CD Article: 2009 Subaru Forester

[tortoise]

Subaru struggles to survive, and outside of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains...

Don't forget about all of New England.  I swear that a slow moving Subaru is Vermont's state car.
 
EDIT: Airbalancer beat me to it by a good 8 hours.

[sailor723]

Subaru struggles to survive, and outside of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains...

Don't forget about all of New England.  I swear that a slow moving Subaru is Vermont's state car.
 
EDIT: Airbalancer beat me to it by a good 8 hours.

Yep... some days when you're driving there it seems like Subaru is "The Official Car of Maine"

I can remember hearing in the 90's that the Bangor,Maine (similarly sized city to Saint John) dealership was outselling our local Subaru store 4 or 5 to 1

I'm certanly seeing many more Subs around here in the last year but a lot of them have "Quirk" or "Maine Mall Motors" decals 

[ggweci]

Cool video:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-_7VJ6syHH4

  and the music sucx

ok, maybe not the best video our there, but at about the 2-1/2 minute mark they take some serious corners.

how about this video?

http://www.ytv.co.jp/eigyo/forester/

I love it! 

[inco]

I'd love to see and hear that translated into English!

[tpl]

Subaru struggles to survive, and outside of the Pacific Northwest and the Rocky Mountains...

Don't forget about all of New England.  I swear that a slow moving Subaru is Vermont's state car.
 
EDIT: Airbalancer beat me to it by a good 8 hours.

When I lived in Mtl in '76-77 we used to visit Vermont a bit and SAAB was the official car of Vermont then. I wonder...if SAAB had made an AWD car then...  or if the old SAAB dealers morphed into Subaru dealers...

[inco]

I guess you forgot about the Saabaru!

[Rolling]

^ Not sure if anyone knows.... but Subie of Canada is offering some cash backs. Up to 8k. Yippeee Kayeah!

http://subaru.ca/WebPage.aspx?WebPageID=9179&WebSiteID=282

Oh the new Forester looks a bit like the new Outlander for some reason.

C’mon. The 2009 Forester looks more than a “bit” like the current and not “new” Outlander. Except for the added hood scoop, it looks like a styling clone of the Mitsubishi Outlander.
I didn’t know that Subaru now looks up to Mitsubishi for their styling cues.

[carcrazy]

^ Not sure if anyone knows.... but Subie of Canada is offering some cash backs. Up to 8k. Yippeee Kayeah!

http://subaru.ca/WebPage.aspx?WebPageID=9179&WebSiteID=282

Oh the new Forester looks a bit like the new Outlander for some reason.

C’mon. The 2009 Forester looks more than a “bit” like the current and not “new” Outlander. Except for the added hood scoop, it looks like a styling clone of the Mitsubishi Outlander.
I didn’t know that Subaru now looks up to Mitsubishi for their styling cues.

Just imagine how the Forester would look like if the "talented" Subaru designers would’ve looked at the CRV for styling cues. 

[Rolling]

Subaru took a gamble with the original Forester, and won. Since then they’ve hired (arguably) some of the worst designer in the industry, and are now just starting to produce acceptable looking vehicles again. I’m sure that the 2009 Forester will be a very safe vehicle, which was one of the selling points that sold me.

Let’s face it though, Subaru has a lot more competition now, and has to find a niche again to stand out and regain some sales. How much would sales at Subaru Canada increase if they DID include the 5 speed manual or even a 6 speed on the XT Limited?

 A bigger question would be how many more Foresters would be sold if they offered this Turbo Diesel engine that will be offered in Europe, and the rest of the world?

If Subaru Canada were to gamble again and bring this diesel engine as an option for the new Forester, they would instantly lead all their Asian competitors, and give the German manufactures the only competition around.

Unfortunately this is not going to happen. Most car manufactures had their “bean counters” analyze the North American market, and they came up with the conclusion that most North American’s want a slush box with “smooth” “non-jarring”, no skill needed, put you to sleep quickly driving experience.

Until I see a Diesel with a 6 speed manual option listed on the new Forester, I’ll continue to wait for the 2009 VW Tiguan.

[Rupert]

Maybe there is not enough diesel to go around in North America for widespread private vehicle use, and never will be. Is this the case?

