crutchfield and I still have the Storage bin below for CD's. Sounds far better than factory.

recumbentdan · May 2002

Donna, my wife selected the solid silver color.

I don't know about driving to Chicago for color choices. We ordered one to get our chosen color and equipment.

- recumbentdan

recumbentdan · May 2002

Varmint:

Interesting link. I'm not sure what to make of the Federal DOT's equal rating of the CR-V and Forester in tip resistance.

Note that one of the Ford Explorer 4x4 models is rated by the DOT just as high as the Forester and CR-V in tip resistance.

I know Consumer Reports does its own tests. Does anybody know if Consumer Reports also rates the CR-V and Ford Explorer 4x4 as highly for tip resistance as the U.S. government rates them?

- recumbentdan

varmint · May 2002

Recubentdan - The NHTSA rollover ratings are pretty controvertial. They are a static measure, not a rolling test. Take them for what they are worth.

I only wanted to point out that we cannot make assumptions about rollover without looking at the data. The Forester certainly looks lower to me. Therefore, I would assume that it's less likely to tip. But based on the only data we have available right now, we can't make that assumption.

CR has been begging for the NHTSA to do a rolling test. I'm sure they would like to do their own, but I assume they lack the funds.

Bob - You are correct, it is not a '03 model. However, even if Subaru has improved their passive restraints, do you think the '03 Forester is going to score better than 5 stars in every category?

The Forester did have side airbags (if they are available, the NHTSA buys the car with them). FWIW, the CR-V scores in the 5 star range both with and without side airbags. As a recent model, that Forester also had the reinforced side beams that were added/modified a few years back (MY2000?). So the design isn't that old.

thecat · May 2002

The NHTSA doesn't take into consideration that the Forester's center of gravity is much lower than the CRV because of the boxer engine.

While I can't prove it, my money is on the CRV flipping long before the Forester.
- Hutch

ateixeira · May 2002

kjc: I'd have the dealer flush the ATF and document your concern. Call 800-SUBARU3 to get a case number opened. You still have a long time left on your powertrain warranty, so I wouldn't lose sleep.

Donna: cost of ownership? $0 in repairs for me since 1998, and I still have lots of miles left on the powertrain warranty. I've done all of the service myself so far, and have spent next to nothing on that. Gas mileage averages 25mpg on the cheapest fuel there is (87 octane only). The only thing is I did replace the tires at 28k. Insurance is about $600 per year for me, but YMMV so I suggest you get a quote from your agent.

Donn: it's afermarket leather, so your only recourse is the dealer or the place that installed it. Don't expect Subaru to help much.

Tints? Let's see. For reference, a Dodge minivan uses about 30% tint (a measure of how much light passes through). I have 35%, and that's fairly light. 20% is dark, but still somewhat transparent. 5% is limo tint. You usually can't see through that at all.

Gas tank size for the 1st gen is actually 15.9 gallons, so range is pretty good. I've almost hit 400 miles. My wife drives slower and gets better mileage than I do, for sure. Her best is 30.4mpg, my worst was 20.7mpg.

Resale is a tricky thing to measure, because are they referencing the MSRP or the price you paid? What if you paid $4000 over MSRP for an S2000, and then sold it a year later for $1000 over MSRP? That's about 10% depreciation, but some guides would list resale at 103%! Did you profit 3%? Of course not, you lost 10%.

So yes, a CR-V will certainly have better resale as a fraction of the MSRP, but you'll pay near MSRP to get it, and actual difference between your purchase price and later resale may be higher. Best I could find was about $500 (about 2.3%) off MSRP recently from a no-haggle price quote from InvoiceDealers.com. Sheehy.com is another local no-haggle dealer but they demand full MSRP!

Right now Fitzmall.com has Foresters for $100-400 over invoice, so that's already about 7-10% off MSRP. So even if the Forester "depreciates" 15% in its first year, and the CR-V only 10%, it's a wash.

Bottom line? Buy the one you prefer. RAV4, CR-V, and Forester are pretty safe bets. All are pretty safe, reliable, affordable, and easy to resell.

-juice

qmarker · May 2002

Funny Dan,

My dealer has only one siver and one gold. I want white or red.

I didn't order one, I think they will "find" one.

