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Whats the arguement against gettin a forester auto compared to manual, repair/service/offroad?

i would prefer a manual, for service reasons

I've heard that the auto forester is better off-road because of:
1) torque multiplication by torque converter
2) more electronic control and whiz-bangery in the drivertrain traction control

I think this applies to the 2003.

Choice is personal really. I haven't had a Forester but the Liberty I have, I have had as an auto and a manual. Both have good and bad points. The manual was a lot of fun to drive and would go where ever I pointed it. The auto goes where ever I point it but it is no where near as much fun.

With the auto I can go up steep hills and over rough terrain a lot slower which in turn is easier on the car. The manual had it all over the auto coming down things.

The auto makes towing easier but suffers in the power department. The manual was harder to get moving towing the van but would pull up over taking lanes far better than the auto.

Both boxes will do what ever you need in one way or another. So it comes down to personal choice. My way of thinking is manual 70% preference compared to auto 30%. My car does every thing I need now as an auto but I wish it was a manual.

Do the latest versions with this intelligent selectable modes have triptronic or whatever its called in Subaru talk for manual mode shifting and auto?

I've often thought about getting a tiptronic and wiring it up to work like a sequental like the rally cars have.

I did a bit of research in passing the local Subaru dealership today. The 07 model Liberty autos with I-Mode select and sport shift (triptronic) in all models.
The Forester doesnt get I-Mode, but sports shift on XT models only.

Specs supplied in brochure says drive ratio is 4.444 for manual, 4.111 for auto, but reverses around in XT models? Maybthis is because of the wheel size from 16 to 17 on the XT?

I looked at this car & found it was too small for my needs
I drive the 07 XT many times & the 5 speed was geared like my RA STI , needing 6th gear .

I have a manual Forester. It's a 98 model so its a bit older now. Had it for 5 years now.

Goes easily where I take it, mainly on the beach for off road. It's low range is ok, never had a problem with using it in the soft stuff at all. Does it with ease.

What I do like is you can change at speed from low -> high range which makes it great to just use low when you need to in the softer stuff taking off then just change on the fly when you hit the hard sand.

It works on the bitumen as well when towing, makes it easy to get moving if you have a fair amount of weight out back.

Haven't had an auto forester or driven one.

I've got an MY03 Forester 5spd with 94,000+ kms up on the clock and love it to bits (a couple of minor grizzles but I live with them) as Indy-joe said the low range (albeit 20% reduction) is good for snails pace in traffic jams and also to get heavy loads rolling. I don't go offroad so cannot comment on that aspect but I know of a lot of Foresters that do and they are a mix of Auto & 5spd so I guess it comes down to what you feel comfortable driving......me I like to play with a stick

Subyroo wrote:..me I like to play with a stick

u dirty boy.

foresters surprised me in their offroad capabilities at the recent wedge trip where the stocker went easily through the sand and dunes and never got stuck, even when the modded 4bys did.