Greetings fellow Subie connoisseurs and addicts. The name here is Terry and I discovered this forum while trying to find why my 2003 2.5 XS automatic Forester is vibrating under the middle of the car. I can see this being a neat hangout. My car is Subie #7 for me and I may try to take this one to the 300,000 mile mark... or "to infinity and beyond"... I'm just over halfway at 167k.  I hope to have something to offer and something to gain for my presence here. I bought my first Subie new in 1997... an Impreza "Outback Sport" and I loved driving it but it was a scosh too small for the camera gear I carried as a news photographer. I bought a 98 Forester and on the 28th day I owned it a woman in an unlit Buick pulled in front of me on a dark highway and totaled it. I never hit the brakes and I slammed her at 40 mph. No serious injuries to either of us. My windshield didn't even crack and my only injury was a 2 x 3 inch abrasion on the inside of my arm from the airbag. You gotta love a car that'll take a bullet for you. Looking forward to getting acquainted.

Edited September 1, 201411 yr by Subaruaru

Terry,

 

Welcome to the USMB! 

 

That's quite a testament for the forester.  Glad to hear you were alright.

Thanks for the welcome. I thought the car was on fire but it was the airbag explosive that I was smelling. Driver's door opened w/ no problem as I made my "escape" from the seemingly burning car. Later I opened the passenger door which had just a little "pop" noise but also opened w/ no problem. At first the Insurance wasn't going to total it until the body shop pulled the steel away and discovered the timing gear had died in the crash too so they didn't want to put a new engine in it too.

Welcome!

 

I also drive an XS. Great car, I just wish I had held out for a Forester XT. A turbo would make this car awesome.