Any Forester Drivers?
Discussion
the only thing putting me off is the fact i will have to do a motorway trip every week...(400miles round trip)
how are they on the motorway? no 6th gear will surely hurt the figures!
I would love one but that trip would hurt me compared to the 42mpg i get atm,
In a perfect world iD love focus rs!
how are they on the motorway? no 6th gear will surely hurt the figures!
I would love one but that trip would hurt me compared to the 42mpg i get atm,
In a perfect world iD love focus rs!
stedaley said:
the only thing putting me off is the fact i will have to do a motorway trip every week...(400miles round trip)
how are they on the motorway? no 6th gear will surely hurt the figures!
I would love one but that trip would hurt me compared to the 42mpg i get atm,
In a perfect world iD love focus rs!
Mine gets almost 30mpg on longer runs to Anglesey using cruise control (fully loaded + roof box), not ideal but better than my usual 23mpg mixed use. how are they on the motorway? no 6th gear will surely hurt the figures!
I would love one but that trip would hurt me compared to the 42mpg i get atm,
In a perfect world iD love focus rs!
As for road noise, it's nowhere near as refined at speed as my Wife's Legacy but it's manageable, never bothered me to be honest. You certainly know when one of the rear wheel bearings is on the way out as it echoes around the boot!!
BurgerKing said:
Mine gets almost 30mpg on longer runs to Anglesey using cruise control (fully loaded + roof box), not ideal but better than my usual 23mpg mixed use.
As for road noise, it's nowhere near as refined at speed as my Wife's Legacy but it's manageable, never bothered me to be honest. You certainly know when one of the rear wheel bearings is on the way out as it echoes around the boot!!
I think id need cruise control, As for road noise, it's nowhere near as refined at speed as my Wife's Legacy but it's manageable, never bothered me to be honest. You certainly know when one of the rear wheel bearings is on the way out as it echoes around the boot!!
and 30 isnt bad, Just worrys me that it is so bad for a 400 mile round trip
No more or less expensive than other cars , plugs and cambelts are around 60k , gearbox says a fluid change but I think that is not that necessary at the intervals they say , diff is worth doing as that does get dirtier , oil changes it varies depending on how you drive newer models are 10k , older are 7.5k , I do mine a newer model between 5 and 7.5 k , all the jobs are home do able I would not personally do a cambelt I would not have the confidence
I bought an 03 2.0 XT a couple of weeks ago and it's been great so far. Seems to get about 30mpg, is quite fast, comfortable, refined (compared to my mr2 roadster anyway 
)
Not sure if it has been mentioned but one thing to look out for is the self-levelling rear shocks (SLS). These tend to fail and replacements from Subaru are horrendously expensive. Lots of Foresters have had the original SLS replaced with standard shocks. This causes the car to sit lower at the back than the front and results in quite wallowy handling!
Mine has exactly this (which I factored into my offer) and I plan to replace them with the Pedders set which includes a pair of fully assembled struts for ~£300 that are easy to fit yourself.
)Not sure if it has been mentioned but one thing to look out for is the self-levelling rear shocks (SLS). These tend to fail and replacements from Subaru are horrendously expensive. Lots of Foresters have had the original SLS replaced with standard shocks. This causes the car to sit lower at the back than the front and results in quite wallowy handling!
Mine has exactly this (which I factored into my offer) and I plan to replace them with the Pedders set which includes a pair of fully assembled struts for ~£300 that are easy to fit yourself.
Treb0r said:
Oh and I'm 25... I got it because I can throw my bike in the back, do a bit of light off-roading (farm tracks etc) and it's surprisingly nippy for a big old car!
It's also very easy to manoeuvre because it has very good visibility.
Im 24! And i think its just a sleeper!It's also very easy to manoeuvre because it has very good visibility.
In the process on looking at sf5 models! Sti2m in fact!
What made you pick the newer xt?
stedaley said:
Im 24! And i think its just a sleeper!
In the process on looking at sf5 models! Sti2m in fact!
What made you pick the newer xt?
Just because the particular car seemed like a good deal really. It has 100k miles with FSH, is in great condition, has leather, cruise, heated seats, sunroof... and will still have cost me under £2k when I sort the rear suspension. Unfortunately it's in OAP special gold, but in a weird way its ugliness adds to the appeal for me In the process on looking at sf5 models! Sti2m in fact!
What made you pick the newer xt?
Treb0r said:
Just because the particular car seemed like a good deal really. It has 100k miles with FSH, is in great condition, has leather, cruise, heated seats, sunroof... and will still have cost me under £2k when I sort the rear suspension. Unfortunately it's in OAP special gold, but in a weird way its ugliness adds to the appeal for me
Its quite a marmite car! mixed thoughts from other people but i really couldnt care!Its if i want a newer 2.5 with more toys vs the older 2.0lt now :/
Sibbo81 said:
Been running an 99 s turbo for a number of years now its mainly the dog car but hasn't missed a beat, Ive played with it and its pushing 315bhp should have looked into upgrading the brakes some time ago but she always pulls up in time when needed.
the 2.0l been a good buy? also what did you do to get it to 315hp?Been so far a fantastic purchase, this is our second Forester the first being a 2001 facelift but was sold when the clutch started to go and I replaced it with the current 99, found on eBay a few days after I sold the 01 up in Inverness with 60K with One owner from new. Took a plane and a 12hr drive home but don't regret it.Modification wise it has an EcuTek map by Martin @ Engine Tuner, H&S turbo back pipe, SC32 Billet Turbo, New top mount, Perrin intake pipe ( amazing how this free's up power) Samco intercooler hoses. I always read that 280 was the limit a UK S-Turbo could push out but been using the above for Three years and it does get used and driven regular and as I said has been faultless can't knock it.
stedaley said:
What are the modifcation paths between the sf5 and the sg5?