Donna

ateixeira · May 2002

NHTSA's height measurement for the Forester includes the standard roof rack. That makes it seem taller than it is, and lowers the score. Also, I recall the Forester was exactly at the limit before 4 stars were awarded. 3.5 stars? They don't do that. ;-)

Why spend more for a Forester? Content. You basically get what you pay for in this class, not very surprising.

For the extra money you get heated seats, heated side mirrors, front and rear wiper de-icers, AWD that is on full-time, a 67% longer powertrain warranty, rear LSD, 16" rims, 4 channel ABS, and a moonroof (on Premiums) with about 4 times the area of most competitors.

Fitzmall has an automatic that also has leather for $24,235. So that's $1535 more than a CR-V EX auto for all that stuff and the cow hide. That's a bargain, folks. Leather and Plus One rims and tires alone would cost you more than that, so consider everything else a bonus.

Not everyone wants all that stuff, so certainly if the CR-V fits your needs better, by all means, buy the Honda. But if you get the Subie don't think that you didn't get a lot more stuff for that extra money.

Is it worth it? You decide.

-juice

cat_and_bear · May 2002

g_husky, Well, we had gone through the same decision process. If your main focus is the price, mmm... are you ready for a big surprise? Out of the three, RAV4 is actually the most expensive one! A good friend of mine is a fleet manager in the biggest dealer here. He quoted me flat $200 over invoice, any RAV4 model, any extra options. The key point is the ABS option. Almost nobody has an ABS car in stock. It has to be made as a special work order to the plant in Japan. The wait will be 30-60 days. Even worse you will be forced to get a fully loaded car which will run the invoice to $24,000+. With that price, the rear still gets a drum brake, not a disc one.

CRV EX may look cheaper on paper but remember that even the EX does not come with too many extras. Forget about those deicer things... how about roof racks? Heated seats? The cost of options can run up quickly. CRV does not have a central differential. I am even not sure if its ABS has 4 channels. No EBD either. At the end, we actually found out that Forester was the cheapest of the three. You got more for less money. Yes, and you only need to pay a little over invoice to get the '03 now.

It is funny to see some people keep whining about CRV being faster. Give me a break. Are you trying to do dragging racing in this kind of car? CRV is basically a FWD car. It runs more efficiently than an AWD car whose drive train would take some performance penalty. No surprise that CRV can run a little faster from 0 to 60? But how about 60 to 0? Can it stop faster than Forester? Do you care more about 0-60 or 60-0? For daily driving, the 30-50 and 50-70 numbers are more important than 0-60s. I am sure both cars have about the same number. Plus you do not drive straight all the time. Haven't you heard the joke that Ford Mustang is only fast until it meets a curve? Same thing here. Handling rules! Sorry, I would not buy a car just for grocery shopping.

I also found out that the new CRV was more prone to tip over than the older one. Drive one then you will see. The car sits much higher now... as I said before, Honda engineers went insane this time. Lift up the cabin all the way up to create a big space. What will you expect? Yeah, and do not sell me the 'realtime AWD is almost as good' crap. I really wish Honda can add an overhead airbag because that is where it's needed the most! Just kidding.

-bear

ateixeira · May 2002

Does Toyota do that with RAV4s also? Man, we searched 4 dealers to find a 5 speed Camry (LE or SE, we were even flexible) with ABS, and found none. The wife found the shifter too clunky so we gave up, anyway.

CR-V's RT4WD is not intended for full-time use so it doesn't need a center differential. But that's basically why it cannot work full-time.

You are right about the roof rack - and I use mine often.

Honda's ABS has 3 channels (even the S2000 does, but the TL Type S has 4 oddly enough), so you basically get least-common-denominator braking on the rear axle.

CR-V does have EBD, though, and 4 discs are standard. Oddly, ABS is not. You have to get an EX to get ABS. I'd still pick the Forester L's discs/drums with ABS over the CR-V's discs without it.

Plus, all braking will ultimately be limited by your tires, and the 16" 60 series rubber on the Forester will take the edge over the 15" 70 series Duelers.

CR-V's strong points are the limo-like back seat, which is just plain enormous, and the peppy iVTEC engine, which chirped the tires in 2nd gear on our test drive. That's good and bad, though, because while it's fast it drives exactly like a FWD, with torque steer and all.

