Should I be interested?

[p38arover]

My wife is thinking of swapping her current model Forester X for a new turbo Forester because the standard 2.5 litre Forester is a gutless slug. You push the pedal down and all it does is change down a cog and make more noise. It doesn't go any quicker. It is frighteningly slow to accelerate when one wants to overtake.

She took a turbo for a test drive today and asked me if I wanted a drive. I didn't as I have absolutely no interest in driving one.

The salesman was surprised I didn't drive it. As I told him, I don't like driving them and I didn't even drive my wife's car for the first year she owned it. I'd much rather drive a Land Rover and still avoid driving the Forester whenever possible.

Should I show interest in my wife's choice of car? Should I test drive the turbo? I find them very ho hum.

If she bought it, it would be our third Forester.

[Sprint]

1: Does your input on the car matter in regards to your wife choosing her new car?
2: Does it matter to YOU what its like given that you will rarely, if ever drive it?

[p38arover]

1. Not to me but probably to her.
2. No.

[RichardK]

Hi Ron, I think it's a girls thing...............Dru loves the loud pedal, I daren't suggest a supercharger for her Rangie it will never go fast enough.

Go on let her have her wicked way............................:cool::cool:

[p38arover]

Go on let her have her wicked way............................:cool::cool:

Oh, I don't care if she buys it. I'm just not interested - nor was I when she bought the current Forester.

As a passenger I find them uncomfortable. The toeboard is so short that I can't sit comfortably unless I splay my feet.

[Brian]

Oh, I don't care if she buys it. I'm just not interested - nor was I when she bought the current Forester.

As a passenger I find them uncomfortable. The toeboard is so short that I can't sit comfortably unless I splay my feet.

Ron, Go for a spin, the turbo version absolutely flies, as it is basically the same running gear as a WRX on a 2.5l engine, the earlier WRXs are only 2l.

I test drove one many years ago and didnt buy it because I thought it would either put me off the road with too many points on my licence, or kill myself.

cheers
Brian

[Narangga]

Should I be interested?

Is the question about the vehicle or your wife and her interest?

[p38arover]

More that should I be interested in what she wants to buy?

She's going to look at another one today. Maybe I'll drive it - maybe not.

[Narangga]

Interested in what she is interested in - I would say yes (but then I love my wife enough to do that).

Interested in a vehicle that I am not interested - pass.

My two cents worth for you.

[frantic]

I have a reasonably decent knowledge of what cars are on the market so when my wife and I decided we needed a 7 seater (and I could not talk her into another defender or a used D3) I went through and helped with the models available and we ended up with a multivan instead of a kia Grand carnage which was her choice on price.
In the forester range the XT(turbo) now has a higher performance version called the S edition which has 193kw compared to the xt's 169 and the S also gets WRX-STI bits thrown in the suspension dept. It's not a rangie but it is a good gravel and tarmac car.

[BigJon]

Let her buy it, it will keep her happy.

Keep in mind the insurance costs are likely to be a lot higher than for the non turbo versions.

[series3]

I thought the Subarus were some of the better options on the market at the moment... Like so many other car makers they are pushing a premium/eurostyle product and image, but Subaru still make a good car; albeit a little more expensive. The turbocharged 2.5 is very flexible and goes as fast as you would reasonably need, but will cost a little more in ownership and insurance. Try it out I say, you might be suprised.

Sam

[Tusker]

Forester? What's that?

According to dictionary.com:

for·est·er   
[fawr-uh-ster, for-] Show IPA
–noun
1.
a person who is expert in forestry.
2.
an officer having responsibility for the maintenance of a forest.
3.
forest ranger.
4.
Zoology . an animal of the forest.
5.
a large, gray kangaroo, Macropus canguru.
6.
any moth of the family Agaristidae, typically black with two yellowish or whitish spots on each wing.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French forestier. See forest, -er

Elisabeth has err,, interesting tastes! ;)

Regards
Max P

[Hamish71]

Our second car is an XT Forester, but the 2005 model, so previous body shape.

It is a great little car. But then again, the only thing that inspires me mechanically anywhere near a Land Rover is a Subaru. Have owned lots of them, foresters, brumbys, libertys, sportswagons etc.

