I naturally assumed it was an actor bunny, or stunt bunny, portraying a wild rabbit. Further, I assume that rational people would not take any such portrayal as license to put their domestic bunny out to pasture, so to speak. Anyone who would be inclined to send the beloved family pet bunny off into the wild probably does not need any incentive (or TV advert) to do so; such a person is not rational or is in such deep denial that they would assume that the bunny would come back some day, with about a million off-spring in tow, to thank them for the second chance at life afforded.
And in conclusion...I think I'll have the rabbit on a pita, with a little dzaziki sauce, please.
At the dealer yesterday for my ECU/M/? reprogramming on my OB. Looked over the new Forester again. I really like it! Brought home a brochure for my wife. After reading it, I noticed nowhere does it say "2003" or "all new". It just shows the car, external and internal with all the usual information (color, options, etc) and several pages devoted to general Subaru advantages (H4, AWD, Safety, bunnies, etc). I thought it was a very interesting way to show the new Forester to those who know, but, hide it from those who don't know and who might purchase one of the remaining 2002s.
Sure...actor bunny. Off the set, he'd be wearing hare-gel (if that isn't a rug, and I have my suspicions), dark glasses, one gold earring...maybe two now, and driving a red Ferrari, silk scarf whipping in the breeze -- maybe a quick trip over to Hef's (to make like a bunny with...well, you get the idea). On set: All scruffed up, maybe a little dark make-up around the eyes to convey the desperation -- "Freedom! Freedom! That's my motivation... yeah...years in the cage...yeah...and now...green, trees...oh, and a look of silent respect for the SUBARU Forester -- the money shot -- then I hop off...timidly at first and then, with new dignity...the rabbit's on the run... Hey, can we get MacCartney on the phone...I don't care what he's doing in Ireland, this is a great idea! Just call him! He'll take my call, believe me...tell 'im I'm the white rabbit that put Jefferson Airplane on the charts!" A quick carrot from craft-service, maybe a call to the agent (Law & Order, SVU was putting out feelers to the rabbit and hare community about a special episode ripped from today's headlines), then a hop around the parking lot to work up a sweat, and to work..."I'm ready for my close-up!"
Hank: yes. I believe it's a 17mm crush washer and you should change it each time you change the oil. It ensures that you torque the oil drain plug properly and prevents leaks.
Buy a bag full from Home Depot, that size will fit many cars (all 3 of mine, for instance).
It's time to put new tires on my 1999 Subaru Forester. It originally came with Yokohama tires, but I want to try something different. I live in Indiana where we have rainy springs, hot humid summers, and cold snowy winters (including ice storms). I'm interested in an "all season" road tire with very good handling characteristics on wet roads. It would be nice to also have good wear characteristics and low tread noise (ha-ha), but you can't have everything. Any suggestions or warnings?
Releasing a domestic pet rabbit into the woods maybe cruel for a rabbit, but many species of predatory wild life will surely greatly appreciate such a fine dinner. Therefore, Wildlife Federation and Sierra Club should rally to support this ad. You just cannot please all nature activists, but you always can please some of them, right? :-)
P.S. In SOA's shoes, I'd fire that ad agency and those who approved that ad. There are so many non-controversial humorous ways to promote a really good product, why to engage in a lose-lose controversy?
Don't change that gasket when you change oil! They make those gaskets by compressing the remains of domestic bunnies that were dropped off in deep forests.
<<Releasing a domestic pet rabbit into the woods maybe cruel for a rabbit, but many species of predatory wild life will surely greatly appreciate such a fine dinner. Therefore, Wildlife Federation and Sierra Club should rally to support this ad. You just cannot please all nature activists, but you always can please some of them, right? :-)>>
actually, that would not be something to promote. check out how the bears are doing in the state parks out west. "gee, let's help them out, give them some food, it won't change anything." yeah, right.
secondly, it's not appropriate to be releasing domesticated animals into the wild. period. you wanna play God? play God fair. if you're going to take on the responsibility of caring for another creature, don't do it half-assed. although i thought they were releasing a "wild" rabbit, it never crossed my mind that it may have been a pet until this bloody topic was brought up. i do agree with subaru pulling the ad. we don't need any more examples of irresponsible pet ownership going on in this country or any other.
now, can we perhaps get back to another topic, perhaps cars?
