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Wagons Subaru Crew Subaru Forester 2009 Subaru Forester
3640 messages, Last post on Nov 19, 2009 at 3:06 PM
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Cost aside, and little personal preference for auto over manual, what are the arguments pro and con for auto over manual (and I'm talking more in terms of performance than convenience), and vice versa? Haven't fully grasped the functional differences b/w the manual and auto AWD systems. Would the manual AWD system function "better" in snow than the auto? I'm considering leasing a 2.5 X Premium and wouldn't be opposed to a manual. Don't know how a manual will affect the residual, but it would save $1,000 on the cap cost. Any input appreciated. Thanks!
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Replying to: Mplsman (Nov 23, 2008 9:10 am) -Frank
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Replying to: golfnff (Nov 22, 2008 3:43 pm) stock amplifier in the head unit. The subwoofer system I added is (just like with the Subaru factory subwoofer system) a powered unit - which means it has an additional amp to drive the subwoofer. The Infiniti system I installed is a combined package - ie the amp, subwoofer speaker, crossover circuitry, bass boost adjustment etc are all combined into one self contained "box", to which you must provide +/- V power, left & right speaker wiring, and a frame GND connection. Not very difficult. Most 6.5" speakers are pretty efficient and don't require a lot of power to drive them, so using the stock Subaru head should work just fine. But I believe there is no way to get good solid subwoofer level bass without adding a secondary amplifier.
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Replying to: pharmd718 (Nov 21, 2008 7:06 pm)
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Replying to: p0926 (Nov 23, 2008 4:48 pm) The other place I've wondered if the auto might be better was going up a very rutted firetrail with lots of loose soil. I felt like I needed to be somewhere between first and second and did a lot of shifting back and forth. The hill holder clutch is great. I drive in SF a lot and even after a year I still say "heyyy thats nice" every time I need to come to a stop on a steep hill. |
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Replying to: xwesx (Nov 24, 2008 9:26 am) Originaly I was going by the trip computer but when I saw 16mpg I thought something was wrong. I filled up the tank (16.9 gallons) and drove till the low gas light came on (2.7 gallons left). Then I subracted 2.7 from 16.9 and saw how many miles the car drove. The average came out to around 16...so the trip computer was correct. |
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Bikerguy, although I come pretty late to this discussion, I bought two sets of Polk speakers (6.5" for the front and 4" for the rear doors) for my 2003 Forester XS as soon as I bought it, along with the Subaru tweeters that pop easily into their pre-wired door mounts. The local stereo shop installed a new amp as well, but it wasn't needed and actually overpowered the speakers, so I returned it. I did keep the new wiring harness for the speakers, though, which the shop said would improve my sound and cut power loss. For me, who listens mostly to classical and Baby Boomer oldies, the setup is great and the only thing that disappoints is the continuing weak reception from the window antenna. But that's what CDs and tapes - I've got one of the last stock radio-CD-tape players Subaru installed - are for. Happy Thanksgiving to All! |
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Replying to: pharmd718 (Nov 25, 2008 5:14 am) I am not sure what can be done to address the problem. Certainly, driving further just to achieve better economy is not going to do your pocket any favors. But, you might make a point to take a tank-full of longer city-only trips to see what effect it has on your economy. That could help narrow down the factors. To give you a comparison, my wife drives our 1998 Dodge Caravan a couple times a week, for about 12 miles each direction (it is cold each time she starts out). Her economy last month, with temperatures between freezing and zero F, was about 16.5. Each tank was fairly consistent, with all between 16 and 17. During the last tank, she used it for a couple of trips to a friend's house about 20 miles away, piggy-backed with the trip into town (which is the opposite direction). So, she was actually driving the van 30-40 miles or more while warm. The economy on that tank, with only those 60 or 70 extra miles mixed with the normally short trips (about 250 miles total on the tank), was 17.5 and the temperatures were between -15F and zero that whole tank. It does make a difference.
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Replying to: xwesx (Nov 26, 2008 9:48 am) One thing that can help is when making multiple stops, start with the farthest and come home. That way, when making the other stops and restarting the vehicle, it is already warm. I always did it the other way around and picked that tip up from a high-mileage site. Instead of hitting the Starbucks near my house, I stop at the last one before work now. Anticipate red lights and start coasting much earlier. Done perfectly you don't stop, but instead you blend into the speed of the traffic as it accelerates on the green light. Coast down any hill that is steep enough to maintain your speed. The instantaneous fuel consumption drops significantly if I coast instead of "driving" with only a light touch on the accelerator or even off the gas pedal entirely. I did see a definite improvement in overall economy doing these with the truck and WRX. They won't turn your vehicle into a Prius, but every bit helps and these are free. Old bit of Canadian mileage wisdom. If you are in anything close to cold weather, get a block heater and use it. |
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Replying to: xwesx (Nov 26, 2008 9:48 am) The pressure on my tires are good, so thats not the issue. When I take the car out for the weekend on a long highway ride the economy shoots up. At one point I was seeing 34mpg. On one particular day I filled out the tank and drove into manhattan. I drove around 40 miles and was getting about 23mpg. Right not my car reads an average o 15.6 mpg. The gas gauge needle drops quickly. I guess there is nothing that can be done in that respect. Its a good thing gas prices have gone down. Thank you for the valuable input....
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