MY06-07 Autos thin on the ground

[Ratbag]

G'day again Thunder

the lights in my subi are fantastic, still has the same safety features.

We will have to agree to differ on this.
No way will I trade a decent set of high/low + highs for a set of high/lows. They would be even better if independently adjustable, but as it is, they light up large amounts of the countryside in a way that is impossible to achieve with single headlights.

the major improvement was the torque distribution that changed with the facelift.
an i spose looks are a personal prefference but i didnt by a 06 forester because i hate the rounded front end the earlier models are much more agressive styled

I don't really care how a car looks. I am far more focused on how well it works. Different strokes, and all that :iconwink:

That rounded front end seems to give a better approach angle to me, but I must say that I have never measured it - just eye-balled them. The MY06 is also a little bit higher, IIRC. Only about 10 mm or so, but still makes a little bit of a difference.

The torque curve is fantastic. Can't compare it with other models, as I haven't driven most of them. It certainly went a lot better than the MY04 I drove, but I think the donk in that one was stuffed, so hardly a fair comparison. It seems that all the 2.5L models have very good torque low down that was missing from the 2.0L models.

 

[Rally]

Whatever advantages the 06/07 models have with better lights and approach angles, I feel I have addressed this on my MY04. The newer cars also miss out on the drink holder on the centre stack next to the radio

 

[thunder039]

I don't really care how a car looks. I am far more focused on how well it works. Different strokes, and all that :iconwink:

That rounded front end seems to give a better approach angle to me, but I must say that I have never measured it - just eye-balled them. The MY06 is also a little bit higher, IIRC. Only about 10 mm or so, but still makes a little bit of a difference.

i didnt think they made it higher the suspension stayed the same

The torque curve is fantastic. Can't compare it with other models, as I haven't driven most of them. It certainly went a lot better than the MY04 I drove, but I think the donk in that one was stuffed, so hardly a fair comparison. It seems that all the 2.5L models have very good torque low down that was missing from the 2.0L models.

yes they did get more power out them but also worse fuel economy which is what you are currently experiencing now, they where also slightly heavier


approach angles? i dont think you would take the car offroad enough to worry about it

 

[Ratbag]

Hey mate

Whatever advantages the 06/07 models have with better lights and approach angles, I feel I have addressed this on my MY04. The newer cars also miss out on the drink holder on the centre stack next to the radio

You mean this one?

:iconwink:

 

[Rally]

Work has an 06- it does not have one.

 

[Ratbag]

G'day again mate

Work has an 06- it does not have one.

Seems that it vanishes with the slush box. None of them that I have looked at seem to have it, but the MTs have.

A bit odd? But the autos seem to have two back near the centre armrest (one is where the LR lever is, by the look of it), whereas mine only has the one.

 

[thunder039]

maybe you cant find one for sale because no one wants to sell them! :ebiggrin:

 

[thunder039]

have fun buying a new car

 

[NachaLuva]

I can't wait to see your new profile pic!

Yep a photo of the twins will be cool

What about an '05? The one I looked at for my niece ('05 XT) was very nice

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday NL

Yep a photo of the twins will be cool

Lol. They might not be identical twins, only fraternal ...
In fact, they may even just be siblings, if it turns out to be an OB ... :rotfl:

What about an '05? The one I looked at for my niece ('05 XT) was very nice

All the SG Foxes are very nice, I agree.
However, there were a number of small, but very nice improvements made to the MY06/07 series; then Subaru lost the plot a bit and let the accountants loose ... "Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war" sort of springs to mind (sorry Bill; Shakespeare, as in ... ).

There is also the fact that this is instead of a new car for SWMBO. It was hard enough convincing her that she will be better served having a (much) better s/h car than having a brand new cheaper one that isn't as nice ... So I am looking for something that is relatively new, with very low mileage.

If we can get what we want for under about $25K, that will be terrific. I would prefer to get it for under $20K if possible, but what will be, will be.

This means that we will both have relatively new (i.e. modern) cars for about the on-road price of one brand new Fox, with the lot ...

Both our cars were around 18 y.o.
Two things kill cars, age and miles. A two year old car with 104K on the clock has been very solidly used IMO.
A 10 y.o. car with 500K on the clock still has 500K on the clock, no matter which way you slice it.
An 18 y.o. car with 165K on the clock is still 18 y.o., no matter how you slice it.

In both cases, bits start to break from either age or use.

While she likes the Camry, it doesn't really suit her, any more than Roo1 suited me, so money spent on repairs is just dough down the gurgler.

I would have been perfectly happy with an earlier model than Roo2, just that they were the same price, with lots more kilometres ...

 

[taza]

Yes that is true. My L only has 230k on the clock. Realistically thats only just over 10,000km a year for its ages. Which is pretty darn low but just casual things like CV's, etc... wear out as it is older than me.

The funny thing is though there are some very very similar features between my foz and the L series and even Stilsons SG Foz and the L that they both have, even with 10-15years age difference! My foz is about to tick over the 180k mark. I'm guessing by this time next year it should be around the 220-230k mark.

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Taz

Yes that is true. My L only has 230k on the clock. Realistically thats only just over 10,000km a year for its ages. Which is pretty darn low but just casual things like CV's, etc... wear out as it is older than me.

The funny thing is though there are some very very similar features between my foz and the L series and even Stilsons SG Foz and the L that they both have, even with 10-15years age difference! My foz is about to tick over the 180k mark. I'm guessing by this time next year it should be around the 220-230k mark.

When one looks at the gear ratios, some of the ones from my '93 Impreza are still being used in the box of Roo2; and in most models of Forester and Impreza in between.

