Anyone have a Subaru Forester XT?

[Clovis]

Mrs. Clovis wants to sell her VW Beetle convertible to get a small SUV instead. We're looking at Subaru Forester XT (turbo). I test drove one about 2 years ago and it seemed pretty good.

I'm wondering if anyone here has owned one and could share their insights.

Thanks!! :)

[AOK303]

you know they make an STI verson!!!!!
and one was for sale on craigs.


i owned the STI Version for 2 weeks till someone used it to stop.... >.<

[sag]

what years are you considering?

[Clovis]

2010+

Apparently up until 2010 there were some reliability issues (per consumer reports).

[#1Townie]

My parents had one. That little fucker was a damn tank! Granted it was older so i have no idea how the new ones are but damn. I beat the crap out of that thing and it just kept going.

[madvlad]

Anything is better than VW specially a bettle lol... those XT's are pretty badass and a car that's useful for CO.

[~Barn~]

Forester's have style written nowhere, all over them. Have her check out a pre-owned Mazda CX-7. :yes:

[Yodannyc]

I just got a forester xt. Its not a 2010 but a little older, a 2005. So far I am very happy with it! It may not look the best but talk about versitlity. It has just the right clearance for light off road, it has the same engine as a STI but it is just detuned. The turbo, intercooler, and up pipe are different along with the ECU. Although the engine I think changed after 2005 and they put the EJ255 not the EJ257. So if you got a newer one you wouldnt have a STI engine. I just drove mine to Seattle, Washington and towed the bike behind it! Made it without a hiccup.

Here is a pic of mine.

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg87/yodannyc/29009306.jpg

With a different set of wheels they can actually be pretty decent looking.

[AOK303]

he is right they did move away from the Sti motor
they wanted a different power set up

[Vitesse304]

We have a 2010 2.5 limited. We test drove the XT, but it wasn't worth the cost of using premium gas and the worse gas mileage.

If we had to do it again, I don't think we would have gotten the Forester. It feels cheap in some places and it's a bit noisy. Sure it's a great soccer mom mobile, but once you load up the car seat, the stroller, and assorted baby stuff, you've just about run out of room in the damn thing.

For the money, I think you could do better going up a class with a little bigger vehicle or going with one of it's competitors that offers a little more bang for your buck.

I think in Colorado, the Subaru is the unofficial state car hence higher prices for them...

It's not a bad car, and I'm not unhappy with it, but if I had to do it again, I would have thought a little harder and test drove more of the competition before buying.

[Clovis]

Forester's have style written nowhere, all over them. Have her check out a pre-owned Mazda CX-7. :yes:

I could get behind a CX-7. I'm not familiar with them but from the few I saw on Craigslist they're cheaper then the forester and also come with a turbo. Hmmm, tell me more? :)

[I`m Batman]

I could get behind a CX-7. I'm not familiar with them but from the few I saw on Craigslist they're cheaper then the forester and also come with a turbo. Hmmm, tell me more? :)

I own a 08 CX-7 AWD Turbo for our family car. Love the car, perfect for us. Very nice car, great in snow. I've never had any problem with it. It is direct injected so there are a few DIY tricks that you can easily do for maintenance. I cleaned out the EGR valve once, typical turbo car thing. I can cruise up I-70 at 80 mph in 6th gear at less than 3000 rpm. Good low end torque.

[I`m Batman]

Oh don't expect great mpg on the AWD version. I normally gets low low 20s mpg.

[Ghost]

There never was a USDM STI Forester, and they never used the "STI" motor.

There were about 800 JDM Forester STIs made every year from 2004-2008, but as a RHD import, the US can't get them.

The SG FXT was the first non-STI to get a 2.5L block, but it was not the dual-AVCS, 300/300 motor the WRX STI gets. Instead, it's the same engine the 2006+ WRX and 2005+ Legacy turbos got.

You can easily swap almost everything from the Impreza to the Forester of the same generation as they share the same platform.

As I modified my 06 WRX STI I swapped the parts over to my 04 FXT and with a few more mods ended up at 263whp on 91 octane.

If you get the N/A Forester expect it to suck in the mountains. If you get the turbo expect it to get lowish MPG but at least you can pass whoever you want whenever you want.

If you get the Mazda then...it's a Mazda?

[Clovis]

Just as a rough comparison of stats.

The Forester is 224hp with a 4speed automatic.
The Mazda is a 244hp with a 6 speed automatic.

The mazda also looks to be a little cheaper. I like my WRX for the most part. Gas mileage sucks but I commute 30 miles a day round trip - a lot better then the 70+ mile round trip commute I had when I bought it.

[aerofaze]

Last year, I got an '07 Forester XT with 5-speed manual. This, after moving away from an '02 WRX.

Super peppy wagon with fun acceleration, but not-very-good mileage (21-23mpg if I'm driving over 60mph). I've been able to get almost everywhere I've needed to go. To me, it's an ugly car no matter what the year, but I have to admit the look of mine has grown on me. Wind-noise at speed is LOUD. Not sure how the newer ones drive ('09+)...

Let me know if you and Mrs. Clovis wanna check it out.

[laspariahs]

Anything is better than a VW......

[Clovis]

We like her VW but we're talking about having kids now and a little convertable isn't very practical for a car seat. It's as of the back seats were put in the car as a joke because the front seats touch them.

However it's quite roomy for 2 people :P)

Thanks Sarah, I'll pass it along!

[Tykho]

Get a Grand Cherokee SRT-8, perfect family SUV :D

[3point5]

a coworker has one (the XT) as does my sister/bro-in-law (the Non-turbo, my bro-in-law is a puss) and another buddy has one. They all speak highly of them…

but be careful when asking someone's opinion of something they just bought…because once you buy it, you'll never say…"that was a complete piece of shit" because then you look like an idiot...