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Subaru Crew
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Comments
Stephen
vince14: Woodgrain kit for the 2000 OB includes 4 pieces (right, left, & back doors too!). Takes 30 minutes to put it in. I think it was <$80 from qsubaru. Looks nice!
bubba46: I'd vote for defective clutch. I did 34 miles of offroading (see long post in 2000 Legacy/Outback IV somewhere) with many steep sections that required clutch slippage in lieu of a low range. Plus 7000 mixed miles. I can't say if my clutch is worn, but at least it still works fine.
jacktor: I was sure I heard that CA repealed the extra out-of-state license fee ($300 extra or something!) because it was finally found to be unconstitutional or something...
Dave
2001 Forester L Invoice Price:
Base 18,504
Destination charge 495
Auto trans 719
Feature Group 1 323
Cd Player 267
------
20,308
Your price: 20,390
This means you are only paying approximately $82 over invoice. That's a great deal in anybody's book. I'm not sure you can do much better. I am in the process of Emailing all of the dealers in my area (within 50 miles). Three have responded so far, all with good prices. I recommend you do the same if you haven't already.
sgalczyn is right about Becker in Allentown, PA. They quoted me the best price so far. I think dealers realize that most buyers shopping via the internet are heavily armed with good information. As a result, they are willing to quote a good price from the start.
I have pretty much decided on a 2001 Forester L in Blue (Juice is right, that blue is gorgeous). Let us know how things go.
On the ST-X......I was very surprised when the dealer told me they were expecting them so soon. I have only seen photos of them in that orange color. It would be interesting to see them in other colors and in the flesh. Subaru sure does make some interesting looking vehicles.
Talk to you all later,
Skip
Would you like to tell me if the price Becker quoted you is better than me? I will relocate to Valley Forge,PA soon. I've already made decision to buy Forester,I think it's better to buy it in PA,so I can get close to dealer,and get better service in time.
Hope to talk to you about the experience of forester.
Guoqiang
My husband and I fell in love on our honeymoon - with the Subaru Outback! We spent two great weeks in Colorado (as good Texans tend to do) and saw Subarus all over the place. Since our pickup went into that great Dodge place in the sky, we have been looking seriously at getting a 2000 Outback. The problem is, that living down here, where big hair and even bigger SUV's rule the road, we can't get any real advice from Subaru owners. We don't know any down here. Some fellow Subaru people at another message board recommended that I try this site for some advice.
What I need to know is....
What do you love about your Subaru?
What don't you love about your Subaru?
What advice would you give to someone thinking (heavily) about buying one? PS - we are looking at the Outback Ltd. model. Any advice would be most appreciated!! I am beginning to already feel like part of an extended family! Ya'll say hi to those hills from us!!
Thanks!
Karin
i love the feel of the subaru, the sure-footed driving it provides in bad weather, and good. the fit and finish is terrific, and i average 25mpg, anf i use it seven days a week. it's solid, no squeaks or rattles, accelerates well on the highway, which surprised me as i owned a 1985 ciera 4 cyl, that didn't move when pressed hard.when parked between a new passat and an audi a4 at work,it stands out proudly,the titanium pearl color has drwan many compliments, and it has been the subject of many questions from customers at the hand car wash i frequent. i recently purchased a new aluminum rim and potenza re92 as a spare, as i didn't want to fool with the fuses in case of a flat to convert it to fwd. i've never owned a japanese car before only american, primarily gm and two chryslers from hell, but i can understand how the japanese reputation for quality grew.my dealer is terrific, service by appointment, and no hassle or confusion as was the case at the chrysler dealer.i look forward to the h6 legacy gt, and the new impreza,as i think the awd bug has gotten to me, and i may trade my 1998 intrigue in on one of these babies. i looked at the a4 1.8t awd before getting the gt, and yes the audi is a beautiful machine, but dollar for dollar the subaru is a better buy. it's been reliable,and a pleasure to drive, very nimble with the sports suspension.have i missed anything in praising the virtues of subaru, if i have i'm sure other owners will fill in the blank spots.
This is the Australian response, as we have some familiarity with the concept of Texans, having one or two states which are pretty much like that as well. Just promise me that your neighbours don't all wear white cowboy boots and suspect trousers.