Heard the sf5 is abit limited compared to the sg5?
Not saying 250hp isnt enough but a map wouldnt go a miss!
If you are starting with a 2.5 XT then you will want a new panel filter (stick with the standard airbox), a better exhaust (possibly decat) and a remap (I opted for open source). With the TD04 turbo you will get to 250bhp plus. Also budget for a Pedders set of rear shocks to replace the self levelling shocks. With this you may also want to fit thicker front and rear ARBs, heavy duty mounts and drop links. Heard the sf5 is abit limited compared to the sg5?
Not saying 250hp isnt enough but a map wouldnt go a miss!
After that you can add a larger TMIC, either from a WRX (which is the same as the one of the Forester STI) or an Impreza STI one. I also went for a larger turbo, (an SC36) and much larger injectors. At this point brakes start to be a good idea (depending on how hard you drive). I fitted uprated pads and braided lines but you can also upgrade to 4 pot front calipers from a WRX and get them under the Forester wheels (I think they will go under the 16" wheels on the Forester till 2005, but definitely the later 17" wheels) or go the whole hog and fit Brembo calipers and discs from an ISTI.
I've found the 2.5 to be the perfect engine for the forester, lots and lots of get up and go with the original turbo although in all honesty over 300bhp was a bit much for the XT without coilovers etc. So if you're serious about either modifying or just want a faster car then just start start with the FSTI as you get brembos, a much stronger 6 speed box, 18" wheels and a better suspension. After spending lots on my XT I eventually saw sense and found an FSTI. Its slightly less flexible overall (its a bit lower) but its a faster and better handling road car.
yellowstreak said:
If you are starting with a 2.5 XT then you will want a new panel filter (stick with the standard airbox), a better exhaust (possibly decat) and a remap (I opted for open source). With the TD04 turbo you will get to 250bhp plus. Also budget for a Pedders set of rear shocks to replace the self levelling shocks. With this you may also want to fit thicker front and rear ARBs, heavy duty mounts and drop links.
After that you can add a larger TMIC, either from a WRX (which is the same as the one of the Forester STI) or an Impreza STI one. I also went for a larger turbo, (an SC36) and much larger injectors. At this point brakes start to be a good idea (depending on how hard you drive). I fitted uprated pads and braided lines but you can also upgrade to 4 pot front calipers from a WRX and get them under the Forester wheels (I think they will go under the 16" wheels on the Forester till 2005, but definitely the later 17" wheels) or go the whole hog and fit Brembo calipers and discs from an ISTI.
I've found the 2.5 to be the perfect engine for the forester, lots and lots of get up and go with the original turbo although in all honesty over 300bhp was a bit much for the XT without coilovers etc. So if you're serious about either modifying or just want a faster car then just start start with the FSTI as you get brembos, a much stronger 6 speed box, 18" wheels and a better suspension. After spending lots on my XT I eventually saw sense and found an FSTI. Its slightly less flexible overall (its a bit lower) but its a faster and better handling road car.
Comprehensive thanks! After that you can add a larger TMIC, either from a WRX (which is the same as the one of the Forester STI) or an Impreza STI one. I also went for a larger turbo, (an SC36) and much larger injectors. At this point brakes start to be a good idea (depending on how hard you drive). I fitted uprated pads and braided lines but you can also upgrade to 4 pot front calipers from a WRX and get them under the Forester wheels (I think they will go under the 16" wheels on the Forester till 2005, but definitely the later 17" wheels) or go the whole hog and fit Brembo calipers and discs from an ISTI.
I've found the 2.5 to be the perfect engine for the forester, lots and lots of get up and go with the original turbo although in all honesty over 300bhp was a bit much for the XT without coilovers etc. So if you're serious about either modifying or just want a faster car then just start start with the FSTI as you get brembos, a much stronger 6 speed box, 18" wheels and a better suspension. After spending lots on my XT I eventually saw sense and found an FSTI. Its slightly less flexible overall (its a bit lower) but its a faster and better handling road car.
I cant afford a SG9, its too close to the Fiesta ST and Intergra type r in terms of price and would be a big investment!
The STB/STI2m of the SF5 series is also appealing vs the Xt, I really just need to see the two and then decide!
Do you miss the options of the XT? Cruise control/heated seats/sunroof?
stedaley said:
the only thing putting me off is the fact i will have to do a motorway trip every week...(400miles round trip)
how are they on the motorway? no 6th gear will surely hurt the figures!
I would love one but that trip would hurt me compared to the 42mpg i get atm,
In a perfect world iD love focus rs!
If you want to rack up the miles cheaply, get an LPG conversion. I had my WRX Impreza done 50,000 miles ago and I've been smiling ever since. I recouped the £1270 I spent in 11 months and have been saving ever since how are they on the motorway? no 6th gear will surely hurt the figures!
I would love one but that trip would hurt me compared to the 42mpg i get atm,
In a perfect world iD love focus rs!
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