Forester and X-Trail Compared

Sent: Sunday, December 01, 2002 4:37 PM

Subject: Forester

Question and answers

Siggy’s reponse in red

For the past 40 years together with other vehicles I have always had a 4 wheel drive although my ‘Bush Bashing’ and trips into hard to get to areas are over I still like to get into some of the easier remote areas, perhaps though not with a Avan. We would drive to a nearby area where we could safely leave the Avan and drive in and tent it.

It depends upon what you want to do Brian. “Bush bashing” means different things to different people. We have no interest in running a petrol guzzling turbo truck with tenting facilities. We just want to get slightly off the bitumen into sand and maybe a bit of dirt. The Forester and Avan do this in fine style. I am sure that the Xtrail will do it too. We have got into sticky and very sandy situations in the last three years and coped fine. But that will not mean that with more Forester power I will now attempt to go up Mt Kosiosko.

Having personally driven a 4x4 for so long whilst I realise it is time that I did and am personally having difficulty in moving down to the likes of a Forester. Maureen these days does not, excepting in an emergency, is not willing to drive our 4x4 and would love to see us get a Forester especially an auto version.

What’s this moving DOWN bit? If you have driven a 5litre truck and then change up to a high class quality vehicle you soon understand why people give their Subies warm and fuzzy nicknames. How many people call their Nissan Patrols “cuddles” or their Landcruiser “baby”?

Started this message to you maybe two weeks ago, have had a lightening surge through the top of the range surge protectors that I have and am running on spare parts at present to allow me to have access to the net.

Suggest you buy a quality Apple Macintosh – we have run them for over 20 years and never had surge protection problems.

Yesterday we actually went and looked at both the Subaru and X-Trial that we are also considering with our preference being towards the Forester although the X-Trial has better towing specifications.

The Subaru has pedigree and history. The Xtrail is unknown at the moment. All you have to go by is Xtrail’s sexy advertising. The reason for the so called Xtra power is that the engine is mainly driving the front wheels – until there is a problem and that’s when the second pair of wheels part come into play. Interesting that the xTrail got stuck in the sand just like the Honda CRV in the tests!! Read between the lines in the Best Australian Cars review – it was the Subaru that kept the 4WD’s honest. The Subaru is AWD, all the time – not just on demand.

Bob is aware of our situation here Siggy as we have been in touch with him over a few months, we had hoped and seriously planed to buy a A-Van but certainly not a new car expecting our 4x4 Triton to do the job of towing for us whilst we are well aware that it is capable having towed a much heavier camping trailer for the past 3 years we were not aware then of the legalities involved and have discovered what we were doing was not legal due to the extremely low hitch weight. One thing has lead to another giving us two choices one to stay with what we have now and continue to “Tent” it, the other is to well and truly blow our budget and to buy both a Forester and A-van as one is not much good to us with out the other this would mean that I would need to continue working for two maybe three years longer to help meet the extra expense and as my health is good this is what I feel we shall do. If we go ahead we would prefer a new Forester as this will the last new vehicle that we buy and we need it to last as long as possible.

Just think “driving pleasure and less stress”. Putting away a wet tent was always my worst nightmare. Putting down the Avan in the rain is a piece of piss Brian. The only stress you will have is dreaming up ways to trick your wife into letting you drive the Forester. My wife drives the car all week and gets peeved when I ask for the keys to get the milk and the Sunday paper. She complains that the drivers seat is getting worn too quickly so I have to take her with me on all our trips. She even complains if I don’t wash under the wheel arches for christ sake!!! I swear the car has brought us together Brian. And so has the Avan. There are so many excellent positions both lying down and standing up and the stable feet are very stable indeed unlike so many of those motor homes which rely on rubber tyres for stability!

Now I have filled Siggy in I have a few questions for each of you I am sure that there will be more over the next couple of months as we have to wait until April/May before we can go ahead.

VersionsX or XS I personally see no major advantage other than the Auto loadadjustment on The XS. Wonder which versions you are driving? Is the extra$2000 really worth it?
We opted for the base model. Its got everything we needed anyway.