Dean- I'm pretty sure that Kate was merely trying to add some leveity to the topic. In any case, you're basically preaching to the choir here since most Subie owners are both responsible pet owners and outdoor enthusiasts. And while I realize that everyone has their pet causes :-) this rabbit issue does seem to be a little overboard.
I'm still cracking up about the fact that rabbits have all these groups out there lobbying for them.
Stop it, guys, you're killing me!
Maybe Subaru could edit the audio to make sure they mention it's a wild rabbit they found and released.
Saw the CR-V ad yesterday for the first time. Didn't particularly like it. While a dog would choose the lower step-in (paw-in?) height, they didn't really show why the Forester is more pet friendly. They could have demonstrated the lower step-in, showed the dog guard accessory, and the cargo liner.
I think the point is that people do not live their lives in accord with the principles they gather from TV commercials -- that is what we watch sit-coms for.
People barely watch the commercials unless there is the immanent possibility of nudity. So I don't think analyzing any commercial too deeply is productive. Car-nice-people-rabbit-woods-SUBARU! Dog-chooses-car-SUBARU! That is about the best any ad-man can hope for. Like with the CR-V ads: Idiot falls to death, people laugh and drive away in CRV. Now are they saying that only the callus inhuman consumer buys CRV? Why isn't there a huge stink about that? No -- death and life-threatening injury is funny; smart people buy CRVs. Nice people buy Subarus. Dogs (no longer loving trucks, sorry Mr. Nissan) love Subarus. That is enough.
FWIW, I'm about as green as they come without hailing from Mars, and IMHO this is a lot of hoorah about nothing. Puhleease . Indeed, this is the kind of thing that gives the environmental movement a bad name. Like we don't have more important environmental issues to worry about these days ?
There's a lot more to add here, but I'm going to stop now before I step on anyone else's political sensitivities... apologies to those I've already affronted...
*** Forester related part starts here ***
Had the engine ECM flash done yesterday at Flatirons Subaru. No change in performance or behavior; radio presets and everything else preserved. Will watch mileage to see if there's an impact and report any found - mine's been really high.
Spoke at length with the parts guys. New parts software is in. We can confirm that there is a new pressure plate and clutch disk for '03. But it turns out the '03 pressure plate and clutch disk ARE compatible with the previous generation afterall. So either the latest parts software update has an error, or the parts specifier we spoke with over the phone a few weeks ago was all wet.
Sigh. In should be easier in this day and age to get good info on such a specific question.
"Would you like to shoot me now or wait 'til you get home?"
"SHOOT HIM NOW!!! SHOOT HIM NOW!!!"
"You keep out of this, he doesn't have to shoot you now."
"Oh yeah? Well, I say he does have to shoot me now. SO SHOOT ME NOW!!!"
Couldn't resist.
Poking my head up for air. Had the oppty. to crawl over, through, around (but not to drive yet) an '03 XS while doing the same to my '00 S. Will weigh in with thoughts in near future.
jp4esterwrx, I too am ready to put new tire on my 2001 Forester. I have Yokohama's 215/60R16 with an H speed rating. I was told the H rating is important because it specifies a stiff sidewall, and will effect handling. I would like the same tire characteristic that you want. I live in northern IL. I was also told that the tires that came with my Forester are light truck tires and not available
Hi, I have a 2002 Forester with the cassette (and no cd) radio. I did not get the tweeters. My question is ... if I update to a component system for the front speakers and add the tweeters will I find that there are already crossovers in my car and all I would have to add are the tweeters (and either live with the factory speakers or add new front speakers), or am I going to have to buy new 61/2" front speakers, tweeters AND crossovers (either separately or as a bundled unit) I seem to remember someone awhile ago BBM (Before Bunny Mania) that someone said that the wiring was already in place to just add tweeters but did not say anything about needing crossovers. Any help would be appreciated. Gene
Thanks for the info. Everything I am thinking of adding comes with some type of crossover so I needed to know how to go about working on the Forester. Gene
I think there is one, but it's very primitive and only prevents the lows from damaging the tweeters. I have both the Subaru tweeters and 6 1/2" Polks in front, and the crossover does not cut the highs from the Polks. The sound is a bit bright, but not bearable. If you buy a component system, there should not be any noticeable loss of quality because of "cascading" crossovers, unless the crossover frequencies are very different. Bottom line: buy only the tweeters first (without crossover), and see if you are satisfied. If not, I suggest that you also change the woofers, since they are junk.