Still, the wife liked it. D-day came and she prefered the space and refinement of the Legacy. The 2003 Forester was not out yet and she didn't want two anyway. Plus, the Legacy L has 4 disc brakes with ABS and we paid $17,827, so if you really want value forget Honda and Toyota and get a Legacy L.

-juice

p0926 · May 2002

I just got back from a road trip. Under near ideal conditions: Doing an avg of 62.5-mph on rural highways, 5-speed, AC off, light-foot, single-passenger and little cargo; I got 29.5 mpg (378 miles \ 12.8 gal). Probably would have gotten a little better but for the fact that I was driving in the mountains most of the way.

-Frank P.

ateixeira · May 2002

Man, what do you do in Atlanta? Drive down hill both ways? ;-)

-juice

rsholland · May 2002

It won't be long before one of the major car publications does a comparison test of all the new cute-utes. Until then, any and all performance claims are purely speculative.

Prediction: When that test occurs, the Forester will be the sportiest, and offer the best value when it comes to content/price (again).

Bob

varmint · May 2002

The NHTSA does take into account the vehicle's center of gravity. When the NHTSA first introduced the rollover standard it did not, they changed that shortly afterward. NHTSA

What it misses, are things like suspension tuning, understeer/oversteer, and tire grip. I have no illusions about this being a perfect test. It just happens to be the only test, at the moment.

Bear - Honda press material states that the new model has a lower CoG, than the previous gen. I've seen nothing to contradict that. They used light weight, high tensile steel on the top of the frame to lower the CoG. The seat height has not changed. OTOH, you might note that the '03 Forester has raised the seating height.

As for speed, I was only correcting the poster who assumed that the Forester is faster. They could be right. No tests have been done. However at this time, there is no reason to make that assumption.

Juice - The TL-S and CL-S include four channel ABS because it is required for VSA. The fact that it is not offered on other cars, especially performance designs like the S2000, suggests that it is a paper advantage and doesn't do much good in real life. YMMV.

All of these vehicles earn a 3 star score. A higher number is better than a lower number. This isnt a complete list, but I don't see anything to support the idea that the Forester is significantly closer to a 4 star rating.

Vitara 4x2 1.23

RAV4 1.22

Escape 1.21

Santa Fe 1.20

Forester 1.19

CR-V 1.17

GV 4x4 1.15

Sorry folks. I'll back out of here now. I don't want to turn this into a comparison thread. I only wanted to make those three original points regarding safety, rollover, and acceleration. All this other stuff is another topic entirely. I'll leave it alone.

recumbentdan · May 2002

Varmint wrote:
> As for speed, I was only correcting the poster
> who assumed that the Forester is faster. They
> could be right. No tests have been done.
> However at this time, there is no reason to
> make that assumption

My statement that I thought the Forester gets better accelleration was not based on published tests.

I test drove both cars. To me, the '02 and '03 Foresters definitely had more performance than the 01 CR-V, and also seemed to have more pep than the new CR-V with the bigger engine. This seemed to me to be the case even with about 500 lbs of passengers in the Forester, vs 290 lbs in the CR-V. (In the test drive of each vehicle, the passenger load was different. The Forester salesman was heavier. Also in the Forester, we added a wife.) This is a subjective opinion, and I will be the first to admit that my opinion could be flawed because it was not a controlled test.

In the tests of the '01s I found on the internet, the CR-V was definitely slower, and in my test drives of the old CR-V I decided it was too pokey for me. The RAV4 was, and remains, too pokey. The new 2002 CR-V has a bigger engine and finally has acceptable performance. I liked the CR-V and almost bought one! But I liked the Subaru more. That side-swinging rear-door on the CR-V was a problem in the city, where you park 9 - 12 inches from the car behind you.

- recumbentdan

vifam · May 2002

Hi,

I bought a 2002 Forester L silver AT last month. The options I got are single CD player, armrest extension, remote keyless entry with security system upgrade, custom tailpipe, air filtration system, rubber floor mats, and cargo net. I also got custom fit seat cover from Unique Carseat Cover in Rosemead, CA.