Same with the FD ratios. There really aren't very many different ones.

Same with sharing the floor pans between Impreza/Forester and Liberty/Outback. The floor pan is the single most expensive component in any car, IIRC.

IMNSHO, it's a good recipe for building excellent cars while keeping the costs down.
Almost any car that is equivalent in build quality and overall design to Subarus tend to cost at least 20~30% more.

 

[guzzla]

I saw a nicely kept white X at the Ford/Nissan dealer in Goondiwindi QLD yesterday. And Wippells in Toowoomba also had a couple when I last looked.

 

[guzzla]

The torque curve is fantastic. Can't compare it with other models, as I haven't driven most of them. It certainly went a lot better than the MY04 I drove, but I think the donk in that one was stuffed, so hardly a fair comparison. It seems that all the 2.5L models have very good torque low down that was missing from the 2.0L models.

"Wheels" magazine tested both autos and did 18.1 secs in the 03 and 17.5 secs in the 06 over the standing 400m and most people would notice that difference. Interestingly they did 17.3 secs in the 09 model yet Subaru Australia claim it is slower. "Wheels" also did 16.8 secs in the 09 manual.

 

[Ratbag]

Thanks Guzzla

I saw a nicely kept white X at the Ford/Nissan dealer in Goondiwindi QLD yesterday. And Wippells in Toowoomba also had a couple when I last looked.

Roo2 came from Wippells ... Sold and serviced by them until I bought it in Melbourne!

I have seen a nice XS (real one, not a tricked up X) in Sydney, and another in Brissy.

Whether any of them will be around when we find out what the damage is on the Camry this Thursday or not, only time will tell ...

Our requirements are really very specific, and not many available cars fit them.

As with everything else in our lives, we think very carefully about what we want, often defining it on paper. That way, we have rarely made expensive errors.

 

[Ratbag]

G'day again Guzzla

"Wheels" magazine tested both autos and did 18.1 secs in the 03 and 17.5 secs in the 06 over the standing 400m and most people would notice that difference. Interestingly they did 17.3 secs in the 09 model yet Subaru Australia claim it is slower. "Wheels" also did 16.8 secs in the 09 manual.

I wouldn't have thought there would be any great difference between any of the 2.5L models.

A stock 5 bearing 1800 MGB did around 17 seconds for the standing quarter mile, IIRC. Good, usable performance, if nothing out of the box.

Have you got links to any of those tests?
TIA.

 

[Ratbag]

Gidday Thunder

i didnt think they made it higher the suspension stayed the same

You are right. It must have been the US models where they changed the clearance slightly.

According to the brochures, the wheelbase and clearance have been the same for both SF and SG models, at 200 mm.
The XS does have the self-levelling suspension which probably changes the vehicle dynamics a bit (so does the SF Limited, IIRC).

yes they did get more power out them but also worse fuel economy which is what you are currently experiencing now, they where also slightly heavier

The XS has an alloy bonnet and wheels and maybe other things that make them about 15 Kgs lighter than the equivalent X model. The XS is still around 60 Kgs heavier than the SF Limited though.

The main difference in fuel economy is between the SF and the SG models, I suggest. With the large difference in engine capacity and torque, that is hardly surprising.

What is surprising is that Roo2 gets considerably better fuel economy around town than the Camry, which is lighter, with a bit smaller engine with similar engine technology.

 

[Rally]

My poverty pack MY04 runs an aluminium bonnet

 

[thunder039]

Gidday Thunder



You are right. It must have been the US models where they changed the clearance slightly.

According to the brochures, the wheelbase and clearance have been the same for both SF and SG models, at 200 mm.
The XS does have the self-levelling suspension which probably changes the vehicle dynamics a bit (so does the SF Limited, IIRC).



The XS has an alloy bonnet and wheels and maybe other things that make them about 15 Kgs lighter than the equivalent X model. The XS is still around 60 Kgs heavier than the SF Limited though.

The main difference in fuel economy is between the SF and the SG models, I suggest. With the large difference in engine capacity and torque, that is hardly surprising.

What is surprising is that Roo2 gets considerably better fuel economy around town than the Camry, which is lighter, with a bit smaller engine with similar engine technology.

i should have been clearer, when i was looking at redbook the there was an increase of fuel economy with the facelift in the 2nd generation forester eg in comparison of the 04 and 07.

i did not know that about the alloy bonnet.

i am yet to personally test out the self leveling suspension in our forester with a load but i am hoping it works well

 

[Ratbag]

Hey mate

i should have been clearer, when i was looking at redbook the there was an increase of fuel economy with the facelift in the 2nd generation forester eg in comparison of the 04 and 07.

NEVER believe anything you read in Glass's Guide ... :iconwink:

And IME even the dealers can't reliably tell whether a Forester is an X, XS, XS with extras, or an X or XS with bits of the Luxury Pack ...
Worked to my advantage when I bought Roo2!

i did not know that about the alloy bonnet.

Makes a huge difference to the weight compared with the Camry [EDIT] and compared with the SH we now have. However, looking at the 'prang hooks' on the rear edge of the SH's bonnet, it is obviously designed to crumple better, and hold together better in a frontal crash [end edit].
However, like the MG B (which also had an aluminium bonnet) it should be shut by 'dropping' it. If you lower it, then press down sharply, you will ding the bonnet - OUCH!

The steelies weigh around 3.5 Kgs more each than the alloys for bare rims, IIRC. I did weigh mine when they were bare, and have it written down somewhere.

i am yet to personally test out the self leveling suspension in our forester with a load but i am hoping it works well

Seems to work very well indeed, AFAICT.