The attraction of the Outback, particularly the Limited is the real versatility of it. Around town, it is a very good, if slightly heavy mid size station wagon with heaps of junk space in the rear. The leather seats are easily washable (recently tested extensively when my 3yo had meningitus and I reprised my mastery of the "Emergency Room Dash")
An earlier board addressed the profiles of typical owners and suggested that a lot of readers of this board are analytical types such as engineers, computer scientists and accountants, typically with two or more degrees. The general ton of owners is pretty much as indicated by the contributions to this board; sane, reasonable people with a balanced and analytical approach to selecting cars but still liking something a bit sexy. I guess Juice will argue for a more latin romance to the Forester but the Outback is bigger, slightly slower and more comfortable.
Here in Australia, Subaru owners tend to keep coming back to buy time and again. It is unusual in that you are repeatedly stopped by people wanting to know what you think of the Outback. Most of the owners I asked before buying praised the car but then went on to say "Of course this is the second (third, fourth) Subaru we owned and we only got rid of the last one because it had 200000km (125000m) on it and we don't know, the old one never broke down and is still going strong now with cousin ...."
Out of town and particularly on windy dirt and mud roads, the four wheel drive and high ground clearance come into their own. I have been up the bush today and was having immense fun, just pootling through twisty hill roads which are hard work in most cars. Unfortunately, USA spec cars do not get the dual range transmission fitted to all Subarus here but that only gives a reduction of about 20%. It is however good for towing and hill work.
Build quality is generally pretty good here, although I get the impression that US build cars may not be quite so good. There are a couple of things which bug me. The colour depth on plastic bits, particularly the centre console is not great so scratches show very fast.
Service is extraordinarily good. After Merc ownership, I was very cynical about dealers and keep wondering what has happened each time the car is serviced promptly, with all points corrected immediately.
Design of the Subaru is a bit quirky. There are many aspects which irritate at first like the parking lights switch but makes sense after being used for a time. In this respect and in its overall feel, it is rather like the VW Passat.
After 10 months of ownership and 23000km (about 15000m) I'm hooked on it. I hope you find a suitable dealer.
Cheers
Graham
Graham
Thanks,
Seyburn
A classic British roadster is great fun for a young gearhead with plenty of time and few responsibilities, but now that I'm almost 40 with a toddler, it's Japanese cars all the way.
Though I prefer a manual trans for the power control, if you're going to be doing a lot of city driving, I'd get the auto (I never thought I'd prefer an auto; then again, I never thought I'd get married and have kids).
Although I own a manual Forester and love the way I can rev the engine, I would vote for the auto -- especially with NYC traffic. I live in CA now, but my hometown is good ol B'klyn so I know how it can be.
Also, the Forester is going to be a better choice in regards to the potholes. My brother who still lives in Brooklyn owns a 99 Passat. He's had his alignment go out as well as getting a flat on the Brooklyn Bridge due to a dented rim.
Don
..Mike
Don
Now all I need to do is get up the courage to go into a dealer.
Seyburn
Thanks for your help and for all the helpful posts!
..Mike Smith, Subaru Crew Chief
..Mike
2 Models: VDC, LL Bean, both 212 HP, both only w/automatic.
Mcintosh stereo on the LL Bean has 11 speakers!
Other new features: Momo steering wheel, Climate Control, Security kit & Rear mirror w/compass now standard.
-Colin
I am proud owner of 2000 Legacy Wgn L. I have only about 1500 miles on it, but I have already noticed higher sensitivity to side wind than has my other wagon (Escort) and than had any other of my cars... And you can imagine, that here in Chicago this is somehow annoying. Anyone has noticed similar sensitivity to side wind? Can that be my geometry? Should I beat my dealer?
BTW: $250 over invoice here in Chicago... Is that good or bad? Well it's probably not bad, but did anyone do better than that here?
Thanks Jan
Lastly, why is it you can't get the winter package on the GT (heated seats and mirrors, rear slip is standard)? Will it be available on MY01?
Thanks
I am presently car searching for a subaru forester to buy. I currently have a 1990 Legacy LS wagon that has 135,000 miles on it. My questions are: When is the best time to purchase a 2000 model (I live in Montana) and as I show dogs, I was curious about how the cargo area of the 00 forester compares to the legacy wagon. Thanks in advance for all your help!