You can look at regular passenger car tires for the Forester too. In fact, the Geolandars that came with your tires are just slightly beefed up passenger car tires.
Interesting news on the '03 clutch. Someone posted that they weren't compatible with the 98-02. Subaru has been tweaking the pressure plate for some time now so I'm not suprised to hear of continued improvements.
I believe I was one who posted the new clutch was incompatible, based on info from the factory parts specifier. The new info contradicts the parts specifier's story.
This is the first pressure plate change since Sept '99, according to the dealer's software update. The clutch disk is on its fourth or fifth revision, however.
Unfortunately, it's hard to know who to believe...
Interesting, yet again. I thought the pressure plate was also modified in mid 98, based on what I've heard. Unlike cupholders and other convenience features, you never hear about these things.
There was a clutch disk mod in mid-98. According to a friendly tech, the biggest problem has been with the clutch disk material being sensitive to dampness. This is the cause of the chattering clutch when cold complaints you hear about, and the reason for all of the clutch plate revisions. The pressure plate itself has posed less of a problem in stock cars per this tech.
Okay, I've been mum for a while but I'll weigh in now. I have a '00 S which came standard with the 215/60R16 Yokohama Geolandars. My driving is about 90:7:3 pavement:gravel:mud, and I was looking for a tire with a larger contact patch and much stiffer sidewalls then the OEM Yokohamas.
I did some traveling in the UK in the fall of 2000 and noticed a couple of Forester S turbos running on 17" wheels. Upon further investigation I found these were Forester WR Sport models prepared by the UK tuner Prodrive and sold through Subaru UK dealers. (Prodrive prepares the WRC cars for Subaru, FWIW.)
After e-mailing a couple of Prodrive engineers to seek their input, I decided to make the leap to 225/50R17 tires ("plus one" fitment) on 17" wheels. I originally had the tires - Michelin Pilot Sport A/S - mounted on Speedline Prodrive 7 (a/k/a "P7") wheels, which Prodrive's US reseller, The Tire Rack, recommended for use on all current Subarus. This did not work for the Forester; the P7 wheel has a +53mm offset a/o/t the +48mm for the OEM Forester, and the tires rubbed the inside of the front fender liners at full lock.
Calls back to Prodrive and The Tire Rack led me to 17" wheels with the correct +48mm offset: the Speedline Chrono and the OZ Superleggera. The Chrono was not currently available, so I chose the Superleggera. I've had this setup on for about three weeks now, and there is no rubbing with this setup. (You may have seen my car in the Photo Gallery.)
The Pilot Sport A/S is really good in the wet and dry, especially so in the wet, as I've been caught in some torrential downpours of late. The stiffer sidewall helps counter body lean and the grip is excellent on the twisty backroads I enjoy.
There is a downside: the tires are a good bit noisier than the OEM Yokohamas. So much so, in fact, that I've managed to convince myself that my car is suffering a rear wheel bearing failure. I had the car checked out by a dealer service department recently and they attribute the condition to tire noise rather than bearing failure. I've had two bearings fail thus far, so I think my paranoia is slightly justified.
and politically incorrect to post this on the Edmunds boards, but KBB has FINALLY got its info on the 2003s up. I had sent them an e-mail after Edmunds got its info on line, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. They e-mailed me back yesterday to tell me it was up.
I'm wanting a 2003 XS Premium, but I hate the whole negotiating process, so I use the CarBargains service from Consumers Checkbook (a non-profit organization), and they couldn't do their thing until KBB had the info available.
