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Wagons Subaru Crew Subaru Forester 2009 Subaru Forester
3658 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 9:37 PM
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Replying to: tinycadon (Jun 14, 2009 1:20 pm) It was easier back then because it was below the glove box, not behind it. |
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I have an 09 XT and would like to bring it in to the dealer to see if I have one of the cars that might have an engine failure. One member said Subaru issued a test kit to check for the impending bearing failure that causes the blown engine-- the test kit apparently checks the oil for metal particles. My local Subaru dealer said they have nothing of the kind -- no such kit-- and they are "not a chemical lab" so they cannot help me. They were not very pleasant. Any suggestions? I have 10,000 miles on my car and I did bring it in last fall for the earlier recall (for something else). It is running fine to the best of my knowledge. Thanks.
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Replying to: xira (Jun 19, 2009 8:40 am) I'm sure it's fine. |
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Replying to: xira (Jun 19, 2009 8:40 am) I'd recommend another dealer. Subaru dealers vary widely in terms of mechanic competence and helpfulness. Sounds like you went to a bad one. |
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I'm in the market for the new Forester (I'm new to Subaru). I'm located in the north east so I experience some good winters. I am familiar with the different AWD setups from the 2 trannies. I currently drive a manual. My questions are for those who have already experienced both trannies in the 2009/10 Forester (or previous models if it is similar): For winter driving, which tranny is more favourable and has a better AWD? How is the manual gearbox as far as the throws and smoothness? How is the autobox altogether? Which tranny maximizes the engine's power more? What kind of mileage are you getting? I'd like to hear some experiences from both sides. Thanks in advance.
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Yes, its been a little over 9 years of Forester ownership and probably almost as long since I have posted here. It has been so long that I don't even remember my original screen name. Its funny how life and interests change over the course of a decade. Its good to see some familiar names still kickin' it on the threads... juice, rsholland and kens. Hi fellas! I was a young man of 29 years old when I bought my '01 Forester L in the Spring of 2000. Hard to beleive all of this time has passed. The '01 Forester is doing great at almost 89,000 miles (barely broken in in Subaru terms). Yes, I did have the head gasket issue, but Subaru fixed it at no cost to me. My electronic clock stopped working this year, but those clocks tend to go no matter what vehicle they are in (including my girlfriend's CRV). It still drives like it did 9 years ago and the cabin still feels tight and rattle free (I easily fixed two minor rattles early in its life). Enough of my reminiscing and rambling... So why am I back? Well the redesign has piqued my interest and this is the best place I know to obtain some information regarding the Forester. There are some regular level-headed and knowledgable folks posting here. I have to say that I am a bit hesitant to give up the old Forester because it has been so good to me and is still solid and reliable. I have become somewhat attached to it. However, I think it may be time to own a vehicle with a few more creature comforts than my current ride. After almost 10 years of gainful employment I certainly have the financial means to do so  If I make the jump, its going to be an X Limited with Rugged Package or Utility Package. I really like those wheel arch moldings and splash guards, but on the fence with the body side molding. My favorite exterior color is he Steel Silver Metallic, but my favorite interior is the black. Unfortunately, I can't get the black interior with that exterior color. I don't know what it is about the platinum interior, but it doesn't appeal to me like the black does. I have not taken a test drive yet, but I have sat in an '09 with the Platinum interior. Here are my observations so far: Love the new body style and aluminum wheels. The increased interior space is great and it feels like a more upscale vehicle than my current Forester. The huge moonroof looks amazing and will help to quell my sadness over the recent sale of my convertible (okay, I'm not that broken up over it). For the most part, I like the new interior, but I'm not crazy about those swooping hard plastic silver accents running through the dash. It looks and feels cheap to me and I'm hoping it doesn't scratch easily. A minor niggle in the grand scheme of things and perhaps there is an after market solution to the silver plastic. I'm surprised to see that a 5 speed auto has not been offered after all this time. However, it does seem that the current transmission is well mated to the rest of the drivetrain. I plan to take my time with my purchase. The cash gained from the recent sale of my convertible is going to fund my purchase if I make the leap. I'm hoping for 0% financing in the coming months, which will allow me to hold on to my money and maybe get the kitchen remodeled. If that doesn't happen, then I'll probably just purchase it outright as there are no safe investments right now that will give me more than a 3% return. Current Subie interest rates are 2.9% for three years I beleive, and that doesn't quite do it for me. On to a couple of questions: 1. Does anyone know who manufactures the round cross bars for the roof rack? I plan to throw bikes and kayaks up there and probably will go aftermarket for those items. I'm wondering if the Yakima system on my '01 will fit the new rails. 2. I know color preference is purely sujective, but I'd still like to get some opinions on exterior colors that can be had with the black interior. The exterior color choices are Black, Spark Silver, Red, and Gold. All of these colors are a possibility to me except for Gold. I have yet to see the Obsidian Black Pearl (sounds really interesting) and the Red in person. Any oipinions on these colors? Is the black difficult to maintain? 3. For those of you that have the Platinum interior, how is the light color holding up against dirt? 4. How is the cabin noise compared to the previous Forester? Sorry for the long post but, afterall, it has been over 9 years. Regards, Skip
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Replying to: sd70 (Jun 21, 2009 7:18 am) The only question I can answer for you is the one about the light interior. I've had mine since Dec and no problems with dirt so far. I'd been pretty concerned about getting light leather, especially since I've never had leather interior before, but it hasn't been an issue. A few times I've gotten dirt marks on the seat and I just wiped it off easily with my finger or a tissue...nothing too technical! I haven't driven any old Foresters, but the cabin noise doesn't bother me at all....doesn't seem loud at all Connie |
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Interior paint on central console, door rests and trim near door handles is fragile. You can scratch or wear it off if you touch it with sharp objects oil/chemical covered hands. The leather in my XT seems to be holding up well after a year. The gray interior choice helps hide dirt (Subaru remarked that's why they removed Beige color from interior choices). Going over speed bumps suggest the XT 's backside is weak on rebound damping - the car tends to pogo a bit after the bump, and if you go fast, you may get the rear end to bounce up enough to smack the rear suspension's lower limit stops. On other hand, the car handles pot holes well. Cabin noise of Forester seems similar to RAV4, Malibu Maxx, Lexus 400H, but is louder than '09 Outback. Tires have a big impact on this (my '09 quieted down a bit when I swapped Nokians for the Geolanders). As for trips, the XT cruise control works well with the auto trans. Mileage has been around 24 - 25 on freeway and 18 - 20 in town. The X, compared with XT, has more of a hair trigger throttle at stop lights and at low speeds, but has little passing power on the freeway. XT Sport shift mode definitely changes shift points and prefers lower gears, so the car is a bit more responsive XT requires Premium but __may__ schlep by on Intermediate grade gas. Regular will degrade performance and probably result in overheating or CHK ENGINE light coming on. |
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Replying to: sd70 (Jun 21, 2009 7:18 am) Bruce |
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Replying to: noey8 (Jun 21, 2009 5:44 am) Consumer Reports tested both, and never mind what the EPA determined inside their labs, CR got 25 mpg on actual roads in their real-world tests, vs. 22 mpg for the automatic. Plus you save nearly a grand up front in purchase cost. It's quicker, and a clutch is cheaper than a rebuild on an automatic. Having said that, we got an auto because my wife wanted one for the heavy traffic she often gets, plus the fact that the Limited model she wanted only comes with auto. |
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