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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)
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Comments
Taiwan is about 33-37 C in summer. I love my forester, quick in start, very quiet, and not too big. I just love it.
The yellow signal has gone after a few days driving. Obviously it was because my wife did not screw the gas cap tight enough after filling the gas.
Thanks you guys, it's now my habbit to visit here every day to grab some new information. Thanks!
Lee
In the past, I believe only North America got the 2.5L Forester. Now, with the new-generation model, there are other markets getting this engine too. There are still many markets that still only get the 2.0L version, however.
Bob
The guys at import intelligence are fine to deal with, their web site just need updating. They are not carrying a lot of performance part (that's about the only page where I see alot of comming soons) but that's not why I was interested in them in the first place, and they are timely on shipping orders. there is someone else on i-club who got the gauge face from them, he have no complaints as far as I know. (can't remember the guy's name off the top of my head, sorry) As for the page display problem I can't explain that one cause they all load up fine for me. If you are still using a dial up service then that could be it or if you are using a brower that is not IE5 or above that could also be the problem. Good luck.
Mike
Mike
Seriously, though, you can make the same case for having bumpers all at the same or nearly the same height. Moster SUV's come crashing in the middle of most wagon/mini-van hatchbacks from the rear, and ride up onto the hood from the front. Does this make sense ?
They've made some half-hearted attempts to address this, but it's a real hazard to anyone not in a giant SUV.
-brianV
James
Stephen
Mike
Even though it has the balance of the factory warranties, my concern is how it may have been broken in and maintained, and the effects it could have on long term, post-warranty reliability. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Len
http://properautocare.com/
I've used Klasse products on my WRX wagon with good results so far, and Meguiars Quik Mist in-between waxing.
Len: treat it like any used car. That price seems like a steal, though.
masan: sorry, no idea. My low fuel warning light works fine. If I'd only heed the warning! ;-)
-juice
-juice
I would heed the advice above to treat one like any other used car and have an independent inspection done before purchasing. Also, you can check the car's history with CarFax or other sources for a small fee to see if it has been declared an insurance loss. Then, a thorough test drive at both low and highway speeds is in order.
Thanks for the info,
I went ahead and ordered the white faced gauge cluster for my 02 forester.
Now I'll have to see just how hard it will be to install.
Again thanks for the vote of confidence in their company.
Gene
midifool: congrats, but we should change your handle to verismart! :-)
-juice
While your reasoning is logical (more items increase the risk of something breaking) the chances of those items malfunctioning are still quite low.
The heated seats and mirrors are all electrical and, as with all Japanese cars, Subaru rarely has any electrical problems. Both of these items are great in the winter -- I use mine all the time. Plus, the heated mirrors also help immensly in the rain by drying off water droplets and increasing visibility.
The rear differential is a completely sealed unit and requires no maintenance. It's the same unit used in the Impreza and Outback models for some time as well and I haven't heard of anyone ever having a problem with it.
The only item that would have a slightly higher chance of malfunctioning, if at all, is the moonroof. However, I have yet to hear anyone complain about the gigantic moonroof on their Forester. I'd get one in a hearbeat if I were shopping for a Forester today.
I own a 98 Forester S (the grand daddy of the XS) and I don't regret getting it over the L one bit.
Ken
I personally like the dark gray cladding on the X. My favorites were the red X and the silver X.
I see what you mean about wanting a certain exterior. If you like the monotone, go for the Premium. Get what brings a smile to your face! And it sounds like you could benefit from the extra options designed for winter. You'll have a 3 year warranty with the option of extending that.
I'm thinking about going to Mobil 1 synthetic which is what I've used before. That way, I won't have to have the oil changed as frequently.
Not sure what I'm going to use for wax--carnauba or a polymer. And after reading about Juice's experience with Armour All, I don't think I'll use it on the dash. I bought a small chamois to use instead, although I still wonder if there's a good, safe protectant out there.
We had the same debate when we were researching the Foresters. We, like masan, live in a warm climate, and we didn't want to pay the extra money just to have those features that come with the XS, such as the heated seats, and mirrors, etc. We used to live in Idaho, where the winters are usually more severe than Ohio. We also have a 1993 Legacy wagon L. We did just fine with the Legacy, but our next door neighbors had an Alpine edition with heated seats, and they loved them, much like the participants in this forum who comment on the heated components.
We did like the monotone paint scheme of the XS. Too bad Subaru doesn't allow the cladding or monotone to be options for either the X or XS. Again, we didn't feel comfortable paying more for the XS, so we bought a silver X, and absolutely love it.
As far as "more things that can have problems", that is true, but I think you will hear countless stories of the excellent Subaru quality, and I wouldn't pass on an XS if that is the concern. Our Legacy has electric windows, door locks, etc. and I have had to replace only one parking light since we bought the car six years ago.
We bought our Legacy because of the high reliability and safety ratings, and the AWD was a big plus in Idaho. We are now enjoying our new Forester, and as it stands right now, I can't imagine buying any other brand of vehicle.
Yesterday, after doing 15 miles of hiking in the hills of New Jersey, I decided that I wanted to direct the airconditioning to my now sandal clad feet. With the A/C on, the fan on #3 and the position dial set for my feet it wasn't long before I started to get condensation on the winshield. I reached up and noticed that a lot of cold air was coming out of the long windshield outlet in the middle of the car as well as the outer most left and right dash vents.
Could that be right? Does anyone elses 02 L do the same thing, or do I have a problem here?
thanks in advance for the help
Paul
http://www.apexjapan.com/news/lancer_evo/lancer_evo.html
Ed
Wow 26mpg on a brand new Forester is great! With my 98 Forester S, I noticed that fuel economy improved by about 1mpg over the first 20-30K miles of the vehicle as the engine broke in. You probably can expect that too.