I did have a brumby using an EJ25, 6 inches of lift, and 33s at one stage. Went bloody well everyhwere.

Someone earlier said there is an "S" model, that goes a bit better. Instead of paying for that badge, you can get more performance from the standard XT by taking it to either: Melbourne - Subaru Docklands, STI, ask for Vince, and get him to wave his hands over the ecu. Full dyno tune, and ecu remap, better than a WRX STI

In Sydney, the guys to go to are at Pulse Motorpsorts in the Sth of Sydney. They probably do a better job than STI Melbourne....guy there has heaps of international experience in tuning Subaru rally cars. Both organisations will warrant their work.

[Brian]

Hey Ron, I just remembered, yesterday, didnt you yell out, hoping that Elizabeth could hear you, "You wanted to get rid of the blue car out the front".

Well, I guess that maybe she heard you and is going to get rid of it, and just maybe replace it with a faster one.

I totally agree with series3, that the Forester is probably the only other margue that I would consider after the landy, the best of the rest.

Any way, go for a run, you will be surprised, and to Elizabeth, happy motoring.

cheers
Brian

[zulu Delta 534]

Purely as a matter of self preservation, yes, you should at least look as though you are showing an interest.
Simply say, "Yes dear, that's nice" (perhaps you may feel brave enough to embellish this bland statement with something like "The colour suits you" or some such thing,) then happily go on your way knowing that you have, in her eyes at least, reinforced her choice of what ever it is that she has already decided on.
I am an expert on this subject especially when it comes to shoes, clothes, "accessories" and even hairdos.
By all means, go for a drive, but don't forget to comment on the important things, like the size of the glove box, shopping storage space, grandkid restraints, quality of the sound system, accessibility of the drink holders and how the tones of the upholstery compliment the outside colour choice etc.
Under normal circumstances, this interest only has to last for a couple of minutes at the most before the female attention span begins to waver.
Self preservation is a thing we males really have to work on!
Regards
Glen

[weeds]

nope

i remember the first new car that my ex and i brought, the salesman and ex could not believe i would not take it for a test drive, the ex did and was happy

i just assumed a brand new car would start, drive, indicators would work etc etc

oh and btw it was only a hyundai excel......i wasn't expecting tooooo much

[isuzurover]

I would own a forester turbo long before I would go near a P38... :wasntme:

How many years have you been married now??? And you need to ask us these questions?

[p38arover]

I would own a forester turbo long before I would go near a P38... :wasntme:

How many years have you been married now??? And you need to ask us these questions?

The P38A gives me far more driving pleasure than either of our Foresters (we have a 2006 and a 2009 Forester).

Married? 41 years next month.

[blitz]

Hey ron - yes show interest in the car it will mean to her that you are interested in what she is doing and you are wanting to share in that.

Interestingly enough I too would own a subi after the landy, but I would still break out in hives if I sold the old girl.

they are reliable, got plenty of grunt (the turbo jobbie), well engineered (if only for someone sub 6') good resale value and apparently good survival rates in crashes and as an AWD they are very predictable in theandling stakes

[d@rk51d3]

I wish mine was interested in a Subaru............ She's hell bent on a captiva at the moment:(

[Hoges]

1. Make sure Mrs Ron makes the purchase...not you:eek::twisted::p

2. Put a Hillman badge on it and pretend:wasntme:

By all means SHOW INTEREST...you may need to service it one of these days and you might just be surprised!!!

good luck Mate!

[jsp]

Hey Ron,

she's trusted you for 41 years and you have trusted her for 41 years, your big enough and old enough to make up your own mind on something and I guess so is she. I only get driven in the magna, sorry I mean verada, because its sin to call it a magna, maybe once a month if that, and I have driven it once in nearly 3 years. I would show great interest if Fran got herself a new car, but mainly as it would be second hand and I would be looking for issues she probably wouldn't pick up.

Does this wiz bang turbo model have those harder wrap around bucket seats that people like me just can't stand?

For the record, I got told last night to go and test drive a disco3 and an early L322, or hippo shaped rangie as it was referred to, and Fran said there is no way she would test drive it, and all that mattered was I was happy with it. So flip the coin and look at it from that point of view?

[adm333]

I would own a forester turbo long before I would go near a P38... :wasntme:



Well then, you mustn't be very tall.

