Forester or Rav4

[Ashore]

Macca Good choice have had forresters since 97 , on the second one now , I use goodyear eagle ntc 5 tyres and get in excess of 50,000 k , but make sure the alignment is spot on , scrubbed a front set of original tyres pretty quick once so I keep a good eye on alignment and have had no probs since
The only extra we got was the mats and the lipped rubbur mat for the luggage space is worth its weight in gold.

Rgds

[Cliff Rogers]

..had forresters since 97 , on the second one now , I use goodyear eagle ntc 5 tyres ...

What model are you on now?
Will the goodyear eagles go on the original rims?

[Ashore]

Cliff I have a 2002 2.5 XS manual and the eagles are 215/60R16 95V and fit straight on the standard alloy rims , a little bit more road noise but the wear and wet weather ability more than compensates ,
BTW Happy Birthday

Rgds

[Cliff Rogers]

Ta.

Wife just got goodyear eagle venturas on her corolla.
They go on the mags that came on her car & will fit on the standard rims on mine but they have a 'rim protector' bead on the wall the pushes the wheel trims off a standard rim.
They were a good price & seem to have good grip but they have a strange sideways balance problem.
Only shows up between 90 & 100 kph & not always there.
I makes the steering wheel wobble from side to side slightly.
She is going to take it back & see if they can sort it out.

[Cliff Rogers]

Found it..... 6.9 inches, pose mobile.

http://www.suzukiauto.com/sr_07/sx4/...nd_pricing.php

Err, I suggest you look at the 4wd version - 190mm = 7.5 inches?....

http://www.motiontrends.com/2006/m03...ifications.pdf


P

Umm, Pete?
They are different cars?
Which one is coming to Oz?
The first one you directed us to is the US 2L job & the 2nd one is the UK 1.6L job.
Which one are we going to get?

[bitingmidge]

Which one are we going to get?

Dunno,

That's why I'm waiting.....

P

[dazzler]

Hi Macca2

I was in the same boat and went with the RAV4. It really has moved up a size class (Now 28% bigger goes the ad and I believe it) and with a third kid almost here the extra room is worth it.

I love(d) subarus but there is a little too much resting on laurels at the moment with very little r and d into the great little forester which is basically the same jigger that came out in 1998 but with a roundy front.

RAV is bigger, 2006 design, sliding rear seats for more leg room (baby capsule room that is ), 2.4VVTi engine and huge rear cargo area. Very good off road height for forestry tracks/nat parks.


We have stepped down from a 100 series cruiser and seriously there is not that much less area in the cargo area and just as much room in the rear leg area. (not width sadly )

Just watch out for the auto version which we went with as the extra size/weight does dull it a bit, still not as slow as the boxer forester motor though. We went with the auto as the RAV has no low range so this goes a small way to bridging that gap.

IMO the only thing that the forester does better is the constant symettrical 4wd design is better than the RAV which transmits drive to the rear when needed electronically and a low range option on the manual.

Take a RAV for a spin, I did and was sold on it.

[dazzler]

RAV4 fuel economy over 5700km has averaged 10.3 l per 100ks.

That includes about 2200 in and around hilly hobart and the run up the freeway melb to port macquarie, back to canberra and back to port macquarie again.

Not as good as what I think the forester would get 8-9 perhaps?.

Also check out the noise difference in the two. The RAV is amazingly quiet.

[womble]

we were in the same boat last year

went with a honda CRV in the end...no dramas so far

[savage]

Bought myself a Ssangyong Musso sports duelcab ute, 2.9lt/turbo/d. Korean built to Mercedes specs and a 5cyl Merc motor, so far so good comfort and drivability are great, though it took a while for the looks to grow on me. I went this way for the towing capacity/dollar value, but I have always liked the Subaru's.

[Cliff Rogers]

Dunno,

That's why I'm waiting.....

P

Pfff.... you had me fooled...
I thought you knew what you were on about.

[Buzzer]

Hi,

If travelling in rural/remote areas, I would go for the Toyota, because nearly every town has a toyota dealer/service agent.(parts and tyres availability).

Cheers

[macca2]

I am not looking to go bush bashing.
Just want a good reliable small wagon with the added safety of 4X4.
The Forester takes 215/60 R16 94H, and these are available in other brands than Yokohama. Goodyear Eagle being just one.

Thanks Macca

[Wood Borer]

I'm on my second Forester - very happy with them both.

Both have done city, highway and off road.

Off road includes 3 outback trips (Birdsville/Simpson Desert). In March 2006 I drove it across the Simpson with my mates in larger 4WDs. It was airborne multiple times per day (not being reckless - this is the only way across some sandhills).

Yes I did blow up the motor outside Birdsville but that was because I had neglected to clean the sand out of air filter after the desert crossing.

The previous year I needed a diesel Prado and a V8 Cruiser to tow me out of a big sand hole - The Prado was smoking the clutch and needed the assistance of the big Toyota. I didn't even need a wheel alignment when I returned back to Melbourne.

The highway and city driving are fine in the Subaru.

I will keep the Subaru plus buy a diesel Toyota to tow heavy loads and to give the Subaru a rest from the heavy duty four wheel drive trips.

I don't like the computer controlled 4WD in the Hondas - gets people into trouble because it kicks in and out of 4WD when the driver knows it should have been in 4WD.

[Mirboo]

Check out this press release from JD Power, a US based "global marketing information firm that conducts independent and unbiased surveys of customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior." The press release gives a quick run down of the results of JD Power's 2006 Initial Quality Study. Toyota is right up there on quality (unfortunately only vehicles available in the US are included in this study so no Holden) which is one of the main reasons why I am a Toyota fan. Nothing annoys me more than niggly little quality problems. I'd go with the RAV4.

My current car is a 2003 Toyota Prado and I'm very happy with it.