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Wagons Subaru Crew Subaru Forester 2009 Subaru Forester
3640 messages, Last post on Nov 19, 2009 at 3:06 PM
You are in the Subaru Forester Forum. Your Host is kcram
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I was considering trading in my old Forester and moving up to a new one. Test drove an 09 XT LTD with NAV today. This is how it compares to my 04 XT: - Interior is slightly more roomy. Biggest improvement is in the rear seat leg room. - Ride is softer, not as sporty as the 04. A bit more body roll than I like. - Seats are just slightly more comfortable than the 04, maybe because I don't have leather on mine. - Acceleration - much slower than the 04. Of course, there is the fact that mine is a stick shift, but the car felt heavier and the engine/transmission not very responsive. - Steering and braking are on par with the 04. - Interior SCREAMS CHEAP!!! - I have not seen such a lousy dash layout in a long time. No temp gauge, stupid blue arcs on the instruments, nothing in the center console. By comparison, my 04 dash looks and feels luxurious. - Automatic climate control - much worse than even the 04 garbage - this thing has absolutely no idea what it is doing - the cabin was like a pressure cooker after a few minutes, even on the lowest setting. Also, you don't know what speed the fan is on unless you set it yourself. The 04 has indicators telling you what speed the fan is on. - Visibility - almost as good as the 04, with the exception of side mirrors - they are plain strange, both shape, size, and location (far away from the door glass). - NAV system is so-so, washes out in bright light, no text-to-speech. - Sound system - not as good as the 04, sounds flat and tinny, but I didn't fool around with adjusting it, so could be the settings. - MPG during the test drive, about 6 miles long, 16.2 MPG according to the meter. Pretty scary, considering I reset the meter as the car was idling and already partially warmed up. My 04 has averaged around 21 during 53,000 miles. In summary, I think I will be keeping my 04 for a while longer.
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Replying to: samiam_68 (Dec 10, 2008 12:34 pm) |
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Replying to: xwesx (Dec 09, 2008 9:29 am) Good point about the tires. I remember reading that someone here switched out the tires that came with the car right off the bat. Should I consider contacting Subaru if these tires are the issue? We will have lots more snow to come and I don't wnat to get in an accident just because of the tires. IF it is the tires, does anyone recommend a good replacement? I tried stopping in a parking lot and it takes a lot longer with these tires than my old FWD did with any of the tires I had on it over the years. A bit more weight, but I only got up to 20mph to do the test stop. It is also my first time with the ABS brake system, I'm used to pumping the brakes, which I'm told we aren't suppose to do with this car...although it did stop sooner in the parking lot by pumping vs stomping on the brakes. So, Kurt, based on your comments, this sounds as though the back end is definitely loosing traction. When I was on ice, I would have expected it, but it has also occurred when it was just slushy...not a good sign??? Tires are not an area of interest for me, except to know that they work.
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Replying to: sgloon (Dec 10, 2008 7:28 pm) This is my first winter in an AWD so I will have some learning to do. But sgloon's experience with the Geolanders reinforces my belief they had to be replaced to minimize Forester's becoming a hocky puck. BTW, the Subaru service writer that has been helpful wrt my Forester got excited when he learned I had Nokians, racing out to see them when my Forester went in for a recent tweak. He's researched them extensively (as did I) and is thinking about adding them to his Subaru. |
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I am currently sitting in the internet cafe' of my dealership as I wait for my 01 Outback to have its oil changed along with a state inspection. I just sat in an '09 Forester in the showroom. Tell me, are ALL the cupholders in the new Forester line square? For those out there that have one, are there add-ons to make a normal cup fit in them?
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Replying to: sgloon (Dec 10, 2008 7:28 pm)
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Replying to: pathtomax (Dec 11, 2008 8:35 am) When holding anything from a small cup to a large cup, nothing has ever spilled, tipped over, etc. I've had bottles in them as well, and some full cans. So despite the "funny" shape, they work fine. The square shape is actually a bit better in some cases with small containers as you can get your hands around the container better, with the extra space there, to be able to pick it up. My 2 cents. |
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Replying to: volkov (Dec 11, 2008 9:06 am) We have extremely variable weather where I am. I was riding my bike in 70F weather on Tuesday and Thursday we got 8 inches of snow. And most of the year will be on dry pavement...(especially since they started using the Mag Chloride). I've never bought snow tires here for just that reason, can't justify the expenditure. And we typically don't get as cold as places like Wisconsin...although we may have a few days below zero. The coldest I've ever seen it here in 20 years is -20. And typically, we have at least one day up to 70 every month of the year. Do you think Subaru would replace the tires? Kurt, I'll look to hear your report after your storm. After it hits you, it'll be coming here, per our weatherman.
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Replying to: sgloon (Dec 11, 2008 12:19 pm) If you want all-seasons that are great in snow/slush at a decent price and won't wear down excessively on dry pavement, you should consider Goodyear Assurance TripleTread. I had them on my 1996 Outback and they were fantastic. With an 80,000 mile treadwear warranty, they also last a good, long time. I would normally keep 80K treadwear tires on my car for three years, and have somewhere between 65,000 and 75,000 on them at replacement. I only had the Tripletreads on the car for about 13 months when I lost it, but they were not noticeably worn at that point, with about 22,000 miles on them.
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Replying to: xwesx (Dec 11, 2008 1:59 pm) If your Geolanders are relatively new, the Nokian dealer may give you something for them in trade (as he did for mine - not much, but it helped). The Nokian WR model's definitely more spongy feeling than the newer WRG2. WR's a 2002 design lacking special tread stabilizers or an asymmetrical tread. Still, they may be cheaper. You can try AUTOSOCKS. I found the size recommended for the Forester XT works just fine on the Nokians (I only have one pair - intended for front wheels), and those are in reserve just in case the Nokians run up against ice they cannot handle.
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