[sailor723]

I don't know much about the refining process. Can it be tweeked to change the proportional amount of diesel/gasoline etc that comes out of a barrel of crude? Europe obviously sells a higher amount of diesel compared to gas....where does it come from?

[Rupert]

I don't know Sailor. Maybe commercial transportation in Europe is conducted more by electrified rail and such and maybe shorter distances to market, posibly a different mix, which would free up more diesel for private use. Like you I have a vague feeling that so much diesel comes from a barrel of oil and how that can be tweeked is unknown to me.

[2hondas]

During the warmer months, I notice Diesel around here is less expensive than gas. But during the colder ones, Diesel is higher priced. 

[Rupert]

Here's a link that gives some insight on diesel :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR2005080700888.html

[Demosthenes X]

Here's a link that gives some insight on diesel :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR2005080700888.html

Interesting reading, but the writer is a bit out to lunch.  "We can't increase the number of diesels on our roads because we don't have refining capacity, but no one is going to increase refining capacity because there aren't enough diesels on the road to warrant it."

Marketplaces move forward because people make choices.  Of course there's not "spare manufacturing capabilities".  But if enough people demand diesel, then more oil companies will invest in diesel refining.  I highly doubt there was a spare supply of high def TVs before demand for high def TVs skyrocketed, either, but we got by...

[inco]

Here is what I wrote a while back and if you check out Car & Driver you get another perspective.....

"And then if anyone read this month's C&D Steering Column article by "Chubby Checker" you kinda have to wonder if the move is going to be worth it. Prices will rise with demand and force gas companies to change the refineries we currently have and up goes the price again. Combine that with the higher costs required to take out the sulfur and the popularity or interest may very well fall.

Seems like we can't win regardless." 

[Seafoam]

During the warmer months, I notice Diesel around here is less expensive than gas. But during the colder ones, Diesel is higher priced. 

Diesel is used in home heating fuel so there is a bigger demand for it in the winter months.This pushes up the price along with other factors.

[Rolling]

Here's a link that gives some insight on diesel :

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR2005080700888.html

Interesting reading, but the writer is a bit out to lunch.  "We can't increase the number of diesels on our roads because we don't have refining capacity, but no one is going to increase refining capacity because there aren't enough diesels on the road to warrant it."

Marketplaces move forward because people make choices.  Of course there's not "spare manufacturing capabilities".  But if enough people demand diesel, then more oil companies will invest in diesel refining.  I highly doubt there was a spare supply of high def TVs before demand for high def TVs skyrocketed, either, but we got by...

I too found this article misleading and agree that the price of Gasoline and Diesel is market driven, and depends on how much local taxes are added on. You hear people claiming that it costs more to make Diesel, but anyone who actually  researches the refining process  finds out  that Diesel take less steps (lower costs?) than Gasoline, and that Diesel can be refined even more “Cracking” to produce  more gasoline. I’ve not heard of a “Unification” process that can produce Diesel from Gasoline. That kind of process would definitely cost more to do.

[Rolling]

During the warmer months, I notice Diesel around here is less expensive than gas. But during the colder ones, Diesel is higher priced. 

Diesel is used in home heating fuel so there is a bigger demand for it in the winter months.This pushes up the price along with other factors.

From what I’ve read the “Diesel” in Heating Fuel is probably “#1 Winter Diesel” which contains Kerosene that lowers the gelling temperature of the Heating Fuel. The Refining process for Kerosene (Jet Fuel) is as high as Gasoline, which contributes to the higher cost in the winter.

[Seafoam]

During the warmer months, I notice Diesel around here is less expensive than gas. But during the colder ones, Diesel is higher priced. 

Diesel is used in home heating fuel so there is a bigger demand for it in the winter months.This pushes up the price along with other factors.

From what I’ve read the “Diesel” in Heating Fuel is probably “#1 Winter Diesel” which contains Kerosene that lowers the gelling temperature of the Heating Fuel. The Refining process for Kerosene (Jet Fuel) is as high as Gasoline, which contributes to the higher cost in the winter.

There definately is a higher price whether it's the makeup of the fuel or the demand for it.
Right now in Halifax home heating fuel is selling for between $.94 to $1.03 per liter.If your tank is near empty it is going to cost you a lot  of money.