I have a few questions:

1) How to remove the 2 stickers (about bumper exceed standard and pollution indicator) from the rear side window without tear them into pieces?
2) Someone mentioned before about locked gas cap that does not trigger CEL. What brand and model is it?
3) I am thinking about tint the windows, but read somewhere that metallic tint could interfere with radio and cell phone reception. Anyone experience such problem? Any good tint shop around Los Angeles, CA?
4) Did anyone try clear window tint like Llumar Uvshield, Ultralux, or Solargard NR UV clear?
5) Will tweeter kit improve sound quality? Does tweeter kit for Impreza 99-01 (on Subaru Accessory Clearance Specials page for $39) fit my Forester?
6) Which dealer has the best service dept around Los Angeles, CA area? The closest dealer was Assael Subaru of Assael Auto Group, but they left Subaru for Mini last March. Sierra Autocar, Inc. (a few blocks from Assael) has picked up Subaru recently. Are the mechanics at Sierra Subaru well trained?

- Jason

tidester · May 2002

Welcome aboard, vifam!

I know all the fine Forester owners here will be more than happy to share their vast knowledge and experience with you. We look forward to hearing more from you!

tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories

hayduke01 · May 2002

Vifam, congratulations on the new Forester.

I had my windows tinted with a metallic tint. I haven't noticed any problems with radio reception (and I listen to a lot of AM, since I'm a baseball fan) or cell phone reception. Paid $199, but don't remember the brand. There's a lifetime warranty against fading or bubbling.

g_husky · May 2002

Does the monotone paint come with the XS Package, or do you have to go the XS Premium to get it? The sales guy didn't know yet, and they had no XS models in stock to answer the question.

cat_and_bear · May 2002

I have got the Honda's press release for 2002 CRV dated September 1, 2001:

http://www.hondacorporate.com/press/index.html?s=american&y=2001&r=691

I read it three times and *COULDN'T* find any statement saying that 2002 CRV has a lower CoG than that of 2001 CRV.

They only said that 2002 CRV has more horsepower and torgue than 2001 CRV:

"The 2002 CR-V is powered by an all-new 2.4-liter, 16-valve, dual overhead cam 4-cylinder i-VTEC engine. Representing the cutting edge of Honda's famed engine technology, the i-VTEC system (the "i" stands for "intelligent") combines Honda's patented VTEC system with Variable Timing Control (VTC) to produce 160-horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque - an increase of 10 percent more horsepower and 22 percent more torque compared to the 2001 model."

PLEASE provide CORRECT information to support your argument.

And you mentioned:

"They used light weight, high tensile steel on the top of the frame to lower the CoG." Please quote your source of information.

Thanks

-cat

barresa62 · May 2002

I attended the Vancouver,B.C. i-club event yesterday and took about 1/2 dozen pics of a blue Forester X. It really got my attention. I think the "redesign" is a well-done execution on a familiar theme. I was quite impressed.

http://community.webshots.com/user/barresa62

Stephen

cat_and_bear · May 2002

Com'n varmint, you gonna chicken out or what? Com'n, stay here and play a little more with us before you head back for the Escape vs CRV game. Hahaha...

"The fact that it is not offered on other cars, especially performance designs like the S2000, suggests that it is a paper advantage and doesn't do much good in real life" Who ever told you that? Do you ever really know the advantage of a 4-channel design? S2000's brake design is a special case, actually, it's a specially designed unit. Honda needed to keep the S2000 as light as possible and had to take a 3 channel design to save some weight. You can not compare that specific 3 channel design with the one for CRV. You are comparing apple to orange. CRV uses a cheaper ABS unit. That's it. Fact is fact.

Again, I have never seen Honda saying that new the CRV has a lower CoG. Yes, the new CRV keeps the same seat height but do not forget even the new Forester seats are still lower than the CRVs. So if the seat height is really that important, Forester still wins. Oh yes, and I am sure only Honda knows the magic about using light weight high tensile steel? Give me a break. Physics is physics. Go out and test drive both cars then you can tell the difference immediately. BTW, bring the cars to some curve mountain highway, not just drag racing strip.

It is easy to tell why Forester may do better at 30-50 and 50-70. You do not need those magazines to decide the numbers for you. Man, are you buying the car or the magazine is buying?

