# New winter daily... 2003 Subaru Forester XS
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898
**Category:** Builds
**Created:** [October 28, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898 "2013-10-28T18:38:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Cossey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Cossey)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/1 "2013-10-28T18:38:14Z")
My first legit Lesbaru. Very happy about it lol. Got the car for a great deal off of Craigslist. Has full maintenance and service records, and had the t-belt, water pump, and head gaskets replaced about 20k miles ago. Regular fluid and filter changes, etc… Only issue is it has an exhaust heat shield rattle, which may be replaced with a new exhaust entirely.
I plan on keeping it until spring at the minimum. I got it for a great deal, and there’s no reason not to keep it longer really.
As you can maybe see in the pics, there’s a dent on each front fender that should easily be able to be PDR’d. A couple scratches here and there. That’s about it.
Everything works on it, though there’s a couple dash light bulbs out, but those should be easy to replace. Apparently the lady’s mechanic told her he has to take the whole dash apart to get to it. On the Subaru Forester forum, I found it takes about 10-15 minutes to take the gauge cluster out and they’re simple/cheap 194 bulbs.
First thing I’m doing is replacing the factory head unit. I ordered a Pioneer AVH-X3500BHS unit to put in, which will give me full iPod/iPhone/Android connectivity, BlueTooth for both phone calls and audio, HD and SiriusXM radio, DVD, etc… Only thing it doesn’t have is nav, which doesn’t matter since Garmins are stupid cheap and I have one or two laying around.
Future plans:
New door speakers
PDR the dents
Remove heat shields for exhaust, or replace exhaust entirely
Change the oil
Drive it
The car also came with a pretty fresh set of snow tires, which I’ll be putting on tomorrow thanks to good ole Wayne.
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### Author:  [@Yetti\_VR](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Yetti_VR)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/2 "2013-10-29T05:42:43Z")
…
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### Author:  [@PJB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PJB)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 6:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/3 "2013-10-29T06:04:29Z")
Did you find any lesbian artifacts anywhere in the car?
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### Author:  [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/4 "2013-10-29T06:53:55Z")
Yes PJB. There was a giant rainbow colored dildo wedged under the passenger seat. He hit a bump and it started vibrating.
Looks like its in great shape. Still think you should lift it a little with some aggressive tires a brush guard and roof basket with light bar haha.
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### Author:  [@Boost\_Creep](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boost_Creep)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 7:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/5 "2013-10-29T07:06:35Z")
^ :rofl
Have fun with it bud.
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### Author:  [@Phate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Phate)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 9:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/6 "2013-10-29T09:13:27Z")
> [@Start practicing "duck and cover"](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/start-practicing-duck-and-cover/53560/146):
>
> Yes PJB. There was a giant rainbow colored dildo wedged under the passenger seat. He hit a bump and it started vibrating.
>
> Looks like its in great shape. Still think you should lift it a little with some aggressive tires a brush guard and roof basket with light bar haha.
There’s a pretty awesome Subaru Baja over in Rexford with tube front and rear bumpers. Pretty much the same car, only with an open rear cargo area.
^^Wants a baja turbo with a stick^^
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### Author:  [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 9:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/7 "2013-10-29T09:24:13Z")
I honestly tried to find one when I got the mazda. A clean 5spd turbo Baja for a decent price is like a unicorn.
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### Author:  [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/8 "2013-10-29T10:13:20Z")
Chris you can try putting 1 or 2 self tapping screws into the heat shield so they touch the exhaust pipe. A lot of the time that will resolve the rattle noise. Plus it’s cheap.
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### Author:  [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/9 "2013-10-29T10:20:24Z")
I just thought every Subaru came with a heat shield rattle as OEM equipment.
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### Author:  [@Phate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Phate)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/10 "2013-10-29T20:36:48Z")
> [@toomanycamaros"](#):
>
> Chris you can try putting 1 or 2 self tapping screws into the heat shield so they touch the exhaust pipe. A lot of the time that will resolve the rattle noise. Plus it’s cheap.
Take a couple of hose clamps, chain them together until it is long enough, and wrap them around the heatshield. Worked perfect on my dad’s old 2004 legacy.
> [@Homosexual Undertones - NYSPEED Edition](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/homosexual-undertones-nyspeed-edition/15447/399):
>
> I honestly tried to find one when I got the mazda. A clean 5spd turbo Baja for a decent price is like a unicorn.
There was a black one in Massachusetts for like $7k a month or so back, and it already had a roof rack with extra lighting. Needless to say I wanted it.
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### Author:  [@Hang\_Your\_Cross](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hang_Your_Cross)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2013, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/11 "2013-10-31T10:13:44Z")
> [@Office Photo Hunt v. Little White Girls](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/office-photo-hunt-v-little-white-girls/53547/125):
>
> There’s a pretty awesome Subaru Baja over in Rexford with tube front and rear bumpers. Pretty much the same car, only with an open rear cargo area.
>
> ^^Wants a baja turbo with a stick^^
Those are based off of the Legacy chassis.
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### Author:  [@Phate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Phate)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/12 "2013-10-31T16:18:49Z")
> [@What are you listening to RIGHT NOW? Pt. NYSpeed](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-are-you-listening-to-right-now-pt-nyspeed/183/962):
>
> Those are based off of the Legacy chassis.
Isn’t every single subaru sold in the mid 2000’s based on the legacy chassis?
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### Author:  [@Hang\_Your\_Cross](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hang_Your_Cross)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/13 "2013-10-31T18:09:04Z")
> [@FS: Ipod touch 8GB](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-ipod-touch-8gb/53150/7):
>
> Isn’t every single subaru sold in the mid 2000’s based on the legacy chassis?
no. There are legacy and impreza chassis.
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### Author:  [@Phate](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Phate)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/14 "2013-10-31T22:01:55Z")
> [@Who's been to Put-in-Bay?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/whos-been-to-put-in-bay/53606/33):
>
> no. There are legacy and impreza chassis.
Right. Which share many components, as well as the overall design, engines, transmissions, and awd systems, but are different sizes.
The legacy platform is the larger one, which underpins the forester, outback, baja, and legacy sedan/wagon. Which is why the service manual we have from out old 2004 legacy covers the legacy, forester, and baja.
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### Author:  [@JSEnclosures](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JSEnclosures)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2013, 4:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/15 "2013-11-01T04:15:56Z")
Maybe this is a stupid question but why not just dive the lease through the winter?
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### Author:  [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/16 "2013-11-01T05:15:21Z")
I think in the latest purchase thread he said to keep the milage down.
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### Author:  [@JSEnclosures](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JSEnclosures)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2013, 5:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/17 "2013-11-01T05:38:19Z")
that makes sense. I’ve never had a leases for a few reasons but I thought there was maybe a rust charge for driving it through the salt, that sounds stupid now that I type that lol
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### Author:  [@Boost\_Creep](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boost_Creep)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2013, 9:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/18 "2013-11-01T09:45:40Z")
Coss must be racking up those miles.
I wouldn’t own a lease if I was going to go over the 12k (which I would since I drive 20k a year for work).
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### Author:  [@GD3Skier](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/GD3Skier)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2013, 9:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/19 "2013-11-01T09:54:43Z")
Yup I could never lease as well. I usually do 20-25k a yr.
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### Author:  [@JSEnclosures](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JSEnclosures)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2013, 9:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/new-winter-daily-2003-subaru-forester-xs/267898/20 "2013-11-01T09:55:13Z")
When I had my Tacoma I burned through the 36k warranty in the first year
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