Auto or Manual: For towing I would feel the manual would be preferable and itdoes also have the advantage of Low range etc that the Auto does not haveyour thoughts on this again considering the extra $2000 involved?
Although the auto would be more convenient for my wife he likes the dual range manual – its helps me in the sand and is excellent for her in difficult road rage situations on the freeway – she can drop down a notch or two and roar away out of trouble. The AWD is excellent for weaving in and out of 4 lanes of traffic. She has only been caught 3 times and has not yet lost her licence.

Whilst we have no real desire to go into real rough areas these days where oncewe went looking for it we do though perhaps without the A-Van want to gointo some remoter areas and was wondering how you found the Forester performedoff road?
Its a matter of clearance. If you buy the off road Avan its heavier. We have camped out on the beach at Inskip Point and been on unmade slippery roads and dirt tracks – but not too hairy. I would not take the Forester into the true wild. Its too nice a car to get scratched.

Fromreading I understand that some load levelling device would be requiredeven to tow a small A-Van if so I was wondering what you are using andwhat you recommend if there is something perhaps better.
We would have liked the levelling option of the XS but our simple hitch leveller does the job – not that the Avan really needs it anyway. With no extras on board I tend to forget we have a van attached. When our Avan is fully loaded with extra water and bikes on bike rack we are close to the 1200kgs. We simply slow down and take it easy. Or we drink more water.

I see that the A-Van has electric brakes and again I imagine that some deviceneeds to be installed to control these what are you using and wouldrecommend if there is perhaps something you feel is better? Bob will give you important advice on this. We have had a Tekonsha on both Foresters. It works even better on our new Forester with its new electrics. Bob bought some crappy cheap Australian device bought in Kmart I think and paid a huge penalty. Amazing he got his money back and now realises that he need to always opt for quality.

I amsure that at some time we will travel on gravel and often corrugated roadshow have you found both the Forester and A-Van perform under suchconditions and another thought being is stone damage to the A-Van whilstdoing so? We have had no problems on gravel roads but then again we have not travelled on corrugated roads for long periods. Suggest that when you buy the Avan you insist that they add corrugated tyres as a no cost optional extra.

Howdo they both stand up to the dust when on the roads mentioned above? Again we have not had any problems with dust inside the van despite travelling on some dusty roads – but only for short distances.

The fridgewithin the A-Van when on the move where does it get its 12 volts from thecar? A-Van battery? If the A-Van battery I imagine its life is short whenthe fridge is running off it? It is not possible to run the fridge off the battery. When we travel the Avan fridge works off the car alternator as long as the car is travelling. When we stop we usually put the van up (for lunch etc) and start using the gas.

I have for several years now run a dual battery system in my 4x4s looking inthe engine bay of the Forester I see that this is not possible or hassomeone over come this? Is it possible to charge the A-Van battery fromthe car or run the Fridge from the Forester whilst driving? See answer above. I know it is possible to charge the Avan battery via the car. The other alternative is to have an extra battery in the Avan as there is no room in the Forester. It is after all a family car not a truck!! We have a solar panel on the Avan to charge our battery.

That will do it for now I am though seeking you advice and suggestions etc and will do I guess over the next few months I hope I do not become a real pain in the butt and if I do please do let me know.
You will never be a pain in the butt as long as you buy the Forester!!! But don’t call it “sweetie”!!!!

Maureen and I would like to wish you both and your “Better Halves” a very Healthy and Safe New Year may you be able to fit many nights into it camping in you’re A-Vans.
Thanks. We don’t go camping much in peak holiday times as it become so much of a pain having to show lines of people through our van. I have constructed a donations box to use when putting our van up and down during inevitable mass demonstrations.

When you and Maureen finally get your Forester and Avan we must take you out on your first trip to one of Bob’s more popular spots. He will want to come too. That way we can talk about interested things and leave Bob to simply drool.
Siggy (and Heather) Nowak.


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Brian Beamish