Dealership called. It has arrived and I can pick it up tommorrow. They may not have all the accessories I ordered but they can wait. Such as rubber floor mats, cargo nets.
Any Particular advice on what to do at the actual pickup is appreciated.
Comments
And in conclusion...I think I'll have the rabbit on a pita, with a little dzaziki sauce, please.
Greg
Guess it's better than having "Feelings" stuck in my head :-)
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Hank: yes. I believe it's a 17mm crush washer and you should change it each time you change the oil. It ensures that you torque the oil drain plug properly and prevents leaks.
Buy a bag full from Home Depot, that size will fit many cars (all 3 of mine, for instance).
-juice
when you get it, you get it.
;-)
on the flip side, if SoA takes the ad off the air, maybe they will replace it with one that shows more of the car...
t.
if it's not so, that means I don't get it :-)
-juice
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/06/12/BU211942.DTL&type=business
"Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids"
"Silly activists, Subarus are for environmentally friendly people"
Ken
Bugs is Vice President
P.S. In SOA's shoes, I'd fire that ad agency and those who approved that ad. There are so many non-controversial humorous ways to promote a really good product, why to engage in a lose-lose controversy?
J.
Then again, I don't watch much TV.
-Dave
<<Releasing a domestic pet rabbit into the woods maybe cruel for a rabbit, but many species of predatory wild life will surely greatly appreciate such a fine dinner. Therefore, Wildlife Federation and Sierra Club should rally to support this ad. You just cannot please all nature activists, but you always can please some of them, right? :-)>>
actually, that would not be something to promote. check out how the bears are doing in the state parks out west. "gee, let's help them out, give them some food, it won't change anything." yeah, right.
secondly, it's not appropriate to be releasing domesticated animals into the wild. period. you wanna play God? play God fair. if you're going to take on the responsibility of caring for another creature, don't do it half-assed. although i thought they were releasing a "wild" rabbit, it never crossed my mind that it may have been a pet until this bloody topic was brought up. i do agree with subaru pulling the ad. we don't need any more examples of irresponsible pet ownership going on in this country or any other.
now, can we perhaps get back to another topic, perhaps cars?
dean
cincinnati, ohio
'02s+
-mike
-Frank P.
Stop it, guys, you're killing me!
Maybe Subaru could edit the audio to make sure they mention it's a wild rabbit they found and released.
Saw the CR-V ad yesterday for the first time. Didn't particularly like it. While a dog would choose the lower step-in (paw-in?) height, they didn't really show why the Forester is more pet friendly. They could have demonstrated the lower step-in, showed the dog guard accessory, and the cargo liner.
-juice
That episode is one of my favorites!
People barely watch the commercials unless there is the immanent possibility of nudity. So I don't think analyzing any commercial too deeply is productive. Car-nice-people-rabbit-woods-SUBARU! Dog-chooses-car-SUBARU! That is about the best any ad-man can hope for. Like with the CR-V ads: Idiot falls to death, people laugh and drive away in CRV. Now are they saying that only the callus inhuman consumer buys CRV? Why isn't there a huge stink about that? No -- death and life-threatening injury is funny; smart people buy CRVs. Nice people buy Subarus. Dogs (no longer loving trucks, sorry Mr. Nissan) love Subarus. That is enough.
There's a lot more to add here, but I'm going to stop now before I step on anyone else's political sensitivities... apologies to those I've already affronted...
*** Forester related part starts here ***
Had the engine ECM flash done yesterday at Flatirons Subaru. No change in performance or behavior; radio presets and everything else preserved. Will watch mileage to see if there's an impact and report any found - mine's been really high.
Spoke at length with the parts guys. New parts software is in. We can confirm that there is a new pressure plate and clutch disk for '03. But it turns out the '03 pressure plate and clutch disk ARE compatible with the previous generation afterall. So either the latest parts software update has an error, or the parts specifier we spoke with over the phone a few weeks ago was all wet.
Sigh. In should be easier in this day and age to get good info on such a specific question.
