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Wagons Subaru Crew Subaru Forester 2009 Subaru Forester
3661 messages, Last post on Nov 30, 2009 at 8:56 AM
You are in the Subaru Forester Forum. Your Host is kcram
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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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Replying to: sd70 (Jun 21, 2009 7:18 am) Wow, time warp! Flash from the past. Good to see you again, buddy. Can't blame you, I say, in fact we now have a 2009 X Limited, Newport Blue Pearl with Platinum Leather. I like the colors. The blue is light/medium and doesn't show nearly as much dirt as my dark blue Miata, though my light blue minivan is even better at hiding dirt (yeah, 3 blue cars, I know). Inside, the platinum leather is very nice. I love that it is perforated and heated, the perfect combo. The carpets are a tad light - the kids dirty shoes stain them. Still, I can't say I'd prefer the charcoal interior because it's just too dark for my tastes. My van's interior is lighter (stains on the carpet are even worse) but my Miata has a black interior and it's too somber, depressing. Surprisingly it does not hide dirt well and I end up vacuuming that car most often. Anything besides black stands out a lot - leaves in fall, pollen in spring. So basically I wish the interior carpets were a couple of shades darker, sure, but not charcoal or black. Cabin noise is decent, there is less wind noise than my '98 had. It falls between my much-louder Miata and my silent-as-a-tomb Sienna. For us the biggest difference is the back seat is a whole bunch roomier, and because we got a Limited model this time around we got a lot of nice extras, like the heated seats. Make sure you get those, if you want cloth just get the Premium AWP model.
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Replying to: noey8 (Jun 21, 2009 5:44 am) On the one dirt fire-trail I drove (~2k feet rise in ~5 miles), I did a lot of shifting back and forth between first and second and it did cross my mind that an auto would probably be a lot easier for such things. I'm a novice to that sort of driving. |
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Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 22, 2009 11:51 am) When I bought my '01, my financial situation was much different and I went almost bare bones with the L model. If I remember correctly, the only options on the car were Auto Trans. and tweeter kit. I also liked what I considered the more rugged look of the black bumpers and side cladding over the painted versions on the S model. The interior in the L model at that time was that herringbone patterned cloth in grey. The 2001 interior has actually held up great (cloth and carpets). I really liked the Blue Ridge Pearl exterior and Grey interior combo. If I do take the plunge, this time around I fully expect to go with the X Limited with either the Rugged Package or Utility Package. Like my current Forester, I plan to have the next one for a long time. So, I'm going to get it just the way I want it. I'm on the fence regarding buying a new one right now. My current Forester is still running great with almost 88,000 miles (coming up on that expensive 90,000 mile scheduled maintenance). I'm sure I could easily drive this car reliably for another five years or so. I also need to update my circa 1962 kitchen so that may take priority right now. With that said, the new design is very exciting and has really got the juices flowing. Thanks to those of you who commented regarding the interior and the rack system. I have a feeling my current Yakima system may be compatible with the rails on the new Forester.
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Replying to: sd70 (Jun 22, 2009 1:42 pm) I miss the unpainted bumpers a bit, but I think those vanished in 2006, and I understand why. Even though they're teflon tough, they're not the most attractive. Try this - do your kitchen first, in fact your new car may get some wear and tear carrying all the stuff. When it's done, reward yourself with the new Forester.
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Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 23, 2009 12:25 pm)
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Replying to: sd70 (Jun 23, 2009 6:54 pm)  The guy who bought my 1998 drives it near where I work. I saw it on the street one time and it was filthy, I nearly cried.  When I had it that thing was in great shape, the wheels were even waxed. At 9 years of age it looked like maybe a 2 year old car.
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I'm noticing the '09 XT has one odd quirk. It loves to slam its rear wheels back down after going over bumps. Examples are speed bumps; the front goes over fine but the back likes to "kick its heels" (jumps up and slams its suspension bottom limit). I suspect there isn't enough rebound damping. My brother's Lexus 400h goes over the same speed bumps without any kickback. Any suggestions for shocks that provide a little more rebound damping? I may change them over when the main vehicle warranty expires in another year and a half. I don't plan to change the springs as there's no interest in lowering the vehicle! |
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