Ingrid
Subaru topics over the last couple of months and
have noticed a distinct lack of conversation about
the Legacy GT wagon.<<
The GT is a wonderful vehicle, and I wouldn't mind having one myself. However in my case, I just couldn't justify the additional expense over the cost of the L, which was about at the limit of my budget, and since I would still be getting the same engine, AWD, ABS, etc. You'll hear more talk about Foresters and Outbacks here because they are currently more popular. Not necessarily better, just more popular. As for the model year changeover, since some of the folks here are already driving 2001 Foresters, I imagine the Legacy model year 2000 is probably close to over. If you can find a 2000 you like, you should be able to get a good deal.
Dave
Ingrid,
The Legacy has more cargo room than the Forester, not by a lot cubic foot wise, but more of the Forester's cargo room is height, the Legacy seems to have a bit more width and depth. Your best bet is to look at them side my side to determine which would best suit your needs. For example, do you may have tall dogs or wide dogs? Good luck.
Dave
Cheers
Graham
>Subaru topics over the last couple of months and
>have noticed a distinct lack of conversation >about the Legacy GT wagon.
That's because the Outbacks are immmensely more popular here in the States. Subaru has a reputation in the US for building sturdy, reliable, somewhat stodgy cars. I read somewhere that the GTs comprise only 3% of Subie sales in the US!
My prediction is that as AWD catches on (and it will), and as models such as the turbo Impreza are added to the lineup, Subaru's reputation in the US will broaden to include its fine racing lineage. In the meantime, folks like me who enjoy NOT seeing our own car coming down the road at us every 5 minutes can continue to bask in the blissful anonymity of our GTs (sedan in my case), whilst simultaneously blowing the doors off hapless Hondas, Toyotas, and Audis and figuring out what to do with all the money we saved (he says, grinning like the cat who caught the canary).
Cheers,
WDB
My Bichon doesn't care about the make and model, as long as the colour suits him: he much prefers dark interiors (to highlight his white mane, of course).
I wonder if he'll like the Bean tan leather....
Randy
I guess I should get an Outback, since I have Australian Cattle Dogs :-) I noticed that the 2000 Forester has 33.4 cubic feet of cargo and the outback has 34.2 cubic feet. My deal is that I would like to ideally, if possible, fit two dog crates in the back. That means that it would have to be around 44 inches and I have a feeling both models are going to have the wheel wells get in the way. Oh well, I really do not need a gas guzzling 4 Runner at this point so I guess that I will have to get the seperation bar for the back.
Ingrid
I just bought a 2K01 Forester. This is my first new vehicle in almost 15 years. I had been driving an '86 Bronco II which I loved. But it was time for something new.
We'd test driven or looked at the Pathfinder (not well made!) and the 4Runner (not as much zip as my Bronco or the Forester!). I was leery of a 4 cylinder vehicle after owning a Chevette in the '80s - but the Forester has plenty of get up and go.
These forums have been a great deal of help in our car buying decision. Keep up the good work!
I averaged 24.8 mpg for my overall combined driving for the first 6000 miles, which is a bit less that I had hoped for as I usually better EPA estimates with my driving. However, my concern over gas mileage was slightly mollified by the results achieved in the recent crash tests, and I am aware that much of the added weight (3300 vs ~2500 lbs) over my previous Corolla wagon (33 mpg) is reinforcement for crash protection. The other reduction in gas mileage is the extra weight and friction associated with AWD, which I did appreciate in the snow and ice last winter. I anticipate a significant amount of snowy mountain driving next winter, so I will continue to appreciate the AWD. I have not yet driven any long trips, and will find out this summer how the car fares on an extended cross-country trip.
In choosing the Legacy, one important criterion for me was for a wagon with adequate length inside as I wanted to be able to carry windsurfing sails, booms, and 2 piece masts inside, which was why I did not consider the shorter Forester. I also wanted the monochrone body and did not feel the extra inch of clearance was necessary, which is why I bought the Legacy over the Outback (this summer will be the crucial test of clearance when I have a chance to drive some dirt roads to trailheads in the Rockies). With regard to the greater number of Outbacks and Foresters on the road, I suspect that much of this has to do with inventory and marketing.
There are only a few minor complaints with the car. The lack of an intermittent rear wiper has turned me into the intermittent controller, and a variable intermittent front wiper would also be nice. Using the clutch seems to require a bit more leg extension than my previous cars, though I am quite used to it and feel comfortable with it now. All-in-all though, the car has very few weaknesses and offers a great combination of price and features.