I've been using Mobil 1 Synthetic on my Forester now for 40K miles. I have noticed quieter startups and slighlty better gas milage from using it. In one of our chats with a SoA rep, it was recommended that if you change to synthetic to do it early on and never look back.
After having tried numerous products, I've come to the conclusion that nothing can beat the ease of use and durability of a polymer. If you want the absolute glossiest of all finishes, then stick to traditional carnauba wax. However, polymers are more practical. My favorite is Klasse (acrylic sealant), but others work well too.
Ken
Ken
Regards,
Frank
26mpg new? Man, it only gets better after break-in, you got a keeper! Don't wait longer than 7500 miles to change the oil, even with syn.
Apparently Armor All has been reformulated, or so I've been told. I'm still a skeptic.
Ed: we saw an Outlander (the US name) at the NY show. Looked generic, nothing really special. I'm not a big Mitsu fan, to be honest, but if the Forester turbo only comes in an automatic, and the Outlander offers 248hp plus a 5 or 6 speed, I'd definitely check one out.
-juice
After 4 years, it is just at a point where I would like to renew the stuff, but I can't find the low gloss variety anywhere. It must have been discontinued, maybe because it lasted too long?
I also used Scotch Guard on the seats and carpets. It has worked well to protect the seats. I now have rubber mats over the carpet all of the time, because they are made of some very poor quality material that seems to shred at the slightest provocation, so I can't comment on what good the Scotch Guard did. I took out the standard carpet mats because they were getting stained a reddish color from the sand that one local town uses on the roads in winter. It must contain a lot of iron.
Thanks,
Steven
I sometimes use Meguiar's Rubber and Vinyl Protectant. A detailer recommended it to me and it works well. It's also low gloss (I think all protectants shine up the plastic a little) and doesn't have a strong odor.
Ken
Ed
Steve: I have two of those. It'll fit in '95 and later Legacys and Outbacks, any Forester, and I think any recent Impreza. The WRX has it, and the Impreza RS shares the center console with my Forester.
If I had a 3rd Subie I'd buy it myself, but it's something I strongly recommend to any Forester owners here that are thinking about it. Installation is CAKE on the Forester, a little harder on the Legacy.
-juice
Regards,
Frank
Steve
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Have decided on the price yet?
-mike
Most shops will put in synthetic, just ask. You may have to supply the oil, I dunno.
-juice
The loose end actually was dribbling itself off of the hood. Luckily, all the contact points seemed to be at the places that are tape protected, and I have no paint damage on my new 2002.
The reason I ask is because my wife's Forester came delivered with the "port installed" deflector, and it does not say "Subaru" on it. It says "Form Fit", not in white. It mounts differently than the Subaru one, which allows airflow under the leading edge.
The "Form Fit" curls under the leading edge of the hood, as does the Lund Interceptor on my truck, not allowing airflow. This seems like a better design to me.
I am wondering if someone knows about a problem with the design of the factory part, and that is why my wife's came from the port with the different one.
I have been watching other Foresters with deflectors in my travels, and most around here do NOT say "Subaru" on them.
Regards,
Frank
Knock on wood, no problems with it. :-)
-Brian
Thanks!
Patti
She wanted the windows tinted, and we had that done today. We got 15% metallic film, which is the same as on my '01 Forester S. It looks very nice. We ordered a set of Weather Tech mats. She wanted the black, since it shows less dirt than tan (our interior color) and wouldn't look like we tried to match the color and couldn't.
The car has the AM/FM cassette, but I'd like to switch it for the AM/FM 6 CD unit that I took out of my Forester. Juice, I know you recently installed one in your wife's Legacy. Any tips or tricks in putting it in? Did it connect to the factory harness in the Legacy?
So far, she really likes the OB. She said she feels more in control than she ever did in the Odyssey. She also likes the sportier ride, handling and power. BTW, there is a noticeable difference between the automatic and the 5 speed. Just like the Forester, the 5 speed OB is much more responsive. She prefers the seats, saying it feels like they wrap around you to hold you in place. (There was no bolstering at all on the Odyssey seats.) She can't get over how quiet the OB is compared to the Odyssey. (I guess it's a minivan thing, since our Voyager was also noisy. Must be the design.)
I had tried to talk her into a Legacy GT wagon, but she preferred the higher ride height of the OB. It was easier for her to transition into after coming out of the Odyssey. Plus, she really wanted the All Weather Package, which isn't available on the GT wagon, at least not in '02. (Not offering the AWP on the GT wagon seems like a mistake on Subaru's part, especially considering how the one in the brouchure is shown in a ski lodge setting.)
Speaking of the GT, I saw an '03 Legacy GT wagon hidden in the back of another dealer's lot. Some notable changes:
1) It had some type of "Sport Shift" automatic trans, though I can't recall the exact name they call it. The shifter is a straight line, as opposed to the zig-zag pattern on all the current Subie automatics. To the right of the main gate, is a smaller gate, about 2" or so, that has a plus (+) sign at the top and a minus (-) sign at the bottom, apparently signifying that it goes forward for higher gears, and rearward for lower gears.
2) The "lace" style alloy wheel has been replaced by one that resembles the WRX wheel. Same size rubber as before, if I'm not mistaken.
3) The fog lights are a "projector beam" type, but again, I can't recall the exact terminology they used on the window sticker.
So now we're a two Subaru family! (Sorry for the long post, and I guess it should have gone in the Legacy and Outback thread, but I didn't think of that until just now.)
Len