If you are, then might I suggest a quick spin around the block in each before making any rash statements

:p

[isuzurover]

Well then, you mustn't be very tall.

If you are, then might I suggest a quick spin around the block in each before making any rash statements

:p

I am 6'3"....

Driving a series ute make other vehicles seem generous in the leg room department.

I have driven/sat in both P38s and Forresters.

[adm333]

Fair enough !

I found the Forester needed about 2 more notches for the seat to go back before I would be comfortable.

For long interstate trips, I'll take the Rangie any day.

[p38arover]

Elisabeth now owns a Steel Silver Forester XT Premium (i.e., turbo with all the fruit).

She didn't like the blue insert panels on the seats of the S-Edition XT with the WRX STi engine.

[andrew e]

Isn't there a factory STI version of the Forester aswell Ron? Might not have been released in AUS though....

I have never said no to test driving a car or bike. Wouldnt start now. Every car a is different experience.

Andy

[series3]

I have never said no to test driving a car or bike. Wouldnt start now. Every car a is different experience.

Andy

Ditto. Congratulations Ron. Give it a drive

[p38arover]

Isn't there a factory STI version of the Forester aswell Ron? Might not have been released in AUS though....

I have never said no to test driving a car or bike. Wouldnt start now. Every car a is different experience.

Andy

There is the factory S-Edition.

Me? I've regularly knocked back test drives. If a car doesn't interest me, I won't drive it. That's why I didn't drive Elisabeth's Forester for the first year she owned it. I didn't even drive it when she took it for a test drive before buying it. I only drove it when we went to WA a year ago. It's nearly 3 years old.

Equally, I won't drive someone else's car.

[p38arover]

Does this wiz bang turbo model have those harder wrap around bucket seats that people like me just can't stand?

No, the XT seems to have the same seats as the standard Forester except they are leather. The S-Edition may have as those seats are different.

[Shonky]

Corowa would be no fun for you then, Ron. ;)

I love jumping in other peoples vehicles and trying them out. 2009 I got a little bit addicted to Iain Reed's 101. Last year it was Pete McNeil's Jeep.

As Andy said, every vehicle is a different experience. :)

[frantic]

3 suggestions that may help "spike" your interest;
a) suggest either seat covers or even better new recaro/stratos bucket seats that would be cheaper if you got a set of say 4, 2 for the scooby and 2 for your rangie;)
b) it would be cheaper to buy 8 or so metres of 3in ss exhaust pipe so you both can have a nice "soundtrack" when driving:D
c)mix the scoobies tyres in with the rangies if you want to order from the states so 2 deliveries containing 2 forester size tyres and 2 rangie tyres may make more economic sense and come in under customs threshold rather then 4 or 5 rangie tyres that may need to be split to get under the $$ limit.

And yes Im like you shonky, i love cars and go to the motorshow in syd when its on(every 2nd year now!) and love to sticky beak at car shows.

[p38arover]

3 suggestions that may help "spike" your interest;
a) suggest either seat covers or even better new recaro/stratos bucket seats that would be cheaper if you got a set of say 4, 2 for the scooby and 2 for your rangie;).

We have seat covers and Recaros are too hard to get in and out of.


b) it would be cheaper to buy 8 or so metres of 3in ss exhaust pipe so you both can have a nice "soundtrack" when driving:D.

I hate noisy cars (and motor bikes).


c)mix the scoobies tyres in with the rangies if you want to order from the states so 2 deliveries containing 2 forester size tyres and 2 rangie tyres may make more economic sense and come in under customs threshold rather then 4 or 5 rangie tyres that may need to be split to get under the $$ limit..

Why do I want new tyres? :confused:


And yes Im like you shonky, i love cars and go to the motorshow in syd when its on(every 2nd year now!) and love to sticky beak at car shows.

I think I last went to a motor show in 1966. I seriously couldn't be bothered going to a motor show. Most cars hold no interest to me. I went the motorbike show a couple of years ago.

[jsp]

I would classify the Range Rover day on the Saturday to be a car show....?

then again I have strange ideas on things.

I love some cars and aren't interested in others.

I just sold a VG valiant and am about to sell :( :( :( a VF.