Ingrid- the distance between wheel wells appears to be about 42 inches. If you contact dealers over the internet (use dealer locator on www.subaru.com), there does not seem to be a best time to buy as many of them offer good deals all year.
Don't know if the SIA factory shut down the line for the 01 models; you could call SoA 1-800-SUBARU3 and ask. We made a factory order (click on my profile for details) to get exactly what we wanted. I think the worst that would happen is that you'd get an 01 instead of a 00 (and the order might take longer). Or, you could use a buying service to locate the car for you. If you don't like your dealer, use a different one, even if it's out of state. I prefer to do business locally but if you're uncomfortable with your local dealer, I'd consider taking my business elsewhere. Just my USD 0.02.
..Mike Smith, 00 GT wagon, Silver Spring MD
..Mike
We just wanted to thank you for the solid advice about the 00 Outback, it was much appreciated. We just got back from searching around Dallas for that perfect Outback, and we will probably be purchasing before too long. The last dealer we saw gave us a fantastic test drive and really showed us what it can do. We don't have many natural places to test its capabilities around here, but the expressway can be a bit of a nightmare, so a well -handling car is in order! We will keep you posted on our progress, and if anyone out there is reading - what is a good price to bargain for a FULLY loaded OUtback Ltd.? If anyone felt like they got one at "just the right price", we would love to hear from you!
About the dogs, we have a tall one and a wide one (pit bull and grey hound) and we think they would be wonderfully content in the Forester or the Outback, just as long as they weren't loaded up for a trip to the vet!!
Thank you again, Graham - and any additional advice out there is welcomed!
Howdy!!
Saw lots of snow and ice action the first two winters (and autumns and springs!) in northern Japan (and brought me through without so much as a ding), but since I moved to Tokyo the usual action is a weekly shopping trip (frown). Winter tires are (were) Dunlop Graspic studless on aluminum rims.
30,000 miles, and not a single problem. Well, come to think about it, the rear window washer clogged up three days before I took it in for its first scheduled checkup. Took the dealer about 2 minutes to unclog it (I never asked specifically what caused it). Mileage averages 21-23 mpg, no expressway driving. That's on the required premium, about US $3.80 a gallon. Interestingly enough, unlike the US, gas prices here have remained remarkably unchanged for the past two years, and are actually down about .50/gallon from four or five years ago.
Our 60 lb Samoyed loves the head room in the back. I love the engine, my wife loves the ease of driving even on narrow Tokyo streets. I suspect she also loves the engine, but won't admit to it, although when she hits the accelerator enough to make the turbo really kick in, I've noticed on her face the same silly grin that I get on mine.
On post 22 above, dzartman asked about zerosports. Their website says that they sell into the US market, so I sent them an e-mail asking who their importer was. That was a week ago, and no reply. If you haven't found the answer yet either, let me know and I'll try giving them a call.
By the way, on some computers the punctuation I use shows up as funny characters, as I type on a Japanese keyboard and I think the ASCI (?) numbers are different. Would somebody let me know if this apostrophe ' and brackets ( ) and emoticons
Regards from Tokyo
-ss-
And welcome to the board(s). Your Forester sounds like it is very cool, and very hot.
Randy
Well, I've been able to sell my '92 (for $9600 CDN, or about $6500 US) (and within about 2 hours of the ad hitting the street); and it turns out that the '98 Forester S is still for sale (from a dealer) for $22000 CDN (about $15000 US), which I think I can swing.
My question for you is this: the Forester was purchased at auction (which we've discussed previously, and I now feel ok with) from Eastern Canada (Montreal, specifically), where more road salt is used in winter. I believe this used to be more of a problem, where "Eastern" cars would rust in half the standard time. So, for those of you who see a fair bit of road salt, how are your Subies holding out rust-wise? Any particularly rust-prone body areas to watch for? I checked its undercarriage, and it looks good, and not recently touched up, but I'm not a body pro -- would a body shop expert be able to see warning signs, even with such a new car?
Thanks for your help.
Randy
Bob
Today is the exception. I drove 300 miles to a fairly remote place (Cornwall, ON), where there are no Subaru dealerships around for a good 60 miles.
My engine has started misfiring. The car has 22,000 km on it (~14,000 miles) and at low idle the car shudders like it's about to stall. Not to mention the ruckus it's making out the muffler. The check engine light is flashing, and the manual says "don't drive it".