My theory is your mileage will dip with a reset of the ECU (down 2-4 mpg for one tank), but not the flash upgrade. Let's see if I'm right.
Glad to hear the '03 clutch is improved.
-juice
"SHOOT HIM NOW!!! SHOOT HIM NOW!!!"
"You keep out of this, he doesn't have to shoot you now."
"Oh yeah? Well, I say he does have to shoot me now. SO SHOOT ME NOW!!!"
Couldn't resist.
Poking my head up for air. Had the oppty. to crawl over, through, around (but not to drive yet) an '03 XS while doing the same to my '00 S. Will weigh in with thoughts in near future.
Ed
I have a 2002 Forester with the cassette (and no cd) radio. I did not get the tweeters. My question is ... if I update to a component system for the front speakers and add the tweeters will I find that there are already crossovers in my car and all I would have to add are the tweeters (and either live with the factory speakers or add new front speakers), or am I going to have to buy new 61/2" front speakers, tweeters AND crossovers (either separately or as a bundled unit)
I seem to remember someone awhile ago BBM (Before Bunny Mania) that someone said that the wiring was already in place to just add tweeters but did not say anything about needing crossovers.
Any help would be appreciated.
Gene
-juice
Everything I am thinking of adding comes with some type of crossover so I needed to know how to go about working on the Forester.
Gene
-juice
Interesting news on the '03 clutch. Someone posted that they weren't compatible with the 98-02. Subaru has been tweaking the pressure plate for some time now so I'm not suprised to hear of continued improvements.
Ken
This is the first pressure plate change since Sept '99, according to the dealer's software update. The clutch disk is on its fourth or fifth revision, however.
Unfortunately, it's hard to know who to believe...
Ken
Seems plausible, anyway.
I bid on a 6CD changer on eBay, and a single CD too. If I get both our Legacy and our Forester will get upgrades. Hope so!
-juice
I did some traveling in the UK in the fall of 2000 and noticed a couple of Forester S turbos running on 17" wheels. Upon further investigation I found these were Forester WR Sport models prepared by the UK tuner Prodrive and sold through Subaru UK dealers. (Prodrive prepares the WRC cars for Subaru, FWIW.)
After e-mailing a couple of Prodrive engineers to seek their input, I decided to make the leap to 225/50R17 tires ("plus one" fitment) on 17" wheels. I originally had the tires - Michelin Pilot Sport A/S - mounted on Speedline Prodrive 7 (a/k/a "P7") wheels, which Prodrive's US reseller, The Tire Rack, recommended for use on all current Subarus. This did not work for the Forester; the P7 wheel has a +53mm offset a/o/t the +48mm for the OEM Forester, and the tires rubbed the inside of the front fender liners at full lock.
Calls back to Prodrive and The Tire Rack led me to 17" wheels with the correct +48mm offset: the Speedline Chrono and the OZ Superleggera. The Chrono was not currently available, so I chose the Superleggera. I've had this setup on for about three weeks now, and there is no rubbing with this setup. (You may have seen my car in the Photo Gallery.)
The Pilot Sport A/S is really good in the wet and dry, especially so in the wet, as I've been caught in some torrential downpours of late. The stiffer sidewall helps counter body lean and the grip is excellent on the twisty backroads I enjoy.
There is a downside: the tires are a good bit noisier than the OEM Yokohamas. So much so, in fact, that I've managed to convince myself that my car is suffering a rear wheel bearing failure. I had the car checked out by a dealer service department recently and they attribute the condition to tire noise rather than bearing failure. I've had two bearings fail thus far, so I think my paranoia is slightly justified.
Ed
I'm wanting a 2003 XS Premium, but I hate the whole negotiating process, so I use the CarBargains service from Consumers Checkbook (a non-profit organization), and they couldn't do their thing until KBB had the info available.
...has anyone noticed that an anagram for SUBARU FORESTER is BUS FOR TRUE EARS?
tidester
Host
SUVs; Aftermarket & Accessories
Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
-mike
UREA REST FOR BUS
"indecent proposal":
U BARE REST FOR US
Ken
Any Particular advice on what to do at the actual pickup is appreciated.
Donna