Forester: Why get a turbo? What about the back seat?

It'll put a bigger smile on your face when the turbo kicks in? Emergency manoeuvring.....more power can get you out of (and into) trouble quicker.

Sounds better! ??

R

Also depends on your planned uses. I have heard that the normally aspirated models have power problems at higher altitudes. Whether or not that's true, I don't know. I take my XT to hiking trailheads between 7500 ft and 8000 ft every weekend (home is at about 2100 ft) during the summer, and once and a yea to 10000 ft. It performs incredibly.

Okay, good with that. I think the rear spoiler is ugly though.

What about alloy wheels? I've always understood they were better than steel because they're lighter for the same strength, which is probably not a huge saving. But one salesman told me they also cool the brakes better because they allow more air in. Certainly my current steel wheels have a larger surface area than the alloys did, and I can see a difference between models in the showroom.

Is this a significant benefit? Or merely a good justification to cover up for "looks better"? ;)

andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

That's a good point, and a quick bit of research backs it up. I don't do that though. Nor do I plan to take 5 people on long highway trips (will be lucky to get 3 in when I've got the driver's seat back). Maybe I'm stuck with looks and fun only. And the rear spoiler puts me off a bit.

Thanks for your reply!

=andrew

andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

The standard XS Forester has Aluminum wheels as does the XT. The base model X has steel wheels. Unless the offered steel wheels are unattractive I prefer steel because: If you do get them slightly bent you often straighten a steely. I you really smack them on a curb the replacement cost is about

1/3d. The spare tire on a 2000 Forester matches the steel wheels on the ground, whereas if you get Aluminum you still get a steel spare. I drive an S which has Aluminum with a steel spare which I don't care for. ed

I'm 6'2" and with the driver's seat back all of the way I don't fit in the back seat comfortably myself. I normally don't carry back seat passengers, though, so this isn't an issue for me, and I find the front seat driving position very comfortable. If it is for you, you might want to look at the new Legacy/Outbacks as they're built on a longer platform.

I purchased an '04 XS after test-driving both the XS and the XT. Although I appreciate a bit more power in my cars, IMO the difference between the two is not enough to justify the upcost of premium fuel and poor gas mileage. I've read reports of an average of 18 mpg on the XT and to date I've been getting a consistant 25 mpg on my XS with a lead foot.

Another thing that steered me away from the XT was the aluminum hood. I understand it dents terribly easily.

Turbos *are* stronger at altitude, but my XS goes to 9000 feet every now and then, and does fine. It's able to pass at 9000 feet. Dunno how it does at higher elevation, since we haven't been there.

All the Forester model levels have the aluminum (aluminium) hood.

THat was my idea too, but I asked a salesman and we checked a 2005 Forester X. The spare's steel wheel seems to be different from the other four. I was thinking if I went with snow tires, I could take the opportunity each spring to put a different tire on the spare wheel. And that I'd have to do that whether I had steel wheels or alloy, if the spare is indeed different.

=aw

andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

Well most of the time I drive alone, sometimes with a passenger. But I'd hate to be unable to give three people a ride. I'm also 6'2" and like the driving position. I'm thinking if I had to have a tallish person behind me, I could move the driver's seat forward for a short drive.

The Outback was nice, but I didn't find it nearly as comfortable as the Forester.

I'm thinking I'll stick with the regular engine. It's hard to judge compared to my old Explorer, even the Matrix I rented seemed more powerful (it's 130hp vs. 155hp in my Explorer).

Thanks for your comments.

=aw andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

big reason:

with a 1-2 thousand in upgrades, you can have a 350hp grocery getter... ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing.

;)

ken

Well that's a good reason (although it's only 210hp). And the couple of extra thousand (actually C$3800 at list prices) isn't that big a deal. But my concern is about the extra for 91 octane and the extra for increased fuel consumption.

Using Canadian figures (including the bigger galling), the NA engine is rated for city/highway at 10.4/7.6 L/100km (27.2/37.2 mpg) and the turbo at 11.7/9.3 L/100km (24.2/30.4 mpg).

I'm not a high-mileage driver, my 91 Explorer (took delivery of it new on Christmas Eve 1990 :) has only 174K km. But one of my benchmarks in comparing replacement vehicles is driving to Montreal and back. Door-to-door, Mapquest says it's 187km each way, so I've figured 400km at highway consumption to allow for a little city driving and to make the calculation easier. At that rate (and at 80c/L for 87 and 90c/L for 91 octane), the consumption and cost are:

XS: 30.4L (C$24.32) XT: 37.2L (C$33.48)

If I do the Ottawa-Montreal trip 25 times in a year (probably about right), that's maybe C$250 difference. But all my other driving will be 33% more expensive too.

Hmm, let me think about that. The Natural Resources Canada site includes results based on an arbitrary 20K km/yr (much more than I've put on the Explorer in 14 years, but it doesn't do the highway run to Montreal any more), split 55% city/45% highway, and using my cost of

80c/L (90c/L for XT). The results are:

XS: C$1528 (1910L, 4508kg of CO2) XT: C$1991 (2212L, 5220kg of CO2)

Hmm, C$500 extra a year for the XT, plus (say) C$3000 on the purchase price.

andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

. From their 1/4 mile timeslips (and I think G-Tek too) people are estimating actual power is higher. I've seen estimates of 240hp at the flywheel. Don't recall what the dyno-measured WHP is.

Anyway with a 5-speed these appear to be 13 second cars (high 13s), bone stock. Much slower drag times with an auto, I guess because the turbo doesn't spool up before the launch. Probably actual driving performance (except from a dead stop), isn't much worse for auto.

Dyno measures by companies making upgrades to the ECU have put a stock XT at 235 - 240hp.

Get the turbo - you won't be dissapointed. It is more fun than you can imagine when you dust a pony car in a grocery getter and it should have better resale value. The auto drag times really are't that much slower than the 5 speed and the 4eat will handle more hp than the 5spd when the time comes for power upgrades. The 'ugly' spoiler is an option - I assume you are talking about the rear spoiler and not the hoodscoop- if having it is holding you back then don't get it.

Our xt easily beats both svx's (230hp). It is amazing how fast the ugly little suv is. Highway driving is outstanding. It doesn't need to even downshift to accelerate up steep grades.

:)

andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

Yes, I meant the rear spoiler, thanks for clarifying. In fact I like the little hoodscoop, even if it does look strange on a station wagon. The rear spoiler isn't an option in 05, at least not according to

That is, it's optional on the X and XS, standard on the XT. I said to the salesman, "guess I can't take the spoiler off?" and he said no. Maybe if I bought it to order they could make one without, but if it's already on then they've drilled holes etc. Guess I could live with it, at least I wouldn't see it while driving. :)

You guys are going to convince me to get the turbo yet! :)

"It is amazing how fast the ugly little suv is." I love this line!

=aw

andrew [ snipped-for-privacy@wwwebbers.com]

Something to think about. Some vehicles use that rear spoiler to smooth out the airflow behind the car. This often results in less dirt "clinging" to the rear window and hatch. I know of several wagons/SUVs that were much dirtier without a spoiler than ones driven in the same areas with one. Whether or not it applies to the Forester, I don't know. But it is something you can use to justify it in your head at least.

I had an '85 Jeep Grand Wagoneer that had a spoiler just for that reason. I didn't realize what it was for until I took it off to do some painting work and the rear window got really dirty.