Really conveinent to be on Easter weekend with no service shops open nearby, and stuck 300 miles from my dealer.
For the first time, I think I sincerely regret buying this car. It's not the first time the check engine light came on - it was the ECU. Then I had a horrible pull to the left because of poor aligment.
This is a brand new car bought 8 months. I don't expect problems for something that has cost me $20,000 USD. If a car can't be reliable then why buy it?
Needless to say Subaru is going to get a letter from me.
-- ash
Actually any car failure while on any trip is unsettling. Last year I was in Mammoth Lakes when my Acura's ABS dashboard light came on. According to the manual, if you shut down and restart and it stays off, you are fine, so I did and it did, but for a while there I was worried.
This winter (or spring), shortly after I bought my 2000 Forester, I went down to Arizona. On a Friday afternoon, heading back towards California on Interstate 40, my "check engine" light came on. The nearest authorized dealers were 100 miles away in either direction -- Phoenix, to the east, and Cathedral City, to the west. Since I needed to end up westward, and the car was working just fine, I went to the one in Cathedral City, but their one guy who knew how to work the engine diagnostic computer system had gone home early, and no one would be there until Monday. I drove the rest of the way home over the next two days with that obnoxious light glaring at me, only to have it go off Tuesday morning before I could bring it to my dealer. Fortunately, while OBD-II engine computers are required (by various standards, US and Canadian both no doubt) to be obnoxious, they also hang on to the code that triggered the fault light. So, even though the fault was long gone, and the car had now been through enough cold- and warm-starts to pass the standards-mandated tests and turn off the light again, they could still read it out: P0107, or "mass air flow sensor reading out of spec".
Nothing apparently wrong with the engine air intake or its sensor. Just a temporary glitch. Made me decide not to go to Death Valley after all though, so I missed out on part of my trip.
Your particular problem sounds more serious, and no doubt should be fixed under warranty, with Subaru paying the towing costs too. Still no fun. This sort of thing ruins the bond between car and driver, too. You can't dance with someone if you're afraid they'll crush your toes.
Good luck with getting it fixed. Subarus are well built, but even if 999 out of 1000 were perfect, every thousandth guy would still get the bad one.
Chris
I've seen specs and pics of that Turbo Model, as well as later ones and they look pretty sweet!
I haven't found a Zero Sports importer yet. Any info you may glean would be greatly appreciated. I might add that on the Tanabe, Prova and SYMS Japanese web sites they have some kilelr Forester products. Tanabe in partricular for Japanese market cars. Wow.
Dave
We have a '99 Forester and a '92 Legacy wagon. I chose the Forester because it was more nimble and fun to drive than the Outback or standard Legacy. Out of curiosity, I measured the cargo area with seats down and found the Forester to be about 4 inches shorter and nearly the same height and width. The Legacy has a wider opening at the base of the lift gate (45" vs. 42" for the Forester), while the Forester's 30" high lift gate opening is an inch taller than our Legacy. Both cars are have 37" clearance between the wheel wells. The Forester's rear seat backs fold flat over the seat cushions, while the Legacy's seat cushion flips up to form a bulkhead behind the front seat (still true on current Legacy models). I prefer the Forester's arrangement because the lack of bulkhead actually allows more room aft of the front seat backs (i.e. for sleeping in the car). [Note that the MY 2001 Foresters have redesigned rear seats that have an upholstered lip at their tops. - There are few MY 2000 Foresters left in the Capital region in upstate New York; it's a popular car here.]
Our Old English Sheepdog (wider than she ought to be..) prefers the slightly lower load floor of the Legacy because it's easier for her to climb up onto! Long-legged dogs like lemonowner's Dobermans would have no trouble leaping in...
Again, I'd echo the previous posts' recommendations to compare the 2 models side-by-side, checking fit for dogs, cages and driver.
Cheers,
WDB
The other day I bought a 6'x8' vinyl tarp for about $3. Today I put the back seat down, spread out the tarp, and hauled home a large pile of free compost from the local recycling center. After unloadinging and removing the tarp, not a bit of dirt on the interior. Gotta love the versatility.
-Colin
I went to the dealership yesterday with my handy measuring tape :-) And out what all you are stating. I was think about getting a 2000 but I found that the way the seats fold down on the 2001 is way better, so in a few monthes I will put my order in....
Ingrid
0-60 times?
Top speed?
Thank You.
Okay, a