The gear ratio of manual CRV is

3.53, 1.88, 1.21, 0.92, 0.74, final drive is 4.77

Forester:

3.55, 2.11, 1.45, 1.09, 0.78, final drive is 4.11

Notice the big gap between the 1st and 2nd gear? 4th and 5th are overdrive. Obviously CRV is geared toward good gas mileage. The bad thing is that when you are cruising on highway at the 5th gear, it will be tricky to do the downshift right. This is also the main reason that during test drives, people will feel Forester runs faster.

Based on the charts, Forester's engine actually has a better torque curve. You can chirp tires at 2nd in a CRV mainly because it is a FWD car and all of the torque is sent to the front wheels when Forester will move extra torque to the rear.

juice,

Exactly, Legacy L is the best buy for now but unfortunately everybody wants to sit higher and have this commanding view now.

g_husky,

Check out here:

http://www.subaru.net/usproduct/2003/03formodelcodes.htm

Only XS Premium has the monotone.

-bear

cat_and_bear · May 2002

We stopped by Stevens Creek Subaru over the weekend to get some accessories(cargo nets, air filter...etc). All were at cost. Nice! Chatted with Mike Saunders again. Some of the conversation was about the sales number. I was shown a memo from Subaru regarding to the 2002 Q1 sales numbers. Carr Auto in Oregon was the U.S. Sales No.1. Stevens Creek was No.3 in the US, No.1 in Bay Area. Van Bortel of NY was No.4 or 5, I did not remember. Mike believed that he might have the chance to get the No.2 spot in Q2. As you can see there is a pattern here: Top dealers all sell cars fast by keeping the unit profit low. Mike also told me that he is trying anything he can now to grab the No.1 title. He's more interested in making a deal at the spot than sitting there, waiting for someone to accept his no-haggling price. Surely a very aggressive business man.

We checked out a '03 X again. Indeed, the cloth fabric was different from XS'es. It's more like the one used in WRX. We also saw the green color for the first time. Very different from 02s, much darker. The new black pearl paint looked gorgeous under the sun! It had this brown base sparkling with tiny green, red, and golden particles!

BTW, finally got this from Honda's press release:

2002 CR-V Platform

. Low center of gravity and wide tread width result in excellent stability
. High static rigidity through use of floor frame cross
members, numerous rigidity enhancing cross sections and
unit body re-enforcements
. Low NVH levels during acceleration and cruising speeds
on all types of surfaces (64.5 db at 60 mph)
. Enhanced levels of safety
. Excellent steering feel with low amounts of body roll
in corners

Note that it says the new CRV has a "Low center of gravity." Nothing about whether the CoG is lower than the old CRVs or not. The lines sound only like marketing pitch to me. Sure, some people do buy into this kind of stuff though.

-bear

kohall · May 2002

Hi Jason, I did not purchase the tweeters with my 2003 Forester XS Premium w/Leather (Java Black) thinking that, hey, I am a pretty handy guy - have built houses and such - so I can just add them myself. Well guess what. The tweeters go in the doors near where the inside door panels meet the side mirror area and the "non-tweeter" doors do not have perforated door materials, so I will either have to drill some holes myself - I'm good, but not that good. Or go and buy the special tweeter covers, which probably cost as much as having the whole thing done at original order.

So the moral of the story is to have them added by the dealer upon initial order if you think you will want tweeters. I do not know how much better they will make the sound system sound. Mine sounds real good, but of course, you have to factor in the 2 dozen loud rock concerts inflicted upon my youthful ears some decades ago. Which reminds me: I have still not filed my class action suit against Ted Nugent in case anyone wants to join

Later

sierratrip · May 2002

Jason: I got the tweeter and sub woofer/amp upgrade on my 2002 Forester and could not be happier. The sound is vastly superior to the non upgraded model I test drove and handles all types of music with detail and power.

Juice: Thanks for the feedback. I'll let you know what happens.

Kohall:Is your Java Black leather installed with clips under the front of the driver and passenger seats? They would be about 3" wide and spaced about a foot apart. I'm comparing the factory install and application to my dealer aftermarket job. And I want some more info before I get them involved. Thanks.
-Donn

Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles