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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)
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Comments
Steven:
Have decided on the price yet?
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The last one on eBay went for $280. I would probably take less than that from someone here (maybe $200 plus shipping) but I won't object if I get more from the auction!
-Steven-
-Steven-
Great write up and welcome to the family! You're probably one of the first people I know of who's seen a 2003 Legacy GT in person.
The 2003 model has indeed received some changes. The sportshift and VTD are new for the auto tranny. Also, the suspension has been upgraded on both the GT and OB lines. Finally, as you noticeed, there are some cosmetic upgrades as well.
Ken
-mike
Bob
-mike
Steve
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Bob
Greg
Does it have a weatherband and a cassette player? I assume it would go where the little storage compartment is...the push to open storage compartment under my present radio/CD player.
If it is the OEM in-dash 6CD changer you query, my guess is that it will fit the '03 Forester. Yes, it has a cassette player. You lose the weatherband and clock if you have them, and that little storage space under your current head unit.
-Dave
Gened1: Glad to be of service. Hope you like what you ordered, I sure did. Just remember the face is an overlay, not a direct replacement, so be careful when taking the OE cluster out, you still need it. The gauge cluster is fairly easy to remove. If you really need detailed instruction, I suggest you go to your local auto parts store and see if you can browse through a late model Legacy (98 is the last year the manual covers) service manuel by Haynes. The instructions for taking the cluster out is pretty similiar to the one for the Forester if not dead on. I have been using mine as a guide to service my 98L. Its better than paying $200 for the factory manual.
On a side note, I was just going through the catalogue of a local perfomance parts store, and it listed a "Carbon Fiber look" Electro-Luminescent guages by Toucan Industries for 97-01 Subarus AT & MT. Tried to get a price but they couldn't give me one cause it was a new product. Those of you intersted, don't bother with the company website, its still under construction, they are redoing it in Flash 5.
Well, good luck to both of you in your installs. keep us updated.
Mike
Well if any of you want more information you can go to i-club.com and under the Forester forum do a search with the key words "Grounding Mods" there will be more than enough info, or you can just search the entire i-club database, but be warned...a lot of threads to read through if you search the entire database. IIRC there are pictures under the Forester forum that shows the five possible grounding points. Don't do all five at once, start with one or two and see the results, if any, and then go from there.
Mike
Besides the merits of the Forester itself, a couple of things strongly influenced my purchase decision. First was the terrific experiences I had with 2 gulf coast area dealers while I've been shopping (Lee in FL and Koby in AL). Second was information that I read right here on the forums. For whatever complaints I've seen here about the Forester and other SoA models, what I learned about the other vehicles I deemed contenders always pushed me back into a Subaru state of mind. (guess we'll know whether that was right in the coming months...)
So now - has anyone taken the plunge and put COBB upgrades on their '03 Forester? I'm interested in getting their Stage1 Power Package, and if/when it becomes available their Stage1 Suspension upgrades.
Philippines Forester
Philippines WRX
This is my 4th Subaru in 23 years. I'll give my impressions of the Forester after next weekend. The test drive was enough to sell me plus all the info on this forum.
I bought a standard mirror to replace the auto-dimming version in my Forester, but it did not come with the mounting pad that sticks to the windshield.
Does the existing pad on my windshield accept both types of mirrors, or will I need to replace it?
Thanks.
rsay777 -- I don't know how much off-road travel you do, but my 98 headlights and foglights have been fine for mostly on-road driving. I'm sure the 2003 will be fine too. If you want some additional protection, I think 3M makes some clear flim that can be applied to the headlights.
Ken
In regards to msg# 7226.
I'm curious about why you got a std mirror to replace the auto-dimmer. What don,t you like about the auto-dimmer. I'm in the market for a new car and was considering the 2003 XS model which I believe has auto-dimmer as std.
$200 for the 6CD is cheap. Market value is $250 or higher, I paid that much for two different units. The guy who sold me one of them works at Circuit City and said they'd do the install for $75 in labor, plus any parts needed (none should be needed, the harness plugs right in).
It's easy enough that if you feel adventurous, go for it. It's much, much easier than on a Legacy.
-juice
Right now I'm studying touch up paint techniques and the use of Langka to smooth it out!
I would think $75 is a bit high for installation at Circuit City - the replacement head unit cost $91 at CC for me, but that price included almost $40 in parts (harness, replacement sleeve where the CD changer had been) that shouldn't be necessary here. I guess it's just a matter of how much work is involved in removing the center console.
-Steven-
I'd be interested to see how your efforts turn out!
Ed
I will use a delicate touch with the Langka and rub in one direction or back and forth. I had high hopes for this. I even bought the clear coat. Darned rock hit my car!
The reason I am replacing it is because it will not 'dim' enough. I had the dealer replace the original one thinking that it was defective.
The compass is a nice feature, but I have never had a need for it in the wild and wooly suburbs of Washington D.C.
Juice raised a good point, the grounding mod is not a performance/power mod. It is purely an attempt to resolve existing issues with the ECU. (it works for some and don't for others) If your car is running fine, such as Juice's, doing the grounding mod ain't gonna get you anywhere or anything. As the old adage goes, if it ain't broken, don't fix it.
Mike
Now my next question: any recommendations for reputable window tinting shops in either the DC metro area or Palm Beach county Florida? Any other advice about tinting? I know there's been lots of discussion before, but I cannot figure out how to search for past postings.
However, the search function doesn't seem to really search right, but I figured out this trick:
On the space in the left column that says "Search Town Hall by keyword. Enter keyword(s)", leave that BLANK and just click the SEARCH button.
Then on the resulting screen, you will notice that it gives you the choice to "Search for messages in Subaru Forester (SUVs Board)." Select that and enter the word "tinting" (or any other words) and you will find a plethora of discussions on the matter.
-Elliot
Kind of a backward way for it to work....but work it does...... THANKS!
Don't even think it mentioned the Forester, though.
burnsmr4
Spencer
Just wanted to give a collective thanks to the group for all the great info. I've been lurking since the first of the year and just purchased on 03 XS. First 300 miles have been a joy...
Wanted to know if the group had any thoughts on when to change over to synthetic oil? I was digging through old messages, and it looks like a post from the late 90s had a subaru rep suggesting to do the switch at 10K, but other claims for subaru service techs to do it earlier.
wanted to see what the collective widsom is from the group.
happy in austin,
drew
I cured my hatch rattle when I noticed that the spring-loaded "adjuster blocks" on the SIDES of the hatch were filled with road dust - making them inoperative. Cleaning them (without adding any lubricant) cured the hatch rattle.
The valve noise issue was solved by convincing the dealer that the timing belt tensioner could be at fault even though the problem only appeared periodically.
Thanks much.
Scott Peterson
The 6CD player also has a cassette, if it's the one from the WRX you're talking about. I have two of them and should know. :-)
Tint: in MD, you can call New Again, in Silver Spring. I paid $170 for 35% SolarGard dyed film. Metallic film may be more, call to ask.
Go synthetic? You can at 3k if you want. The service reps that came to chat with us one day said to do it sooner rather than later, if you do at all.
-juice
They said this was a common problem and there was a service bulletin that detailed the problem. They said all they do is unbolt and rebolt the hydraulic lift mounts. Apparently, the minute repositioning fixes the problem.
Unfortunately, that's all I know. I don't know if there is a certain position the hatch needs to be in to do this or what, so try this at your own risk.
Elliot
It didn't occur to me until last week to use it liberally on the rubber cargo mat. Now the boxes that I load and unload glide in and out sweetly.
Congrats on your first 100 miles! The 03 Forester looks very nice (haven't driven one yet) and must have more refinement than the previous generation.
I'm curious about the HH, though. How would it being engaged cause you to kill the engine on level ground? I thought it released when letting up the clutch. I'm going to have to try one of those these days!
Ken
My wife and I took a trip up to northern NM this week. We have just gotten our Yakima Lockjaw bike rack on the Forester and wanted to try it out. Well, it works! But gas mileage takes a real nose dive! On a stretch of interstate that would normally produce 30 MPG we got a tad over 25 MPG. And we got better gas mileage going from Santa Fe to Taos to Cimarron State Park -- about 28 MPG: probably the slower speeds.
Cimarron: If you love the outdoors and camping, stay the heck out of the state parks in NM. Ick! We usually avoid the state parks here, but Cimarron sounded good: 33,000 acres of wildlife area, a river running through it, trails, biking. False advertising. The trails were awful. The camping was the usual cheek-by-jowl state park claustrophobia producing arrangement. There were maybe 4 or 5 good tent sites (out of over a hundred sites)
However, if you are an RVer, or if you love fishing...run do not walk to Cimarron! The campgrounds are very RV friendly. And we saw lots of people with lots of fish. You can camp within sight of a trout stream/pond/lake and catch fish until your arms are tired. And the area taken as a whole is very spectacular. The Eagle's Nest/Angel Fire valley is fantastic. And you should go to see the Vietnam Vet Memorial nearby.
However...see The Smell Test.
The Smell Test: Our Forester passed the smell test! The smell test? Picture this: you are camping. You hear a sniffing noise, just sniff-sniff...then nothing. The nest morning...muddy paw prints on your nice shiny platinum-silver Forester...bear prints! Bears won't eat what they cannot smell...right? There was a plastic wrap commercial that imparted that bit of wisdom. Well, bears won't break into a vehicle from which they do not smell a delicious odor. So, our nice, well-sealed Forester had intact windows the next morning...having passed the smell test. The camp host told us later that there was a bear popping car windows in the campground (then climbing in and helping itself to the smorgesbord) -- and that we were lucky. Well, on night two of our stay, I woke up just in time to see the bear shambling by our Forester on its way to a pickup truck deeper in the campground, where it would climb into the bed of the truck, pull out a plastic toolbox and chew a hole in it to get at the bread and other vittles inside.
Given that it was peak bear season, I rolled down the windows and drove around for an hour to air out the smell. I was quite relieved to find my Forester intact the next morning.
Locals in the Sierras often put some Pine Sol or ammonia in their food trash to deter bears. I wonder if a dab of Pine Sol on the exterior windows would do the same for a car!
Ken
When I set the altitude at my house, 100feet, I can't understand the - + that occurs as I drive away. Is this the relative height difference from where I am at that instant compared with my original 100 feet? The barometer seems to have a life of its own and records the various pressures as I drive along. I have a copy of a manual that I eventually found for this gauge pack but I need some one to put it to me in English.
Thanks in advance.
Walter